I meet him head-on, but rather than knocking him off balance, his feet remain firmly planted as my body crashes into his. Strong arms come around my waist, holding me in place where my chest presses against his. It’s like slamming into a brick wall. A seriously muscled, warm, sweaty, attractive brick wall.
Kol leans in and our mouths meet in a perfectly aligned kiss before I wrench backward.
“What the—”
I wiggle, trying to escape him, but his arms are strong and fastened tightly around me.
I’m trapped.
Kol’s chest and belly shake as he throws his head back and laughs out loud.
“Put me down,” I growl.
He only laughs harder, and I finally realize he never expected to dodge me at all.
“You weren’t supposed to catch me,” I complain, still wriggling.
“What else am I supposed to do when you come at me like some kind of spider monkey?” he asks through his laughter.
“I don’t know? Fall?”
Kol grins down at me. “Good idea. I’ll work on that,” he says. “Meanwhile, that attempt was adorable.”
“Shut up.” I narrow my eyes, thinking of all the many ways I want to hurt him.
He winks and strokes a hand down my sweaty back. I decide to blame the smoldering in my belly on the desert heat.
“Kol, I swear to all the gods, if you don’t put me down right now,” I warn.
“Whoa, kids. No need to swear at me. I have nothing to do with what’s happening here—unfortunately.” Grim’s voice is unmistakable. And close.
I twist in Kol’s arms as Kol makes a sound a lot like a growl.
“Now, now, I’m not the enemy, remember?” Grim says. “How is the training going? From the looks of it, Elidi’s already very agile. I’d be happy to help test that.”
Grim winks at me, and I decide that when it comes time to demonstrate my goddess powers, he’s next on my list.
“Training is going great for your information,” I tell him.
“Yes, I can see that,” Grim says, and Kol snarls.
Grim backs away. “Okay, okay,” he says, “I’m going to find Iynx and offer a pleasurable hello.” I roll my eyes. “You two have fun.” He heads for the house, calling over his shoulder, “But not too much fun.”
Kol shoots a murderous glare at his friend’s back.
I do my best to match it.
Chapter Twelve
Something tugs on my shoulder. I moan tiredly and open my eyes only to squint at the sudden brightness. White, hot sunlight streams through the large window beside my bed. Haloed in its beams is the form of a familiar face.
“Grim, what the hell do you want?” I complain. “It’s early.”
“Actually, it’s nearly eleven, princess.”
“Whatever. It’s early somewhere.” I roll over, shielding my eyes from the sun—and from Grim’s way too chipper expression.
“Come on. It’s time to get up.” He pokes me in the ribs, and I jump, twisting to glare at him.
“Don’t I get a day off?” My body feels like it met with a brick wall.
Grim’s lips curl, and he sits on the bed.
“You do get a day off. Well, from physical training. Today, you’re with me. And we have a lot to do if we’re going to wake up those sleepy goddess gifts of yours. So . . .” He scoots over, making room for himself to stretch out beside me. “You can either get up and get dressed and meet me outside, or we can start right here.”
He reaches for me, and I flail out of his way.
“Whoa! What the hell?”
Grim lounges against the headboard with his hands folded over his middle. His green eyes are laughing, but his expression is solemn as he says, “Apologies. No more touching without permission.”
“Damn right,” I grumble.
“But it did help you make up your mind.” He swings his legs over the edge of the bed and stands. “See you out there then.”
He winks and shuts the door behind him. I flop back onto the bed and huff up at the ceiling. For a split second, I’m tempted to climb back underneath the covers, but I have no doubt Grim will reappear if I do. And there’s no telling how far he’ll go to drive me out of bed next time.
The thought of that has me jumping up and hurrying to get dressed.
Grim is waiting in one of the chairs when I emerge. He doesn’t look up until I’m standing before him, blocking his view of the abstract piece hanging on the opposite wall that was holding his attention.
“Do you like art?” I ask.
“I like to get lost in beautiful things,” he says, and there’s a heavier note to his tone that wasn’t there earlier—despite the fact that he’s grinning slyly at me now.
“Are you always such a flirt?” I ask, dropping into the chair opposite his.
“Only with girls who resist,” he says. “It’s more fun that way.”
“So if I respond to your flirting, you’ll stop?”
The corner of his mouth lifts in a charming half-smile. “No, you’re different from the others.”
“Different how?”
“If you respond to my flirting, we’d undoubtedly move on to . . . other things.”
I shake my head. “I bet your mother had her hands full with you.”
His expression falls, and I realize I’ve stepped in something I shouldn’t have. Again. “Sorry. I was just—”
“No, you’re fine. My mother is Silina, the Goddess of Shade.”
“What does that title mean exactly?”
“It means her power lies in trickery and manipulation. It means she’s not someone you want watching your back.” He sighs. “Suffice it to say we don’t keep in touch.”
“Grim, I’m sorry.” He waves me off. “What about your dad?”
He winces a little. “My dad is a little busy for me.” My brows wrinkle at that and he explains, “My father is Odin.”
“Oh.” My eyes go wide. “Like directly?”
His expression turns wry. “Well, there wasn’t a middle man if that’s what you’re asking.”
I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“It’s not as big of a deal as it sounds. Odin has hundreds of children. Which is why he doesn’t really have time to keep in touch with all of us.”
“You mean he wasn’t part of your life growing up?” I ask.
“Not really. I see him on holidays, but those are always so crowded and chaotic, especially for me.” His smile is sad and pained. “Being the God of Secrets comes with certain burdens. Crowds are not pleasant.”
The God of Secrets? That sounds . . . heavy. “So, can you just read people’s minds to glean whatever secrets they’re keeping? How does it work?”
“It’s stronger with some than others. I think it has to do with how open or closed the person is to letting others in. Or how much they have to hide. The bigger the secret, the easier it is for me to pick up on. But I don’t always understand all the details. It’s more of a feeling.” He cocks his head and leans in. “Unless you let me touch you. Then all bets are off.”
I tuck my hands behind my back and wait until he leans away again. For some reason, my heart is pounding as I ask, “And what kind of feeling do you get from me? Any secrets?”
“Sorry, I don’t divulge.”
“But they’re my secrets.”
“Doesn’t matter. There’s only power in holding secrets. Once you tell them, you’ve given that power away. Besides, you don’t need me to tell you what you’re hiding, princess. You already know.”
He winks, which makes my jaw fall open a little. He’s either playing me or warning me not to push him. Either way, a shudder ripples through me at the kind of power Grim’s bank of secrets undoubtedly holds. I can only assume holding on to the secrets of the entire world is no small thing.
And despite his bravado and slick talk, my heart pangs in sympathy for Grim. I just hope my gifts aren’t quite so heavy.
“Is that what you’r
e wearing then?” he asks, totally jarring me.
I look down at my spandex pants and sports bra with a frown. It was the only practical choice among Iynx’s mountain of gowns.
“Yeah. Why?”
“Nothing. I mean, you won’t get any complaints from me, considering how well those pants show off your assets.” His grin is crooked until I wipe it off his face with a sharp kick in the shin. “Ow.” He uncrosses his legs and scowls. “I just meant that we won’t be doing much physical exertion today. Sadly.”
“Grim,” I warn and he goes on, steering back to business without missing a beat.
“We’ll be starting our training off by filling you in on some background about what you are and the world you come from. I thought offering some answers would go a long way toward accessing whatever gifts you have.”
“Thanks, Grim. That’s perfect.”
He winks. “That’s what they all tell me.”
I roll my eyes. “I don’t know how you and Kol have managed a friendship—or how you fit into doorways together, considering both of your heads are so big.”
“Don’t worry. We balance it out for one another with constant insults and the occasional drunken brawl.”
“Well, you have one thing in common.” I snort. “You’re both full of it and complete asshats when it comes to dealing with other people.”
Grim’s gaze turns way too knowing for me, and I shift my position, acutely aware of how easily he sees right past my flippant words into some much darker, deeper place inside my head.
“Try to cut Kol some slack, all right? He’s under a lot of pressure, princess.”
“We’re both under pressure, Grim. I have to figure out how to ascend to save my aunt all while trying not to die at the hands of a murdering goddess. If I manage all that, I’ll still be an immortal goddess in the end, and I don’t even know what being that means. Kol will be able to return to whatever life he had before his oath.”
Grim sighs. “You still don’t get it.”
“What’s the big deal? He promised to protect me, and he will. I’m not saying my job will be hard—even though that’s how it’s looking right now—I’m just saying he’ll be able to go back to what he knows when it’s all over. I won’t.”
“His oath to protect isn’t a one-time deal, Elidi. It’s forever. And it’s an oath sworn to Odin himself. It’s not something you take back.”
I stare back at him, stunned. Not only did he use my actual name—which feels serious—but one word in particular sticks out. “Did you just say forever?”
Grim arches a brow. “As a matter of fact I did, yes. Kol is your Guardian for life.”
“My immortal life.” I swallow hard as the sheer mathematical quantity of the word settles over me like some sort of weight.
Grim casts his eyes upward as if he’s talking to some higher power as he says, “Now she’s starting to get it.”
“How can he just promise something like that without asking me first? Don’t I get a say in something that directly affects the rest of my life?”
“Relax. You get a say in the most important part. He will protect you forever or as long as you live, but he can’t bond with you without you taking your own oath for him.”
“Bond? Okay, now you’re really losing me, Grim.”
He drums his fingers impatiently against the armrest of his chair. “You know, I can see where the phrase ‘ignorance is bliss’ came from. Trying to explain all this to you just gets more and more fun.”
My eyes narrow. “It’s not my fault everyone lied to me. All I’m asking for is a little truth and, like, five minutes to let it sink in. Is that too much to ask?”
His irritation smooths out almost instantly. Something passes over his expression—a sort of understanding that I didn’t expect and leaves me a little concerned. “No, princess,” he says quietly. “It’s not. I’ll try to be patient with you if you do the same for me, all right?”
“All right,” I say, uncertain about what made him come around so easily. Something tells me he’s been in my shoes before. Lied to, maybe? But how could the God of Secrets possibly have been duped?
“Bonding is something that happens between a guardian and a god to solidify the protection. It must be consensual, and once the ceremony is completed, the bond is strengthened between the two, allowing the guardian to better protect the god or goddess.”
I snort. “You make it sound like you’re explaining the birds and the bees.”
“The birds and the bees?” His brows knit. “I don’t understand.”
“Sex, Grim. It sounds like you’re explaining sex.” My humor ends with Grim’s strange expression. “Wait. Is it sex?”
“Sex is often a part of the equation. Not always but usually. The pairings are based on chemistry and connection. It’s a divine calling and one that is always well-matched for both involved. It’s very common for a god or goddess to take their guardian as a consort.”
“A consort,” I repeat. “As in, they get married?”
Grim shakes his head. “No. Gods and goddesses are unable to procreate with guardians. For this reason, most gods don’t marry. It’s more likely that they’ll bond with a guardian who later becomes a consort and then also have a relationship with a god or goddess for procreation purposes.”
My nose scrunches. “So, like polygamy or something?”
Grim sighs, and I can tell he’s trying to reign in his patience like he promised. “I don’t make the customs or rules. I am only telling you how it’s been done for millennia.”
“Okay, well, I’m telling you that I have no intention of taking a consort.” My skin heats as I try to imagine Kol and me bonding and then consorting. “And I’m not going to have a side-piece god boyfriend either.”
Grim shrugs. “Whatever you want, princess.”
Silence follows, and it feels awkward, mostly because I have a sneaking suspicion we’re both picturing me consorting with various gods and guardians, and it just feels so weird to be sitting here with Grim while we both imagine me naked.
I kind of want to ask Grim if he has a guardian of his own, but I suspect he doesn’t, or they’d be here right now. He definitely seems like the consorting type. Instead, I clear my throat and ask, “What else is required for me to ascend?”
“First and foremost, you need to develop your gifts. We’ll begin drawing them out today. How long it takes is up to you, but the process should jump start your ascension. Once your gifts begin to emerge, you will need to use them to their full capacity in order to trigger the ascension.”
“That sounds easy enough.”
“Not necessarily. True ascension is achieved when you can use your abilities to defy the laws of the Universe—alter nature or something to that effect. When you’ve fully realized yourself as stronger than the laws holding the Earth plane together, you’re a goddess.”
“Okay, anything else?”
“Well, not that you’re interested in.”
“I am interested in anything that can help me. What is it?”
“Sex with another god or your chosen guardian strengthens your gifts.”
“Ugh. Never mind. I take it back.”
Grim laughs, and I push to my feet, leaning down to whack him. Behind me, the door opens, and Iynx’s laughter reaches me even before the sound of her footsteps.
“Saved by the bell,” I grumble, backing away from Grim who has the audacity to wink at me.
“Anytime you want to finish this and strengthen those gifts, princess, the offer stands.”
I gasp. “That’s not what I was about to—”
“Hello, gods and goddesses,” Iynx sings. She sweeps in to stand between Grim and me with Kol trailing. He stops across the room, eyeing Grim and me suspiciously.
The heat in my cheeks feels like evidence of something, and that pisses me off since I have zero reason to feel guilty for anything.
“What’s up, beautiful?” Grim asks, and Iynx practically preens at his c
ompliment.
“I have news,” she says.
“You’ve decided to give up the single life and finally marry me?” Grim asks.
Iynx winks. “Grim, you know you don’t need a ring on my finger. We can consummate our commitment to pleasure anytime.”
The heat that had just begun to dial back rushes back to my face double time. My mouth goes dry at the inviting look she gives Grim. He stares right back up at her, unblinking and intense, as if he’s imagining doing just that right now.
I know I should move back or look away, but I can’t do either. Pleasure zings through my belly, shooting low to my thighs. Just watching Iynx is enough to remind me of the brain-melting pleasure she can give with a single touch of a finger. Without conscious effort, I find myself leaning in. Maybe they’d let me join—
“Guys,” Kol snaps.
I blink, and the spell is broken. I can’t tell if I’m disappointed or relieved as I step back and offer the crazy couple plenty of personal space.
But Iynx is all business again, and I marvel at how she can switch between the two moods so easily.
“Well, I thought it was strange that all signs point to Nicnevin behind the attack on Elidi and Aerina, so I did some digging.”
“And by digging she means she tried reaching out directly to Nicnevin,” Kol says dryly.
I take a step toward Iynx, my adrenaline instantly pumping. “And?” I prompt. “What did she say?”
“That’s the thing,” Iynx says, shaking her head at me. Her gorgeous hair swings as she moves. “She didn’t respond, and that’s not like her.”
“Probably because she’s out hunting us,” Grim points out.
“You don’t understand. Nicki and I have a connection,” she says.
Grim’s expression is tense, and I wonder if he’s reading into whatever it is she’s not saying.
“Okay then,” I say.
“I went through all the usual channels, and nothing.” Her hands twist nervously, and I realize she’s actually concerned. “So I decided to go check for myself.”
“You went to the underworld?” I can’t help the high-pitched note of panic that creeps into my words.
Iynx nods, waving off my concern. “Relax, darling. I was perfectly safe. In and out before anyone could spot me.”
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