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“We don’t have time to do it properly. It would take weeks at least to melt it down and remake it as it should be.”

“Interesting. I had not heard that it takes that long.” Her lavender eyes were hollow today and her smile was nowhere to be found. Valeen probably looked the same, if not worse. Both of the males they loved and cared for were off to war.

“How are things with Thane? Last we talked, you seemed unsure.”

She broke into a smile and said, “He came to me yesterday.” Her palms emitted a bright orange light, and it wasn’t long before the two ends were glowing hot and ready to be molded.

Valeen smiled as she set the bottom piece slightly on top of the main and swung the hammer. Thechingand clanking of metal hitting metal filled the room. Sparks flew, pelting against her thick blacksmith’s apron; a few tiny holes burned into her sleeves. “And? You can’t end it there.”

She tucked her hair behind her ears and beamed. “Alright, fine. He told me he was just scared but that he does want to be with me. I–I love him, Val and he loves me. I don’t even know how it happened. I just…I have to be near him.”

Valeen’s chest warmed and she swung the hammer again. There was something special about them together, she’d seen it with her own eyes. What she wanted more than anything was for both of them to be happy and now they were.

Katana walked over to the window and tugged the old curtain aside. “It’s too dreary in here. And hot. I’m sweating.” She pushed open the window, letting in a breeze, then took her hair into her hands and tied it in a knot on her head. A sun tattoo was centered between her shoulder blades. It was a hollow circle, about the size of a small apple, in black ink with curling and twisting sun rays spreading out from it. A straight thin line came out from the center top and bottom, ending in three tiny dots.

“When did you get a tattoo? I don’t remember you having one before.” She turned Lightbringer over and struck again.

She turned around to face her with a hand on her hip. “What tattoo?”

With a chuckle, Valeen stopped hammering and let the tool fall to her side. “Theonlytattoo you have.”

“I don’t have a tattoo.”

“You have a sun tattoo on your back. Did you forget about it?” Her hair was always down so she hadn’t noticed it before.

“No…” she tried to look over her shoulder. “I can’t see anything.”

Valeen set the sword and hammer down. There was no mirror in here, but the shiny silver platter they’d brought with snacks would work. She pushed the fruit, nuts and cheeses onto a cloth and held up the platter.

Katana gasped when she saw it. “How did that get there! It wasn’t there before…”

Valeen looked at her puzzled, and then it hit her. “You slept with Thane.”

“Yeah.” She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “He didn’t tattoo me if that’s what you’re saying.”

“Does he have one?”

“I never saw one on him.”

“You swear this wasn’t here before?”

“It wasn’t! I would remember getting a tattoo,” Katana almost shrieked. Her voice always rose higher when she was nervous. “Why are you asking about Thane?”

“Long ago, when I searched for answers as to why my lily appeared on my arm, one of the things that Presco had found was that both mates would receive the same mark. Hel has the same one on his chest. For us, it was because I tried to kill him.” Valeen paused when Katana raised her brows. “I know, it was a different time, anyway, most often soulmates are marked when they became… one.”

“All Mother above… my hair glowed when we… but it can’t be. I didn’t see a tattoo on him.” She started mumbling, “Of course I wasn’t looking at every inch of him.”

Valeen blew out a slow breath. If they were mates it might explain why Thane was drawn to her in Katana’s absence…What were the chances that the sister goddesses of day and night were mated to cousins who were more like brothers?

It actually made her laugh. Of course, it should be that way. All along Thane had been perfect for Katana. All along Valeen and Hel and Thane were drawn together, until Katana could return.

“Will you heat this again?”

Still muttering Katana made her way over and the blade glowed hot.

She went back to hammering and only got in a handful of hard swings before a shadow moved past the front window. A chill ran through her and her gut said it was someone dangerous. An assassin sent by Pricilla while Hel and Thane were away?

“Katana, push that table in front of the door.” She kept furiously swinging the hammer until sweat beaded on her brow.