Modern Goddess: Trapped by Thor (Book One) by Odette C. Bell Read Free Book Online

among the native populace of this planet, though most of
them wouldn't explicitly call themselves adherents to the Cult of
Officina. But at heart, many people found themselves in details –
mathematicians, data scientist, knitters determined to make a tight
stitch.
    I didn't need to be popular among the other
goddesses and gods – I needed to do my job. Still, I wasn't willing
to taunt the Fates – who could be mean when they felt like it – and
stand around outside the hottest god bar this side of the
Acropolis.
    “ Oh,” Tolus turned his
watery gaze on me, “I was hoping I could thank you – buy you a
drink.”
    I stopped from saying “What with?” I got the
impression he wanted to thank me for my help. Sometimes you had to
let people offer their thanks – a lesson a god or goddess had to
live by.
    I tried not to sigh – I didn't want Tolus
to think he was a burden – but accompanying him into the Ambrosia
wasn't a good idea. Going home and reading the weather report was,
however, a great idea. Yet as I looked across at Tolus, I realized
I couldn't say no.
    Gods and goddesses had to support each
other. Great, raging god wars were frowned upon these days. If we
all wanted to live together, we had to learn how to cooperate. A
lesson I knew, but one I never affirmed through action. I stayed
out of other gods’ ways. I didn't bake them muffins and pat them on
their backs when they had a successful sacrifice. I remained
uninvolved.
    I took a second to damn Thor for pointing
out I shunned my own kind. I took another moment to damn myself for
letting his words affect me so much. “Okay,” I agreed with a great
big breath. “Why don't we just have water, though?”
    “ A wonderful
plan.”
    Oh lord, it was too late to back out – I’d
said yes. Though I knew walking into the Ambrosia would get me more
than a drink. I could categorically guarantee a certain arrogant,
ale-loving, me-hating god would be there to put on a show.
    Great.

Chapter 4
    I walked up to the door and
knocked once. It opened. That was all it took. There wasn't a secret rune
you had to scratch into the surface of the paint or some mystical
chant you had to utter. There wasn't an ogre you had to kill. Nope,
you knocked. It opened.
    The door, from the outside, appeared to lead
into a dimly lit brick room. As soon as I closed the door behind
Tolus, the place changed. The brick wasn't so much brick as
glittering and gold-encrusted marble. The room wasn't so much small
as cavernously large and lit with great burning lanterns hung along
the walls.
    As the room
formed , so
did the noise, the chatter, and the other gods. Before us was a
formidable-sized hall filled with great hewn tables, all packed
with gods of varying sizes and descriptions. It was a heck of a
sight – and though it wasn't one I’d wanted to indulge in, it was
one I couldn't help but gape at. All the color, all the shapes, all
the forms, all the power.
    There were gold wreaths on the tables and
great glistening chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There were
pillars with beautiful winding vines wrapped around them, and each
table had its own themed decorations ranging from swords to
glistening carvings of wild boar and deer.
    Any god could find something here to make
them feel at home. There was a table made from gravestones stuck in
a dark corner replete with deep dark shadows and several cloaked
figures. There were even a couple of scythes leaning against the
wall next to it.
    I couldn't stop as my eyes scanned the new
sight and took in the details. It wasn't in me to ignore them. All
the movement – the gods tipping back their heads and laughing, the
sloshing of ale-filled glasses, the lithe forms of the wait staff
nipping through the crowd – was intoxicating in a way only I could
appreciate. To everyone else, the atmosphere, the company, or the
reasonably cheap beer might be what pleased them. For me, it was
the fold in the fabric of the sun goddess’ dress as she sat at