“Let's go right now,” he said. “I see no need to wait. I'll find us the perfect property, and after we sign for it, we can hunt Zeus down.”
I shook my head at him. “Most places would take at least thirty days to settle. There's paperwork and titles and transfer papers. I think. My friend mentioned so much paperwork when they bought a condo.”
He thought about that. “Times have definitely changed. We used to just throw gold at humans and they'd give us whatever we wanted.”
A chuckle burst from me. “Times haven't changed that much. Dick gold will still get you a lot, but the invention of computers has complicated everything.”
He nodded. “Okay, well, I'll kill Zeus first and then we'll do this purchasing with all the paperwork.”
It was funny how easily killing Zeus fit into regular conversation.
“Maisey! Cronus!” Phoebe shouted from the beach, and I flipped over to see what the noise was about. “We're about to have second dinner!”
Okeanos was at her side, and before I could reply, he power-swam across the water toward us. “Need an escort back to shore?” He held a hand out to me, but Cronus stopped him.
“I've got her. Thanks, buddy.”
The Titan of the ocean and related activities just smirked. “Doesn't really seem fair that you take all of our Maisey's time. You need to learn to share.”
Cronus’ chest rumbled and Okeanos laughed, holding both hands up. “Purely platonic of course.”
“I will kick your ass,” Cronus warned him.
Okeanos just laughed harder, and I ignored them both, swimming toward the sandy shore by myself.
“You sure you don’t need help?” Okeanos asked, keeping pace with me, concern entering his features.
“I'm pregnant, not dying,” I said. These overprotective Titans were going to drive me bonkers. No doubt it would be even worse once the baby arrived.
Like he was going to prove that point, Okeanos shrugged. “It's been a long time since we've had a new Titan baby. You're both so important to us, Maisey. You might as well get used to us fussing over you.”
The water hid my tears. “You're all important to me as well,” I choked out, and Cronus mumbled something from where he was swimming behind me.
“Ignore that cranky old dude back there,” Okeanos whispered. “He secretly loves when we keep him on his toes.”
Okeanos went down in a tumbling heap, then, Cronus clearly having done something to knock him into the water.
“Not fucking fair,” the Titan shouted, spluttering to the surface. “The ocean is mine.”
“And Maisey is mine,” Cronus replied, not loud enough for anyone but me to hear.
“I'm mostly just interested in second dinner,” I admitted. “But your caveman act is fun as well.”
Cronus shook his head, and wrapped his arms around me, powering us back to shore just as darkness fell. Okeanos was already waiting there with a broad smile on his face like nothing had happened. He must have zapped in front of us, standing there without a shirt, all blond hair and muscles. He was pretty much exactly how I imagined a Titan of the ocean would look.
“I also forgot to tell you,” he said to Cronus, “but Hyperion thinks he has a lock on Zeus’ location.”
This, more than anything else, got Cronus’ full attention. “You should have said that first,” he snapped. “We cannot let him disappear again!”
Okeanos lifted both hands to the side, palms up. “I mean, I tried to tell you, but you were so busy pissing on Maisey to mark your territory, you must have missed it.”
I slapped him on the arm as we went past. “That’s gross. Don't say it again.”
This was who I was now, the chick who slapped immortal Titans. Whatever.
“Be back in a second, Maisey,” Cronus said, vanishing in a rush of energy up the beach.
I made my way slowly across the sand, wondering what had made me think this trek to the water was a good idea. Sand was hard to freaking walk on at the best of times, let alone with an extra thirty pounds on my front.
