Page 76 of God Touched

"Not something I need to hear from my sister," Layla said, appearing from around the stacks. She was wearing a T-shirt that said, "Tolkien is Daddy" in bright pink letters.

"I didn't know you were coming!" Imogen said, letting Elise go so she could grab her sister in a crushing bear hug.

"You went on an adventure to the fucking underworld, Imogen. Of course I came. I needed to see you were okay for myself." Layla pulled back and studied her. "What happened to your eyes?"

"I got hurt, and they changed when Arawan healed me." It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't the whole truth. Layla, the human lie detector, narrowed her green eyes but didn't push it.

"Where is your hotter other half?" she asked.

"Talking with Kian in the conference room. Come on, sis, if I have to sit through a meeting, you do too," Imogen replied, linking her arm in hers. "I missed you."

"You did not, and I'm not offended by that. If I was fucking someone as hot as Arawan, I'd never leave his castle again."

Imogen laughed loudly. "Don't tempt me, Lay Lay."

* * *

Arawan was sitting at the head of the table when Imogen walked into the conference room. He looked like the conquering dark god he was in his black suit, his sword cane resting against the side of his chair. He raised a brow at her and patted his ringed hand against his leg. This time, Imogen took him up on the offer and sat down on his lap.

"You make an excellent chair. I regret not taking you up on this earlier," she said, twisting the end of his black hair around her finger.

"You can sit on any part of me whenever you like, darling," he whispered in her ear.

"Hey, there are other people in this room," Layla snapped, but she was smiling when she said it.

"Are you ready to start, my lord?" Kian asked Arawan. He didn't seem to care that Imogen was using the god of the dead as an armchair. Beside him, Elise was smirking in approval.

With everyone spread out over Europe, they all video called in. Bayn and Freya came online first, and then the tribe of Ironwoods and Greatdrakes. Not a single one of them seemed surprised to see Imogen curled up with Arawan. Not even Kenna.

Arne and Torsten came on last, and Layla sat up a little straighter. Imogen tried not to grin. She always knew when her sister had a crush. Arawan's eyes narrowed slightly when he looked at the handsome elf and the huge Úlfhéðnar beside him. Before Imogen could ask what the matter was, Kian clapped his hands.

"Let's begin now that we are all here," he said over the chatter. "Imogen and Arawan, would you like to tell everyone what happened with Hafgan?"

Arawan let Imogen talk, jumping in only when he told them about the magic used to contain Hafgan.

"There's no way for him to regenerate, and even if he did, there's no way to escape the prison I've placed him in," Arawan assured them.

"Two down, one to go," Bayn said with an approving nod. "We still haven't had any sighting of Vili yet and have no idea if he was working with Hafgan still."

Arawan frowned. "If we are looking for Vili, why don't we ask his son?"

"His son? We didn't know he had one," Killian said.

Arawan was looking pointedly at Arne. "You haven't told them? What game are you playing at, elf?"

Everyone's attention snapped to Arne. He muttered something in elvish under his breath.

"I haven't said anything because it wasn't important," he said.

"The fuck it's not! You're Vili's son? What the hell, man?" Bayn demanded, his hurt evident. They had been friends since he had met Freya, and Arne had kept it from him, from them all.

"It doesn't matter whose seed I came from. I haven't seen Vili for over a millennium, and neither has my mother. I've never had anything to do with the fucking monster," Arne replied, his eyes flashing in anger. "If Vili shows his face in Alfheim or Svartalfheim, the elves will know and report it straight away. None of us want him returning. We are going to have a summit meeting in the next month to discuss the threat of him and how we can work together to hunt him down. My mother, Alruna, would like you to send someone to represent the humans."

"Alruna, as inQueenAlruna of the Light Elves?" Layla demanded, her voice rising. "You're a fucking prince too?!"

"It wasn't relevant information to give. It changes nothing. I'm still working with the humans the same as you," Arne replied stubbornly.

"I'm going to kick your ass so hard," Bayn growled at him.

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