“Sometimes with only a knock on your door,” he agreed.
Chapter Thirty-Four
After exchanging contact information with Abaddon, and offering to help him with his relocation if he needed it, we returned to Pride Palace. Azrael was in the Common Room with Lesya, some of the Intare, and Michael. Mike had heard about the Principalities and had come to tell us that Jerry was furious, and had called all of the princes back to Heaven. There would be no more attacks coming from that front. We told Az about Abaddon's innocence, but he didn't seem surprised. He just nodded and murmured something about being glad that we didn't have to fight scorpion-tailed locusts.
We brainstormed for a bit, but came up with no new leads, and it was getting late. So, we called it a night and went to bed. The next morning, I had breakfast with my husbands, Lesya and Toby in our kitchenette; off to the side of my enormous bed. Toby had gone home the night before, but had returned early that morning.
“Any coffee left?” Re asked as he walked into the room.
“A fresh pot is brewing,” I said. “Have you been with Sekhmet for all this time?”
“Yes; I didn't want to leave her alone too long,” Re said as he took the last seat. “Has there been any developments?”
We brought him up to speed, and he scowled through most of our report.
“This is feeling more and more odd,” Re said. “Perhaps I'll ask Osiris to watch over Sekhmet for awhile. I think I need to be here with the family.”
“Ze family,” Kirill smiled as he said it. “I like zat.”
“It sounds a bit mobster to me,” Az said. “But I'm okay with that.”
“How's the rest of your family, Re?” I asked him. “I haven't spoken to Ma'at and Anubis in awhile.”
“Oh!” Re exclaimed. “I forgot to tell you about Anubis; he's dating someone.”
“A woman?” Azrael asked with a teasing smirk.
“Yes, a woman,” Re said. “Much to Thoth's disappointment.”
“Poor Thoth,” I whispered as I put another sausage in front of Lesya.
We'd fed Lesya a healthy mix of food—as far as humans were concerned—at first. Then we had a check-up with her doctor, Hygeia, and Hygeia said that Lesya needed more protein; specifically meat. The lioness part of my daughter needed it to grow. So, now Lesya got a pile of meat for breakfast. I swear; that little girl ate more than Kirill and I combined.
“Thoth does just fine,” Re huffed. “Don't let his grumpiness fool you. He has plenty of lovers; he just doesn't bring them around Anubis.”
“Because he's hoping Anubis will suddenly turn gay?” Trevor asked.
“Hope springs eternal,” Re said.
“But sometimes the spring is polluted,” Azrael muttered.
“Az!” I chuckled as I smacked his shoulder.
“Pole hooted!” Lesya declared.
“Or a word that sounds like that.” I nodded to my daughter.
“Man or woman”—Re shrugged—“I don't care what makes Anubis happy, so long as he is. He's spent far too long alone.”
“I'm glad that he's found someone,” I said. “Though I knew he would; I saw it.”
“In that future?” Re asked in surprise.
“Yes.” I frowned. “You don't have memories of it?”
“No; my only memories from that false future are of you,” Re whispered.
“Magic works in strange ways,” Odin murmured.
“Strange and delightful ways,” Re said as he smiled at me.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Sometimes, all you can do is wait.
Nothing was happening on the angel or Dvārakā front; no fresh leads or suspects had popped up. I enjoyed a couple of blissfully normal days with my god family, and then decided to spend some time with my fey one. The twins' birthday was coming up.
I used my ring to return to the moment after I'd left Faerie, and appeared right in front of Arach. The last time I left had been the morning after Brevyn told me about his dream. So, Arach was waiting anxiously for me; even though it had only been moments for him. Despite his anxiety, Arach took the time to kiss me and welcome me home before he asked me how things had gone with Azrael. I explained what had happened, and how we had hit a wall in the investigation.
“Your list of angelic suspects have dwindled,” Arach said as he led me into the bedroom. “Perhaps it's time to move on to non-angelic ones.”
“Yes; we thought so as well,” I agreed. “But that list is a bit daunting, and then there's the fact that the culprit had knowledge of Jerry's actions. I simply don't see how a god outside of his pantheon could manage that.”
“Is there nothing more that could narrow down the list?”
“We'll find something,” I assured him. “But I don't want to dwell on it now. Let's focus on us for awhile.”
“I'm in full agreement with you,” Arach said as he scooped me up. “And there's a particular place on your body I would like to focus on first.”
We focused on each other late into the morning and then met with Isleen regarding the finishing touches on the boys' birthday party. Every year, we hosted a huge celebration at Castle Aithinne and invited the entire Fire Kingdom, as well as a few friends from other kingdoms, to attend. All of the royals had to be invited, but I especially hoped that the King and Queen of Water would be joining us. King Guirmean was married to an ex-fire faerie named Nora. Faerie—the Consciousness of the Realm—had transmutated Nora into the first water-phooka (a sort of dog/horse-shifter). Guirmean also had a son around Brevyn and Rian's age; though he wasn't as far advanced as my twins. Still, my boys had known Morgan for all of their lives, and they loved it when he
