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The dome glitters, accepting this promise.

Motes glow from the trees. Hyacinths bob across the summit. The sea ripples, and fuchsia foliage embroiders the cliffsides.

Eventually, this group will each have their own destinations.

Love and Andrew plan to live in her old glass house, tucked in the frosted forest of a mortal woodland, where they first fell in love. That way, they can watch over Andrew’s stepfather, and the shopkeeper named Miss Georgie, and their friends, Holly and Griffin.

Occasionally, Love and Andrew will write notes to those beloved mortals. Nothing annotated but enough to touch the ones they care about, to let the humans know that Love—or Lily, as they’d called her—and Andrew are near.

Anger and Merry will return to her observatory home in the Celestial City, with its Carnival of Stars and the formerly exiled deities who have chosen to remain there.

Wonder and Malice will build a life together in the Archives, in the dormitory tower where they clashed and connected. They’ll spend their days surrounded by magical books, perhaps digging up additional legends.

As for Envy and Sorrow, he cannot wait to burrow in the cavern with her. Their refuge near a waterfall enclave, where everything changed.

But it’s not the end. It’s the beginning.

They’re a new class. They plan on seeing a lot of each other, spending time in one another’s domains. Because that’s what friends do.

That’s what family does.

First, they have another job. Speaking of the Archives, somewhere in the valley between the bluffs, the ancient library awaits them, along with hundreds of archers.

Wonder shuffles in anticipation, her green gown sweeping the blossoms around her unshod feet. “We should head out, dearests. The Hollow Chamber is not going to rebuild itself.”

“We have a few hours yet,” Anger reassures her.

“In that case, who’s up for a swim?” Envy asks. “I don’t know about you, but my splendor needs replenishment.”

“A night swim,” Merry chimes. “How romantic!”

Andrew and Love quirk their brows at one another. “On your marks,” he prompts, leaning into racing position. “Get set—”

“Go!” the goddess shouts, sprinting ahead.

Love, Andrew, Anger, Merry, and Wonder vault toward the water while howling to the sky.

Sorrow pats Envy’s shoulder. “This will require getting your outfit wet, pretty god.”

“Think again, mate,” Malice says, stripping off his leather sweater, followed by his pants. Wearing nothing but a devilish grin, he charges down the hill with a maddened cackle, his arms widespread, the fletching-and-quill tattoo bunching across his skin.

“Good point,” Sorrow concedes. “Though that’s more of him than I needed to see.”

“Don’t lie,” Envy teases. “He has a remarkable derriere. Only not as remarkable as mine.”

To prove it, he peels off the suit he’d donned for this occasion and then waits, knowing what Sorrow will do. She disrobes from her vest and skirt, but she leaves on her combat boots.

Envy gawks at the sight, his retinas flaring across her naked curves. Only the reminder that they’re not alone keeps his body from losing control. However, he plans on doing some erotic damage to this goddess later. So he commits the visual of Sorrow to memory, for when he’s got her alone in the enclave, where he can fuck her sweetly beneath their choice of waterfall.

Sorrow struts backward while crooking a finger. Then she yelps, whipping around and running toward the lake while Envy chases her with a predatory growl.

They reach the lake just in time. Malice pushes Anger into the water. Then Love pushes Malice. Then Wonder pushes Love. Then Sorrow pushes Wonder.

Then Andrew pushes both Envy and Sorrow.

Then he jumps in after them.

Malice dunks Envy’s head under, then attempts to pants Anger, then darts away as both gods splash after him.