“No, that would be bad.” I rolled my eyes.
Viper popped the sandwich into his mouth and quickly followed it with the cookie.
“This one is my favorite,” Lesya said as she refilled Viper's plate. “But try to eat it slower. Mommy says that you eat slowly when you have tea. You nibble.”
“Oh?” Viper looked from Lesya to me. “You eat slowly with tea, eh? Nibble?”
“I don't know where you're intending on taking that sentence, but don't go there.” I narrowed my eyes at Viper.
“Whatever do you mean?” Viper blinked his long lashes at me.
“You're silly, Uncle Viper!” Lesya declared.
“Thank you,” Viper nodded to Lesya as if she'd just given him the most prestigious compliment.
“When you drink tea, you're supposed to lift your pinky finger like this.” Lesya showed Viper the proper pinky position as she took a sip.
“Vervain, we...” Trevor stepped out onto the veranda, his words trailing away as he took in the tea party and its guests.
“Yes?” I lifted my brows at him.
“Would you care for some tea?” Viper asked in a British accent and then lifted his tiny cup with his pinky extended.
Trevor chuckled and shook his head. “No, I'm good, thanks. But we need you in here, Minn Elska. You have a guest.”
“Go ahead,” Viper said to me. “I'll stay with Lesya.”
“Thanks, honey.” I kissed Viper's cheek and then Lesya's. “I'll be right back. Don't let Uncle Viper eat all the food, Lesya.”
“Okay, Mommy!”
I went inside with Trevor and then through the doorway to the left, into the dining hall. Pride Palace's dining hall is enormous but only has one table in it. One ridiculously long table that extends the entire length of the room. Long enough to sit all of my eighty-plus werelions at it with space to spare. Sideboards stretch along the left wall, leaving the right side bare except for a sitting area in the center of the room in front of the fireplace. That was where my guest waited, but I stopped short before I reached him.
“Qaus?” I asked in surprise.
The Arabian god got to his feet. “Vervain, we need to talk.”
I closed the distance and automatically held my hand out to him. “It's good to see you. Uh, how have you been?”
“How have I been?” He raised his brows and then promptly lowered them over his narrowed eyes. “You think I don't remember,” he whispered in amazement. “Why would you think that?”
“Don't remember what?” I asked innocently.
“Vervain, you may have wiped the humans' memories clean, but you didn't touch us Gods. I remember. We all remember what happened.”
“Great Scott,” I whispered in horror. “I thought I just left the memories of my loved ones alone.”
“You missed a bit more than that,” Qaus said grimly. “And there will be hell to pay for the oversight.”
“I was evil,” I growled. “I fought myself and won, and then I put everything back to the way it was.”
“Yeah, but you showed your hand, Godhunter,” Qaus said. “They know what you're capable of now, and they're not happy about it.”
“If they know what she can do, they should be scared of her,” Trevor reasoned. “This should mean the end of the God War.”
“You and I both know that Gods don't work like that.” Qaus shook his head. “Some might cower and look for cover, but most will want revenge for being humiliated. They'll want Vervain dead so she won't be able to do this again.”
“Why are you here?” I asked wearily. “You wanted in when I was heading toward world domination, but why would you come to me now when I'm back to being myself?”
“Because I like you, Vervain. You impressed me; both with your magical strength and the strength of your convictions. Evil or not, those traits don't change. You were good to me, even when you were bad. So, I've come to warn you. They'll be hunting you now, Godhunter.”
“Who?” Trevor demanded. “Who is after my wife?”
“To start, the Mesopotamians. She hurt them the worst. They want blood.”
“Then we'll give it to them,” Trevor growled. “We'll drown them in their own blood.”
Grammar Giggles
And just for a little giggle, here are some grammar mistakes found during the editing of this book.
Correct Line: Gasping in the brittle air, I let the wind steal the tears from my eyes.
Giggle:Gasping in the brittle air, I let the wind steel the tears from my eyes.
Correct Line: He watched avidly as I unbuttoned my blouse and set our son against my breast.
Giggle: He watched avidly as I unbuttoned my blouse and set our soon against my breast.
Correct Line: I took a seat on the deck chair beside him and admired the streaks of lavender and gold that painted the sky.
Giggle: I took a seat on the deck chair beside him and admired the streaks of Luci and gold that painted the sky. (Uh... what the hell happened there?)
Correct Line: “I'm waiting with bated breath.” I smirked.
Giggle: “I'm waiting with baited breath.” I smirked. (That must be some stinky breath.)
Pronunciation Guide
A Thaisce: Ah Hash-keh
Aalish: A-lis
Aednat: Ey-nit
Aillidh: Ah-lee
Ameterasu: Ah-mah-ta-rah-soo
Anunnaki: Ah-new-nah-key
Aodh: Ee
Aoife: Ee-fa
Arach: Air-rock
Artair: Ar-ter
Bean-nighe: Ban-neeyah
Bean-sidhe: Ban-she
Bearach: BEH-ruck
Bodb Derg: Bo-hid Dar-rig
Bronagh: Bro-nah
Caitir:KAH-te-heer
Carus: Care-us
Ciaran: KEE-a-rawn
Cian: Key-an
Craigor: Kraeg-or
Credne: Creh-d-nyah
Danal: Dah-nal
Daoir: Daheer
Dhumorna: Doo-more-nah
Diarmat: DEER-mit
Drachleen-sidhe: Druch-leen Shee
Eilidh: Ael-ee
Ellingran: El-ING-rawn
Enki: N-kee
Enlil: N-lil
Erebus: Air-ree-bus
Estsanatlehi(Mrs E): Es-tan-AHT-lu-hee
Farinne-sidhe: Fare-nya Shee
Fearghal: FAR-rell
Fionn: FYOON
Fionnuala: Finn-noo-lah
Fionnaghal: Fyoon-ghal-a
Froekn: Fro-kin
Gobniu: Guh-rev-nyew
Grainne: GRAW-nya
Granuaile: Graw-nya-wail
Gruach: Groo-ah
Guirmean: GOO-rah-man
Hachiman: Ha-chee-man
Huitzilopochtli: Weet-seal-oh-POACHED-lee
Ilmarinen: Ill-mah-ree-nen
Intare: In-tar-ay
Isleen: Is-lean
Kanaloa: Kah-nah-low-ah
Katila: Kah-till-ah
Kirill: Key-reel
Leannan-sidhe: Lah-nan Shee
Lemminkainen: Lem-meen-ki-nen
Macaria: Ma-cah-ree-ah
Marduk: Mar-duke
Meilyr: May-ler
Neala: NEE-ah-la
Nephthys: Nep-th-es
Ninkasi: Nin-kah-see
Nyavirezi: Nee-yah-veer-ez-ee
Peig: Paeg
Qaus: Couse
Raiseala: Rash-uh-lah
Roarke: ROAR-k
Ruari: Ro-ree
Scotaidh: SCO-tee
Shehaquim: Shah-ha-keem
Shinno: Sheh-no
Tairhail: Tah-vel
Taog: TOOK
Taran: TA-ran
Tima: Tee-mah
Tiamat: Tee-ah-maht
Tlaloc: T-la-lock
Tsohanoai(Mr. T): So-ha-noe-ayee
Vainamoinen: Vie-nah-moy-nen
Vejasmate: Vay-hahs-mah-tee
Veve: Veh-vay
Vilkacis: Vill-ka-seas
Glossary of Characters
This list has gotten so extensive that I've moved it to my website. You may find it on the Godhunter Series Page here: https://www.amysumida.com/book-list
About the Author
Amy Sumida is the Internationally Acclaimed author of the Award-Winning Godhunter Series, the bestselling fantasy paranormal Twilight Court Series, the Beyond the Godhunter Series, the music-oriented paranormal Spellsinger Series, the superhero Spectra Series, and the retold
