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The song of the crystals, it was so different this time as we walked closer to Arelia and Sylvan, everybody following in our wake.

The sound was as high and pure as a boy soprano, creating the perfect atmosphere.

They only noticed us belatedly, a hunger and desperation in both of their faces so all-consuming, they couldn’t see us until we were finally upon them.

Arelia’s eyes flashed bright green, a slight snarl forming, then fading away.

“You’re… She’s…”

“I’m just me. Your daughter sorted out Branwen. I don’t think she’s coming back, ever.”

“Oh thank the goddess,” Arelia said, sagging in Sylvan’s arms, but he held her fast, and we all saw that eminently masculine sense of satisfaction on his face that came from doing that.

“But it’s not over, not all of it, my love.”

Sylvan stroked her hair, pressed his lips to her cheek, his eyes fluttering closed as he did so, just breathing her in.

Arelia, she stiffened, her brows creasing, her eyes widening as we stepped closer, and then I saw it, the light in her chest, mine, everyone’s glowing, glowing in response to the crystal’s song.

But mine, it sang slightly out of tune, as if there was something not quite right about that.

My hands went to my sternum, as if I could feel that part which was off, and somehow, I could.

I pulled it free, my body feeling lighter the minute I did, whatever it was now a glowing ball in my hand.

I held it out, to her, to Kailee, to Flora, to any of them who might want it.

Kailee’s face transformed into a beatific smile, lit from within by her own light, Flora much the same, but Arelia, she moved to pull back.

Sylvan held her fast, not trapping her but reminding her almost, of what this was—hers.

She had been the one due the transfer of power.

She was the mother here. She would use this power when she accepted, as a mother would, and I sucked a breath in when I saw how.

I saw her and Kailee coming through the portal with women, so many women, each more hurt than the next with those deep abiding psychic scars only the sadistic and the narcissistic can leave.

Even while within Sanctuary, which lived up to its name, the pain remained.

They were hurt, isolated, plagued by nightmares, left unable to sleep, eat, love…

She would use this power as it was always meant to be—to help those that needed.

I basically thrust it rudely at her, feeling an all-encompassing need to pass it on, and she was forced to grab the ball or drop it. When she did, she transformed.

Would it be like this for every woman she touched, transferring that power, the power to heal, to choose life and be able to live it with less pain?

Would every one light up like a firework, something dark and unnecessary lifting from their souls?

Would muscles held tight finally relax? Would they turn to the ones hovering patiently at their sides and finally be able to look upon them with love?

She was incandescent, Arelia, as she stared at Sylvan, until he couldn’t bear it anymore and he brought his mouth down on hers.

“Now me…”

Flora’s words were little more than a whisper, and when I turned, it looked almost as if she had collapsed down upon herself. All the piss and vinegar was gone, and there was only this. A faint ghost of her former self, her smile was just as sweet, maybe sweeter, right before it was about to fade.

“Now?” Kailee asked, for the first time sounding like an actual child.

She looked up into Flora’s eyes, the woman trying to widen her smile for her, but she couldn’t.

Arelia pulled away with a mother’s sixth sense, knowing something was about to happen, but she was too late.

Kailee held out her hands, tears glistening in her eyes as her bottom lip quivered, but she reached out nonetheless for the light that was passed from the old woman to her.

“You’ll need to find another. They’ll turn up. Gotta look after the shrine, the kids, everything…” Flora’s voice came between rapid pants now. “Ohh…that feels better.”

And just as suddenly, age, fragility, everything seemed to drop away, along with the light, but her form became semi-transparent.

Flora’s head whipped around as we heard the howl of the Great Wolves, the two of them standing side by side now, down the plaza a little way.

A distance Flora covered with ease, almost skipping as she moved towards them.

Then the two of them shivered, fusing into a massive grey wolf, stars woven into its fur, and when it opened its jaws, galaxies were held within.

“Until next time.” I heard Flora’s voice on the wind as her figure leapt up and into the Great Wolf’s jaws, disappearing.

“We come from stardust,” Shade said, coming to stand beside me. “And that’s what we return to.”

When the Great Wolf turned tail and left, disappearing now its job was done, I expected Oemis to do the same, a relic of the past. Instead, it remained resolutely real, somewhat dustier and rattier than before, but that might change.

Another portal opened, this time with people coming streaming through.

“Fuck, half the bloody community is here,” Ethan said.

“And the rest are coming behind.” Shaun grinned, that bright smile tugging at my heart, making me slide in next to him, giving him a hug, until he looked down at me.

And so did Arelia. She nodded slowly, all the little lines of stress leaving her face, a look of pure satisfaction on her face. Then her eyes sharpened, seeing the city and all its potential with the seasoned eye of a woman who’d watched a whole lotta DIY videos.

“Well,” Ophelia said, her serene calm ruffled for a moment. “Things have changed. This is Oemis?”

I went to answer, then stopped myself. It wasn’t our job anymore, and there were people much more qualified than me to talk about it and I was glad for that. Instead, I turned to them.

“I dunno about you, but I’m just about done with the past and gods and goddesses and all that shit,” I said, Axel snorting in response. “I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

“Well, spend a week in bed at least,” Axel purred. “At the very least.”

He reached out tentatively for Ethan, who moved forward readily enough, a devilish glitter in his eyes. His hand went to Axel’s hair, ruffling that, then stroking his fingers through much more sensuously before looking over at me, to see how I reacted.

There, that was the man who I’d met in the garage, who liked working as a mechanic and having a beer with his mates. And us, he liked us a lot. And so did I. I just wanted an opportunity to really get to know them, away from all the overwhelming history.

“So let’s do that,” Shaun said. “We’ll put in a request for a pack house on the mated side of town.” His smile was just as infectious. “We’re a pack now, so let’s act like it.”

“Gods, yes… But there’s one thing I’ve got to do first.”