“Fascinating,” Gish drawled.
“Shut up,” Qaus growled at him before nodding at me to continue.
“My daughter came to me from the future; a future that had gone very wrong,” I said. “I won't tell you how she was able to time travel, that's too much to share, but I will tell you that when I went with her to that future, I saw and experienced things that will never happen. I came back to this time and altered the choice I'd made that had set the realms down the wrong path.”
“You're saying that your decision altered both the God and the Human Realms?” Disani scoffed.
“And the Faerie Realm.” I nodded serenely. “I'm not trying to be arrogant; it is what it is. You know; a butterfly flaps its wings and all that. I guess I was the butterfly. Huh; that's oddly appropriate.”
Disani gaped at me.
“Anyway, I had to change the future,” I went on. “And I did. One of the things that changed was a fight I had with the three of you. You abducted me and chained me up with rainbows. I tried to cut them with my dragon claws, and you told me that rainbows can't be cut.”
Qaus' face went still as he stared intently at me.
“My husbands rescued me,” I continued. “They killed you; all of you. But you, Qaus, died horribly. Burned by Re, boiled by your own water when you tried to put out the flames, and then torn apart by my lion and werewolf husbands. I didn't kill you personally, but you died because you took me.”
“That's closer to the prophecy,” Qaus whispered. “'The hunter of gods will watch you die screaming,' was what I was told.”
“Holy Holly Hobby,” I murmured. “When were you given that prophecy?”
“Five years ago.”
“Five years?” I asked in surprise.
“It's taken awhile to plan your death.” He smirked.
“Long enough that things have changed,” I said.
I shared a heavy look with Qaus.
“This is bullshit!” Disani waved her hand at me. “She's playing us; trying to get us to back off.”
“I don't have to get you to back off,” I said confidently. “Narcissus won't let you touch me here, and outside of his territory, I'm strong enough to kill all three of you.”
Qaus sat back in his chair and considered me. “But you won't.”
“Silenus is good at what he does.” I shrugged. “So, I've been told. I had no intention of ever hunting you unless I was forced to.”
“Ironic that I may have pushed the prophecy along by trying to circumvent it,” Qaus murmured.
“How were you to know that the future had changed?” I offered.
“You are rather pleasant for a killer of gods,” Qaus noted.
“I only kill gods who hurt humans,” I said.
“Fair enough.” Qaus nodded.
“Fair enough?” Gish huffed. “Are you actually falling for this?”
“What does it hurt for us to walk away?” Qaus asked. “She's trapped here; there's no escape from Narcissus' territory, and he'll sooner kill her than free her. The Godhunter is effectively hobbled.”
“I want her dead,” Disani growled.
“What the hell did I do to you; beyond saying that your name sounds like bottled water?” I huffed at her.
“You consort with demons,” she hissed.
Before I could say anything, Qaus beat me to it.
“Oh, shut up, Disani,” Qaus snapped. “Your demon vendetta is ridiculous. We are all Atlanteans, after all. They are not truly evil creatures from Hell.”
“We may have started as such, but the magic has changed us,” Disani lifted her chin as she spoke. “They are evil creatures; murderers, liars, and rapists.”
Oh; there it was.
“Hey, I get it,” I said gently. “I've been raped; in several ways actually. It's traumatic but it's not the end. And it's not the fault of an entire race. If you truly want to triumph over the man who attacked you, live in love. Don't let what he did ruin your life or your heart. Especially not your heart.”
“If you really were raped, you would understand that what you've suggested is impossible,” she hissed. “I could never trust a man enough to love him. The chance for a loving relationship was taken from me.”
“Look, lady,” I growled, “you can call me nasty names, but never call me a liar. I was taken by Anubis. He controlled body and put a damn slave collar around my throat. He nearly killed my mate by keeping us apart. He not only raped me, he also made me like it. He humiliated me and fucked up my head in ways you can't even imagine. And that's just one of the times I've been tortured. So, you can take your pathetic sob story and shove it up your ass. You have no idea what true torment is.”
“Ya lahwy,” Qaus whispered. “I've heard rumors about you, Godhunter, but I had no idea.”
“You sympathize with her?” Disani stood in shocked anger. “You're a fool! But then you are a man; led by your cock. I should have known better than to join forces with men; you are the dumber sex.”
Disani stomped out and left us all staring after her.
“At least she's not bitter,” I murmured.
Qaus laughed and looked from me to Narcissus. “Are you truly going to keep her imprisoned?”
“Are you suggesting otherwise?” Narcissus asked in shock. His eyes were wide; they had been for quite awhile.
“It seems rather ungrateful after she freed you,” Qaus noted.
“What the fuck is going on?” Gish shrieked. “When did you switch sides? How did we just lose Disani? Fuck; it's true what they say about the Godhunter; she can make the most determined god surrender.”
“They say that about me?” I asked with a lopsided grin. “Huh.”
“Indeed,” Qaus murmured before he looked at Gish. “If she's not trying to kill me, it means that I was misled into making the first strike. In effect, I have wronged her; started a
