Page 194 of Mayhem and Minnie

Molokai narrows his eyes suspiciously. But he doesn’t move.

“I believe you,” he eventually says.

Minnie pulls back her energy and sighs deeply.

“I have wondered about it, but it’s not all that odd. Sometimes it happens,” she adds.

“Does it?” He raises a brow. “I have yet to encounter a place where so many mortals have perished and none of them lingered.”

Minnie shrugs.

“You have your answer. Now please go.”

He doesn’t leave. He stands rooted to the spot, staring at her.

“There’s another reason as to why I’m here,” he mentions as he takes a deep breath. “They know you’re hiding on Anthropa. They don’t have your exact location, but the soldiers have been dispatched.”

Minnie swallows.

“I see… How long before they find me?”

“A few human months if you’re lucky. Less if they sent an efficient squad.”

“Thank you for telling me. I’ll plan accordingly.”

He inclines his head at her. Then he’s gone.

Left alone with Minnie, I can only stare at her as I try to make sense of everything.

She turns to me and gives me a shy smile. Whereas before I would have been taken by that mere sight, now I’m only left with suspicion.

“What else are you not telling me?”

26

She purses her lips and looks away.

I grab her chin and turn it so she can face me. “Look me in the eye and tell me the truth, Minnie.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” she replies with a sigh.

“How about the fact that you had another fiancé? Or that apparently you’re a goddess?”

“I—”

“No more lies.”

“I never lied. I just…didn’t tell you everything.”

“Why?”

“Because I knew you’d react like this.” She takes a deep breath. “You reacted so badly to Lucien. How could I tell you that I was engaged before?”

“I would not have reacted badly if you’d told me it was an arranged marriage and you didn’t care for him. Sure, I’d probably research ways to kill him for the future, but that’s besides the point.”

“Marlowe, do you hear yourself? You’re talking about killing a god. That’s… That’s not how it works.”

“What do you mean?”

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