Raising a Hero

Chapter 36

When I finally got to the temple, Nehcor's voice in my mind didn't sound upset. He explained that he had told me to keep it quiet for as long as possible so as to slow down the timeline of his plan.

'Things will be picking up now,' he said. 'That's all. Though, still, you probably shouldn't be hanging 'I'm from your god' over his head, so you're right to keep that quiet, for the sake of your relationship, though he's going to figure it out eventually. It's just about timing. But wow, weren't you stupid not thinking of that when you were all 'just use my mind for practice!' Talk about not thinking. You really should have asked Milly or Hal, buuuuut I knew you wouldn't do that. So, again, all according to plan. You're doing great. Two thumbs up.'

I wanted to call bullshit on him. It was sloppy on his part and we both knew it, though I guess god doesn't lie, so...oh, whatever. Today's prayers were going to be short.

At least Gus seemed to be actually praying this time instead of fidgeting and whining to me about how stupid this all was.

'You should practice your magic more from now on. You'll find more uses for it in the future. Just this loving brother's advice.'

Advice my ass. Advice from a god was as good as a commandment, because if ignored you'd either a. get misery or, b. seriously miss out, which was what commandments were for, right? Don't kill so you don't get killed? Don't cheat or else you'll screw up your family, ruin other people's lives, and cause major drama?

'Which is why I don't give as much as you think I should. You should find things out for yourself.'

Stop reading my mind and answer what's prayed to you. Shouldn't there be some sort of godly courtesy rules like that?

I could feel his mirth. 'Oh, Lillian, you're still so much like you were when you were little, it's great. It makes me wish I'd just kept you here. You and my wife would have ganged up on me over everything, it'd be hilarious.'

...Is that really something you should be happy about?

Every time I talked to him he seemed less and less godlike and more like an ordinary human.

'Seeing as I am human, just an immortal, all powerful one—'

Stop reading my mind!!

I was getting tired anyways, so I left after that. Not the most enlightening or spiritually uplifting of experiences I'd had.

"Why do you often leave the temple looking irritated?" Gus happened to ask while we were leaving.

I just sighed and closed my eyes, hoping that was a natural enough way to not meet his gaze as I said, "Just because it reminds me of how imperfect I am."

"Don't really see how just kneeling in front of a statue can do that..."

"It makes me reflect on the scriptures and commandments. It's place of mind, Gus, place of mind. It would do good to get your mind there too."

"Sure. We're getting an ice cream, right?"

"Only if you don't bully Glen."

"It's not bullying. I'm just a little kid, he's a grown ass man, how could I bully him?"

"Oh, now you're a little kid? That's rich." Then, as an afterthought. "Language."

Gus tched and let me win that one, though he managed to slide his hand into mine as smooth as butter, natural as breathing. He didn't try conveying any thoughts to me, though I could feel the lightest touch of his magic as he kept an eye on my thoughts. The loud ones, at least, as I didn't know how much he could see from the nerves in my hands. He always found an excuse to do that when we visited the bakery, for whatever reason, because if I managed to shut him up he'd have another way to sneak in his jokes to me at the poor baker's expense.