“Blood is important,” I agreed. “How important is it to you? Enough that you'd protect your brother, even if he's guilty?”
“Guilty of what?” Mac shot back. “What are you accusing Thanatos of?”
“Nothing yet,” Azrael interceded. “He's a death god, and there have been connections made to him that raise suspicions.”
“What connections?” Mac countered again.
“My father,” Morpheus said softly. “Toby killed him in battle.”
“I thought this was about Azrael?” Macaria frowned.
“We're exploring every option,” Brahma said evasively with a weighted look my way.
I blinked in surprise and a fair amount of relief. It looked as if I wasn't the only one unwilling to trust Macaria so soon.
“Mac,” Hades interrupted, “your mother orchestrated a significant argument between Persephone and me. One that nearly destroyed our marriage. The timing for all of this feels planned.”
“And Mom's actions have what to do with Thanatos?” Macaria asked.
“He's her son... as Hypnos was,” Hades said. “We have no hard evidence against Thanatos or your mother, we're just investigating death gods, and Thanatos got put at the top of the list because of his connections; you understand?”
“Yeah; sure,” she huffed. “You want me to spy on my brother.”
“Not at all,” Odin said. “We're asking if you've noticed anything odd concerning him lately; anything that struck you as out of the ordinary.”
“Well, Thanatos has been talking a lot about how much he hates angels,” she offered.
“What?” Hades asked in horror.
“She's joking,” Azrael said with a chuckle.
“Which you should have known.” Mac frowned at her father. “But it looks like this angel knows me better than my own father.”
“Macaria.” Hades sighed. “I know you very well, but I had thought you were more courteous than to joke about a situation that could hurt this new friend of yours; a friend who evidently knows you better than I.”
Macaria sighed. “Okay; you're right. Sorry, Dad. I just got pissed off about you thinking poorly of Thanatos. My brother is a good man; even his death magic is good. Thanatos wouldn't hurt Az.”
“What about me?” Toby asked. “Would he want to hurt me for killing his twin? I know that I would want revenge if my brother were killed.”
“Would you really?” Macaria looked at Toby dubiously. “You seem like a reasonable guy. Would you really hold someone responsible for killing your brother if it occurred during a battle? Warriors die; that's what happens in a fight, and Hypnos chose to participate. My brother knows that.”
Toby canted his head, and the thin braid he wore among his loose, long hair, fell forward; the black feather at its end getting caught in the V of his button-up shirt. It reminded me of another battle, when Toby had saved my life and died in the process. Before he passed away, Toby had used his feather to free me from a spell I was under... a spell that his twin brother, Naye, had placed on me. Toby hadn't approved of his brother's actions, but he had supported Naye, because that's what twins did for each other. I thought of my boys and knew they'd be the same way. The bond of twins is special, and I had a feeling that it could change even the most reasonable man's perspective. But Toby narrowed his eyes in thought, and then shrugged.
“You're certain Thanatos isn't behind this?” Thor asked Mac.
“I think I know my own brother,” Macaria huffed.
“As well as your father knows you?” Horus shot back.
Macaria narrowed her eyes on the Egyptian, and Hekate narrowed her eyes on Macaria.
“I suggest you turn your death stare somewhere else, little girl,” Hekate growled; her midnight eyes flashing bright white for a second. “You're outclassed and outranked here.”
Macaria paled and looked to her father for help, but it was Azrael who saved her.
“I think that's all we need for now,” Azrael said as he stood. “You want a drink, Mac?”
“It's like 11 AM,” Macaria grumbled as she got up.
“And?” Azrael grinned.
“Fuck yeah; I want a drink!” Macaria laughed.
The two of them wandered into the palace, and as they went, I heard Azrael whisper, “We try not to curse here; because of the children.”
“Oh, shit; sorry,” Mac said. Then she realized what she had said. “I mean; I'll try not to swear so much.”
“She's a gem, Hades,” Blue said dryly.
“Wait till you have children,” Hades said, “then talk to me about parenting.”
“Fair enough.” Blue laughed as he took Eztli's hand.
The couple shared a soft smile. Until recently, Eztli was purely a vampire; a demigod made by accident when Blue gave her his blood. Eztli had been stuck in stasis; unable to conceive. But then she became the Goddess of the Blood Moon (long story) and now, having a child had become a possibility.
“That doesn't concern you?” Ted whispered the question to me as he jerked his head after Az and Mac.
“What?” I asked. “Azrael spending time with Macaria?”
“Yes.”
“Concern me how?” I asked.
“As a woman,” he lowered his voice even more. “As a wife.”
“You seriously think that Azrael would cheat on me?” I asked in a scoffing tone.
As I said the words, all of my old insecurities rose up. Mac had already caused problems between Azrael and me; I had seen how close they were getting. Then just now, with that whole joke about Thanatos hating angels; Az had understood her as if they were the best of friends. Should I be worried about Azrael and Mac?
“I don't think he'd make a conscious decision to cheat on you,” Ted said. “But I don't like that woman; she makes my skin crawl.”
“Coming from the Antichrist, that's pretty bad,” I noted.
“Just watch your back with her, Vervain,” Ted said. “I have a bad feeling.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
“No offense, Hades, but I don't
