“Funny you should mention games,” Azrael snarled. “You're the one playing games with us, asshole. And we all know it. Did you think you could make Vervain forget what you look like?”
“Who's Vervain?”
“I am.” I frowned at Ekwensu. He didn't sound the same. His voice was lower and his tone off.
“I've never met you in my life. You've got me confused with someone else.”
“Confused, eh?” Trevor said. “Another interesting word choice.” He looked at Kirill. “I think he's still playing with us.”
“Da,” was all Kirill said.
“What about his smell?” Thor asked me. “Can you verify it's him by scent?”
“Sure. Give me a sec . . .” I trailed off. “I know I smelled him. It was familiar. I knew that scent, but I couldn't pinpoint it.”
“Well, lean in a take a good sniff,” Horus said irritably.
“Hold on,” I muttered absently. “Damn it all! It's gone. He erased his scent!” I glared at Ekwensu. “Slick. Very slick.”
“I don't even know—” Ekwensu paused to jerk his head back. “Oh, hold on. Idoknow you! You're the Godhunter. The one who nearly blew up the world before your boyfriend came along and did it better than you.”
“Well, I wouldn't say he did it better, just differently,” I huffed. “And I didn't blow up the world.”
“That means one of you is Azrael, the Faerie God,” Ekwensu went on, ignoring me to search the crowd. He settled on Azrael, specifically on his cheek tattoo. “It's you, isn't it? That's Angelic script.”
“Keep it down,” Azrael snarled.
“What, like it's a secret?”
Secrets. There was something about secrets. Something Ekwensu had said. What was it?But my mind couldn't pull it out of the miasma of confusion the guy had hit me with. To wipe his scent from my mind was a stroke of brilliance. But why erase that and not his face?
“You're a god,” Re said to Ekwensu. “Do you really want to be the one who rats us out to the humans?” Because that's what you'd be doing if you let it known who Azrael is.”
Ekwensu held his hands up. “No, you're right. Sorry.”
“That's offensive to rats,” Karni Mata said.
Re rolled his eyes but also said, “My apologies, Karni.”
Ekwensu straightened. “Holy shit, it really is you guys. You're Re. I've heard about your golden skin. What the fuck do you want with me? I'm no one. Just a minor god. I came here to hook up with some humans. That's all, I swear.”
“Can the act,” Trevor said. “We know you're the trickster who's been fucking with us.”
“Someone's been fucking with all of you?” He looked around at our large group, then at Azrael. “Trust me, I wouldn't mess with you. I don't have the juice. And if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's to know my juicing limitations.”
“This is ridiculous,” Machar growled. “You took my son. You will pay for that.” He reached for Ekwensu.
Ekwensu jerked back as the rest of us launched forward to stop Machar.
It was Re who grabbed him. Honestly, it was funny to see the look on Machar's face when my slender, god husband restrained that huge faerie as if he were a child. The Red Cap's bulk jerked as he fought Re's hold, but he couldn't get free.
“Are you good now?” Re asked.
“He took my son!”
“Hey, rock-face!” Ekwensu said. “I don't even know you. And I don't abduct children. I'm a Nigerian god, not a fucking Aztec.”
Blue growled at him.
