“He’s right,” Xev concurred. “They’d be all over us.”
“So what do we do? The Hokey-Pokey? Turn ourselves around? Feed them my best friend and say bon appetit? ’Cause no offense, I’m not really okay with that. Caleb’s been there for me since the very beginning. He’s bled for me when no one else has, and has never failed to save my butt. So you can stand here, watching Demon Kingdom out there, which is a fascinating show, all you want to, but I’m going to stand and fight for my friend.”
Dagon’s frown deepened. “Is he always like this?”
Xev nodded. “I told you. He’s not like the others of his ilk.”
“No… definitely not. All the Malachais I’ve known would have hand-fed Malphas to their enemies to buy themselves time to get soldiers.” His tone said Dagon wasn’t so sure that was a good thing, though.
Nick’s grin widened. “Relax. It’s just all the paint chips I ate as a kid. No real lasting damage. Ignore the extra finger and toe. They actually come in handy and toey at times.”
And that, too, appeared lost on the ancient god who had no measurable sense of humor. How very sad for him.
Groaning as if his bad jokes caused her physical pain, Kody shook her head.
Simi wrapped her arm around Nick’s shoulder. “So, it demon chow time? The Simi getting hungry while the buffet is down there and getting bigger in number. I vote the Simi go cull the herd while we wait.” She flashed an eager grin.
Nick returned his attention to the army that was marching nearer, searching for them. As he watched, a strange thought went through him.
Maybe, just maybe, there was some hope left.
He glanced over to the two ancient former gods. “I’m Patton, right?”
They exchanged a puzzled frown.
“Patton?” Xev asked.
Yeah, that reference was probably lost on them. “General of the great demon horde out there? I guess in your days, a like comparison would have been Styxx of Didymos, since you both predate Alexander the Great.”
Nick scowled as he realized what he’d just said. “Wait. How do I know that? I know nothing about history. Holy crap, I was actually listening when Ash and Kyrian talk? Don’t nobody ever tell them that. They might get more egotistical and we’d have to find a bigger house for it.” He jerked his chin toward the demons. “Anyway, they might answer to another commander for now, but ultimately that commander is my bitch, right?”
Dagon had an expression that said Nick had lost him around the bend.
Luckily, Xev was keeping pace. “Yes. Your point?”
“What would I need to do to go out there and claim them as my guys?”
Kody snorted. “A miracle.”
“Not helping,” Nick said drily.
Xev took a deep breath before he slid a speculative glance toward Simi. “A miracle,” he repeated and concurred.
Nick rolled his eyes.
Xev cracked an irritating grin. “You can always go out there with your charming personality and try to win them over.” He nudged Nick toward the door. “Go on. I dare you.”
Nick headed for the door. “I will. I mean, think about it. Everyone attacks them, right? They’re used to fighting. If I go out there to talk to them, it’ll throw them off guard. It worked earlier when I talked to the Memitims. No one attacked me. They actually seemed kind of reasonable. So if I go out there and assert myself, tell them that I’m their supreme poobah, they’ll fall in line, right?”
“To kill you?” Xev asked. “Most likely. To listen and obey? Wouldn’t stake my life on it. But far be it from me to interfere with your stupidity, in any way.”
Nick shrugged his hold off. “Ha, ha. Real funny.” He swept his gaze over them. “Anyone got something better?”
“Molotov cocktails?” Simi volunteered. “That way, they be cooking while they fleeing.”
Choking on Simi’s solution, Kody bit her lip in a most adorable way. “I might have an idea. But I’m not sure you’re going to like it.”
“Okay. Let’s hear it.”
Before Kody could tell Nick her plan, everything in the room froze. Even time itself.
Only Nick seemed unaffected by whatever was causing it. Was this the Takiramon? Could it also affect preters? He had no other explanation.
At least nothing that made any sense.
Even Simi was frozen in place and that never happened. Nothing like this ever affected her. Nick waved his hand before her face, half expecting her to bite at his fingers and laugh at him for being so gullible.
She didn’t.
What is this?
He poked gently at Simi. She didn’t move or flinch at all. His heart pounding, he heard the shrieking sound of a horse from outside his window. Literally, right outside his window.