“Chs!” I shouted as I blasted two fistfuls of ice at her feet.
I wasn’t about to let the Goddess of Death run off into the shadows before I had the chance to ask her a few questions, and I was pleased to see my spell latch to her feet and restrict her movements. For extra security, I summoned my vines to restrain her even further, and once she was bound and motionless, the three of us crossed the distance to the beautiful goddess.
My heart thudded in my chest as questions spun around my brain, and I took a steadying breath. I needed to stay in complete control of the situation, and I had to make sure I gained more information than I gave away. I’d already shown her what I was capable of both in battle and in bed, so how she responded would tell me a lot about her as a person.
“Hello,” I said once we were within speaking range. “It’s nice of you to join us this evening.”
“Yeah, whatever,” the goddess scoffed. “You made your point.
Can you let me go now?”
“What’s the rush?” Ako asked in a friendly tone. “We could always go another round if you wanted to jump in.”
“It’s cool, I have other things to do.” The goddess’ eyes flicked from one of us to another. “Sorry for crashing your party, but I was just leaving.”
“Not so fast,” I said. “We need to talk.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” the woman retorted.
“I have a feeling that’s not actually the case here,” I said.
“You’re going to answer my questions, and if you are honest, I might consider letting you go.”
The Goddess of Death met my gaze for a long silent moment as she considered her next move, but then I saw a look of surrender enter her emerald eyes. I had her right where I wanted her, and it was time to find out what was really going on.
“Fine,” she huffed. “If you promise to let me go, I’ll answer your stupid questions.”
“Sure.” I nodded. “The more forthright you are, the faster this will go.”
“I get it, dude.” The goddess sighed. “Can we just get on with it?”
The dialect and accent she used were straight from modern America, and my curiosity was ramped up to a million. It seemed like
we had a lot to talk about, and I tried to decide what to ask first. I exchanged a glance with my companions before I cleared my throat and asked the first thing that came to mind.
“Why are you following me?” I asked.
“I was bored.” She shrugged as much as she could beneath the vine restraints.
“No one instructed you to do so?” I pressed.
“Like who?” the goddess countered.
“The God of the Plague,” I stated calmly, and her emerald eyes widened before she regained her composure.
“Who’s that?” she asked in a nonchalant tone.
“Like I already said, this will go faster if you’re honest with me.”
I fixed her with a hard stare. “Do you really think you can fool me?”
“Maybe, maybe not.” The goddess flashed me a smile. “It was worth a shot.”
This conversation was going nowhere fast, but I knew with enough time that I could get all the information out of her. I just needed to find out what they planned to do next so I could thwart their quest for world domination, but with the way she was acting, it would be easier said than done.
“Alright, let me try something else.” I worked the muscle in my jaw as I thought about what to ask, but it would be a lot easier if she would cooperate. “Tell me about yourself.”
“Barf.” The goddess rolled her eyes. “Not interested. Let’s talk about you instead.”
“You do seem really curious about me,” I said.
“Who wouldn’t be?” she countered with a raised eyebrow.
“You’re the top player in the game, the one to beat to win the whole pot.”
“Is that what you’re trying to do?” I pressed. “Beat me and win the game?”
“Why else would we all be brought to the same world?” the goddess asked, but I had a feeling she knew a lot more than she was revealing.
This conversational cat and mouse game was going nowhere, and I had to admit, she didn’t seem very intimidated by me, or scared for herself in her current predicament. Even completely immobilized, the goddess exuded a confident air, and an easy smile curled the corners of her lips.
There was something she wasn’t telling me.
“You’re from Earth.” It was more of a statement than a question, but the goddess nodded her head. “Where did you live? I was in Idaho.”
“Oh, really?” She laughed. “I grew up in Sacramento.”
Now we were getting somewhere.
“How long ago were you summoned to this world?” I asked as casually as I could, but she took the bait.
“Longer than you,” she retorted in a sarcastic tone.
“I bet you’ve seen a lot of really cool things, then,” I said.
“Look, dude,” the goddess sighed. “I answered your questions, and I don’t want to fight you, but I’m done being harassed by you.”
“I don’t think you have much of a choice,” Ako pointed out.
“We always have a choice,” she countered as her green eyes seemed to glow with an internal energy, and an instant later, all my vines decayed at a rapid pace.
As the restraints fell away from the Goddess of Death, she withdrew two small daggers and jammed them into the ice chunks on her feet. Then, with two deft flicks of her wrists, the cold shackles cracked in half. She was on the run a moment later, and I rushed to follow in her wake.
The goddess dove into the hedges lining the lawn as I stomped my foot to activate my dragonscale griffon feather boots, but by the time I zoomed through the brush, she was nowhere to be seen. It was highly likely that she was hiding somewhere close by, but I couldn’t rule out the possibility of her having some kind of teleportation magic.
She was a goddess after all.
I looked for the goddess for a little while longer, and I considered resetting to my save point so I could try again, but I knew it wasn’t the last encounter I would have with the deadly beauty. She had some kind of magic that caused my vines to die, but with death as her domain, it made sense.
In the end, I decided to let her go this time, and I was thinking about what I’d learned from our brief interaction as I made my way back to my companions. Once again, Nameless had not interfered with her sudden appearance in our midst, and I wondered if she had some kind of power over the dragon, or if he just didn’t consider her to be a threat.
“What happened?” Zenda asked with a worried frown.
“Did you find her?” Ako added.
“No,” I said. “But it’s okay. Next time, she will come to me.”
“You think she will continue to follow us?” Zenda asked. “I’m getting a little tired of being watched at all times.”
“Hey, it can be fun sometimes,” I teased, and the Zaborian’s cheeks flushed a purple hue as the memory of our exhibitionism came to mind.
We followed Ako back inside the castle, and he instructed servants to lead us to our room. Our belongings were already stacked near the bed, and we pulled on comfortable clothes before we climbed under the covers. Whatever the Goddess of Death was up to could wait until tomorrow, but I’d let her stalk me for long enough.
It was time to lose our tail.
The next day, we enjoyed breakfast with Ako and the duchess, and I remembered wanting to help them communicate with each other. I flashed Zenda a wink before I cleared my throat and pushed my empty plate away, and the table’s occupants all looked at me curiously.
“Thank you for this lovely meal, Your Grace,” I said to the duchess with a polite smile. “But we must depart soon since our
quest for knowledge is completed. Would you like Zenda and I to spend some time tutoring you in Zaborian before we return home?”
“You’re learning Zaborian?” Ako asked his liege in a shocked tone. “When did that start?”
“It hasn’t yet,” Jaketta sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “It was supposed to be a surprise… for you.”
“For me?” Ako’s eyebrows rose into his hairline. “That would be pretty impressive, but why didn’t you ask me for help?”
“I tried to ask the High Priest,” the duchess admitted with a sheepish smile. “I don’t think he likes me, though.”
“I’m sure he’s a very busy man,” the cat-wizard allowed. “But what made you want to surprise me like that?”
“I-I-I don’t know.” A dark blush covered Jaketta’s cheeks. “I suppose I would prefer you to like me better.”
“I already like you a lot,” Ako said in a reassuring tone, and a soft smile crossed his face. “You don’t have to do anything special.”
I smiled while they continued to exchange sentiments, and it was clear the two felt the same way about the other. Another near disaster avoided, and all I had to do was initiate some
communication. I hoped they continued to talk openly with each other, but that would be for them to figure out.
“We will have to return your hospitality soon,” I said as the conversation wound down. “I look forward to hosting you in either Vallenwood or Bastianville.”
“I’ve never been to your little stronghold before,” the duchess said in a thoughtful tone. “It just might be worth the trip. Ako would of course ensure my safety during my travels, but I would have to make sure my own territory is doing well before I leave it in the hands of my courtiers.”
“I totally understand,” I assured her. “Let me know if I can help in any way, but it seems like you are doing a fine job with Arginold Hold. I look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the future.”
“Thank you so much, Your Grace,” Duchess Jaketta said with a demure blush. “I will continue doing the good work here in Arginold.”
Zenda, Nameless, and I gathered our belongings and the horses before we blipped back to Bastianville, and we rematerialized in the middle of the street in front of the bakery. I glanced up at the store just as Akina came outside, and the desert beauty held a basket full of fresh pastries. Her face lit up with a radiant smile when
she spotted us, and she hurried down the steps to enter the circle of my arms.
“How goes the quest?” she asked as our feet turned toward the castle.
“We found what we were looking for,” I reported. “Now that we are home, we just have to figure out how to combine the spell with the amulets.”
“Don’t worry,” Zenda said. “I will give it my full attention until we figure it out.”
I let out a contented sigh as soon as I stepped inside the welcoming atmosphere of the castle, and I dropped my bags by the door before I went in search of the other two women. Zenda took her armfuls of books into her personal chambers, and Akina carried her basket of baked goods into the kitchen. Nameless dug into the barrel of dried meat chunks we kept in the foyer before he carried his treat into the rafters, and I was free to find my children and their mothers.
Mahini and Elissa were both in the nursery, and the nursemaid, Celeste, stood nearby. Sorena and Arcas were both in their cribs, but I could tell by the lack of whining and crying that they were likely asleep.
“Arcas will scream the instant he wets himself,” Mahini was explaining to the nanny. “But as soon as his bottom is dry, he has to eat before he will fall back asleep.”
“I understand.” The young woman gave the two mothers an encouraging smile. “I’ve got everything under control. I promise.”
The three women noticed my arrival a moment later, and after I gave my two wives hello kisses, I offered the teen girl a sideways hug. I’d known the young lady ever since she’d won a competition to become a member of my entourage, and I was glad she’d joined the ranks of Bastianville’s residents. Being able to give her a job so she could provide for herself was the least I could do, and I knew she’d feel like a member of the family before my kids could walk.
“Are you home for good, my love?” Elissa asked as she batted her eyes at me. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“I think so,” I said. “We finished our quest, in any case. Zenda has the books she needs to recreate the memory spell, and then we just have to figure out how to combine it with the amulets. I’ll be fast traveling around the world before you know it.”
“That is good news.” Mahini flashed me a rare smile. “It would be nice to visit the southern lands without having to travel across the
entire desert.”
“And to be able to see Eva and Caelia whenever we wanted to,” Elissa added.
“There will be a lot of benefits to increasing the powers of the amulets,” I agreed. “I have total faith in Zenda, and we’ll go on a tour of all our favorite places as soon as we can.”
“I’m glad you’re home,” Mahini said. “Arcas has demanded a lot of my energy even with Celeste’s help, but I have a little saved up just for you.”
“I’ll make sure not to take it for granted.” I smiled.
The three of us left the nursery in Celeste’s capable hands, and we joined Akina and Zenda in the kitchen where the two ladies were emptying the basket of baked goods.
“Did you get tired of making them yourself?” I asked as I eyed the sweet assortment of pastries.
“These are made in an attempt to mimic my recipe,” Akina explained. “The baker wants me to try them and give him some notes on ways to enhance the flavor profiles.”
“Wow, that’s really cool.” I grinned. “You’ve gotten really good at baking, so I don’t expect the baker to be able to compete, but I’d
be happy to help with your current research.”
“I’d hoped you all would,” Akina said as she handed me an apple turnover. “You can be honest. I’ll make sure to soften the words before I report back to the baker.”
With a few glasses of milk and sticky fingers, the five of us devoured the contents of Akina’s basket, and my stomach was more than satisfied when we reached the bottom.
“Just the energy refresh I needed to fuel me through my research,” Zenda complimented the desert beauty with a smile. “I’ll keep everyone updated on my progress.”
“Let me know if we can help,” Elissa said in an encouraging tone. “I may not be the smartest person in the realm, but my father made sure I received a decent education.”
“I would like that.” Zenda grinned. “But I know it can be a bit dull. We could take the volumes outside and enjoy the nice weather while we read.”
“Ooh, yes!” Elissa clapped her hands. “Let’s do it.”
The two women disappeared down the hallway, and I turned to the two former desert dwellers with a quizzical look.
“What would you two like to do today?” I asked. “I’m open to anything.”
“It’s been much too long since I’ve trained with the recruits,”
Mahini pointed out. “If I’m to regain my fighting form, then I need to start working extra hard.”
“I could use some exercise as well,” Akina agreed as she wiped her hands of any residual flour.
“Alright, let’s go find Riondale,” I suggested.
The three of us dressed in well-worn clothes that were already stained from previous practice sessions, and we went off in search of the general of my army. We found him leading a group of young men in formation toward the training fields on the edge of town, and we stepped into his ranks before he noticed our presence. As the soldiers lined up with stiff backs and blank faces, we followed their example, but Riondale burst into a huge grin as soon as his gaze landed on the three of us.
“How long have you been there?” the general asked. “I’m getting lax on my spatial awareness.”
“We wanted to join in with whatever drills you’re running today,”
I explained with a chuckle. “Surprising you was just a bonus.”
“The more the merrier.” The general gave me a crisp nod.
“Although, I’m sure you would be better at leading the drills than I am.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” I teased.
The three of us followed along with the rest of the soldiers as Riondale started warm-ups, and it didn’t take long to get my heart rate up. I still hadn’t broken a sweat, but I could feel the muscles in my arms and legs begin to relax. After everyone was a little flushed in the face, the general started drills of specific sword thrusts, and the sound of synchronized movements swept over the group.
It reminded me of tribal drums.
I lost myself in the rhythm of it for a while, but then Riondale switched things up again. We followed along with the soldiers until their daily regimen was complete, and once everyone was dismissed, we congregated around the water barrel.
“I heard the Great One was humble enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with his men,” one of the soldiers I didn’t recognize said with an awed shake of his head. “But to be by your side while going through daily drills was the experience of a lifetime. Thank you, Great One.”
“You’re very welcome.” I patted him on the shoulder before I handed him a full ladle of water. “Don’t forget to hydrate. We can’t have our finest soldiers weakened.”
The soldier saluted before he slurped up a good amount of water, and the barrel-side conversation moved on to other topics.
There were excited exchanges about the upcoming market day, and many men expressed their eagerness to meet an eligible lady. These men wanted to put down roots in Bastianville, and they considered the growing town their home.
“It warms my heart to listen to you speak of your lives,” I said to the gathered soldiers. “I hope all of you continue to grow closer until it feels like you’re brothers-in-arms are a part of your family regardless of blood.”
“You’ve certainly created a powerful family,” one of the other soldiers quipped. “With a house full of women warriors, no one would dare attempt to harm your household.”
Akina and Mahini exchanged knowing glances, and my chest puffed out with pride. Being the husband of powerful, talented, intelligent women was definitely one of the highlights of my godly experience, but it also reminded me of the women’s ability to handle an intruder. If they could face bandits, pirates, and monsters by my
side, then they were more than capable of protecting our home, but I knew I would still worry whenever I was away.
After the soldiers began to disperse, we walked a few laps around town while we talked about the progress being made all over.
The walls were reinforced, and smaller barriers surrounded the farmland just outside of town. Not only did it mark the divide between property ownership, but it was tall enough to challenge even a horse.
The fields were rich with color, and there were several groups of people tending to the crops.
The main street was bustling with patrons going from shop to shop, and I could hear laughter emanating from the tavern door. The ringing of a hammer against an anvil rang out as we neared Jaxtom’s smithy, and the burly man waved with his hammer over his head when he noticed us approaching.
Jax wore a leather apron over his bare chest, and the dark tan he’d acquired showed the hours he’d spent in the sun already. He clenched a glowing red chunk of metal in pincers, and his hammer hung casually from his other hand.
“How’s business?” I asked.
“Well, the army continues to grow, and the new recruits sometimes get in the habit of breaking shit,” Jax grunted. “So, I’ve got my hands full. It pays well enough, but I haven’t done many custom orders lately.”
“Maybe you need another apprentice,” I pointed out.
“Arcas is still too little,” Jax countered with a wink.
“Are you trying to steal my son away?” I laughed.
“Like anyone would stand a chance,” Mahini scoffed. “That boy loves his father.”
“I’ll think about it,” Jax said with a relenting smile. “I haven’t had a new apprentice in a long time, and Janus is just as busy as I am. I still give him some free time to work on his personal projects, but his stuff usually ends up as a strange sculpture with no purpose.”
“They call it art in my world.” I smirked. “Some people made a lot of money that way. Maybe I could look at them and see if we want to decorate our castle with them.”
“I bet he’d like that,” Jax said, and a pleased expression spread across his face.
After we visited with the blacksmith for a while, the three of us made our way back to the castle when our stomachs started to
growl. Elissa and Zenda were taking a break from studying the books by Lord Havers, and we all worked together to put together some food for our midday meal.
We talked about the day’s events while we ate, but the conversation soon turned to my recent quest. The four women asked me more clarifying questions about my encounter with the Goddess of Death, and it seemed like she’d been heavy on their minds ever since I’d returned home.
“Perhaps you should give her another chance to speak her mind,” Elissa suggested in a hesitant tone. “If she wanted to attack you, she could have. So, what other motives would she have?”
“She could be trying to trick us into showing weakness,” Mahini said in a harsh tone. “We have to be very careful about who we trust, especially with the little ones to think of.”
“Our home is a fortress of protection,” Akina assured the new mother. “No threats will get past me.”
“The goddess is sneaky,” I warned. “She seemed to pop up when I least expected it, and she disappeared before I could follow her trail. She might have some sort of magical ability that prevents detection, so we must remain vigilant.”
“What if you could lure her to your side?” Zenda suggested, and the other girls fell into a thoughtful silence. “Earn her true loyalty until she agrees to ally herself with you instead of the God of the Plague.”
“That could be exactly what she wants us to think,” I pointed out. “Maybe she’s trying to be a double agent, for instance. We can’t rule anything out just yet.”
“You could at least make an offering of peace to see how she reacts,” Elissa urged. “Isn’t it possible that she could have gotten herself into a tough situation and needs help?”
“Then she should have just come out and said so,” I said. “If she approaches me again, I’ll give her the chance to explain herself, but if she shows any hostility, I won’t hesitate to neutralize her.”
“You have all the power here,” Zenda reminded me. “Nothing can happen unless you allow it. Why not tempt her to come out of hiding with a projected sense of security?”
“You mean trick her into feeling safe?” I arched an eyebrow.
“Would we really be able to trust her if we had to trick her into an alliance?”
“Except she won’t be in danger if she complies with you,”
Mahini said. “You can make her feel safe without being deceitful.”
“Okay, that makes sense.” I worked the muscle in my jaw. “You really think she would side with us?”
“She’d be a fool not to,” Zenda said.
“Survival instincts will have her clinging to you before long,”
Akina added with a glint in her metallic eyes. “Once the God of the Plague is eliminated, she either joins us or dies.”
The desert beauty’s ominous words hung in the air as we all envisioned the worst-case scenario where I had to battle the Goddess of Death to the death, but I didn’t want it to come to that.
Until she showed the intent to harm us, I wouldn’t hurt her, either.
In the meantime, I wasn’t going to worry about the possible emerald eyes watching me from a distance, and I went about my life as the ruler of the western territory. Between the two babies, four women, an army of soldiers, and general townsfolk seeking my attention, I was a busy god. While I remained calm and cool on the outside, my thoughts continued to circle around the same topic.
The Goddess of Death.
The look in her eyes when she watched Zenda and I making love lingered in my mind, and I felt my body respond at random times whenever the goddess occupied my thoughts. I resisted the urges and thoughts, but I knew I wanted to explore the possibility of an alliance with the beautiful but deadly goddess.
Days passed without incident, and my schedule remained just as busy. On top of my regular routine, I spent a great deal of time with Zenda as we attempted to break the code on the memory spell.
The Zaborian historian wanted to master the original concept of the magic before we attempted to alter it to fit our needs, so hours passed while I focused on specific memories while trying the spell.
I made some progress, and I was able to get a quick flash of an old memory before it faded away.
Eva and Caelia also sent a runner with updates on Vallenwood, and it seemed all was well in the capital. They reported being well received by the people of the city, but they expressed a desire to see me as soon as I was able.
I also took the time to install my magical home security system, and once I had tethered the spell to the charged crystal, I was confident in the safety of Viceroy’s Toy. I tied the spell to my key so it would be deactivated whenever I needed access to the wealth
contained within, but I had the only copy. The contents of my treasury continued to grow as taxes and tithes flowed in from the rest of my holdings, but portions were allotted for various expenses like the army and Elder Council budgets. Still, I was a wealthy man, and it would take me lifetimes to spend the gold piled in my treasury.
Arcas and Sorena continued to grow and bond with our family as the days passed, and I tried to give them as much of my time and attention as I could. There would be periods of time when I couldn’t be home with them, but I wanted them to always know they were important to me. With their loving and capable mothers supporting them, I knew they would be fine regardless of how often I was around.
As promised, I also helped Zenda begin the process of making a library in town, and I made a deal with the owner of an empty house for cheaper rent by spamming respawns until I found the right dialogue tree. With the location secured, Zenda began drawing plans for layout and design. It was a large project on top of the other things she was already working on, but I knew she was capable of handling everything.
It was late in the evening a few nights after my return from my northern quest, and my family and I were lounging in the sitting room
while we digested our dinners. The babies nursed, and Zenda was deeply invested in a book. Akina scratched Nameless in all his itchy spots, and the dragon was practically purring in her lap.
Then I suddenly heard a shuffling sound from above us, and we all tilted our heads upward in unison.
Crouched on a beam running across the tall ceilings was the Goddess of Death, and her green eyes glowed in the lights of the lanterns placed all around the room. I had no idea how she’d managed to evade detection while sneaking inside the castle, but I made a mental note to increase my protection measures.
I wasn’t going to let another intruder sneak by undetected.
“Is that her?” Mahini asked as she narrowed her icy-blue eyes at the goddess.
“Yep,” I confirmed, and I pressed my lips together as I considered what to do next.
I didn’t want my children to be anywhere near one of my enemies, but the goddess’ behavior made her loyalties confusing. In any case, I wouldn’t allow her anywhere near my offspring until I personally determined she wasn’t a threat, so I quickly motioned for the two mothers to take the babies away. Mahini and Elissa
hesitated for a brief moment before they obeyed, but they returned more quickly than I expected.
“She’s still up there?” Elissa asked in a disbelieving tone.
“Hasn’t moved,” Akina said, and her metallic eyes were alight with protective bloodlust. Despite her new love of baking, her eager smile showed how ready she was to fight for the ones she loved, and I knew she would do anything she could to protect the babies.
“You know we can see you, right?” Zenda called up into the rafters.
“What are you doing up there, anyway?” Elissa added in a curious tone.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just talk to us like a normal person?”
Akina said.
We all stared up at the ceiling for a while, but the goddess didn’t respond. I kept her emerald-green eyes locked on mine, and she bit her lower lip. She was obviously torn on what to do, so I decided to encourage her.
“I promise I won’t hurt you,” I said. “Or try to wrap you up in my vines. As long as you remain peaceful, I will leave you be.”
The goddess thought about it for a moment before she nodded, and then she dropped from the rafter to the floor in a fluid movement. She landed on her feet in a crouched position, but she quickly rose to her full height and lifted her chin to a determined angle.
“You don’t strike me as being afraid of me,” I pointed out. “Why do you hesitate to approach me?”
“We’re enemies, aren’t we?” the goddess asked as she arched a questioning eyebrow. “Why the hell would I expect you to remain civil?”
“Not everyone rushes to fight before asking questions,” I said.
“I’d like to think I take the smarter approach to conflict. Knowledge is a weapon as sharp as a blade.”
“Oh, yeah?” The goddess smirked. “I’ve learned quite a bit since I came to this world, so maybe I’m more powerful than I thought.”
“We are only ever as powerful as we ourselves think we are,” I said in a sage tone, and the goddess rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t think you’d be a philosopher god.” The boredom in her voice was obvious, but she made no move to leave.
“What do you want?” I asked in a blunt tone. “Why are you in my home?”
“I-I-I…” The goddess blinked at me for a moment as she struggled to find a response, but I didn’t want to give her a chance to formulate a lie.
“Are you spying on us for the God of the Plague, or are you here for your own reasons?” I pressed. “Do you have a death wish, or do you need a favor?”
“Alright, alright, chill dude,” the goddess said as she held up her hands in surrender. “I can tell this is really important to you, so I won’t waste your time, but I know things that would blow your mind.”
“Prove it,” I countered as I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Bash,” Mahini said in a low voice as she placed a cautious hand on my arm. “This could be a diversion. We need to make sure there aren’t others with her.”
I nodded, and the desert beauty rushed off to make sure our perimeter was secure. Akina followed her lead by taking a defensive stance near the entrance of the sitting room, but Elissa and Zenda seemed content to sit on the couch.
The goddess stood in the center of the room, and she wrung her hands in an anxious manner.
“What did you come here for?” I asked again. “Did the God of the Plague send you? What is he planning?”
“I told you I would talk,” the goddess said in a stubborn voice.
“Just give me a minute to collect my thoughts. It’s hard to know where to start.”
“The beginning is always good,” I suggested.
“Oh, boy,” she sighed. “Well, then I hope we can all get comfortable, because we may be here for a while.”
“Or you’re just stalling until your colleagues can surround us,” I said with a defiant gleam in my eye. “Your presence here is granted only on the condition that you speak, and so far you’ve said a whole lot of nothing.”
“There’s no one else.” The goddess shrugged. “I prefer to work alone. Other people tend to fuck everything up.”
“Teamwork makes the dream work.” I smirked. “But I can see where you’re coming from. I just need to know what’s going on before I arrest you for trespassing.”
“You really don’t give up, huh?” An amused smile tugged on her lips as she shook her head in awe.
“And I never will.” I gave her a pointed look.
“Fine!” The Goddess of Death plopped down into a sitting chair with an air of defeat. “I will tell you everything.”