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“Definitely.” Stash watched me with a strange sort of fascination as I loaded pancakes onto my plate.

“What?” I countered his smirk. “These are Damiel’s legendary pancakes. If I don’t grab them now, there won’t be any left.”

“You have powdered sugar on your dress.” His mouth twitched.

“Do I?” I looked down, and sure enough, I’d managed to get powdered sugar on the skirt of my dress. The dress was black too, so the white powder totally stood out. “Shit.”

“Here, let me help you with that.” Stash gave his hand a flourishing wave, and the sugar peeled off the dress, snowing to the ground.

“Thanks.” I flashed him a grin. “It’s nice to see you out and about again.”

“Yeah, Zarion kept his word and cured me of the creepy curse that turned me into a monster,” Stash replied. “So, really, I should be the one thanking you. Removing a little powdered sugar from a dress is nothing compared to what you did for me, Leda.”

“It was nothing.” I gave my hand a dismissive flick. “It was fun scaring the living daylights out of Zarion. He has a lot to atone for.”

“He certainly does,” Stash agreed. “I’m just sorry he couldn’t help you cure Bella too.”

Curing Stash had been easy. He wasn’t born to be controlled. Unlike Bella. Ava had really worked a number on her.

“We’ll find a way to cure Bella,” I said. “I’ve got both councils working on it.”

“Congratulations, by the way, on your new positions. It was a long time coming.”

“Was it?” I asked. “Because everyone else seems pretty surprised.”

Especially Coralia. Though she looked more angry than surprised. All evening, she’d been giving me the stink eye from across the room. She’d really been gunning for a place on the gods’ council. Instead, Eros had taken the empty spot. And a whole new position had been created just for me. Coralia must have been absolutely seething in her expensive silk evening gown.

I’d have to keep an eye on her. I didn’t trust her one bit. She definitely didn’t have people’s best interests at heart.

“The only people surprised by your ascension are those with absolutely no imagination whatsoever,” Stash told me. “You’re the daughter of Faris and Grace, the two most influential deities out there. Your ascension was basically pre-ordained.”

“If you say so,” I laughed.

“Remember that time a few years back, when I told you that you’d always have my vote for a place on the gods’ council?”

“Yeah.” I exhaled. “Wow. That feels like so long ago.”

“And yet my vote never changed,” he told me with a smile, then turned to face Aerilyn.

She was standing opposite us, looking almost shy. “Leda.” She slapped a smile over her uncertain face. “I wanted you to know that you also had my vote. For the other council. I also told Khalon that if he didn’t vote for you, I’d sic my pet dragon on him.”

After our conversation in Khalon’s castle, I was still kind of annoyed with Aerilyn. On the other hand, she had come to fight with us against Regin’s order, so she’d pulled through when it had really mattered.

“So, have you seen Zane?” she asked me, her eyes hopeful.

“No,” I told her.

Zane was probably hiding from her. I didn’t tell her that.

Aerilyn went off to speak to Grace, while Stash and I collaboratively conquered the remainder of Damiel’s pancakes. Devlin’s team came around just as we were licking the last of the powdered sugar off our fingers.

“Pandora,” Patch said with a nod. “Congratulations.”

“Yeah,” Punch agreed. “We’re all hoping this ascension ceremony will be really exciting.”

“Speak for yourself,” Devlin said, mortified.

Everyone laughed.