Page 48 of The Demon God's Desire
“I have an interesting bet for you,” Guilri states, making the room go silent.
“Ahh,” the Hedonist’s smirk grows wider. “Do tell, little elf,” he says with a purr.
“Don’t,” the Hearthkeeper hisses, stepping forward. “Don’t youdareinterfere,” she continues, looking at Guilri. I have to peek around his shoulder to see them.
“Or what?” the Hedonist’s eyes sparkle in amusement.
“You should know your place,” she says, teeth clenched. “Or do you not understand it? Itoughtto be by my side. You should be aligning yourself with the most powerful of the gods if you wish to continue to reign among them when everything is said and done, dear little brother.”
The Hedonist closes his eyes, pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs before opening them back up to give a dramatic eyeroll to the Hearthkeeper. “Oh sister. You’re so boring!”
His sly grin returns. “You’d think with a stick shoved so far up your ass...you’d learn to like it,” he winks and the Hearthkeepers eyes glow in rage. The glow around her also intensifies and she looks seconds away from destroying the temple.
The ground shakes beneath us and I shrink behind Guilri a little more, not wanting to get caught up in this fight. “How dare you!” the Hearthkeeper rages, stalking forward. The other god simply ignores her and turns back to Guilri, his violet eyes shining.
“Go on,” he urges him. “You were saying?”
Guilri looks behind himself, at me for a brief moment. Our eyes lock and he searches mine for...something.
Whatever he finds there seems to give him the answers he needs because he turns back and squares his shoulders, facing the gods with his head held high. “I was born with my powers,” he says in an even tone. “I know that you’ve said I’m the Hearthkeepers “Champion” in whatever it is that the gods have planned, right?”
The Hedonist nods, the little crinkles in the corners of his eyes deepening as the corners of his mouth lift further up at the sides.
“Then I will exchange my role in what’s to come for protection for this human here. My human.”
The god raises one perfectly sculpted eyebrow, looking at Guilri with a blank expression. He seems unconvinced and I grip a little more tightly onto him. His words have shocked me. He would give everything up for me?
“I know that she,” he points to the Hearthkeeper. “Brags that she is the side to be on. That being on her side is most prudent for you. She believes that joining her side will ensure your own continued reign. But at the end of the day, her side can’t be the most powerful one if they’re down a champion, now can they?”
The Hedonist taps a finger against his chin, glancing back at his goddess sibling. bragged that she’s on the side with the most power. But they can’t be all that powerful if they’re down a champion, can they?” The Hedonist says nothing but he continues to listen as Guilri keeps talking.
“I mean, she tried to strip me of my power in the dreamscape. But she couldn’t. It’s too intrinsically tied to my life force. She’s already tried once and failed.”
At this, the Hedonist’s eyes widen a fraction and his mouth curls upwards slightly. “If you succeed in keeping me and my human safe, then you’ve effectively crippled your enemies. Think about it.”
The god considers that for a moment before his small smile turns into a large grin. He steps forward and walks towards us, standing in front of Guilri once more and glances down at me.
“How incredibly clever,” the god says, giggling. “You are such an intelligent and insightful little elf. Perhaps I’ve underestimated you. We might actually work well together.”
“Do I amuse you?” Guilri demands.
“Yes, you do. And what a fun little game here!” He claps his hands together, applauding us.
“How dare you!” the goddess shrieks, turning our attention back to her. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with here, Guilri Mageilret!”
She whirls on him, stalking forward, finger pointed outward. Their height difference would be almost comical if this wasn’t a deadly serious matter. She storms right up to him and jabs her finger in his chest. “You think you can get away with this? You really think you can protect your precious human by bargaining with this trickster god? He’d sooner turn on you than help you,” she says.
“Please, rethink this.” She smooths a hand over his, moving it up his arm to grasp it, looking into his eyes. “You must rethink things. Come back to me and I will make sure you are handsomely rewarded. I have plans for you. Plans you know nothing of!”
Guilri narrows his eyes and his hand goes to shield me further. He stares at her. “You don’t have anything I want,” her replies coolly. “She is the only thing that matters to me anymore.”
“You will regret this!” she says, her voice bouncing off the stone walls of the temple. She seems to grow larger in presence and her hate-filled eyes turn on me.
“I love the chaos and discord,” the Hedonist giggles.
“Don’t!” Guilri grips me, holding me so that I can’t even see the goddess anymore. He’s got both arms wrapped around me from behind.
“Step out of the way!” she orders. “I can kill her quickly, or I can make her suffer! Your choice,” she offers him.