Page 101 of Hell Burns Between Us

“The most powerful goddess in all of Hell.” Moe smiled dreamily. “Maybe the only goddess of Hell?”

“But,” Peri took a long drink of her coffee. “We don’t have a goddess in Hell.”

“Sure we do,” Bonegrundle interrupted, her voice calm yet firm. “Who do you think made Hell?”

“Well, that’s a highly debated subject,” Peri countered, her nerves or, perhaps too much coffee, making her voice tremble. “But one thing everyone agrees on is that any story about a goddess creating things is... mythical. And, if you ask me, highly fantastical.”

“Who do you think invited the magical creatures to Hell?” Oriane asked with a bemused smile.

“What do you mean… invited?” She’d frozen mid-bite, a giant forkful of waffles halfway to her mouth. Of all the information she’d ever read about the magical creatures, never once had she read something about them having travelled to Hell. But then again, they’d also just mentioned being trapped here. So it stood to reason, they either came from or wished to go somewhere else.

“Hell used to be where we spent our holidays. A place where we didn’t need to hide our true selves like in the mortal realm.”

“Oh,” Peri said, swallowing hard. “Why didn’t you stay living here, then… if you had more freedom?”

“The well of magic in Hell is not as strong, or at least we’ve never found a way to directly tap into it. There’s magic here, sure. But not like where we came from.” There was a long pause before Bonegrundle sighed.

“Then the D—” Her voice broke, the snakes on her head began swirling around excitedly hissing. Alsu reached up and stroked them until they calmed once more. She bit her lip, considering her next words carefully. “And while we do find it lovely here, we deserve the freedom that we once had. The freedom the deceiver took from us when he stripped the goddess’s power from her, which inadvertently closed the borders between Hell and other realms.”

“First things first,” Bonegrundle said. “You need to steal back that earring so that you can return it. Then we can all have our freedom; yours from your family and ours from this Cursed Bargain.”

“I’m not—” Peri began, only she realised it wasn’t quite believable to claim that you weren’t being trapped by your family, when you had an actual rune on your back that said otherwise. So, she pivoted slightly. “You truly think the Lady of the Lake would help me with something like that?”

“Why, of course she’ll help you, sweet hellion.” Moe smiled softly at Peri. “It will not be easy getting that earring, she’ll reward you for your efforts, of that you can be sure.”

“And you really know where it is?”

“Yes!” Moe nodded encouragingly. “It’s nestled in the home of the last sacrifice.”

Oriane gazed at her sister lovingly. “Otherwise known as Thistle Cottage. It’s the only home in the Rune Circle that’s not up in a tree. Wisteria is celebrating her birthday nearby, it would be easy enough for you to go before the party and retrieve the earring then—you are going to Wisteria’s party, aren’t you?”

“I—well, maybe?” Going to this party would be fun, she reminded herself. And she deserved to have fun, especially once she’d found that earring. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was so hesitant to go.

Maybe it was that technically, she’d be going with Oleander… except she wasn’t sure if they were still going together. Maybe he’d found somebody else, someone more fun and less bossy.

Or perhaps they were still going together, but he’d consider this a date.

No, she scoffed internally, that seemed highly unlikely.

They were friends! This fact had been established many times. And friends attended parties together. All the time. It’d be fine.

There wasn’t the slightest chance in Hell that something untoward would happen between them.

So, instead of backing out like a coward, she rolled her shoulders back and said, “Yes! Yes. I am definitely going.”

Oriane tapped a long finger to her lips. “The timing will be perfect since the earring only appears after nightfall. You can slip in then.”

“Well,” Bonegrundle slapped the table with both hands and briskly stood. “Let’s go get your outfit for the party.”

“My outfit?” Peri asked, searching the faces of the gorgons surrounding her.

“It’ll be good for both retrieving the earring and then celebrating afterwards.” Oriane grinned wickedly. “Let’s get you looking fierce, you fucking hellion.”

Peri hesitated, stripping her clothes off quickly, feeling the weight of every single gaze in the room. She was keenly aware of the others lounging on plush sofas, sipping cocktails, completely at ease. Waiting.

A box lay at her feet, and she was instructed to open it only when she was completely naked—except for the snake always coiled around her neck.

It was... strange, being naked in front of people who were fully clothed. This wasn’t something she would’ve done in her own Circle. Tentatively, she began to lift the lid of the box, only for it to fly open of its own accord, revealing a collection of daggers and knives that gleamed with dangerous lustre, their luminous golden edges catching the dim light.