Page 89 of Queen of Tempests and Sin

I spread my hands. ‘Seriously… What in the gods’ names are you two talking about?’

Guinn walked into the kitchen in her training gear, ready to kick ass, but came to an abrupt halt, eyes widening as she stared at me.

‘What’s up with you?’ I snapped.

Her eyebrows lowered. ‘What’s up with you?’

‘See?’ Bronte pointed at Guinn.

Guinn’s expression flattened. ‘Is that a morning-after glow? Because if it is… eww. Gross.’ She wrinkled her nose, and my eyebrows wrestled my hairline. ‘Or has he bought you godly skincare products with a bronzer? Your skin is legit glowing.’

‘It is?’

‘Yeah.’ She scrunched her face, then stiffened, slowly turning to Persephone. ‘Like Persephone’s… What’s going on?’

‘It’s the mark of a god, kid,’ Bronte said, cocking her head as she scrutinised me. I almost choked on my own spit as Guinn’s eyes popped. ‘Do you want your sister shackled to a possessive, arrogant god?’

‘Now listen here!’ Guinn pointed to me with the ferocity of a pissed-off, fifty-year-old perimenopausal woman, eyes still on Bronte. ‘She isn’t ruled by anyone. She’s a ball-buster. He doesn’t own her, and if she wants to leave, she will. She’s her own woman. Is he controlling? Yes. Is he an arrogant son-of-a-bitch? Also yes, on occasion. And he stalks her shadow like he’s auditioning for Creeper of the Year. Even so, I can tell he loves her’—my heart squished at this point—‘and she’s the only one that can kick his ass without him throwing a tantrum.’

Guinn threw her arms out and shrugged. ‘Anyway, nothing I say will change her mind, and he makes her happy. So I’m adapting. And…’ she hesitated, ‘he’s sort of growing on me.’

A fuzzy warmth enveloped my heart. Guinn, who had started off so suspicious of the gods—and of Si—was accepting him as my partner.

‘So, you’re okay about a god peeing on their chosen booty, and staking his claim like a Neanderthal?’ Bronte asked, effectively throwing ice water on that fuzzy, warm feeling.

‘Hey…’ Persephone raised a finger. ‘She’s staked her claim on him, too. It’s not only one way. Anyway, what’s a wedding ring if not a claim on someone?’

Bronte was undeterred. ‘Are you okay with this, Cordie? Being bound to a controlling god known for anger issues?’

I pressed a finger to my lips, thinking about Si and what he’d told me all along—that I was his, and he was mine. Then I thought about last night, when I’d angered him. Oh gods… Now I knew the sex in my books wasn’t just fantasy. My pussy tingled, and my cheeks heated. I rubbed a hand over my face. I wanted him more now than I ever had.

‘Jealous much?’ I asked. ‘Or just terrified of catching feelings for someone?’

Bronte’s lips curved, but her eyes didn’t soften. ‘I don’t do feelings, sweetheart. They tend to bleed.’

Persephone snorted. ‘Spoken like someone who definitely has them.’

Bronte shot her a look. ‘And yet here I am, the only one not claimed by a moody god with territorial instincts.’

Guinn grinned. ‘Give it time.’

I grimaced and swallowed a gulp when sparks went off in Bronte’s peepers. She pulled her lips to the side and studied us both. ‘Two magically shackled chicks. You’re both insane.’

Guinn shrugged. ‘He can’t control her, not really. Just like Hades can’t control Sephy.’

‘You know it,’ Sephy said, lifting a shoulder. Bronte made an irritated noise in response.

‘Anyhoo, I hope it works out. Also… he’s loaded, right? If he gets too much, we’ll take half his money and split.’ And there was the fifty-year-old Guinn again—part teenager, part calculating divorce lawyer.

Bronte sighed in defeat and shook her head. Then she put two fingers to her eyes and pointed them at Sephy and me. ‘I will maintain my vigilance.’ She turned on her heel. ‘Come on, Guinn, let’s go and try to knock some sense into these two idiots.’

‘What about breakfast? ‘ Guinn whined.

‘Grab a croissant and a to-go mug. Put a fire under it and skedaddle,’ Bronte said over her shoulder, Guinn following orders, for a change.

Once she’d left, I grabbed Sephy’s arm before she rose from the table.

‘Sephy.’ I hesitated, and she cocked her head. ‘Si wants me to go to Genesion for a couple of days and⁠—’