Shango, standing to Freya's right, leaned closer to her. “Hey, beautiful, how about I buy you dinner after this?”
Freya turned to look at him disdainfully. “Perhaps wait until after we've stopped this machine from destroying the realms to hit on me.”
Shango chuckled. “That wasn't a no.”
“Will you shut the fuck up?!” Ereshkigal growled. “Odin is about to connect with his relic. It might be helpful if he didn't have to listen to you slobbering over Freya.”
Hephaestus snickered. “Oh, I like you.”
Ereshkigal inclined her head to Hephaestus.
“You arrogant bitch,” Shango snarled. “Do you think that your pantheon predating mine makes you better than me? You're obsolete! Your fucking keys don't even matter. No living human believes in you anymore. You're dwindling while my pantheon flourishes. My people are loyal and strong. Yours are dead.”
“That may be true, Orisha.” Ereshkigal lifted her chin. “But that doesn't weaken me. I am the Queen of theDead. I don't need the living. What are you the Orisha of? Dancing, is it?”
Hephaestus burst out laughing.
Even Shango chuckled. “I am a fine dancer. But I'm the God of Thunder, Lightning, Fire, Justice, Strength, and Virility.” He winked at Freya. “The living worship me, and they still offer me sacrifices. Not many gods can say that.”
“All right, keep it in your pants, Shango,” I drawled.
“What are you afraid of, Godhunter? That none of your hundreds of husbands will come close to my glory?”
My husbands, those who stood in the hallway, growled. But before either Odin or I could respond, Freya had Shango's throat in her grip and shoved him against the wall. She was a tall woman and used her height to lift him off his feet. As Shango's dark eyes went wide and flashed with lightning, Freya shoved her face into his.
“One of her husbands stands there, you pathetic fool!” Freya hissed. “Odin is the King of the Norse Gods, my liege, and more of a man than you could ever be.” She squeezed tighter when he struggled, his hands gripping her upper arm. “The Vikings may be gone, but their legend endures because they were the baddest motherfuckers on the planet. So exalted arewe that to this day, humans from all races choose to worship the Norse Pantheon! Witches call to me daily. There are movies about us. Songs written. We have days of the week named after us. What do you have to brag about?” She looked him up and down as if she found him lacking and then shoved him away. As Shango stumbled back, Freya added, “Insult the Allfather or his bride again, and I will remove that piece of flesh you prize and feed it to my cats.”
“And I have seven husbands,” I added, feeling a little left out of my husbands' defense. “All of whom are better men than you.”
“Thanks, babe,” Viper said.
But Shango didn't hear me. He was focused on Freya. For a second, I thought he was going to attack her, but then I realized that the look on his face was awe, not anger. And the bulge in his pants betrayed how much he enjoyed a powerful woman.
“Holy shit, woman,” Shango whispered and approached her as he might approach a skittish horse. “You're the most wondrous thing I've ever beheld.”
Freya snorted and bowed to Odin. “Forgive me for speaking on your behalf, Allfather.”
Yup, Freya and the Valkyries might bluster at Odin, but when it came down to it, they had his back. It was one of those family things—I can insult my brother, but if you do, I'll kick your ass.
Odin chuckled. “Nothing to forgive, Freya. I appreciate your loyalty. But now, can we focus on the task at hand?” He looked around the group. “The fate of the realms hangs in the balance.”
“No pressure,” Re drawled.
As the gods went still, Odin held his hands out toward the machine, but didn't touch it. Instead, he closed his eyes and sent his senses forth. Seconds passed. I fought the urge to scratch my nose. But the more I focused on not scratching, the itchier it became until I gave in. I caught Ereshkigal frowning at me and lowered my hand. Still, Odin remained in his relic meditation.
I glanced at my other husbands, at the front of the group in the hallway. They were scowling, recognizing, as I did, that Odin was struggling. Behind them, Hades's eyes blazed, and Ninkasi looked back and forth between Odin and Ereshkigal. I was so focused on everyone else that when Odin came gasping out of his trance, I yipped.
Odin turned to me. “I can't reach it. I may be its present owner, but the Fey made the magic condenser for Nuada. It will not bond with me. I think you need to drain it, Vervain.”
“Oh.” I looked at the machine. “Yeah, you're probably right. Is it similar to reaching for our bond?”
“Yes, precisely.”
“All right.” I stepped toward the machine.
“La-la,” Re called.
I looked over my shoulder at him.
