I suspected it had to do with him turning into his god-likeness, a monster of epic proportions that was out of its mind with pain and power. But Xander was divested of his excess of power.
“You pulled him from the brink, just as he pushes you out of your little tidy boxes that are slowly rotting and decaying in the ground.”
The kettle whistled until I lifted it off the burner, making no move to make tea.
“Have you always been so keen to get a word in on your wielder’s behavior, or am I just lucky?” I asked, suddenly feeling tired.
“I've never been wielded by a mortal before,” Bob confessed quietly. “And I must say, it has been the best experience I’ve ever had by far.”
I swallowed hard, the room suddenly feeling too quiet, too hot and heavy.
“Why’s that?” I didn’t really want to ask, but I knew he’d hear the question in my mind.
“I have been a weapon of destruction for thousands of years,” Bob said solemnly. “But in your hands, I have found purpose beyond bloodshed. You are a wielder of compassion and strength, Miranda. It brings me solace to serve someone who values more than just power.” Heinz nudged my leg with his nose, as if in agreement with Bob’s words.
I leaned against the kitchen counter, feeling the weight of Bob’s words settling around me like a heavy cloak.
“It’s also why Heinz came along. He recognized Xander was looking for something in the afterlife, and once he learned of you, the pup realized he wanted to be with you.”
My hand dropped to scratch Heinz’s head, causing his tail to wag enthusiastically.
The reality of my situation—preparing for the Immortal Ball, navigating the complexities of my relationships, and coming to terms with my own identity—seemed even more daunting now. But a warmth spread from the center of my chest at Bob’s words.
Suddenly being human didn’t seem as bad as it had a moment ago.
I jerked when my phone buzzed on the counter. Grabbing it, I answered as soon as I saw who it was.
“Hey Timothy—” I started.
“I know we are to meet much later to prepare for the evening’s events,” he rambled in a hurried rush. “But there is a situation I feel you may be suited to?—”
“Spit it out,” I commanded.
He sighed on the other side of the line. “It’s Xander.”
Chapter 23
The Badass
Xander was where Timothy said, standing in the Menaggio fountains. The god was completely naked, in the middle of the jets of water rocketing into the sky in time with music and lights.
The crowd surrounded the edges, entirely focused on the man standing waist deep in the water. Phone cameras were out documenting the crazy guy yelling and splashing in the water.
As I approached the edge of the fountain, Grim and Timothy stood side by side, their expressions a blend of concern and impatience. Grim, drenched from head to toe, appearedparticularly irritable, water dripping from his soaked clothes onto the pavement, casting a dour shadow.
Steering clear of the pissed off and wet god of the dead, I sidled up next to Timothy. He was furiously tapping on his tablet. “What is Xander doing?”
Grim growled from the other side of Timothy.
Timothy paused, raising his head. “Losing his mind and making a scene I’ll have to clean up.”
A delivery man, uniform slightly askew and pushing a heavily laden cart, maneuvered through the crowd towards us. He locked eyes with Grim, an air of determination in his stride.
"Excuse me, sir?" he called out, pulling a small, oddly shaped package from his cart. "I have a delivery that requires your signature."
Grim glanced at Timothy with a raised eyebrow before turning back to the man with the cart. “This isn’t a good time.”
The courier shrugged as he chewed his gum in loud, open mouth smacks. The guy had no idea he’d chosen to face off with a god who could rip his soul from his body. “I can’t leave until you sign and take your delivery, and I’ve got at least fifty more stops. The longer you take, the more people you’ll be denying their important packages.”
