by Setta Jay
“How has it been here?”
Uri answered, “The Tria are being a pain in the ass. We’ve had hordes of beasts every day and then packs of possessed on Earth. You picked a good time for a vacation.”
“Call me in if you need me,” he told them, shaking his head. “We need to see Gefn’s brothers now to see if there’s more news on a time frame for the threat.” He knew his father had been keeping them all updated, but he suddenly felt guilty for not having seen them sooner.
How do you feel about coming back here after our meeting? he sent to his female.
I’d like that. He felt the warmth in her response and was glad she felt comfortable with his family.
“We’ll be back after we see her brothers. Hopefully by then everyone will be done and can meet Gefn.”
After a quick goodbye they were teleporting away, and he hoped to hell they weren’t about to receive bad news.
Chapter 26
Hroarr’s Palace, Thule
Gefn was shaking her head as they stepped through the portal she’d created to her brother’s palace.
With a great deal of exasperation, she said into P’s mind, I can’t believe Velspar. Her beast had lost her sanity; maybe the near-death experience had the animal behaving oddly.
She felt her mate’s amusement, but there was absolutely no remorse in the emotional link from the animal, and she saw his lips twitching at that fact. When they passed her brother’s guards, Gefn asked one of the males, “Are my brothers here?”
“Yes, Goddess.”
“And Laire, my guard?”
“Yes, Goddess.”
“Please find him and send him to the receiving room.”
The guard bowed and was off. She felt guilty for leaving Laire behind. When she’d sent him from her room when the cats were sick, she’d told him to take time off to rest while she and her maðr saw to the beasts. Her friend hadn’t been happy then, and now it had been days later. She only hoped he’d been enjoying time with Hroarr’s females.
He was at the door a few minutes after they arrived, and she noticed the stony look on his handsome face. “My Goddess.”
Pothos covertly stepped from the room to allow her time to speak with her friend, and she appreciated it.
“Laire, I’m sorry to have left without word.” She and Pothos had discussed this. She wasn’t about to leave her friend behind; his position as her guard was always going to be his. It was considered an honor to be chosen to directly serve a God or Goddess in their world, and she would never dream of stripping him of the title unless he did not want it anymore. “Things have been hectic.”
“Yes, my Goddess,” he said while standing at formal attention. “Does this mean I will be dismissed from service?”
His words felt like a knife wound. “I deserve that… But you would only be released from your position if you wished it. I do not,” she admitted while watching him take in a relieved breath. “I do need some more time alone with my male to figure everything out, but you will be my guard as long as you desire. I have only come to ask if you would like to take your time off here or if you would rather we take you home when we leave. At some point you will need to travel with me to and from Pothos’ world as well.”
Velspar and Spa both went to him and nudged his side.
“They missed you as well,” she said with a smile.
He gave her a small smile. “I have worried for your safety.”
She nodded. “I should have come sooner. Things are strained between the two worlds, and I needed time to show my male that Thule is a wonderful place. His world is so much larger. The things you will see there are incredible, and I do believe you will come to like Pothos and his family very much. But for now, I need more time with only my maðr.”
He breathed out. “I understand. How long am I off duty?”
She shook her head. “I am not sure. Days or possibly even weeks. I believe Hroarr’s þrír would be grateful for your presence when traveling his territories, but only until I return for you.” She smiled, knowing the three would love nothing more than to have Laire with them.
His eyes lit a little before he shook his head. “If things are strained between the worlds, I should be at your side.”
She smiled. “I will be fine. Pothos will protect me, but he has duties in his world, and I have duties here. It’s something we need time to figure out.”
“Reginleif wishes to have a celebration.”
She groaned and smiled a little. “Then your duty is to stop that. Or at least postpone it; there is too much for me to do at the moment.”
He grinned. “I will see to it.”
“Good. You know we are friends, Laire. And I did not treat you as such when I left you. I give you my deepest apologies.”
He shook his head, seeming at a loss for words.
“Now, will you stay here, or would you rather go home?”
“I will stay here and make myself useful attending the priestesses during travel if they wish it.”
She smiled. “Indeed they will. Now I must see my brothers.”
“Hroarr is in his study, and Dagur is in the great hall,” he said.
She found Pothos leaning against the wall outside the room. He nodded and smiled at her before addressing her guard, “Laire.” Spa had already come out to stand by him at some point.
Her warrior nodded. “My Goddess’ maðr.”
“You can either call me Pothos or P as my Guardian brothers do.”
Laire frowned. “P?”
“Pothos is a very old name in my world and one I’ve never cared for all that much.” Pothos’ voice whispered into her mind, Unless my Goddess is using it. She smiled at that.
After a few steps she instructed a warrior to have Dagur meet them in Hroarr’s study. A meeting she was anxious to commence with.
She sent Laire off to save her from Reginleif’s celebration planning right as they neared Hroarr’s inner sanctum.
The guard at the door was a sign that Hroarr was indeed inside his study. She nodded and the male swept the door wide for them.
The God in question was sitting at the massive wood desk. He leaned back when they entered. “I see you have found time to finally return, sister.” She could tell he was irritated. When he narrowed his eyes, it was as if he were looking at her for the first time. “Your powers have grown.” His knowing eyes slid to Pothos to assess him just as closely.
“They have,” she admitted.
When the cats moved to stand at either side of her and Pothos, he noted that as well. “Dagur said that your beasts were fully recovered. Good.”
“Yes. Again, that was thanks to Pothos’ healer,” she pointed out.
“Indeed. I will see this healer.”
“No,” Pothos said. He was protective of his sister Guardians. “You’re welcome to send your thanks through me.”
Hroarr raised an eyebrow, and Gefn interrupted before they started one of those infuriating male matches to see who could best the other. She was in no mood. “Hroarr, is Kara awake?”
That darkened his mood. “She is. And she confirmed what you said about Agnarr having an alliance with Hades. But millennia ago when they went to Earth to gain Hades’ help, he was gone, all the Gods were, and it seemed as if they’d all been destroyed.”
P nodded. “When the Creators came back to our world, they destroyed all of our Gods’ palaces before putting them to sleep.”
“Why would Kara not share any of this with us?” Gefn asked, shaking her head.
“She went there herself and saw the destruction. When Agnarr’s ring heated with a call from that world, she became infuriated, convinced that Hades had somehow hidden instead of helping save Agnarr during his time of need. When Hades told her that another God had been stolen by warriors with a dragon staff, she decided to take Hades for the good of Thule. I believe it was her way of retaliation. She was too angry to think.” Her brother’s eyes went to Pothos. “It seems your father’s powers are quite painful and dama
ging.”
Pothos nodded. “They are. I assume she is fully recovered now?”
“Yes,” Hroarr bit out.
The doors swept wide, revealing Dagur, and Gefn didn’t waste any time in asking, “What were you able to find?”
He growled, “Something skewed the spell. But do not worry, sister, I recast it and will have your information in another couple of days at most. You would know this if you checked in.”
“You said three days,” she pointed out.
Gefn turned to Hroarr. “I’m sure you were worried, but I am capable of caring for myself, and Pothos and his family would never harm me.” She raised a hand. “I have seen his memories as he has seen mine. His people are honorable and just. They would never harm me to begin with, but now that Pothos and I are soul bonded, any harm they did to me would come to bear on him.”
She noticed that Spa and Velspar both moved to Pothos and rubbed their heads against his hips.
Hroarr lifted his hand and bellowed, “Enough. If I intended him harm, it would already be done. What I demand to know is how Pothos intends to be of use in Thule.”
Before P could answer, Gefn shot back, “He is a Guardian of his world! He protects four Realms there, and he is tied to Earth. I’ve felt his call. That is why I need Dagur’s answer on when the darkness will come for them. Whether you like it or not, both he and I are tied to two worlds now with our soul bond. We will be fighting for Thule and for Earth.” She’d been considering this for some time, and she wanted them to understand how serious this was for both worlds. If the attack came to Earth first and she and Pothos were both to fall, Thule would likely fall as well.
Her brothers were silent.
She said, “We will be back in two days for the results. If you need me, you can open a portal to his world and we will know.”
She teleported Pothos and the cats away, wanting her brothers to think on what she’d said instead of their male posturing and blustering. Her powers were strong enough that she’d actually used Pothos’ powers without thought. If only she had the ability to cast her own spell into the ether, she’d have answers already.
The waiting was making her edgy.
Chapter 27
Guardian Manor, Tetartos Realm
Hades and Sacha reformed in the moonlit courtyard of the manor. Pothos had informed them all that they had no new information on the darkness, but he wanted to introduce his female to everyone that evening. Hades flexed his wings, still displeased with the fact that his son was mated to a Thulian and that Pothos hadn’t come to him. That he was forced to meet his son’s mate at a party.
Sacha’s voice slid through his mind. You haven’t exactly made this easy, love. You snipe about her every time you speak to him. The mating is complete, and by all accounts he is happy. Make an effort to accept her.
The second he laid eyes on his son, he saw it. The soul bond between Pothos and the beautiful Goddess nearly choked him with its sense of finality.
The Goddess wore a leather vest in tan with a matching long skirt. She was a stunning creature, he had to give her that, and he noted that she was talking comfortably to Brianne, of all people, while her cats milled around freely. The menaces should not have been allowed loose like that; they were too dangerous. It seemed the Goddess and her animals had won everyone over but him. He shook his head when he saw one of her annoying beasts bat an adoring Havoc into a tree. Apparently it hadn’t been hard enough to hurt or deter the pup because he was stupidly loping back by the beast’s side a moment later.
See, love, all is well, Sacha said, and he mentally huffed. You need to give her a chance for the sake of your and Pothos’ relationship. His female’s tone was stern this time.
When the Goddess put her hand in his son’s, P looked down at the female with love shining in his eyes; that same love was reflected back at him from hers. Hades’ heart felt torn as he was forced to admit his son was happy. Happy to live in Thule. A part of him was dying at the idea of finally being awakened and able to spend time with his son only to have him taken away.
He can portal and teleport to and from that world. And we can speak to him telepathically. You are not losing him, love. I promise. Sacha sent him warm loving emotion, and he hugged her close.
The Goddess and Pothos turned smiles in their direction when he and Sacha approached. The female actually looked happy to see him as Pothos formally introduced, “Father, this is my mate, Gefn.”
The female beamed at him before bowing a fraction respectfully. “You have raised an incredible male with his father’s sense of honor.”
Hades arched a brow. Damn, he might just like this female after all. Sacha snorted in their bond, Well, she sure has you figured out.
They spent the next hour speaking of Thule and all she’d seen of Earth in the past several days. Their conversation relaxed into something that eased him.
Drake broke it by urgently snarling, “We have possessed all over the cities in the mortal Realm. Conn is sending you all locations.”
“How many cities?” Pothos asked.
“Twelve,” the dragon growled. “Sirena is busy with Alyssa, Gregoire and the baby. That means the rest of you are up. Someone take the wolves and Erik as well.
“I’m back on duty, then,” Pothos said when he looked at his female.
Hades didn’t like all the attacks. He felt like it was linked to the end. To the darkness coming for their world.
I agree, Sacha said before telling Drake they would take Paris.
*****
P gazed down at Gefn, and she could see that he planned to leave her behind even before he spoke. “Take the cats to my house; they can’t be in the mortal Realm.”
She shook her head. “No, I will go with you. The other females are going with their males; why would I not do the same?”
“You’ve only been to a few human cities, and where I’m going is nothing like what you’ve seen. I’m going into an ugly, dirty part of the Realm, and I don’t want you anywhere near it,” Pothos argued when Gefn insisted on going with him. He continued a second later, “You’re unfamiliar with all of this, Gefn. Guardians are not allowed to harm humans, even possessed ones. We can only contain them.” She remembered that from his memories of when the Creators cursed the Guardians with ten times the pain they inflicted on a human.
“I can contain them easily,” she said with confidence.
She wasn’t going to let this go, and she allowed him to feel that as she sent the cats to their room in Pothos’ home. They disappeared easily. Maybe too easily, so she tracked them to ensure they reached their destination.
Pothos looked at her and she could tell he did not want her to go. “Remember the humans don’t know about Gods and Immortals. Which means tornados coming from an alley would draw attention.” He took another look at her and sighed. “You’re only going to follow, aren’t you?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and replied archly, “I wouldn’t recommend you attempt to leave me.”
He groaned. “You should probably change into something comfortable. I need to grab cuffs anyway, so we’ll go home first.”
When they reformed, she quickly donned some leggings and boots while he went to the cabinet where he stored weapons. Spa and Velspar poked their heads into the room as Pothos attached metal restraints at a back loop of his pants before lowering his shirt to cover them to a degree. Gefn shook her head before commanding, “We’ll be back. Do. Not. Follow.” They weren’t exactly happy, but they seemed resigned, which was good.
When they ported again, it was into a dark alley. The stench of human waste forced a hand to her face as she groaned. “And you were worried about Thule? About how our mortals lived under a God’s rule?” She’d been shocked at how some of the humans of his world were allowed to live.
“I know,” he agreed on a groan. “We were told not to interfere with humanity’s evolution and we haven’t.”
“I do not believe you did them any favors,” she s
aid as a large rodent scurried by her foot. She glared at him the second it was gone.
“I warned you,” he pointed out with a toothy smile.
Luckily they didn’t have long to wait. A pack of filthy mortals that stank of sulfur moved into the mouth of the alley. There were cars speeding past on the busy cross street, honking as their lights flashed by behind them.
These beings felt… oily. Sickness bled from them, and she didn’t even want her male to touch the tainted creatures. She’d never seen anything like them and was happy for that fact.
Pothos didn’t want her to use wind tunnels, so when the pack split, she allowed several of them a moment to get closer. She noted that Pothos had already gotten one of his raging mortals in restraints and stuck him behind a large metal container that stank nearly as much as the three black-eyed mortals in front of her. Her maðr had been so fast, she hadn’t even seen what he had done. And then her male placed himself in the middle of the alley, apparently planning to leave her with nothing to do as the disturbing beings spit violent curses at him as they brandished daggers. Some launched at him all at once as he ported easily away.
She shook her head at the protective male, but there were too many for him to keep from her as he covertly picked them off one by one.
One sped by her male, tilting his bald head shining with grease, and his black eyes took her in with a sinister leer she found offensive. The male’s clothes were different, more fine than some of the others. She kept glancing to her male to see what he was doing. Two more were sitting in the heap now, seeming to be held down by some power that only fueled the outraged words. She mentally growled at not having seen Pothos put them there.
The bald possessed circled to the side of her. Another had come from the other side of the alley, forcing her to turn and watch them both. The other had pale powder on his face and metal sticking out from his lip and eyebrows. “What is this? Not a Guardian…” Their tones had an odd cadence that displeased her ears. The pale one grabbed his shaft crudely. “We have time to play with her. Fuck her.”
