I tried to pull my hand away.

  Nevah held it firmly. Gesai had broken my hand accidentally enough times recently that I knew how easily someone that powerful could smash a part of my body and his grasp wasn’t going to let me go.

  Aelin cheered behind me.

  I sighed. As I looked at the God. “No.”

  “No?” Nevah tilted his head. “But she’s gorgeous, of age, willing, and…” He leaned close enough to whisper in my ear. “Will awaken to another God-class.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “We went through this with Zel. I’m not adding someone to my harem for political gain.” I tried to keep the irritation out of my voice, but it seeped in anyway. “And I will not have someone that close to me that I can’t trust.”

  Nakten recoiled like I’d just shot her.

  Nevah kept our hands together as he waffled his head. “Well, I hear you, but if you send her back now that her Mantle has been activated…” He looked up like he was thinking. “Votic will have to make her one of his Wardens or since she failed, he might let the Primus have her.” He clicked his tongue. “Speaking of them…” He nodded at the RV. “You’re hands-off at the moment, but that means every Primus member and agent has been told who you are, where you are, and to leave you alone.” He looked over at Miel. “I doubt your ride survives if a second memo gets sent out saying you’re fair game.”

  “You wouldn’t…” Miel growled. “He’s your own flesh and blood!”

  “I’ve seen his bloodline.” Nevah nodded. “I know who he is, but the whole reason that the Primus leave me alone is because I police my own. If they won’t abide by the deals that I make for them, there’s nothing else I can do for them.”

  He turned his attention to me. “She’s not been sealed and she agreed to when all she thought was that you were simply going to help her escape from her father.” A grin crossed his face. “Now that she knows you can awaken her class, I doubt you’ll be able to get rid of her.”

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  “Doesn’t matter. Rix is already part of my team and—”

  “Not part of your bed.” The Ivory God laughed. “Don’t look so shocked; you talk differently about those who you’re sleeping with than those you aren’t.”

  I took a deep breath. “Trades can’t happen and I’m not replacing Rix.” I looked at the Anubis. There was a longing in her eyes. A need that begged to be filled. But I’d seen the same look on Zel’s face. It hadn’t moved me then and it wasn’t going to move me now.

  “Your team is already disqualified from this year’s Adventurer’s Games, so what do you care?” He grinned when he saw my reaction. “Oh, you didn’t know that was the penalty for bringing in outside talent?’

  I tugged on my hand, which was still firmly locked on top of Nakten’s. “Could you let me go?”

  “Nope.” Nevah shook his head. “Going to keep you like this until you see reason.”

  “There’s no reason to see!” I gestured at Nakten with my free hand. “I don’t trust her and that means I can’t add her to the team!”

  “Just like Astrid didn’t trust you, but you added her anyway?” His brown eyes sparkled as he dropped that information.

  I froze, which only caused the grin on his face to grow. “I didn’t force her.” I swallowed. “And how do you know she didn’t want to take my seal?”

  “Mive is weak.” Nevah sighed. “Your father told that fox what happened, but after the Demon attack, the kit isn’t strong enough to weed out spies. Anything that crosses Mive’s desk goes straight to the Primus.”

  “And they told you this?” I shook my head. “How do I know that you’re not working for them too?”

  “Of course I work with them.” He tilted his head. “On occasion. There’s no group that is better suited to take care of threats like Wurn or Rae, though both of them were active members of the Primus, so that’s more like cleaning up your own house.” He nodded at Miel. “Her mother has gone on raids against other Gods that the Primus has organized.” He turned to me. “And you’ll do the same once you get your own city.”

  The idea of working with the people who had murdered Trent’s wife made my stomach turn. I wanted to deny that I’d ever work with anyone who did that, but I remembered what he’d said about Klix and what Miel had said about Rix’s aunt. I realized that I was already working with people who associated with the Primus.

  A somber look crossed Nevah’s face, breaking the jovial demeanor for the first time. “Looks like you understand.”

  I remembered what Klix had told me about resonance. Once Pixie and her sisters were strong enough, we’d be able to handle any problems that would require the power that the Primus had. The issue was making it to that strength, but it seemed that was exactly what Nevah was offering me.

  It turned my stomach as my shoulders slumped. “What are the terms you came up with?”

  Rating, Review, Follow, Favorite, or Comment does wonders to boost my morale. If you want to help support my writing or check out advanced chapters, head over to my .

  RR Writer's Guild