Page 111 of The Unseen Hour

“And it may distract you from your paramour for the moment. Hear me out, and we’ll wait for him to return.”

“What do we do once he’s back? If he’s just been to Charon’s, if the god is feeling paranoid, then can we still go after the second item?”

“You leave Charon to me. I’ve seen him recently, so it may look suspicious if I call him again, but I can certainly goad one of the other deities into causing some trouble. Once Orion has returned, I will leave and make sure that Charon stays occupied while you find the other item we need.”

I let out a deep breath. I still didn’t like Orion’s absence, but this might have turned out to be a good thing. If Death knew our exact timing, she would be better able to keep the god of the Ether away from us. It would be the best and possibly only opportunity to get the second item without worry that he would descend on us the minute we crossed his gates.

“All right,” I agreed.

Death smiled, perfect teeth shining as she clapped her hands together.

“Good. Then it’s time you learned about the other gods.”

CHAPTER 45

Death’s whole form sparked with small arcs of lightning.

“I’ve already told you a bit about how we intervene in Rayus. My Reapers assist your souls out of the world when they are meant to die, and I collect the dead. That is my purpose. Life for humans is so short, and then my realm stretches for eternity. I am responsible for souls longer than any of the other deities, which you would think would mean something. But the others …” She shrugged.

“And the other gods?”

“You’ve met Odos now. When we began, he undertook the responsibility of misfortune. He throws obstacles into paths. He hardens hearts and deafens ears to keep them from listening to logic. A troublemaker, all around. But he’s also a supporter of strength, so he’s handy in a war if you gain his favor.”

I knew it.

Emrys didn’t recognize him, and a god of misfortune and war is something we’d never considered, but he’d immediately struck me as ready for battle.

“I’ve already told you of Day. Overseas birth, and that’s about it. I think you humans associate birth with growth, and tie it to harvests, and that’s how he got credit for that bit of Charon’s role. To be fair, I’d be annoyed as well.”

“And that’s all Day does?”

She shrugged, the movement stiff. It was as if Day annoyed her in particular. I supposed they were cast as opposing forces, life and Death.

“Then, there’s Grim. He oversees illnesses, injuries and the like. He can be a healer, or usher people all the more quickly to my realm. He’s also got an odd obsession with pretty things, so he’s the deity of art, if that means much to you.” Her tone suggested that she didn’t think much of the power of a painting.

I silently tallied the number of gods, my mind reeling.

“And the god of the Ether?” I pressed, more interested in the enemy we faced than the others.

Death scowled, small arcs of lightning dancing across her skin.

“He was meant to nurture the world around you humans, the only one of us who did not directly interact. To support the plants and animals that surround you instead. He’s always envied my role.”

I couldn’t wrap my head around that. I loved the gardens back home, and Pellix, and the tree hoppers. It made sense, then, that the Ether allowed things to grow. That there was a wide variety of animals and intelligent creatures, not to mention both edible and deadly plants.

It was his purpose.

“And he’d rather kill people than nurture those things?”

“He’s always been jealous of me. Always wanted what he sees as a showier and grander option. I have souls the longest, and he never gets them at all. As you’ve seen, he also has an interest in music.”

Her voice got softer, more gentle, on the last bit. She might not have thought much of art, but she clearly enjoyed music, even if she hated Charon.

I scowled. Charon’s purpose was beautiful. And honestly the one I would have wanted most if I’d been a deity myself. He hadn’t appreciated his role, and the selfish ambitions of a god I hadn’t even known existed had cost me, Emrys, and all of Rayus for too long.

“Why did we only hear about you and Day in Emrys?”

Death shrugged.