None of us spoke for a long moment while Isis returned to control of herself, her laughter making me sick to my stomach.

"So you say." Nero didn't look impressed, my brother's face flickering with the skeletal Grim Reaper as Death surfaced and retreated almost like a heartbeat. "And we should believe you, Isis, because you've always been so very trustworthy."

Her laughter stopped, expression amused, still. "Dear Nero," she said, "doing your best to fill Daddy's shoes. ...