Page 17 of Patron of Mercy

Lach took a deep breath, seeming to inflate, sagging shoulders straightening and chest expanding. “Then I guess we’re off to the islands.”

“Any islands in particular?” Julian asked, bemused.

“Sure,” Lach agreed. “There’s only one island I know of that fits that description and was populated by gods.”

Thanatos nodded. “Santorini.”

Julian cocked his head to one side. “In the south Aegean?”

“You know it?” Prometheus asked, considering.

Julian started to respond but Lach jumped into action, crowding up to Thanatos, smiling at Julian and Prometheus as he nudged Thanatos in the direction of the elevator. “Thanks so much for the help. We can handle it from here, thanks!”

“I know vampires in Greece, if—”

“We’re good,” Lach cut him off. “I know an archaeologist who’s worked in Greece a lot. She can totally cover us. Thanks for the help!”

Thanatos was so surprised that it didn’t occur to him to stop and demand that they wait and speak to Julian about his allies. The last thing he saw as he let Lach herd him out of the room was Prometheus’s amused grin, damn the man.

“That was nice,” Lach said lightly when he got Thanatos into the elevator. “Nice guys. Prometheus and his boyfriend.”

Thanatos nodded, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. What was going on in Lach’s head?

When they got to the lobby, Jordan from the front desk waved at them. “Thanatos? Prometheus called down and asked me to give you his number, in case you needed more information. Or just, um, wanted to talk.”

Lach let out a huffy sigh, but he didn’t try to stop Thanatos from going to the desk and retrieving the number. He shifted from one foot to the other impatiently, as Thanatos took his time to put the number into his phone.

“So,” he said brightly when Thanatos finally put his phone back into his pocket. “Off to Greece, huh? I can’t wait to introduce you to Mis. You’re going to love her.”

Surely he didn’t expect Thanatos to spend days aboard his boat after the last discussion they’d had on the matter. That was—

Lach threw up his hands defensively. “I know, I know, but... hear me out.”

Robin Hood Returns

Time to shine. Lach had one chance to convince Thanatos to travel with him, or he was going to end up sailing his ass across the Atlantic all by his lonesome.

So this was the absolute perfect time to forget how to speak English. And Greek. Basically every word in every tongue he’d ever known slipped out of his head at the exact same moment, and he stood there like a gods damned fool while Thanatos waited, arms crossed.

It reminded Lach of the last time he’d seen Thanatos on Thrinacia. Only back then, Thanatos had been willing to listen to any explanation, do anything for him, forgive him despite the fact that Lach had left for months without a word. And Lach had shoved that boundless consideration right back in his face.

On those docks, Lach had looked him straight in the eyes and said the worst thing he could’ve said—just because he knew it would hurt Thanatos. What right did he have to ask him for anything now?

“Can we talk about this outside?” Lach suggested. It was hard enough to have this conversation without an audience, and Jordan had yet to take their eyes off of Thanatos.

Thanatos gestured toward the door. “After you.”

This was a critical moment; Lach knew better than to march ahead. He rushed forward to open the door but stepped out of the way to hold it for Thanatos. Everything about the set of Thanatos’s lips said it was too little and way too late.

On the sidewalk out front, Thanatos rounded on him. “So?”

Lach bit the tip of his tongue and smiled—hell, that smile had gotten him out of harder situations than this. Failed him now though.

“So,” he started, when all Thanatos did was cock his brow at him, “I think we should travel together.”

“I gathered. Because?”

“Because we need to make some kind of plan.” Thanatos looked skeptical, so Lach pressed on. “There’s no way that Zeus left Cronus’s scythe out in the open on Santorini for anyone to take. It’s probably hidden in some crypt,Lost Arkstyle.”

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