Chapter Twenty-One #3
Gigi didn’t know why Hathor and her daughter kept talking about her like she was some kind of virginal nun, but she had more important things to worry about, like defenceless babies and a young cousin locked under Hathor’s spell.
“Riordan, are you okay?” Gigi felt compelled to ask, Riordan’s face essentially blank, except for those eyes, fixed on Nico, that burned with heat and possessiveness.
“Typical pure.” Hathor almost spat the last word out as if she’d bitten down on a lemon. “If only you knew what your naughty little firecracker here has been getting up to. Been feeling a little chilly lately, have you?”
No. No. Riordan wouldn’t have? Would she?
They both attended thrice weekly self-defence lessons, so Gigi knew what Riordan’s ice powers were capable of but surely she would never use those powers on a family member.
Unless she was forced to by an over the hill love Goddess with a world domination fetish.
“At least Qetesh’s bid for the Latino himbo did one thing right.
Imagine having a crush on your boss, seeing him day in and day out, your heart breaking in slow increments, knowing he saw you as nothing but a competent employee.
Yearning for his smile, a kind word, his touch.
Worse, suddenly he’s amped up on every level.
Gorgeous. Golden. A rockstar, so near yet so far.
And more annoying, every other single woman has noticed, wants him too.
But you saw him first. Have been waiting for years for him to notice you in return.
And he picks her.” Hathor pointed at Gigi.
“A woman too busy with her own goals and life to really give him the love and attention he’s deserving of.
The decimation of all your dreams, your fantasies, your plans for him and you, a future together, gone in a heartbeat.
Did you know when love is brutally ripped away it leaves a hole in the love ether?
It’s a dark stain, burning just as brightly as when love is declared and reciprocated.
Riordan’s pain called to me. And as a Goddess of Love, what was I supposed to do but offer her hope?
” Hathor brushed aside Riordan’s long locks, touching the antique gold necklace.
“Simple really, a pretty little box and a short note, from your grateful boss. I doubt she could have put it on fast enough.”
Now what her sisters, who were friends with Riordan, had said, made sense. They’d known about their cousin’s crush but their first loyalty was to Gigi. Sisters before ho’s.
Gigi grit her teeth, her empathy for her cousin threatening to swamp her.
Riordan had been there at the bar the day Nico had turned golden and every single woman in a ten mile radius had come running.
She’d witnessed Nico and Gigi kiss. Gigi’s mere presence breaking the ring’s curse hold over Nico and disrupting its hold over all those flocking women.
Except Gigi recalled the look on Riordan’s face as she stared at them still locked in an embrace, able to interpret it now – betrayal.
And just like that Hathor had swooped in, sent the necklace, co-opted Riordan, and those icy bouts had started to affect Gigi as Riordan began acting as Hathor’s spy.
Passing along the date of the baby shower, the location, the set up.
Compliantly feeding Hathor every bit of information she could gather.
A dull thud echoed from the closed steel doors, those in the atrium determined to get in. It seemed to shake Hathor from her share mode into action mode. Remembering why they were here.
Snapping her fingers Hathor pointed at Sunny. “Boys. Pet…” The four remaining guards raised their swords higher in readiness. Riordan stepping up behind them, moving a little woodenly.
Trojan horse indeed, Nico eyed his young employee.
Damn, he’d known Riordan had a small crush on him.
But he’d hoped by ignoring it, she’d grow out of it, or meet someone more age appropriate.
And now by not dealing with it he’d left a huge chink in the Sanctuary’s protection which Hathor had ruthlessly exploited.
Another dull thud sounded, a little dust falling from the ceiling. Drum must have called for reinforcements, and they were very determined.
“Riordan, sweetheart, you don’t have to do this.”
Riordan’s blue gold eyes were blank, even as big fat tears began to roll down her cheeks, leaving icy trails in their wake.
Poor kid, on some level she was very aware of what she was doing, but just couldn’t stop herself.
He shared a look with Gigi, both accepting the truth.
Neither liked the idea of hurting Riordan, but Sunny’s well-being came first. They’d do whatever it took.
Delay and protect, that’s what their goal was here, Drum would, given enough time, get that bloody door down.
Hathor’s expression remained smugly confident, she clearly didn’t think that Gigi or Nico were much of threat to her plans. “…fetch Mama’s little ray of sunshine.”
The guards started forwarded.
Gigi squared her shoulders, beyond pleased as Nico pulled a knife from an ankle sheath.
Unfortunately it looked puny against the four long swords carried by Hathor’s men, but it was better than nothing.
Okay, they had Nico’s knife, and her magic.
With a thought she stripped out two elements from the guards’ roman sandals and instantly the leather shrank, strangling their feet.
Two fell to the ground, reaching frantically for their footwear, the other two managed to hobble forward.
Patricia was going to tear strips off her, but that was a concern for later, as Gigi grabbed six books off the nearest shelf and reworked them into a four foot long almost harder than wood staff.
Blocking a sword strike and then several more, as her hobbled opponent pressed onwards, despite the pain in his feet.
Aware of Nico engaging the second guard in a series of blocks and parries. Using his knife, fists and booted feet.
Two against two, the odds weren’t bad, maybe, this was doable. Gigi’s stomach abruptly dipping as the two guards at the rear stood up, having cut their strangling footwear off. Damn. Double damn. Two against four, not good odds.
Instinctively she glanced back to check on the babies.
Theo in his car seat staring at the action intently, a growing pile of barbed acorns and three corner jacks on his lap.
Canary hopping back and forth in front of Sunny, in protect mode.
The baby girl’s big blue eyes placidly drinking in all the action.
Which just left Asher… gone, his car seat empty, the straps dangling, swaying in a non-existent breeze. The odds had just changed, hopefully in their favour.
“Asher’s loose.”