Nine #2
"Oh! Well, then." I smiled at her. "Let me show you just how much I missed you, too!"
Needless to say, we were in there for a very long time.
Some hours later, we were eating dinner, and our daughter, Hoa, who was almost five now, was with us.
"Roden told me you're something called a 'mythic', now?" Evean asked.
"So it would seem," I said, watching as she helped Hoa cut her food.
"How'd that happen?"
"Somebody tried to screw over me and Stephanie using Cameron, and it backfired rather spectacularly."
Evean snorted. "You'd think they would have known better."
"I'm not complaining. When I'm home, it's easier for me to visit folks. It's going to make it easier for me to visit Cam and Stephanie—she's now Stepheen, by the way, seeing as she's a god. It'll eventually make it easier for me to visit the Seven Worlds, as well."
"I'm sorry about Dani, Will. I really liked her."
"I know," I said, and leaning over, I gave her a hug.
"How's her sister?"
"Heard about her, have you?"
"Well, yeah. Roden told me. So did Nikki."
"You're talking with my sister?"
"I've been talking with Darlene while you're off dealing with that new place of yours with Rachel, and I've even been working to make peace with Suzona."
"Why've you been doing that?" I asked, giving her a surprised look.
"Darlene, because I like her. We're both former working girls who ended up dealing with a lot of smugglers and such, and we're both in love with you." She turned and winked at me. "Nikki, because she's your sister and she's a soldier, and Roden is a god of soldiers, as well as other things."
I nodded at that.
"Suzona, because again, we're both sharing the same man—" Evean gave me a smile this time "—and she's also something of a soldier, if not more of a warrior, and as we both have children by you, and we hope to have more, it's only smart that I make peace with her.
Also—" Evean sighed then "—I actually feel sorry for her that she had to leave her god.
I could never leave Roden. I love him more than anyone in the world. Sorry, Will."
I laughed. "Don't be. I get it, and I'm not at all surprised."
"So what have you been doing?"
"Trying to get the country I seem to have ended up with back into shape and running. When she's old enough, I'll put my daughter by Dani on the throne, and hopefully not long after that, I won't be spending so much of my time trying to run the place."
"Good luck with that!"
"There's a lot of good people there who know what they're doing. They're already starting to pick up the load, so I'm not too worried. I just want to get back to helping Fel. There's a lot to deal with there, and of course, there's always things around here I need to help with."
"Roden thinks things are going to be fairly peaceful on the continent for the next few decades."
"Oh?"
"You've got the biggest country now, and the strongest. You're allied with all the major gods and more than a few of the other countries. The rest of the world, though, will probably go through the usual amount of turmoil, so that's where all the action will be."
"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
"Roden thinks it's ripe for recruiting and spreading his faith. We've already got missionaries and the like over there, and have for some time now."
"Well, good luck, I guess."
"The next time I head over there, if you're nice, I'll let you join me," Evean teased.
"As long as Fel says I can, I think I'll take you up on that."
"I hear you're going off to do something for Aryanna?"
"Apparently."
"Any idea how many are going?"
"I think it may just be me."
"Suzona's not going?" Evean asked, looking a little surprised.
"Um, now that you mention it, I have no idea. I mean, I was told I could bring someone along, but only a champion, because we could die."
"I'm going," Evean said.
"Huh?"
"We haven't spent any real time together for a couple of years now, Will. I'm going."
"What if Sue is coming along?"
"We'll share. Don't worry, I'll make it work."
Getting up, I stood by Evean for a moment, and she looked at me curiously. Dropping to my knees, I hugged her. "Okay."
"Well, that was easy!" she said, giggling, and kissed me before going back to helping Hoa eat.
"I miss you too, Ev, and after losing Dani, I'm not about to take you for granted because I believe you're going to be around for a long time to come."
Evean turned and hugged me back. "I understand. After we almost lost you with what happened with that kaiju, I was reminded of the world I grew up in. That was part of why I pushed so hard for Hoa, here."
"Well, I do hope you're planning to push hard for a few brothers and sisters for her," I teased.
"Oh, I will be, trust me on that!" Evean said with a very deep purr.
I laughed and gave her another hug, then went back to my seat. Evean was as beautiful as ever, and as mercurial, but she was also incredibly smart, and I knew that whatever was coming, having her with me would help.
#
It was later, much later, after I'd helped Evean put Hoa to bed.
"I meant what I said about getting along with Suzona, Will."
"I figured you did, but I'm worried how she'll react."
"Why?"
"I don't know if she'll want to contest you for my affections or my attention."
Evean looked thoughtful for a minute. "You're worried that she won't want to do anything with me around, aren't you?"
I shrugged. "Maybe? I know that if you'd been there when we went off to deal with the towers, she wouldn't have had the nerve to ask to have my children."
"I guess I can see that. She's never really had a man love her or loved one before, and you've already picked me once over her, when she was without a doubt the most beautiful woman in the room." Evean smiled then. "I still can't believe you did that."
I smiled and hugged her. "Honestly, it was a lot easier to love you that way than if you'd been in your champion form."
"I seem to recall you saying something about that before?"
"You're so beautiful that I had a problem back then getting past your looks to actually see you."
I suddenly found myself with an armful of Evean. "For a man who claims not to understand women, you say the most wonderful things."
I kissed her. "I'm just lucky."
"I think we're both lucky, if I'm honest. If Suzona goes with us, I will make sure she understands that she gets as much time with you as I do. She's your woman, and I need to play nice with her. Too bad you can't bring Rachel, or maybe even Darlene."
"Oh?"
"Rachel would have us toeing the line in no time flat."
I laughed at that. "True. But Darlene?"
"Tavern owners have ways of making people behave, and I think she knows all of them. Plus, she raised a passel of your children, Will."
"There is that."
"So, when are we leaving?"
"I thought we'd spend a few days together, just you, me, and Hoa. Be a family for a little while, then head back to Fel's, and from there, to Aryanna's."
"I like that idea. Now, let's go to bed."
"Bed would be good," I agreed.
#
A week later, we were standing in Aryanna's main temple in Hillshire. Suzona was there, and I didn't hesitate to go up to her, pull her close, and kiss her. When she tried to look at Evean, I turned her bodily so she couldn't and kissed her again.
"Villiam!" she huffed.
"Your man wants your attention," I whispered back. "Stop worrying about Evean and worry about me." I gave her another kiss.
"Why is she here?"
"Because in the last few years, I haven't been able to spend any time with her. She's as much mine as you are, and she's got a right to part of me just like you do. She told me she's trying to make peace with you, so yes, you'll both be sharing.
"Oh, and don't think I love you any less than her."
"This will be… difficult."
"I'll be sure to reward you," I replied, smiling. Letting go of her, I pulled her over to Evean and stood between them. I looked at Aryanna's holy symbol on the wall of the room we'd been gated into.
"Greetings, Aryanna."
"Hello, William," Aryanna's voice replied, sounding pleased.
"What's the task?"
"I need you to go to Ithica."
I flinched at that.
"Someone else has taken over the city; they have removed the previous king and the religion, and the god who held sway is no longer in a position of power."
"I'm still going at night," I replied.
"That should be fine."
"Why are we going?"
"I did them and their god a couple of favors that helped and convinced them to take over.
They are now going to pay me back. I needed you and Suzona to go there to collect a few items they have found for me.
It will not be easy, of course, and Evean, you are welcome; I know your presence will be helpful. "
"Thank you, Aryanna."
"I know you're trying to mend fences with Suzona, and I appreciate that greatly.
"Getting back to this task, things back on Earth have changed radically since you were last there, William."
My eyes went wide. "What. Happened?"
"There was an attack on your former homeland by another group, a religious group from what you call the 'Middle East'.
Several thousand people died, and your country is now at war in the Middle East. There has been a huge crackdown all over the planet on certain groups, which have been identified as terrorist groups, so getting to Ithaca will probably be harder.
You won't be able to procure any weapons, so don't even try. "
"I guess that means going to New York and flying there is out?"
"Yes. It also means going to London, where I sent you the last few times, or anywhere else in Europe is out, I'm quite afraid."
"What about Japan?" Evean asked.
"Flights from Japan would have to go over the war zone, so no one is doing them at this time. You could get there if you made multiple changes along the way, but that would draw attention."
"What if we go via the world of Sireen?"
"That would also be a difficult trip, though for other reasons."