Ilwin lit up a cigarette when he left Arascus’ office, smoked it in just three long drags, and then lit up ahe whole pn relied on using the rifles. Now they weren’t allowed to?

  Back to the drawing board.

  Kavaa sat with Iniri and Helenna. One in on green, one dressed like summer and one in luscious red. The three where sat in the Spring Garden, trying to build up each other’s fiden order to try and summon enough bravery to actually go and visit Kassandora. This has been going food few weeks now and each time they had a discussion about how to avoid w with the Goddess of War, but the road back from that clusion would always circle around and end up at the woman they were trying to miss.

  “We have guests.” Kavaa said as she looked past Helenna and Iniri.

  “Who?” The Goddesses turned around to look behind them. Maisara and Fortia: stunning aiful, imposing and cold, domineering and arrogant, came walking towards them. Kavaa looked them up and down, Of Order in her silver amour, Of Pea her gold. They may as well have been twins, the only difference being the differen colour. A chest-piece became a battleskirt, which then became tall knee-high boots. They tapped rhythmically as they approached, Order and Peace did not walk; they marched.

  “Let me.” Helenna whispered. Kavaa leaned bad gave the Goddess of Love her turn. There wasn’t any sort of idea in her mind that she could somehow be a better thaiator than Helenna. The Goddess of Love flicked her hair as it became a bloody crimson, she turned her seat, and waited for the two to approach. “It’s a pleasure to see the two of you here.” Helenna said, she crossed her arms and leaned back as Iniri moved her chair closed to Kavaa and behind Helenna. “If we knew you were ing, we’d have brought more teacups.”

  Maisara took a heavy breath and took a step back. Helenna smiled smugly and even Kavaa wao ugh. If Fortia was leading, then it means they wanted an oute which wasn’t just an argument. “We e to iate.” Fortia sounded as if the words were making her choke.

  “You’ve e to iate?” Helenna asked idly. “Excuse me? You? To us?” Fortia gave a sio the woman and sighed.

  “The Pantheon will sooer a post-Leona era.” Fortia said. “Our stability will ronger foundations than pure luck.” Helenna looked back at Kavaa and Iniri for a moment. It wasn’t enough to unicate any expression, it was just another one of her theatrics.

  “We are honoured you suddenly sider us relevant enough to let us take part in ying the foundations.”

  “The Pantheon works best united.” That reasoning ure Maisara and Fortia.

  “So?” Helenna crossed her arms and asked easily. “I assume you already have some idea on how the foundations should look.”

  “We would be more than willing to hear any issues you have with our idea, as well as listen to any alternatives.” Fortia said and Helenna shrugged.

  “You didn’t ahe question lovely Fortia. We,” Helenna swept her arm back to Kavaa and Iniri, “wao know what sort of house the mighty architects before us have thought of.”

  “Shared responsibility with no hierarchy apart from during times of crisis. Then the Divine whose domain is most applicable would be tasked to lead.” Fortia extended an arm to Kavaa. “During a great pandemic, for example, Kavaa would lead until the popution is cured. Other than that, every Divine would simply deal with their own field and leave the others alone.”

  Kavaa wao ugh. To stand up and chase the two out. She had never heard of such stupidity. She felt Iniri grab her hand tight, and Helenna turned around. The woman’s red hair momentarily turned pink before morphing to a gold. Kavaa knei, it was embarrassment or humour. Either could fit. “Excuse me?” Helenna asked.

  “Each God would be tasked to handling their own domain and nothing else. We would stay out of each other’s way.” Helenna gave them a heavy sigh.

  “And this great system…” Helenna said. “I don’t have to point out that Olympiada will colpse before Alsaria agrees to it.”

  “That is the issue we want help with.” Fortia said coldly. “To defeat Alsaria, she has already shown signs of growing domineering towards the other Divines. Without Leona’s luck, both of us expect executions.” Kavaa wao ugh. Who would have thought being pletely stubborn sows who refused to promise ohe smallest issues would have made them unpopur? Where these two actually serious?

  “So in other words, you want us to help you either kill or imprison Alsaria. Essa too I assume.” Helenna could have been saying the sky above them was cloudy.

  “We do.” Fortia said. “And repared to iate.”

  “What exactly do you want? I always thought you two were fans of being blunt.” Helened again.

  “Kavaa’s Clerid your spies.” Fortia said. Kavaa blinked in disbelief. They… Her Clerics? She hand to blink again ahe words in her head… Yes… Fortia did just say that.

  Was she stupid?

  Helenna turned back to Kavaa and Iniri. It was one of the few times Kavaa had ever seen the woman carry such a quizzical face. The Goddess of Love chuckled and shook her head, she wasn’t even trying to hide the pity ione. “Do you have any questions for noble Pead precious Order?” Kavaa could see Maisara’s fists tighten behind Helenna.

  “What happens when domains overp?” Kavaa said. Helenna nodded slowly and turned back to the two standing.

  “Kavaa read my mind, what does happen when domains overp?”

  “The Divine most applicable to the situation ha.” Kavaa wao ugh. What a terribly bureaucratiswer. Helenna sighed and shook her head.

  “Let me phrase it like this: a oisons her husband because he cheated on her.” She poio Kavaa. “Does the Goddess of Health hahe situation because she could heal the poison?” She poio Fortia. “Does the Goddess of Peace, because the Peace was broken?” Then to Maisara. “Does the Goddess of Order? Because the w was broken?” She finished with a her ow. “Or does the Goddess of Love, because it’s the tragic whims of a sed wife?”

  Fortia and Maisara shared a look. Did they seriously not think this far through? Maisara sighed and took a step forward finally. “Alsaria will kill us and then she will most likely kill you. If not that, then you will no doubt be used servant Gods for the rest of your existence. You two especially, Kavaa and Iniri. Helenna, you will die. Her opinion of you is about as high as mine is.”

  “This is an intriguihod of iation.” Helenna cooed.

  “It’s not iation, it’s a decration of alliance. You go with us, or you go with her.” Helenna shook her head.

  “And what sort of assurance do I have from you that you won’t kill me? That you won’t make Kavaa into your private doctor? That Iniri won’t be sent off to tend the fields.” Helenna asked.

  “I will give you my promise, none of that will happen as long as you don’t actively wainst me.” Kavaa rolled her eyes. Iniri hugged her closer and Helenna finally stood up.

  “Maisara. I am honoured you would even suggest promising something to me, unfortunately a promise with a dition like that is worth less than the paper it would be written on.”

  “You know I would not go against the spirit of the word.”

  “I know you’re blunt and ’t read between the lines, yes Maisara.” Helenna replied. “But a promise like that, then a disagreement could break it. It’s not good enough.” Fortia came in to back up Maisara.

  “Helenna please. We came to you with open arms.”

  “Don’t offend my intelligence Fortia. You came to us with a list of demands. You want my spy work and you want Kavaa’s Clerics to serve as on fodder in some foolish rebellion against Alsaria.”

  “Do you think it’s foolish?” Kavaa had never seen a worse attempt at begging than the words spewing out of Fortia’s mouth.

  “I think that if push es to shove, then you two are the first on the chopping block. Do you really think that we would tie ourselves to a sinking ship? Even worse, a sinking ship which doesn’t even sider us as crew members?” The Goddess of Love started to raise her tone, her hair starting to grow red. “If Alsaria views us as servants to order around, then to you, Kavaa and Iniri are sves whereas I’m just a nuisao be removed! WHY WOULD WE EVER WANT TO ALLY WITH YOU?”

  Maisara took a step forward and Fortia grabbed her shoulder. “Don’t.” Peace whispered to Order as Love railed on.

  “That alone proves what an alliah you would look like. How much bowing do we o do to uphold Order’s temper?” Fortia pushed Maisara backwards and stared down Helenna.

  “Thank you for your time.” She said, turned, grabbed Maisara’s hand and dragged the Goddess of Order away. When those two finally disappeared from the Spring Garden, Helenna sat. Her face cold, her hair growing bck. Kavaa kly what the Goddess of Love was going to say, it was the thing all three of them where too cowardly to suggest and were putting off. Helenna sighed and finally spoke.

  “Kassandora. Today. All three of us.”