The Gatekeeper's Secret: Gatekeeper's Saga, Book Five (The Gatekeeper's Saga) by Eva Pohler Read Free Book Online Page B

nice.”
    Therese was relieved that Richard wasn’t overwhelmed by the idea.
    “Yes, sir. And my uncle would like to preside,” Than said.
    “He’s a pastor?” Carol asked.
    “Um,” Than turned his worried eyes to Therese.
    She hadn’t really thought of anything to explain. She fought the blush that was threatening to sweep across her face and then an idea hit her.
    “A judge,” Therese said. “Is that okay?”
    Carol and Richard glanced at one another before Carol said, “We aren’t particularly religious, so that’s fine with us, isn’t it Richard?”
    “I’m fine with it,” he replied.
    Therese let out a heavy breath.
    Lynn climbed from Therese’s lap and ran across the living room to her toy box. Clifford followed, and with a little bark, distracted Therese from her worries by telling her he wanted a new toy of his own. He snagged a plastic dinosaur and happily set to chewing on it. Lynn didn’t seem to mind.
    Jen, who sat on the other side of Therese on the sofa from Than, said, “How many, um, people are we talking about?”
    Therese shot Jen a look that said, Watch it. She knew Jen was going to slip up and say something about the gods.
    “I have a pretty big family,” Than said.
    “How big?” Carol asked.
    “Oh, let’s see,” Than appeared to be doing math in the air.
    Therese calculated: twelve Olympians plus their spouses and partners made twenty-four or so. Most of them had at least three children, so thirty-six more, if they all came. There were also attendants. She wondered who Than was including.
    “Okay, so that makes…seventy-one. Hold on.” He turned to Therese. “Do you think Phobos and Deimos will come?”
    “Yes, unfortunately,” Therese replied.
    “Then seventy-three.”
    Carol paled.
    “Did you say Fear and Panic?” Richard asked with a look of surprise.
    “Huh?” Therese asked her uncle. What did he know of the twins?
    “Phobos and Deimos,” Richard repeated. “Fear and Panic, the twin sons of Ares.”
    “W-wait a second,” Jen stammered. “You know them?”
    Therese shot another look of warning in Jen’s direction. She just knew Jen was going to blow it for them.
    “Know them. Of course. I love Greek mythology. It’s what led me to my love of reading, and eventually to my degree in journalism. So you have relatives named for the Greeks?”
    “His family is Greek,” Therese explained, full of relief once more.
    “That’s right,” Than said.
    “But Than doesn’t sound Greek,” Richard said.
    Than said, “It’s short for…”
    “Than-cu- leez,” Therese interrupted. If Richard knew what Phobos and Diemos meant, then he’d recognize Thanatos, too.
    Jen giggled.
    Thancules? Really? Than prayed. Are you sure you want to go with that?
    “How unusual,” Carol said.
    You want to tell them the truth? Therese asked Than.
    But Thancules? Why not Thantiope or Thancleod?
    What’s wrong with Thancules?
    Than rolled his eyes. You know how I feel about Hercules.
    Oh, yeah. She’d forgotten that he thought of the demigod as all brawn and no brain.
    “So seventy-three for your side of the family,” Richard said. “That’s quite a few. But don’t worry. We can handle it.”
    Carol looked less sure.
    That’s when Therese realized her aunt and uncle were worried about the cost. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Than’s parents are loaded, and they insist on paying for the whole thing.”
    “What?” Carol couldn’t suppress her smile as she glanced at Richard. “We can’t let them do that.”
    “Of course you can,” Therese said.
    “They won’t have it any other way,” Than added.
    “We aren’t poor church mice,” Richard said. “We can help. Plus, we have a few folks we’d like to invite as well. Nanna and Paw-Paw and Uncle Joe will want to fly up from San Antonio.”
    “No!” Therese said. The fewer mortals at her wedding the better. “I mean, that’s not necessary.”
    Richard looked hurt. “They would be devastated if we didn’t