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“But…but…”
He chuckled as she continued to sputter. “Look, taking some time for yourself before you start handling your new responsibilities isn’t that big of a deal. As I said before, it’s been a few centuries since we’ve had a God of Revenge. A few more days won’t hurt. It will be good for you to figure out some of the basics on your own.” He started to turn away, then paused. “Just try not to smite anyone if you get the urge.”
“What?” she gasped. “I’m going to try to kill people?”
“You just might. Revenge is a tricky business. At this point, none of us know what you’ll be capable of,” he tossed over his shoulder as he walked away. “Buckle up, cupcake. You’re in for one hell of a ride.”
Chapter Two
Autumn gasped whenshe suddenly found herself standing back in the kitchen of The Sweet Spot. She usually found comfort in being surrounded by the familiar pale pink walls and gleaming stainless-steel appliances, but now, everything looked too damn bright and cheerful for her current mood.
She closed her eyes and took several long, deep breaths to try to calm her racing heart. Since she’d barely felt the pressure of teleporting, there was a small part of her that wondered if she’d simply imagined the time she’d spent in the Celestial Realm. It wouldn’t be that difficult to write it off as some sort of psychotic break. Then, she opened her eyes again and glanced down to see she was still wearing the bronze dress that had been gifted to her.
Well…shit.
So, everything really had happened.
Autumn was now the Goddess of Revenge. Besides having no idea what that meant, she had no freaking clue what her new responsibilities were or what was expected of her. She was also worried about hurting someone with her new power boost.
Keo had expressly stated that she might get the urge to start killing people, which was a thoroughly terrifying thought. She still had her doubts, but if that did turn out to be true, she had to learn how to control herself. To do that, she needed to figure out how to access all of the information that had been stored in her brain…and fast.
Because if she was going to end up hurting someone, Keo had secured a place right at the top of her imaginary hit list. The cryptic god would rightly deserve it, too. He had left her feeling scared and totally confused. Teleporting her back to the Human Realm to deal with the fallout herself was just plain cruel.
Then again, the gods weren’t exactly known for their compassionate natures.
Keo might be in charge of the Merit of Godhood Trials, but it most likely hadn’t occurred to him that actually helping her deal with the emotional upheaval should have been part of that process. To be fair, she surmised that the majority of new gods didn’t need much comfort. They had probably been elated by their magical upgrades after dedicating years of their lives in preparation for the trials.
And then there was Autumn.
While she considered this event an anomaly of epic proportions, she had been chosen for a reason. She just wasn’t sure what that reason was. Keo had been right about one thing, though. Being transformed out of the blue wasn’t something that transpired very often. In fact, it was such a rare occurrence that it was bound to cause quite a stir once people found out about it.
Whether she liked it or not, Autumn would be at the center of a shitstorm of gossip, so she needed to learn how to protect herself and the people she loved before her godhood status became public.
Although she was struggling to accept her transformation, Autumn was aware of the exceptional blessing that had been bestowed upon her. She should be grateful, but she wasn’t quite ready for that yet. She needed time to wrap her head around everything before she could appreciate what she’d been given. The best way to do that would be to access all of the information that had been fed to her by the magical source.
Unfortunately, she had no clue how to do that…yet.
She reached out and picked up one of the chocolate chunk cookies from the cooling rack. It seemed like ages ago that she had placed them there, but the chocolate was still warm and gooey in the center as she tore off a piece. That meant she hadn’t been gone for long. She absently popped the piece of cookie into her mouth, letting the familiar flavors of the creamy butter, sugar, and rich chocolate help boost her mood.
Owning a business had never been a long-term dream of hers, but she loved baking and enjoyed running the bakery with her friend. Autumn had never really excelled in school. She’d done okay, but with average grades and an overall disinterest in studying, attending college, or continuing her education had just seemed like torture to her. So, when her friend suggested they go into business together, Autumn had quickly agreed.
She loved being her own boss and setting her own hours. Even more, she was happy they had created a fun space where people could enjoy themselves in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. From busy office workers to students from the university, they tried to cater to everyone’s needs. The main level and outdoor patio seating were for regular customers, but the second level was for people who wanted a quieter space to study or work.
She usually loved the laughter and chatter coming from the front of the bakery and coffee shop, but now it was grating on her nerves. Everything seemed too loud. Too frantic. As she focused on the noise, it all seemed to grow in volume until several different conversations reached her at once.
It sounded like people were shouting directly in her ears, making her head throb with pain. Overwhelmed by the onslaught of noise, she put her hands over her ears, but that did no good. Concentrating, she tried to decrease the volume by imagining she was slowly turning a dial and was instantly relieved when it worked. She had a moment of sheer panic when the world went completely silent, then realized she had simply overcompensated.
Adjusting her hearing again, she finally set it at a level that was enough to stop the aching discomfort.
What she really needed was to go home where she could have a little peace and quiet to clear her head. No, that wasn’t completely true. She wanted to be alone so she could bawl her eyes out. She’d always found that to be a great way to relieve stress. After she shed some tears, she could usually bounce back pretty quickly. But for this situation, she might need a more serious solution, like some supernatural therapy to help her figure everything out.
Or better yet, she needed to talk to her family.
As if summoned by her thoughts alone, Jordan Bright backed through the swinging doors that led to the front of the bakery and coffee shop carrying several empty trays. Autumn and Jordan had been business partners and best friends for years, and though they were vastly different in both age and personality type, they complemented one another perfectly when it came to running their business.
While Autumn had grown up like a human, Jordan had been a pixie who had cultivated her magic until she had been able to transform into a powerful fairy. Pixies and fairies were usually gifted when it came to preparing delicious food, but Jordan couldn’t seem to bake anything without burning it. Thankfully, they had three other primary bakers who were almost as good as Autumn was in the kitchen.
That left Jordan free to run the front of their business with her crew of dedicated servers. The fairy had a bright, cheerful disposition that made her a favorite amongst their patrons. She could also make a killer latte without having to glance down while carrying on an in-depth conversation about world politics or discussing the latest trends on social media.
