“Your arms.” He gasped, horrified, when he saw the coiling burns. She caught his eye briefly and carefully untangled herself from his grip. She started to smile but it froze before it reached her eyes as she remembered Jem’s reprimands.

Hades calmly moved his hand to catch it, the flames dwindling as they reached him, but Kali’s heart was in her throat. Tears sprung back to her eyes as she struggled to catch her breath, her stomach giving her sharp reminders of her injury.

She was going to die. She saw herself sinking into the clear water of a river, shrouded in smoke. A memory of a dream she used to have. It used to seem freeing but the water enveloping her in her mind was terrifying.

She wanted to hide, but he was too close. Too close to think straight. Too close to remember why she shouldn’t tell him. “Because I love you.”

In no time at all, Kali was exhausted. If she could collect her thoughts, she might be able to put up a fair defence, but there was no reprieve. She had never felt so completely outmatched. After only three more blows, Achilles swept her legs easily and Kali hit the floor.

Taking it all in, Kali was overwhelmed. Tears sprung to her eyes and she bit the inside of her lip to keep it from wobbling. Carl was closest to her so he got the first hug, then she made her way around the room. Tom was last, a big bear hug that told her he knew. He understood.

As Kali stared into the unfathomable depths, the world around her slipped into grey. The colour fell out of her, leaving her shivering and numb. Like her life was seeping out of her along with the vivid hues. Scattered echoes whispered around her, formless and alien.

"I can’t keep pretending I’m not in love with you.” As the words snuck past her guard, she knew they were the truest words she had spoken. She laughed inwardly at the absurdity of it. She loved him.