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“I do miss Netflix,” I mumble under my breath.
She hums. “That and humans. They’re so… chaotic, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes. Like the folk, right?”
Hecate shakes her head. “The folk might have their own dramas, but the humans of Earth are a different breed of chaos. I’m sure that was an intentional interference.”
“By who?”
“A primordial who doesn’t like to be left out of the fun.”
That’s not an answer, but one doesn’t just ask a goddess to clarify. Especially not when she gives the full weight of her attention to me. My breath catches and I try not to move. She’s so… much and I’m so… not. Pulse racing, I search her face.
“You didn’t bring me here just to chat, did you?”
She laughs and shakes her head. “You may be the first of your kind in this world, but you won’t be the last.”
I could argue that without magic the humans can’t find their way here, but if anyone has the power to bestow magic, it’s her.
“Humans have a tendency to ruin a good thing,” I warn her.
She grins, but it’s full of teeth and dark threats. “They can try.”
“I’d hate to see this world ruined,” I try again. It’s not my place to advise her, but giving humans unfettered access to this world is… ill advised. It may not be technologically advanced but that’s part of the charm. If the wrong people found their way here, they’d find a way to monetize it and bleed it dry.
“Mmm. I am aware of that,” she says, reading my thoughts. “Which is why a chosen few will be blessed to travel between the worlds, though some may find themselves lost in this one.”
A line forms above my nose. “Why are you telling me this?”
“They’ll come to you for help.”
“And you want me to help them?” It would have been nice if someone had been here to help me.
She nods.
“I’ll do what I can,” I say, careful not to over promise.
“Good. Then it will be done.” She places her hand on my chest. “Now, as for that blessing.”
A beam of pure white light bursts from her palm and one moment I’m blinded, and in the next, I’m back on the dais with Orcus and the priestess’ head still pressed to our hands, like no time has passed at all. Orcus’ pupils are blown wide and as the moonlight fades, a smile breaks across his face.
The priestess releases a shaky exhale. “The goddess is very pleased,” she murmurs before glancing at me. “You have received the moon’s many blessings.”
“To the king and queen,” Orlena shouts from the stands and a roar of applause and cheering follow her words.
FIFTY
It’s trull, not troll
DAISY
Standing before a goddess is far less terrifying than standing before a swarm of trulls. They may be tiny but we all know they’re stabby. Harald and Lagertha are set apart from the rest, standing at my feet and looking up at me expectantly. When they said they’d invite some trulls, I didn’t anticipate so many.
I married the king of monsters, but this queen is still petrified. I’m about to lose an eye if I don’t make them happy. I told them I’d fix their tax situation, and after pouring over the accounts with the crown’s accountant, I determined just how much they overpaid. The slight ogre, smaller than any I’ve ever seen, had an actual title I’m sure, but as soon as I saw what was being done to the trulls and the rest of the monsters, I was too distracted to ask.
The king had increased taxes across the board for seemingly no reason. No one benefitted from the increase but the king, and the royal coffers were overflowing with unused coins. The trulls had taken the worst of it, and I hate Orcus’ dad even more than I did before. I don’t know what became of him, but I doubt he’s enjoying himself. The furies didn’t exactly strike me as goddesses that would be merciful.
“Daisy,” Harald prompts.
