by Devon Monk
“Yes,” Pan said.
“Or a pony?”
“No,” Pan said.
“That’s an option.” Myra threw Pan a look. “But your behavior will need to match the form you choose.”
“I see.” Avnas took two steps forward. “Then I choose this.”
The air blurred around him. Between one blink and the next, Avnas the man was gone and in his place was a small, black bull. A little taller than Xtelle, Avnas was wide and muscled and thick. A single white star was centered on his forehead, and his horns reached out and curved upward to deadly points.
He posed. Muscles popped in huge lumps and swells like a pillowcase stuffed with bricks.
“Oh,” Xtelle said.
“No,” Pan breathed.
“My Queen,” Amy said.
“Bulls don’t talk,” I said. “Neither do ponies or goats. Understand?”
They didn’t look at me, not one of them. Amy was too busy staring longingly into Xtelle’s eyes, she was too busy ogling his ass, and Pan was too busy snorting musical curse words.
Yep. What we had here was a full-on barnyard love triangle.
“Out,” I ordered. “I have work to do. You all should be at the petting zoo like you promised you would be, Xtelle. That’s a second count, if you don’t follow through.”
“Is someone inconsequential speaking?” she asked. “Did I hear my name?”
“Yep. No petting zoo, no staying in Ordinary.”
That got her attention.
“But it’s so children-y,” she whined.
“You should have thought about that before you stole the chocolate.”
“I shall be there with you, my Queen,” Amy said. His voice, low and soft, weirdly matched the whole bad-boy, miniature Spanish Fighting Bull form he had going.
“That’s not necessary,” Pan said. “We don’t need you there. Do we, my sweet?”
Xtelle blushed. It was really weird to see a horse’s hair turn just a little pinker at the cheeks. “Well, I suppose I should go to the dance with the one who invited me,” she hedged.
“And…I’m done,” I said. “Myra, would you make sure these two—”
Amy snorted.
“—or three get to the petting zoo?”
“Already have the extra halters and lead lines in the back of the car.”
“Of course you do.”
She gave me a wink. “Want me to see if I can find someone to adopt Amy?”
“Adopt?” his head swung, and he lifted his nose, nostrils flaring. “I am not a child.”
“No, but you’re apparently a cow of some kind,” Myra said. “Cows are owned around here, kept outside for most of the day, and sleep in barns.”
“Bull.”
“No, it’s true,” Myra said, purposely misunderstanding him.
“No, I am. A bull.”
“The living conditions are barbaric,” Xtelle said. I couldn’t tell if that was horror or glee in her tone.
“Who is your adopter, my Queen?” Amy said.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Jean,” I corrected. “For now, Jean is in charge of her. You know that, Xtelle.”
“What? Where is that annoying sound coming from?” She turned a tight circle staring at the ceiling.
“That’s it.” I strode to the door and opened it. “Everyone out.”
The entire parade marched through the door—Myra, the goat, the pony, the bull, Jean and Ryder, and finally, Than.
“Than,” I said before he was more than a step outside the building.
“Yes, Reed Daughter?”
“Thank you.”
“For which thing?” he asked.
“Breaking the spell.”
“Ah,” he said. “Yes.” He inclined his head and strolled off.
He made it about six steps before he froze.
A song of silver and pastels strummed through me. God power. A god was in Ordinary. A new god.
“Delaney Reed,” a gentle voice said.
I knew who it was, even before she stepped into visibility from between two trees.
“Hello, Tala.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
I let the door swing shut behind me. The magical jail disappeared before the lock clicked shut. I strolled over to the goddess.
“Deities usually meet me on the edge of town,” I said.
Myra had managed to shove the pony, the miniature bull, and the goat into the back seat of her squad car, and she was already on her way back to me.
Than, I realized absently, had frozen in place, halfway to the squad car, but turned toward me.
No. Correction. Turned toward Tala.
I wanted to ask him what his problem was, but I had a new god on my hands. Even though she came across as serene and gentle, her powers were just as potent as any other god.
“I came to you as you requested. Am I in error?” She didn’t move toward me, so I closed the distance.
“No. This is good,” I said. “I’ll need you to accompany me so we can store your powers. Do you understand the contract means that you must follow all of Ordinary’s rules?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Good. Welcome to Ordinary. Let me give you a ride out to Frigg’s place.” I started toward the station, but paused. She was not following me.
As a matter of fact, she hadn’t moved at all. She was still standing there, a vision of beauty and light. Soft sunbeams fell green and gold through the leaves spilling around her like dawn’s breath.
Than hadn’t moved either. His breathing had gone deep and steady and even.
“Hello, Thanatos,” Tala said.
Hearing his name seemed to break the spell holding him. He straightened just slightly, his hands coming behind his back to clasp loosely there, as if reminding himself that he should not reach out. He should not touch.
I threw a look at Myra. She looked gobsmacked, her eyes darting from Than to Tala to Than to me.
Yeah, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing either.
Could it be that there was bad blood between them? Or was it something else? Was it what it looked like—Than startled to see her? Startled and pleased and oh so awkward about the whole thing.
Did they have a different kind of history together? Something more romantic?
If his body language was anything to go by, or that long, soft look she was giving him, the odds were good.
This. Was. Awesome.
“Hello, Tala.” His voice was smooth and cool. More indifferent than I’d heard him in a long time. Nervous? Over-compensating much?
Tala did not looked fooled in the least.
“I asked Delaney if you were vacationing here.”
“Oh?” He threw me a look I couldn’t quite read. Exasperation? Panic?
“She told me you were here. You, and many others.”
“It is a destination open to many. At the Reed family’s grace, of course.”
“Of course,” she said. Her gaze finally moved from his face, slowly taking in all of him—his body, his stance—before returning to his eyes. “Grace looks good on you,” she said quietly.
Than’s head came back, just a fraction. “Yes. Well.”
“Boring!” Xtelle yelled. She’d rolled down the passenger side window of the cruiser. “Kiss her or stab her or do something!”
Tala’s gaze fell to me. “The demon is still bothering you?”
“She signed the contract. So far, she’s only broken one law. Three chances,” I answered before she asked. “The other demon is new here. Newer,” I corrected. “He’s been arrested once already. He’s down to two chances.”
Her small smile carried a lot more mischief than I expected. “Well, it appears your grace is quite generous.”
“Oh, you have no idea.” I made big eyes and nodded slightly toward Than. “So, let’s get this show on the road. Tala, you and I will find Frigg…”
“She’s on her way,” Myra said.
I grinned. “Thanks. W
e’ll get your power properly stored so you can remain here, and then I’ll go over a few details.”
“Details?” she asked.
“Things like you’ll need a place to stay. We have a few houses and apartments available for new arrivals. You need to choose a name for us to call you, and you’ll need a job or volunteer work in the community. If you like volunteering, Bertie’s the woman you want to talk to.”
I noticed Ryder and Jean had leaned in toward each other and were talking in hurried whispers. I wondered what they were up to.
“Acceptable,” she said. Then, without looking away from me, said, “It is, however quite a lot to take in. I am wondering if you might recommend a guide to me? Until I am acclimated.”
I saw exactly what she was doing. It was obvious she wanted me to pair her up with Than. Have him show her around town.
Than was my friend. I mean, he was the god of death, there was no doubting that, but he was also my friend. I knew there was something between him and Tala. It might not be friendly, but my gut said it might be friendly, and maybe a little more than that.
Tala was the goddess of the morning and evening star. Legend said she used her light to ferry men to safety. If that legend was true, then Tala had spent a lot of time caring for others. I could see why she wanted a vacation.
And I could see how she might just be patient enough to want something else. Might be patient enough to follow him across the heavens, or maybe across the Earth, to a little place called Ordinary.
Than was staring calmly at the mossy branch of a tree in the distance, acting as if he couldn’t hear a word we were saying.
I certainly didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. Didn’t want to make him feel awkward or put him in a bind.
Oh, who was I kidding? I couldn’t think of a better way to thank him for breaking the spell than throwing his maybe-possibly-ex-girlfriend/unrequited crush at him.
“Than,” I said, all boss in my tone while I struggled to smother a smile. “Are you free for the next week or two?”
One eyebrow arched. “You are my boss. I believe my schedule is in your hands?”
“Yes, for your reserve officer duties. But the kite shop? Are you working all week?” This was it. His chance to let me know he didn’t want to be with Tala. His chance to say he was just too busy to show her around.
I mean, I might want to see him squirm a little, but I did not want to actually put him in a position he’d find personally distasteful.
“I will attend my shop,” he hedged.
“Kites?” Tala said. “Do you fly them?” She sounded…happy.
His eyes narrowed. The look he gave me was one that would wake me up in the middle of the night, if I hadn’t grown up around gods.
I gave him my biggest, brightest shit-eating grin.
“I do,” he said turning to Tala. “I am also the proprietor of the shop.”
She smiled. And oh, how the world around her brightened.
Goddesses were a thing of beauty and strength and power. When all of that was focused in a smile and aimed at one very dour vacationing reaper, it was pretty amazing the air between them didn’t sizzle and catch fire.
“Would you be my guide, Thanatos?” It was like she was asking him to the prom. Very sweet and a little teasing.
Myra cleared her throat. Than shot a fast look her way. I wasn’t sure what he read in the look my sister gave him, but the two of them had developed their own language. If I had to guess, I’d say she was telling him not to be a dumbass. She was telling him to say yes.
“Here,” he said, stepping forward and offering Tala his arm, “it’s just Than.”
She blinked, then smiled again, softer this time. She walked out from between the trees to stand beside him and placed her hand on the crook of his elbow.
“Than,” she said with a nod, as if they were just now meeting for the first time in their very long lives.
“And you are?” he asked.
“Talli,” she said. “Will it do, do you think?”
“It is an adequate adaptation.”
Myra cleared her throat again. Than sighed. “It is lovely. Though I am partial to your original name.”
Tala gave Myra a curious look. “Thank you.”
I didn’t know if she was thanking Than or my sister, but that didn’t matter.
What mattered was the song of silver and soft pastel mornings clanging louder and louder through my head. Tala’s power needed to be stored if she wanted to vacation here as Talli.
I opened my mouth to ask Myra the ETA on Frigg, when the familiar rumble of an engine coming closer filled the air. It cut off as she parked in the lot behind the police station.
“Who is that?” Xtelle leaned on the horn once, twice, three times, the last blast going on and on. “Myra? Delaney?” She let off a short honk for each word. “Pay.” Honk. “Attention.” Honk. “To.” Honk. “Me.”
“I got it,” Myra said. “See you at the crowning?”
I blinked hard, trying to remember who we were crowning.
“Contest winner,” she said, right when I put two and two together.
“Best tea and dessert combo, right?”
“Yes,” she said. “You know, if you had asked, I would have been happy to be on the tasting panel.”
“You want every local tea maker except the winner to put you on their shit list for a year?”
She grinned, one hand on the door handle, one on the TASER on her hip. “Oh, I would have let them down easy.” She yanked the door and pulled the TASER all in one smooth go. “Back away from the horn before I find out what barbecued unicorn smells like.”
Girly screaming was accompanied by the cruiser rocking on its springs. Myra pointed at the back seat. “The crowning,” she repeated. Then she ducked into the car and drove away.
Frigg had been walking our way through most of this. She was tall, taller than me. Her blonde hair, so often in a braid, was loose today, catching honey in the sunlight. She was also wearing a flowy sort of floral number in dark green with sunflowers at the hem and waist and thin shoulder straps. I was used to seeing her in jeans and button-up shop shirt with her name stitched over the pocket, but she must have had the day off from the towing company she owned and ran.
I realized I didn’t see Jean or Ryder anywhere and wondered when they’d left.
Frigg stopped close to me, facing both Than and Talli, who stood poised as if ready to be announced to the king.
“Hey, Tal,” Frigg said. “You here for work or pleasure?”
“Vacation,” she said.
“All right. Good. Good. So we have some powers to stow?” Frigg asked me.
“Yep. Do you want us to follow you out to your place?”
She shook her head and dug around in the crocheted sunflower satchel that hung crosswise over her shoulder and rested on her hip.
“Myra said I should bring a transfer vessel.”
I looked at the item in her hand. “Why did you bring a bobbin?”
“Easier to carry than the whole spinning wheel.”
I rolled my eyes. “But you don’t have the powers stored in a spinning wheel. They’re stored in the ground in the middle of your grove.”
“Yes. And my power is there holding them. The easiest representation of my power is a bobbin.”
“Not mistletoe or silver?”
She jiggled the ordinary-looking wooden spindle which was anything but either of those things. “Easy, light, tied to the powers.”
As she turned it between her fingers, I could see the light of powers flash and flow down the lines of the threads. I could hear the soft collision and chorus of powers singing through creation.
“That’s pretty handy,” I said.
“Yeah, I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. It’s easier to store them here and just take them out to my property instead of having everyone come by.”
“You know I don’t mind going there—”
“No, we’re
good,” she assured me. “I know you’ve been…uh…busy, and you have a…uh…the tea event—some kind of crowning thing?—still to take care of. So this keeps you…uh…nearer town for, you know…”
I’d never heard her stumble over her words so much.
It made me instantly suspicious.
“No, I don’t know. Why am I staying near town?”
“For the High Tea Tide. There’s a crowning. You’re supposed to be there, aren’t you?”
I thought back on it, and really, no. I’d never said I’d be there. “Bertie didn’t say I had to be there. I have time.”
“Huh,” she said. “Weird.” She shrugged. “Well, if we’re going to my place, we’ll have to use your car, because I brought the tow truck and don’t have enough room for all of you. Drive out to my place, do the hand off, drive back here, drop me off at my rig, and hope we get back in time for me to be at the crowning.”
“You really want to be at this crowning thing, don’t you?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, elongating the word. “I really do. Want to be at the crowning. Don’t you want to be at the crowning, Than?”
“Desperately,” he said so dryly, I thought I saw the grass wither around his feet.
“There you go,” Frigg said. “If you really want us all to miss the crowning…”
“Okay. I’m going to let it slide that you are absolutely trash at bullshitting.”
She laughed, and it was a big, warm sound. “Oh, when it counts, I can bullshit the spots off a leopard.”
“So putting aside you all seem to really, really want me to be at the crowning, which I will assume is because Bertie is still angry at me and looking for a little public revenge, I need to know, with total faith, that the bobbin can carry the power to where it should be stored. After that whole thing with Crow, I am not taking any chances with how the powers are kept.”
“Crow?” Talli asked.
“Long story,” I said. “Ask him sometime, he’ll make it longer.”
“It’s more than just a vessel,” Frigg said. “Here. Feel it for yourself.” She dropped the bobbin in my hand. I closed my fingers around it.
Where I had seen the colors and heard the songs of the powers before, now that I was holding the bobbin, I could feel the song rush through me, carried on a welcoming wind.
