Page 86 of Hateful Prince
“Then you do it.”
“This isn’t about me. Now focus, Dahlia, and do it. Or I won’t let you come tonight.”
“Where’s she going?” the doll asked.
My cheeks burned. I was not going to explain innuendo to the ghost of a psychotic child. “Okay, just like last time. Only no sneezing.”
Closing my eyes, I did the same thing I had when Hades had been speaking. It was a lot easier to visualize the spirit this time. Basically the mental equivalent of flicking a light switch on. Once I saw her, I pictured myself reaching out and plucking her spirit the same way I might a flower. Delicately, between two fingers.
“Hey! Hey, what are you doing?”
“Shh, I’m focusing. Do you want to end up in a toothpaste tube this time?”
“No, please. Don’t put me back in that jar. I don’t want to be in the dark again. I hate the dark.”
Goddammit, I was a sucker. Guilt flashed through me like a back draft from an opened window in a house fire.
“Hades, is there anything we can do? She’s just a kid.”
“That kid is a couple centuries old.”
“Please.”
He sighed, arms crossing over his chest. Asshole must have said something because his attention shifted to the little fluffball curled up on the armchair.
“You want to risk it?” he asked.
My gaze bounced between them. “Want to share with the class, or should I just play Mad Libs and start filling in the blanks myself?”
“He’s offering to take her to the underworld.”
“What’ll happen to her there?” I asked.
“She’ll be judged. But she won’t be imprisoned in a vessel ever again.”
“Does this little aptitude test count if I don’t actually get her in the bottle?”
“Are you still holding onto her without issue?” he countered.
“Well, yeah.”
“Then I think you proved that you’ve mastered the basics of control. Helping her spirit pass on doesn’t change that.” He stared at me. “Why are you frowning? That should be good news.”
“I guess I’m just surprised it was so easy this time. Last time it felt like holding onto a live wire.”
“Last time I wasn’t there to help you, and I think you’ve failed to realize how your powers have grown.”
My grip didn’t falter as I pulled Kat completely from the doll. “Do I just give her to Asshole?”
The puppy yipped and sat in front of me, waiting patiently, tail wagging.
“This is what he was made for,” Hades said encouragingly. “Just offer it to him like you would a bone. He’ll do the rest.”
“Uh, here you go, boy,” I said, holding out the hand that contained the spirit. If I closed my eyes and pictured it, it looked a bit like a glow stick, the bright neon blue light pulsing with energy.
Asshole gently took the spirit in his mouth, his shadow changing from the little puppy shape I was used to into an enormous three-headed dog.
“Oh, wow. Okay. So it’s a costume.”