"Are you okay?" Evadne asked sweetly, her voice all honey, except for the smirk she threw at Selena, paired with a slight raise of her brow that only the other girl could see. "You look like hell."
Selena didn't respond.
She couldn't.
Her knees were shaking, her skin was pale, and she was dangerously close to vomiting, just like the rest of Hades's group. The brutal line-up of rides chosen by Evadne had decimated them one by one.
From extreme roller coasters to every variant of drop towers and pendulum rides, they were barely standing.
"Princess," Casadin said, casually ignoring Hades's group like they were background noise. "Where do you want to go next? Another Drop Tower?"
"Please, no more," Nika whimpered, close to tears.
"Why do you even keep following us?" Bea raised a brow, visibly annoyed. "No one's forcing you to ride with us."
"Vee, please," Cieryl spoke up, trying her best to sound gentle despite her shaky breath. "We really can't handle any more extreme rides. How about the ferris wheel? It's relaxing. We could enjoy the view."
"Yeah, come on," another of their group chimed in. The rest simply nodded, too afraid that opening their mouths would result in more than just words coming out.
"I really don't like the ferris wheel," Evadne said with a dramatic pout.
"Then we won't ride the ferris wheel," Casadin said, pulling her close with an arm around her shoulder. "Don't mind them, Princess. All that matters is that you enjoy yourself. It's not like we're forcing them to come with us."
"We've already compromised on all your crazy rides, Evadne. Can you not compromise for us too?" Hades's voice was cold, his face pale from adrenaline and mounting rage.
"Really?" Amanda snapped before Evadne could even reply. "So now it's Vee's fault your knees are weak and your stomachs can't handle a ride? Why the hell should she compromise? Did anyone hold a knife to your throats? Tie you to us? Force you onto the seats?"
"Amanda," Casadin warned with a lazy smirk. "Don't be rude. Though, to be fair, one of them is leashed," he laughed.
"You piece of shit!" Hades lost it. His eyes darkened as he lunged toward Casadin.
But Casadin, calm as ever, smoothly stepped in front of Evadne and moved her behind him, shielding her effortlessly.
"You really just called me a piece of shit?" Casadin laughed, a sound sharp as broken glass. "Aren't you supposed to be smart, golden boy? You should know the definition of shit, it's something people throw away."
He leaned in closer, voice low and deadly.
"Remind me, who exactly got thrown away again? Was it me? Or was it you, the one left crying on the steps of an orphanage by parents who didn't want you?"
He mockingly tapped Hades's jaw three times with the back of his fingers.
"You've got the wrong approach, mutt. If you want something, you don't growl at your masters. You roll over. You sit. You do tricks. You make them happy. Or they throw you out again."
Hades clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked, but the words had already sunk in. Deep. Too deep.
"What's wrong, golden boy? No clever comeback? Can't toss your Falcon name around here, huh? Oh right, you can't. Because whether you get to keep that name or not? That's all up to Vee, is it?"
Casadin took a slow, almost mocking step back.
"So instead of playing the tough guy, why don't you wag that tail and say please?"
"Cas, that's enough." Evadne reached for his hand, her voice calm but firm. She gently pulled him back and stepped between them, placing herself squarely between the two boys. "I don't want to ride anything anymore."
Relief was instantly visible on Cieryl's face, along with several others from their group. The torture of extreme rides, it seemed, was finally over.
"I want to try the Horror House," Evadne added sweetly with a smile.
Everyone froze.
Even Casadin.
His brows furrowed, hesitation flickering in his usually cocky gaze.
"Are you sure, Princess?" His voice was low, cautious, laced with worry. "You might get nightmares tonight."
"No, I won't," she replied, her smile unwavering as she tilted her head up at him. Then she shifted her gaze, cold and direct, to Hades. "You and your friends don't need to come. It's dark inside anyway, so there's no need to take pictures. You can rest… or do your thing."
She didn't wait for a reply.
Without giving anyone a chance to object, she grabbed Casadin's hand and led him away toward the looming entrance of the Horror House followed by the rest of their friends.
Hades made a move to follow, but Cieryl clutched his arm tightly.
"Babe, please… I can't handle another scare," she said in a soft, almost pleading voice, her expression pale.
Hades sighed heavily, his frustration coiled tight in his chest. But he didn't shake her off. Instead, he helped her over to a bench where they could still see the entrance and exit of the Horror House from a distance.
Cieryl wanted to suggest the Ferris wheel, that was the plan, wasn't it? The romantic ride they'd agreed on before all this chaos started. But now, she knew the mood was gone. The day had gone sideways. Completely.
Her nails dug into her palms as she clenched her fists.
She was so sure this day would be perfect.
She knew Hades was supposed to pick Evadne up at 9 a.m., but instead, he picked her up first and brought her to Adventureland. He made Evadne wait, and it had made Cieryl feel triumphant. Like she was still his first choice.
But now, as she sat watching the girl laugh with Casadin, her stomach twisted.
The only good moment she shared with Hades that day was their time on the carousel. Everything else since then had felt like a slow descent into humiliation. And she hated Evadne for ruining her day with Hades.
Thirty minutes passed.
Then Evadne emerged from the Horror House, with Casadin and the rest of his crew, laughing. Like they had just come from a comedy show, not a haunted maze of screaming actors and jump scares.
"So you can't be scared, huh, Vee?" Flynn said through his laughter. "You punched like three ghosts in the face."
"Stop itttt!" Evadne laughed, half-embarrassed but clearly amused. "I didn't mean to! I just reacted!"
"I still feel bad for that vampire," Amanda said between snickers. "He actually screamed, 'Miss, please! I'm just doing my job!'"
And they all broke into uncontrollable laughter again.
Their laughter echoed across the park, drifting all the way to the bench where Hades and his group sat in growing silence.
And all Hades could do was sit there, jaw tight, fury burning behind his eyes.
He couldn't take it anymore.
Without a word, he stood and strode toward Evadne, cutting through the sound of her laughter like a knife.
"It's almost 7 p.m. We should head home now," he said, trying, and failing, to keep his voice calm.
Evadne glanced at her watch, a soft pout forming on her lips.
"Time really does fly when you're having fun," she said lightly, almost to herself.
"It's still early, Princess," Casadin chimed in, arm draped comfortably around her shoulders. "We can squeeze in a few more rides. I'll take you home."
"I was the one who brought her here," Hades said, tone clipped. "Naturally, I should be the one to take her back."
"If you have a curfew, golden boy, don't drag her into it," Casadin shot back. "You can leave. I'll take care of Vee."
"It's okay, Cas," Evadne interjected gently. "I'm a little tired anyway. And I need to take my meds on time, I didn't bring them with me."
She didn't care who heard. She never hid the fact that she was medicated—and she wasn't about to start now.
Casadin's smile faltered. "Okay... I'll take you then."
"No," she said firmly. "The parents are expecting Hades to take me home, he's the one who picked me up this morning."
"I'll explain to your parents," Casadin insisted, not hiding his distrust of Hades.
"It's okay," she said again, firmer this time.
Casadin sighed, clearly unhappy with the idea of letting her go alone with Hades. "Tomorrow is Sunday. How about we go out? A movie, maybe?"
"No. I have an appointment tomorrow."
"Princess," he whined playfully, almost like a sulking child.
Evadne leaned closer, signaling him to bend down. She whispered softly in his ear, "I have to put someone in their place tomorrow."
Casadin smirked like a devil offered a crown. "I could come with you."
"No," she said with a shake of her head.
"Alright, alright… but how about getting a new phone already? So we can text and call. I already miss you," Casadin said with a teasing sigh.
"I'll buy a new one tomorrow. Call our house and leave your number with the butler. Leave the other's too. I'll text you once I've got my phone."
That seemed to satisfy him.
Casadin walked her all the way to the parking lot where Hades' black Rolls Royce awaited them. When Hades opened the front passenger seat for her, Evadne ignored it and slipped into the back seat instead.
Then, looking up sweetly, she said, "Aren't you dropping Cieryl off first? You did pick her up this morning, right?"
Both Hades and Cieryl froze.
They hadn't told her that.
"Come on, Cieryl. Are you staying here?" Evadne tilted her head, her smile deceptively gentle. "If Hades takes me home first and Dad finds out, he might not be allowed to come back for you. And your house is on the way, isn't it? It wouldn't be a hassle at all."
Hades and Cieryl exchanged a brief, panicked glance.
Hades swallowed hard.
He had no idea how Evadne knew, but it was clear she did.
Wordlessly, he motioned for Cieryl to get in. She slid into the front seat without a word.
"Bye, guys! I had fun. Let's do this again sometime, my treat!" Evadne called out to Casadin and the others as the car started.
And as Hades pulled away, something gnawed at the back of his mind.
Evadne knew something.
Maybe more than she let on.
And that realization chilled him more than the night air.