Page 12 of Gods of Prey
“Found? What, like a stray cat?” Confusion contorts his features.
My expression flattens. “He fell in love,” I clarify in annoyance. What is it about these men in Aurelys that makes me want to slam my fist into their face?
“Love . . . ” his repeats disbelievingly.
I nod. “He’s hunting the remaining members of the Loyal Order of the Serpent. The cult that killed me in our last life.”
Revel paces the room, processing this information. “Hunting?” he repeats skeptically. “That doesn’t sound like him. Why hasn’t he returned? What’s holding him there besides her?”
This is where I have to be careful. I can’t tell Revel that Sebastian has manipulated the timeline, that he’s reset it oncealready to save Jovie’s life, that we're all now living in an altered version of reality where he’s managed to save both her and our mortal father.
“I believe he’s forgotten,” I say instead. “Sometimes, after a particularly traumatic death, memories of our divine nature can become clouded. He’s immersed himself so completely in his mortal identity that he may genuinely not remember who he truly is.”
It’s not entirely a lie. Sebastian has indeed buried his divine consciousness beneath his mortal identity. It’s just that he did it deliberately, not as an accident of trauma.
Revel frowns, clearly concerned. “That’s never happened before.”
“We’ve never lived a life quite like that before,” I counter.
Revel seems to accept this explanation. “Then we need to go to him. Remind him of who he is.”
“Agreed,” I say, moving back toward the center of the room. “But there’s a complication. I can’t take physical form in the mortal realm so soon after my death there.”
“Why not?”
“The rules of our punishment,” I remind him, twirling my finger in the air dramatically. “Sebastian and I must live each mortal life fully, and die natural deaths. If I were to return in physical form so soon after my death and the Divine Council found out, it could violate those terms.”
He pouts, confused. “So what are you suggesting? That I go alone?”
I shake my head. “I can manifest as a spirit. Invisible to most, but present. I can observe, gather information.” I leave out that I’ve already done this. Before Sebastian pretended to be God of Time and altered timelines. “You, however...”
“I need to get close to him,” Revel finishes, understanding dawning. “Take mortal form and befriend him.”
“Precisely.” I smile, but there’s no warmth in it. “No divine powers, no special abilities. Just a regular human trying to befriend a billionaire CEO who happens to be the amnesiac God of Life.”
“And you’ll be what? A ghost following me around?” Revel’s tone makes it clear what he thinks of that arrangement.
“I’ll be your eyes and ears where you cannot go,” I correct coolly. “Unless you have a better plan?”
Revel’s silence is answer enough. He doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like having to work with me, doesn’t like the idea of me watching his every move. But he knows it’s our best option.
“Fine,” he says finally. “When do we leave?”
“Immediately,” I say. “The longer he stays away, the more the balance will suffer.”
And I’ve already wasted a week.
Revel nods curtly and moves to a cabinet at the far end of the study. From it, he withdraws a crystal vial filled with golden liquid—essence of Aurelys, which will allow him to maintain some semblance of a connection to his power while in mortal form. Just enough to mask his true appearance.
“I’ll prepare for the transition,” he says, not looking at me. “Meet me at the veil in an hour.”
“Don’t be late,” I reply, turning to leave. “And Revel?”
He looks up, wariness in his eyes.
“While we’re in the mortal realm, remember that I may be in spirit form, but I am still the Goddess of Death. Cross me, and you’ll discover just how much power I retain, even as a ghost.”
I don’t wait for his response before dissolving into shadow, letting the currents between realms carry me back to Umbraeth. I need to speak with Erebus, to confirm that he can maintain order in my absence.
