A Season of Gods and Witches

by Bloome, Alice

  Hermes’ Samhain ball was everything my mortal mind couldn’t even dare to imagine, and I had to literally sit on my hands to keep myself from plastering my face against the car window. With Paul’s limousine rolling down the paved road in a leisurely cruise, I had the luxury of soaking everything in and committing every magical inch to memory.

  Once again, Pomona and Vertumnus had outdone themselves; the trees lining the driveway served as the perfect welcome display, with their brilliantly-colored leaves varying from the shades of ruby to fiery topaz while their towering sturdy barks had deepened into a matte shade of black just for the occasion.

  Even the mermaids had dressed for Samhain, with their normally psychedelic tails muted to a gauzy hue of pink. Upon spotting Paul’s limousine, some of the younger mermaids leapt into the air, and as they dove back into the water, ripples spreading over its shimmering surface began to spell a message.

  Hi Blair!

  I turned to Paul with a gasp, and the truth god laughed. “What in Cronos’ world—-”

  “You may have gotten away from doing an interview for Iris’ morning talk show, but the harpies haven’t stopped singing you praises.”

  I was already groaning even before the truth god had finished his sentence. Brooms and sticks, but what the heck was I going to do with those harpies?

  So many things had happened, good and bad, since Caren’s daughter had made her unsuccessful attempt at becoming ruler of the harpies. By the time Paul and I had returned to Silver Mist, the news had gotten wind of the burglaries, and the more resourceful reporters had even managed to uncover the link between the BOLO we issued to the harpies’ vacant throne.

  Daughter of Ex-Queen Caren of Napaeae Fails to Kill Podagre for Harpy Throne!

  Harpy Throne Prophecy: Not Just An Urban Myth After All!

  How Many Have Died For The Throne? COUNTLESS, New Evidence Suggests

  As it turned out, Clio’s restricted vaults weren’t the only way to read about the prophecy, and Kris also hadn’t been the first one to unlock the riddle about Podagre’s secret resting place. There had been thousands others before her, and all of them had died because they had taken the prophecy’s meaning a little too literally.

  Apparently, the thing about a successor “taking Podagre’s heart” wasn’t an invitation to kill the world’s full-blooded harpy. All it asked for was something simpler. The prophecy decreed the next successor to be a worthy individual to earn the harpies’ trust, and that person, according to Podagre, was none other than...me.

  Even now, my head still pounded every time I remembered the way the harpies’ ancient ruler had so casually dropped the bomb on me. I had been working at my desk when Dike had summoned me to the CSI’s conference room, and I found myself face to face with a contingency of prominent harpies and their ancient but ageless-looking ruler.

  Paul had been with them, too, and it was the truth god himself who had so casually dropped the bomb on me. ‘Blair, Podagre is here to ask that you become the queen of harpies.’ And yes, those had been his exact words, like he had simply been asked to relay a job offer or a promotion, and if I hadn’t been so stunned at that moment, I probably would’ve cheerfully strangled him for it.

  Queen? Harpies? Seriously?

  While the announcement had left me mentally floundering for the most polite words of rejection, Podagre had already started talking about the formalities that involved my upcoming ascension and the changes I would be expected to make once I became queen.

  It had taken all my confidence to interrupt the ancient harpy, and when Podagre had paused to let me speak, I had barely succeeded in speaking coherently. Can’t. Queen. Okay?

  But surprisingly enough, Podagre had understood, even giving me a benign smile in response. I had thought all was good then – until I heard the harpy’s next words and realized nothing could be further from the truth.

  ‘While it is not in my nature to compel you to take the throne, neither is it in my character to place clemency above justice. I shall give you a month to make up your mind, brave witch, but know that if you turn me down, then our old rules shall prevail and the young nymph will be subject to death.’

  “You’re thinking about Podagre’s warning again.” Paul’s murmured words drew me back to the present, and I let out a little gasp when he scooped me into his lap.

  “Paul!”

  “An effective distraction, isn’t it?” Paul asked with a smirk.

  “Embarrassing, too,” I protested, “since your limousine doesn’t have any tinted win—-mmph!” Paul’s mouth covered mine in a kiss, and I...didn’t even bother trying to struggle. His strength washed over me, and all my troubles faded at the sweet, dark taste of his lips. The kiss could have gone forever, and I wouldn’t have minded at all. It was only when I felt his hands roaming my body, and his fingers brushing against the underside of my breasts, that I knew things were getting dangerously out of control.

  “P-Paul...”

  It was the tiniest of whimpers, but it was enough, and the next thing I knew, I was back on the seat and Paul was on the opposite end, his breathing ragged, his powerful form rigid with self-restraint.

  “Umm...sorry?”

  Paul’s crooked smile was self-mocking. “I should be the one to apologize, sweetheart. I should’ve known things could get out of hand between us.”

  “I’m equally responsible—-”

  “We’ll talk about it later.” Paul nodded towards the windows. “We’ve arrived.”

  The hours that followed passed in a magnificently whimsical blur, and if not for Paul’s strong arm wrapped possessively around my waist to anchor me to reality, I would’ve thought everything was a dream.

  Instead of fancy tables and chairs, guests were escorted to floating silver-lined thunderclouds that rotated around a marble fountain from which streams of champagne cascaded into bejeweled goblets one could call forth with a snap of our fingers. The most delicious food was served on golden platters while Clio’s sisters, the muses Terpsichore and Euterpe, had everyone in thrall with their breathtaking performance.

  As the night went on, guests came to pay their respects to the god of truth one after another, and to all of them Paul proudly introduced me as his beloved. I should’ve thought it painfully mushy, but honestly? I found it incredibly sweet. The loveliest thing he could ever say, really, but I would rather spend a day in Tartarus than tell him that.

  It was a little over midnight when the dancing started, and I had the hardest time not thinking of myself as Cinderella as the god of truth swept me into his arms and we began dancing in the air, literally.

  The logical part of my brain wondered how it was possible – did Mt. Olympus have such an advanced system of climate control that it included some on/off switch for gravity? The part of me that was in love with Paul, however, had a more succinct message – stop thinking about stupid things and just enjoy this dance with the guy you love!

  Paul and I were on our fifth song when Jason had the audacity to cut in, tapping the truth god on the back and asking to have the next dance with me. Paul’s jaw had clenched, but after a moment he stepped back, saying curtly, “Just one dance, and then she’s mine.”

  “Understood, milord,” Jason answered with a mocking bow just before swiping me out of the truth god’s arms.

  I heard Paul cursing under his breath, and I hastily suppressed my smile. I knew I should be mad at the way Jason kept deliberately ruffling the truth god’s feathers, but honestly? I was glad for it. Paul acted so self-contained most of the time that it was nice to see him occasionally express annoyance like a normal guy.

  “How is it,” Jason asked with a grin, “being the belle of the ball?”

  I almost groaned at the words. “I’m far from that,” I muttered, “and you know it.”

  “Admit it at least – it wasn’t as bad as you feared.”

  “Fine,” I grumbled. “I’ll admit that much.”

  “Such graciousness,” Jason teased
. “Just what I’d expect from the future queen—-”

  This time, I really did groan. “You know about that, too?”

  “I’d be surprised if someone in this place doesn’t know about it,” my dancing partner retorted. “You might not be tonight’s belle of the ball, but you can’t deny you’ve recently become the talk of the town.”

  “It’s not like—-” I stopped speaking, and Jason appeared similarly distracted, both of us noticing the gradual rise of excited murmurs from the other guests. When the couple next to us stopped dancing, Jason and I also came to a halt, his hands releasing my waist as the two of us shared a look of bemusement.

  “Maybe Hermes has a guest of honor we don’t know about?” I guessed.

  “Maybe...” Jason’s tone, however, was skeptical.

  “Well, it seems like you’re about to have your curiosity appeased.” The crowd had started to part like the Great River of Nile, and honestly, in this world, I wouldn’t have been shocked at all if the next thing I saw was a chariot of fire heading straight to us.

  Thankfully, reality proved less dangerous, and all I saw was a stunningly attractive woman dressed in a floral gown steadily making her way into the ball. She was also the shortest immortal I had ever seen, so dainty and petite that she almost made me feel like an ogress.

  Jason suddenly cursed under his breath, and my startled gaze snapped back to him. “What is it?”

  He grabbed my hand without a word. “We have to get out of here.”

  My first instinct was to dig my heels in and demand what was wrong. But then I saw the sudden pallor of his face, and I thought better of it. Something was clearly wrong, and making a scene about it definitely wouldn’t help.

  As I let Jason drag me to Cronos knew where, I quickly typed a text message to Paul.

  Me: Be back in a sec. Just having some BFF time with Jason.

  Normally, this would have had the truth god calling me back in the next second, but oddly enough, my phone remained silent and still.

  Jason ended up taking me to a balcony facing the gardens of Mt. Olympus, and after making certain that no one was close enough to eavesdrop, I crossed my arms over my chest and asked him point blank. “Was that your ex?”

  It was the only scenario I could come up with that would properly explain the abrupt change in Jason’s behavior and his sudden need to get away.

  I expected the immortal to beat around the bush a bit, but to my surprise, Jason’s answer was just as direct. “She is.” His voice was tight, with just the slightest hint of anger. I couldn’t be sure, however, if the anger was directed at himself or the other woman.

  “And you still love her?”

  His head lifted, his dark unfathomable gaze capturing mine. “What I feel for her isn’t the problem here.”

  It wasn’t?

  “You once asked me why Apollo bears me ill will.”

  I stiffened.

  “That woman is the reason,” Jason said curtly. “She was Apollo’s first love – and she betrayed him with me...his best friend.”

  THE END

  Author's Note

  Thank you so much for reading A Season of Gods and Witches, which is basically all three books of Blair and Paul's story. Those three were originally published as Olympus Bewitched, Brewed for Trouble, and Magic Most Foul.

  While I'm working on the next book of this series, you might want to check out its "parallel version", which I wrote under another pen name. Ever since I learned about the multiverse / parallel universes featured in Arrowverse (DC) and Spiderverse (Marvel), I started thinking about doing another version of Paul and Blair. While I love these two to bits, I was also hoping I could write their story where I have more freedom to explore their more, er, sensual sides - in a way that's typically not accepted in cozies.

  Anyway, in case you're interested in giving that new version a try, Thunderstruck, which I wrote under Sage Matthews, is also available on Kindle Unlimited. This is also the first book of the series and is mostly similar to what you've read here. Things, however, will change tremendously with the second book (and no fade-to-black sex scenes). One thing you'll also notice is how some characters you've met here (i.e. Jason, Roseanne) don't make it to the other version.

  Well, that's it for now. If you enjoyed this book, I would be so very grateful and appreciative if I could have a moment of your time while you post your review. Thank you in advance!

  P.S. Please subscribe to my newsletter if you'd like to stay updated about my upcoming books. You can also drop by my blog if you have any questions. :)