That was a lie. Heimdall was not the first Heimdall. But he was several hundred years old by my calculations. Any relatives he might have—and he might actually have some great-great-greats descended from his bloodline—would never have met him, and certainly wouldn’t have known of him.
Gods were darned private people.
“Here you go,” Roy said, handing Trillium the coffee.
She smiled, instantly more at ease with Roy than with me. I didn’t know how he did that—and there was nothing magic about it. Roy was as mortal as I was. Maybe more.
Definitely more.
But whenever he was around, people felt more relaxed, more at ease.
It wasn’t the only reason I was grateful he had decided to work with us, but it was a reason I had come to appreciate.
“Thanks.” She took the cup. “One more thing.”
“Sure,” I said.
“Do you know who’s going to replace him on the Rhubarb Rally judging committee?”
“On the what now?”
“Heim was a judge for the Rhubarb Rally.”
I glanced at Myra and Jean, who both shrugged. “When did that happen?”
“I think Chris talked him into it three or four months ago.”
“Chris Lagon.”
She nodded. “Since Heim has passed, the committee is looking for a replacement.”
He had just passed hours ago. It was amazing how quickly word got around this town. I was seriously impressed we could keep anything secret.
“Those contest coordinators are on the ball. Who’s heading that up?”
“Bertie.”
Bertie was a sweet old lady with so much energy that she left the rest of us in the dust. She was also a valkyrie, which meant if she wanted you to do something, you were going to do it, even if she had to drag you over your own dead body.
“I’d check with her, then. I’m sure she’ll have a new judge nailed down by the end of the day.”
“All right. If I need clarification on anything, I’ll call. Thanks for the coffee.”
“Come on back anytime.”
She walked out of the lobby.
“Nicely done, sis,” Jean said.
“Just doing my job. Which I do every day. All the time. Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“We’re not looking at you like anything,” Myra said. “We’re just watching out for you. Now that you’ve taken on that part-time job.”
She meant the god power.
“How are you doing with it?” she asked.
You mean that thing that’s yelling and thrashing around in my head?
