Page 34 of Harbinger

Kes flashed Atropos a fierce grin and gave her a thumbs up. “All in a day’s work, sis.”

Atropos’s face glazed over a little at her vernacular.

“Are we sure they’re Goddesses?” Adrianne asked Julia out of the corner of her mouth. “They don’t talk like Goddesses.”

“Oh.” Surprise danced in Tisiphone’s golden eyes. “Breenelle and Orramgauth.”She was staring at Julia and Zach.“It has been a long time.”

Bailey traded a startled glance with Charlie. “Bree what now?!”

Julia made a face. Zach sighed. Breenelle and Orramgauth were their true names from before the Fall. They had yet to make that public.

Tisiphone brightened when she spotted Cassius. She dug an elbow sharply in Orena’s side.

“Hey, don’t you think Icarus looks even hotter now?” the Fury said in a stage whisper loud enough to reach Downtown.

“Hush, you floozy,” Orena admonished.

She blushed and glanced between Cassius and Theo from under her lashes, as if she couldn’t decide who to look at.

“It seems Icarus has some competition, huh?”Kes seemingly had no such problem with that decision and was shamelessly ogling Theo.“I must say, sisters, Rohengar’s replacement looks good enough to eat.”

Victor shifted protectively in front of his befuddled lover.

A feeling of sympathy coursed through Cassius at Atropos’s pained expression. He couldn’t help but surmise that she was used to this kind of verbal exchange.

Kes misinterpreted her sister’s look and came over to pat her heartily on the back. “Chin up, Attie.Why, not only did we manage to foil Elios’s plans, we even saved our unworthy brothers.” She beamed at Cassius and Theo. “And now, we get to claim our long-coveted prizes.”

“Bro—brothers?!” Theo said in a strangled voice.

“Yup.” Kes cocked a thumb at Morgan and Victor. “Tweedledee and Tweedledum over there are our younger half-brothers. Why, we used to regularly whoop their asses when they were kids.”

Adrianne spluttered. Charlie opened and closed his mouth soundlessly. Even Strickland looked shocked.

Tisiphone was studying Morgan with an amused half-smile. “That Ivmir sure was a crier.”

Orena arched an eyebrow at Victor. “Whereas Coraos could charm his way out of most arguments.”

Kes sniggered. “Hey, remember when Ivmir threw up on Tenebra at the centennial banquet of the Gods?”

“Yeah.” Tisiphone chuckled. “She almost destroyed a star chasing the little rat.”

Bailey leaned toward Zach. “What the hell happened to, you know, time out and no dinner?!”

Atropos muttered something under her breath and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Hey, what exactly did you mean by prizes?” Victor growled at Kes.

The demigod had evidently decided to overlook the Goddesses’ offensive observations and focus on what was irking him the most.

Kes smirked. “Did the fight with Alecto and Megaera affect your brain, little brother? It means we want some private time with Icarus and the new South Star.” Her grin widened. “And by private time, they’ll be naked and so will we.”

The handle of Victor’s cup snapped, spilling coffee down his pants. Black flames bloomed around him.

“Hmm,” Cassius murmured while Theo tried to calm his lover down. “How about we all—?”

“He returns.”

The Reaper God’s voice made Strickland and Morgan’s team flinch. They whirled around and gawped at the dark-robed apparition clinging to the shadows of the bedroom.

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