“So they turned from creating by themselves to creating with the daughters of men. And thus came into being the Nephilim, demigods we know as Hercules, Helen, Perseus, Beowulf, Enkidu, and the rest—and their descendants are gods’ spawn, which we call godlings.
“The monsters these demigods slayed were real.
“These battles with monsters amused the gods, and held their attention for a while.
“Finally the trouble they made in the other place before here came looking for them and once again they moved, leaving behind that which they had created: Pets which they loved even more than the children we bore them.
“Before they left, they made the Watchers to protect the Pets, to prevent us from knowing them as more than stories, to keep the magic hidden and away from us.
“One god stayed behind t
