“That's its name,” Nayenezgani said.
“But it's strange when he says it,” Toby insisted.
“I'm with you on that,” I said. “Totally strange.”
“Thank you,” Toby said with an annoyed look at his brother.
“I'm wondering if we should warn Hades about Aion,” Odin mused.
“I think we should just let him focus on Nyx, and then we can take on Aion,” I said.
“Aion?” Thor asked. “Who's that?”
“He's a Greek god of time,” Odin explained. “We believe he's conspiring with Nyx.”
“I don't know what's happening here”—Thor looked from Odin to me—“but it's giving me an odd feeling.”
“You and me both,” Azrael said.
I looked at the angel and then realized where we were taking him. “Are you going to be okay with going to Hell?”
Azrael laughed.
“What's so funny?” Thor asked.
“I'm the Angel of Death,” Azrael said. “I was born in Hell; my father is Lucifer Morningstar.”
“In that case, we should follow you.” Odin waved his hand toward the tracing chamber. “Lead the way, Son of Satan.”
Azrael strode forward with a smile and traced away; no further theatrics needed. I took Odin's hand, and we traced together; heading to Hades' palace in the Greek Underworld. We stepped out of the tracing room and waited for the others to arrive. Hades was already gone; no doubt on his way to rally his army. But Azrael was waiting for us.
“This may be a good time to try out your new wings,” Azrael said to me.
“You think I should use my angel wings to fly through Hell?” I countered.
“Hell again.” Az shook his head. “It must be the human in you. Gods know that this is just another territory, and it isn't technically Hell. Tartarus is where the souls are tortured; this is just the Underworld.”
“Au contraire, mon angel.” I waved a finger at him. “One of the worst beaches in the realms is here; a super depressing place along the Acheron, where souls who can't pay the Ferryman's toll must wait forever. Then there's the Vale of Mourning, where souls carry on eternally about people they loved who didn't love them back; talk about not letting it go. All that sounds like torture to me.”
“I have just been schooled,” Azrael said as he bowed.
“You're rather modern with your speech for an angel,” I noted.
“I spend a lot of time around humans,” he said softly, and then transferred his gaze to Odin. “Ask your husband; he knows.”
I looked at Odin in surprise; he was grimacing at Azrael.
“Do you two know each other?” I asked Odin.
Odin sighed deeply. “You had to bring that up now?” He huffed at Az.
Azrael just shrugged.
“We're all here,” Toby came up to us to say. “Shall we find Hades?”
“Yes; we shall,” Odin started off in the direction Hades had went.
“Odin?” I hurried after him. “You didn't answer me.”
