Page 65

Harlow

Dark Haven Institute

“ I ’ve come to collect my favor.” Loki’s words fell in the room like a bomb. Whatever he was about to demand couldn’t be good and it also couldn’t have come at a worse possible time.

Regardless, I owed him an insane debt for what he did.

“What do you need?” He almost seemed surprised by my answer, likely expecting me to beg for mercy or weasel my way out of it like most did.

Gods probably didn’t like to repay debts; they were far too proud and selfish for that.

“The gods are closing in on Hel. I have no doubt she has mere days left. She’s being careless. Apparently, she’s found a human she’s fond of and is risking it all,” he explained with a sigh.

“A mate?” I asked, eyebrows raising at the idea. She was too cold to love someone, or at least I thought so. Maybe being away from Hel changed her.

The price was too big for me to forgive her, but a small part of me was glad she had the chance to meet someone.

“She found someone,” he confirmed, his face twisted in confusion, like he couldn’t fathom her loving anyone either.

“How and where do I come in?” I asked. There was no point beating around the bush.

Nothing he said so far would include me. I was barely figuring out my role and trying to close a portal.

Hel wasn’t my problem, in fact, she was the cause of my issues. He was the only reason I was listening.

“I need you to find her a soul.” He stared at me, letting those words process before continuing. “You have to find a way to not let her fade. She wants to be human and is willing to die forever. I’m not willing for that to happen. She’s my daughter.”

“You do know that Odin outpowers me, correct? What you’re asking me could be suicide,” I argued. The last thing I wanted was to get myself on Odin’s bad side when I was already careening toward it on my own.

“What I did for you could have been the same. Do you think gods take kindly to turning humans?” he demanded.

The desperation was dripping from him, and it was unsettling seeing him so unhinged.

“Yet, I don’t think Odin blinked an eye at them when he visited. I’m not here to dispute whether your cause is worthy, I’m here to state the fact that this might be a failed mission before it starts. I can’t figure out how to close the portal, Loki. What you’re asking is something Hel didn’t bother to teach me, and believe me, that list is enormous. How am I supposed to create a soul?”

“I’m asking you to attempt it,” he clarified. He was calm again, giving me a moment to consider his words.

I ran a hand over my face, letting out an exasperated breath. How had I become the one every god needed something from?

“Is she in danger as we speak?”

“She’s a human in that world out there right now,” he pointed out.

My laughter startled him for a moment. “Hel is getting a big dose of consequences to her own actions.”

His eyes narrowed. I was clearly testing his boundaries but I wasn’t afraid of Loki. For one, I was no longer human. And another reason was that he simply needed me. I didn’t have to filter my words to appease him.

“It’s an apocalypse right now. Every god is working to do as much damage control as they can. That means they’re present on earth. The moment one of them finds her? It’s over. It may not be today, but it could be any day. You need to be ready.”

“I’ll agree to try,” I said, closing my eyes in frustration. “But I can’t do anything until I’m back in Helheim. I’m stuck here trying to close the portal she threw open. Every single day of my afterlife has been spent cleaning up her fucking mess, Loki.”

“Then you better figure it out quickly. A life for a life, Harlow. This will clear your debt, and any debt your little crew has amassed,” he said without even a drop of sympathy.

“I’ll do my best.”

My answer was dismissive. I was fucking livid. The fact he thought I should drop everything to accommodate her was insane.

My feelings on Hel didn't matter. At the end of the day, I knew I had little choice.

Hiro and Roman were reason enough to help the god.

However, I knew our debt ended the moment I attempted to revive her soul. If it didn’t work, that wasn’t on me, it was on her. And I owed her nothing when her soul was returned.

“I suggest that you do,” he said, looking at Roman and Hiro. I knew it was no coincidence that he showed up here and now when I was with them.

Like Hel, everything Loki did was purposeful.

“Loki. Is creating a soul even possible?”

He shrugged. “I’m a god of chaos, not life.”

“I’m not a goddess of life!” I argued.

“But your business is souls. You can figure it out. Helheim is far more connected to you than it ever attempted with Hel. If it’s even a possibility, then you’re it. I took her energy and released it, that had to go somewhere. I guarantee it went to your realm, it’s where energy and souls go to die. Find it. Fix her.”

He was gone as quickly as he’d come, leaving us in a stunned silence.

What he was asking of me was insane... beyond insane. This was defying the laws of nature and the balance that was already teetering on failure.

“It’s ironic he seems so determined to save her. She asked for this. And asking the person she fucked over to do it? That takes some major balls,” Roman said.

“Godly audacity is more like it,” I said dryly. “They only see their goals, fuck everyone else. It was the same with Hel and Odin. Clearly, I need to up my narcissism game to survive this afterlife.”

“Do you think what he’s asking is even possible?” Hiro added on.

I could tell that for the first time since he’d been given this body, he was worried about his existence.

If I failed, would Loki take their lives back?

It wasn’t something I could promise him. We were dealing with gods who could kill us all if they wanted. Gods had no mercy.

Telling Hiro that would solve nothing, though.

“I’ll figure it out. I won’t fail,” I promised him.

“There’s a whole lot of promises going around for nobody knowing what the fuck they’re doing.” Roman sighed. The door slammed open, stopping us from continuing this awful conversation.

I was relieved to see my gargoyle commander... until I saw his face.

“Harlow, they’re here. The demons broke through the barrier. Be prepared.”

He tossed over my spear and the other two their weapons. I caught it midair, wrapping my fingers around it and calling on Helheim.

There was no moment to think or process the last mindfuck before I was running headfirst into another.

The clash of weapons and screams of outrage led us right to the lobby. It was pure chaos. Ashes rained down, coating the floor and every gargoyle and demon locked in battle.

This was why we needed to close the portal. There was no more time for deliberation, I had to choose, and fast.

We joined the fight, jumping right into the fray. Hundreds of demons filled the space, new demons replacing the old every time they were cut down. At this point, I doubted it was Crew’s group alone. More had joined from the areas around us. Drawn to the death and destruction, if I had to guess.

Monty’s shadows made it hard to see but every sweep of the dense fog cleared the room significantly, even if it was only for moments.

By the time we had a true lull in demons, I was breathing heavily and my arms were aching from the effort.

I could keep going but there was no time to keep fighting. I had a job to do and if I didn’t figure it out, this would be an everyday occurrence.

“I’ve come for Layne.” Crew’s words echoed in the half-empty lobby. He was flanked by another group of demons that looked far more vicious than the ones we’d been fighting. They were likely his true allies, the ones orchestrating the attacks.

Monty, Kol, Drake, Hiro, and Roman moved to my side, the demons they’d been fighting either dead or retreating from the obvious standoff.

“Over my dead fucking body. And I’m already dead,” I called back to him. Crew let out a growl that was almost feral, baring his teeth and practically frothing at the mouth. “Oof, not a good look, my friend.”

He had changed yet again. What had started as small red fissures in his skin were now clouding every inch I could see. His eyes held no white or black, only red. His skin was striped so only sections of his normal dark tone appeared under the red lines.

The corruption was spreading… and fast.

It seemed more like a plague than possession.

“We still have ways to end you, Harlow. Do you really think you are so untouchable up there? Are you naive enough to assume that we work alone alongside lowly demons?” he demanded. Even his voice was deeper and more haggard now.

“And who else would it be?” I called his bluff. Any god stupid enough to join in would meet Odin’s wrath soon enough.

“The true demons of Helheim, the ones who have been lurking in these halls for years, waiting and growing stronger. All under the one, mighty ruler of Helheim. We are Hel’s true protectors.”

The demon who spoke seemed different. More aware than the feral pawns he sent to us to die. They severely lacked power, however. Monty, and even those I’d met in Helheim, glowed with power from the realm.

Theirs was muted, if it was there at all.

Monty let out a bark of laughter as the demon finished his crazy monologue. It was loud enough that everyone was watching my commander as if he’d lost his mind.

Then as abruptly as it started, he stopped and stood tall, facing off with them as the room descended into intense silence. I felt Helheim’s magic push from me to Monty, giving him a boost.

“You are no protectors of Hel. If you were, you would know where she was and what she stood for. You were nothing more than tools, used for her own gain. Notice she’s not even here anymore. She’s human, gave her power to escape, and left you behind. I don’t know why it’s so hard for you all to understand that. Your time is ending. We’re closing the portal and you’ll have nothing holding you here any longer, nor a way back home. Helheim has rejected you for your betrayal. You will fade into nothingness until you disappear completely. No second chances.”

“You know nothing about us,” one of them yelled before rushing forward. The entire group took that as their time to strike. Monty was laughing again as he killed the entire charge in one swoop of his hand.

Crew was now alone.

I could tell that scared him. Good. He should fear us now that he’d tried to kill Layne, and frankly, I was beyond fed up with his bullshit.

“Attack!” Crew yelled. His war cry had summoned more demons. They rushed forward, weapons raised, filling the space in seconds so we were forced to continue our fight.

Wave after wave of demons struck, all while Crew stood against the back wall.

He was my target.

At some point, I had to let go of who he used to be and face him as the one causing hell to rain down on Dark Haven.

I made my way forward intending to knock some sense into his dumb ass. He would get one last chance, but if I had to kill him to ensure Layne’s safety and my ability to close the portal, then that was a sacrifice I would have to face.

When I reached him, his face was blank, completely devoid of emotion. He held two daggers in his hands, lifting them high and watching me like a predator waiting to strike.

“Are you going to kill me, Crew?”

We were at a stalemate. Neither of us wanted to kill the other, or I liked to think something of the old Crew remained and that was why he hadn’t tried yet.

Then something changed within him. The fissures widened along his skin until blood was seeping from every sluice.

It was the perfect distraction, my eyes locking on his arms and face in horror so I could barely react when he lunged at me. I blocked the attack with my spear but he was right there again, forcing me to fight him.

Sparks erupted as our blades clashed over and over again, the sharp sound jolting every fucking time.

He was far better trained than a pyromaniac who lived on the streets should be. Every strike of my weapon was easily blocked by his.

Crew didn’t tire any more than I did. He truly was more demon than human now, just the wrong kind of demon.

Calling on Helheim was all I could do, and I refused to let my humanity get in the way as I fought back, pushing the power through my weapon and into Crew with each blow.

I intended to drain the poison from his body but it was impossible. The attempt was met with no reaction, as if it were immune to the realm that created it.

I knew the demons had changed, but the fact they could corrupt and twist the power that gave them life seemed impossible.

Unless Hel allowed it to happen, helped them along knowing this would give her more time to escape unnoticed.

They weren’t special. In fact, they had less power than we did. The only thing they had going for them was the fact they were delusional and determined, a volatile mix.

That thought fueled me to end this as quickly as possible, to finish the final loose end holding me back.

I let Helheim wrap around my body and my blade. His eyes flared, his arms flexing like he was going to strike, but I was faster. The blade hit his chest with a sickening crack.

His knees buckled as I struck him. It was Crew’s turn now. The demons had died for their choices, and he would, too.

“She was a true goddess, you know,” he spit out. “The first one to actually have faith in me. She deserves my loyalty.”

So, Hel had twisted this situation as well. I should have realized it sooner. Recognized this as another of her many failures.

Fuck Hel and fuck the demons she used to distract us.

She knew they’d stop me from closing the portal, buy her more time to cover her tracks while chaos continued to reign for months on end.

“Loyalty?” I shouted. “You’re not even a demon, Crew. Just a fucking human on a power trip. Your loyalty should be with those who cared about you, who were with you before you were deemed useful. If you think this is loyalty, then you never deserved Layne. Or us.”

He faltered for a moment, his eyes fading back to the normal brown eyes I recognized. It was as if he were battling himself, the two sides at war, and he was unable to find true freedom.

My heart broke, but there was no other choice. This wasn’t the first impossible task I was forced to face, and I doubted it would be the last.

“Crew, come back to us. Layne loves you, you’ve just been too blind to see it.”

“She doesn’t love me. If she did, she never would have looked twice at that gargoyle.” He spit the words out as the red seeped back in and he raised his weapons once again.

His gaze, however, went over me to the battle as if he could find the gargoyle in question.

The ashes and shadows made it nearly impossible to see so it was mere seconds before his terrifying red eyes were back on me.

Something snapped within him. His body tense and his face contorted into something unrecognizable. He didn’t just raise his weapon this time, he lunged.

That was the moment he signed his own death warrant.

Monty was there, unapologetic as he did what I couldn’t and sliced a shadowy sword straight through Crew’s heart.

His eyes widened, the red draining away to reveal his eyes one last time. The once-warm brown eyes were now fearful and terrified as he gasped for air.

I moved forward as if I could save him but there was nothing I could do. He was dead before he even hit the ground.

My brain and heart were at war. I didn’t want to believe he was gone.

“I was getting through,” I argued with teary eyes.

Monty had no sympathy for me.

“No, you weren’t. It was a losing battle. Only death could free him now. I saved you, you’re welcome,” he said, letting out a feral scream as another demon launched at me.

There was no time to grieve, we had to end this.

Most of the demons had fallen at this point. The only ones remaining were the leaders that had been by Crew’s side.

They finally fought, meeting our weapons with ones of their own.

One of them launched in the air, landing behind Hiro as he fought with one of the remaining lower demons.

“Hiro!” I yelled, knowing I wouldn’t have time to reach him before he got a sword to the chest. Thankfully, Roman was there to save him, swiping a sharp claw across the demon’s throat, ending him before he could take out his brother.

We were wading in a literal river of ashes, making it hard to move.

Kol was right, they wouldn’t regenerate here. They would fade away as the ashes were swept away, giving up immortality for frivolity and malice.

“Crew!” Layne’s broken scream echoed through the quiet lobby. We all turned to face her, my heart stopped in horror as a demon burst from the rubble, weapon raised before it sliced straight through my best friend.

She dropped midrun, body shaking as her hands hovered over the blade protruding from her chest.

Stravos’s scream was haunting as he lunged for the demon, tearing his head clean off of his body and letting the ashes join the rest of his brethren.

He dropped to his knees in front of Layne, but he could do little more than hold her in his arms as blood and life drained from her body.

Loki’s request no longer seemed so crazy, because I had even more motivation to work on saving souls.

If I could save her, save Crew, then I would try it. I’d do anything for her. She deserved so much better than the hand she was dealt.

“Take them back to Helheim!” I yelled. Kol picked up Crew as he and Stravos ran for the portal.

I just hoped I wasn’t too late to save them.