He stared at the amber liquid as he spoke. “I have decided it is in all of the immortals’ best interests to conduct a convocation.”
The barest arch of Miranda’s eyebrow told me she didn’t know what that meant either.
“You sound like Timothy,” I joked. “Why don’t you just tell us what is going on?”
I didn’t care for flourish or bullshit. It’s one of the reasons why I worshiped the no-nonsense woman next to me so much.
Grim gave a sharp nod before tossing back the small bit of liquid. “In plain terms, we are going to hold a ball.”
“And this involves us… how?” Not to say I didn’t appreciate Grim getting me in proximity of Miranda again, but this felt like he was wasting our time.
Since I’d been released from the basement, I’d stayed as far away from immortal affairs as I could, that is until I joined Miranda on her mission. Even then, I had no desire to socialize with my brethren.
Grim leveled a gaze at me. “Word has finally spread of Nun's revival, and the immortals have grown anxious to welcome you back into the fold.”
My hands slipped out of my cargo shorts at that.Oh, fuck me off a waterfall.
My tone turned stiff and cold. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not interested.”
“Xander,” Grim said, using his best ‘be reasonable’ voice. “Things have been tense with the release of Aten and any number of chaotic gods.”
I didn’t bother pointing out I was one of the original chaotic gods.
He went on. “A soiree to unite our kind in celebration of the return of one of our strongest will both assure and invigorate morale. You know as well as I do, we are best when we are united.”
I took a step back, cognizant that Miranda was studying me closely. “Forget it. I am not some showpiece you are going to use to rally those spineless narcissists.” The last words came out in a snarl.
“As much as you dislike it, you are one of us.” Grim sighed. “I know the last time you gathered with the immortals it didn’t end well?—”
“Forget it,” I spat out, cutting him off. My vision swam and blackness crept in on all sides, but I fought it back.
The very thought of being near those assholes, much less the center of scrutiny, threatened my senses I’d been working so hard to keep under control.
Grim's proposal echoed in my mind in a hundred taunting voices. My jaw twitched uncontrollably and a deafening roar filled my ears.
Pain.
Time.
Isolation.
They beat at me with so many bludgeoning rocks.
They were afraid, all of them. Afraid of Aten and what he was capable of. And they wanted to see me, the one who dared challenge him, the one who saw through his manipulations.
The anger swelled and raged inside me, consuming my thoughts and clouding my judgment. My body was coiled like a spring, ready to snap at any moment.
Grim’s voice lowered, snaking under my rioting senses. “The days have grown hotter, a blaze that will only continue to grow as Aten runs loose. They are afraid, Xander. With Aten no doubt plotting somewhere, they want to see you. The one who dared challenge him, the one who saw his machinations for what they were.”
A wave of hot fury rushed through me, threatening to boil over and consume everything in its path. Tendons and muscles swelled, attempting to lengthen and change. My primal instincts wanted to turn me into something else. Something unhinged and uncontrollable.
"They can all fuck each other right off a cliff!” Only after the words escaped me, did I realize I screamed them. In my periphery, Miranda recoiled. Self-hatred added its white-hot lancing pain to the mix.
Grim continued to meet my gaze with unflinching resolve. I dropped my voice to a low, gravelly tone, that still dripped with venom. "Or better yet, they can burn by Aten's hand. It's what he did to me."
The threads on my string of sanity were fast-fraying, so I turned and stalked out of the club before I lost control.
Each step felt like I was walking through fire, my mind ablaze with memories of Aten and his cruel actions.
