facade

I'm the one about to send your asshole through your mouth if you don't fuck off.

I don't see how barging into other people's spaces while acting like a micromanaging god yields positive results. You must be Alastor. To answer you in sequence: no, I don't need your help, as I am fully capable of cleaning up the coven. No, I don't have a good plan yet, but I am working with your father, as he is better suited to assist me with this issue. I know what is at stake, but thank you for the... insightful information.

Micromanaging god is my job or had that not really clicked? My father does try as he might, but I'm not in the business playing the hands-off route he's been traveling. That's me, I'm the cutest god. Oh, really, Cronus actually peeling himself from his little high horse and actually assisting instead of spouting vague bad news. Do you know what's at stake, though, Finnian? Have you personally seen what Bellora could do, when she isn't sitting on her ass and doing nothing right now. Or this other Azriel? I went head-to-head with the moody Az and even a hint of his powers without full sociopath was dangerous. This isn't the King, it's not the evil Envy, it's not even a very emo Rhys seconds from picking a fight.

You're really eating at a time like this? Actually, it shouldn't surprise me knowing who your brother is.

Sleepless nights, countless tribunals, and tracking down errant council members lead to a barely functioning coven, but it's functioning.

If you need errant council members gone, fine, I could wipe them off the face of the planet with a snap, but you better have a good plan in the works for the Delacroix problem. My mother's not the only one on the line.

It's both a blessing and a curse to be at the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to crises. I know nothing about anything until I'm ordered to do something.

Bellora's still being a power-hungry leech, I had to postpone my date, and we have a vampire mafia boss roaming the streets looking to abduct my sister. I'm taking Violet home, Yasmin.

I can't, and groveling to our father won't do anything. There are some things that even you aren't supposed to know, Alastor, and trust me. You don't want to know what I know.

I really hate the fucking rules, you know that, right? So, Tati and I are once again being left to fly blind like everyone else who isn't part of our family. Nik, why am I getting this impression there's another reason you aren't telling me?

Hope you're not looking forward to some witty and hilarious banter– I don't have it in me at the moment.

Do you want to fill me in or must I grovel to Dad about what's really going on?

I forgot you take annoyingly after your mother. No tact and subpar insults. Why do I bother engaging with such a child?

A mother you are riding around and destroying like your own personal meat puppet. What's the matter, Bels? Can't stand the physical proof my father fucked someone who wasn't you?

Fine... that's a reasonable request. It won't be possible to stop someone from taking over unless we kill every single one of his brood– someone will always vie for that power. You trust that Vicente won't turn on anyone else once Henrik is dead?

Then we kill every single one of his brood until his kingdom of psycho pants vampires are eradicated. Sol lost her family at the hands of Henrik, her grudge against him and his own family is justified. I trust she will know the difference between good and bad when it comes to the supernatural. I'd say Robin being fond of her should win some trust points, but he has a big heart to a fault.

Such a rough time for the godling.

Bellora, I thought I smelled the musty odor of bitchy skank floating my way.

Is this Sterling the one Beatrice is engaged to in her timeline? Because if they're the same, then they've already come into contact.

Fuck, well, this just became a lot more annoying and complicated. My sweet precious source of adoration Blair Baird, do her and yourself a favor by keeping them apart. Don't encourage the relationship.

It's funny, you do realize your sister had a thing for Sterling in my future as well and she wanted to murder him all the time. Yeah...I thought about Bellora's obsession collecting every bringer of chaos imaginable. She'll track him down quickly and he cannot refuse the opportunity working alongside a goddess.

Yes, but I can also fight my own fights, or in this case, apologize for what I need to. I can't imagine Violet being angry with really anyone, but I am not one who knows her the best, like you. Let's fucking do it– going after the siblings will get us nowhere in the long run. Strike down one, and two more will take their place– Henrik is the end goal. Without him, the family will fracture until someone else takes his place.

Whenever I do something that pisses off my sister, I give her space for a cooling off period, so just keep your distance for now, okay? Then we fucking kill Henrik and bury any regime he's built. No one should take his place, no one shall ever become the head of his empire and repeat the cycle continuing where he left off. Every vampire hunt needs a hunter, or a huntress. Good thing we know the perfect person.

Would it have been too much to ask for a break between catastrophes? How can I help?

We don't get that luxury. There's not much you can really help with, Blair, but the only thing you should probably do is place some distance between your daughter and a dhampir named Sterling. He's my best friend's brother, but I know he'll push her buttons.

You don't need to defend me, Alastor. I'll talk to her when I find the words to say. What do you mean by weird? I know for a fact that Naomi is here. I talked to her, and I told her point-blank that I'm not letting anyone take him if he doesn't want to go. It means a fight to the death if you're up to it.

That's what friends are for, dumbass. I don't know, but she's walking around and acting like she's angry at me and Tati or something. Naomi's a real peach, isn't she? I'm always down for fights to the death when it's hard for someone like me to die, so let's fucking do it and be heroes. And save your Prince Charming.

She's also a grown adult that you're refusing to see as one. Violet has a level head and knows exactly what is at stake, and everyone is entitled to a few secrets. If she tells me something, I will help her work through it, but I'm not going to breach her trust by ratting her out if it's unnecessary.

I'm not intending on treating Violet like a child, Yasmin. She's my younger sister, my family, and there are people in this goddamn realm looking to take advantage of gifts like hers. So, what if she tells you something serious? Are you just going to keep it to yourself?