“Josie, this is delicious,” he said.“You’re right.The spice is spot on.”
“Even with the extra dill?”she teased.
“I stand corrected.”
I helped myself to a portion of beef, vegetables, bread, rice, and the salad was passed my way.Lula put some of the cooked vegetables on her plate and drizzled them with the broth.I slid a piece of buttered bread over to her.
“Homemade.You’ll love it with the yam.”
She flashed me a small smile, pleased I’d added to her meal.She didn’t eat much, didn’t have to.But I’d fallen into an old habit.
Back in the day when we’d both been alive and mortal, I used to add a little of my food onto her plate all the time.
She dutifully tried the bread with the yam and her eyelids fluttered.
“Told you it was good,” I said around a mouthful.
“Family recipe,” Pamela said.“It’s the nutmeg that brings it all together.”
“And the butter,” Josie said.
“Always the butter,” Pamela agreed.
“Compliments to the chefs,” I said.
Food made everything seem a little better with the world, and when Pamela suggested coffee, I took her up on it.So did Cardamom.Abbi asked for cocoa, and Lu wandered into the kitchen with Pamela, Josie, and Abbi to decide on a tea.
“Want to talk about it?”Card placed a cup of coffee in front of me and settled back in his seat.
He’d helped stack plates and had taken them to the sink.Josie had chased him out with the coffee, pointedly telling him she had a specific way she liked the dishwasher loaded.
I could hear Lu talking with Pamela and Josie, and the sudden sound of her soft laughter meant the world to me.
“The book?”I asked.
“That.Any of it.The gods.The magic you’ve dealt with.The back-to-life thing.I’ve been targeted—am still a target—of powerful people.I know it’s frustrating.Terrifying.”
I grunted.“You got a couple years?Because that’s how long it’ll take to cover it all.”
“Maybe just the highlights.”
I thought it over.“Some of the gods want the book hidden.”
“Cupid?”
“He’s one of them.Some gods want control of it.”
“Atë?”
“And Mithra.And, apparently, Apep.”
He whistled.“Mithra is no one to fuck with.Atë’s only goal is to cause misery to anyone who crosses her path—the gods in particular.”
“I am aware.”
“But Apep…He’s your worst problem.That god crushes galaxies without a thought.If he wants the book…”
He took a swig of his coffee, then leaned his elbows on the table, suddenly all business.
