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Valeen plastered on a fake smile and was about to reply but Hel materialized in the chair with a civar in hand. The sweet smoke rolled out of the burning tip and curled around him. “She is lovely, and she knows it. Compliments don’t do much.”

“Hel.” He sounded even more surprised than when he realized who she was.

“Let’s skip the niceties and the part where you bore us with details about how you’ve been the last two thousand years after you sentenced us to die over and over.”

Once he got over his initial shock, he took two small steps toward the door. “What do you want?”

“My fucking immortality.”

Thane sauntered out from behind a bookshelf and Rogue whipped around to face him. He was pale now. “War. Maker have mercy; all of you are here. I always liked you, War.” He turned to Hel, “You too. You never pretend to be something you’re not. That’s a rare trait among the gods.” The corner ofhis mouth curled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I will remind you again that I voted against that punishment. It wasn’t just nor did it fit the crime, so there is no reason to fight. I’m on your side.”

“You can’t talk your way out of this,” Hel said, then put the civar to his lips. “Where is our immortality?”

“If I told you, I’d be going against the other members of the council, which I cannot do. I can, however, call a meeting with them which you will be invited to under parley. I think it’s been long enough that tensions are down, and we can all have a civil discussion.”

“Tensions are down?” Hel rose out of the chair and kicked it so hard it crashed into the shelf behind him. Half the books clattered and spilled to the floor. Dust billowed up making her nose itch. “They’re higher than they’ve ever fucking been. You sent ademonprince to Adalon to assassinate mywife. Letting one of them out goes against your own fucking rules. None of you deserve to be in your position.”

“And you just killed my mother,” Thane growled.

He balked and his back hit against the window’s ledge. Rain streaked down the glass, and he grimaced. “Itold Pricilla she was insane for letting one of the princes loose. And if your elf mother is dead, it wasn’t on purpose.”

“If Pricilla sent the demon and the flowers, then you did.” Valeen jerked her dagger free from the desk. “You are as responsible for what she does as she is. All matters must be agreed upon with a majority vote.”

Rogue put his hands up in surrender then nervously ran one of them through his wavy hair. “I have been calling for a stop to this for a thousand years. Neither of those instances received a vote from me.”

“If you truly think what they’re doing is wrong, then tell us where our immortality is hidden,” Thane growled. “If you believed what you’re saying, then you would help us.”

“I can’t. I’d lose my position and possibly my freedom.”

Hel flicked his civar at Rogue and it hit him on the tip of the nose. “If you wish to do this the hard way, so be it.”

“Wait!” He gulped and tugged on the bottom of his suit coat to straighten it out. He raised his chin and cleared his throat as if trying to regain some confidence. Rogue didn’t have any particular power that would be useful in a fight. What he had was an amazing ability to recall facts especially pertaining to law and order. The only reason he wasn’t head of the council was because they didn’t think he was ruthless enough. “It is against the law for any single god or goddess to possess the immortal weapons, as was decreed during the peace treaty between the Primevarr and Drivaar in section 108. Soulender and the Sword of Truth, if found, are to be safeguarded by the council in the decreed vaults. We are chosen from the gods of all territories to be the rule makers and enforcers, to ensure justice for all on Runevale. I’ll arrange an exchange.”

“Do you practice that speech in the mirror in the mornings?” Hel jested.

“Section 108 also states the weapons are not to be used again unless there is a unanimous decision among every council member. Now, since you used and killed with Soulender, Valeen, you broke the law, but I can argue you’ve served enough time as a mortal. I can guarantee they won’t get my vote to use Soulender against you. I’ll arrange an exchange.”

“You’ll arrange an ambush.” Valeen shook her head. Did he think they were fools? As if they hadn’t dealt with these people long enough to know they couldn’t be trusted. “No.”

“If you give us the weapons we’llgiveyou your immortality. It’s simple. You can’t expect something for nothing, Valeen.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Thane’s nod to Hel, and he interjected, “Your daughter, Amelia,” Hel began. “I bet your wife and the council don’t know about her. The half-breed ogre. I don’t know if there’s ever been a half-ogre half-god. According to section 234 of the Decree of Eligible and Ineligible Breeding for Gods and Goddesses, she is an abomination. You’re not the only one who knows the laws, Rogue.”

Rogue’s eyes widened and his spine erected. “I have no such child.”

“Oh, they definitely don’t know about her.” Thane looked at Hel with a smirk.

“I don’t imagine I’d admit to sticking my cock in a hideous, stupid ogre let alone impregnating one either. The child must be grotesque. And the council would have you removed and have her destroyed. Reproducing with one of the forbidden creatures is illegal, god of justice. But that was the draw for you, wasn’t it? The forbidden.”

Valeen got a visual from that description that she never wanted in her mind. Yuck.

Rogue tugged at his collar. “You have no proof. This is a salacious accusation.”

“Or was it the size of her? Nine foot tall, moss instead of pubic hair, the strength of ten men? Maybe you liked to be dominated by a swamp beast.”

“Shut up.”

Valeen’s nails bit into her palms as she watched Rogue begin to crumble. This would either end in a fight or a revelation.