Blind God's bluff

faster, and I started getting hard.

The door was unlocked. A’marie was propped up on a mound of pillows with the panpipes to her lips and the sheets pulled up to cover her.

I smiled and said, “I thought I was done with people trying to hex me.”

She blushed. “I thought we could go on celebrating. But I know you haven’t forgotten Leticia. And I’m not exactly what you’re used to.”

I flashed the Thunderbird. And apparently she felt me shake off her power, because she looked hurt and reached for the clothes she’d left on a chair.

“It’s all right!” I said quickly. “I just don’t want you thinking later that it took magic to get me in the mood.”

What happened next was good. Good enough to push any stray thoughts of Leticia right out of my head.

I woke up around noon, and watched A’marie sleep for a while. Eventually I kissed the owl, crow, and cat tattooed on her shoulder. That woke her, and we picked up where we left off.

After that, with her snuggled up against me, I said, “I don’t want to get up. But I suppose everybody’s waiting on me. To turn over the water to Murk and then announce that I’m not the lord of the land anymore.”

A’marie frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Renouncing the throne? Isn’t that what they call it?”

“You can’t do that!”

“What do you mean? It’s what I promised to do, when we were all making plans and I said we’d set Tampa free.”

“Everybody took that to mean, free of Timon. Free of bad rulers. Not free from any government at all.”

“You can have a government. You can have a better one. I mean, you live in America next door to us humans. You’ve seen how we do things.”

“So you figured we were all ready for democracy? Just waiting for a chance to write a constitution and hold elections?”

“Well… yeah. I guess.”

“Well, sorry, but things are more complicated than that. There are old traditions and feuds that would make it hard. There are lords all over the country who’ll try to take over if they see an empty throne.”

“Maybe so, but I can’t really be a lord. I don’t know anything about it.”

“I’ll help you. Everybody will.”

“But I don’t want to be a lord.”

She smiled. “Too bad. You’re stuck with it. Because you’re the only one the other lords will see as the rightful ruler. And you didn’t risk your life to kick Timon out just to let one of the other real monsters move in.”

I took a long breath. “I guess we could at least say I’m the boss. For a little while. Until we figure out something better.”

“There you go.”

“But if that is what we’re doing, then nobody’s a thrall. And nobody’s eating any humans, either.” Her smile widened. “What are you grinning at?”

“I think you’re going to do fine. And I think your father would be proud of you.”

I didn’t know about that. But hearing her say it, and looking into her bright silver eyes, I felt happier than I’d felt in a long time.

I’m glad I didn’t know what was coming next.