Page 95 of Hidden By the Gargoyle

“You have time to decide,” Talant interrupted. “It doesn’t have to be today, tomorrow, or even a year from now.”

I laid my hand over Dax’s. “We can talk about it later.”

Dax looked like he wanted to argue, but he finally nodded. Huh. It seemed mating had calmed his need to control everything somewhat.

I turned back to Talant and asked, “What is a Conduit?”

He froze at my question, his body tensing. I could tell because all the muscles in his torso stood out in stark relief.

“Where did you hear that word?” he asked.

“There was a cat shifter here. She believed that’s what I was. She saw me when I had to release a pulse of power before my manifestation.”

Minerva shifted and looked up at him. He met her gaze, but his expression was shuttered.

“Answer her question, Talant,” she said.

“It’s a complicated answer.”

“We have all damn day,” she retorted.

He released a breath. It seemed that my aunt was learning how to get under his skin as well. “While an Anointed has the potential to become a god, a Conduit is the channel of a god’s magic. They carry the heart of a god or goddess’s power.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

He shook his head, rubbing his forehead with the tips of his fingers. His long dark hair fell over his shoulders and chest.

“He means that a Conduit is a god or goddess reborn,” Minerva murmured. “Energy never dies and neither does magic. When a god or goddess dies, their energy has to go somewhere. It usually chooses the witch whose power resonates with their magic the most.”

Talant stared down at her, a shocked expression on his face.

“I’m right, aren’t I?’ she asked.

He nodded. “How did you know?”

“Yeah, Minerva, how did you know that?” I asked.

My aunt shrugged. “Sometimes my intuition tells me what I need to know.”

I squinted at her but didn’t openly disagree with her.

“I thought gods couldn’t die,” I said, looking at Talant.

A fleeting expression of sorrow crossed his face. “While their magic can never die, sometimes their bodies will. Especially if they choose to give up their godhood. It’s not easy to kill a god, but it has been done. Most who die do so because they feel they have lived too long, and it is time to move on.”

That was definitely something I needed to know. If I ascended to godhood, I would have to live forever.

“After that lovely morose chat, I think it’s time to discuss something else. Let’s have some tea and snacks,” my aunt said, getting to her feet.

She walked out of the living room and toward the kitchen. I watched how Talant watched her.

Then, I looked up at Dax. “I’m going to help her. And have a chat. No fighting with Tal.”

He stared down at me, his expression clearly saying no promises.

I kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear. “I mean it, Dax. Be nice.”

“Nice?” he rumbled.

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