Page 63

Harlow

Dark Haven Institute

E ven in the few days we’d been back in Dark Haven, Sarah had changed.

She was already more aware when we arrived but now that she was seeing Drake again and having regular conversations, it was as if she was thriving.

The only downside was that she couldn’t survive here for long. At least not in its current state. We’d been trying to convince her to come back to Helheim, but she downright refused.

Stubbornness was truly a family trait.

“Don’t you want to join Dad in Helheim?” Drake asked. It wasn’t the first time he’d asked the question.

She was hellbent on ignoring it... or at least so far.

This time she met his eyes, and I had a feeling she would finally give him an answer.

“Drake. Why would I want to become what you hated? It’s my fault that you were stuck here for so long, my fault that you are half-demon, or were. You were so angry with it for so long, how can I go live that life knowing I made you suffer here?”

Drake’s heart visibly broke along with mine. His face crumpled and shoulders sagged.

“Mom,” he pleaded. “I’m not suffering or angry.”

She’d hit him hard without meaning to.

She was right, when I met Drake, he was angry at the world and being a hybrid was the one thing he’d wished he could change.

The demons around him never let him forget he was different. That mixed with Vane’s manipulation, he couldn’t be happy if he wanted to.

“Don’t you want to go? Elkan has been waiting for a long time,” Hiro questioned gently. “We promised we’d check on you. He’s free now.”

She smiled at the mention of her demon. “He still visits me.”

I’d forgotten all about the dreams she’d had with him. Now that Elkan was growing stronger, it was likely a lot easier for them. It was reassuring that she still had his support.

I just wished she’d give up this world. It wasn’t something we could force her into.

Even if it would save her life.

“But you could be together,” I reminded her. “Have whatever you want and see Drake every day. He won’t be here for long, we belong in Helheim now.”

Again, the stubborn woman shook her head.

“This is where I belong. Leaving isn’t an option,” she said with a pat on my hand. Her patience was stronger than mine at the moment.

“Dark Haven has fallen, Mom. The world around you is falling apart and there’s no one and nothing here for you anymore.”

Her eyes flickered white for a few moments and then her whole body relaxed. Something in that vision was the reassurance she needed.

She let out a soft giggle and turned excited eyes on her son.

“See, I knew you didn’t have to worry,” she said in exasperation. Drake bit back a growl of frustration and I couldn’t blame him.

“What did you see, Mom?” he questioned.

“That I was right.”

Such a simple answer that explained nothing. She was as vague and confusing as the riddles she loved to give me.

“What were you right about?” Hiro prompted. This time he moved in front of her, crouching down and taking her hands. She gave him an indulgent smile as she took one hand back to pat his cheek.

“Things are going to work out. Dark Haven is going to thrive again, the world is going to rebuild. Harlow is going to fix this, and we will move on like we’re supposed to.”

Even I had a hard time arguing with her when she seemed so certain.

“What do you mean? Do you know how I close the portal? Can you tell me more about it?” I pleaded. It was likely beneath my title to beg, but I’d do anything to fix things. They’d gone too far already.

“Didn’t I tell you that?” she questioned, raising one eyebrow. I let out a laugh at the boldness and sass there.

She truly was healing; her personality was coming through and was just as sarcastic as her son’s.

“If you call that riddle telling me,” I deadpanned. “Prophecies are never clear.”

“Prophecies are supposed to be figured out by the person they’re meant for.”

Her words echoed what the God of Gods told me.

“I’d say Odin agrees with you.” I sighed.

Once again, I was lost. At least it was reassuring to know it would work out... eventually. Somehow.

The prophecy replayed in my head.

An even exchange.

It sounded so simple like I could send someone through from Helheim, swap places with someone here, but I knew that wasn’t it.

We’d done that countless times between the gargoyles, our deaths, and Hel’s escape.

No, there was something more to it, a big piece I was missing.

A loud knock on the door had Drake standing and pulling it open. Roman was standing there with a fanged grin and a stack of pizza boxes in his hand.

“Obviously no stores are open, but the kitchen had the ingredients and Layne helped me find a recipe. She and Stravos are fairly good in the kitchen so don’t give me the credit,” he explained as Drake took them. “The ingredients were still fresh.”

“Thank you,” Drake said as he clapped the gargoyle on the shoulder.

Honestly, he had impeccable timing. The tension was gone from the room despite us getting nowhere in the conversations with Sarah.

The smell of cheese and spiced sauce filled the air, and I could almost hear the phantom echo of my stomach growling.

I missed food.

“Pizza!” Sarah exclaimed, clapping her hands. At least she was fairly unaffected by the stress the rest of us were dealing with.

Drake and Hiro helped her get to the table and set up, but she didn’t hesitate to dig in. Her pizza slice was half gone before they’d even stepped back.

It looked amazing. The gargoyles and Layne had done amazing, but now it made me want food even more.

Hiro picked up a slice and turned to me as I did the same. We inspected the pizza like it was something foreign, but it smelled so fucking good. If my stomach could rumble, it would.

“Are you two ever not dramatic?” Drake questioned. “It won’t do the same as it did in Helheim, but food is food.”

With that, we tapped our slices together and took a bite. I wasn’t sure what I expected but the burst of flavor over my tongue, the gooey hot cheese, and the perfectly seasoned sauce was definitely not it.

I groaned as I chewed, swallowed, then took another slice. Thank the gods Roman made more than one.

“Is it supposed to taste this good?” I questioned with my mouth full. Drake chuckled and took one of his own, downing half the piece in one bite.

“You’re right, it’s just as good as always,” he agreed. “Monty said that we don’t eat now, not that we couldn’t eat. I guess now we just get to appreciate it and our bodies burn it off without much effort.”

“No worrying about cholesterol or calories? Sign me up.” I hummed as I ate the rest of my piece. It wasn’t as fulfilling as eating used to be. I didn’t have a hunger it satiated. But it was no less satisfying in the end.

Honestly, it made this whole strange afterlife a little bit better. Giving up everything that made life worth living on Earth was hard. There were amazing things, like pizza and ice cream, and now that I knew I could enjoy them without consequence, I planned to indulge from time to time.

Hiro didn’t get a boost of power from his pizza but he seemed just as content and happy as I was as he nibbled on his slice of cheesy goodness.

“You three are good together.” I’d almost forgotten about Sarah. She’d been quiet as she ate, and I was enthralled with eating as well.

She dabbed a bit of sauce from her mouth and leaned back, studying us with a proud smile on her face.

“Thanks, Mom,” Drake said. I swear the demon blushed at the praise.

“I mean it. You guys really brought Drake to life, and I know this isn’t the path I wanted or expected for my child, or for any of you, but you embraced it. You didn’t let go of what was important. I’m proud of you. All three of you.”

I’d never had anyone say those words to me. It filled me with unexpected emotion and had a lump rising in my throat and tears burning at my eyes.

I thought that leaving my humanity behind would take the intense emotions that went along with being human, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Honestly, it was nice to be a mix of both worlds, to still hold onto the parts of myself I enjoyed.

“I’d definitely say I’m lucky,” I agreed.

“Things have a way of working out. Just you wait,” she said pointing at me.

She leaned back in her chair and in seconds her eyes were drifting closed. She was still getting tired a lot but I think it had more to do with the constant prophecies she was getting, than her medicine.

Sarah didn’t stir as Drake picked her up and tucked her into her bed. Hiro made sure she was comfortable before we snuck out of the room.

She was safe here now that several gargoyles patrolled the halls, including Stravos who watched out for Layne. After the last demon attack, he’d gone full-alpha mode.

We passed two of the guards on the way out, the gargoyles bowing, and I returned the gesture. It was nice to have them so openly accept me as their leader.

The ones who remained in Helheim did the same, but the demons did not. They fell in line out of fear, not loyalty. One day I’d earn their respect, too.

Hiro’s hand wrapped around mine, squeezing it gently. “I’m sorry that she wasn’t able to give you more information. We’ll figure it out.”

“We will,” I agreed. “I just have to figure out what this even exchange is. I can’t exactly kill myself this time.”

Then my steps faltered as those words sunk in.

“Wait, is it possible to kill yourself in Helheim?”

Drake’s face twisted in anger as he got in my face. “Don’t you fucking think about sacrificing yourself this time. You might not come back again. Even immortality has limits.”

My hand went to his cheek to calm his anger. “I never said I was going to. Stop jumping to conclusions, you psychopath,” I said. “Now answer the question. Is it possible?”

“No,” he answered. “As you’ve seen, if they’re created from Helheim, they regenerate.”

“Then how was Hel not an even exchange?” I demanded, throwing my hands up. “If not for Odin’s intervention and my stipulations, I would have been banished to Helheim while she was banished to Earth.”

“That exchange was to open the portal,” Hiro said. “You’d need another for this round.”

“You’d have to find someone willing to give up eternity, right? That’s what Hel gave up to go there, swapped her immortality for your lifespan,” Drake said, building off of the ideas we were throwing out there.

My head pounded at the thought. Who would be crazy enough to give up immortality? Especially for a queen who had just claimed the throne.

“I need to go check the barriers outside,” I said, grasping at any task that could lead me away from this conversation.

I needed time to think. The wheels in my head were turning now that I had a lead. Helheim wouldn’t let me go in someone’s place, and neither would the guys.

I had to find a third option.

Helheim’s energy wrapped around me as if it were digging its heels in, refusing to let me even consider such a sacrifice.

I didn’t need the reassurance. I was selfish enough to cling to this new life. The guys had given up enough for Helheim and there was no one left to replace me.

For it to be even, whoever gave up Helheim would have to be willing. Just as I had to be for the first exchange.

Unless it was the opposite. An unwilling sacrifice to close the portal. As soon as I had the thought, I shoved it away. The stakes were too high to risk that one. Gambling with someone’s eternal life wasn’t my style.

Even as I fortified the flames outside of Dark Haven, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was onto something. This was the exact path I needed to figure out the final piece.

We were closer than ever if I just focused.

My silence and brooding hadn’t gone unnoticed. When I glanced behind me, Hiro and Drake were whispering to Roman in the doorway.

In moments, every one of my men would know what we had discussed. Among that group, Drake was the rational one. Monty and Kol would kick my ass for even mentioning sacrifices.

They could kick, scream, and fight me all they wanted but it was me who was responsible for the realm, and it was me who had to close this portal.

Odin might have been forgiving and semi-patient the last time we spoke, or at least as patient as a god like him could be, but I doubted I’d get the same grace again.

“The demons are back.” Kol’s voice echoed from the rooftop. I turned in time to see the demons converging on the street behind us. He sent a wave of reassurance through our bond, his silver eyes locked on me. We didn’t need words this time.

Love was what I chose to send back. He fisted one clawed hand over his heart, the gesture of love and respect echoing the sentiment in the bond. He had faith in me and this time, so did I.

Drake and Hiro moved beside me as we turned to face the impending attack. They must have been waiting for the moment to strike, because as one they lunged forward.

It would be their last move.

“Kill them all.” My orders were clear. We attacked, the new demons still no match for our blades.

This time, Helheim rose to the challenge, power radiating through me and slicing through the crowd as swiftly as my blade.

I’d been angry before, but it had nothing on how I felt as I cut through the people that were once a part of the realm I now embodied. Helheim echoed the betrayal and sent a blast out that dropped the last of their army.

“Are you satisfied now, Crew?!” I screamed into the night. “If you keep this up you’ll be the only one left in this godsforasken town. Don’t think you’ll crawl back here after all the pain you’ve caused.”

Of course, there was no response to my screams. At the end of the day, everything Crew had done, despite being twisted by demons, was cowardly.

He’d hidden behind them like a shield, let them destroy everyone and everything around him, and put the only person he loved at risk.

This was only one of the battles raging across the country. We killed two hundred in the face of thousands upon thousands.

So many humans were corrupted or dead now. The aftermath would be devastating.

There was no time left for regrets and second thoughts. I knew that the conclusion I’d come to with the portal was right, we just had to find the sacrifice.

The problem was, I couldn’t just throw my people into the void and hope for the best. I had to be sure or lose every bit of loyalty I’d gained.

Helheim and Dark Haven needed me more than ever. Whose life would I be willing to gamble with... that was the question.