Chapter 3

After I got kicked out of the house, I had nowhere to go. I searched through everything I owned, scraped together what little money I had, and checked into a run-down inn.

There was no food there, no herbs, nothing.

Whenever the pain hit so hard I couldn't stand, I'd curl up on the bed alone and grit my teeth through it.

Right when I was bracing myself to push through the pain like I always did, a fresh wave of burning agony hit my face out of nowhere.

It felt like someone had poured boiling water straight onto my skin. The pain was unbearable.

I clawed at my own face with both hands, screaming loud enough to shake the walls. I was soaked in cold sweat, like I'd just been pulled out of water.

I couldn't stop screaming. I thrashed on the bed, trying anything to make it stop.

Thankfully, a woman who lived nearby heard me and rushed me to the Healing House.

I was barely conscious from the pain. When I woke up, Dad and Mom were sitting by my bed. They looked furious. Meanwhile, Elise dabbed at her eyes, looking wounded.

The second I opened my eyes, Dad's voice dripped with mockery.

"Finally ran out of steam, huh? Thalia, there's a limit to how far you can push this. Faking an illness in the middle of the night and making someone rush you here, do you know how that makes us look?"

Last night's pain had drained every bit of strength I had. My voice came out as barely a rasp.

"I wasn't faking..."

Before I could finish, Mom cut me off, furious.

"Do you have any idea what Elise did? She baked you a cake to try to patch things up between you two, and she got burned by the steam doing it. Do you even care?"

I pressed a hand over my eyes, a bitter laugh escaping me.

Of course. That explained the burning pain. It was Elise again.

'Moon Goddess, if you can hear me, please tell me what I did wrong to deserve this.'

But Mom thought I was mocking Elise. She jabbed a finger at me, furious.

"How did I raise a daughter this cruel? Your own sister got burned and you're not the least bit sorry. You're actually enjoying it!"

Dad was even angrier. He slapped me hard across the face, hard enough that my head spun and I tasted blood.

"Get out of here and go home! Stop embarrassing yourself in public!"

He yanked me off the bed. I wasn't braced for it, and I hit the floor hard, my forehead slamming against the bed frame. It swelled up red almost instantly.

Dad didn't care that I was hurt. He dragged me out of the healing house by force.

People stared as we passed. I wished I could disappear on the spot.

I begged him over and over to let go, told him I could walk on my own.

He ignored every word.

The pain in my body was starting to creep back, but I didn't dare scream. I was afraid he'd think I was faking again and get even angrier.

He dragged me the whole way home, then shoved me through the door so hard I stumbled and collapsed, unable to get back up.

Mom came in right behind him. Something close to pity flickered across her face when she saw me on the floor.

"Thalia, you really need to work on that attitude of yours. Stop being so jealous of your sister. You two share the same blood. She's the closest person to you in this world."

Elise peeked out from behind Mom.

"Thalia, I forgot to mention, I'm going to a ball in the Southern Pack. Mom and Dad are so worried about me they're coming along."

We lived in the Northern Pack, where snow covered the ground most of the year and the wind never stopped biting. The Southern Pack was supposed to be warm all year round, green and blooming, and plenty of people in our pack dreamed of going there someday.

The two packs were a long way apart, and I couldn't believe our parents were actually willing to make the trip just for Elise.

Elise looked down at me, clearly pleased with herself.

"Honestly, looking at the state you're in, you should just stay home. Save everyone the trouble."

Dad nodded in agreement.

"Elise is right. Stay here and think about what you've done. Don't cause any more trouble."

With that, he slammed the door shut, locking me in alone.