Mantle of the Gods [LitRPG / Slow Burn / FTB Harem]

I slept most of the ride back.

I'd been up for over thirty-six hours, and most of that time I'd been doing something. With there finally being a little bit of a lull, my body demanded that I get some sleep.

A whole twenty minutes worth.

That's how much time had passed when Oz shook me awake. I'd been leaning on her, so she couldn't get out of the car without waking me up. I blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes.

"Sleep well?" The raven-haired woman smirked.

"That tease is probably going to be enough that my body refuses to sleep tonight." I yawned. "Maybe not. Hopefully I'm still tired enough."

"There's a lot still to do." Oz slid out of the vehicle and held the door for me. "The others went ahead. Miel was going to tell Klix what we found, and Gesai wanted to check on Trent." She smirked. "Aelin said she was going to soften Ether up for you."

"Of course she did." I sighed. While she had a good heart, Aelin tended to complicate my life whenever she tried to help.

I looked around the parking garage and realized we were the only ones there. "No escort?"

"As worked up as Klix is, no one is worried about us wandering around." Oz shrugged. "I think the rest of the Scarlets don't want to be close if something sets her off."

"You mean like there being a portal that connects all the cities in the Ward in her family park?" I groaned. "You think she's going to blow it up?"

"You're the God." Oz chuckled. "I have no idea what runs through her head."

"Well…" I looked around. "Do you remember how to get back?"

"This way." Oz pointed at the door on the northern wall.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Oh, we got some things." I pulled up the menu on my CB. Aelin had given me the stuff she'd bought for Ether, Oz, Ren, Rix, Pixie, and myself, and she'd kept the stuff for the others to give to them herself. I had a feeling that she kept Astrid's stuff because she wanted to have an excuse to talk to the woman. I also wasn't surprised that she gave me Pixie's things. My cousin had gotten on the blonde's nerves, and if we hadn't been in Klix, I'm sure I would have heard a lot more complaining about the Healer joining us.

I selected the menu where I'd tagged the stuff to give to her and started the trade. I smirked as her eyes lit up.

"I know Aelin said she was doing some shopping, but I was expecting common or uncommon gear at most. All of this stuff is rare or epic!" The brown woman hugged my neck. "Thank you!"

I gave her a squeeze and kissed her forehead. "As much as I'd like to take credit, I'm just the delivery guy. Aelin found them, and Miel paid for them."

When Oz didn't let go of me, I cupped her cheek with my right hand and tilted her face to look at me. "What's wrong?"

There was sadness in her green eyes. She tucked her chin and buried her face against my chest. "You've been in so many dangerous situations lately." I heard a sniffle. "I thought we might lose you."

Her hand brushed the place where I'd been stabbed. The bandage was still there even though I knew that the wound wasn't. I needed to take off the bloody scrap of sheet, but I could do that when I took a shower. It felt like a lifetime ago since the one I'd taken yesterday. There was a big part of me that hoped that whatever meeting we were going to have would be over fast, because even if I didn't sleep, I was ready to lay in bed.

"I'm not going anywhere." I ran my hand through her hair.

"But what if something happens?' She looked up at me. "Those were just Mundane. What happens when the Godhunters show up and they're Tiers above us?"

"That." I brushed her cheek with my thumb. "Is why I try to stay hidden." I chuckled. "Not that we've been doing a good job of it lately, but hopefully there have been enough other people involved that we don't get noticed."

"And if you are?"

I chuckled. "Then Trent will hide me somewhere. I guarantee that he's got dozens of plans for what to do." I kissed her. "So don't worry about something happening. I'll make sure to get some potions and keep a few vials in sturdy containers on me just in case." I squeezed her, then looked down at her face. "Better?"

"Yeah." Oz untangled herself from me. "I guess we should go and see how mad you made Ether this time."

I groaned as she pushed the button to the elevator. I was not looking forward to that.