“I’m growing suspicious, Hunter,” Archer snapped. “You won’t tell me the full story, and I can sense you’re hiding something. What is it you want out of this? Because it’s something more than we agreed on.”
“Did you ever think your gift gives you an unhealthy dose of paranoia? Just do what you came here for.”
More footsteps came before they stopped nearby. My heart thundered so raucously that I worried everyone else in the room could hear it. I clamped a hand over my mouth, concerned about my breathing, and James gently took my free hand, squeezing it tight.
“They aren’t ready,” Archer said.
Hunter sucked in a breath. “Take the clippings up to Tobias. You’ve found a way to grow them, right?”
“Why should I do anything for you when I can’t get the truth from you?”
“You want my word that she’ll survive?” Hunter asked.
“That isn’t the truth I’m after, but would you give me that?”
“She needs to work for it. If she can’t convince them, then there’s nothing more I can do.”
His tone was so blasé. Like discussing my existence was boring to him. I would have liked to swing for him, but that wasn’t currently an option.
“You need to be careful, Hunter. You’re underestimating her. Lower Elysians can’t wait to welcome her home properly. You lose her and you’re going to fall out of favour quickly. Can’t hide behind the rest of the council when you’re the one who’s leading the vote—"
“Don’t threaten me,” Hunter hissed. “Do what you’ve been told to or maybe I’ll just let slip to the rest of the heavens how closely you’ve been working with me. I’m sure the council is bound to favour me over you.”
Silence fell over the lab, but I didn’t move. My intuition told me we still weren’t alone.
Measured footsteps grew closer until they stopped by the end of the bench, and I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. When my gaze dropped to the floor, I saw the tips of Archer’s shoes peeking around the side of the bench.
“Don’t worry, angel. He’s too wrapped up in his own world to notice anyone else here. All it took was a little help from my gift to disguise your presence,” he said, and my heart froze in my chest. “And I won’t say a word, but you shouldn’t sneak about. You’ll get yourself in more trouble than you’re already in.” There was a beat of silence. “But I’m doing what I can to get you out of it.”
His toes disappeared in his signature forest green, and I dropped my hand from my mouth and let out a shuddering breath. A gentle tug from James had me release his hand. He rubbed his fingers to help with the circulation.
“They were talking about you,” he said, crawling out from under the bench.
I followed him and walked around the worktop, trying to figure out what they were doing here.
“They were talking about me,” I confirmed. “Not everyone is as happy as you are about my existence.”
His face was pale. “Scott, they were talking about your survival…”
“I know,” I whispered. “James, for your sake, I don’t want to discuss this any further.”
“Are you in trouble?”
I looked back at him and chewed on my bottom lip. “Be careful which Gods you trust.”
Turning around again, my fingers trailed along the bench until I noticed the window box. The flowers had been snipped from their stems and one head laid on the windowsill. I picked it up and turned it over in my hand. Without a chance to doubt myself, I stuffed it into my jacket pocket, making a note to look into it once I got home.
The car rolled to a stop in the middle of the road, and Quentin got out. She bent at the waist, displaying her plump ass to the world, and I took in a deep breath through my nose.
“I’ll see you at ten-thirty tomorrow,” she said.
“You’re my favourite Goddess,” James replied before she slammed the door shut and watched him disappear down the street.
As she faced the house, a sense of relief and calm washed through me. It was a feeling I’d grown accustomed to, and a single being made me feel this way whenever she was close. It was as if my soul breathed a sigh and grew lighter and impatient, waiting to be close to its other half.
“Do you feel it too?” she whispered.
I stepped out of the shadows of the house and met her on the path that led to the front door. “The way my soul tells me you’ve been away for too long?” I replied, cupping her face. “If I was a jealous being, I’d be pissed at all the time you’re spending with James.”
