“Yes, ma’am.”
They stand while keeping their heads bowed as they open the doors to the Division for us. I cut my eyes over to Sevryn, who’s no fucking help. He just shrugs and motions me forward.
The click of our boots across the room is louder than necessary as every being in here falls quiet. The fine hairs across my body stand and I flex my fingers to control their twitching.
I relax the slightest bit as the familiar god bursts through the door and races over to us.
“Ma’am.” He dips his head and my confusion deepens. “Welcome home. When the God of Death issued his decree that you may come and go as you please, I didn’t expect your visit to be so soon.”
What the actual fuck, Creed?
Secretive, annoying ass.
I suppose smart on his part, though. Never know when I might get thrown down here again.
This also takes care of the figuring out how to get back out part.
I clear any surprise from my face and grace him with as much of a smile as I can muster up.
“I didn’t expect it either, so sorry for the lack of notice. I need to speak with the God of Redemption, the God of Treachery, and the God of Judgment, please.”
His eyes blink repeatedly before he collects himself.
“Right away, of course. Follow me.”
He spins around and we follow behind him as he leads us toward the same hall we walked down last time. None of us speak, but I swear I sense Gladian’s and Mara’s unease.
The god…I’m so tired of calling him that.
“What’s your name?” I ask as he opens the door that doesn’t have Creed’s power embedded in it.
“Oh…it’s Faron, ma’am.”
“Faron, thank you.”
Surprise shifts across his face again, then he bows his head.
“I’ll send a summons for them now, ma’am. You all may wait here.”
He rushes off and my lungs empty as the door clicks shut. The four of us make our way toward the cliff edge and stare out over the upper level. Minutes pass in silence as we just…observe.
It’s still so crazy to me.
“You know you aren’t supposed to say things like please and thank you to them, right?” Gladian asks, breaking the grounding quiet.
“Why?”
“Because they’re underlings. You showing them respect like that gives them the idea that they have a standing and can speak freely.”
I scoff at his stupid ass and continue scanning the upper level.
“If he’s in the position he’s in, he’s paid for his crimes and earned at least enough redemption. Fuck, for all you know, he didn’t even commit a crime. This could be a very unfortunate role he was assigned.”
“You’d be correct. Faron has been the Division Hand for, oh, I don’t know, a millennium at least. He keeps everything running smoothly.”
We whirl around and my hand halts on the handle of Creed’s sword as I lock eyes with the God of Redemption. His smile roams across each of us.
“I’ll admit, I did think he made a mistake in his summons when he said the Goddess of Death was here requesting our presence. My mistake for doubting him.”
