and Michael was nearly palpable. Azriel's arm was on her chair, his eyes shooting daggers at his brother, the latter ignoring them both. They were somehow similar though, that was hard to deny. Michael had the same sharp jaw and features, the only difference his pale blonde hair, a sharp contrast against Azriel's jet black locks. Their skin was the same sunkissed shade, though Michael was wearing armor instead of a suit, a spear strapped to his back, his sword resting between his legs, hands on the hilt.

It was easy to notice that a lot of the people attending were dressed in battle armor, but she doubted a real battle would really ensue. If her intuition was right about the Grim Reaper, and it always was, he was significantly more powerful than the others. She supposed someone had to keep them in check, no matter how dreadful that role seemed to be for him.

"Seth," the Grim Reaper sighed," I heard you got in a fight with Ares again."

The god he was talking to leaned back in his chair. He was clad entirely in gold, from his necklace to the cloth wrapped around his waist, his chest bare. The thing that got Jasmina's attention wasn't any of that though, it was the mask he was wearing - or at least, she assumed it to be a mask. His head was far from human, with a pointed snout and rectangular ears, resembling many and yet no animals at the same time. There were no emotions visible beneath his pitch black eyes, a small storm of sand starting around his knuckles as he tapped them on the table.

"So?" he said.

"That's Seth," Azriel whispered to her," Egyptian god of -"

"Destruction and storms," Jasmina drawled," I know."

Azriel looked impressed, shaking his head. "You do your research well. At this point you probably know them all better than I do."

The god she assumed to be Ares started talking, dark hair and eyes carrying a red sheen akin to blood, his armor gleaming in the muted sunlight. The blond goddess Eros had gone to earlier smiled fondly at him, a hand on Ares' wrists.

"He keeps intervening in my wars!" he complained.

"There's no owner of wars, fool," Seth said, his low voice causing a ripple through the storm around him," there are only the death."

"Calm down, Seth," the green-skinned man beside him said, a golden crook and flail strapped to his waist and the aura of an emperor gleaming in his eyes. "Acting like a child isn't a good look on you."

"Come on," Ares said to the Grim Reaper," this was obviously Seth's fault. Hell, he even cut up Osiris and that's his own brother."

"That matter has been dealt with," the green-skinned man said, though the tone he had suggested it wasn't.

Osiris, god of the dead. She recalled Azriel saying he was close to one of the Egyptian gods as well and wondered if it was him. Knowing Azriel it would be the most violent one of them, but she hadn't seen enough of Osiris yet to see if he had the same temper as his brother. A golden-haired man interrupted them, eyes the color of a summer sky and skin dipped in sunlight.

"Let's all get along," he said," we only see each other once a year anyway."

"I prefer it that way," the girl beside him said, her face so similar it was clear they were related. A crescent hung around her neck, glowing like it carried the actual moon itself, stars interlaced in her wild, midnight hair and a quiver filled with arrows strapped to her back. "Leaving my forest for this chaos each year isn't something I look forward to."

"Oh come on, Artemis," the golden-haired god smiled at her," surely you don't mind seeing your twin brother at least?"

"Of course not, Apollo," she said with an eyeroll," but the arrogance in here is enough for me to choke on it."

"Then choke on it," Michael said, voice low and eyes dark," you are all dying gods anyway, one more or less doesn't matter to me."

"That's my sister you're talking to, Michael," Apollo warned.

"A sister who will put an arrow straight through your head," Artemis said, hand on her silver bow.

"Do it please," Azriel drawled, tapping in the middle of his forehead," and aim right, Artemis."

"Quiet, all of you."

The Grim Reaper looked weary, like he had been expecting everything to escalate but it bothered him anyway. He had placed his hand around his scythe, eyes flashing like lightning, and the other gods all looked at him.

"Ares and Seth, you will resolve this matter," he said," I don't want to hear more of it." He glanced to his left, a soul whispering something in his ear in a language no one could understand. With a wave of his hand the soul disappeared and he looked down at the scroll on the table. "Speaking of conflict, Azriel, this concerns you again."

"What do you mean again?" Azriel frowned, through his voice was too amused for it to seem real," I never get in any conflict."

"You were supposed to cooperate better with the archangels, not worse," the Grim Reaper said," the past month you haven't filed any paperwork at all nor have you helped them with any of the souls which were accidentally send to hell instead of heaven."

"I must have forgotten," Azriel said innocently.

"Don't lie, Azriel," Michael said, voice rumbling like an earthquake," we all know you did this to get a reaction out of us. Look at this human you brought along, disrespecting all of us with her existence - it's only good that Father isn't with us. The disappointment you are."

"Continue on talking, Michael," Azriel said, leaning forward and staring his brother right in the eye," perhaps Father will hear you and finally give you the hug you need."

Michael grabbed his sword tighter, his wings unfolding behind him, immaculately white. The God of Reincarnation gasped as Azriel did the same, his wings made of fire and smoke in comparison to the dreams and diamonds fused in Michael's. Another angel opposite Michael spoke up then, one with caramel hair, face softer in comparison to his brother's harsh one.

"Don't listen to him, Michael," he said.

"I have to admit I'm surprised," Jasmina said, her voice as sweet as sugar as she turned towards Michael," is violence the way of your god?"

Whatever anger had been in Michael's eyes turned to blinding rage, Azriel beside her tensing, hand protectively on Jasmina's shoulder.

"Don't take his name in your filthy mouth, human," he spat," I can smell your heresy from here."

"You better," she said," I paid too much for my Chanel for you not to smell it."

"You hear this?" Michael said, turning around to the Grim Reaper," how can you let her in?"

"I genuinely don't care," he replied, before waving a hand at her," and besides, if she's to be his consort, I don't see anything wrong with it. He has shown me the contract."

"Looking forward to getting to know you better, brother-in-law," Jasmina smiled," we're going to be one big family soon."

It looked like smoke was going to come out of Michael's ears and he raised his sword up, Jasmina raising an eyebrow as he did so.

"Did Osiris being cut up inspire you?" she said," I'm not interested in a deadly family feud this early."

Though the other gods had remained quiet, Osiris spoke up now, Seth glancing away from his brother.

"You're taking this too far, Michael," he said," sit down."

"This meeting is going to take forever," Seth murmured.

"The moment you lay a hand on the girl will be the last time you have hands," Artemis said, moonlight eyes not showing a hint of humor.

"Don't get involved in my business," Michael said coolly.

"You're making it our business," Ares said," I don't mind though. Continue on fighting, I want to see blood."

"This is no way to welcome her, Michael. You're being ungracious."

The voice was soft like a spring breeze, but Jasmina recognized it immediately. She had seen her when she had taken her place at the table, but now was the first time she made eye contact with the goddess. With her sunflower dress and warm eyes she was one of the few gods who actually looked kind, petals raining down gently around her, her chair covered in cherry blossoms. The man beside her got those petals on him too, though it looked wildly out of place with him.

He was dressed in an black suit, with a cobalt blouse underneath. His dark hair was combed back, eyes reminiscent of blue fire, sizzling out in ashes every time he blinked. The crown on his head seemed to be made out of diamond bones, but the pastel pink tangled itself in it, whirling down to his shoulders. Persephone blew one off his nose, giggling as he gently caressed her cheek. Hades, she assumed.

The warmth in his eyes disappeared as soon as he looked away from his wife, voice as frosty as his expression.

"You heard Persephone," he said.

"I'd have thought you of all people would agree, Hades," Michael scoffed," if there's anyone Azriel is a bother on, it's you."

"If it bothers Persephone it bothers me," Hades said, voice leaving no place for discussion.

"Michael," Raphael said.

With a shake of his head Michael sat down, sheathing his sword again.

"This is not worth my time," he said.

"You are immortal," Azriel said, though he too sat down," your time is worth nothing."

Once everything calmed down the Grim Reaper continued on. As Ra and Apollo started discussing about whose turn it was to control the sun, Jasmina turned towards Azriel, an amused smile on her face.

"That was a great first meeting," she said.

Azriel chuckled, his eyes flickering black.

"Just wait until you meet my father."