“And you’re not going to fight without us.” Maahes and Ma’at flashed into the room, next to Savitar. Called the lord of the massacre, Maahes was the protector of innocents. A massively muscled brute, he had a lot in common with Urian’s brother Archie, except he was much better tempered. And his huge size was a bitter contrast to Ma’at’s exceptionally tiny stature. The goddess of justice and truth barely came up to their waists.
But he much preferred looking at her, as she was gorgeous. Her red-and-gold dress set her dark skin off to perfection. And her Nubian locks were held back from her sharp, chiseled features by a dark scarlet scarf.
Eyes flaring with rage, Savitar growled. “Anyone else you want to bring to the party?”
Maahes grinned insolently. “Mother, may I?”
The look on Savitar’s face said that Maahes was barely one step away from becoming a lion throw rug on Savitar’s floor.
Ma’at stood up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on Savitar’s cheek. “Remember, you like me.”
“I don’t like anyone who barges into my home uninvited, Mennie.”
“You’ll get over it.” She turned her attention to the group. “All right, children. Where are we?”
“Screwed, from what I’m hearing.” Styxx crossed his arms over his chest as he considered everything they’d told him. “I’m going to be dense for a moment because I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this.… Bethany can be brought back? Yes?”
Ma’at and Set nodded.
Styxx turned an interesting shade of green and Urian could actually feel the waves of grief, pain, and rage fight for control of his friend. Honestly, he wanted to help the man gut them for all the needless centuries Styxx had spent alone. He glared his fury at Acheron. “Why didn’t anyone tell me this before?”
Ash held his hands up in surrender. “I had no idea your Bethany was Bet’anya or that she was housed in my basement garden of statues. That’s the truth. I was a little distraught and disoriented eleven thousand years ago when my mother took me to Katateros the first time. After I teleported those grisly statues to the basement, I locked the door and never went near that area again.”
Urian couldn’t blame him for that. Those were the gods who’d ordered a hit on him as an infant.
Even so, he wouldn’t hold it against Styxx if he sucker-punched Ash where he stood. ’Cause if that had been Phoebe or Xyn in the basement, and Paris standing there, they’d be blood on the floor right now.
Styxx looked at Set and Ma’at. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Sugar, every one of us thought she was dead,” Ma’at said gently. “Believe me, had we known she was frozen in Katateros, we’d have freed her for all of our sakes.”
“Well, we would have tried.” Set sighed. “Probably would have failed. It was the alignment on the twenty-first that made this possible … that and the demon.” He turned his gaze to Simi.
Simi flashed a happy smile. “I told you wishes can come true, and not just at Disney World. The real world does a good job, too, sometimes.”
Acheron scowled at Simi’s familiarity with his brother. “When did you two become friends?”
She wrinkled her nose. “On your birthday, akri. Did you know akri-Styxx don’t gots no one to spend his special day with? He all alone on it and so the Simi went to apologize and make him her friend, too, so he won’t be alone on his special days. But he done broke my heart so now he my other akri-baby like Baby Bas and akra-Kat. The Simi has officially adapted him … no … adopted him.” She grinned so wide, her fangs flashed.
Instead of being angry, Acheron laughed and kissed her cheek.
Urian cleared his throat and leaned forward to whisper in Styxx’s ear. “Dude, trust me, if she tries to burp you? Run fast. Run far. Run like the hounds of hell are on your heels, because they are.”
Styxx smacked him on the stomach.
Rolling his eyes, Ash shook his head. “All right, Styxx. Your show. How do we do this?”
Styxx glanced around at the gods and demons. And Urian and Davyn. “Still the sole human in the room. I don’t know what we’re up against or who we’re fighting. I need more details.”
Acheron spread his hands out and a schematic of his temple on Katateros appeared on the wall that showed the basement and the statues housed there. As he spoke, the animation illustrated his words. “A dozen gods woke up while Simi was in the basement with Xirena, looking for Bet’anya. Since I was in Vegas with Sin and Katra, and Tory was with my mother in Kalosis, the two demons were alone to create well-intentioned mischief. As soon as the gods began to stir, Xirena ran to tell Alexion and Danger that they were back. The three of them grabbed Simi, and escaped here to Savitar to let him know what had happened.”
“That’s when they called me in Minnesota,” Urian said. “And told me not to come home for a few days as we had ancient interlopers in Katateros who most likely would not host me a welcome-back party. Who knew? Hope they’ve left my PlayStation alone, as that will seriously piss me off.”
Ignoring that comment, Acheron sighed. “We’re also flying blind.” He motioned to his wall decoration. “We have that based on Simi’s recollection—which is flawless. But a little dated since Archon and the others have blocked out our sforas. None of us can see where they are or anything inside the main temple.”
“I tried to send in Davyn, but he’s a chickenshit.”
Davyn shoved at Urian. “No one stopped you from going.”
“That’s ’cause I’m a chickenshit.”
Styxx completely ignored them. “Do we know who we’re up against?”
Acheron glanced to Simi before he answered. “We’re not one hundred percent sure, because Simi was an infant when they ruled. As a result, she’s a little iffy on some of their identities. Best we can figure, it’s…” He again turned to the images that Simi had created—one that looked more like Wreck-It Ralph than an actual god … go, Simi. “Dikastis, Ilos, Isorro, Asteros, Epithymia, Diafonia, Nyktos, Paidi, Teros, Phanen, De monbrean, and we know for a fact Archon is with them as he’s the one we’ve been talking to. And of course everyone’s favorite dickhead, Apollo.”
“Beautiful.” Styxx looked as if he were about to hurl, and Urian could taste a bit of his own bile. “My ideal guest list … for a fete in hell.”
Urian couldn’t agree more. With that cast of Gothamesque villains, the gods were definitely mocking them all today. All he needed was Helios in that mix and he’d have the full list of assholes he wanted a piece of.
Styxx went over them so that they’d all know who and what they were fighting, since most of them had never gone up against them before. “Apollo’s not a problem. He’s an effing idiot when it comes to things like this. And he’s a bully with no courage who will back down to someone more powerful.
“He won’t be leading a charge but will stay back until he can land a punch from safety. Unfortunately, Archon isn’t any of that. He’s sharp and deadly. Vindictive as hell. Brutal. But out of the list, Epithymia and Asteros”—he highlighted them—“are the two we have to neutralize immediately. Do not underestimate them, especially Epithymia. The bitch-goddess is crazy and meaner than shit. Show her no mercy or hesitation, because she won’t show it to you.”
He swept his gaze around the room’s occupants. “And whatever you do, do not let that bitch touch you … Demonbrean is even dumber than Apollo, but he’s also the size of an effing house. His skin is armored and he lives to crush things. Treat him like a python and don’t let him get his arms around you. If he does … you’re fucked. Dikastis will hang back to get the lay of the situation and might not fight us at all. He is all about justice and what’s right. If the fight isn’t about honor or truth, he won’t participate in it. The rest are followers. Lethal, but pawns nonetheless. They are servants for Misos in war, and only do what they’re told to do. You take out Archon and they will stand down.… Now what do we know of their demands?”