“I, ah.” Astra’s face went red. “I really like him.”
“I can tell.” Levi smiled. “Where is he?”
“I wanted to tell you before you met him, but where have you been? He’s the new god of art—it’s a long story, but I’m more concerned about you.” Astra conjured up a fluffy cloud and sprawled on it. “I thought maybe you were avoiding me.” He looked away.
Levi settled on the cloud next to him. He’d always liked Astra, who’d shown up as a small child, new to his powers and desperate not to lose his newfound family. “I wasn’t. I can’t shift, so I haven’t slept for a while. Floors aren’t as comfortable if they’re not underwater.”
“You’re sleeping on the floor? Whoareyou?” Astra waved a hand. “Tell me your story, and I’ll tell you mine.” One of the doves swooped down and landed on his shoulder, still cooing the nameCillianlike a refrain. Astra smiled too brightly and waved it away.
Levi sighed. “Maybe you should tell your story first, little brother.”
Levi was never sure how time passed in the dream world, but it felt to him as if he spent hours there on the cloud with Astra. Astra told him about the man who’d danced into his forest and led him away from his onyx throne into the waking world… a man who’d been cursed by their sister Pallas for being born with the potential to be a god. Astra and Cillian had worked together to keep Pallas from corrupting Astra’s dream world, and in the process they’dbecome very close,which seemed a bit of an understatement given the fireworks, the doves, and the six men who must be this Cillian who showed up behind Astra, dancing to silent music and smiling at the young god, who pretended he didn’t know they were there.
“So he is a god, then,” Levi said.
“He fixed up one of your shrines, too,” Astra said. “And Azaiah’s. Even though he could have become a bitter man, you know, all those years of not sleeping—and did I mention what a good dancer he is? He also has averynice cock, which I didn’t tell Arwyn, because I don’t want him to ask to see it.”
Levi had missed his little brother. “I’m happy that you found someone. But if you’re not in the forest, are you… Where are you?”
“Hmm? Now? Oh. We’re in Kallistos. There’s a house here, but it’s not quite a house. It was more of a… construct, I think. Now that Cillian ascended, he’s making it something different. Better. He does that, you know; he—”
Levi let his brother enthuse about his new companion for a bit, until Astra must have realized what he was doing and stopped with a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I’m just… I never really understood, you know? Azaiah and Nyx, I mean, we all knew about that. Suffering, angst, war… if Death is gonna fall in love, it’s gonna be dramatic, even though he’s arguably theleastdramatic of us. But Arwyn, I guess I… didn’t think he’d ever be happy with one person forever. He’s the god of desire, after all. But I get it now.”
Astra looked so happy. Levi studied him, seeing the tides that made up this strange being, a god who’d come to his throne as a child and still retained the wonder, the joy that allowed him to make doves that cooed his lover’s name, and slides out of rainbows, and waterfalls of spiraling waves. “You’ve always wanted people to love you,” Levi said. “And one who loved you most of all.”
Astra’s starlight eyes went even brighter, and something spilled onto his cheeks, tears that glimmered like diamonds. He wiped them away, scowling. “Damn it, Levi.”
“It’s only the truth. Your currents run strong, little brother. Hopefully his do as well. All strong tides need a moon to guide them.” He reached out and ruffled Astra’s long hair. “And I am glad to have Art back in the world. It’s been some time.”
“It has, hasn’t it?” Astra studied him. “We’re almost a full set again. Death isn’t corrupted and has a companionanda successor. Art is back; Avarice is no longer confined to his Well. You’re… doing whatever you’re doing—I’m still not sure about that. Maybe that means Ares might wake up soon.” Astra’s expression turned serious. “Do you think it means something, if they do?”
“Yes,” Levi said. “I can feel it in the tides. Change is coming.”
“Is that why you can’t be a dragon?” Astra scooted closer, leaning his head on Levi’s shoulder. “Do you want to be? For now, at least, in your dream?”
That he knew enough to ask rather than simply going ahead and doing it, that was very Astra. “No,” Levi said, though part of him did want it. “It would only make me angry, to know I couldn’t shift when I was awake.”
“A lot of sailors should thank me for asking you first, then,” Astra said. “Since that might have spared them a storm or two. So, what happened?”
Levi told him: about the draw on his power, finding Iason, the visions they shared. Astra said nothing until Levi was finished speaking—and then he laughed. He laughed, and it sounded like bells, fanciful and bright. “I guess I’m not the only one, then.”
“The only one what?”
“Who found a companion,” Astra said, grinning. He got to his feet, and the fireworks went off again, and now the doves were cooing “Iason, Iason.”
Levi scowled. “Astra.”
“What?” Astra blinked wide eyes at him. “You did! You made a companion bond! How did Arwyn not know that? It’s soobvious.”
“Youdidn’t know until I told you what happened,” Levi pointed out.
“Well, but you told Arwyn, and he’s the god ofdesire—how’d he not know? And it makes sense, doesn’t it?”
“Does it?” Levi wasn’t sure that any of this made sense.
“Well, yeah. I mean, look, you clearly are drawn to this Iason, and— Okay, okay, I’ll get rid of them.” Astra gestured at the doves who were singing Iason’s name, and they turned into sparkly, glittery puffs that gradually faded away. “You probably just need to make your bond. That’s what let Arwyn change forms between his human-looking one and Avarice and let him leave the Well. Honestly, how did he not guess this? Clearly I’m the smart one.”
“Bonds aren’t—they don’t work that way,” Levi said.
