The humidity that had existed earlier disappeared and in its place was a warm, summery evening that was perfect for the outdoor celebration that had been arranged for us. I sat to Brynhild's left, while Kara was on her right at the head of the expansive table where at least thirty of the valkyrie sat with us. The food was set out like a never-ending grazing platter and mead was shared around with even older bottles of wine; something Deimos seemed to be enjoying more than I thought I would have.

In fact, he was really enjoying himself.

I'd never seen him smile like this, or laugh so much. Until now, each break in his usual super serious face had been a battle in itself. Then again, I'd never showered him with as much attention or affection as the Valkyrie around him currently were and I also knew how deadly their mead was.

"Deimos is drunk," Kara mumbled, looking over at me as if she was about to get up and go ruin his fun.

"About time." I shrug as Brynhild snorted, clearly amused. "He deserves this, don't you think?"

She said nothing, stabbing the nearest wedge of cheese with her knife as if it had been plotting her murder. The chunk she dropped on her plate remained untouched as she kept hold of the knife, glaring at Mist who boldly placed her arm over Deimos shoulders as her wings stretched out ever so forcing the woman beside her to lean back.

"Maybe you could go and join them?" I suggest, her glare now set on me.

"You're right, he deserves it." She huffed, picking at the meats and cheese yet she kept the knife tight in her grip. "I don't care what he does."

"Liar," I mumbled, smiling at her as she suddenly stabbed the cheese again thanks to another Valkyrie running her hand up and down his arm as she battled Mist to stay on his other side.

Movement above us made me look up, and through the trees, I'd never seen the stars look so bright as they did now. Another Valkyrie suddenly dropped down, landing nearby before coming to join us at the table. Deimos' laugh filled the clearing, drowning the soft chatter of female voices and even the harp, drum combo playing to the side where a few others had gathered to dance.

"Does Cain deserve it too?" She snapped back.

Cain was not like Deimos, and I wasn't quite sure what Brynhild was playing at when she had separated us. He sat casually in the chair, appearing calm enough but I also knew that was when he was usually nearing his limit. None of them dared to touch or talk to him as they did with Deimos; the ones seated across from him were brave enough to flirt from a distance yet he barely acknowledged them.

"Good point. I might ask him to dance," I smirk at her. "You could join us, bring Deimos."

Kara took a large gulp of the wine, then another. "No need."

I look back to Deimos and find him gone. Sure enough, he's part of the circle of dancing Valkyrie, waving his hands around in the air with them as they sway in time with the music. Mist is like a guard dog, the second any get too close she's pushing them back and I almost pity her.

As I stand, Brynhild opens her mouth yet merely offers me a toothy smile as I look down at her. I don't linger, moving behind Cain who was glaring angrily at the wine in his hand. Leaning down over him, my hands slide from his shoulders down his chest and instantly feel him relax.

"Come dance with me," I whisper, well aware of the looks we're getting from the table.

He tilts his head back, kissing the side of my neck. "Are we allowed? She's kept you by her side since we got here."

He had a point. We'd been given separate tours of their little jungle home, and the seating had been predetermined. There was no shortage of distractions attempting to keep it that way either and it was working very well with Deimos. I didn't think it was being done with bad intentions, and Kara was right, he deserved some fun too.

"Jealous?" I tease, stepping back.

Cain put down his drink and stood up, casually following me as I slowly walked back towards the others. In a blink, he was in front of me which only made me smile as he pulled me closer.

"Not jealous," He claimed my lips, and I melted against him forgetting just how many eyes were watching us. "Just so long as I'm the only one who gets to do that."

Deimos is suddenly breaking us apart, an arm heavy on my shoulders as he brings Cain and me in towards him. His breath stinks like sour beer and he plants a big wet kiss on Cain's forehead.

"This is the best night, my friends!" He slurs.

"I like drunk Deimos." I laugh as Cain looks as if he had just seen a ghost. "You should do this more often."

"I am not drunk." He seriously denied it, making me roll my eyes. "I am just so thankful to be alive, and you little Hunter, are to thank for that."

My turn; I was positive he licked my forehead rather than the smushy kiss Cain had received.

"Are we not the luckiest of men to be surrounded by such beauty!" He attempted to whisper yet practically screamed into Cain's ear. "Tonight we are like Kings of the Gods of the Men! Come meet my new friends!"

"He's been a King. Pretty sure it wasn't like this." I mumble, as Deimos forces Cain to follow him over the waiting group of dance partners Deimos left behind.

Cain attempts to escape, but Deimos wasn't having it as he dances around him. If anything it kept the women back, and without them constantly attempting to touch and fawn over him, even Cain can't keep a straight face around this new version of Deimos. I slip back towards the table, happy to watch them have fun together.

"This brings back many happy memories." Brynhild stands beside me and glancing back to the table, Kara looks absolutely miserable with her wine.

"You've seen a drunken Deimos before?" I laugh as he does some weird pirouette move. "Excuse me."

I make a move to go and sit with Kara, but Brynhild stops me.

"Patience. You are not what she needs." She winks, guiding me to sit with her. Maybe Cain had a point, and I can't stop myself from growing a little paranoid. "I have seen many like him. Good men. He's overcome the darkness, content with who he is and his place in the world. It is not something many of them can find easily."

"You've just met us." I point out.

"Yes, only you are not strangers. Not that it matters, we see beyond what you want us to see."

"Like a seer?"

"No. We only see you, not your past or your future. What do you know of my kind?"

"You were Odin's warriors, his first edition anyway only you refused to submit to him and here you are."

I saw Kara head over to the dancing out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to see what would happen next, but Brynhild held my attention.

"Close enough. Did you know we were once called angels?" Prima slipped between our stools, filling cups of wine that she left on the table for us. "Life changed for us when we went into your mortal realm. Our role changed.  We sought out the ones like your Deimos. The good men. Warriors. Noble. Loyal. The worthy. We can see your souls, the truth that no man or woman can hide. We'd have gatherings like this to welcome them to their new life, and to the ones that requested peace and death, would be allowed. It became our job to deliver them to the Underworld, guide them on to their final resting place."

"So long as you are not doing some terrible foreshadowing regarding the current state of my friend, it doesn't sound so bad?" I feel my powers burning within, tense and ready to pounce the second I let it free.

"It wasn't, not at first. We brought great glory and honour to Odin's name. In your world, we lost the respect we had fought for and earned. We were reduced to a prize to claim at the end of a battle. Rather than fight with them or in their place, we were merely expected to wait and watch, come when called like common whores. The good men were harder to find until there was none," She snarled. "He permitted it. Encouraged it. After all, what else would he have made us for?"

"You fought back?" I didn't blame them. I was furious with her.

"We demolished his so-called, new army. We bathed in their blood and sent their heads to him as gifts." Brynhild's face flushed, her anger at the memory coming back to life. "He came to punish us, remind us of our place beneath him. As he made us, he would destroy us only Odin did not come alone. We would have destroyed them all too, powers or not as they were led by their ego and that made them weak. Then, our sister Valkyrie arrived. Some did not seek the freedom we did, and among them were his new creations."

"The Valkyrie we know now. Like the ones who adopted Kara," I look over at her now, surprised to see her twirling around with the other women under the ever-watchful eyes of Deimos, who was also doing some odd kind of slow dance now with Cain.

"Even they only accepted their fate for so long." She looked at Kara too, an almost proud look appearing on her face, but her eyes only looked sad. "Even if it was learnt the hard way."

"So why have I never seen any of them with wings, if some stayed with Odin?"

"Do you think he would risk letting them live once we fled? It is a man's world, they only seek to destroy that which they can not control." Brynhild hissed. "We have all been fooled, held hostage by our hearts only to still have it crushed when we bow to their will."

"You sound like Medusa." The words came out before I could even think about it. "Women hurt women too."

"And they are the ones that can hurt us the most." She warned. "You came here to find Hecate, and I am not disappointed you failed your quest. Kara told me you know of her history, let that be the wisdom you leave herewith."

Her wings ruffled slightly, pinning close against her back as she reached for the wine and took a look sip. Deimos laugh sounded again, and this time it was Kara he twirled around with.

"See, patience." Brynhild smiled. "You know, if he were to die now he would do so, happy and fulfilled. He is a man that has lived well."

"Excuse me?" It sounds like a threat and that only makes her laugh

"Merely an observation. It is interesting to look at new people, and he is easy on all my eyes." Her gaze drifts to Cain. "That one does not know who he is. Kara struggles much the same. They feel the similarity to each other, kindred spirits. They get on well?"

"Yes." Easier than any of my friends have ever managed, and I wasn't sure what that meant exactly.

"Thought so. Is it not interesting how our lives are all connected, entwined with one another yet without the right circumstance, none of this would be possible? I love the growth to come for them both, but there is something else within Cain, something new that I feel he's been missing." Someone calls her name, from down the other end of the table and she shakes her head, the charms in her hair jingling. "Enjoy the party, Elise. I have kept you from your friends for long enough."

She gets up and starts to move away, only I grab onto her arm and stand up, stopping her from leaving.

"What about me? What do you see when you look at me?" I almost didn't recognise my own voice as I asked the question, practically begging for her to keep talking.

Did I really want to know?

Yes.

Brynhild moved quickly, her and tight on my jaw as her thumb pressed under my chin. She forced my face up slightly as she stood taller, leaning over me as her wings surrounded us yet I didn't fight her, not yet. I wanted to hear what she had to say and as I stared into her eyes the brown melted into gold. My own eyes blurred, as I saw double before I couldn't deny the third eye in the middle of her forehead.

"I see a soul as old as a Crone, finally home in the body of a Maiden who has strength, love and endurance of a Mother. I see a girl, once terrified of the darkness within her and a woman who has learned how to control it with her fire." Her voice is deep, filled with wisdom that was unlike anything I had heard before. "Your heart beats for two."

She lets go, and I stagger back feeling breathless and exposed while whatever that just was didn't happen. Brynhild moves her two eyes - the third gone, towards my stomach which I instantly cover with my arms and then one of Cains as he's suddenly with me. She isn't surprised and looks like she was expecting it.

"Now it makes sense."

"What does?" Cain asked, his tone dark.

"Why nothing we have to offer will satisfy you as it does your friend," She says knowingly. "He has not yet found what you have."

"And what have I found?"

"Everything. You see there are those of us fortunate enough to meet that one person, who one day, somehow, manages to change everything. It can take more than a kiss at the wrong time, a hand to hold when you need it the most, or to come so close to saying goodbye, again, to see who they really are to you." Brynhild doesn't hide her tears, and her smile is sad which seems to contradict the love in her eyes now. "How blessed it is, when you see a person, beyond their skin and bones, and find that piece of you, you never realised you'd lost."

"What are you saying?" He questioned, though it sounded more like a threat before he looked at me. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." I look around, and everyone carries on around us as normal. "I asked her a question, that's all."

The group calls her name again and she nods, before stepping around us to join them.

"What was that all about?" Cain frowned. "I thought you might be about to faint, you didn't look yourself when she was with you."

"No, she just, never mind. You looked like you were having fun."

"I thought years of dealing with you at the bar could prepare me for anything. Then I met drunk Deimos." He smirked. " Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah. I still think she's lying though, about Hecate." I decide. Kara suddenly squeals, yet it's filled with giggles rather than horror - it still makes me jump and looking over to them Deimos is attempting to lift her above his head Dirty Dancing style. "Do we need to start telling him the water is vodka and we should all do shots?"

"I think that's what got her into that position."

Two Valkyrie take off behind us and I watch them slip through the space between the trees and disappear into the night. Their wings send a gust of air over us and I can't stop a little shiver as the night seems to get colder.

"Come on, let's take a walk," Cain suggests; no one even attempts to talk or touch him now that I'm tucked against his side and leaving the party we go down by the river.

The noise follows us, slowly dropping away as the comfortable silence between us takes over. A full moon offers us enough light to see by as we follow the narrow path and slowly the grass gives way to the red dirt from earlier where nothing seems to grow yet the water is still beside us. The surface is like glass, the moon and a million stars mirrored back up to the sky and as we stop, I look around.

"It's hard to remember we climbed up here." I sighed. "It doesn't exactly feel like we've gone above clouds."

"We climbed?"

"I did my fair share," I argued.

"The doors were a portal, very well disguised which explains the blood Kara offered to open it."

"Seriously?" I thought I was getting better at sensing that kind of thing but clearly, I wasn't.

"Wanna tell me what that was back there?" He asks, not sounding annoyed, just curious as we keep walking. "I saw her grab you."

"She said they can see who we are on the inside, it's how they chose which soldiers to save. The good men." I shrug. "Deimos is one. He knows who is, isn't held back from his past and accepts himself. She said you and Kara were kindred spirits, and you both are trying to work out who you are and there is a lot of growth to come."

"And you?"

"Oh, mine was super fun. Apparently, my soul is, um, what was it? As old as a Crone, finally home in the body of a Maiden who is as strong as a Mother. Plus she said my heart beats for two, so clearly got the heads up on Blueberry."

He thinks about this for a minute. "They're not a threat."

"I agree, but she knows more than she's currently in the mood to share." I glance up and from the nearby wall of rocky hell, I see the glow of a fire. "Cain, look. Do you think it's Hecate?"

Cain closes his eyes and frowns a second later. "I can't tell, I'm not sure if anyone is there."

We start to move that way, not hesitating in using our powers this time to take us closer. From the mouth of the cave, a shadow appears, answering our earlier question on whether or not someone is up here, and a soft voice calls out to us, which would have been fine if not for the pointy stick shape beside the figure.

"Show yourselves." Cain steps out first, hands raised as we had done when we arrived and the shuffling of feet on dirt has me stepping behind him. "Oh. It's you two."

"Do we know you?" I ask, trying to see her clearly as she drops down behind the fire.

"No, why would you?"

Her spear is still in her hand and a movement behind her makes me stop as I start to go in.

"I'm Elise." I introduce, forcing down my disappointment it wasn't Hecate.

"I know." She sighs. "And you are Cain."

"Who are you?" I ask, daring to move further in.

"No one." The woman snaps bitterly, and I can see her now as I stop near the fire.

She had the same beauty as the other Valkyrie, her outfit matching too. Her hair was braided over her left shoulder; the blonde mass of hair was tainted red from the dirt and lacked the decorations the others favoured.

"I bet she's loved having you at her side. Look at you, just like them." She scoffed, glaring up at me. I caught the movement again, and she sat as straight as she could, glaring at me as she otherwise looked nervous. "Watch the girl Cain, she might grow wings and fly away to be with her people."

"The Valkyrie are not my people." Whatever it is behind her is distracting and I fail badly at not being able to stop trying to see what's there.

Only then do I work it out, my hand slapping over my mouth as I step back and bump into Cain.

"Stare all you like," She growled, using the spear to help her move as she turned to show us her exposed back. "Is that why you came?"

"What happened?" Her back is marked by silvered scars, and there are no wings there to hide it. All that remains were the twitching stumps of bone that protruded from her back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean, I, we didn't come to stare."

"No? They didn't tell the tragic tale of betrayal of Gudrun while singing their songs about Valhalla and everyone's favourite Brynhild?"

"No," I promised, looking at Cain who looked less confused than I felt but still wasn't sure what was going on. "We came here looking for Hecate, and I thought she might be here."

Gudrun twisted back around to look at us, her one good eye looking us up and down whereas the right was glazed over and white. Scars ran over that side of her face, like a burn that was never going to be healed, and her back wasn't the only place that wore those scars like strips as there were on her arms too. As she moved, she stayed hunched over, her steps shuffled as she walked with a scowl on her face.

"You were right," She held out a piece of paper, which Cain took from her. "Do not pity me, child. I live, for whatever reason. Death would be too kind."

She was so blunt about it all, chatting to us as if this wasn't our first meeting. Cain read the note and handed it over.

"You got what you wanted, now leave me be." She demanded.

Opening it, I saw Hecate's writing and held my breath as I read it.

E,

I said where the wild women run, not fly, though it would be Kara's first instinct to return to those who were there for her when I was not. It matters none, knowledge is power and you will leave somewhat wiser whatever happens.

H

Now everyone knows, let the record show I want it to be a girl, or do you still carry that dreadful Bunting curse?

"Seriously? That's' it?" I look at Cain who just shrugs.

"Did you expect a map?"

"Yes!" I scrunch it up and toss it into the fire, which makes Gudrun laugh. "Would it be the other Valkyrie then, the wingless ones?"

"No," Gudrun answers.

"Do you know, did she tell you?"

.

"No," She laughs again, before suddenly scrambling to her feet.

Cain grabs my arm, and I turn around to see Brynhild entering. She looks around in clear disgust before looking at us.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Why? Because we found out Hecate has been here?" I challenge.

"No, because that one can not be trusted." She nods in Gudrun's direction, who did not look like a threat as she struggled to stand, spear at the ready yet she wasn't angry to see her extra guest, just sad. "Whatever she says, isn't to be believed."

"Of course not. None will ever forget." Gudrun scoffed, sounding hurt.

"You want to leave with wisdom, Elise? Soulmates can break your heart too." Brynhild glared at Gudrun who merely let herself fall back to the floor. "Your friends are worried. Return to them, now."

Cain obeys, and we're back with the others. Deimos is asleep on the floor by Kara's feet as she eats some of the meat from the table. As she sees us, she's up and carefully stepping over Deimos to come over. Her hug is tight and I quickly break her away as she stinks like old beer and salami.

"Where did you go? I couldn't sense you nearby."

"Hecate has been here," Cain told her. "She's gone, but she left another riddle."

"Another day wasted then?" She frowned.

"No, this was worth every second. I am never going to let him forget this." I smile as Deimos rolls onto his back, letting out a loud snore as he does so.

"I think they drugged him," Kara whispered.

"No, I think he just needed to celebrate life." I nudge her with my elbow. "So ah, what did we miss?"

"This. I was going to look for you, but to be honest, I didn't want to leave him alone."She looked across the table, glaring at Mist who was huddled with two others oblivious to Kara. "Especially with them around. Where did you go?"

"For a walk, and then we found a cave. Do you know who Gudrun is?" I ask, keeping my voice low.

Kara frowned, nodding. "I believe she was Brynhild's second in command and there are rumours of them being together, only Gudrun stood by Odin, leading his new Valkyrie until he turned against them. He managed to kill the others, but she managed to escape. Just. Did he cut off her wings?"

"And worse," Cain added, glancing up as the sounds of wings approaching could be heard. "We have also outstayed our welcome."

Sure enough, Brynhild landed in front of us, looking every bit the pissed off Valkyrie leader she currently was.

"Safe travels to you all, and I have changed my mind. When the time comes and you need us, we will stand as one at your side." She declared, and all around us they clapped and cheered.

"Why did you change your mind?" Kara asked, not quite believing it.

She looked at Cain. "You did what we could not. For that, we are in your debt."

Cain simply nodded, before going over to Deimos and with a bit of help from Kara, he held him ready to go.

"Thank you, Brynhild." Kara hugged the woman and slowly her anger disappeared.

"Do not leave it so long between visits." She smiled, turning to me. "Bring the infant, I am curious to meet her."

"We will," I look at Cain, and we're gone, back at the portal. "Tell me I don't have to climb down that thing?"

"Not a chance," Cain groaned as we walked out into the darkness.

Cain had been right, it was a portal because as we passed through the doors, rain greeted us on the other side. It was cold, windy and wet. The clouds hid the moon here and as a streak of lightning-sparked in the distance, I felt the anger that went with it.

"Race you back!" Kara called, the three of them vanishing only I didn't move.

Slowly I turned around to stare at the dark wall in front of me, as the rain began to fall even harder. A million different things raced through my mind and the wisdom I'd left with was hard to process until one realisation forced its way to the front of the line and I ended up at the castle where Cain had dumped Deimos onto his bed.

"Elle, what happened?" Cain dries me before I could think to do it, and I shiver as the warmth in the room bites at my cold skin.

"It's changing."

"What is?" Kara asked, tucking Deimos in now she'd dried him off too.

"Matt's vision. There were no Valkyrie in the picture. In any of the pictures." I put my hand on my stomach and watched as Cain thought this over before coming to the same conclusion as his face seemed to light up.

We got this Blueberry.

"This is good, right?" Kara clapped her hands together, practically bouncing over the bed to hug me. "Hecate knew we'd end up there, another part of her plan?"

"Who knows, right now I don't care." Cain managed a tiny smile. "This is the sign we needed. Are you okay here, I want to tell Hades?"

I nod. "Go."

I follow Kara downstairs and once in the kitchen, I'm making toast and not skimping on the peanut butter. We end up on the balcony, sharing one of the deckchairs and neither of us says anything as we eat.

"I nearly fought every damn valkyrie there that got touchy-feely with Deimos. Don't think I would have killed for him, but severely hurt." She sighed, breaking the silence. "Fuck. I think I might be falling him."

"I'll take your confession of finally admitting your feelings and leave out the told you so, and raise you one with ninety-nine per cent sure, Brynhild implied Cain and I are soulmates."

"Double fuck. You win."

"You gonna tell him?" I ask, resting my head on her shoulder.

"No." Her head pushes against mine. "You?"

"Well, if I can manage to tell him I"m pregnant, this is easier than that, right?"

"Why do I feel like this is going to become an unnecessary drama?" She warns.

"Because she also warned soulmates can break your heart too."

"Ouch."

"I'll talk to him about it, she said it to him too so it's not like it's a secret." Or just wait and see if he says anything about it later... if ever.

"Good. That's very mature of you." She patted my leg. "I may have also kissed Deimos before he passed out."

"What?" I moved too quickly and we ended up hitting heads. "Ouch!"

"If he doesn't remember it in the morning, it stays our secret." She ordered, holding out her pinky finger. "Pinky promise!"

"Fine." We knot fingers, the promise made. "You know those unnecessary drama's you were talking about?"

"No, Elise. It's not like that, kind of, not really. Maybe?" She hid her face in her hands before peeking out at me. "I win?"

"Oh, you so win after that."

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Does this all make sense or am I gonna hate everything and redo it tomorrow when I come back to it? 😂