“Hey,” Naye sat awkwardly beside me. “You don't know that.”
“You were just telling me to let her go.”
“Yeah, I know,” he grumbled. “But I don't want you to be sad, Brother. We need to save her before you leave.”
“Wonderful.” I rolled my eyes. “Your advice is that I save the woman I love and then walk out on her. Great talk, Naye.”
“You will never feel complete with her, Toby,” Naye said gently. “It will always be like this. Something terrible will come for the Godhunter and it will affect everyone she loves. That's the way her life goes.”
“And so, that's the way my life goes,” I said firmly.
“But it doesn't have to be like that,” he said urgently. “You let go of her once, you can do it again. Just let go, Toby.”
“The last time didn't turn out so well.”
“So, you had one bad experience with a goddess who turned out to be a faerie,” Naye huffed. “It doesn't mean that you won't find someone else. You are meant for more than begging at Vervain's feet for some scraps of affection. You're a god; act like one.”
I was about to tell my brother to stick his head where the sun doesn't shine—one of Vervain's favorite things to say to Naye since he's a sun god—when Azrael strode into the room.
“Get up, Toby,” Az said. “We're going to get our woman back.”
I gasped and sat up straight, dislodging Viper. I was naked but covered in a sheet, and I clutched it to my chest as I stared around me at my star gods. My star gods. What had I done? I had made men? I looked slowly to my right. Viper stared back at me with hopeful eyes. I had made a lover. Fred Flintstone! I was the bad guy! I was the villain! I—
Shh now, it's all over now, Star whispered in my mind. It's just the blood talking. Your traitorous ex-husbands and that savage ex-boyfriend of yours forced their blood down your throat. I think they did it simply to incapacitate you and me.
They did, I said in my head as horror filled me. They were going to cast a soul spell on me. But... they were trying to save me.
No, honey; that's what they want you to think. It's devious really; giving you that blood. They probably made themselves think loving thoughts of you to seduce you back to them. When all along, they're just trying to control you.
Deep amethyst light shone out from my heart, from the heart of my star, and spread its calming influence through me. I took a shaky breath as resolve settled in my soul again. I couldn't let them stop me; the world was depending on me. The whole world. And they stood against me. The men who swore they loved me were trying to stop me from doing the greatest thing I could ever do. Something that would free us to be happy and live without the threat of war hanging over our heads. Why were they fighting me?
They like war, Vervain. They're gods; they need the blood, Star said gently. But don't worry about that now. The blood has run its course, and you have come through their manipulations unscathed. I was able to get you back before they cast their spell on you. All is well, and we shall be more vigilant in the future.
“Vervain?” Viper took my hand and kissed it. “Speak to me. Tell me you're okay.”
I focused on my lover and smiled gently. I could be sure of Viper's love. Star had been right. Complaining about his loyalty had been stupid. Knowing how loyal Viper was gave me the confidence I needed to love him. The confidence to accept his love.
“I'm okay, Viper. I'm better now.” I kissed him tenderly as the other star gods sighed in relief.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
“Egypt is ours, Dark Star,” Sin announced.
I sat on my dragon throne and stared out at the gathering of Gods and Dragons. They stared back at me with pride and confidence. For the Gods, their loyalty was finally paying off. I had given them victory after victory and now, I was about to give them regions of their own to govern. For the Dragons, I was proving to be the leader they craved; providing for their savage needs and doing all that I had promised. I couldn't tell any of them that I hadn't killed the Egyptian Pantheon with a single thought. That instead, I had sent them to safety in my territory. I had confessed it to my commanders but not Sin. When it came down to it, Sin wasn't family. I couldn't trust him as I did my star gods. Hopefully, the Egyptians had learned their lesson from my display of power and wouldn't try to oppose me again.
“After you cleared the way for us, we swept through the country and took control,” Sin went on. “Once the Egyptian Gods were gone, the humans were eager to surrender.”
“Excellent,” I said regally. “And as a reward, I will give each of my god allies a state to govern.”
The Gods cheered.
“See to it, Sin,” I commanded. “I trust you to choose the right regions for each god. I need you here, but I also want you to feel appreciated. So, I'm giving you Bahrain.”
“Bahrain is mine?” Sin asked in surprise.
“All but the stronghold,” I amended. “You may continue to live here, or I can build you a new palace for you to rule from.”
“I would very much enjoy a palace of my own.” Sin grinned unabashedly.
“I thought you might.” I closed my eyes and pictured it; a shining edifice of stone and steel and jewels in the center of Manama. Then
