Page 50 of Bride of Death
He looks at me. “I’ll go the Human Realm and?—”
“No, sorry, you said I have what I need, as in the dirt?”
“Yes.” His eyes widen. “Wait, you do have it, right? He told me you did. I offered to get some, but he said it was already handled.”
“He who?” I ask.
He glances around and leans toward me. “You know.Him.”
“I… No. I don’t know who you mean. Maliki?”
He shakes his head. “No, no.Him. He said… he said a courier was bringing you the dirt in a pot. Did it arrive?”
“A courier…” I repeat slowly, then glance back at my kitchen. “I, uh, yeah. I do have a pot…”
“Oh, good,” the swap store fae says, sounding relieved. “Good, good. I’ll bring you more. I promise, Your Majesty. As much Human Realm dirt as you need.” He bows. “Every day until you forgive me. I vow it.”
“That really won’t be necessary,” I tell him.
Sure, I was annoyed before.
But now, well, I’m annoyed for different reasons.
“It’s very necessary,” he says, backing away from my door. “I must repent for upsetting the Gods.”
“Gods?” I echo, my brow furrowing. Then I realize what must have happened.
A courier—Pip—brought me the dirt.
He knows Morpheus.
And Morpheus knew about the shopkeeper telling me the roses would grow here.
“The God of Dreams came to talk to you,” I say, unable to hold the note of disbelief in my voice.
But the swap store fae disappears before I finish my statement, like I’ve scared him off by the title alone.
“I did,” a deep voice informs me as Morpheus materializes a few feet away. “I requested he make amends for lying to you. That sort of behavior isn’t tolerated among Mythos Fae. Omegas are meant to be worshipped and praised, not deceived or tormented.”
The door to Maliki’s—er, Tank’s—home opens. “I’m supposed to remind you that Persephone belongs to Hades,” Maliki drawls. “And now that I’ve completed my task, I can do this.”
My eyes widen as a blade sails through the air, only to be caught by Morpheus in a blink. He examines the silver, tilting it this way and that. “You shouldn’t waste such fine craftsmanship, Maliki.”
“I didn’t.”
Morpheus frowns, then hisses and drops the blade.
“Slug venom is very useful,” Maliki adds conversationally. “Don’t worry, though. The sensation isn’t permanent. Just like your fucking dream moss.”
I gape at him and then at Morpheus as his knees give out, sending him to the ground in what appears to be a very expensive suit.
Or it would have been expensive in my home realm, anyway. Though, it’s a bit sleeker and sexier than the fashion I’m used to.
Not that his suit matters.
The Alpha God is shaking, his silver-head bowed. “What did you do?” I ask in a whisper, the bag falling from my fingers as I dart toward Morpheus.
Maliki appears in front of me in a shadowy flash, his big body resembling a ton of bricks as I accidentally run right into him.
