"
"Forget it, Artemis. You're not the only one who can command a killer. Personally, I think it would be interesting to see just how long your Thanatos would last against my Simi.
"
Artemis's face paled.
"He won't last long,akri ," Simi said to Ash, using the Atlantean term for "lord and master." Her voice was quiet but powerful and had a singsongy quality that was quite musical in tone. "Thanatos is barbecue." She smiled at Artemis. "And I like my barbecue. Just tell me how you want him,akri , normal recipe or extra crispy. I'm partial to extra crispy myself. They crunch louder when deep-fried. Reminds me, I need some bread crumbs."
Artemis swallowed audibly. "You can't send it after him. It's uncontrollable without you.
"
"She does only what I tell her to do.
"
"That thing is a menace, with or without you. Zeus forbid it should ever go out into the human world alone.
"
Ash scoffed at that. "She's less a menace than you are and she goes out all the time on her own.
"
"I can't believe you'd unleash it so carelessly. What are you thinking?
"
While they argued, Simi floated around the room, making a list in a small leather-bound book. "Ooo, let's see, I need to get my spicy barbecue sauce. Definitely some oven mitts, 'cause he's gonna be hot from being flame-broiled. I need to get a couple of them apple trees to make wood chips so the meat be nice and appley tasting. Give it that extra yumminess, 'cause I don't like that Daimon flavor. Ack!"
"What's it doing?" Artemis asked as she realized Simi was talking to herself.
"She's making a list of what she needs to kill Thanatos.
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"
"It sounds like it's going to eat him.
"
"Probably.
"
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "It can't eat him. I forbid it.
"
Ash gave a sinister half-laugh. "She can do as she pleases. I taught her to waste not, want not.
"
Simi paused and lifted her head up from her list to snort at Artemis. "The Simi is very environmentally sound. Eat everything except for hooves. I don't like those, they hurt my teeth." She looked at Ash.
"Thanatos don't have hooves, do he?"
"No, Simi, he doesn't.
"
Simi gave a happy cry. "Ooo, good eating tonight. I get a Daimon for barbecue. Can I go now,akri?
Can I? Can I? Can I, please?" Simi danced around like a small, happy child at a birthday party.
Ash stared at Artemis. "It's entirely up to you, Artie. He lives or dies by your word.
"
"No,akri!" Simi whined after a brief, stunned pause. She sounded as if she were in pain. "Don't ask her that. She never let me have no fun. She a mean goddess!
"
Ash knew how much Artemis hated it when he won an argument with her. Her eyes smoldered with barely leashed fury. "What do you want me to do?'.
'
"You say Zarek is unfit to live, that he poses a threat to others. All I ask is that you have Themis judge him. If her judge finds that Zarek is a danger to those around him, then I will send Simi after him myself to
end his life."
Simi bared her fangs at Artemis as they exchanged venomous sneers.
Finally, Artemis looked back at him. "Very well, but I don't trust your demon. I will have Thanatos stand down, but after Zarek is judged guilty, I will send Thanatos in to finish him."
"Simi," Ash said to his Charonte companion. "Return to me."
She looked disgusted by the mere thought." 'Return to me, Simi,' " Simi mocked as she shifted forms.
"Don't go frying the goddess. Don't go frying Thanatos." She made a strange horselike snort. "I am not a yo-yo,akri . I am a Simi. I hate it when you get me all excited about going to kill something and then tell me no. I don't like that. It boring. You don't ever let me have any fun anymore."
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"Simi," he said, stressing her name.
The demon pouted and then flew to the left side of his body and returned to his arm in the shape of a stylized bird on his biceps.
Ash rubbed his hand over the small burn there that he always felt whenever Simi left or returned to his skin.
Artemis stared with malice at Simi's new form. Then, she stepped around him and leaned against his back as she brushed one hand over Simi's image. "One day I'm going to find a way to rid you of that beast resting on your arm."
"Sure you will," he said, forcing himself to endure Artemis's touch as she breathed across his skin while she leaned against his back. It was something Ash had never been able to tolerate with ease, and it was something she knew he hated.
He looked at her over his shoulder. "And one day I'm going to find a way to rid myself of the beast resting on my back."
Astrid sat alone in her atrium reading her favorite book,The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
No matter how many times she read it, she always found something new in it.