Page 11 of Gods of Prey
It’s hard to miss how upset the jab makes him. Myelle’s little boy certainly doesn’t like being associated with her.
“Bullshit.” Revel’s usual polished demeanor cracks. “Something’s wrong. I can feel it.”
Of course he can. The balance between Life and Death is delicate, maintained primarily by Sebastian and me fulfilling our duties. With Sebastian remaining in the mortal realm instead of returning to Aurelys, that balance is already beginning to waver.
What Revel doesn’t know—what I won’t be telling him—is that Sebastian has done more than just delay his return. He’s manipulated the very timeline of the mortal realm to stay with Jovie. Infiltrated his own mother’s duties. My foolish, lovesick brother is risking everything for a mortal woman, and only I know the full extent of his transgression.
“Perhaps you’re not as good at your job as you think,” I say instead, moving to examine a crystal globe on Sebastian’s desk. It pulses with life energy, a map of the mortal realm etched into its surface. “Maintaining balance in Sebastian’s absence should be well within your capabilities. That is why you were chosen as his second, isn’t it?”
Revel’s jaw tightens. “The Divine Council and the Council of Elders are beginning to sniff around. They’ve noticed the fluctuations.”
That gets my attention. I couldn’t care less about Sebastian’s Council of Elders. I don’t understand why he gives those old crones a voice in his realm to begin with. But the Divine Council?
That, I’m afraid of.
“What have you told them?”
“That Sebastian is taking longer than expected to transition back. That it’s under control.” He runs a hand through his darkhair, frustration evident in the gesture. I can’t help the quiet sigh of relief that passes my lips at his words.
He’s helping. For now.
“But they won’t accept that excuse much longer. We have seventeen more lifetimes to complete our punishment, Sienna. If the council discovers Sebastian is deliberately delaying his return...”
He doesn’t need to finish. We both know what would happen. The Divine Council could extend our punishment, or worse, assign someone else to take Sebastian’s place permanently. My brother would be stripped of his divinity, possibly even destroyed.
I move to the window, looking out over the lush gardens of Aurelys. “What do you want from me, Revel?”
“Help me find him. Bring him back.”
I turn, raising an eyebrow. “You want us to work together?”
This is easy.Erebus has been pestering me to propose this exact thing for days. I couldn’t figure out how to do it without running the risk of Revel turning me down and running straight to his mother with his tail between his legs.
“I want Sebastian back where he belongs,” he firmly corrects. “If that means tolerating your company, so be it.”
I laugh, the sound sharp and cold in the warm air of the study. “You always were loyal to him. Like a dog to its master.”
Revel’s eyes flash with anger. “And you’ve always been jealous that he found someone who actually cares about him, unlike his cold-hearted sister.”
The barb stings more than I let show. Revel has never understood the complex relationship between Sebastian and me. The bond of twins who have shared divinity, punishment, and countless mortal lives together. He sees only what he wants to see: The Goddess of Death, incapable of true affection.
“If you think I don’t care about my brother, you’re even more of a fool than I thought,” I say quietly, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “I have died thirty-two times with him. I have held him as he took his last breath in countless lives. Don’t presume to know what I feel.”
For a moment, Revel looks taken aback by my intensity. Good. Let him remember who he’s dealing with.
Unfortunately, he recovers quickly.
“Then prove it,” he challenges. “Help me bring him home before the Divine Council discovers what’s happening.”
I turn away, pretending to consider. In truth, I’ve already made my decision. Sebastian may be a lovesick fool, but he’s my brother. If anyone is going to drag him back to his divine duties, it will be me—not Revel, and certainly not the Divine Council.
And Erebus will kick my ass if I walk away from Revel’s offer for help.
“Sebastian is in Seattle,” I say finally. “In the mortal realm.”
Revel’s eyebrows rise. “Seattle? Not New York?”
“He moved after our deaths.” He’s done quite a bit after our deaths, but I leave that out. “He’s found a mortal woman.”
