My jaw dropped.
"Fian-?!"
Apollo ended that line of questioning before I could even finish the word.
With a sharp cry, I was sent flying forward, my prison flying upwards as it was tossed into the air without a single warning.
Not even an evil cackle.
The pressure of my sudden assent trapped me against the glass, knocking all the air out of me before I could start swearing.
Or screaming.
Through the glass, I caught a glimpse of Apollo throwing his fist at Jack, but before I could see the outcome the jar spun around me, and I was left staring at the roof.
An instant later, the jar lost its upward force and came tumbling back down to earth.
"Not again!" I cried as I watched the floor rapidly approach.
Of all the stupid things to happen to me twice.
This time though, Nigel wasn't here to save me.
"Catch her!" I heard Vain near scream, and suddenly an outstretched hand appeared between me, and my straight plummet to certain death.
There was a small moment to feel relieved about that before I was slammed into the glass as Apollo caught the jar, my bones protesting the harsh impact.
Tomorrow, my back is going to make me wish I had died.
Slowly, I climbed to my hands and knees, aware of the way my body threatened to collapse beneath me.
With a quiet moan, I lifted my head enough to check how life had been treating the people not trapped in a falling death prison.
I followed the outstretched hand holding my jar to the very tense jawline of the one and only emo-hair-cut-psycho-wonder.
Who was glaring at his smiling adversary.
Therefore, paying no attention to me, the person he had nearly murdered.
He and Jack were frozen in place, Apollo with his fist inches from Jack's face, and Jack with nothing to defend him but a winsome smile.
"I'm going to kill you." Apollo hissed at Jack, ignoring everyone else in the room to express his own personal grudge.
Selfish little... Could have done this on his own time... Or something...
Jack gave the shorter boy a sympathetic look.
"I understand that. Your little bird was a very sweet girl, even to a nasty piece of work like me." His smile faded a little. "So I'm going to give you a word of warning. If you intend to fight me, then make sure you do kill me."
He gently pushed Apollo's fist aside with a single finger.
"Because if you fail... "
His soft gaze said it all.
You'll regret it. With every last breath.
Before Apollo could reply, Vain spoke.
"If you two are going to keep fighting, please, at least put Maddison down." He pleaded, red eyes calm, but his hands clenched at his side.
The words seemed to remind Apollo of just where he was, and he sent me a glance.
I could almost say that it was a concerned look, but after just being thrown up in the air, I didn't feel that charitable.
Therefore, I gave him a silent, resentful finger.
"Fine." Apollo sighed, drawing back from Jack. "I'll deal with you later."
Without another word, Apollo turned his back on Jack and made his way over to his group.
Even now, with him being in his frigid badass mode and particularly angry at me, I couldn't help but ask.
"Um... Fiancée?"
He glanced down at me, and for a moment, I didn't think that he would answer.
"It's an arranged marriage." He muttered, seeming almost embarrassed by the admission.
Small world, huh...
"Seriously? I thought only really really really rich people..." When his eye twitched slightly, I felt my blood pressure drop with the realisation.
"No way. You're not actually really really really rich, are you?"
Apollo's expression became awkward, and he looked away.... as if that would stop me from asking questions.
"What is your surname? If your related to the royal family, so help me... "
After a reluctant pause, he answered. "McValium."
I nearly fainted.
"McValium?" I said. "As in the family that owns this school!?"