“This is a serious issue.” I glared at him.
“You know what I mean,” he replied as he gave me a sassy look. Malamay finally laughed. “You can’t go around punching the stars, but I'm surprised how long it took you to finally snap.” He grabbed my shoulder. “Don’t tell anyone I am taking you to see Haden.”
“I won’t.” I smiled. “When can we go see him?”
“We will go later when everyone is doing their own thing—for the love of the fucking heavens.” Malamay closed his eyes when Haden’s voice drifted everywhere around us.
“Guess who it is? That’s right, it’s me, God of Wrath. I hope you all enjoyed your few seconds of quiet. I vow you will not know a day of peace until you give her back to me.”
I smiled. “I like hearing his voice.”
Malamay gave me a pointed look. “I love my son, but I am about to muzzle him when we go down there.” He glanced back at the doors to the council chambers before looking at me. “Let's go finish the meeting, and I will come find you later so we can go tell Haden to knock off his pestering.”
“Okay,” I agreed. But I watched him closely as we entered the room again. I knew that they were up to something. Did they really think I was so stupid that I would not notice that they just forgave me for deceiving them or the fact that they seemingly stopped trying to take over Elloryon?
Malamay’s back was toward me, but I watched where his head turned, to Diath. He gave her a very subtle nod, and she nodded back once, like I wouldn’t notice. They were all watching us.No one said anything, but I knew they had discussed something while I was out of the room.
Everyone stared at me as I sat down. What the fuck were they up to? It was hard to focus on them or the bullshit Malamay was spewing to distract me. All I could think of was being close to Haden later tonight.
“The old gods are pleased that we stopped the Gods of Hell.” Malamay and everyone’s eyes shifted to me.
“The old gods think it was you?” I asked.
“Technically it was, since you made sure they were damned to Hell forever, wandering down there with no way to be reborn. And since you are a star now…” Malamay’s voice was trying not to give away his irritation.
I scoffed at him when he said that. I was not a star.
“The old gods told you this?” I asked. Malamay nodded. “Which gods?”
“Most of them. Abram was missing.”
I smiled, knowing he was lying to me. “Interesting that they all came at once. They never appear together.”
“Well, we are important. They come when we call.”
“They are more important than you and willnotcome whenyoucall them. Remember that they put you up here as a punishment, not a reward. The old gods are not fans of yours, but they especially think Diath is lower than dog shit.” I turned my eyes to her and smirked. Gods, I loved being a bitch to her. It was too easy.
“And you are below the stars being just a goddess,” Diath sneered.
“Oh, I think we all know that Malamay is technically the only star with power, and it is not much.” She clenched her jaw and watched me, trying to decide if she wanted to continue this argument.
“You are such a bitch. I can’t believe my son fell in love with such a worthless whore.”
I threw my head back and laughed at her insult, which only pissed her off even more. She finally stood up and glared at me.
“I told you we should just lock her up.” Diath looked at Malamay. “She is still playing you.”
I was. Diath was right about something for the first time in her life.
“Diath, we aren’t locking up Della. She is on our side. Right, Della?” Malamay watched me closely.
“Sure.” I rolled my eyes and looked at Diath. “Do you want to know what my favorite memory of Haden is?”
Her eyes filled with anger, like she knew what I was going to say.
“When he cut off Mateo's hands for touching me.”
“Malamay,” Diath seethed.
