you’re nice to them. I hear you get a lot more done. You should try it.”
“Nice?” His lip curls as if the very thought is repugnant. “Why must I be ‘nice’? I am a god—”
“Were a god,” I point out. “You were, and now you’re an Aspect.”
He narrows his mismatched eyes at me and then strides over to where I lie in the dirt. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle, but I don’t get up. I wait to see what he’s going to do. Aron moves to my side and touches my cheek with the backs of his fingers, a gentle caress. The brush of his skin against mine makes a spark jump through us, pleasurable and sharp.
I stare up at him in surprise, fascinated at that gentle touch. My non-existent panties are totally in trouble right now, because just that small touch is making me crazy.
“Faith,” he murmurs, voice gentle as he strokes my cheek.
It takes everything I have not to lean into his caress like a kitten. I close my eyes and sigh. “Mmm?”
“Get your ass up,” he says in that same gentle tone. “Because I am fucking leaving.”
I open my eyes and scowl up at him. “Bye.”
His nostrils flare. “I was nice! Get up!”
“Bye,” I say again and stretch my legs on the cobblestones. It’s not comfortable, but it infuriates Aron, and so it’s worth it.
We glare at each other for a long moment, waiting for the other to break. I’m determined not to, though, and I feel a triumphant surge when he turns his back and stomps away. Score one for the mortal. Of course, when he continues to storm away, I start to feel uneasy. “Where are you going?”
“I told you. I am leaving. It is not safe here.” He doesn’t turn around. “If you are wise, you’ll leave, too.”
That warning’s a little unnerving, but I don’t like the fact that he’s telling me what to do. I’ve had enough of that already, and the stubborn part of me just wants to ignore him even more. He’s trying to scare me into trotting after him, and it’s not going to work. “See you around, then. Good luck finding another shmuck to be your anchor.”
He doesn’t stop.
Fine, then.
I feel uneasy as he leaves. I watch his back retreat for quite a while, because the ground is so level. I wonder for a moment if I should go after him, and then I decide that no, I’m not. It’s only our magic bond—one that I never should have volunteered for—that’s making me have second thoughts. And I’ve been alone up until this point, haven’t I? I might be better off without Aron at my side. So I watch him go until he’s no more than a distant speck on the horizon.
That’s that. Fuck that guy.
The sun gets high in the sky. It starts to get warm. Really warm. Time to get moving, then. I get to my feet, which ache the moment I put weight on them, and start to head down the cobbled road in the same direction as Aron. For a moment, I feel foolish. We’re traveling in the same direction anyhow, but like petulant children, we’re not going to be together. It’s so silly.
Of course, he started it.
Of course, that sounds even more childish.
My head throbs and my entire body hurts. I realize it’s not going to get any better the longer I stay in one place, so I head after him on the road for a bit. Strangely enough, I start to feel better the moment I begin traveling again. I do wonder if it has something to do with our bond.
Before I can contemplate that thought for too long, I hear a low, rhythmic pounding. I press a hand to my breast, but it’s not my heart. As it grows louder, I glance up at the skies. Is this Aron’s doing? Some weird thunder god bullcrap to intimidate me? But the skies are clear and light blue with the early morning. I notice in the distance that there are clouds of dirt. That’s odd. Either it’s really windy…or something’s moving.
Unease worms through my belly.
A moment later, I see shapes slowly lumbering into view. A moment after that, I realize they’re not so lumbering after all. They’re actually going pretty fast for the land-hippos, and there are riders atop them. Their movements match the steady drumming I hear, and I frown at the sight. My first instinct is to hide,