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Pan was silent for a couple of breaths. “I can’t abandon Tarikians, and the ring makes it easier, as it is a symbol of power. Feryn also said he would encourage them to pray to me, even though I am not their favorite god.” He pressed his lips together. “Tarikians will know I am not an incubus when they see me.”

“How?”

“My horns grow the wrong way.”

“I kind of wish I hadn’t lied for you now because the truth is going to come out.” And it would bite him on the ass.

“Who is going to pray to a god with no magic? Who cannot answer their prayers? I am only as useful as the next prayer I answer.”

Noah kicked a rock, and it bounced down the street to where Liam’s red car was parked. “Sounds to me like Lord Feryn prayed for the missing dragon to be found, and here we are.”

Pan snorted. “We haven’t found her yet. Pray we are successful.”

“Aren’t you the one doing the praying at the moment?”

Pan rolled his eyes. “Don’t ask me to do that again.”

“Even if it comes from my heart.” Noah grinned and waved as Liam got out of the car. They’d dated for about a nanosecond, and Liam had introduced him to Web, who was a fellow witch and neo-pagan bandmate. The music was cool, and they got to go to festivals to play. Or they had.

His footsteps faltered. What if Liam and Web had more magic than him?

Pan would lose interest in him. He’d worship them instead.

“Is something wrong?” Pan whispered.

“No.” He forced a smile, knowing it was too late to do anything about it. “Web has been practicing witchcraft for longer than me. You might find someone with more magic.”

Pan pressed his lips together. “Why do your people prefer one god over another?”

“Tradition. It’s what their family believed, so they don’t question it.”

“In part, but it was not uncommon on Tariko to go to the temple of more than one god, depending on the situation. While all gods are connected to magic, the way we use it is different. It has a different taste, for lack of a better word. And the end results of the blessing will be vastly different.”

Web also got out of the car. He was dressed entirely in black, though at least his clothes were suitable for hiking.

“Silas, this is Liam and Web, the witches I told you about.” He wasn’t about to out Pan as a god. If Pan wanted to tell them, that was his business.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Pan’s voice slipped into a low purr, and his lips curved as if finding the dragon was the last thing on his mind.

Noah bit back a sigh, wishing that he hadn’t suggested his friends’ help. If they weren’t here, he could’ve spent the entire afternoon with Pan. Though he wasn’t sure how much dragon finding they’d be doing if they were alone together.

CHAPTER18

Pan studied the two men standing by the car. Web was dressed in black, with long dark hair, and Pan wondered if he was trying to impersonate a spider. He assessed Pan with what was probably meant to be a cool stare, but it came off as wary. Liam had short blonde hair and wore clothing similar to Noah, dark blue pants and shoes with a thick white sole. They looked comfy. He needed a pair of those shoes.

Liam offered his hand. “You’re the first mythological being I’ve met. You look very human.”

Only because his horns were hidden by the hat, and he didn’t have hooves, which he still found strange. Pan took his hand and shook it. “Thank you for assisting with finding the dragon.”

He turned to Web, clearly not his real name, and offered his hand. “Again, thank you.”

Web shook his hand and lowered his eyelids until he watched Pan through slitted eyes. “You have an interesting aura.”

“Do I?”

“Web has the second sight, like his mother,” Noah said. “And he can read auras and such.”

What the fuck was the second sight?