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Malice smirks at Envy’s reply. That is, until Sorrow chucks a pile of black clothes across the distance, the items smacking Malice in the face. By comparison, their group is hardly as condemning toward Wonder, who accepts the pants and blouse offered by Merry, her pink eyes sparkling like glitter.

That she can gush at Malice after everything.

That she’d accepted his apology when he appeared on Stargazer Hill with Wonder, shocking the fuck out of everyone.

It must be the former love goddess in Merry.

She’s a romantic who puts faith in redemption, even for someone who’s tried to kill her more than once.

The others remain wary. He doesn’t blame them, considering it’s only been a few months since he joined their crew. Though occasionally he’ll crack a joke that’ll make one of them snort. Or they’ll glance at him for insight while discussing conflict tactics.

To say the least, fucking in enemy territory isn’t part of the strategy. But maybe they’re getting used to him, because they don’t clamor, just wait in silence as Malice and Wonder get dressed.

Fair enough, they can’t judge. He’s seen these couples kiss to the point of swapping tonsils and overheard them going at it for hours from their respective chambers in Merry’s rooftop observatory.

The females can easily handle this amount of stamina.

As for the males, it’s a marvel every dick in attendance hasn’t broken by now.

Envy audits the pornographic scene and leers like an asshole.

He’s positioned himself on the opposite end of the line, as far from Sorrow as possible, while the goddess pretends he’s not there.

It’s been this way since Wonder shared the latest legend with them.

So actually, they’re the sexual exception in this crew.

The hot and heavy rutting is over between them, so long as they deny what they’ve been told.

Andrew glances away while pressing a fist to his amused mouth. Beside him, Love bristles her wings like hackles and gives Malice a withering look, silently vowing to chop off his balls if he ever hurts Wonder.

None of them have to worry. Malice is here to stay. None of their enemies will lay a finger on his wildflower. If they try, he’ll tear them to pieces.

Merry squeezes Anger’s hand, preventing him from tackling Malice like a cannonball. Too bad. Fucking with the god is fun, and fun is just so very funny.

All the same, Anger the Angry opens his mouth.

“Ah-ah.” Malice flaps his finger, his talon slicing the air. “Don’t go there, mate. It’d be the pot calling the kettle black.”

“You couldn’t expend yourselves back in the mortal realm?”

“We ran out of surfaces,” Malice defends, shrugging into his leather jacket, then snatching his bow off the grass and strapping it to his back. “As such, we needed extensive options. And don’t go denying how the rest of you bang in public. I’ve heard every fu—”

Wonder slaps a palm over his mouth. Playfully, he bites her hand.

It’s a good thing Harmony isn’t here. If the Guide were, she’d have words for them. Instead, she’s back in the mortal realm with their allies, rallying exiles and defectors, including his cult.

Yeah. That had been tricky, getting the latter to enlist. Seconds after he and Wonder used the Asterra Flora to disappear, and despite his order to the contrary, a scrimmage erupted between this band and Malice’s creed.

Blood was spilled. A few exiles are no longer alive, regardless of the crew being outnumbered. Impressive, really.

As for recruiting the survivors, thankfully Malice has had thousands of years practicing. He understands what it means to be rejected, therefore he knows how to motivate a bunch of anarchists.

Malice collects Wonder’s quartz archery and hands the weapons to her.

Their crew steps to the crag’s edge and scans the mountain range carpeted in moonlight.

In the valley, a forest shrouds The Archives and the ruins of a forbidden repository.

Hopefully, they’ll repair the damage someday.

They’ll resurrect The Hollow Chamber, because if anything should be immortal, it’s books.

This, provided they survive this mission. Meanwhile, they’re not heading to The Archives. This time around, they’ve got a different destination in mind.

Everyone stares in stone cold silence. Andrew and Love wind their arms around each other, Anger tucks Merry to his side, and Malice envelopes Wonder from behind. Though, he’s got no clue what the fuck Envy or Sorrow are doing since he doesn’t bother checking.

They’d agreed to meet on this hill and then forge ahead. Shit’s about to get real. This isn’t a scheme anymore; it’s either the beginning or the end.

“What are we waiting for?” Love asks. “One of us should take the first step.”

Their crew leader grimaces. Although Anger routinely assumes responsibility for everyone’s life, he also acknowledges the crew’s agency over their own choices. That’s not the problem.

Merry brushes his bicep, curls into him, and whispers, “I’ll be fine.”

Yeah. That’s the problem.

For once, Malice can relate. He’s not about to let anything happen to his wildflower either. Same goes for Andrew regarding Love.

Nevertheless, these goddesses are capable of throwing down with the mightiest of deities. They don’t need shields. They need partners. And they aren’t planning on letting anything happen to their soulmates either. That’s a dealbreaker between equals.

Anger draws Merry into a protective kiss. Since the rage god is busy, Malice would volunteer, but he doubts they want him leading the pack.

“You know what I’ve never understood?” Andrew says, his white hair a stark contrast to the night sky.

“Why the fuck is love the outcome of only five emotions? If it’s the most complex one in existence, a hundred other feelings should play roles.

I wouldn’t break it down to a handful. Happiness.

Confusion. Don’t get me started on fear.

But Merry feels love, and Malice feels it, not just the Infamous Original Five.

We’ve established it’s possible for all deities to experience it, so maybe every deity is love itself. ”

Everyone stalls. Well, hell. For a mate who didn’t grow up here, he’s got something. Despite how long the rest of them have been alive, Andrew’s interpretation never occurred to anyone. Leave it to a fantasy author to break down the logic of a magic system.

Love grins at her soulmate. “I suppose we’re the core.”

“That’s why evolution starts here,” Wonder says.

Andrew nods. “Then I’ll do it.”

Done gawking at the landscape, the human makes the first move.

Growing more balls than every deity on this hill, Andrew kisses Love with the same amount of dedication as Anger, then winks at the goddess and heads down the incline, a mortal bow harnessed to his back.

Proud of the man’s grit and likewise fetishizing the sight of his ass in motion, Love gains Andrew’s side, linking their fingers together.

Anger and Merry trade sappy glances and follow, their hands clasping.

Envy and Sorrow avert their gazes from each other, as if that’s going to make a damn difference.

Until they get their shit together and give the final legend a try, this crew has a contingency plan to act out.

The swaggering god and moody goddess trudge into the forest, aligning themselves with the crew, forming a single insurgent line.

Wonder grins at Malice while adjusting the straps of her archery. “Ready?”

“I’m always ready to raise hell with you. And when this is over—” he yanks her against him, palming her luscious ass, “—we’re soooo coming back to this spot to fuck, and fuck, and fuck. Then fuck some more, and fuck again.”

She throws back her head and laughs, a boisterous sound that he’ll never get tired of hearing. “I’m counting on it, Demon.”

Malice sets his forehead against hers and flashes his best wolfish grin. “Then lead the way, Wildflower.”

Because he’ll follow this female anywhere.

But first, Wonder smiles against his lips and fuses her mouth to his, plaiting their tongues together.

Fuck, Malice groans against that delectable mouth.

Not to be outdone, he feasts on the goddess like a glutton, lapping hard enough to reach her lovely pussy, refusing to let up until she’s as wet as the ocean.

Mine. All fucking mine.

And hers. All fucking hers.

Only then does Malice pull back on a growl. Damn if this female isn’t sexy while armed to the teeth. His blooming, bookish goddess.

Yeah, he’s got it bad. Forever bad.

Let her stay drenched until tonight. By the time the sky darkens, he’s going to make this goddess come so deeply, she’ll feel him throughout the rest of this war.

With a playful snarl, Malice nips Wonder’s lower lip, adoring her mirthful flush, loving all of her. And how clever. Here they are, descending into the unknown, returning to deadly terrain. But this time, he’s whole. He knows himself, and she knows him, and they’re still here.

And now he knows what that feels like.