Page 17 of Ride or Die (The Body Shop #5)

T he boom, boom, boom I had first mistaken as my heartbeat in my ears came from above and continued growing louder with every strike.

The powerful reverberations even set the gaudy chandelier swinging, highlighting Ithas’s dreadful taste in decor.

He didn’t tell me what the hell was going on, but the ruckus earned a low growl from him as he left me alone to investigate the source of the commotion.

I hoped Anunit was right, and it was Kierce.

I was terrified Anunit was right, and it was Kierce.

Ankou had been MIA since I woke down here.

Not that I could count on him for help. He was part of the reason I was sitting on a cold stone floor in a cold stone room with Anunit staring off into nothing behind me.

As to the other responsible party? That would be me.

For being desperate enough to trust Ankou alone with my safety.

Still, he had given me the string around my finger, and the longer I wore it, the wider my memories yawned open before me. One word kept circling my head. A name. Berchem.

The implications made me want to curl in a ball down here in the dark and forget the truth lurking on the edge of my mind, waiting for me to acknowledge it.

Anunit was in no shape to assist me with escape plans, even if I was up to it, but I couldn’t leave without Dinorah anyway.

She had suffered enough during her life.

She deserved to rest in peace, and I was one of the few people who could give her that release by returning her to the Alcheyvāhā burial grounds to slumber beside her parents.

I wanted to vomit thinking about what Ithas had done. Having met him, a Titan with no need for mortal worship to continue existing, he must have pursued this line of evolution from curiosity. The scheme likely came from the same warped god who offered to loan him Dinorah—Dis Pater.

Had Ankou known Ithas possessed Dinorah? Had that weapon made Kierce a god killer? Or had it been a trick? Ankou could have been lying his ass off to lure me into his trap. I wouldn’t put it past him.

Shuddering thuds rained down from above, vibrating my skull where it rested against the wall until I was unable to determine if the headache came from that or the horrors of what I had learned since meeting Ithas.

Ithas who, now that I thought about it, had been quick to laud my excess of fathers but not glorify my mothers.

Hindsight being twenty-twenty, I hoped he never told me.

I didn’t want to know in case she or they were as bad as him or worse.

Thank God Carter had the bead from Papa Legba and could get everyone to NOLA safely.

“So, Bijou, all the cats are out of their respective bags.”

“Ankou.” A low groan scraped up the back of my throat. “What do you want?”

“I’m here to keep you company while Ithas handles a minor irritant.” He strolled out of the darkness and tossed me one of the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Josie had been carrying. “Lucky for you, I’m entertaining.”

“Is the minor irritant Kierce?” I kicked the offering back to him. “Or Josie?”

“Your sister is a lot of things, but a minor irritant is not one of them.” He snorted and scooped up the sandwich, taking a bite then holding it out me. “It’s not poisoned, if that worries you.”

“I’m worried you stole it off my sister, who might need it.” I tilted my head back. “What’s going on up there?”

“I did steal it from Josie, but it’s been in my pocket since before Ithas came for you.”

“Then I’m doubly glad I didn’t eat food that’s been squished against your butt for who knows how long.”

“You’re not being very nice for someone asking a lot of questions.”

“As if you would answer any of them.” I drew my knees against my chest. “Why are you really here?”

A shrug rolled through his shoulders as he took another bite.

“Okay then.” I made a gamble. “Why did you tie this hair?—?”

“Hush,” he hissed at me, the blood rushing from his cheeks until he was as pale as the Suarez brothers. “You must have hit your head. I haven’t given you anything. Except for a sandwich you were too good to eat.”

“Yeah.” I studied my hand, more curious than ever about the gift. “Right.”

“You haven’t asked me how Kierce is handling his release.”

Stretching out beside Anunit, I rested my head on my arm and shut my eyes. “Like you would tell me the truth.”

“You’re not worried that’s him upstairs, trying to breach the gates and rescue the princess?”

“If he’s strong enough to cause such a ruckus I can feel it down here, he’s recovered enough to kill me.

” As I said it, it dawned on me how much it should piss off Ithas to learn that.

“From the fascinating backstory Ithas has been regaling me with, I’m shocked he would allow Dis Pater to lay a finger on me. ”

“He’s already killed you once,” Ankou reminded me around his snack.

“That was to evolve me.” I grumbled under my breath when I realized he had lured me back into looking at him, talking to him.

“I don’t know much about Titans, or demititans, but the next death feels like it would be permanent.

Ithas is patting himself on the back so hard he’s in danger of breaking an arm, so I doubt he’s on board with Dis Pater’s plan to re-murder me.

” I felt a smile form and turn mean. “He doesn’t know, does he?

He may be all powerful in Abaddon, but he’s limited in my world.

He can barely manifest there. Dis Pater doesn’t face those limitations.

I bet there’s a lot Dis Pater does that Ithas doesn’t know. ”

“Dis Pater has as much say in your continued existence as Ithas. Dinorah is his, after all.”

Another truth hit me between the eyes. Dis Pater was confident in loaning Dinorah to Ithas because he knew the Titan, who couldn’t manifest a body to wield the sword, wasn’t a threat as long as he avoided Abaddon.

Which was easily done after he set himself up so neatly in the human world.

But the loan also gave him a sense of entitlement toward me that was bad for my health.

“Does Ithas know Dis Pater got impatient and killed me himself?”

I had thought it was out of curiosity at the time, and that might still be true.

Just not the kind I first imagined. Until I became a demigoddess, assuming I survived the transition, he had no idea how solid the return on his investment would prove.

Given my extra time to mature, he had run out of patience.

“Ithas cares more for perfection than Dis Pater.” He dusted off his hands. “Dis Pater is more interested in functionality. As long as you can do what you’re supposed to do, he’s happy. Ithas is more particular.”

“How can you live with yourself?” I glanced at Anunit, who was resting her head on her paws, eyes shut.

“How can you see her and feel anything but disgusted with yourself for your part in the desecration of her daughter?” I looked back at him.

“I always knew I was different. Strange. But I’m an abomination. ”

“You’re still you, Bijou.” His eyes softened with pity that made me want to poke them out. “The person you are hasn’t changed. You just understand yourself better now. You grasp your divine purpose.”

“Divine purpose, huh?” As well as I had known Armie, or thought I did, I couldn’t decide if Ankou was mocking me. “Dis Pater wants me to act as a conduit to feed him power until he’s the Supreme Death Being or whatever idiotic title he’s dreamed up for himself.”

“Who does it hurt? The Alcheyvāhā are already dead.”

With Anunit crumpled behind me, he could damn well see who it hurt. Maybe that was the true reason for the visit. To taste her pain and savor the percussive blast of her grief. The longer he stirred the pot, the richer his supper. I had to remember that.

“Do you think, when this is over, and Dis Pater has harnessed as much energy as his skin will contain?—”

“—gods don’t have skin, per se?—”

“What’s to stop Dis Pater from killing Ithas with Dinorah when he no longer needs him?”

“Dinorah can’t kill Ithas. He’s worked up his immunity to its powers over the centuries by nicking himself every now and then.

” He frowned. “I’m not entirely sure that was his original intention.

He does get lost in his work. It’s just as likely, being a beacon of chaos, the first cut was accidental and inspired the whole side experiment. ”

This was getting me nowhere fast. Ankou knew me too well to slip up and blab any secrets.

No. I stood a better chance with Ithas, who still viewed me as a novelty.

He was more likely to be coaxed into chatting about his grand designs, as he had already proven the lack of company down here meant he was soaking up having a captive audience to regale with tales of his brilliance.

“I’m going to nap.” I curled up next to Anunit. “See you when I see you.”

“You’ll see me when you wake,” he promised. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Sleep wasn’t happening with him watching over my shoulder, but I shut my eyes and wished that I could be sure Josie, Harrow, and Carter were safe. All I could do was pray and stare into the darkness behind my eyelids while I hoped for the best.

A coarse swipe over my cheek snapped my eyes open, and I jolted upright in surprise to find I had fallen asleep at some point.

Ithas hadn’t come back, and with Ankou retreated to the shadows, I was granted the illusion of privacy.

Stomach cramping, afraid of what I would find in her eyes, I gazed at Anunit. “I’m so sorry.”

Hooking a paw across my middle, she drew me flush against her side. “This is not your fault.”

“I know, but I’m still sorry.” I rested my forehead against hers. “I had no idea.”

“Neither did I.” Her whiskers twitched, tickling my cheek. “I should have known a part of her was out in the world. I should have sensed it. I should have found her and brought her home.”