Chapter 181

Grace: Removed

Feeling a little nauseated, | tap at the notification.

[This message thread has been removed for multiple Plausibility violations.]

| blink at my phone. The error message stares back.

“What the hell?” | mutter, tapping the screen again as if that might fix it. It doesn’t. The entire conversation—

gone. Like it never existed.

My thumb hovers uncertainly over the back button, my eyes drawn to the new direct messages sent my way,

from Wrath and Madness.

Sounds like a fun time. Not.

Wrath’s message draws my attention first, and | open it.

The message thread loads, revealing a string of increasingly agitated texts:

[WRATH: 727777]

[WRATH: Who are you?]

[WRATH: How did you get into our group?]

[WRATH: ANSWER ME.]

[WRATH: | swear if you’re another one of Chaos’s little playthings | will PERSONALLY cfind you.]

[WRATH: 7272272777]

| stare at the barrage of question marks and threats. Whoever—whatever—Wrath is, they clearly have anger

management issues. Their nis appropriate.

Ignoring this would probably be the smart option.

Instead, | find myself typing.

[GRACE HARPER: | didn’t ask to be added to your group. | just got a notification saying | was invited.]

The reply comes instantly, like they were staring at their phone waiting.

[WRATH: WHO INVITED YOU?]

[GRACE HARPER: | don’t know.]

[WRATH: USELESS]

He seems to love caps lock.

[GRACE HARPER: Is Lyrielle’s nicknLyre?]

| hit send before | can overthink it. Three dots appear, bounce, then disappear. Then reappear. Wrath seems to

be typing and deleting multiple responses.

Finally:

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

[WRATH: Who wants to know?]

Oh, for—

[GRACE HARPER: Me. Obviously. I’m asking because | know someone named Lyre and I’m trying to figure out if

she’s the Lyrielle from your fan club.]

There’s a longer pause this time. | glance up to check our surroundings. Andrew’s focused on the road, and dark

clouds are rolling in quickly. But it looks like we’re only a couple miles from our exit now.

Right on cue, the walkie talkie crackles, and Caine says, “Exit in two miles.”

Andrew’s the one to grab the unit and respond. “Understood.”

There’s a flash of lightning in the distance.

My phone vibrates.

[WRATH: Are you with her now?]

[GRACE HARPER: No.]

Obviously. Or else why would | be asking him?

[WRATH: Has she mentioned any of us?]

[GRACE HARPER: No. Look, I just want to know if Lyre is Lyrielle. Yes or no?]

[WRATH: Who the fuck are you?]

Obviously, I’m getting nowhere. So | back out of the message and into the one sent by Madness.

[MADNESS: Hello darling~]

[MADNESS: Welcto the club~]

[MADNESS: If you have pictures, share them with me~]

[MADNESS: <(‘0″)>]

What the fuck is the last message supposed to be?

Giving up, | go to exit the app, only to see another flood of messages.

[WRATH: Cback.]

[WRATH: I’m sorry, I’ll be nice.]

[WRATH: We’re just curious.]

[WRATH: Cback, Grace Harper. We don’t hurt mortals.]

[WRATH: Cback! We’re curious about Lyrielle and she never talks to us anymore.]

[WRATH: | didn’t realize who you were. We don’t pay attention to mortal names.]

My eye twitches. Wrath kind of feels… annoying?

Whatever it is, | have the strong sense getting involved with him will only be to my disadvantage, so | click out.

No more messaging people on this bizarre app. They’re all strange. No; they’re bizarre.

Maybe being divinities does something to their brains.

If that’s the case, Lyre’s shockingly normal. Owen, too.

“…Grace?”

Jerking my head in Andrew’s direction, | ask, “Sorry, what?”

“| said, do you wantto get the stuff for the cat while you guys get the camper ready?”

“Oh.” Blinking out the window, | realize we’re about to turn off onto the exit for our chosen Walmart stay. “Yes.

That would be great, thank you. Litter box, litter, cat food, a kennel for travel—”

“Why a kennel? It seems to be just fine in your lap.”

| hesitate. “I don’t know. Just in case. What if it gets curious and gets under your feet?”

He nods thoughtfully. “Yeah, that would be a problem. Sadie’s too big to get under there.”

| rest my head on my hand and stare out the window, watching as tiny raindrops hit the windshield.

Shockingly, everyone’s still asleep, even as the car slows.

Andrew leans forward in his seat, squinting upward at the charcoal clouds swirling above us. “Looks like it’s

here.”

“Isn’t it a little early, though? It’s only

six.” | check my phone screenda

confirm ¥¥§ made Jobdtinve, too.

Thelstorm wasn’t supposed to hit for

another hour or two. The content is

on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

“Well, it isn’t a downpour yet. We’ll

have to hurry before it becomes ope.”

He flips the wipers Solow Ss hore

domletd bSpper the windshield,

leaving streaky trails across the

glass. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

Somehow, it’s worse to see with the wipers than without.

The walkie talkie crackles to life again. Caine’s deep voice cuts through the static: “It’s starting to rain.”

My lips quirk. His sense of observation is as keen as always.

Snatching the receiver before Andrew can, | drawl, “We see it.”

“Just making sure.”

| set the walkie talkie back in the center console, unable to contain the grin spreading across my face.

“You really like him, don’t you?” Andrew asks.

| blink, caught off guard by the question. He keeps his eyes on the road, but his fingers drum against the

steering wheel.

His eyes flick to me, then back to driving.

“I mean, you’re smiling like crazy right now just from hearing him talk,” he adds.

My hand flies to my cheek, feeling the

warmth there. Am | really that, m

ranspaenty Je due makes my

skin prickle with self-consciousness.

| hadn’t realized | was so obvious.

“There’s nothing wrong with smiling,” | say defensively.

The white cat shifts in my lap, settling into a more comfortable position as we brake to a stop.

His shoulders hunch. “No, there isn’t. | was just…” He sighs. “Sorry. | guess | was meddling a little too much. It’s

just hard not to worry about you.”

| eye him suspiciously.

“You worry more aboutnow than you did when Rafe threwaway.”

He flinches. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly. But at least he doesn’t make up excuses.

| wave a hand dismissively, already regretting bringing it up. “Stop. | don’t even want to think about the past

anymore.”

It’s already bad enough we’re going back.