Chapter Twenty-Three
Several hours later, Azrael returned from making his announcement.
“How'd it go?” Trevor asked as Az walked into our suite.
We had put the kids to bed and were gathered around an issue of the Hermes Herald. Newspapers and god devices had spread the news about Agwusi. The paper even had a picture of her and Ty. I had no idea how Hermes had gotten the images. Which is what we'd been discussing when Az walked in.
Azrael sat down at the table, and Viper fetched him a beer. “Thanks.” He took a swig. “It's been a long day. I hope I did the right thing.”
Odin leaned forward, eyeing Az warily. “What did you say?”
Az looked around the table. “I decided to use it as an opportunity to strengthen my position.”
“You took responsibility for the weather,” I guessed.
Azrael nodded. “I needed to reel the humans back in.
After that thing with Amisk, I've been trying to keep a tighter rein on things.
But there's only so much the authorities can do.
It makes me look weak, and that only leads to more crimes being committed.
I saw this as the perfect opportunity to remind the world of what I'm capable of.”
“So, you told them the weather was a warning?” Viper had remained standing, leaning against the kitchen counter near Az.
“I did.” Azrael lifted his chin. “I recorded a message as the Faerie God and had it distributed to every news station in the world.”
“What exactly did you say, Azrael?” Odin asked.
“I warned them that this was just the beginning. A shot fired over the prow. I said if they continued to break my laws, I would escalate the attacks until they stopped. If they failed to stop, I would reclaim the world.”
“Motherfucker,” Odin hissed.
We all went still. Beyond our whole creative swearing thing, Odin didn't curse often.
“It was my decision to make.” Azrael took another sip, acting as if it wasn't a big deal, but I could sense his worry.
“It was not your decision!” Odin slammed his fist on the table.
“Stop it!” I stood up and leaned on the table to glare at Odin. “You're not the one who has to deal with the world leaders. You don't know and can't possibly understand what he goes through. And I trust him, Odin. I thought you did too.”
Odin grimaced. “I do.” He looked at Azrael. “I do trust you. I'm just worried what will come of this.”
“I think he did the right thing.” I met Azrael's wide, pale blue gaze. “You did the right thing. Your control has been slipping. Why not get some good from this? You can tell the world leaders that this was a power play to help them gain control as well.”
Azrael grinned. “What do you think took me so long? I had to call them all and explain things.”
Odin sighed. “All right. That makes it a little better.”
“Better?” I sat back down. “It's brilliant. With the world leaders backing you, you don't have to worry about retaliation. This could work.”
“There's just one problem,” Trevor said. “That machine. We don't know what it will do next. What if it's something really horrible? People might riot. They could storm the Golden Citadel.”
“The Citadel is under lockdown. I've shut down the gate and warded it. Our people are safe.” Azrael leaned back. “Things could go very wrong, but I took the risk, and it's I who will face the consequences.” He motioned at the paper. “Is that the Herald?”
“Yes.” I slid it over to him. “Hermes has gotten the word out. Now we wait.”
“I'm exhausted.” Azrael stood up. “I'm going to bed.”
I got up and hugged him. “I love you. You did the right thing.”
He kissed my cheek. “Thank you. I love you too. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” I watched him climb the stairs.
“I need a run.” Trevor stood up.
“It's your night with me. Why don't we go out to the cabin for the night?” I suggested.
Trevor looked around at the other men. They all nodded, Odin with a distracted air.
“All right.” Trevor took my hand, and we headed downstairs together.
The cabin was a massive, two-story building fashioned after the one Fenrir had in his territory for Froekn get-togethers. Set inside a valley on the shore of a lake, it was the perfect place for us to have a brief vacation without leaving the territory. A staycation.
We ran out to the cabin in our wolf forms. That piece of Trevor's soul inside me granted me a wolf form.
I didn't shift into it often enough, so my wolf wasn't ready to shift back when we arrived, even after crossing nearly the entire territory.
So, we did a lap around the lake and then lay down on the shore together.
With the moon overhead and just the two of us below in a furry wolf pile, it felt like heaven.
Then I shifted back. Stretching my arms up to the moon, I settled into my main body. It felt naughty to stand naked under the moonlight, and I looked over at Trevor to grin. Then I froze. Trevor was still in wolf form, staring at me with wide, honey-colored eyes.
“Trevor?” I crouched before him.
He whined.
“What's wrong?”
Trevor shuddered.
I had connections with all of my husbands that allowed us to hear each other's thoughts when we concentrated.
It was harder when one of us was in an animal body, but I tried anyway.
Closing my eyes, I reached for Trevor through our connection.
Emotions jumbled his thoughts, mainly panic, but I still caught the gist of it.
My eyes popped open. “You can't shift?”
Trevor shook his head.
My heart leapt. “Okay, just take a breath. I'm going to reach for you. Maybe I can bring you back.”
He nodded.
I sat down on the grass and took his head in my hands.
Closing my eyes, I went down our connection again, but this time, I went deeper.
Past his thoughts and into his man essence.
My wolf whined inside me, but I held her back.
I wanted to bring Trevor out, not Wolf. I mentally grabbed him and pulled.
As soon as I did, I felt him shift beneath my hands.
Blinking, I let go. Trevor was panting and still wide-eyed, but he was a man again.
“Are you all right?” I cupped his cheek.
“Yes, I'm fine. I don't know what happened. I think Wolf didn't want me to shift back.”
“That's not like him.” I bit my lip as something occurred to me. “Trevor, what if the machine is interfering with shifting?”
Trevor blinked. “I hope not. If it is, that means it can affect gods.”
“You were transforming.”
“I know. But you shifted fine. Shouldn't it have affected you first? I was born a wolf. Shifting isn't innate for you.”
“I don't know, but the timing is odd.”
Trevor got to his feet, taking me with him. “Let's get inside. It's cold out here.”
The front door was open. There was no need to lock anything when the territory belonged to us. I was still shaken by Trevor's close call. If Trevor stayed a wolf forever, it would be catastrophic. But he didn't seem worried. Perhaps his thoughts of Ty preoccupied him.
We went into the living room and shut the door behind us.
With its rustic décor, massive stone fireplace, and antler chandelier hanging two-stories above it, the room reeked of testosterone.
Beyond it was the kitchen, a more neutrally designed room, but we didn't stop there.
Instead, we headed up the stairs on the left.
Perhaps it was my lingering fear, but the place lacked its usual warmth.
With only moonlight to guide us, it felt creepy.
But I had made the cabin—if you could call it that—and I knew every nook and cranny.
I could walk it blindfolded. That familiarity banished my unease.
God territories were fueled by the magic of the god who ruled them.
There was no electricity here, but territory magic mimicked it, powering devices that would have to be plugged if we were in the Human Realm, and casting illumination without an apparent source.
Some gods summoned light to blanket their ceilings, but I preferred to direct it into containers.
So the cabin, like the palace, had lamps strewn about and chandeliers.
I didn't bother to light any of them. We had already made it to the main bedroom, and I was ready to sleep.
I went straight to the bed against the right wall—a behemoth of natural wood logs meant to mimic the architecture.
It was a simple construction compared to my other bed, without posters or a canopy.
Just a big mattress on that thick frame.
Fluffy pillows and a thick comforter covered in white cotton welcomed me.
I slid beneath the covers and curled up on a pillow.
Trevor was at the window with the curtains open.
Moonlight spilled in to outline his naked body.
I sighed, grateful to have such an incredible man in my life.
Magic had bound us together, but Trevor chose me, then fought for me.
From the moment of our binding, he had been there for me.
He once heard my call across a great distance.
But that was before magic changed us both.
Could he still hear me if I called his name into the wind?
Maybe, but the trouble I got into these days usually took me beyond his hearing and past wards.
Still, he was here with me. He stood by me no matter what came at us, even when it was my fault, and he never complained.
Not even when his brother disappeared.
I slid out of bed and stepped up behind him.
His Norse lineage made him tall, his blood made him strong, and his magic made him divine.
This was all I needed. All any woman would need.
But fate had put me in his arms only to force him to share me.
I wrapped my arms around Trevor from behind and hugged him.