I turned to face him, not shying away from the brilliant shine of his eyes. “And what exactly do humans need?”
“To believe in a higher power, to have faith and direction. I can provide both.”
“After you kill all the other gods?” My tone was flat and judgmental. “You think I want that?”
“Humans don’t always know what is good for them until it’s too late,” he said with a knowing smirk. It made him more devilishly handsome.
His words hammered at me with both specific and nonspecific guilt. It was as if he took all of my regrets and turned them inward, beating me with hammers until I could barely breathe from the weight of self-loathing and remorse.
“But in my presence, I can melt away the uncertainty,” he added. The internal onslaught disappeared, and I sucked in a breath, my body now weightless and free.
“You're quite the salesman. But I've seen infomercials with more subtlety.”
Aten's smile didn't falter, but his eyes—they flickered. Not with less power, but with something more human. Annoyance? Frustration?
In case he didn’t think I understood, I spelled it out. “You want me because of the weapon I wield.”
“Miranda, you misunderstand. This isn't about salesmanship. It's about destiny. Your destiny is to be alongside me.”
“Oh, destiny,” I ground out between clenched teeth. “That old chestnut. I get it. You're all-powerful, sun-shiny, and apparently, into kidnapping. But you're missing a crucial piece here.”
“And what would that be?” he inquired, genuinely curious, or so it seemed. Gods were hard to read.
“Consent. You're missing my yes. And here's a fun fact about me—I don't do well with coercion.”
Aten's radiant façade dimmed just a smidge, but it was enough. “This is about Nun, isn’t it?” Before I could answer, he went on. “He always did have a knack for interfering.”
I nodded, keeping my stance relaxed though every muscle in my body was coiled tight. “Yeah, what can I say? I got this thingabout guys not annihilating their peers or enslaving humanity, and he's weird like that.”
Aten chuckled, a sound like warm sunlight. “Nun... Xander... he's always been a thorn in my side. Even back when the world was younger, he opposed me out of principle.”
“Principles are pesky things, aren't they?” I nodded. “They can really get in the way of a good dictatorship.”
I began to shuffle ever so slightly in the direction of Jamal and Mama Jean. I had to get them out of here.
He leaned closer, forcing me to freeze. Heat radiated off him until it beaded on my skin. “You jest, Miranda, but think of what we could achieve. No more petty squabbles among the gods. A unified world under a single, guiding light.”
“What if people—and gods—don't want to be micromanaged by a giant celestial lightbulb? What if they like their free will?”
Aten's smile wavered, and for a moment I thought I'd pushed him too far. But then he sighed, a sound like the wind over the desert sands.
“Miranda, I’m beginning to believe you don’t even appreciate my gift,” he said, exasperated. “Did you not like my gift?”
“Your gift?” I asked, uncomprehending.
His lips curled up in devilish glee. “Seth was easy to talk into making a move when the rest of the gods were gathered. And he brought the ranks of gods and monsters with him for the coup against the others. I gave you the perfect opportunity to display your power in front of the others, and then took your burden from you.”
“My burden?” I whispered.
“You needed to kill all those that you released, correct? I solved your problem in one quick go.”
The way Seth burst into flames and then they reached out and set all of his fellow dissenters aflame.
“And the other gods?” If he could burn all the baddies, did he kill Grim, Vivien, and Xander?
My throat went dry as my stomach tightened at the thought.
“They are also enjoying my hospitality.” Aten's twisted smile revealed his enjoyment of my suffering, and my heart thudded with fear at what he could do.
