The Lutu Dorm party was definitely not what Hathor was expecting. There was no doubt Naka students had helped them. There were a few shadow-like decorations covering the walls and tables. Many plates were filled to the brim with food, each refilling itself as it emptied, with the many many bottles doing the same. A group of Sirens stood on a platform on the far side of the room, a large group of students dancing to their music.

Maddie and Imogene - the latter winking at her as they passed - grasped Ella's hands. The three vanished into the throng, though Hathor did get a glimpse of flaming hair in the middle of the crowd. With effort, Sky and Isaiah managed to convince Troy to go with them to get food. He gave them a disapproving glare but followed. Which left Hathor alone with Dex.

She rubbed at her arm as they stood together at the edge of the room. Dex slipped his hand into hers, tugging her gently to the dance floor. "Come on," he said, beaming. "Dance with me."

Hathor groaned, but returned his smile as he took her other hand. "Fine."

She could feel Troy's withering glare from behind but ignored it as Dex twirled her. His hand moved to her waist as the Siren's music overtook her mind. By the Gods, all she wanted to do was dance. Dance and forget everything that had happened. Forget the rebellion. Forget the politics. Forget the drama of the worlds.

At some point in their dancing, someone pressed a cup into her hand. Too lost in the music to care what it was, Hathor winked at Dex and downed the contents in one mouthful. He grinned, doing the same with his own drink and letting out a howl of utter delight. It was taken up by those around them. Cups were refilled by a woman walking the dance floor with two bottles. And refilled again. And again.

Hathor pressed a hand to her head, a sudden dizziness overtaking her after the eighth refill. She gave Dex her empty cup. "Need some air," she explained to his slightly blurred face. "Back in a mo."

"You all good?" he asked.

"Yep," she said with a nod. "All good. Just need a bit of a break." Hathor kissed his cheek as she passed. "You better still be here when I get back."

Faces around her blurred as she half-walked-half-stumbled. Where the hell was the door? There it was. Right in front of her. She could swear it had moved somehow. Oh well.

Hathor stepped outside, managed all of five steps, fell onto her hands and knees, and vomited into a bush. Gods, her head spun like crazy! The loud music spilling from the open doors did little to help. Seconds after the thought came to her, she threw up again. What the fuck had she drunk? Clearly, her body didn't like it.

The edges of her vision went dark, the spinning becoming worse. Someone came out of the Lutu Dorm, heading straight toward her. Hathor had enough time to open her mouth and cry out before collapsing.

* * * * * * * *

The first thing that hit her was the brightness. Wherever she was now, it was very bright. That was as far as her mind would go. Bright. Hathor rolled over, falling from what she assumed was the bed she was laying on with a shriek. Someone caught her and put her back on it. A sheet was pulled over her and a hand drifted through her hair.

Sight finally adjusting to the room, Hathor realised she was laying in Troy's arms. She moved closer to him, sighing in content. He was so warm. She wanted to lay with him forever and not move from . . .

From . . .

Hathor shot upright. "What the fuck happened?" she screamed.

Her head pounded and she fell back with a groan. Troy pulled her against him, kissing her hair. "You got drugged."

She glanced back at her friend. "So, you are talking to me."

He glared. "Can we not do this now?"

She huffed.

The last person Hathor expected to see poked his head through the cream-coloured door. "Oh, good," Jay said. "I was afraid I'd have to tell your mother. Then we'd both lose our heads."

"Never have to mention it," she said with a laugh. "What happened to me?"

Jay sat across from her on the bed. "First thing's first, you're in hospital."

Looking around, Hathor realised that she was indeed in one of the hospital wings. She was sitting on a small but comfortable bed in a room painted pale blue. There were two beds in the room, the other empty.

"Second thing," Jay continued. "You were poisoned." Something in his azure eyes darkened. "Be grateful for your immortality. You would be dead otherwise."

Hathor shivered, leaning further into Troy's warmth. "Someone . . . someone tried to kill me?"

The Fae looked to his hands. "Technically speaking, someone did kill you." He nodded toward Troy. "He found you dead outside Lutu and called for help. I just happened to be in the area."

Hathor's shock was overcome by anger. Someone wanted her dead. On top of all her schoolwork, which she'd expected to be the worst thing to happen, now she had to worry about someone killing her. Again. Hathor let out a humourless laugh. "Why does this shit keep happening to me?"

Jay took one of her hands into his own. "You'll be fine," he said.

Troy nodded in agreement. "We will find who did this to you."

Unable to stop herself, she rolled over and pressed her head against Troy's neck.

He gripped her tighter and whispered in her ear, "Sorry. I've been an ass to you all week."

"And?" she asked.

"And for being a jealous, overprotective male."

"And?"

Troy sighed on her hair. "And you have every right to make your own decisions which I should respect unless they are truly idiotic because then I will have to tie you to a chair for your own good."

Smiling, Hathor kissed his cheek. "I forgive you."