Instead of the Greek god, Qeenan appeared in front of them. “Hello, brother.”
“What are you doing here?”
Qeenan shrugged. “Spoiling your day the same way you’ve sought to spoil mine. Turn about and all that.”
Nibo was aghast. “What the hell, man?”
“You couldn’t stay out of my business and so I refuse to stay out of yours.” Clapping his hands, Qeenan laughed. “Get them!”
“Ever wish you were an only child?”
Nibo gave Valynda a droll stare. “Only every time I get near my brother. I should have drowned that little bastard when we were children in a bath.”
Agrios grumbled something behind them.
Nibo pulled a bottle off his belt and slammed it on the ground, shattering it. A dark purple cloud engulfed them.
“For this, we got dressed up.” She choked on the smoke.
Ignoring her, he took her elbow and guided her back the way they’d come. He used his crook to grab Agrios to make sure he followed.
“What are we going to do?”
Nibo didn’t respond to his question. Turning, he sent a blast at the flying rats after them. Then he pulled another bottle and sent it flying.
Valynda’s heart pounded as she struggled to see. She hated this. It was terrifying to hear their pursuers and see nothing. To know they had an enemy out there who wanted them dead.
No sooner had the red mist rolled out than she heard the echoing sound of an outraged god. It shook the walls around them and sent the beasts after them cowering.
Even Qeenan vanished.
But not before the very walls around them turned into giant stone creatures who surrounded them, imprisoning them. They writhed and loomed, rising up to stare down as if intent to trample them into oblivion.
“This isn’t good.” She stared at Nibo.
“Who dares to breach my domain!”
Valynda froze as lightning shot through Nibo’s mists and more thunder shook the room. The screams of the damned went silent as if they were too terrified to draw the ancient god’s notice.
Out of the dark, swirling mist emerged a man wearing flowing black robes and walking with the swagger that said he was the sole lord of this land and that no one here had better challenge him. Though to be honest, she would have thought the ancient Greek god of death would be more …
Monstrous.
Hideous.
She was expecting cloven hooves. Some horns.
Honestly, Hades was quite pleasing to the eyes. Other than the fact he was furious at them.
“Not another one ofyou. Do I need to send out for pest control? Or just find out who left the door open and gut them?”
Nibo tsked. “Hades … how have you been?”
“It’s late summer. Need I say more?”
Valynda winced at words that meant the god had been without sex and his wife for months now. Which put him in an obviously bad mood and them at a great disadvantage.
Nibo flashed him a charming grin. “Well, you’re not me type.”
