Chapter Forty-One

There were no more thefts in the days leading up to the event. Nothing went missing and turned up in an odd place either. No tricks of any kind. It looked as if Katila was done playing games. I should have been relieved by that. I was not. I hadnt been out of my territory since we returned from the Golden Citadel, and I wasnt the only one pulling a shut-in. My lions stayed put too. No one wanted to accidentally lead Katila into our den.

The night of the event arrived and with Lexington seven hours behind Pride Palace, I was able to put my kids to bed before I had to get ready. I wore a gown I created from a pebble using territory magic. I made a lot of my fancier clothes that way, but it especially came in handy for times like this, when I wanted some unusual adjustments made to an outfit that had to look couture. The dress was cut low in the back so I could summon my wings if necessary and the skirt was a tear-away situation affixed with Velcro. I had some yoga pants on beneath and my heels were low enough to fight in. But youd never know I was dressed for war.

I checked out my reflection in my dressing room mirror. It was one of those tri-fold numbers with two additional panels hinged onto the center so that you could gawk at yourself from every angle. It helped me to make sure I didnt have anything sticking out that shouldnt be. Id gone with black. I didnt want to stand out, and black was always a good choice.

“You look lovely, Minn Elska,” Trevor said as he slid into his suit jacket. He had his shoulder-length hair slicked back, the top button of his shirt unbuttoned, and no tie. Roguish, especially with his shirt being black.

“Thank you. You shine up nice too.” I slid my hands up Trevors belly to rest them on his chest, then leaned in and kissed him. The piece of Trevors soul inside me raced out of my star and through my chest to brush up against Wolf, and it made us both sigh.

“Hey now, we dont have time for that,” Re said. “Especially if I join in, which I will if you keep moaning, La-la.”

I finished kissing Trevor, then looked over at Re. “You look dashing.”

“Thank you.” He opened his arms. “Do I get a kiss too?”

“After that comment?” I chuckled and stroked his gold tie. “That would be dangerous.”

“And well be facing enough danger as it is,” Odin said as he came up from the back of the dressing room where he kept some of his clothes.

All of my husbands kept a few things in my dressing room. Mostly, it was the nicer stuff, things that needed to be hung up.

“Are you ready?” Azrael asked from the doorway. “Weve got to be there before the event is set to begin.”

“Yes, we can go,” I said and left the dressing room. “Did you check with the Squad?”

Az nodded. “Theyre on their way and so are my father, brother, several Angels and Demons, Anubis and his jackals, Gello, Samael, and Lilith. Oh, and Machar will be there as well.”

“I texted my father too,” Trevor said. “Hes already in Lexington at the Wet Whistle. They have limos waiting to take them to the event.”

“Yeah, Ty said theyre pre-gaming.” I rolled my eyes.

“So, theyre drinking before the battle?” Re asked.

“Nothing strong enough to affect them,” Trevor said. “Dad takes battle seriously.”

“Does he though?” Viper, who had sauntered up behind Azrael, asked.

Trevor made a face at him.

“Hopefully, theyll only be needed to guard the perimeter,” Az said.

I looked Azrael over. He was the only one not wearing a suit. It wouldnt have worked with his Faerie God guise. Instead, he had a nicer version of his usual F.G. outfit—a black leather tunic adorned with green leather leaves around the neckline, dark green pants, a wide-collared black jacket, and a pair of high boots. He looked more intimidating than usual, and I approved.

We headed downstairs where the Intare was waiting. Nearly all of them were attending the event, and I grinned at the disguises they had chosen. Not every god could glamour themselves to look different. Most could go invisible, but changing your appearance was a skill that my lions didnt have. I might have been able to lay a glamour on them, but why bother when they could do it themselves with some wigs and makeup? Not that we were worried about Katila recognizing them. He probably didnt know every one of my werelions by sight, and even if he did, it wouldnt be unusual for them to be at an event that I was attending, especially when we knew someone was after me.

Still, I loved seeing them play dress-up.

I stopped before Austin, who was wearing his police uniform. “Youre going as yourself?”

“Yup.” He tilted his hat to me. “Ill be event security tonight, Maam.”

“Then maybe you should come with us instead of waiting to arrive with the guests,” Viper said.

“Probbly. I reckon I should take these yahoos with me too.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and some of the lions stepped forward, all of them wearing Lexington P.D. uniforms. “I got some deputies with me tonight.”

“Is that you, Aidan?” I squinted my eyes at one of them—a blond in a cowboy hat. His dark eyebrows clashed with the wig, but hey, some blonds have dark brows.

“Yup,” Aidan drawled. “Tonight, Im a cowboy cop too.”

“All right.” I shook my head and joined my husbands at the tracing room door. “The cops had better come with us then. Are you tracing to the police station?”

“Naw,” Austin said. “Well trace to my house and take the cruiser over. I dont want the real officers seeing the impostors.”

“Right. Then well see you soon.”

“Have fun, Brothers,” Fallon said. He was in charge of the group I was leaving behind to guard Pride Palace and, more importantly, the children.

“You have fun babysitting,” Aidan shot back.

“Hey!” I pointed at Aidan, then at the twenty men who were staying behind. “Their job is more important than yours. What is Pride Palace?” I called to the Intare.

“Home!” the Intare called back.

“And the children?”

“Timas tima!”

Their hearts heart.

“Thats right,” I said. “If they are hurt, we are all hurt. Protect our home and hearts.”

“Tima!” the Intare roared my title. Then they surprised me by adding, “Death!”

I blinked, looked back at them, then saw Kirill inclining his head. Theyd been showing their god respect, not calling for death to our enemy, as I thought they might have been. The Pride now had a connection to Death and Winter through Kirill. I guess it sounded more badass to shout death rather than winter. We werent the Starks, after all.

I looked from Kirill to Odin, then to Az—my holy trinity of death gods. Katila wouldnt escape us as easily as he had the Void.