CHAPTER 216

Mike allowed Death to lead him into the maze. They navigated the outer rim until they found a shortcut towards the center. A table and chairs had been set in a quiet location not too far from the sundial specifically for tea time. The metal table was held in place by thick roots that had sprouted from beneath. Mike took a seat just as Beth appeared several hedges over. Her hair was mussed, and there were a couple of sticks caught in it.

"Shit, is it that time already?" She adjusted her outfit and cleared her throat as Suly stood up next to her. The dullahan grinned, and waved at Mike.

"We'll be out of yer hair soon," he said, then leaned down to pull Asterion to his feet. The minotaur appeared to be in a daze, but he locked eyes with Mike and nodded.

"We are all friends now," Asterion said, then guided Beth and Suly through the maze and toward the house.

"How the hell did I not see them?" Mike wondered aloud.

"Because you did not have their consent to watch them," Death replied. "Sorceress Bethany cast a concealment spell. It is one of the spells that she has been working on all week with Ratu. She is becoming quite good."

"I see." He had been so busy this last week that he hadn't had a chance to talk with her. Most of their interactions had concerned the slime girl currently living in his bathtub. Ever since getting blasted by the angel, Opal was having trouble holding a human form. "I'm probably overdue for my own tutelage."

"It would serve you well." Death arranged the crockery on the table. "You should learn a spell to reheat my tea for me. It would be most convenient."

In front of the house, a car door slammed. Cyrus appeared between the lions, his eyes darting back and forth as he carried a briefcase past the Jabberwock and into the hedge maze. It took him a couple minutes to wind his way toward them, but he came to a stop on the other side of a thick bush.

"I swear I had the route figured out this time," he mumbled while scratching his chin. A rough beard was coming in, but the scars on his face meant it would never be uniform.

"It changes," Mike replied. He touched a nearby leaf and made his will known to the hedges. The foliage parted, allowing a wide-eyed Cyrus to come through and sit with them.

"Was that you?" he asked.

"Not quite," Mike replied. The roses around his house stubbornly refused his commands, so he was always siccing Suly on them. Some of the plants were manifesting personalities, and he could only wonder what he would have learned from the Mandragora if he could have spoken to it before it left so long ago. It wasn't so much that he made the bushes part--he had asked nicely and let them decide. "Have a seat."

"I have made us chamomile," Death declared, causing Cyrus to flinch. "It is a friendly tea."

"Thank you." Cyrus took his seat and accepted a cup from Death. "I'm sorry I keep reacting that way, it's something about your voice."

"You and I have met on many occasions. It has never been friendly." Death winked at Mike, an action which caused one of his flames to temporarily go out. "Until now."

"So what do you have for me today?" Mike leaned forward, ignoring the cup of tea that Death put in front of him.

Cyrus pulled some papers out of his briefcase and slid them across. It was a coroner's report for Murray. They had brought his body back and slumped him over the toilet in his bedroom. The police found him a couple days later after Eulalie sent an anonymous email complaining about the smell.

"Positional asphyxia?" Mike looked up at Cyrus from the document.

"They think he passed out on the toilet and suffocated while slumped over." Cyrus sipped his tea. "This is really good, by the way."

"You are too kind." Death sat down and drank from his own cup. Cyrus watched with interest as the liquid disappeared in Death's mouth.

"Don't bother asking where it goes," Mike told him as he set the papers down. "Did you find out that other thing I wanted to know?"

"Angelic retribution?" Cyrus frowned. "For obvious reasons, there aren't any records on killing an angel and if God Himself will come after you."

"Damn." Mike picked up his cup and held it without drinking. After Cerberus had killed the Mehkhkahrel, it had slowly expanded in size. The damn thing was nearly the size of a mountain now in the Underworld, and scavengers were slowly picking it apart.

"Based on my experience, you can't keep thinking of the Great Almighty as some old guy who knows all and sees all." Cyrus set down his cup and crossed his legs. "We know that other gods existed. Some still might."

"I just don't want one descending on my house." Mike looked at the edge of his property. The geas had been weakened by the angel's search for Death, and it seemed to be stuck that way. A couple of joggers had stopped to watch centaurs in the yard just yesterday. Lily followed one home and discovered that the geas made them see a child's birthday party where they chased each other on ponies.