She said, “In college I usually wear a skirt with leggings, and a blouse with a tight shirt under it, or maybe on occasion a summer dress.”

  I cleaned us both up and dressed us with my power over beauty, including doing her nails, hair, trimming and grooming, the whole nine yards.

  “You look amazing, if I do say so myself.”

  She giggled, and cast an illusion of a full length mirror hovering over us, so she could see the black sundress with white and pink flower pattern.

  “It’s nice, you’re all partial to dresses.”

  I nodded, “Goddess upgrade to my wardrobe, but you can wear what you want. I used to wear jean shorts or yoga pants with a halter top all the time on campus in college. I’m really glad you’re here, and that you fell for Gary, but it will make things a little awkward at first while the rest of us catch up.”

  It really would make it a bit awkward. Her continued nervousness just proved she didn’t trust the rest of us, not really. She just trusted and loved Gary. Not insurmountable, but it would make the first few weeks more than a little awkward.

  She accused, “Except for you.”

  I grinned, “True. My intuition is telling me you’re a perfect fit, and that you’ll enhance our family and enrich it with your presence. So I’m sort of ahead that way in being so accepting of the surprise, but at the same time I still need to get to know you better.”

  That was true too, and I had told the others she was trustworthy, but it was natural to doubt that. It would be… interesting. I wasn’t exactly mad at Gary for doing it, but a more organic process would’ve been better.

  She said, “He ordered me to move in.”

  I giggled, “Delicious, isn’t it?”

  She blushed, “Yes.”

  “It’s coming up on breakfast, but I guess it’s nine at night in Japan? You’ll have plenty of time to move your stuff while we’re doing school and stuff. Also, if you want to abuse me like everyone else, you’ll need to show me all your clothes and tell me what you wear for what occasion, and I’ll keep you flawless without all that effort involved. I know you’re worried about offending me, but don’t let me dress you in something you don’t like.”

  She sighed, “You are wonderful, Natasha. That would be great and thank you. It took me almost two hours to get ready for our date last night.”

  I giggled, “It took us about thirty seconds, although another hour for window shopping for ideas.”

  She said softly, “I didn’t mean it to happen. Gods, he is amazing, and he has no idea.”

  I grinned, kissed her gently, then said, “I know, right?”

  The breakfast table was covered with eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy, and mixed fruit and cheeses. There was also coffee and orange juice. The conversation was a little more reserved with Kaya there, but not especially so. Which was normal, we just had to find the new dynamic, and I had faith that would happen. It was also when my phone went off, text message.

  “Umm, dad and Bruce will be here in ten minutes.”

  Gary said, “Good, do you think Bruce is finally ready to move?”

  “I hope so.”

  Mandy said, “That seems likely, though there’s a small chance he decided we don’t have enough evidence to risk a confrontation and vote.”

  “Bite your tongue.”

  She giggled, “Very unlikely chance.”

  “I just wonder why he’s bringing dad with him.”

  We all hurried to finish off breakfast which took most of those ten minutes, and I gulped down the orange juice, then took a few long sips of coffee and winced as I burned my tongue.

  “So that non-burning thing, is that just on the outside?”

  Kaya chuckled, “Yes, on the skin. My mouth is as sensitive as ever to heat and cold. It might even just be a subconscious use of our power.”

  Gary winked, “Maybe darkness just makes a perfect insulator, like magical vacuum,” and then cast a healing spell.

  I giggled, “I’d have been fine in five minutes, but thanks,” and took another much smaller sip of coffee.

  Amelia asked, “Are we all going to meet him?”

  I shook my head, “Anyone who wants to, for dad and Bruce. Just us for the council.”

  Amelia nodded.

  Gary added, “Until it’s time for judgement, then we’ll need everyone there to make it official, and it’s likely the others on the council will insist on watching it happen. But until our enemy is captured and helpless, I don’t want any of you there,” he glanced at Amelia, Mandy, and Vicki.

  Vicki beamed, “Got it.”

  We felt the expected arrival in the backyard, and we all got up and headed back there. I hadn’t really counted on the fact Kaya was with us now, Bruce looked surprised to see her there. Of course he did, and more than a little wary at that fact. Another unintended consequence of our man’s shortcut. Of course he’d put his mind on the line, and made the woman fall in love with him in five minutes flat. Not only that, but he’d had to claim her. Not that I was complaining about that last, that’s who he was and we all loved that about him.

  I waved, “Would you like to come in? Have a coffee?”

  Bruce said, “We don’t have that much time, I’m going to call a meeting shortly, for eight. Why is she here?”

  Gary said, “We’re getting to know her.”

  Bruce sighed, “I hate to ask but can you leave, just for a few minutes? We don’t want to bias you as a witness since you’re the key to the case, and I have a few things to share they need to know that you shouldn’t.”

  Kaya nodded her head, “I understand. I have some things to take care of at the dorm anyway.”

  Darkness billowed and faded, and she was gone.

  Gary didn’t look happy she’d been chased off, but he did see the need and didn’t object.

  I asked, “So, what’s going on?” my eyes flickering to dad in question.

  Bruce said, “Mark’s been helping me connect a few dots. He can’t see the architect with his power, but he was able to trace back some connections. Nancy for instance was in touch and working with two other gods that are now on Tatiana’s oversight staff. It’s still circumstantial, but it’s a solid link that suggests it was her behind Nate’s murder. Her and those gods were strangers before they started meeting on a weekly basis as well.

  “There’s also further circumstantial evidence that suggests Nancy was under compulsion, as are the other two minor gods on the list. I’ll be verifying that shortly, with Mark here.

  “Anyway, we’re going to lead with that, get everyone thinking in that direction, then we’ll call in Kaya to have her ID the person in the room that led her astray. Which should be more than enough at that point to get a vote to question her under truth spell or delve her memories.”

  Gary asked, “Circumstantial?”

  “Nancy was in Europe. After Mark freed her from Brandon’s control and threatened to kill her if she ever went after his family again, she left with the intentions of never coming back to the U.S. at all. We traced her movements through Europe which ended in Paris. This was about twelve years ago, after that she almost exclusively spied on Nate. Not proof, but…”

  I said, “But Tatiana’s home is in Paris.”

  Bruce said, “Exactly, and the other two gods working for her also had extreme changes to their lifestyles over a decade ago, abandoning their past their lives. I’ll go into more detail at the meeting, but that’s my plan for it. I wish I had more but everything that happens around her is hidden from Mark’s ability.”

  Gary sighed, “I hate to say it, but all of that suggests she had Nate killed under our nose, which we already kind of new. It doesn’t link her with this new mess, does it? What if after all that Kaya walks in and points at Teresa or Freda?”

  Bruce snorted, “Do you believe that?”

  Gary shrugged, “Not really, no. Just trying to keep an open mind, and it’s always dangerous to lead people toward a conclusion if you’re not absolutely certain of your facts.”

  Mark grinned, “I don’t think either of them would’ve tried to blow up your house with you in it, or set the goddess of darkness on you.”

  Gary nodded, “They seem okay enough, but they don’t trust any of us and are as paranoid as any of us if not more so without offensive powers. If one of them got it into their head we had long range plans and were a danger, a little preemptive self-defense doesn’t seem all that unreasonable. All I’m saying is just because Tatiana is guilty of regicide that doesn’t mean she’s guilty of everything else that goes wrong.”

  Bruce grunted, “What exactly are you suggesting?”

  Gary said, “Lead with Kaya’s testimony. If she picks out Tatiana, then use the additional evidence as the nail in the coffin. Otherwise, that evidence will just cause a dissonance in everyone’s fluid expectation, and get Tatiana very angry at you, and it’s not enough on its own to win a vote. It should still work, while covering our asses, just in case.”

  I sighed, “I don’t doubt at all who’s behind this, but I don’t think he’s wrong about the psychological dissonance it would create if she walks into the meeting and points at someone else. The groundwork laid before that would hurt our case, and at the very least make us look stupid. I don’t see why we shouldn’t go at it in the order Gary suggested, since either way would work. It’s up to you of course, we know you’re in charge here, it’s your show.”

  I mean, I wanted to support Gary, but my instincts and intuition told me the queen of the gods was behind this shit. At the same time, we really shouldn’t be trying to dictate a change, Bruce was in charge of this show, it was his authority and his job to pursue the bad guys. We just judged them.

  Mark said, “The kid has a point, boss.”

  Bruce said, “As a rule, you should save your biggest shot for last, so it’s fresh in everyone’s mind,” he glared at Gary, “But now you’ve got me paranoid I could be wrong, which isn’t reasonable at all. Alright, we’ll do it your way. You can signal her to teleport in after I prompt you. I also assume I’ll have your support if our quarry tries to run. She won’t want to submit to even a truth spell.”

  I nodded, “We’ll suppress anyone from teleporting out.”

  Bruce said, “Good enough. We’ll see you in about ninety minutes.”

  Dad winked at me, right before they disappeared in a rising and flashing bubble of golden light.

  “Troublemaker, honey.”

  Gary grinned, “Just calling it like I see it, and I believe you’re the one called trouble, trouble.”

  I giggled, “Do you really think it could be one of them?”

  Gary said, “Do I think anyone could be made to attack in paranoia and perceived self-defense, yes. Do I think for even a second Freda would abuse the U.S. military when making her move and doing so, hell no. She respects the humans too much, that’s why she’s our diplomat. If it was her then she’d have found another way to solve the perceived problem. No, if it isn’t Tatiana, then it’ll be Teresa, because I don’t think she overly respects anyone, much less humans.”

  He tilted his head, “Of course, that’s assuming Kaya identifies anyone on the council at all.”

  I laughed, “You’re a frustrating man at times, don’t even go there.”

  He grinned.

  Mandy shrugged, “It’s sound tactical reasoning, even if probably not necessary.”

  Gary smirked, “See, the wisest woman in the world agrees with me. Plus, have you not considered at all her contact could’ve actually been a witch, under the thrall of say… Steven?”

  Mandy blushed at the compliment.

  I smirked, and totally ignored the other part, “So did I, if you remember.”

  He snorted, “You supported me, after throwing me under the bus. You didn’t agree with me at all.”

  I giggled, he wasn’t wrong. I’d just agreed with the psychological impact of being wrong and left flatfooted in our presentation, not that Tatiana could be innocent of the attacks against us.

  He kissed me deeply, then went around collecting three more, before we headed back inside.

  It was eight, so we had no choice but to be late to our first online class that day. The conference room was full, and that time we’d gotten the crappy spot with our back to the door on the right side of the table. Steven was at the foot, Bruce at the head, Freda across from us, Tatiana next to us, and Teresa next to Freda.

  Bruce said, “I’ll get right to it, since we all have other places to be. We were successful in subduing and flipping Kaya to our side. She is a supporter of this government and council, and she won’t be a problem in the future. The one who poisoned her mind against Gary as the latest attempt to assassinate him since the failure of the fuel air bomb three weeks ago, was disguised and no one we recognize.

  “However, she has agreed to attempt to identify the culprit under truth spell, by their magical signature. We are going to start now, with clearing this council, and if necessary we will summon every god before her until the right one is found,” he nodded to me, and I sent the text.

  Tatiana said, “That’s ridiculous, the one involved would’ve obscured their power, either naturally or with witchcraft.”

  Bruce smirked, “I said magical signature, not godly power. Every caster of witchcraft leaves behind a different one, like a fingerprint. If the one responsible obscured their power with witchcraft, well than those spells around them will match the signature of the protection charms they’re wearing.”

  Tatiana tilted her head, then waved her hand, “I can see that. Carry on then.”

  She didn’t look worried at all, and neither did Teresa. That made me wonder if Gary wasn’t right after all. Unless… she had a witch cast those spells over her that day, because she was smart enough not to make that mistake, just in case her plan blew up in her face.

  Or, she was just playing it cool while scrambling to find a way out or an opportunity to escape the room.

  Steven said, “Just like that, you’re willing to submit to this test without cause?”

  Tatiana laughed, “Are you nervous, Steven?”

  Steven scowled, and scratched his eye ridge with his middle finger, like we were suddenly back in junior high or something.

  He had a point though. She’d let it go far too easily, given her history of obstructionism. Which suggested to me she did do it, and she did cover her ass. That the whole risk of being identified amused her, and that’s why she wasn’t going to fight it.

  Or, I was thinking too much again, and needed to start feeling. I felt it wasn’t Steven, he was just being an ass. It was Tatiana, and we didn’t have her. Or did we?

  I smirked, I bet she had used a witch to cast those spells.

  Kaya’s arrival outside had most of us looking toward the door, but I kept my eye on everyone else in favor of not craning my neck around, and it seemed prudent to do so. Intuition. I pulled out my phone and texted dad a question, then Kaya came in and moved toward the head of the table, everyone watching her with distrust save the three that had invited her here. Me, Gary, and Bruce.

  Bruce said, “Thanks for coming, Kaya. Are you ready?”

  The text was returned, and I smirked, as I sent dad some instructions, with an x and o at the end. I supposed I was breaking my own rules in the moment, interfering in an investigation, but I was so done with that horridly arrogant bitch breathing the same air as me, or any air at all for that matter, after what she’d done.

  Kaya looked nervous, but she nodded, “I am, but the person responsible for lying to me is not in this room, at least none of the magic signatures I feel match.”

  Tatiana smirked and Steven snorted, the latter said, “Waste of my time.”

  Bruce scowled at both, then turned back to Kaya, “You’re willing to verify that under truth spell?”

  Kaya sighed, “Yes. Sorry?”

  Bruce cast the spell.

  Kaya said, “Sorry, not here.”

  Steven snorted, “Can we go now?”

  I smiled, “I’d like to hang out for a bit. So how are things going in the shadowy world of spying?”

  Steven shook his head, “What are you up to?”

  I shot Bruce an apologetic glance, “I’m sticking my nose in Bruce’s business, I’m afraid. Five minutes, tops, and I’ll apologize if nothing comes of it.”

  Tatiana scowled, “I don’t have time to waste, what are you trying to accomplish.”

  I smiled, “Nervous?” throwing her own word back at her from earlier.

  Tatiana snorted, and she turned away from me.

  Bruce asked with annoyance, “What’s going on?”

  “Intuition. No one looked nervous enough, and it occurred to me…” I trailed off as my phone beeped, that was fast, “Dad’s on his way, with a guest,” I looked at Tatiana, and said smugly, “With a witch.”

  Steven’s eyes narrowed, “You assumed whoever did it used a witch, because no one looked nervous enough at Kaya’s impending arrival. And you think you found the single witch among tens of thousands around the world?”

  I grinned, “Intuition. I knew where to look. I also assumed no god would allow a witch to cast spells on them while their defenses were down. Unless of course, that witch was compelled, and let’s say, also the matriarch of the Paris coven. She should be here any moment.”

  Tatiana’s face turned white, as the blood drained from her face, “You bitch!”

  I waved with a smug smile, “You shouldn’t have tried to kill what was mine, and you never should’ve feigned ignorance to magical signatures to try to cover your ass further. That tripped my bullshit meter and told me how you’d done it.”

  Gary gave me a look that said I was his, and it made me flush with warmth.

  Bruce cleared his throat, “So Kaya can identify her signature, and we get the proof from her mind that gives us a solid reason to vote to look in Tatiana’s.”

  Steven snorted, “Look at her, I think that’s all the proof we need.”

  My father’s power signature lit up the room as he teleported into the hallway outside, and he dragged in a witch bodily who was cuffed, then tore her necklace off and tossed it on the table.

  Kaya said in a damning voice, “That’s the signature.”