"Um, after a while?" Deidre guessed.
Selyn nodded once more. She lowered the pen and paper, thoughtful gaze on Deidre. She nibbled on her lower lip with her tiny fangs. She was still too pale and her frame slender enough to indicate she needed some food to bring her back to a healthy weight. Deidre's gaze fell to the table in the corner. She didn't feel able to handle knowing what kind of food sat under a domed tray or what half-demons like Selyn did for blood.
Just the thought made Deidre feel ill.
The teen took Deidre's arm and circled her. Her cool fingers ran across Deidre's markings. She made a sound like a squeak.
Deidre faced her curiously. Selyn's smile was lopsided because of the unresponsive, scarred half of her face. Her eyes, however, glowed.
"You're happy about this," Deidre said.
A look of pained yearning crossed the girl's face, as if she wanted badly to speak but couldn't.
"I can see that. Your daddy can be scary."
Pride crossed Selyn's face. Deidre gave an unsettled laugh. How long would it take her to adapt to a culture where the ability to cause fear and pain was so revered?
Deidre. She was almost grateful for the summons then anxious in the next breath. It wasn't Darkyn, and the vision accompanying it was from the shadow world. Like when Past-Death summoned her.
She wasn't ready to face the former goddess again.
"I have to go," she said grudgingly. "Someone is summoning me."
Selyn frowned. She tapped her chest. Deidre looked at her quizzically. The teen took her arm then nudged her to walk.
"You want to come?" Deidre asked.
Another nod.
"Okay. Are you allowed out of Hell?"
At the look of offense, Deidre almost laughed. Instead, she called a portal.
Deidre stepped through just as Past-Death did. Selyn crowded her, almost tripping them both by how close she was.
Past-Death didn't look in any better shape than when Deidre saw her last. Her intent gaze was inquisitive, her eyebrows raised in a silent question. Deidre had the sense the woman was surprised to see her.
"Hi, Deidre," Deidre said, puzzled. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."
"Um, I thought you summoned me," Past-Death replied.
Deidre shook her head. She was almost relieved. Maybe someone had accidentally summoned her, and she wasn't about to have yet another confrontation today.
Past-Death had frozen. A flicker of alarm went across her features, warning Deidre something was wrong.
"Deidre, I think we need to -" Past-Death started, backing towards her portal.
Alerted by Past-Death's sudden tension, Deidre turned and took Selyn's arm. She didn't know what the former deity sensed, but she wasn't going to stick around too long to find out. She pushed Selyn towards the portal to Hell.