I mean, asking for Bruce and Nadia to actually support me willingly would be far too much to ask and foolish to hope for. But if at all possible, I wanted that from the rest, and I truly believed I deserved it as well, was worthy of it in this new life. I was born to rule the gods, and trained to rule in a pack, which was all about loyalty. I was far from perfect, but there were lines I wouldn’t cross in this new incarnation.

  Lianne bit her lip, “I hadn’t considered that angle, it is distasteful, I hadn’t been thinking of it that way. Alright, well I’ll just yell at them like a crazy person until they see reason.”

  I grinned, “That would be fun to see, baby.”

  Cerise giggled.

  Lianne grinned, and kissed me warmly, “What do you say we retire to the bedroom, all those endorphins might help us think. A jealous man is easy to manipulate, but almost impossible to recruit with any sense of loyalty, so I’m coming up blank right now.”

  “Now that’s an action plan I can get behind…”

  I doubted the after-sex daze of bliss would actually help us focus on a solution, and I doubted she believed it either. But letting the problem percolate in the back of our heads while focusing elsewhere just might. Plus, she was far too alluringly sexy to turn down.

  It was the next morning over breakfast, when Cerise said, “We need to engage him emotionally. That’s the only thing that will trump an emotional response, another emotional response. Facts and logic won’t do it. Jealousy is very elemental, so it will have to be equally as strong. Pride, or his protectiveness of his family. Umm, which leads to negative plans of using them as a lever, but there has to be a way to convince him his goddesses are in danger and working with you is the best plan to avoid losing one of them without taking that road.”

  I frowned, “That works in principle, but we can’t honestly say his lovers are in danger.”

  Lianne shrugged, “We can’t say they’re not either. Let his fear do the work there, if you present Sara’s visit in the right way it will engender his protective instincts.”

  I nodded, “Leap of faith, and then activate plan B if he decides to go to Bruce and spill the beans. I don’t like playing things by ear with the stakes so high.”

  Cerise said, “Or, call a council meeting and tell them the truth. Tell them what Sara said, and then give Bruce and Nadia enough rope to hang themselves, damn themselves. There are a lot of inherent risks and questions with the fates backing your rule, and while it’s using an emotional lever against the others they won’t hold it against you, because it will be the fates applying it and Bruce doubling down on it. You can choose to brace the council for corruption at some point, or not, depending on if you think it will come in useful based on their initial reactions.”

  I pondered that, “That might work better than taking the same tactic with Gary alone. Bruce’s negative reaction might push him harder in my direction, or it might convince him to do the opposite.”

  Lianne asked, “What if they ask for proof?”

  I smiled, “That part is easy. Early on Misty suggested that I have her record all interactions with gods outside of the family, and I gave my permission. So, I can show a video of it from my perspective on the presentation equipment in the room. They can’t force me to share my memories, since I’m not under suspicion of a crime and there’s no proof of anything that way to justify it with. I hadn’t really thought about it until now, but there should be a recording of all of them.”

  Misty interjected, “I have them, sir.”

  I nodded, “Alright, anything we do is a risk, and that sounds like it might just work. Use the ones I can never trust, as well as the fates, to push Gary to get in line behind me for the sake of his family’s safety. If it doesn’t work, we’ll go straight to plan B.”

  Lianne nodded, “Good,” she said in a fierce tone, while Misty nodded in agreement and winked at me.

  My lips twitched.

  Cerise asked, “If they all turn on you?”

  “Then I’ll shrug it off and leave, tell them I’ll leave them to their fates. If they try to kill me, I’ll escape, and we go to plan B.”

  That was far from assured of course, but I’d have a split second’s warning if they decided to attack me, which should be plenty of time to teleport out. If they suppress that, I’ll just use witchcraft, or even lightning. They won’t dare to bring overwhelming force down on me, in the middle of the city.

  Still a gamble, but a manageable risk.

  Cerise bit her lip, “I know it was my idea, but now I’m nervous. Be careful, sir.”

  I winked, “Misty, send the text that I’m calling a council meeting.”

  After the last one I’d been convinced the next would be too soon, and here I was calling one the very next day. Of course, this one would be going very differently…

  The first difference of course, was I’d claimed the head of the table for this meeting to set the tone. Through the simple expedience of showing up ten seconds before Bruce, because all I had to do was want to know how early he planned to be, which was ten minutes early.

  He scowled, “What is this about?”

  I waved, “A matter for the whole council to deal with and decide. I’ll brief you all at the same time, I’m not so in love with my voice I want to say it twice.”

  Bruce looked like he might argue, but he snorted dismissively and sat down at the foot of the table.

  Next was Nadia, who sat next to Bruce with a coy smile and vulnerability on her face, like she was a lost girl looking for a strong man to protect her. I had to hand it to her, she was very good, and absolutely not to be trusted.

  Then Freda showed up followed by Teresa, Freda sat close to me on the right side of the table, and Teresa sat further down, closer to Bruce. Which left the chairs to my left, where the justice trio sat when they came in.

  “Good morning, everyone. I’m sure you’re all busy, so I’ll get right to the point as to why I called this council meeting. I was approached by one of the fates last night, and she brought up a concern I thought you should know about, and that you will need to address.”

  Bruce said, “You only call and chair meetings relating to overreach and power grabs.”

  “Okay, take it away.”

  Bruce just glared back.

  I snorted, “Oh right. I’m the only one that knows what she said. Why didn’t you think of that, before uttering that bit of stupidity?”

  Bruce snarled, “You should’ve presented it to the council in a report, and then if we decided it was important enough to call a meeting, one of us would chair and ask questions, if we felt it necessary."

  I smiled, "Of course, my mistake to underestimate your pettiness. You’re just mad I got this chair. So, I guess this meeting is unofficial. If you’d like to leave, feel free. I certainly have no interest in keeping you here.”

  Bruce ground his teeth, “We’re all here, so let’s hear it. I was just instructing you on how to do it in the future.”

  I snorted, “Very well. Sara instructed me to take the reins, and if I failed to do so things would get, and I quote, messy.”

  I leaned back in my chair while they all stared at me in disbelief.

  Bruce asked, “Do you expect us to believe…” he trailed off as the video started.

  I didn’t show the whole visit, just a bit of the before and after banter where she said what I just said she said, up until the part where she said her sisters were also in support of my rule, in so many words.

  I shrugged, “Obviously, I was concerned to hear this. The fates almost never interfere, and most of the time they never all agree on a route to take even when they do. Since whether this happens or not, is entirely up to you seven, I decided to call a council. At the time it seemed rather important, but of course next time I’ll submit a proper report and await your petty pleasure.”

  Bruce said, “This is a farce, how did you do it?”

  “Do what? Do you think Sara didn’t know she was being recorded?”

  Bruce snorted, “You know what I mean, that could’ve been a clever illusion spell, or outright CGI on a technical level. A deepfake.”

  I shook my head, “A man in my position can’t afford to bluff like that. If I was guilty then you’d throw me in Tartarus for attempting to defraud the council and seize power. I can’t rule without the permission of this council and your agreement to reform a new government, again. The fates can’t be dismissed lightly, something is coming, and apparently without my leadership you’ll all fuck it up.”

  Gary growled, “Watch it.”

  I raised an eyebrow, and said in a low tone of disgust, “Why should I? This council is a failure, nothing like the vision Natasha had. You’ve all allowed Bruce to shit all over my small amount of authority, either out of jealousy or because I’m just not important enough, but you failed to remember you’re not just diminishing me. You’re diminishing yourselves and the council that you built, the bylaws and principles of this council have taken a beating too. None of the rest of you want to rule, but you took on a duty, and you’ve failed to uphold it. As petty as it is, all of you are guilty of usurpation of power, you’ve stolen the tiny amount you left me, either by deed or by negligence.”

  I waved, “You handed spymaster to an unproven and unknown newbie just come into her powers, with absolutely no turnover or clue on if she could really handle it or not. Just because you were glad to be rid of it. You want me to watch it, you want me to earn your respect. You have all failed to earn mine.

  “So what is it to be. Do you risk the mess, the future the fates wish to avoid, or do you ask me to lead?”

  Kaya asked, “What kind of structure?”

  Bruce growled, “It doesn’t matter, he will never rule here.”

  I nodded, “Because you do?” I asked suggestively, which made him snarl.

  I turned to Kaya, while noting Gary was angry at my biting response, but also thinking.

  “A middle ground between Natasha’s original idea, and the formation of this council upon Nate’s death. I rule with final say, but my power is limited to running this council outside of emergency situations which I will need to justify later on, or a council exactly like this one if you will? I appoint and delegate all authority that impacts our people, and anyone has right of refusal. I can’t force you to serve, even if I wanted to I couldn’t, so might as well recognize it from the start. Well, I could, but I refuse to use the tactics required to pull it off.

  “For the most part, not much will change. But instead of occasional suggestions, I will have occasional orders, and I will be sitting at the head of the table. I have no interest in micro-managing, like Nate and Zeus got up to. I’m influenced by my shifter upbringing that way, where the pack master really doesn’t get to do anything, he just makes the decisions, guides, and delegates. You will still command your people, and you’ll have full authority to run the day-to-day concerns of the government as you like within reason. But when I ask for something, you will do it.

  “Of course, you’re also my watchdogs, as Natasha originally conceived of in her first plan to deal with Nate. If I give an illegal order, or one that is dubious or immortal, any of you may call for a council meeting and vote to override it by a vote of at least six.

  “At least, that was my rough idea, I’m open to suggestions on fleshing out that basic framework. Honestly, I can’t do it without you, no more than Nate could do more than a half ass job of it. Wrangling over three hundred gods and keeping them safe and in harmony with humanity is too big for any one god to tackle, even me. I also don’t want to wreck my personal or private business plans, which I know most of you can relate to.”

  Gary said, “Bruce doesn’t rule here.”

  “No? Then why is he the only one I’ve heard state opinions. Political power not exercised is not power at all. He’s been leading you all because none of you care enough to bother, and he hasn’t gotten in the way of your responsibilities. So you let him sit on his pedestal and run the meetings. What harm can it do? Well, here we are, he usurped power and you are all implicated in that through negligence. I don’t know what’s coming.”

  Gary said, “But you want to rule.”

  I nodded, “Of course I do, I was born to rule the gods. It’s my mantel’s purpose. I’m also a lot more qualified to do so this time around. But that’s not what’s in question here. I’m not plotting, pulling strings, or holding things over anyone’s head, I’m being bluntly honest and open about it. What’s driving this is fate’s announcement, I had decided after the disgraceful way I was treated yesterday to wash my hands of all of you, but here we are again. I didn’t dare dismiss their warnings.”

  Bruce said smugly, “Nor can you rule without our permission.”

  I shook my head, “That’s not entirely true. I can’t rule you and this council without your permission, grudging or otherwise. Which is my first choice. I don’t want to rule on my own, it’ll screw up all my other plans and be a clusterfuck besides, which is why I’m here. But to be clear, this is just plan A folks, I’m not ignoring the fates warning, Nate did that and wound-up dead. Sara also saved me from Steven’s treacherous attack when I was trying to make peaceful contact, as well as set me up on a date. This isn’t about me and you, this is about the fates and gambling against them.

  “I’m not asking you to trust me, only to work with me and give me the benefit of the doubt far enough to either hang myself or earn your trust down the line with my actions and deportment, how I rule. That’s it, and it’s not much of a risk, where ignoring fate’s warning is. Of course, I know it’s not that simple, as fear, pride, grudges, and history all have an effect, but I can earn it if you give me a chance to.”

  Bruce growled, “You’re suggesting if we don’t agree, you’ll overthrow us?”

  I shrugged, “I don’t have to fight you, or plot against you. This council doesn’t lead with an iron fist, it leads by example and all of your scurrying people doing all the real work don’t actually have to work for you. Do they?”

  Gary snorted, and Bruce turned red in the face.

  I smiled, “So, plan B, cutting you off at the legs by stealing all your people. Legally and in a way that doesn’t break the law.”

  Bruce said, “But you’d be declaring yourself ruler, which would make you guilty of treason against this council.”

  I shook my head, “Rule? Wouldn’t dream of it. I can’t rule without your permission, and I haven’t lied to you today. We’d just be like… neighborhood watch. Not an official government at all. That would be you seven, sitting around a table with nothing to do.”

  It was risky to reveal plan B, but I was fairly confident Bruce would dismiss it as a possibility.

  Bruce snorted, “Sophistry. I accuse you of treason.”

  Well, so much for my confidence being right.

  I frowned, “I haven’t done anything yet. We were just speculating. Are you sure you want to do that? Because what’s the penalty for grasping for power that isn’t yours again? Twenty years in Tartarus? What’s the penalty for making accusations against a fellow council member? Another ten years? Yes, maybe we should bring Amelia here, to judge a couple of things, instead of just one. Shall we? I mean, it would suck to go to Tartarus for twenty years, because you were just being a highhanded jackass when you started to usurp my appointing responsibilities.”

  Bruce scowled, “Why are you so damned confident when you have no power.”

  I waved, “Because they do, and I’m betting on them betting on fate. On taking a gamble on me. They were willing to let you be a peacock, because they didn’t care. Well, I’m betting now they do. I’m not holding my breath for your support, or for Nadia’s for that matter, but I don’t need you. You can keep your position for all I care, if they choose to support me, you’ve done a good job save failing to take my suggestion, which will be an order now by the way. Not closing a risk to your men because I’d suggested the fix was beyond petty, and into foolhardy risk of the lives under your command. Point is, you can take your toys and go home if you want, and have nothing, or you can begrudgingly accept the truth. I was meant to rule, and you were meant to rule under me.”

  Bruce looked pissed, but worried for the first time as well.

  Gary said, “I won’t be used by you.”

  I shrugged, “Not me, fate. I was going to write you all off, remember? All I’m asking from you is to continue doing the job you’ve felt called to do for the last twenty-two years. Do you hate me that much that you’d turn your back on your own ambition out of spite, and risk your future, the future of your family, and future of the gods by gambling against the fates. You keep acting like I’m the bad guy here, all I’ve been is helpful since I’ve reported my emergence to the council. I’ve not acted against any of you, despite having the right to do so by this council’s own laws. If you choose to view my hope that you’ll do the right thing, as using you… well then there’s no hope at all for you, is there?”

  Gary said, “I don’t like you.”

  I nodded, “You don’t need to. All you need to do is watch me for corrupt orders and keep doing what you’re already doing, what you want to be doing. Human adults work with people they hate all the time, but gods are like children that way I suppose? Anyway, it’s not a huge deal, at least not on your side. I doubt I’ll have many if any orders for the justice council, it’s not the branch that will encounter emergency situations after all.

  “I also won’t hold meetings just to hear myself talk, most of the time I’ll just send a text. I don’t need you on tap to advise me, because you guys are all in charge by my delegation if you accept. So how you do things will be the advice, and I’ll take it most of the time.”

  I shrugged, “Not sure how to make it any clearer. Yes, the fate’s intervention is giving me power, but notice I only took enough to satisfy her wording. Taking the reins of power, but I left most of it in your hands. I could’ve tried to take it all, but that’s not the ruler I want to be.”