Page 52

Harlow

Throne Room

W hoever I thought would be waiting for me in the throne room, the creature before me was not it. Even Drake seemed uneasy next to me, but he stood back, letting me take the lead.

The god before me wore, long white robes that seemed to reflect light in every shift of their body. A huge silver helm rested over their face with the visage of an angry man in battle.

The scent that filled the room was light and airy, like sunshine in an open field. It was strange to notice a scent from this far away, but I couldn’t think of anything else as I approached.

“Welcome to Helheim,” I said in the best formal voice I could muster. Even from here I could feel the calming power coming from this being. He was like a beta, only more potent than any human beta I’d ever encountered.

“Thank you . . .?”

“Harlow,” I said as I moved to the throne, though I did not sit. The last thing I needed was to offend a god. “And you are?”

“My name is Valgri, I am a god. Odin sent me to assist you as you settle into the new role. I’m sure it’s... unsettling.”

The way he constantly trailed off his words and left so many unspoken was frustrating. I didn’t like to guess what someone was thinking.

“I welcome the assistance,” I said with a slight bow. “I’m attempting to locate those taken from me and get a lay of the realm. Sadly, my predecessor gave me riddles and trouble, not guidance on how to take over.”

“There are many looking for her, but she is no longer our problem,” Valgri said. There was an urgency that had my anxiety spiking again. It was strange to feel things so intensely but have no shadows or hallucinations coming along with it.

“What do I need to know?” I demanded, dropping the strange formality.

“That those who sent you here, that helped Hel, are coming.” Again with vague fucking answers. The gods seemed to love to keep me guessing. But I was no longer beneath them.

“And how do you know this information?” He remained as relaxed as before, hands clasped in front of him and standing casually in the center of the throne room.

He didn’t fear me but he also didn’t try to intimidate me either.

“I know things. As far as gods go, I’m considered neutral. I favor justice.”

The way he spoke was cryptic, but I at least felt as if this was the best option. I’d much rather a god of neutrality than that of death and destruction.

What I needed was impartial guidance, and Odin had provided me with that. For once, it felt as if the universe wasn’t working against me.

“How long do we have to prepare for their arrival? I would very much love to end their lives over and over again for eternity,” I growled out. “They took everyone from me and forced me to sacrifice myself for their gain.”

“A more fitting end would be to imprison them,” Valgri said. There was no judgment at my outburst, simply a calm, collected solution.

I could definitely get used to this level of feedback.

“Where is the prison and how do I reach it?” I tried to keep my voice from being too demanding, but that was the first place I wanted to search for Monty. He’d mentioned it before and I knew the warden would hide him away there.

“You’re the ruler here, you take us there,” he replied dryly, the first hint of amusement coming through. “Have you not used your powers?”

“I was human. Powers are a mystery.” I shrugged. “We had sex and caused a storm.”

“That was one of Hel’s powers,” he said with a nod, pulling off his helmet to reveal his androgynous face. His features were neither too masculine nor too feminine, his long, white hair was wrapped in a ponytail, and his azure eyes had a smudge of black over them like a mask, which made them seem to peer into your very soul. “Do we have somewhere a little more comfortable to test them out?”

“I wish.” I sighed. “This place is barren and cold. It’s awful. When I have my group back, I’ll make it more accommodating.”

“Already, you seem to grasp what a leader is more than your predecessor,” he mused. “She viewed this realm as a prison. And for her, it was. However, it wasn’t an inherently bad realm. None of the realms are. The darkness has to balance the light. That’s the way of things. Yet, there is beauty in darkness. I believe you see that beauty, don’t you, Harlow?”

My mind immediately went to Monty, Kol, and Drake. They were all from this realm and they were hauntingly beautiful in their own right, just as the land itself was.

“I do,” I agreed. “Yet, I can’t do anything to fix this war while I’m unguarded and without my mates. They are my first priority and I won’t apologize for that.”

“On that, we agree,” he promised.

I couldn't help but wonder if this god had mates. Would being bonded change his neutrality? It felt like no matter where my thoughts were now, that Drake was right there with me, his opinions clear through our connection. I knew with all of them there, I would always have others to lean on, and that would make me a much better leader.

“So, how do I find my powers? I’ll need them in the days ahead,” I pointed out. “I don’t want to hide away and let others fight without me.”

“Lead the way to a proper space, then we’ll speak more,” he said, putting his hands behind his back again as if waiting patiently.

Drake, who’d been silent during this interaction finally spoke up.

“The war room was the place we’d go, we haven’t found much else here. Unfortunately it was destroyed,” he admitted before calling out to Zetta. The wraith popped into view and looked at him expectantly.

“Yes, Master Drake?” she asked.

“It’s just Drake,” he growled in frustration. It had been a battle to lose the formality here. At least she no longer shied away from his annoyance. “Is there a library, or any room we can use to sit and talk?”

“Yes, right this way,” she said before turning and leading us farther into the castle.

It was embarrassing to walk through the halls knowing he was seeing the empty walls and floors. It was more like a tomb than a castle.

My omega was cringing away from it at every turn. Once we could freely travel like Odin promised, I was going to bring a bit of human touch to this castle.

The library Zetta led us to was not much different than the rest of the castle. It wasn’t the cozy and warm space I’d pictured with comfy couches, a bright warm fire, dark wood furniture, and the scent of leather and paper in the air.

At least there were hard ivory chairs and a roaring blue fire in the fireplace.

It was something.

“I know Hel preferred to use the fires of Helheim, but I’m partial to warm fire,” Valgri said. With a wave of his hand, the blue fire was replaced by normal orange fire. The warmth of it was blissful and Drake and I rushed forward, basking in its glow.

“That, we can definitely agree on,” I said, forcing myself to look away from the flames. “I didn’t realize it was an option.”

Between the heat of the flames and the scent of my mate drifting over me, I let out a blissful sigh. As the smell of smoke mixed with Drake’s spicy chili and bitter dark chocolate, a pang of longing hit me. It was far too close to our missing mate.

“Once you learn to manipulate the realms around you, anything is possible. Hel created this castle to be imposing, informal, cold, and to make her subjects uncomfortable,” Valgri answered as he held out his palm and formed a small tree in it. I watched as the leaves started to fall, tiny green specks falling to the floor, before it withered and disappeared. “How do I describe this?”

It was rhetorical so I waited for him to gather his thoughts. Valgri started to pace, a strange fog forming around his feet as he walked back and forth in front of us.

He stopped as abruptly as he started, facing us with a genuine smile.

“Imagine it like a fog in the air, visible, tangible. You reach for it, and manifest exactly what you want. Simple as that.”

“Simple.” I laughed in a mix of frustration and disbelief. His stare was unwavering so I gave in. “Alright.”

Closing my eyes, I tried to feel the power in the air. It was cold and drafty like it always was here. Instead of focusing on the fog he described, I tried to picture normal clothes on my body.

Drake’s snort of laughter had me opening my eyes and groaning at my now-naked body.

“Well, that was not the plan. I apologize, Valgri,” I squeaked out, trying and failing to hide myself as Drake stepped in front of me to block me from view.

“Modesty isn’t a thing among our kind,” he reassured me. “Try again. If you can’t feel it, you need to search harder. It’s not just a picture in your mind, using your human imagination. This is real. Physical. A tool to be used.”

“Can anyone do it?” I asked him, glancing at Drake.

“No.” The answer offered nothing more and I let it go for now.

This time as I closed my eyes, I tried to breathe in and out evenly. The air was warmer than the rest of Helheim, but still felt like simple air.

“It’s there, Harlow,” Valgri said with more patience than I deserved. “Grab onto that power and form the clothes you’re trying to wear.”

This being had no idea how stubborn and useless I could be.

The thought hit me before I could stop it and my brain immediately protested. Those thoughts were from my past life.

In this life, my new one, I was the leader of a realm, not a broken little girl with a dysfunctional brain.

Gritting my jaw against the frustration, I let my thoughts wander for a moment. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Monty needed me. That he wasn’t simply regenerating.

He was suffering.

Hel knew his loyalty had switched, and now that I knew how little she cared for literally everyone and everything around her, I couldn’t help but fear for his eternal life.

Hate grew in my chest as I thought of my demon, and a shout from Drake was cut off as the warmth of the library was ripped away.

“What the fuck?” I gasped.

“Harlow?!” Monty’s voice had me spinning around. I couldn’t manifest a fucking hoodie, but I could instant travel my body across the realm. Clearly, I was killing this goddess thing.

“You’re alive,” I breathed out, the relief hitting me like a punch to the gut. “Thank fuck.” My eyes welled with tears as he rushed to the bars of his cell. He didn’t come with a cold chill this time, the air was already icy, yet the scent of alpha musk and storms nearly brought me to my knees.

“How are you here?” he demanded, hands wrapping around the obsidian bars that separated us. There were no shadows surrounding him and his dark robes hung off of his body like he was withering away.

Haunting screams echoed in the distance.

This floor, however, was quiet enough the dripping of water and stench of wet earth were overwhelming. It was a true dungeon.

“That’s a long story. The better question is how the fuck do I get you out?” I demanded as I reached though and gripped his arm. The touch alone had us dropping to our knees. I didn’t even care that the cold, wet cement floors cut at my flesh or that I was naked for anyone around me.

I had Monty. He was here.

The hole that had taken over my chest started to fill. It was strange, like his presence alone was invading my being, yet I welcomed it openly.

“Only the warden had those powers. Or Hel herself.”

“Well, I’m the new Hel,” I growled, standing up and gripping the bars as I tried again to use my magic. A grunt behind me had me opening my eyes and spinning to find a frail demon splayed out on the floor.

“Oh, meet your father-in-law,” Monty said dryly.

“Drake’s dad?” I questioned with wide eyes. It was the only demon I could think that would be locked away. Hel had told us that much herself.

“Is my boy okay?” the demon managed as he tried to get to his feet. I stepped forward to assist but Monty growled and yanked me back.

“You’re naked,” he reminded me. “Cover yourself.”

“About that.” I laughed at the absurdity of everything. Here we were reunited and he was too possessive to let another demon see my body. “I can’t. Getting here was an accident.”

“It’s your magic, Harlow, fucking use it,” Monty ordered me. My monster hadn’t changed and that warmed my chest.

I rolled my eyes at his demands. Screaming the orders at me or telling me calmly like Valgri did... it didn’t matter. The magic didn’t respond to me.

“Easier said than done. I’ve tried. That’s why my clothes are missing now.”

Monty let out a sigh of exasperation and amusement. It almost felt like old times.

Except I was still naked, we were still separated, and I was fucking clueless.

“Allow me to offer guidance?” the demon on the floor asked.

“What’s your name?” I asked. He wasn’t giving me dangerous vibes. He was reserved and quiet, if nothing else.

“Elkan, former adviser to Hel,” he said with a slight bow. It seemed to exhaust him and I wondered exactly how long he was stuck in here. Anger flared to life again. Hel was a true villain. “I was turned into a bodyguard, and I have a feeling you know the rest.”

“I do,” I confirmed as Monty continued to hold me in place, one large hand covering my breasts, the other my exposed pussy. “What can you tell me about this magic? I’m all ears.”

“It’s more than just simply doing it. Power is not something you can grasp and hold. Nor is it a weapon to be wielded. You have to put your emotion behind it until it’s second nature, draw it into yourself and shape it to your will. Hel wasn’t a human when she arrived, but she was a novice at this, too.”

“That would explain how I got here,” I said. “Failing at materializing clothes on myself was pissing me off.”

“It doesn’t have to be anger,” he said gently. It was strange to have a demon be so calm and kind. He was fatherly in his own way.

“Alright,” I hedged as I closed my eyes, thinking of how relieved I was when I saw Monty. The moment I had that emotion, I held onto it, letting it fill my mind and soul. When it felt like it wasn’t going to simply slip away, I imagined my favorite outfit on and the weight of it pressed against my skin.

An excited gasp escaped as I pulled away from Monty’s hold and examined myself. Pride flared to life within me and I felt Drake poking at me through the connection. I tried to send reassurance back but who knows if it worked.

“Well done, My Queen,” Elkan praised with a fanged smile. He was adorable in his own way and about as un-alphalike as possible. I hoped Drake gave him a chance. We could really use him in this war.

“Try something else,” Monty encouraged, his sharp tone snapping me back to reality.

He probably meant something simple, easy, but that really wasn’t my style. I’d not been held by my demon in far too long.

This time I used the frustration and fear that Hel forced me to bear. Fear that Dark Haven had fallen, that I’d lost more people I loved. Worry about Hiro and Roman. Relief at finding Drake and now Monty. It was a storm of emotions but they flowed through me in a strange, fluid way, like they were now an additional part of my being.

My fingers wrapped around the bars and I channeled all of those emotions into picturing no barrier between us.

One second I was holding onto cold, rough metal, the next I was clenching my fists around air.

My eyes popped open as the bars literally melted before my eyes, falling to the ground in a black pool.

There was no time to celebrate or even pull in a breath before Monty had me wrapped in his arms.

Instead of relief or contentment, fear struck through me.

Something was wrong.

He didn’t feel like my Monty. There were no shadows, no power, no presence. It was as if the demon commander was a shell of his former self.

“What happened to you?” I asked him as I shoved him back. The fact he actually tumbled nearly stole the breath from my lungs.

“She took my shadows,” he admitted. The vulnerability there didn’t belong, and I added yet another reason to hate her to my ever-growing list.

“Well, then, I’ll just have to give them back, won’t I?” I growled.

“We have to get out of here first,” Elkan said with a hint of urgency. “This entire floor is blocked for us. I don’t think you’ll be able to take us out.”

“Then we walk out,” I shot back, dissolving his bars as well before turning and heading down the walkway. It took a second to realize I didn't have to channel that emotion this time, it was simply there. A part of me, just like Valgri promised.

I made it no more than a few feet before I froze. My eyes caught on the decrepit demons and gargoyles behind the bars. “What about them?”

“Harlow,” Monty warned. “We can’t save everyone.”

“Like hell I can’t, I’m literally the leader here,” I bit out.

If I wasn’t angry before, I was now. It only took a quick thought before the bars dissolved cell by cell. My chest was heaving by the time the last bars dissolved and I wavered on my feet, but it was done.

Yet not a single soul moved to free themselves.

“They have been here for longer than me,” Elkan said, a somber edge to his words. “I’m barely able to walk. They probably can’t.”

“Then we send for them soon,” I said, shoulders back and chest out, refusing to take another hit. They were demons, they would survive a little longer until I could appoint a new demon, one who would carry out punishments with a bit more neutrality and a whole lot more humanity. Even Loki and Odin had shown that much.

I stormed down the hall and up the narrow stairs. The door at the top was thick wood, and I shoved it open so hard it slammed into the wall beyond.

Every scream I’d tuned out came to an abrupt halt. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked around at the crowd forming around us in seconds.

“How did you get in here?” a demon demanded on a snarl. From his black armor, I knew he was a guard.

“Hel is gone. This realm is mine. You either obey, or die.”

The ultimatum was met with cries of outrage. I was not backing down. This was the time to use a firm hand, to show my strength.

A singular guard was bold enough to pull a weapon on me. This time there was no thought, only instinct. I had to protect the vulnerable demons behind me, no matter the cost.

I wouldn’t lose Monty again.

With a sharp slash of my hand, he was turned to ash. The show of power was enough to drop the others to their knees, noses skimming the damp stone floor as they cowered at my feet.

“How can we serve you, My Queen?” the closest guard asked.

“Take me to the warden’s office. I have unfinished business with him, and I know he’ll attempt to return here.”

When he did, there would be nothing left of the demon who’d betrayed me so boldly.

I was no longer simply Harlow, I was a vengeful queen ready to fix what Hel had broken.