“She’s mine,” Xolotl says. “So it doesn’t matter.”
“Yours?” Straight-hair’s lip twitches. “As in, you took a slave?”
“She’s my champion,” Xolotl says.
Pluto drops them both, rolling his eyes. “Why didn’t you just say that, idiot?”
Xolotl sets him on fire, or at least, I’m guessing he’s the one who did it. Within seconds, the flames wink out, but Pluto’s glaring at him too, now. Keeping up with this interaction’s confusing.
“At least tell us why you summoned us here.” Straight-hair folds his arms, gold vambraces at his wrists glinting in the low light. “Or I’m going to attack you again.”
“It was entertaining,” Xolotl says. “But I need a moment before I can explain.” He glances my way and then turns back toward his brothers. “I’ll be right back, and I know this is a strange request, but I need you not to kill anyone while I’m gone.”
“Not kill anyone?” Pluto glances at straight-hair. “Oookay.”
“Just for a bit, and just in this immediate area.” Xolotl sighs. “I’ll explain that, too.” He yanks the door open, and I nearly fall out. To keep from tumbling into the dirt, I brace myself against him with both hands, palms out.
His hands circle my wrists, and his eyes lighten. “You’re alright.”
“Of course I am.” I yank my hands away and straighten. “Am I about to meet your brothers?”
“No way.” He spins me around, his hands on my shoulders, and half-pushes me toward the small hotel. “You’re getting your own room, just like you wanted, and you’re going to sleep.”
I splutter. “Why the sudden change of heart?” As if I don’t know.
He won’t let me turn back around though. He marches me straight ahead until we get into the lobby where the clerk’s hiding under her desk.
“You can come out,” I say. “It’s safe for the time being.”
Her head barely pokes over the desk’s edge. “I hear there was a military exercise gone wrong in Tahoe.” Her voice was probably always soft, but right now it’s barely audible.
“Yeah, after you get us a room key, I’d suggest you drive as far and as fast as you can, away from California.”
Xolotl glares, but he doesn’t disagree.
She shoots out from under the desk. “Take whatever you want.” She points at the keys underneath the counter. “Bye.” She shoots out the back door so fast it reminds me of a squirrel breaking for cover when our aunt’s dog, Roscoe, was out playing.
“Pick a room.” Xolotl tosses his head. “And let’s go.” He marches me out the door, my jangling key clutched in my hand, and shoves me rather ungently toward the room I chose.
“At least tell me their names.” I try to slow him down, but it’s like trying to slow down a train moving full-steam-ahead by blocking it with a smart car—not happening. “Pluto and?” I snort. “I’m calling him straight-hair in my head.”
“Don’t call him anything in your head.” We’ve reached room 14A, and he snatches the key from my hand, jams it into the knob, and wrenches it. Then he gestures for me to go inside.
“What’s his name? Hades?”
He glances heavenward. “Anubis is his favorite, so I call him Osiris to piss him off.”
“Of course you do.” I pause. “Is that why he called you Ta’xet? Do you hate that name?”
“They wish.” He shrugs. “I don’t have feelings about my name at all.”
“Why are you stowing me in here? Why can’t I talk to them?” If I act like I’m relieved to get away, he’ll never leave.
He lowers his head so we’re eye-to-eye. “My brothers are unpredictable, and they’re the only creatures on earth I can’t entirely guarantee your safety around. You will stay here until I’ve convinced them to leave.”
It hits me, then. “You called them to kill me, because you couldn’t bring yourself to do it, but you knew I was a terrible general.”
He freezes.
