And that is how the first interview with Torin, God of War and Love, goes.
“Well, that was a shit show,” Imani grumbles as I rub my head to make sure all my hair is still attached.
“What was?” Torin asks. “I thought it went well.”
We all stare at the god who has no idea what he’s talking about.
“I’m forcing you to ride escalators for the next hour,” I say.
“No, thank you.” He swings up onto Quill’s back.
“Torin, meet me at my house,” Mickey says, slipping him the address before he’s carried into his car and disappears.
“I’m terrified,” Torin announces.
“I know where he lives; why did he give you his address?” I ask, perplexed.
Quill reaches back and eats the note out of Torin’s hand. Torin shrugs, grabs my arm, and hauls me onto his beast that bolts after the car Mickey’s in.
My cries for help are nothing to be proud of as I’m dragged off, likely to my death.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Riley
“I know Lt. Lindsey is expecting you back at work tomorrow, and I felt like it would be dreadful for you to have to sleep in that shitty apartment of yours. So out of the goodness of my heart, I thought I’d move you into my house,” Mickey says as he waves around at the nice four-bedroom house he lives in with about seven undead… that I can see.
“That is so kind of you!” Torin enthuses.
I am nowhere near naive enough to believe that Mickey is doing something kind. “Torin, he wants something.”
Mickey ignores me and continues. “And since I so generously offered my house, you shall offer yours, Torin.”
Torin is confused.
I am not.
“Mickey wants you to open a Door in his house so we can go back to your palace without making the trek all the way back to the field. But Mickey, I’m not sure Torin should waste magic making another Door. The media coverage he just got is probably going to tank his followers.”
Torin has the balls to look offended. “Tank them? Excuse me, I think you are confused. What is better than showing off my very important Riley and my adorable mount?”
“Is that his label?” Mickey teases. “This is my ‘Riley’?”
Torin freezes, stares off into space, then drops to the ground and sets to work making a Door right there, as though draining what little magic he has is better than answering this question.
“If you open this Door, can you close the other one and kind of… replenish your magic?” I ask curiously.
“I can and I will. It’ll be an equivalent exchange,” he assures me.
It really doesn’t take him long at all to open a Door, which is good for us but also concerning if it’s this fast and easy for the horsemen to do it.
Torin must read my expression because he explains, “It’s easiest for me because I’m opening a Door to home, a place where my magic is already in every crevice.”
“I see. But the problem with opening it here is that Mickey knows where it is.”
“I see no problem with this,” Mickey says as he’s over there telling Tommy what to throw in his suitcase while another undead pushes a large suitcase over to him.
I want to complain, but Torin’s palace is huge. It could probably hold over a hundred people without issue, and it’s evident Torin doesn’t care.PlusMickey’s house really is smack-dab in the middle of everything and filled with undead who would guard the Door. And to be able to live in Torin’s palace instead of my small apartment…
