“Good. Now, I was wondering if I could offer you something…”
Gaia glanced over at her, skeptically. “Offer me something? What is it? A clone of me? Someone to hold the tectonic shelves together during the next earthquake?”
Fate chuckled. “If only I had that ability, Sister. But no, I was hoping you would allow me to find you a partner.”
Gaia sat up straight. “A partner?”
“Yes. More than just a quick lay. Someone to appreciate a sunset with. Someone to walk next to as you stroll along one of the beautiful beaches you made. Or just someone to listen when you’ve had a tough day. You seemmuchmore relaxed now, and we’ve just been talking a few minutes.”
“Hmm, you might be onto something.”
Fate sat up, her eyes bright. “You’ll let me, then?”
Gaia took another long sip of her drink. “Okay. Whatever.” She wasn’t sure what exactly she was agreeing to, and she’d probably regret it. But for some reason, she was open to anything now.
“And while we’re at it, maybe you can be a little less harsh on the shifters and vampires for revealing their true nature to their human mates. I understand they wait until they can trust the person completely.”
Flapping her hand, Gaia slurred, “Zure, why not?”
“So can we go back and adjourn the court? Let the paranormals go with a stern warning?”
“You go. I’m gonna zit here and zulk.”
Chapter 2
Fate had adjourned the court and waited for the muses and paranormals to leave. Summoning the oldest goddesses, she quickly filled them in. “Goddesses! She agreed to it!”
Gasps all around were followed by a burst of laughter from Karma. “I don’t know how you managed it, Fate, but I can’t wait to see what happens.”
Fate pointed a long finger at her sister Karma. “You, stay out of it.”
“Why? I think it sounds like fun.”
“No, your job could easily get in the way. You know how you can be…”
“Oh, so you think I’ll be ironically vengeful just because our sister is bossy, arrogant, and rude?”
“Yes.”
Karma smirked. “I admit it’s tempting.”
“How about if we just run the candidates by you first? Then you can weigh in on the state oftheirkarma—good or bad.”
Karma tipped her head this way and that as she considered her limited involvement. “Okay. I guess that makes sense. No need to make her regret her decision…” She mumbled under her breath, “…right away.”
“So, goddesses,” Fate said, “How do you propose we begin finding a suitable mate for the goddess of all?”
“Isn’t that your job?” Artemis asked. “I mean, I’m goddess of the hunt, but that’s for wild animals. The only thing I can contribute is the caveat that this person should be her equal. Someone she cannot bully. Someone she must come to respect.”
“Perhaps we should hear from Aphrodite,” Minerva suggested wisely.
“Excellent idea!” The remaining goddesses murmured their agreement and looked to the goddess of love.
“Oh dear,” Aphrodite began. “Some have had luck with blind dates. It’s not perfect, but at least she would have a chance to spend some time, one-on-one, with the god you choose for her.”
“I hear she likes Apollo,” Fate said.
Minerva crossed her arms. “I’ve also heard her call him a brownnoser. Think, everyone. If it’s one of the gods, then it isn’t very blind, is it? She knows them all.”
