A second later, Hado in black kitten form, bounded into the room and jumped up on Abbi’s lap.
He hissed at Cupid, his ears back.
“It’s okay,” Abbi said.“You did a good job.The bad gods didn’t get it, did they?”
Hado’s ears flicked back up, hemewed, and bumped his head on Abbi’s stomach.She smiled and stroked his back.
“I know what I want you to do with it.”Raven sat at the table.The air took on a weight, a feeling of fate, of momentous decisions about to be made.
I hated that feeling.
“I want the book in Ordinary.Sandy beaches, mild weather, lots of weird—I mean quaint—small town festivals.The magical library can disappear powerful books from gods, monsters, and anything else in this earthly realm.”
“You’re not the one making the choices here,” Cupid said.“They are.Brogan, Lula?”
This was it, then.Our chance to defy Cupid.To change, once again, our agreement with him—the agreement which had brought me back to life and given us his protection.
“We won’t give it to you,” I said, “or any other god.”
Lula lifted her chin, gaze steady.Her hand slipped down to the knives hidden on her.
“Free will,” Raven said.“I told you.”
“Free will.”Cupid took a long breath and sat back.
The tension in the room broke like sunlight through fog.
“Did you change your mind?”Raven asked.“Are you going to keep it?”
“Do we have to tell you what we want to do with the book?”I asked.
“Everything is an option.”Eunice strode into the room, bracelets chiming.“Free will, like these two just said.”She checked the refrigerator for cream, then pulled out a bowl, sugar, and a mixer.
“We’re taking it to Ordinary.”Lula nodded.“To the secret library there.”
I’d never seen two gods and a muse smile the same smile of relief.
“Agreed,” Cupid said.“It belongs in Ordinary.”
“Ah-ha!”Raven crowed.
“But,” Cupid continued, “there is something you need to know which might change your mind about that.”
Raven groaned.“Are we doing this now?”
“They deserve the truth,” Cupid said.
Eunice turned on the mixer, and the scent of vanilla filled the air.Whipped cream, I thought.
Raven spread his hands, giving Cupid the floor.
“I found the monster who attacked you,” Cupid said.
The world went oddly slick and distant, as if nothing about it was quite real.A ringing filled my ears.
Shock, I thought.
“There is only one still alive, but I have found him.”
