“Dad!” I ran to hug him. “You're all right.”
“Of course, I'm all right, little Frami,” Fenrir said. “Why wouldn't I be?”
I looked at the Froekn standing behind them. They were all slicing their flat hands back and forth over their throats. Right. He must have just woke up.
“It was just a bad battle.” I cleared my throat and stepped back. “I think it's time to leave.”
“No kidding,” Samael drawled as his eyes—the hundreds of them all over his body—closed and sank into his skin.
I've seen some disturbing things in my life, and I've gotten used to most of them. But I will never get used to a man covered in eyeballs.
“What about that bastard Katila?” Fenrir asked.
“He's dead, Dad,” Trevor said. “The human souls killed him.”
“They killed him because the trickster summoned them,” I said.
“What?” Odin swung around, searching the area. “The trickster is here?”
“Yeah. I'm sure he's still here somewhere.” I sniffed, trying to find the scent I'd forgotten. “I think this is his territory now. He took it from Katila, along with Katila's magic.”
“How do you know that?” Re asked.
“I don't. Not for certain. But just before you were all expelled from the pit, when I thought you were dead, the trickster showed up beside my cage and reminded me about his promise to handle Katila. Then he said he could work with this. And you were all spewed out. How could he do that if he didn't control Naraka? And how could he control the territory without Katila's magic?”
“Spewed out of what?” Fenrir asked.
“Of the poison pit. We were dying, Dad,” Trevor said. “You were unconscious.”
“I was not!” Fenrir roared.
Behind him, the other Froekn shook their heads. Yeah, Trevor should have known better. He was the firstborn son after all. No one knew Fenrir better than Trevor. But Trevor also knew that we didn't have time to coddle Fenrir's pride.
“Enough, Dad,” I said. “We've got to go.” I grabbed Re's hand and hurried to the tracing building. “Meet back at the citadel.”
“I was not unconscious!” Fenrir said.
“Get over it, big man,” Viper said. “I wish I'd been unconscious. Getting swallowed whole by a pit of toxic black goo was not the best time I've ever had.”
“And we're still in Naraka!” I called back pointedly. “A territory controlled by a trickster who obviously wants us to leave.” I waved at the tracing building.
“She's right. Let's get the fuck out of here,” Finn said and didn't wait for any agreement. He just ran for the building.
“Know when to fold 'em!” Austin shouted and ran after us.
Our mad dash broke the seal of stupidity, and the rest of the gods finally followed. We traced out rapidly, hands slapping the marble wall to get into the Aether. My husbands shoved me before them, making sure that I got out before they did. They were right behind me so I was all right with that. And with my magic restored, I would sense if anything happened to one of my lions. I almost traced home, so big was my desire to be in my territory, but at the last second, I remembered that I had told everyone to meet at the Golden Citadel.
I came out of the Aether running and kept going, keeping the tracing room open. I was met by a couple of citadel knights, part of the security detail Az had left behind. Thank goodness he was smart enough to keep the citadel guarded even when he went to war.
“Any losses?” one of the knights asked.
“I don't think so,” I said as I ushered them back. “We've got a lot of gods coming through. Can you ask the kitchens to make us some refreshments? Something warm.”
“Yes, of course.” The knight's stare went behind me, settled on Azrael, filled with relief, and only then did he rush off.
I cocked my head at that. I knew the Fey knights respected Azrael—he had proven himself to them often enough—but I didn't know theylikedhim.
“What now?” Machar asked as he joined my husbands and me.
