Page 77 of Courting War
“You called.”
“I did not.”
“Then why did a conspiracy of ravens attack me?”
Theo’s eyebrows drew together. She hadn’t sent her ravens to Destruction. Theo didn’t have that power at the moment.
Squawk, squawk, squawk. Dahlia puffed out her feathers.
“You did this?” Theo asked her tattoo.
The raven gave a motion like a shrug.Squawk, squawk.
“Well then,” Theo said, “the tattoo sent for you.” Theo switched to the gods’ language so Kellyn wouldn’t understand. “But I'm glad you’ve come.”
“Because you want me to be a voyeur?” A sugarplum smile floated on Gallagher’s face. “Dirty, dirty goddess turned human.”
“Gallagher, focus, please.” Theo stifled a huff. Destruction was always impossible, but Theo didn’t have the time or energy for it now.
Gallagher didn’t focus. “So, have you been copulating with the mortal for very long?” she said with a sly lift of her eyebrow.
“I haven’t been copulating with anyone—”
“Sure, sure.” Gallagher winked, jumping onto the bed, and posing like a cat.
Theo sighed and changed tactics. If the irritating goddess didn’t focus on her own, Theo would wave a shiny object in front of her face. “Are you still seeking mayhem?” Theo asked, knowing that Gallagher’s style of mayhem might be precisely what she needed.
“You know I always am.”
“Then I have a job for you.”
With this task, Theo trusted Gallagher the most. The girl was manipulative, chaotic, and altogether unstable, but her desire was consistent. She wanted fun, tumult, and excitement. She wanted to dance on the moon and fly too close to the sun. She wanted to skate on rivers of ice and jump from mountains of fire.
She was adrenaline in humanoid form.
“Is it going to be fun?” Gallagher kicked out her feet and satup straight, like a puppy awaiting a treat. “Do I get to destroy things?”
“Depends on how you look at it,” Theo said, praying she was doing the right thing. Gallagher was consistent, but she was also nearly impossible to reign in.
Although she did follow direct orders.
“Color me intrigued.” Gallagher wiggled her nose, and a sinister glint danced in her rose quartz eyes.
Theo rubbed her hands together, her stomach grumbling and still upset from the second challenge. “I want you to take my rightful place in the Sacrifice. I want you to act as the War Judge.”
“Can I be the antagonist?” Gallagher asked with predatory grace.
Theo rolled her eyes. Gallagher enjoyed watching the world burn. She liked her place in the ranks as a villain amongst the gods. She bathed in heartache and tears. And all she ever wanted to do was bring chaos.
In the past, Gallagher repeatedly asked to cause havoc on the world stage—to be what she was meant to be. Destruction.
But Theo almost always said no.
The two gods had the same conversation when Cecile entered the Agoge, and Theo sent Gallagher to watch over the girl.
But this time it would go slightly different because destruction was what Theo wanted.
Destruction of the gods’ plans.
