Page 5 of The Death God
Gregory walked into the kitchen, snatched a bread roll off the cooling rack, and then spotted the cake in the baking pan. He cut a piece and shoved it into his mouth.
“Carrot?” He glanced at Rufus over his shoulder. Minerva and Jaki were there too, both of them spellbound by their phones.
“Yeah, breakfast cake.”
Gregory frowned. What the fuck was breakfast cake? Were there special cakes for breakfast? Listening to make sure Thanatos wasn’t about to enter the kitchen, he cut another piece.
“Where is he?”
Rufus didn’t ask who Gregory meant. “In his room. He and Prophecy exchanged their normal morning greeting, and he ran off.”
Their normal morning greeting? Gregory had avoided Thanatos for two months now, so he wasn’t sure what their greeting entailed. He squished the jealousy trying to take hold in his chest. He didn’t care how they greeted each other. “What does it entail?” His tongue would get the memo, eventually. Any day now.
“The greeting?” When Gregory nodded, Rufus continued. “Prophecy glares or says something rude. Thanatos checks his death and either smirks or says he knows something Prophecy doesn’t, then Minerva cuts in and defends Prophecy despite him being the ass.”
“I do not!” Minerva looked up from her screen. The seat next to her was vacant, but Gregory suspected Prophecy had been sitting there earlier since there was a cup still on the table.
“Prophecy then postures like a peacock and thinks he’s the shit, and Thanatos leaves without eating any of the breakfast he’s prepared for everyone. I fear he’ll fade away soon.”
Anger burned in Gregory’s veins. “We should kill Prophecy. Why the hell are we keeping him?”
“Hey!” Minerva glared at them. “Everyone deals with trauma differently.”
They ignored her.
“Maybe we could try to sell him back. It would give us a lead to where the rest of the seers are.” Gregory had meant it as a joke, but he liked the idea more and more with each second.
A bread roll flew through the air, hitting him on his temple. “You’re such an ass, Gregory!”
Gregory stared at her. He’d never seen Minerva as angry as now. He turned back to Rufus. “Perhaps we should discuss our plans in private.”
A low chuckle rose from Jaki, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Gregory. At least one of the seers appreciated him.
“Actually—” Before Rufus could say anything else, Minerva screeched.
“I’m so sick of you saying shit about Prophecy!” She glared around the room. “He’s been through the same nightmare we have, so cut him some slack.”
Before Gregory could think of anything to say, Jaki spoke. His voice was soft, but it had a steely tone. “And yet the rest of us manage to be around other people without acting as if they should drop to their knees and worship the ground we’re walking on. Prophecy is still acting as if he’s more important than the rest of us. The only reason he got any perks in the house of horrors was because he licked the warden’s ass whenever he got the chance.”
Minerva spluttered, but Jaki continued to speak.
“I’m not saying I blame him. We all had to do what we had to do in there, and being the warden’s pet had its perks, but we’re out now. And here in this castle, Prophecy isn’t worth shit. Walking around thinking he deserves special treatment when he isn’t contributing to anything is getting on everyone’s nerves.”
Minerva stared at him with wide eyes, and Gregory cut another piece of cake. Carrot wasn’t his favorite, but it was still cake. And cake and entertainment went hand in hand.
“And what are you contributing with other than sucking vampire cock?”
Gregory glanced toward the doorway where Prophecy was standing. He had good tiptoeing skills. Gregory hadn’t heard him arrive, but maybe it was because he was focused on the cake.
“See what I mean?” Jaki looked into Minerva’s eyes as he gestured at Prophecy.
Minerva said nothing, so Jaki continued. “The rest of us have spent two months cleaning this castle. Gregory and Rufus have taken every job they can to get us money. Thanatos is cooking most meals, we’ve painted and done whatever repairs we’ve been able to, and what has Prophecy done?”
Gregory hadn’t realized it, but Jaki was right. Minerva, Jaki, and Thanatos had cleaned and painted and had watched a million YouTube videos about DIY home improvement. Jaki had given him lists of things they needed, and they’d done their best. The only thing they hired people to do was the windows.
They had tried to make this castle a home while Gregory had killed people for money and drowned his sorrows with whatever bottle ended up in his hand when he went to the booze room.
Prophecy huffed and left the kitchen. Minerva glared at them and followed him. Gregory didn’t understand what she saw in Prophecy, but if she wanted to waste her time on the prick, it was her choice. She was a grown woman, and Gregory had enough problems of his own.
