Queen of the Clueless #2 of 3 (COMPLETE)

Chapter 5

There is a list of things that the God of the Sun concerns himself about. It is written in patterns of shadows cast against any surface. Throughout time, he has "left notes" to himself on patches of earth, and floors, and windows, and walls, manipulating light and letting patterns form just so. You'd know what these notes said if you could, well, read shadows.

I couldn't do that. But I imagined that in the face of world hunger, war, and malaria, the possibly-thieving boyfriend of Sol Delloro would have to go to the bottom of a list of a god's priorities. Besides, this was probably why he recruited me in the first place—so he could outsource this stuff.

"I'm making Sol my new project," I said, waiting until he had bitten into the burger to announce it. Quin never really let me choose the people I helped, as this was some sort of divine assignment. But I was ready to defend this. Sol did come to me, after all, just like anyone else would. She even went to the Guidance Office, just as everyone else who became a "project" had. We even went to the cafeteria for snacks after, which always seemed to happen with other projects too.

He chewed slowly. I tried to pretend I didn't care and wasn't anticipating what he would say next, but all that effort just made me notice how chiseled his jaw was and that his cheekbones were perfect. Not that I knew what perfect was when it came to cheekbones...

"We talked about this. Did she summon you?"

"She came to Guidance and asked for my help. She texted me that she needed to talk."

"You know what I mean. Did she summon you?"

He meant did Sol's heart open up to me, did her heart plead for the help of Goddess of Love and all that.

Which it didn't.

"Well, no. But she's my best friend, and her boyfriend is causing trouble. I think I should do something about it."

Quin did not believe a word of that. I was getting good at noticing this about him, these moments when he obviously wanted me to drop it, but wasn't going to make me. Instead, he looked slightly to my right. A light behind me flickered, and the pattern of shadows moved ever so slightly.

"What are you writing about me?" I demanded.

He blinked. "You have to tread carefully if you're going to help her out, Hannah. She asked for her best friend, not the Goddess."

"I know. But this is cool. I know Sol enough. I can handle it, and I think I know what can make her happy. It's not matchmaking – it's the opposite of matchmaking!" If I had this gift, why waste it on people I barely knew? Those close to me should be able to find the love they deserve too.

"No seriously. It's one thing to come to the aid of a stranger who specifically summons you, but another thing entirely to do the same for a friend. This thing you do, the access you have to someone's mind and heart like that, some people find it intrusive."

Did I mention that Quin, the Sun God, was the eldest of the children of Bathala and also official Wet Blanket of Everything? I didn't? Well, he always said things like this, and I would be reminded of that fact.

"And you know that thing I keep telling you, that I have probably have good instincts, and that's why you recruited me for this?" I said. We'd had this conversation so many times already that I had this line memorized, down to the tone that was equal parts weary and syrupy sweet.

This was when I bit into my own cheeseburger, and we just looked at each other, chewing.

"Fine," he said, fully sounding like he didn't believe it, "If you think that Sol's situation is so dire that she really needs the Goddess of Love, even though she did not ask for the Goddess of Love, then you should do your job."

"Thank you. Honestly, I can't think of anyone else who is more worthy of my time."

He sat there and continued to chew. I was sure he had something else he wanted to say, but he let me have this one.

"We have to get going," he said instead. "Your tita will get worried."

"She never worries when she knows I'm with you. It's your fault, anyway, for always scheduling training after class."

"Your aunt worries about you. You have to be more respectful of the people who worry about you."

Quin also had a way of talking about something and another different thing at the same time.

"Fine," I said, mimicking him. "Drive me to my aunt's house now. I command it."