Chapter Four

“Is this really a situation that requires our attention?” Horus, bouncing his three-year-old daughter, Asteriana, on his knees, drawled.

“Yeah,” Astie, who was developing a personality that was a cross between those of her parents, said and pointed at me, her expression stern even as she went up and down.

I held back my laughter. “The scrolls of Alexandria, Horus,” I said. “And the Ark. As in Raiders of the Lost.”

Horus rolled his mismatched eyes—one gold and one silver. “Ancient nonsense.”

“Youre just bitter because the Ark vanquished your people,” Azrael said.

“Sorry, my sweet girl,” Horus said as he stopped bouncing Astie. “But Daddy needs to speak to Uncle Azrael firmly. Go play with Deme.” He set Astie down and nudged her toward Hades and Persephones daughter Demetera, who was playing with her dolls on a blanket on the floor beside her mothers chair.

We were out on Pride Palaces veranda so I could keep an eye on my kids too. They were playing with the mini cars I had made for them with territory magic, racing them around the mini castle that I had also made. Usually, Samantha would watch the kids for me since her daughter was their playmate and usually with them, but I hated asking her every time. And this wasnt a situation where we had to worry about the kids overhearing something terrible. So far, it was just a bunch of mischief.

“Daddy.” Astie clung to her fathers leg and stared up at him with her big, silver eyes, the irises set off by dark blue limbal rings.

“Oh, you slay me.” Horus cupped her face and kissed her forehead. “I love you so much.”

Astie grinned brightly. “I love you, Daddy!”

Horuss face crumpled into adoration.

“Astie, your father told you to go play with Deme,” Hekate said. “Go on now. Be a good girl.”

“Okay, Mommy,” Astie said and toddled off toward Demes blanket.

“Astie.” Deme held out one of her dolls and a flower grew around it to blossom in the dolls hands.

“Thank you!” Astie took the doll and cradled it to her chest before kissing Demes cheek.

“Youre welcome.”

The girls started playing with their dolls and it took me a second to realize that I wasnt the only one staring and smiling at them. The whole group had gone quiet to admire the adorableness of the two little girls.

Horus, of course, came out of his trance first. “Now, what was I saying?”

“You were about to say that you think its a good idea to investigate Heaven,” I said and smiled.

Horus snorted and smoothed the lapels of his suit. “I was not.” He glanced at his wife, who had a purple brow lifted, and cleared his throat. “But if everyone else feels that its necessary, so be it.”

Thor and Pan had left their children at home, with the kids mothers. So Thor was free to take over the conversation. He leaned his beefy forearms onto his knees and said, “I think its important that we do this. This person, whoever they are, is not letting up. And things like this usually escalate. Its obviously meant to undermine Jesuss rule, and we cant have that. Especially not with the Human Realm in such an unstable state.”

“Whats so unstable about the Human Realm?” Blue asked.

“My love, you need to leave our territory more often,” his wife, Eztli, Goddess of the Blood Moon, said.

Blue, also known as Huitzilopochtli, Aztec God of Sun and War and Father of Vampires, scowled at this suggestion, the skin around his jade eyes crinkling. “But why? I have all I need there.”

Eztli sighed. “Because the Human Realm can be fun. Remember how we used to go out? Why dont you join me next time I go drinking with the girls?”

The girls Eztli referred to were vampires. Nuff said about the drinking, right? Good.

“The Human Realm is still processing the knowledge that faeries exist,” Thor said, ignoring the couple. “But now, theyre also dealing with witnessing the battle with Jehovah.”

“I thought that was handled?” Blue asked and looked at Jesus. “My condolences and congratulations.”

“Thanks, man,” Jesus said. “On both.”

“It was handled.” Thor rolled his eyes. There always came a time in our God Squad meetings when Thor would lose patience with everyones crap and it looked as if that time was drawing nigh. “But there are factions of humans who believe Jehovahs lies about being King Arthur. They are upset about his death. And they blame Azrael for it.”

“What rubbish,” Blue drawled.

“Indeed,” Horus said.

I looked back and forth between them and snickered. How had I never noticed the similarities in their personalities?

“Rubbish or not, this is not the best time for Heaven to be divided,” Thor said.

“And its heading that way,” Jesus said. He shook his head. “Angels can be such a bummer. And none of them will smoke a bowl with me. If anyone should smoke the groovy greenery, its them.”

“You want the Heavenly Host to get high?” Brahma asked, his dark eyes twinkling. “Oh, thats fantastic.”

“Arent zey already high?” Kirill asked.

I snorted a laugh and fist-bumped him.

“Maybe I should step down,” Jesus said.

“What?” Azrael nearly shrieked. “No, Brother. You care about our people. Thats more than they ever got from Jerry.”

“But maybe thats not what they need.”

“Caring makes leadership harder,” I said. “Its so much easier to command when you dont care. But without compassion, a ruler cannot inspire their people or advance their civilization. You need to care to create positive change. And Heaven needs that change right now.”

Jesus stared at me a moment, then said, “Ive become the Man. The Authority. Its been weighing on me. Harshing my mellow. But Im not the man my father was. Im not his kind of authority. I have to stand firm, but in my way.”

“If you say youre going to cover Heaven in flowers, Im leaving,” Horus said.

Kate smacked him in the arm.

“What? Havent you heard of flower power?” Horus asked his wife. “Its part of that hipster movement.”

“Its hippies, not hipsters, darling. And Jesus is having a moment. Dont ruin it for him,” Kate said.

“Its all right,” Jesus said. “People can only ruin things if you allow them to. Im not going to allow people to ruin things for me anymore.”

“Good for you, Brother,” Azrael said. “Now, where should we start our investigation?”