She looked up like a giddy child. "Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? I have to say it again. Simi Parthenopaeus. I like that a lot. It even has my picture in the corner and I am a very attractive demon if I do say so myself.Akri says it, too. 'Simi, you are beautiful.' I like it when he tells me that."
"Does she always ramble on like this?" Zarek whispered under his breath in Astrid's ear.
She nodded. "Trust me, it's wise to let her ramble, too. She gets rather upset if you tell her to be quiet.
She once ate a lesser god who did that."
Simi cocked her head as if another thought came to her addled mind. "And I particularly like men all of a sudden." She looked over at Zarek who involuntarily cringed. "But not that one. He's too dark. I like them blue-eyed people 'cause they remind me of my card. People like that Calvin Klein model Travis Fimmel who was on this big billboard inNew York the last timeakri took me there. He mighty fine and makes me want to do things to him other than flame-broil him. He makes me all warm and tingly."
"Okay, Simi. Warm and tingly. I think we need to switch topics," Astrid said.
Zarek wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or insulted by her comments about him. But he definitely agreed a change in topic would be nice.
Astrid turned to where she thought Simi might be, but Simi had already moved.
Again.
The demon seemed to have an aversion to sitting still.
"Simi, why did Acheron send you here?"
Simi pulled a sheathed dagger out of a box and examined it with a skill that made Zarek arch his brow.
Childlike she might appear, but there was nothing childish in the way Simi handled his weapons.
She tested the balance of the blade like a pro. "To protect you from Thanatos so that your sisters don't get all freaky and destroy the world. Or something like that. I don't know why all of you fear the end of the world. It's not so bad, really. At least thenakri's mama be free. Then she wouldn't be so cranky at the Simi all the time."
Zarek started at her words. "Ash's mother is still alive?"
She covered her mouth with her hand and dropped the dagger. "Oh,akri get mad whenever I tell that.
Bad Simi. I not talk anymore. I need food."
Zarek rubbed his head as Simi went back to opening boxes. Oh, this was great. He had a nymph to protect, a psycho something out to kill them, and now a mental demon to contend with.
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He looked over at Astrid, who had her brow furrowed as if thinking over Simi's disclosures.
"Just who are your sisters, Astrid, that they can destroy the world?" Zarek asked.
Astrid cringed a tiny bit and shifted uneasily.
This was about to get worse.
He knew it.
Cringing even more, she whispered, "The Fates.
"
Zarek went cold. Oh, yeah, his life, as bad as it was, just went careening down to Shitsville and there was no off ramp in sight.
"Your sisters are the Fates," he repeated, saying each word slowly and enunciating it clearly so that there could be no misunderstanding.
She nodded.
Anger enveloped him. "I see. Your sisters are the Moirae, the three Fates who are in charge of everything. Women who are known to have no mercy or pity on anyone. Women who the gods themselves fear."
She bit her lip. "They're really not so bad. They can be almost nice, if you catch them in the right moods."
"Oh, jeez." Zarek raked his hands through his hair as he struggled to keep his temper from exploding.
No wonder Ash had sent Simi. If anything happened to Astrid, there was no telling what could happen.
"Please tell me there was a family argument and you and your sisters don't speak to each other. That they can't stand the mention of your name."
"No, no, we're extremely friendly. I'm the baby of the family and they are more like three mothers to me."
Zarek actually whimpered at that. "So you're telling me that right now I'm responsible for Acheron's beloved pet and the favorite sister of the Fates?"
Simi widened her eyes. "Tell Fang-boy I'm not a pet. If he doesn't take a nicer tone to me, he's going to be really sorry."
Astrid ignored Simi's comment. "It's not all bad."
"No? Then by all means tell me something good, Astrid.
"
"They'll probably side with me when I judge you innocent.
"
"Probably?
"
She nodded lamely.
Zarek growled at that. Leave it to him. Whenever he got screwed by something it was never in a little
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Astrid turned back to the demon. "Simi, why aren't you talking to Zarek?
"
"Becauseakri said not to. He didn't say I couldn't talk to you, though.
"
"Do you do everything he tells you to?" Zarek asked her.
Simi ignored him.
"Yes, she does," Astrid answered. "But the good news is, Simi can't lie, either. Can you, Simi?