Chapter 72: 72. Negotiation

They watched each other in silence. Seconds passed, then a full minute.

“So,” Achi said, “are you feeling better?”

Aria thought about it. “A little,” she said.

“No itch to tear my heart out or set it on fire or kill any of my pets?”

Aria considered that thoroughly. “I think it’s subsided for now.”

“Do you think you could stop burning Alogun, then?”

Aria glanced at Alogun, looked back at Achi, and then looked at Alogun again.

“I could,” she said.

“Would you please do so, then?”

She sighed and put out the flames.

Achi’s mouth twisted upward, slowly, until it formed the widest grin she had ever seen on a face. Then he sat up, drew her up as well, and hugged her violently. She shoved him away, more out of obligation than annoyance. When he pulled away, she saw his face again, filled with relief, joy, and tears.

“I knew it!” He laughed. “I knew it would work!”

“Knew what would work exactly?”

He froze at her dangerous tone. “I knew you couldn’t just be a vengeful deity.”

“That is exactly what I am.”

“Well, you’re that and something else,” Achi said. “A purely-vengeful deity would have rejoiced at my death and moved on to the next person. But I knew it. You hesitated, so I knew.”

He laughed and hugged her again. When he released her, she rose to her feet and stepped away, lest he supply another bruising hug.

“You’re not angry,” she said.

“Eh, I think I should be.” He shrugged. “But I think my happiness is greater. I’m so sorry, Aria. I really am. I’ll make sure they pay.”

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“Forget it,” she said.

He looked confused. “Really? You’re forgiving them?”

“What? No, of course not. I’m simply delaying my revenge.”

He smiled again, so widely that almost half of his face was a smile. “I love you,” he said.

Aria tensed.

Without waiting for her response, Achi looked around at the battlefield. It was cracked, burned, and broken, bearing an imprint of the last hour. He took a deep breath and, an instant later, the ground was healed. There was grass growing, as green as after the rains, and no cracks in sight. The hated statue of herself, a blot on the horizon, was gone. Only Garo and Tivelo’s corpses remained to stain the landscape.

He turned to her, still all smiles, and her burned, tattered clothes disappeared. A black blouse and matching trousers replaced them, plain, but comfortable.

She touched her face, felt her burn scars, and raised an eyebrow at Achi.

“If you want - “ he said.

“Yes, I want.”

He shrugged. “Alright, then.”

She felt her hair return where it had burned off, ran her fingers over her face, and found it smooth again.

Achi watched her silently, joy on his face. It made her uncomfortable.

“You should wake your father,” she said.

“Thank you,” Achi said, “but I promised to support you. And he did wrong you.”

“Then do as I say,” Aria said. “By the way, how did you kill him?”

“I commanded him to die.” His tone was somber. “Are you sure? Should I really-”

“I’m starting to get angry again,” Aria said. “I don’t think I like repeating myself.”

Rather than flinch, Achi bounded up to her and put an arm around her waist. “Alright, alright. I’ll revive him. But whenever you want him dead again, just let me know.”

At Aria’s frown, he gave an understated shrug. “He, of all of them, knew exactly what he was doing. He deliberately harmed you. He was prepared for the price.” He looked intently at her. “I meant what I said, Aria. I am sorry. And I swear that I will make this right. Someday, somehow, you’ll remember the past without any pain.”

She did not believe the promise, but hearing it warmed her. As costly as it had been, she had made the correct choice.

“Just wake him and let’s leave. I hate this place.”

Tivelo woke almost immediately. He remained prone for only a moment before jumping to his feet, looking like a man caught in an awkward position. He glanced around as if orienting himself, spotted Achi and Aria, and stopped moving.

He and Aria exchanged a short glance and cut it off at the same time.

“Let’s leave,” Aria said to Achi.

“What about us?” Alogun asked.

Aria paused long enough to glare at him. Then she took Achi’s arm and attempted to teleport to her palace. Nothing happened.

“Your powers have changed,” Achi said. “Vengeful deities tend to lack long-range teleportation. Allow me.”

The next moment, they were back in her gifted palace, standing in one of the receiving halls.