"How did he die? Is he dead? Did you check his pulse?" Mads starts rambling out questions as I grab her arms. "We should call someone or help him! Karma, for god’s sake, talk to me!"
"I'm sorry this is how you have to find out the truth, but we need to leave right now before someone comes for him and finds us," I try to explain, but she stares at me like I’m crazy. I use my one hand to skim through my charms on my necklace until I find the bird charm and carefully press it into my burnt palm, flinching from the pain.
"What are you talking about? I think we need to get out of here, and then when the shock of seeing a dead person wears off, we can talk about what happened. I’ve heard shock can do crazy things to people," Mads mumbles on, trying to pull her hand from mine as I whisper to the charm.
"Bird, fly me home, to the place where I am safe and I feel I belong. Bird, bird, take me home. To Madison Grey's apartment. To her home." I hear Mads’s frightened scream as we disappear in a swirl of green dust, reappearing right in the middle of her apartment. She looks around her apartment as I drop the charm, and then to me with wide eyes before her eyes roll to the back of her head and she passes out. I just about catch her before she slams onto the floor, and I groan when I hear my high heel crack as we fall to the floor together. I pull Mads’s head onto my lap, hot tears streaming down my cheeks as I know she won’t forgive me for this. No one will. In one stupid second, I’ve ruined my entire life. What the hell have I done? My family is going to kill me—if the higher gods don't get to me first, that is.
Chapter Eight
I tuck Mads into her bed after dragging her across the apartment before sitting on the edge and dropping my head into my hands, flinching as my burnt hand reminds me it is injured. How did this even happen? I killed a higher god. I'm sure I read somewhere that higher gods can't be killed, so surely this is impossible. Maybe I just saw the mark wrong, or he was a god who happened to have a tattoo just like the higher gods have. Right, that is it. I have got this all wrong, and I need to stop freaking out. I lift my head up just as Peyton appears in the room, leaving green dust in a circle all around him. He drops the rucksack he has in his hands and runs to me, pulling me into a tight hug. I knew it wouldn’t be long until everyone found out what I did, but this is quicker than even I thought. I hoped deep down that I would have some time to escape. Peyton’s hug somewhat makes me feel a false sense of safety for a second, but that is as long as it lasts. I’m not safe anymore.
"What the fuck happened? Why are the gods of justice interviewing our family about anywhere you could be and telling us that you killed a higher god?" Peyton frantically asks, pulling back but keeping his hands on my shoulders as he locks eyes with me. “My sister can’t kill a fly if she tried, literally, but they say they have proof. This has to be a mistake, right?”
"Oh shite, Pey, I was hoping I got it all wrong. He really was a higher god," I say, starting to really panic as the shock continues to wear off. Peyton drops his hands, looking a mixture between worried and scared for me. It doesn’t help the situation. I need my smartass brother to help me figure something out. I kick my other shoe off and push past my brother, needing to move around and do anything. I start searching through Mads’s kitchen drawer, you know the drawer everyone has in their house where everything random goes, until I find a bandage and tape. I tie the bandage around my hand, using my teeth to rip the end before taping it down. I look up to see Peyton rubbing his face, watching me with concern before looking down at Mads.
"Why is your friend in bed, passed out?" he asks. I just turn and wave my hands in the air, making it clear we have bigger problems. Mads being passed out really isn’t on the top of our list of problems right now. "Right, doesn't matter. Just tell me what happened, because Damien and Hugo are distracting the justice twins with mum and dad, but I don't have long. You don’t have long."
"I had a karma job today, and I googled him to find out he has this posh club not far from here. So, I took Mads there for a night out, and now I'm sure the place is owned by gods. Anyway, that doesn't matter. I thought the guy was human and sensed he was fearful of water. I used this stupid charm mum got me today, and it created green lightning. The next thing I know, water is pouring out a hole in the glass ceiling, mixing with the lightning and killing the human. Only he wasn't human...and I fucking killed him by accident. Oh my god, they are going to send me to that correctional facility that no one ever comes out of," I gasp as I finish blurting out the story, panic making it damn hard to breathe. I cannot live in a prison full of gods for the rest of my life. They throw all the bad gods, the monsters of the world into that place, and I wouldn’t survive a day. My attitude in life is to run away if things look difficult or impossible to survive. That place would make my life motto pretty shite.
"No, they are not going to blame you for this. The higher god had bad karma coming his way, god or not. I mean, it was an accident, and they have to see that. We will get a meeting with the higher gods on the island to fight your cause. You just need to make sure the twin gods of justice don’t catch you before then," he tells me, walking over and pulling me into a tight hug once again. “I won’t let my sister face a life sentence in a hell hole. None of our family will let that happen.”
"If the higher gods will even see you. They don’t listen to anyone. I might as well walk myself to the prison," I mutter, pushing away from him because he is going to make me cry. Tears aren’t useful right now, and I never cry.
"There has never been a higher god killed before. I thought it was impossible to kill them, but here we are, and that has to be addressed. I won't let you get blamed for something you didn't even know was possible. Look, that bag is filled with clothes to last a while, some daggers, food and anything mum thought you’d need. The daggers are my magic ones I gambled for years ago. No matter how you throw them, they will always hit their target,” he tells me.
“That’s incredible. You hid those well,” I reply, and he grins. “Thank you,” I add.
“They might give you a chance, and it’s all I can do right now. You need to use human transport and no magic, so they can't find you. I know the gods of justice can track powers. Travel to Dover, get on a ferry to London, then a ferry to France and disappear for a while. You know that place in the south of France we went to when you were seven?" he asks, and I nod, remembering it well. "Go there, and stay there. We will fix this and come find you."
"What if you can’t fix this? I killed him, and there will be punishment for it. Accident or not," I say, feeling more panicked than I ever have. "Who was he? He said he was looking for me before the lightning struck." Peyton might not say it, but I see the confusion turn to apprehension that spreads across his features.
"I don't know who he was, but the gods of justice are on the war path," he warns me, and I know that isn't a good thing. I met one of them once, but that wasn't a good night, and it isn't going to get me any favours. No, I'm going to have to think outside the box to survive this and avoid them. If I can get to France, untracked, then I can hide in there for a good amount of time. The place we went to as kids had no signal, and it has a natural barrier against magic in the mountain. I will find a cabin by the mountain and hide.
"Watch her for a second while I get dressed," I tell Peyton, picking up the bag and going into Mads's bathroom. I peel the wet dress off, chucking it into the sink with my other non-broken heel. The poor things. It's such a shame, they were damn nice heels. I quickly pull out black leggings, my favourite top and my leather jacket. I also find warm socks and my only pair of black army boots that have a tiny heel. Mum must have packed this bag, it is pretty efficient. I put my hand in the bag to see what else is in there only to flinch when something softly bites my finger. I widen the bag and look in, seeing Kit the little shite in there, licking his lips.
"Really? Now is the time you decide to leave your spot under my bed?" I complain to him, knowing he can't reply or speak English, but I have a funny feeling he understands me all the same. I shake my head and see the daggers in the bag, knowing it's best I keep them in there for now anyway. There is also a big wad of cash, a snack box and a jar of peanut butter in the bag. Mum knows me so well, and I’m going to miss her the most. I do the bag up and pull out my fire charm, which looks like a little flame, and set the dress and heels on fire in her sink. I run back into the main room, seeing Peyton talking quietly to Mads as I grab my other heel and run back to chuck it in the fire. When I come back in, Mads looks totally freaked out, and Peyton has gotten off the bed to stand a good distance away.
"Madison knows you have magic, not what you are," Peyton points out the obvious. "I hadn't gotten around to explaining everything. In my defence, it’s hard to explain, and I’ve not told anyone before in detail."
"Karma...you moved us like a friggin’ wizard. What have you not told me? Why is your older brother here?" Mads rapidly asks. I go to walk to her, wanting to tell her everything because I hate the panicked and betrayed look she has, when Peyton catches my arm, and he shakes his head.
"I need to get back, and you don't have all the time in the world to tell her. They will come here next, I'm sure of it. Mads is your only friend," Peyton points out.
"Not my only friend," I mutter, needing to argue my point. I’m not a total loner. Most of the time. Humans and people in general can be hard to make friends with.
"Only friend," both Mads and Peyton say at the same time. It's creepy as they turn to smile at each other.
"Look, you have ten minutes, then the bus will be outside. I googled it for you when I broke your phone. I will dispose of your bag," Peyton snaps out of gazing at my bestie to tell me.
"Not my phone," I groan, and he just raises his eyebrows at me, letting me know he has a damn point that I need to stay away from technology. I've heard the rumours one of the justice twins can find anyone through it. "You should go back home, but tell mum I'm okay. That this isn't her fault, because I know what she is like. I also need you to come back and keep an eye on Mads. I won't have enough time to make sure she can handle the truth." Peyton nods once and pulls me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head.
"I wish I could do this for you. It isn't fair it's you," he quietly says.
"I will be okay. I'm crafty enough to keep myself safe," I remind him who his sister is.
"I know," he says, letting me go and stepping back. "Whatever happens, we will get you out of it. This was an accident. Love you, sis." Peyton disappears into a puff of green dust, making the floor of the apartment look like a leprechaun threw up all over it. Mads crawls to the other end of the bed, letting out a little screech.
"I'm a goddess of karma, and so are all my family. The powers run in my family, and the world is full of many different types of gods and creatures. I'm still your best friend, and nothing has changed there," I swiftly tell her, knowing that I can’t stay here much longer. I didn’t want to explain my life to her like this, nor tell her the world is much bigger and more magical than she could ever have imagined without showing her how amazing it can be. This will just make her nervous of me and the world, which I’d never want.
"This is a lot to take in, Karma," she says, still looking fearful. "Why are you in trouble? Did you kill that guy? Is that why you had to move us here and show me your secret?"
"The man was a god, a higher god, and I wasn't meant to be able to kill him. It's complicated, but it was an accident. I have to go on the run now, and I won't be able to see you for a long while. Peyton will keep you safe, I promise," I say, wanting to hug my friend but knowing she isn't at that point yet. She might never be. "I don't have to warn you not to tell anyone, do I?"
"I won't tell anyone your family’s secret, Karma," she says, and I believe her. Not that I have much choice. I walk to the door, pausing with my hand on the door handle to look back at Mads.
"You need to pretend you weren't with me tonight and clean up all this dust. You didn't see anything, and you talk to no one but Peyton about this. Understood?" I ask her, trying to be firm but my voice catches. Mads is my best friend, and I feel like I’m the shittiest person in the world for dropping this on her and leaving. Mads slides off the bed and runs to me with her arms open. I happily accept her hug, knowing I'm going to miss talking to her every day, and I’m so glad she even wants to hug me. This gives me hope, which I damn well need.
"I got it. You keep your arse safe and away from whoever is after you. We both know you wouldn’t kill anyone on purpose. Also, you should take this," Mads says before she rapidly lets me go and runs to her kitchen, opening the drawers until she finds a card and gives it to me. It's a bus pass, something very useful.
"Thank you. I love you like a sister, you know that?" I say, pulling the door open, because if I don’t now, I won’t be able to make myself leave.
"Yeah, I know it, even if you are a damn goddess. I should have known with your looks and good luck," Mads says with a laugh, following me out the door and holding it open. "Wait, does your goat really talk? I swear every time I used to walk past him, he would call me fit."
"Yeah, he talks," I laugh with her, knowing Michael couldn't have kept his mouth shut. "His name is Michael."
"It’s relieving to know I wasn't making up being hit on by a goat in my head, to be honest with you," she says, and I can't help but chuckle as I pull the other strap to the bag over my shoulder.
