Page 140 of Psync
A ball of blazing light formed in the god’s hands, and Eli found a detached part of him thinking how cool this would look if it wasn’t happening to them.
Eli braced himself, ready to die, ready to be torn away from Haruka, willing himself to remember everything this time. He wouldn’t be fooled by this asshat. He would find Haruka, and they would figure out how to get rid of this guy in their next life.
Eli felt Haruka’s wordless assent as the light flashed and sped toward them—only to be blocked by a broom.
The little shrine maiden stood between them and the mad god with a look of faint irritation. “I told you it was a bad match, Helios. I told you this hundreds of years ago when you came after my boy the first time.”
“Stay out of this, Benzaiten.” Helios snarled.
“Excuse me? You come into my house, attack my people, and have the nerve to tell me to stay out of it?” Benzaiten seemed to grow with every word, until she towered over Helios.
The weight vanished from Eli’s body. Eli and Haruka exchanged glances and, in unison, scrambled back to give the gods some space.
“Your people? This one has belonged to me since she was born.”
“We’re two people now, assface!” Eli couldn’t stop himself from shouting.
“Yes. Mine.” The goddess said each word like an attack. Helios staggered backward. When this one was born on my shores”—Benzaiten nodded toward Haruka—“he became mine. Why do you think he kept being reincarnated here again and again?”
Helios gave her a calculating look. “Then keep that one, I don’t want him anyway. But give the other one to me.”
The goddess turned and fixed her eyes on Eli. “You should have been mine, Eli. I’ve been waiting for you to come here. You’ve gotten close many times, lived dozens of lives throughout Asia, but this is the first time you’ve made it to my shores.” Benzaiten turned back to Helios. “When he asked for my help today, he became mine as well.”
Haruka looked at Eli in surprise. “Is that why you came here?”
“I wasn’t planning on it, but yeah. Kinda?”
“You have no power over my people, Helios. Amaterasu knows you’re here, and she’s not happy about it. She still has many worshipers to fuel her. Do you?”
The mention of the Japanese sun goddess had Helios dropping his hands. For the first time, his arrogant smile left his face. He looked toward Eli and Haruka “You were supposed to be mine.”
“We were never yours.”
The sun blazed brighter, but Helios no longer seemed strengthened by its rays. Instead, he dropped to his knees.
“She’s almost here, Helios,” Benzaiten said, twirling her broom artfully.
Helios gave Haruka and Eli one final look and vanished.
The sun’s rays flickered as if it were disappointed.
“Um.” Eli began and stopped.
“Thank you.” Haruka released his death grip on Eli and bowed to the goddess.
Hastily, Eli followed suit. “Thank you so very much.” He used the politest version of Japanese he could manage.
“You’re very welcome. Both of you. I’ve wanted to do this for ages, but this is the first time you’ve been here, Eli. Haruka belonged to this land when he was born here. All of the gods and goddesses have been aware of your problem for some time, but we haven’t been able to do anything about it until now. Do you want to belong here, Eli?”
“Yes, please!” Was that too eager? He felt like maybe he’d just been too eager.
Benzaiten laughed, and it sounded like water flowing playfully over river stones. “Good. Take good care of each other, you two. We’re all invested in your relationship, so make it a good one.”
The goddess touched each of them on the head. Eli’s mind glowed happily, and his internal alarm stayed silent. Apparently, it didn’t mind goddesses.
“I’ve given you both my blessing.” She held out both hands. “Here, I have one for each of you.”
Eli reached out and allowed her to place a small silk bag in his hand. It was an omamori—a good luck charm usually found for sale at shrines and temples. This one was a little different than the ones Eli was used to seeing. It had three tiny bells attached to the drawstring. They tinkled softly as he turned the bag in his hand.
