Death and Relaxation (Ordinary Magic #1)(54)

Just like most of the gods.

“Don’t you find the timing convenient?” he said. “That death was no accident. Someone was behind it. Likely a trickster.” He leaned back as if that were that, and the case was closed.

Crow grinned at Odin. “Screw you, old man. I didn’t kill Heimdall.”

“You think you’re the only trickster?” Odin asked, unperturbed.

He was right. Between the creatures, deities, and heck, even the mortals in town, we had plenty of people who were jokers.

“Do any of you know who wanted him dead?” I asked. “Who he might have been fighting with?” I glanced at Herri expectantly.

This is a safe place. You’re with people who care about you, Herri. Tell us you killed him.

Huh. Maybe it did feel like an intervention.

She pulled her hair back from her temples with her thumbs and let it fall. “He and I argued. But I have never disliked Heimdall. As a mortal, he was companionable. Even-tempered. Despite screwing me out of a few choice catches, he was fair to me.”

“As a mortal, you got along with him,” I said. “What about as a god?”

“We leave that outside this town, outside these lives,” she said.

“Do you?” I asked.

“Yes,” Zeus said in his cultured accent. “We all do.”

Herri rolled her eyes at him, and Aaron adjusted his glasses and snorted.

“You have an opinion, Ares?” Zeus asked.

“I’ll believe gods leave petty squabbles behind the day you and Odin kiss and make up.”

“Ass saddle,” Odin muttered.

“What’s that?” Aaron cupped his hand to his ear. “What did you call me?”

“Boys,” Herri warned.

Crow shook his head. “And you thought the tricksters cause trouble.”

“I thought,” Odin said, his deep voice loud enough to silence both of them, “that we were telling Delaney that we’re worried about her.”

“Wait,” I said. “We’re what now?”

“Worried about you,” Odin said, still glaring at Aaron and Crow in turn. “Isn’t that right, boys?”

Crow slid me a small smile. “I think that was actually the point.”

“Worried? That I can’t do my job?” Okay, maybe I said that a little louder than I’d intended.

I could feel all the gazes in the room turn to me.

Terrific. Now all the gods were interested in the subject of my inexperience.

“It’s just that your father…” Zeus began.

“My father what?” I demanded. “He taught me how to do his job. I’ve known for years that I would take it on. Just because he and I don’t sense power in the same manner doesn’t mean I’m not living up to the Reed blood and word. I will not fail this town nor the gods, creatures, or mortals within it.”

“…asked us to look out for you,” Zeus finished quietly.

Oh.

Well, I’d just been getting all worked up over the wrong thing.

“I can take care of myself.”

Frigg reached over and patted my arm. “We know. You’re a Reed. We know you’re strong. Your family always has been. But you’re new to this, Delaney.”

“And”—Zeus held up one finger to keep me quiet—“you not only have a new god in town, but you also need to rehouse your first power. It is a lot to take on at once.”

“Not to mention the murder,” Aaron said.

“And the murder,” Zeus agreed.

I hadn’t told any of them I thought Heimdall was murdered. “Who told you he was murdered?”

“He fell off his boat and drowned,” Odin said. “We’re on vacation, we’re not idiots.”

Thor stood up on a table and wobbled like a surfer trying to catch a wave. “Let’s swim the sea naked! In Heimdall’s honor! Who’s with me?”

Death, who was sitting primly in a corner booth sipping a fruity drink with umbrellas in it, glanced around the room, keenly interested in the answers.

“Well, some of us aren’t idiots,” Zeus said. “Some of us just raise them.”

Odin stood. “At least some of us aren’t cheap.”

“Cheap?”

“You broke my chainsaw.”

“It was dull.”

“Not before you used it on concrete.”

“I paid you to replace the blade.”

“You gave me store coupons. To your store!”

“Of which you should make immediate use. Your decor is hideous.”

“I make all my decor!”

Zeus gave him one slow blink. “I know. Destroying that chainsaw was a service.”

“Screw you and your damn service.” Odin curled his massive, scarred fists. “I’ll take my payment out of your face.”

“Finally!” Aaron cheered.

“No.” I stood, grabbed Odin’s arm. “You touch him and I’m dragging you to jail.”

“Worth it,” he growled.

Zeus was slouching a bit in his chair, relaxed, like he had no care in the world. “Let him go, Delaney. He couldn’t hit me if I carved a target on my forehead with a dull chainsaw.”