Chapter Forty
Before Blue had said goodbye, he had given me the tracing chant to get into his palace. Re had explained the simplicity of tracing to me, but I wasn't ready to direct the Aether with just my intent yet. However, I did try a practice trip with him using tracing chants and had done just fine. So, I felt secure enough to trace to Blue's palace alone.
The tracing went smoothly, and I reformed in Blue's stone entry room without a hitch. I breathed out a sigh of relief as I looked around. It was empty, but I hadn't expected Blue to be sitting there waiting for me; he was probably in his bedroom having a much-needed rest. I wandered into the hallway and headed in that direction, but then I heard the faint echo of voices. The voices led me past Blue's bedroom and down to his ridiculous dining room. I call it ridiculous because the whole thing is done in shades of white and gold. Who does that in a dining room? It's just asking for trouble. But I suppose the Gods don't worry about stains.
I was about to go in when I heard a woman say, “The witch has obviously enchanted you.”
I paused at the door and listened.
“Be very careful, Aphrodite,” Blue replied. “I admit that there is enchantment involved, but Vervain is not the caster.”
“You believe what she says about the past being changed?” Another voice—this one crisp and male—asked.
“I do,” Blue said simply.
“Then that is enough for me,” the male said. “I trust your judgment.”
“Thank you, Kuan Ti,” Blue said.
“It's not enough for me,” another male said with a ferocious growl. “I don't care who you want to marry, but allowing this woman—who you've only just met—to influence your life like this is unwise.”
“I won't need the sacrifices if I release the vampires,” Blue said calmly. “It doesn't hurt me, and I don't want to hurt humans anymore, Tawiskaron.”
“Because of what she did to you!” Aphrodite hissed. “Look at you; you've lost your edge. And your eyes—what's with your eyes?”
“I told you; she healed me,” Blue said. “My soul has been wounded ever since my brothers slaughtered my sister and our parents. Vervain has helped me to let go of my anger and move on.”
“She's made you weak,” Aphrodite said scathingly. “Your anger was righteous and divine. Now, you're just like those rebel gods; going on about humans being our responsibility. What drivel!”
“You're as broken as I was,” Blue said sadly. “It's why we worked so well together, and why we must now part ways.”
“What?!” Aphrodite screeched.
“I'm sorry, but this is the end of our alliance,” Blue said firmly.
“Are you truly going to let a woman dictate who your ally with?” Another male asked.
“Vervain is not behind my decision, and she never asked me to break ties with any of you,” Blue said. “This is what I feel is right. I would like to remain friends with you, Lir—with all of you—but I cannot help you manipulate humans anymore.”
“I respect your decision, Huitzilopochtli,” Kuan Ti said. “And I would be honored to retain your friendship.”
“You have been a strong ally, but an even stronger friend. I'm both relieved and grateful to know that our friendship shall continue,” Blue said to him.
“Honestly, I lost the stomach for this when Finn died,” Lir murmured.
“You mean; when we had him murdered,” Tawiskaron's tone was spiteful.
Finn? I frowned as a wave of sadness rushed through me. Had I known him too? Was he...?
No; Finn was just a friend, Alaric said. You saved his life in that other time.
But not in this one.
No.
“Yes; that,” Lir sounded tired and sad. “I regret it every day. A father killing his son is the height of evil, and living with that evil has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do.”
“We should never have asked it of you,” Blue said gently. “I am so very sorry, Lir.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Aphrodite was screaming again. “What the hell is happening here?”
“It's like an infection,” Tawiskaron said. “And I have no intentions of catching it. I wash my hands of you three. Aphrodite?”
“I'm with you, Tawiskaron,” she said. “Let's leave them to their weakness.”
I ran back down the hallway and ducked into Blue's bedroom. Just in time too; I heard Tawiskaron and Aphrodite stomp by a few seconds later. They were griping to each other about gods gone soft.
“Hold on,” Aphrodite said. “I need to collect my things; I have no wish to return here after we leave.”
“I'll wait in the tracing room,” Tawiskaron said.
I stayed where I was; waiting for Aphrodite to leave. But she didn't. Instead, a few minutes later, I heard her shouting. Her angry footsteps pounded down the hallway and stopped near the door I was hiding behind. For a second, I thought she was about to storm into Blue's bedroom, and I darted a look around for a place to hide. But she didn't come in; she just stood there screaming again.
“Where is my gold Dolce and Gabbana?” Aphrodite demanded.
I heard Blue come down the hallway to confront her.
“What are you talking about?” Blue asked innocently as I looked down at what must have been the missing couture.
“Dolce,” I whispered as I ran my hand over the gold fabric. “Why does that make it less trashy?”
“Don't lie to me, Huitzilopochtli!” Aphrodite went on. “I know that I left it here, and it's not exactly your style. Did that witch take my dress? And my perfumes are all over the floor; half of them are broken.”
Blue sighed deeply. “Our first interlude was... well, let's just say that Vervain needed new clothing. I lent
