Page 112 of May: Bloom & Bane

“Because he is not a threat to her.”

“Not a—” I take a step forward, vines erupting from the ground around me. “He was alone with her, Therael.”

“And he ran,” he says calmly. “The moment she got too close, he fled. Does that sound like a predator to you?”

“I don’t care what it sounds like. I want him out of my meadow.”

Therael sighs. “His name is Damien, and he is one of Damon’s charges.”

“Damon has charges? You’re not the only one?”

“We all do.”

“Well, you are not exactly forthcoming with information, Therael.”

A ghost of a smile crosses his face. “Fair point, Little Reaper. Each god watches over two soulbonds. You and Andrik are mine. Damien is one of Damon’s.”

“Two charges each. Which means he cannot watch over Damien at all times.”

“Do you really think the God of the Afterlife would allow his charge to be anywhere near your mate if he posed a threat?”

The thorny vines inching toward him retract slightly. “Then why is he here? In our meadow?”

“Because he just returned from a deal with Damon. The kind of deal that costs more than flesh.” He gestures vaguely to his body. “Three lifetimes were bound into one body. The process… is not an easy one. He isfalling apart, quite literally. The threads holding him together are splitting open, and will only continue to get worse the longer he hides from his soulbond.”

I think about the way Eden explained his gaping wounds and how he kept his face covered with his hair.

“Eden said he was in pain.”

“Constant, excruciating pain. And the three souls inside him are all trying to fix it in different ways. He can barely hold a coherent thought.”

I bite my tongue. “That’s why he was talking to himself.”

“He was not talking to himself. He was talking to themselves. Damien, Jack, and Lucifer. Three different life cycles with very different personalities who all love the same woman and have very different ideas on how to get back to her.”

“So he’s unstable.”

“Unstable, yes. Dangerous to your mate? Not at all.”

Therael walks toward me.

“Sage, he is more terrified of himself than you could ever be of him. When Eden got too close, he ran. He did not lash out or threaten her, didn’t even speak to her beyond warning her to stay away.”

“You said each god has two charges.” I cross my arms. “Who are the others?”

Therael’s expression shifts, amusement crossing his face.

“Curious, are we?”

“You just told me there’s a network of gods watching over hybrids. I think I’m entitled to curiosity.”

He sighs, but there’s something almost fond about the way he does it.

“Fine. But do not expect detailed histories. Most of them prefer to keep their charges’ identities private.”

He gestures, and a log appears between us. He sits gracefully and pats the bark next to him.

“There are six gods, and six domains.”