Page 54

Seren

Six months had passed.

Six months of sweat, spilt drinks, sticky tabletops, and whispered secrets behind the bar. Seren had gone from the newbie to an old hand at The Hollow Moon, blending into its rhythm as if she'd always been meant to be.

Her style had shifted.

Not drastically—her long hair still fell down her back like a curtain of midnight. But the rest? She'd learned to dress like she wasn't apologizing for herself. A little skin. A little sass.

She'd bought the boots with her first real paycheck—her money.

They were matte black leather with thick soles that added an inch and a half to her height.

Laced up to mid-calf with silver hooks and tiny spelled charms she'd secretly tied into the eyelets—one for strength, one for clarity.

They clicked sharply against the pavement, a rhythmic reminder that she no longer walked like someone trying to blend in.

And the shorts?

They were ridiculous.

Tiny, high-waisted, with frayed edges and bronze buttons that gleamed like mischief.

Worn with sheer black tights or bare-legged depending on her mood, they hugged her hips like a challenge to the world.

She liked pairing them with oversized jumpers, crop tops, or the occasional sheer shirt that left just enough to the imagination .

Sometimes, she caught herself in a mirror and barely recognized the girl staring back.

And that felt good.

Talis, ever the quiet support, had suggested something that changed everything.

"Let's make your website paid," he'd said over morning coffee. "They want your photos? Make them pay. People don't value what you give away for free."

Didn't she know it!

With a few lines of code and his tech wizardry, he did it.

The money trickled in first. Then streamed. Wildlife journals. Indie book covers. Even a nature conservancy had licensed a series of her images of wolves mid-howl and misty forest glades.

For the first time in months, she didn't just feel like she was surviving. She was building something.

It was late when they began stacking chairs and collecting the last of the glasses at The Hollow Moon.

Rhea and Griff had disappeared somewhere near the end of the shift, and based on the muffled thuds and rhythmic creaking echoing faintly through the walls, none of them wanted to speculate or investigate.

Seren had blushed.

Ana raised a single eyebrow that said "bless" without a word .

And Ryn had looked like someone had handed her a doctoral thesis on mop storage.

As they slipped into jackets, Ana tossed her golden curls over one shoulder. "Drinks. Time to celebrate surviving another week in hell."

Ryn gave a grunt that might've meant yes—or a threat to eviscerate. It was hard to tell.

Mira was off meeting her fox-boyfriend for some "moonlit cuddles," which made Ana gag dramatically.

Three pubs later, Seren was tipsy.

Two drinks in and the world began to wobble gently, like it had loosened a belt and sat down too fast.

Ana was mid-dance on a table, legs flashing under a shimmering gold top, thong visible every time she spun.

The crowd loved it.

Ryn dragged her down with a sharp, "This is not that kind of establishment."

Seren laughed so hard she nearly tipped her drink watching their back and forth.

Eventually, they made it to Ana and Ryn's shared flat with yet another bottle of Demonbrew. A beautiful old brick building with rust-coloured creepers curling up the sides. Inside, the walls were mismatched, cosy, and full of chaotic charm.

On the couch, curled up with blankets, shot glasses and leftover fries, the conversation got heavier.

They talked about heartbreak. About pasts .

Seren told them, haltingly, about Hagan. About the bond. The goddess. The severance.

Ryn, unusually serious, muttered, "Your wolf-boy is a bloody idiot."

Ana just shook her head, all softness gone. "No one should get to feed on you and starve you at the same time. Fuck him."

"With an oversized dildo in the arse," Ryn deadpanned.

"Too much for little ears, Ryn" Ana joked, widening her golden eyes as she pretended to close Seren's ears.

Ryn flipped her off while sipping from her glass.

Ana sighed, "Why am I surprised? You're literally named after a death prophecy."

Seren blinked. "Wait—what?"

Ryn sighed. "I'm Forsjá. Third raven of Odin. My brothers got picked. I didn't. My parents did not take that well. I will forever be a disappointment."

"Can you turn into a raven?"

"Yes."

"Do it!"

"No."

Ana sipped her drink, then said quietly, "I'm a god's gift. Literally. Prize, technically. But... I was still currency. I want to choose who I f—" She caught herself, then smirked. "Let's just say, I want a say."

She swirled her drink lazily, eyes hooded, voice unusually sombre .

"I wasn't supposed to be here, you know. Not like this."

Seren tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Ryn gave her a side glance. "She means she's a reward."

Ana snorted. "Was... Made to be handed out like a shiny bauble to a demigod or one of those self-important divine followers. 'Thank you for your loyalty, here's a golden fuckdoll with magic hair.'"

Seren blinked. "Wait—seriously?"

"Oh, very." Ana leaned back, lips curling in a half-smile. "But let's just say... I caught one of the gods with his pants down. Literally. And his wife would not have been pleased."

Ryn smirked into her glass. "Blackmail. Classy."

"I call it bargaining." Ana stretched like a cat. "He owed me a favour. I used it to buy my freedom. Best trade I ever made. Now I get to decide who touches me, not some celestial contract."

Seren's mouth parted, stunned.

Ana shrugged, suddenly a little sad behind the sass.

"I just... if I ever sleep with someone again, I want it to be my choice. Not because I was forged for it. Not because they earned me. Because I want to."

"Fuck them all," she whispered.

"Fuck them all," Ryn echoed, raising her glass.

They all looked at Seren.

She repeated dutifully. "Fuck them all. "

Ana gave her a glowing grin. "Look at our baby fox, all grown up. Grown teeth now."

Then, after a pause: "Hey. You should move in. We have space. Ryn won't complain. I mean—she'll grunt, but that's her love language."

Seren hesitated.

She thought of Talis. How kind he was. How he looked at her sometimes like he wanted to say something but never did.

She didn't want to lead him on. Didn't want to keep sleeping in a house filled with his unspoken affection.

So, she said, "I can cook."

And that sealed the deal.