“I think I know the problem.”
Ash arched a brow at Urian. “Please illuminate me.”
“We’re missing our star quarterback.”
Wait!” Urian shoutedas he teleported in and saw that Savitar was about to haul Styxx off to fight. Damn, that was close. Another few seconds, and it would have been too late to stop them.
Panting from his mad dash to get there with Davyn in tow, he doubled over to catch his breath.
Savitar growled. “We don’t have time for this.”
Urian snorted nonchalantly. “Take it up with the bossman. He’s the one who sent me in with a time-out. Acheron has called a team huddle before we make our final play.”
Shaking his head, Savitar let out an exasperated sigh. “Remind me to cancel your ESPN subscription …” He glanced to Styxx with an odd glimmer in his lavender eyes. “Fine.”
The next thing Urian knew, the four of them were back on Savitar’s island with Acheron and Tory, who was feeding crackers to their son. Danger and Alexion were trying to ride herd on Simi and Xirena as they plotted to take Bas’s crackers. And Katra and Sin finished off their cozy little End of the World club.
“They’re not going to wait all day on us,” Savitar warned Acheron. “You know the gods are marching and not waiting.”
“I know, but as I was reviewing the situation with everyone and trying to come up with an alternate plan that didn’t cost Styxx his life, Urian reminded me that we were missing a most vital member of the team.” Acheron pinned his gaze on Styxx. “The quarterback who actually went up against the Atlantean gods and beat the shit out of them.”
Styxx scowled as all heads turned to him. “Since no one has bothered to tell me what I’m heading into, I’ve got nothing.”
Ash looked at Simi, who blushed and grinned sheepishly.
“Well, see, akri-Styxx, it all started when the Simi decided she was gonna give you the promise for your birthday for Christmas. See?”
“Clear as a two-hundred-mile-an-hour sandstorm.”
Ash gave a low, sinister laugh. “Simi decided to wake up the Atlantean gods for you. Wasn’t that considerate?”
Urian bit back a laugh. Ash better be glad Simi was slow to catch that sarcasm or else akri or not, he could have ended up as Charonte barbecue.
Styxx frowned. “Why?”
With an adorable pout, Simi sighed heavily. “Well yous sees, it wan’t s’pposed to be all them gods. Is only s’pposed to be the one. But she won’t get up. Lots of them others gots up and gots ugly, fast. And I means theys as ugly as a gullu in the morning with no barbecue sauce. And the Simi still don’t know why’s the only one I tries to wakes keeps sleeping when it’s so important she gets ups and talks. It’s so confusing.”
Yes, yes, it was. And she was there when it happened.
Sin turned to Savitar. “Hey, I have two gods and a demigod requesting permission to enter your home and join our powwow.”
Yeah, there was a look on the mighty Savitar’s face that said the Sumerian god was about to end up onhismenu. “Who?”
“My brother, Seth, and your least favorite god of all time.”
“Noir?”
“Second least favorite,” Sin quickly amended.
Savitar growled low and deep in his stomach—like he was about to give birth to a space alien. “I thought that bastard was dead.”
“Apparently not.”
A tic started in Savitar’s jaw. “Why?”
“Why is he not dead?” Urian asked sarcastically.
Savitar glared at him. “Why are they here?”
