Holllyyyyy shit guys, this chapter took FOREVER to do. I just had to make it perfect and I'm still not convinced it is *distant sobbing* but I like it. Also, I got Covid during all this and my brains cells reduced to one and I had really bad brain fog and couldn't concentrate. It sucked, but at least I got to stay home a week and watch Youtube lmao.
And @AlisRajput wrote to me making a really good point about Norah's age. Norah should be 22 right now and it's something I totally overlooked. I got a bit confused when I was planning/writing this book and mixed up her age, so from here on out Norah is 22 and I'll be going back into book 3 to try and correct this as best I can. Also, with what I have planned for Norah and the Hollands, nothings changed. Anyways, so sorry for this, I hope it doesn't make things too confusing for you guys and if you have questions, please feel free to reach out : )
Norah
Her house looked exactly the same.
Two floors high with the windows on the first floor glowing like flames in the snowy night. A pathway had been through six feet of snow so people could reach the front porch. Figures moved behind the curtains, taking on familiar shapes with familiar voices.
With her runed rings on, Norah could hear almost everything. The conversation in the other houses. The soft breath of falling snow. The dragons gathered behind her house, snorting, and huffing. Norah focused on the conversation of her family, their grim voices, and plans to stop a fallen god.
The yellow tape around her neighbor's house was gone. There had been articles circling the brutal death of the couple, but none of them ever told how the two died or who killed them.
Norah noted the boxes inside and wondered if new people were moving in or if the family from the previous tenants were being packed up.
"You hesitate." Vaella loomed behind her, her voice as rich and deep as a clear night. But there was curiosity in her words. "You were adamant on returning. Have you changed your mind?"
"No," Norah said.
Without the shield around them, protecting them from eyes and ears, the dragons might have been racing out already.
She had been thinking about this moment for months—had yearned for it. But now, staring at the house, Norah could only see the weak girl she'd once been. Relying on everyone for too much. Being a burden who stole her family's sleep and became their main source of stress. Norah had become reliant and weak and she feared that's how they would always see her.
"I'm just processing," Norah said a moment later. Black pain flowed down her thighs and curled around her biceps. Norah focused on the black razors to clear her head.
"I see," Vaella said.
A breeze blew through Norah's hair, carrying her glittering white dress with it. It was nearly summer, but still, Khalier's weathercast predicted another three feet of snow for the next three days.
"I would not recommend standing here for too long," Vaella advised. "We will need to return soon."
"Could I have some privacy when I see them?" She was polite only because Vaella could change her mind and Norah would never see her family. "Just for a few minutes. And teleport me in?"
If she walked to the front door, the lights would turn on and she'd have to knock. Her family would see her before she saw them. And if that happened, Norah didn't think she'd be able to keep herself from crying.
"I understand."
Norah turned, almost blinded by the starkness in Vaella's black armor and her snow-dusted silver hair. She cut a portal with her spear and Norah hardened the snow beneath her heels as she walked across, bracing herself for the emotions as she walked into the portal.
Heat blasted her face. Night turned to bright lights and wafting spices. Meat sizzled on the skillet. A knife chopped something crisp and crunchy as her family talked.
Norah scanned everything she could see stuffed in the corner of the house, right in front of the door she'd stared at seconds before. No one was on the stairs in front of her. Riveta flipped the chicken on the cast iron pan while Bronn sliced celery. The rest of her family sat around the dining table, a map splayed across, their expressions shadowed and eyes calculating.
Norah didn't move, didn't dare breathe in fear they'd hear. Her mouth went dry despite the smell of food, her hands clammy. Her expression twitched, softening and hardening before finally falling blank.
"I don't know what we're going to do if he breaks through the barrier," Mor grumbled, frowning deeply. She stared at the table like she could will it to provide answers.
"Vaella," Holland said, looking just as grave as her. Squirm lay curled around his ankle, snoring softly. "Has put a barrier over the Main Halls."
"And what about the rest of the islands," Riveta asked, nervously munching on a carrot.
"All the medical staff are going to be transported to the Main Halls as soon as Etin hits," Kaiden offered, clad in jeans and a grey shirt. "But that's where we need the strongest barrier."
"We're already evacuating people," Evra said from the table, her black hair still wrapped in a low bun. Squirm slept curled in her lap. "The youngest first, but I don't think we'll have all the civilians off Khalier before Etin's here."
Holland said, "Cedric's meeting with the other council members to officially declare war."
Bronn sighed, clutching the knife with white fingers as he scraped celery into the cast-iron pan. It sizzled angrily. "Etin's a destructive god. How long is it going to take for him to destroy that barrier?"
Norah sighed as exasperated and as loud as she could. "Oh my gods, you guys are sucky warriors. I've been standing here forever."
Bodies went rigid. Heads whipped around. A knife clattered onto the counter.
"Norah!"
Chairs scraped against the floor. Norah stiffened as the Hollands rushed for her.
Holland got to her first, yanking her into a bone-crushing hug. He kissed her head, breath hitching, his heart hammering. "Kid."
Riveta crashed into them next with enough force Holland rocked back. She smiled against Norah's ear, crying and laughing as she ran her fingers through Norah's hair.
Norah did her best to hug both of them at the same time, hearing the others gather around. Stress seeped out of her like a masseuse kneading the tension out of muscles. And as much as Norah loved it, anxiety, deep and pulsing like a bruise clung to her.
She felt safe. And it was dangerous to feel things that did not exist.
Squirm whined at her feet, running along her ankle like a cat. Norah looked down to see Squirm dancing in place. He whined, stepping onto her foot. Norah bent to pick him up, receiving an assault full of kisses. He pawed at her shoulder, trying to climb up.
"Someone missed you," Mor said, grinning at her.
Norah pet him before setting him down. Squirm would have his moment later.
She moved from Holland to Holland, receiving a kiss on the cheek from everyone and a pat on the head from Bronn. Evra's and Kaiden's embrace was like sitting by the fire after being outside in the cold while Bronn's was suffocating, but not unwelcome. Cody's hazel eyes shone, still somehow identical to Riveta yet completely different. He wiped down his hospital scrubs, chuckling as Mor tugged a piece of her hair.
She eyed the strand with sharp, scrutinizing eyes. "Should have gone silver."
Norah's chest tightened as she inspected a lock of hair. "Maybe next time."
Evra stepped closer, her expression calm like still water, and offered a small, but warm smile. "You look lovely."
Norah looked down at her dress, glittering like thousands of tiny stars. She bent to pick up Squirm so she wouldn't have to pick an emotion to wear and set him on her shoulder. He purred and chirped, nuzzling against her.
"The whole family's here," she said, brushing her knuckles against Squirm's cheek. She looked down, hoping to find another four-legged companion. "Where's Ghost?"
"At home," Kaiden replied, giving an apologetic shrug. "I didn't have time to bring him along."
"All I'm hearing are excuses, Kaiden," Norah said.
He snorted. "You're right, what was I thinking?"
"Ham's called an emergency family meeting," Mor mused, shooting Holland a sharp look. "He's been trigger happy with those lately."
Bronn threw a thick arm around her, petting Squirm. Norah went stiff. "How long were you standing here, you little creep?"
She tilted her head back to see Bronn, then a little more to make his lips twist. "Long enough to realize your conversations are boring without me," she said as Riveta pulled her into another hug. Norah found Holland in front of her and said flatly, "you should ward your house against demons."
"Then you'd never be able to come in," he said.
Mor came up beside him, propping an elbow on his shoulder even though he was almost a head and a half taller than him. "I'm surprised Holland hasn't interrogated you on how you got in."
"I'm just happy she's here," he grumbled, squeezing Norah's shoulder. Her nerves tingled, wanting to cringe away, but the warmth in his eyes kept her from doing it. He looked at her, giving a small smile, and pulled her into another family hug.
Cody frowned at the front window, the same one Quinnlyn had once jumped through. "Um, speaking of creepers..."
In the darkness, black armor rendered her nearly invisible but Vaella's silver hair and ivory skin stood out like fire, catching tiny flecks of snow as it fell.
Norah kept her voice from wavering and said, "Oh, that's Vaella." Soft, delicate fingers brushed down her back, right over one of her scars. Norah couldn't help her recoil, but she managed to force herself to be still and let Riveta see. "You can come in now."
She turned, finding Riveta's glistening eyes and wobbling lips. Norah couldn't look at her for too long or else she'd break, just enough to see the anger in her sadness. She stepped in, letting Riveta wrap her arms around her and let her mother use her as a stuffed animal.
A portal opened almost instantly and the goddess appeared--
Vaella's wings hit the ceiling, folding back and out. Kaiden and Mor ducked beneath them. Her spear pierced the ceiling, tearing a gauge into the material. Vaella froze, bent forward, her wings angled awkwardly. Her volcanic black eyes snapped to the others gaping and weighing the potential threat.
"I am Vaella," she said in that way that gods did. Confidentially. Commanding. Even now.
She read their faces, the confusion, and wariness. Norah glanced at Holland whose eyes darted between the ceiling and Norah. She wondered how much Holland told her family about what happened to her. About where she was--what she was doing.
"Goddess of Justice," Vaella added. "Harbinger of Truth, and Walker of Realms."
"A god?" Cody blinked several times, his face moving between confusion and wariness and awe.
Vaella looked to Norah, then back at the ceiling as she carefully yanked her spear from the ceiling. "Do mortal houses repair themselves, Norah?"
"No."
"My apologies then. You mortals have such short ceilings." Her form shrunk, her wings disappearing. Norah studied her new form. It wasn't an ability she'd seen before, but it wasn't that much of a surprise given Vaella was a god.
She came to Bronn's height and looked like a normal mortal if you didn't look at her eyes and assumed the hair was dyed.
Vaella waved her hand, the spear turning horizontal and floated like a boat over water to the coat hanger where some of the other swords were laid by a small weapons rack. It fell softly, delicately like the floor might shatter beneath its weight.
To Norah's surprise, it did not.
Mor's face twisted as she tried to process. "So you're a goddess?"
Norah took that as her time to disappear. She left for the backyard as quietly as she could, seeing the reflective slitted eyes peering through the glass, back doors before she even left.
She set Squirm down as the dragons gathered around, their legs half-buried in the snow. She hugged each of them, creating a thick sheet of ice over the top of the snow so she could walk.
The dragons whistled and snorted, nudging her like a horse seeking affection.
Norah thought about Rima. She didn't know where she was being kept. The disappearance of the two-colored dragon was kept tightly under locked but now that Norah was on the islands she could check the dragon hospitals and if the Main Halls had any more secret dungeons, check there.
Norah peeked around some of the dragons, peering inside to find everyone gathered around the dining table. She said her goodbyes, promising to be back out later to tell them stories, and went back inside.
"I have been watching your family for many millennia," Vaella said, standing by the kitchen island. Even if her new form was smaller, her presence took up the entire room as if she'd never shrunk.
Kaiden rubbed the back of his head, glancing at Bronn for help. "Oh, uh, that's nice."
"It is not out of kindness that I do this," Vaella said matter-of-factly. "I must ensure your line is still worthy of the gifts I bestowed you."
"The silver hair," Norah whispered over Cody's shoulder, loud enough for everyone to hear. "But I don't know why she gave them blue eyes when hers are black."
"Giving them black eyes," Vaella started. "Would be telling of their truth-seeking magic."
"Aw," Norah crooned, taking satisfaction when the goddess' lips pressed tightly. "She was protecting you."
"To ensure their survival, yes," she said. "But if they had turned from their paths, I would have killed them."
"Note to self," Kaiden whispered to Mor. "Stay on path."
Mor nodded, staring wide-eyed at the goddess.
Riveta was back in the kitchen with Evra, finishing slicing the chicken breast and veggies. She glanced at the front door. "Why were you looking through the window?" Riveta wondered, her tone curious.
Vaella looked at her with a face like stone and unblinking eyes. "Norah does not express emotions, unless it is anger," she said. "I was curious to see this side of her."
People glanced at her and Norah pressed her lips together, her face blank. She said nothing.
"I will admit," Vaella went on. "It is quite strange to see your effect on her. Already she is calmer and she lets you touch her. That does not happen."
I'm right here, she thought. She wanted to argue, to explain her view, but she didn't want to ruin this time with her family. So she swallowed the bitter pill, hearing Etin's razored snarl in her ear.
You let her win? How pathetic of you.
Norah brushed away the voice, reminding herself Etin was no longer in her head.
Someone nudged her. Norah side-eyed the dark sleeve on a muscled arm. She met Holland's gaze, his expression softening. Norah's anger faltered and she looked away, wanting to cling to that rage instead of the gush of emotions within her.
"You know," he said, loud enough to politely interrupt Vaella's conversation. "I didn't think you were coming to see us."
"I'm very persuasive," she muttered.
"You asked," Vaella stated. "And I said yes."
Again, her anger stoked. Like poking the embers of a fire for flames. "After I spent ten minutes giving you all the pros and cons of what would happen if you said no."
Kaiden and Cody shared looks.
"It was unnecessary," Vaella said evenly. "As soon as you said 'please' I was willing to agree." Vaella turned to Holland and Riveta. "She does not usually say please. Did you not teach her how to say please? It gets her much more when she is nice."
Embers sparked and faded to coal. Arguing right now would only waste this time she had with her family.
"Have you met her?" Riveta mused, slicing the chicken into thick slices on the cutting board.
"She doesn't listen," Holland said, watching as Bronn plopped down into a chair.
"Yes." Vaella took a stand by the corner of the table. "I have battled with this trait of hers. Though Dagen is able to sway her opinions far easier than I." She met Bronn's gaze. "They have similar views of the world."
"Oh," Riveta chirped. "How is Dagen?"
"Drowning in money."
Evra snorted as Vaella frowned in confusion. "Living the life, is he?"
Norah told them how she gave her teammates salaries for their work, plus let them keep anything they wanted from their adventures. She talked about how Dagen went to the city every month to sell what they didn't want—
Holland's expression was stern. "You know he's stealing from you."
"I take that into account when I send him out," she said, digging her fingers into the points of her acrylic nails. "It's a sales fee and I make more than enough to cover everything I need and more."
Cody huffed, nudged Evra, and muttered, "Wish I had enough money to just let people take it."
"So," Bronn drawled, tugging at his beard as he thought. He stared at the giant diamond sparkling on Norah's ring finger. "What are these adventures? I think I need to start joining you." He shared a look with Evra slicing veggies in the kitchen. "Pay off our mortgage."
She gave him a dry look. "We paid that off a long time ago."
"She doesn't know that," he whispered.
"She hunts and kills monsters," Vaella said, shooting him a scolding look. She sat rigid in the chair, as if unsure how to sit without her wings.
Norah met the eye of everyone in her family. "Vaella doesn't like them."
"They are abominations upon the realms."
"Because they kill people?" Mor guessed, joining the others at the table.
"That," the goddess stated. "Though most creatures were created by the gods, most of these creatures are failed experiments. They have been twisted and warped with magic and time. I will admit," she added. "There are times when these monsters have a functional purpose, but that is rarely the case."
"So they're failed attempts at life," Cody wondered and Vaella nodded.
"You know..." Norah drawled, staring out the back doors to the dragon's shadowy figures. "I fought the first creation Etin ever made on Andis."
Her gaze flicked to Vaella down the table. The Goddess was not impressed. But her family was intrigued.
Norah went on to explain how she got into hunting monsters and even found herself lost in telling long and unnecessarily complicated stories about the monsters she encountered. She explained how these creatures hoarded the best of the worst things. Powerful weapons and armor. Scrolls with forgotten spells and runes and crafts recipes for the most toxic poisons.
Riveta and Evra laid out a platter of food in the center of the table. The Hollands wasted no time digging into the chicken, bread, and sliced vegetables.
They asked for more stories and Norah was happy to oblige, even if she knew that keeping these stories to herself was the safest option for her.
Evra sat next to Mor and Riveta next to Holland. Each served themselves a healthy amount of food. "You know," Evra started, her eyes bright with old memories. "I was trying to think why that first creature you mentioned sounded so familiar. Bronn, you remember the War of Hollow Hill?"
He raised an incredulous brow at her. "You mean the war that I fought in for almost a year?"
"Of Hollow Hills," Mor echoed softly, looking to Holland and Kaiden who looked equally confused. "Never heard of it."
"It was long before Cedric's era," Evra explained. She side-eyed Norah. "And yours."
"How old are you?" Norah retorted.
Evra gave her a bemused look. "This monster sounds like the one we fought alongside in that war."
"Oh, yeah! I forgot about them. The leader of the Dragon Riders then had a way of finding these monsters and convincing them to join," Bronn said.
"Most of them liked it for the blood," Evra added. "But some fought because the enemies were invading their land or because it was the right thing to do. But Drovos never let them near the warriors for too long because of fight outbreaks."
"Wait, we used to fight with them?" Norah could see how it was possible, even as she didn't. People feared things they didn't understand. They feared anything that seemed remotely threatening and different. And to work alongside monsters that killed their animals and sacrificed their children didn't seem likely in today's era. Unless they'd been desperate.
Bronn nodded and Norah noticed the rest of the Hollands were listening just as intently as her. "Yeah, well, until one of them killed Drovos' kid, and then Drovos burned a hefty chunk of them. Now they're kind of angry at us and kill everyone.... more than before."
"I see." Norah stared at the table, hearing the others eat as she thought and Squirm breathing softly into her ear. She nudged him away. "Stop breathing in my ear."
Vaella turned, the most motion she'd made since sitting. There was a sharpness in her eyes, an intensity Norah only saw when the goddess was planning. "Instead of fighting these creatures, why not convince them to fight on our side?"
Norah said flatly, "Didn't you just call them a menace to this realm?"
"Yes," she said. "Though we are fighting against the most powerful god to ever live. Every ally—even abominations, such as monsters—will aid our cause."
Holland scowled, starting to speak.
Vaella went on, "There was purpose in your hunts before. You have seen the strength and magic these creatures can possess. An army of these monsters would greatly impact the war. I recommend shifting your goals to seeking alliances, not destroying them."
"These monsters are dangerous," Riveta warned. "Killing them is one thing, but now Norah--you'd be surrounding yourself with them. They're unpredictable and we've seen how much they want to kill you."
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Norah said, half paying attention. "We'll just find some common ground and... who knows? Maybe, after all this, we can be," she paused, smiling with every bit of sarcasm she had. "Best of friends."
"That is unlikely," Vaella monotoned.
A plan began to unfurl like a blooming flower within her mind. The fantasy of an army of monsters at her fingertips was appealing.
Holland sighed quietly, grumbling something beneath his breath. Because this was so her. He said, "We'll worry about the future later," he said. "But first we need to make sure we have a future."
Bronn sighed, reclining into his chair. He tugged at his beard, simmering on a plan. "Do you have an idea of which creature you want to approach first?"
"Well, there's this one that seemed willing to sit and talk... calmly," Norah said.
"What makes you think he's up for talking?" Mor asked.
"We actually chatted for a little bit and he was more than happy to rant to me about other monsters," she said, thinking quickly. "I guess I could offer him sanctuary close to where the cabin is--obviously keeping him a safe distance away from the cabin, but he might still be looking for a home."
"Okay," Evra said. "We're off to a good start. What other monsters do you have?"
Mor leaned over to snatch something off Kaiden's plate.
When Mor paused, side-eyeing Norah, Kaiden used her distraction to steal back his food.
Bronn gestured to the kitchen and the platter of food on the table in front of them. "You two are grown-ass adults embarrassing yourself in front of a god—"
"We all know who started it," Kaiden said impassively. He glanced at Vaella, trying to gauge a reaction.
The goddess' eyes darted between the three, bright and curious. Like she was watching a new species interact with each other.
"Yeah," Norah muttered. "Act like adults."
Her family looked at her long and hard.
"Says the infant," Holland grumbled.
"We're getting off-topic," Cody drawled, rubbing his freshly shaven face.
He was right. They came up with a plan for this army of monsters, figuring out how the council may react to this rising army and how to temper their fears. It was cutting into Norah's free time with her family, but she could convince Vaella to count it as work.
"So," Evra began slowly as if she were swallowing a giant pill. "How long will that take to gather the gods?"
"How many are we getting?" Bronn asked.
"Six," Vaella answered. Norah could feel the wince rolling through the room. "I understand the number may be discouraging, but to have six gods is better than to have none. As for time... I cannot be certain, I must travel into numerous realms to retrieve them, but rest assured that I will work with haste."
"I understand," Evra said. "I'm just trying to figure out how Norah and her team are getting here. Or are you guys staying on Khalier?"
Norah hid her surprise. She hadn't considered a means of getting to Khalier. "It's a long flight."
"Khalier could be lost by then," Bronn said grimly.
Norah considered all her options. "We'll just rent a hotel to stay at."
Holland frowned, spreading his arms wide. "We're right here, you know?"
"What?"
Riveta gestured to the house. "You live here. Just have your team stay with us. There's enough room."
Norah's cheeks heated. Her eyes flicked to the lovely bookshelves and clean tables and kitchen. She could already see Nevaeha and Dagen ruining all of it.
Things would break within the first hour. She asked several times if they were sure—even offered other solutions before Riveta cut her off. Apparently, this was not something Riveta and Holland needed to discuss.
Eventually, Norah agreed. "I'll text them later."
Holland inhaled, his chest visibly expanding. He turned to Norah, nodding to the tendrils slithering down her arms, the tips lashing out like snake tongues. "You didn't tell the council about your abilities."
"They'd only fear it," she said flatly. Norah folded her arms, sending her tendrils toward her back and out of everyone's sight. "Plus, I'd spend more time trying to convince everyone that I'm not the one ending the world."
He nodded, as if she'd only confirmed his belief.
"I think it was for the best," Evra told them, irritation sharpening her blue eyes. She looked at the others. "Renora was already trying to convince everyone about how they could use it."
"Not even ten minutes into the conversation either," Holland muttered, scrubbing at his face.
He sighed, sharing a dark, irritated stare with Mor.
Norah looked to her, then to Kaiden and the rest of the table. They were all looking at each other, spilling silent secrets that Norah knew nothing of. It made her skin itch.
"I told them," Holland said.
Norah's gaze slid to the table, her vision hazy with thought. Slowly, the pieces clicked and her stomach sank. Icy water froze her veins.
For once, she'd hoped that her family would keep something to themselves and not share it like Sunday news.
She looked at Holland, trying to rake the whirl of emotions tumbling through her into order.
"They needed to know," he said calmly. Like she was some child on the verge of tears. "You were missing and the only thing we had of you were videos of Etin and you."
Norah understood that. She understood the fear they must have felt. But now they'd seen things she hadn't wanted them to. And how much had they seen of her? They must have obviously seen her and Quinnlyn fighting, but how much of the prison break did they see? Did they know what she did to Novak? What she said? How she acted?
"I understand," she said, her fury fading fast into numbness.
"We're so sorry." Norah's eyes snapped to Riveta, the anger quickly returning. "We had no idea what was going on." She inched closer in her seat, as if she could reach out for Norah's hand across two empty chairs. "If we'd known what was going on, we would have stopped it."
"We're so sorry, kiddo," Bronn said.
The apologies that came were muffled to her ears. It was better to not hear them than to let them sink in.
"It's fine," Norah said distantly. "I figured you guys didn't know."
Mor pulled her long hair back into a ponytail, glaring. "It's not alright," she said fiercely. "What they did to you was unjust. It was wrong. And despicable. And... and just horrible."
There's always worse, Norah wanted to tell them. But then the conversation would have turned into an intervention.
"They told us you were with the mages," Kaiden explained.
Cody rubbed his bare arms. "We thought you were training."
Norah glanced at Mor, anger lighting her eyes, bright as blue flames. She rubbed her jaw. "There was no trial," she seethed. "And even if there had been, who would agree to put a kid through that?"
"Mages," Holland said with quiet venom.
"There's no justification in it!" Mor stood from her seat, raking her fingers through her hair, pulling out wisps of hair from their hold. "All those deaths are on Blackwell."
Bronn, to Norah's surprise, was quiet. She expected to see him marching the floors with Mor, but she assumed someone had to be calm or else everyone else would start raging too. "This was all just some old fucks quest for power. He didn't care who he hurt," he said.
"That was a horrible place." Holland's voice was a soft murmur that snagged Norah's attention. She was met with only understanding. "You snapped."
Norah could only look at him for a moment before he unsettled her too much. She turned back to the others who were now a storm of curse words and rants. That was familiar to her--their anger. But she couldn't understand why Holland hadn't joined them or was yelling at her.
What she had done to those people--to the soldiers and civilians during her escape. None of it was honorable.
But then she remembered the memory Khalixis showed her. Of Holland beaten and bruised. Of the bloodied pipe he'd used to beat a soldier.
Riveta moved closer to her, brushing soft fingers against her hand. Norah jerked back, but hurting her mother wasn't something she wanted to do. Warily, she eased her hand back into her mother's hand.
"We're really sorry, Norah." She looked at Evra, finding the rest of her family quiet. "If you ever need someone to talk to, we're all here to listen."
Everyone nodded.
"Thanks," Norah said, relieved that her voice was as impassive as her expression. "What happened to Carrington?"
"Prison," Holland said sharply. "Like Blackwell."
"Cool," Norah said again, numbness spreading up into her arms. "You know, I haven't seen Quinnlyn in a hot minute. I wonder how she's doing."
"Still hunting you," Vaella said, eyes flicking from her to her family, intrigued. "Without the barrier I've created around us, she would find you. I will admit, I am surprised she has not used your family as leverage given she is already aware of their residence."
Norah slipped her hand back into her lap, fingers digging into her thighs. She frowned. "Don't give her ideas."
"She is not present to hear them."
"I think she wants to find you on your own," Bronn guessed. "Not the half-ass kind of way. It would be more fulfilling."
"It's not really hunting," Mor agreed. "To bring the enemy to you. I think it would also be more meaningful to her if she caught you unaware and alone. Make her feel superior."
"Most likely," Norah hummed, relieved to focus on something else. "Vaella, I need a portal back to the cabin. I have gifts for the ancient ones." She scooped Squirm into her lap, her fingers shaky. "Come on, Milo will want to see you. I'll be back."
Her family nodded.
Norah didn't waste any time and stood, striding into the backyard as casually as she could. When ice and snow kissed her face did she let out a small sigh. She patted Thorn on the snout when the dragon nudged her and waited for Vaella to open a portal in her true form, spear in hand.
In the cabin, Norah let Squirm down. He ran everywhere, sniffing furiously at the furniture and floors. He followed her as she walked to her room, hearing the distant voices of Nevaeha and Milo answering Adam's questions. She glanced at the ceiling, finding the wooden beams Dagen usually perched on empty.
She went into her room, a wall forming behind her. She sat down, her back against the wall, and sighed. She closed her eyes, giving herself several seconds to collect herself before gathering duffle bags.
She went back into the main area, finding Milo sitting on the floor and watching Squirm and Fin sniff each other. He grinned at her. "The familiar does exist."
She nodded, telling him that they'd be back soon. Milo waved Squirm goodbye before Norah walked back into the portal and into her house.
"These are for you," Norah said, handing two of the bags over to Riveta beside her.
Her mom grinned, unzipping one of the pockets to pull out a large bag of dried tea. She read the white letters scribbled on the front of the bag. "You got me tea?"
"Yeah." Norah jutted her chin at a different bag. "That bag is like normal tea and the other bag is leaves that will actually do something. You also have seeds at the bottom of the bag that you can plant."
"Will they clean the house?" she mused, opening the bag to smell it. She pursed her lips, pleasantly surprised.
"If you yell at it enough," Norah replied.
Vaella frowned, eyes narrowed. "This is more sarcasm, is it not?"
Bronn nodded.
Vaella sighed.
Soon the house smelled like an exotic tea market and Bronn was boiling a pot of water for everyone on the stove. Riveta skimmed through the books she'd bought at an herbalist's shop, sticky-noting the pages that looked interesting.
"One or two of those books," Norah said, "explain what the plants are and the benefits that they have, and the others explain how to mix them and actually put the leaves to use."
Riveta stood from her seat to plant a smacking kiss on Norah's temple. "Thank you." She waved a hand to the bags of tea, seeds, and books scattered across the table. "I think I'm set for the next few centuries."
"A few days," Holland corrected, sipping from his water bottle. His eyes flicked to the duffle bag at Norah's feet, then to Norah. His brows arched.
Mor snickered at him. "Can you be more obvious?"
Kaiden watched, shaking his head with mock disappointment. "A good warrior is supposed to be patient."
Holland scowled at both of them.
Norah reached into her bag and set a bag of coffee down in front of him. "Here. These are special beans."
He looked up at her, unamused. "These are the same coffee beans I get every day."
"Exactly," she said impassively. "They're special... to you."
Holland stared at her, dead-panned. But there was a flash, almost unnoticeable, of hurt.
Norah couldn't have that. She reached into a different pocket of the bag, setting down a different bag of coffee.
Slowly, Norah reached into the bag and gave him a different bag of coffee. "I'm kidding, here--an elephant pooped this one out."
Holland took it and, like it was poison, put it far away from him. "Thanks..."
One by one the family broke out in laughter. It was such a lovely sound that Norah almost forgot a goddess sat at the table, observing everything.
Riveta kissed Holland's cheek, grinning. "People pay a lot of money for that. It'd be a shame if it went to waste."
"Then you drink it," Holland said.
Riveta winced. "That's very selfless of you, but Norah bought it for you."
Before Holland could speak, Norah told him, "You get the real stuff on your birthday. You can have whatever you want in these bags, but I'm still looking for the missing piece to complete the set I've made for you."
Holland stared at her long enough to make any normal person uneasy.
"You'll love it," she promised. "I need the table cleared," she told her family.
They worked fast to clear off the leftover food from the table. Mor stuffed the rest of the bread in her mouth, humming in delight.
Norah set the bag down with a clunk. Metal clanged together and the Hollands perked up. Norah unzipped it.
Bronn chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Oh, this is way better than rings. Bram, you're missing out."
"He's got his coffee," Evra teased, shooting Holland a mischievous look. "That's what matters."
"If Holland wants anything in there, he can have it," Norah said, taking a seat next to him. "And most of that stuff is fire-runed weapons because... well... Etin. Which reminds me: if anyone wants to take a vacation the cabin I'm staying at is exquisite—"
"We're not leaving," Kaiden said, eyes never leaving the duffle bags.
"Okay, okay," Norah amended, feeling a quench of frustration. "Just asking and wanting to make sure that if anyone wanted to stay in a magical cabin they could."
Bronn looked up, tossing her a sarcastic smile. "Maybe after Etin's been taken care of."
Mor squealed, her eyes bright like a child on their birthday. She yanked the bag out of Kaiden's hands. "Older sibling privileges."
Bronn snatched it from her, clutching the bag against his chest. "Parent privileges."
Mor huffed, but still leaned as close as Bronn would let her peer into the bag. Kaiden stood, eyes scanning over the bag full of blades and sheaths and weapons.
Norah looked at Holland, staring until he glanced over. "You'll like your present, too," she promised.
He ruffled her hair. "I'm sure I will, but I'm still taking one of those swords."
Riveta was in the kitchen, fingers steepled as she debated which tea to use. "No swinging swords in my house, please."
"While you guys do that," Norah said. "I'm going to rummage through my room for anything I need."
Norah didn't miss the wariness in her family's eyes as they looked at her.
"Okay," was all they said and Norah went to her room.
"Don't take too long," Kaiden hollered. "I'll need a sparring partner."
It looked almost exactly the same as when she'd left. She changed out of her dress and into black athletic clothes. All long-sleeved and covering the tendrils. Norah stretched out her arms and legs, trying to get the fabric to snug against her. Everything was too tight. She'd put on more muscle than she thought. She ended up switching to a sweatshirt to give herself some breathing room.
She sat on her bed with Squirm, the sheets were new and smelled like clean linen. She remembered lying on that bed in so much pain she couldn't move, a bowl to vomit up blood on the floor and someone always sitting in the chair. The chair was gone now, probably back in the office.
A pile of mail sat piled on the wardrobe and Norah tore open the envelopes. Most of it was junk, but one of them struck out.
She opened the envelope. Celest wrote: Renora and Emre trusted Clarika. When she asked them to sign these, they never questioned it.
She stared at the papers, reading them a hundred times over. She waited to feel something, and Norah couldn't tell if she was. It felt like there was a kernel of something surrounded by fog. Or was the fog her emotions? She didn't know.
But she did know one thing: she needed to talk to Mor.
Norah found another letter from Clarika's lawyer. Her sister had given her money--a lot of it and ownership of her home in Belonia which Norah knew had been destroyed in the tidal wave that washed over the mage territory.
Norah stuffed the papers under her pillow and doubled over, face buried in her hands. Suddenly she needed to move, to focus her attention elsewhere. She dropped onto the floor, pulling out a wheely box she stuffed a bunch of things into. Through the clear-ish plastic, she could see the outlines of a silver bow.
She heard footsteps outside and slid the box back under the bed, rushing to the pile of mail and pretending to sift through it.
Knuckles rapped against the door.
"Yeah?"
Holland stuck his head in. "Mind if I come in?" She nodded once and he closed the door behind him, glancing at the mail in her hand. "Anything interesting?"
She tossed it onto the wardrobe, exasperated. "Most of it is dumb stuff. And the academy telling me that my training's been put on hold and that my dorm room has been given away."
He bobbed his head, taking a seat on her bed. Norah could read the grimness in his face, he was here to talk to her about how she was feeling. "Things have really changed, huh?"
"Yeah."
He patted the bed and Norah sat, their knees brushing. Her body was tight, wariness slithering across her skin. The last time they'd seen each other hadn't been under the best circumstances and she'd said some... things.
Holland folded over, elbows to his knees. "How are you doing?" he asked. "How are you really doing?"
I just wanted someone to ask me how I felt. She had been angry when she said those words, too angry to care about how exposed she'd feel now.
Every instinct screamed to keep quiet, to close up. It was safer that way to not let anyone in. But Holland deserved an honest answer.
"I don't know." The words tasted like bile on her tongue. She cringed, placing a rune on the room to keep Vaella from hearing. "I'm either angry or don't feel anything or I feel too much to the point where I don't know what I'm feeling."
Holland sat quiet a few moments, either surprised she'd admit such a thing or deciding how to answer. Most likely it was a bit of both. "I think that's a normal response for someone in your position."
Norah counted the floorboards to keep from looking at him.
"A lot of times," he went on. "People find themselves in situations of high stress and trauma, they fluctuate between not feeling anything and feeling too much. It's just your body's way of trying to cope with everything. I've known many military commanders who haven't coped as well as you have."
Norah peered at him from beneath her lashes. "I'm not handling it very well."
Sadness softened his face. His lips pressed together. "You're doing better than most." He sighed deeply, remembering some long-ago memory. "I knew a lot of soldiers who came back from the war who destroyed their relationships, who leaned on drugs and alcohol to try to cope. And too many took their own lives."
She thought of Dagen then. How she stopped talking to him. The last time they'd truly talked was when she'd resurrected. Everything after that had been him trying to initiate something and her giving the minimum response. And since the team meeting with Vaella about the god-killing weapon, Dagen had stopped trying to talk to her unless it was work-related.
She missed him.
And she wanted to fix it.
Norah's gaze dropped to her lap, watching the black tendrils swirling and shuddering around her fingers. "I cope by killing monsters," she said, wondering how disappointed he'd be in her.
Bloodthirstiness was not an honorable trait, and she'd promised him to be honorable.
Holland bobbed his head, the silence thickening between them. "You'll have to explain that a little more, Norah."
When she didn't say anything, he asked, "Are these random monsters you're coming across? Or are they actively trying to hurt you or do bad things?"
She shrugged. "I mean, I go to them most of the time."
"If you see a monster on a rock, are you going to attack him because he's a monster? What are you going to do?"
Again, she thought. "I mean... I might stalk him a little bit, see what he's up to. But for the most part, if he's minding his business, I'd leave him alone."
"Okay." He sounded relieved. "Okay, that's good. So these are bad creatures that you're killing. The fact that you can take into account the circumstances instead of just killing them straight off is good. It's what we want."
Norah pressed the palms of her fingers together in her lap. "Cool."
"I think," Holland drawled. "You go into these fights knowing you're the better fighter."
She nodded. "I used to go to them for experience."
"But not so much anymore?"
"Right."
Holland wet his lips, his expression open and pondering. "I think you're trying to get rid of aggression," he said. "Fighting them is something you can control. Does it make you feel powerful?"
Heat burned her cheeks as she thought about the rush she got in those fights. The increase in violence.
It felt wrong to have someone know her so well.
Hesitantly, Norah nodded. Something was wrong with her—there had to be. Normal people didn't find thrill in killing.
"Now," Holland started. "Let's figure something out that you can do instead of killing monsters."
"I can go to the front," she said.
"That's not the answer I'm looking for."
Norah frowned, shifting. "Are you thinking of one of those therapeutic squishy ball things that you squeeze? Because I think I'd just end up getting mad and throwing it at someone."
"The stress ball? No." Holland tilted his head, a gleam of amusement peeking through. "But I wouldn't get mad if you beat up Dagen."
"Well, who's gonna sell all my stuff?"
Holland shrugged. "There are other thieves. But if you insist on something different, maybe try practicing a new weapon."
"Oh, man," she drawled. "I don't think Vaella would let me use her spear."
"That spear is three times your height," he said. "It would be flinging you around. What about the bow?" He gestured to the bed. "You still have all your bows here. How long has it been since you've used one?"
Norah shifted. "A while."
"Okay." He seemed pleased. "Let's take that outside and shoot some arrows."
The mere thought of training exhausted her. All she did was train. "Could we do it later? It's kinda nice to have a break. I'm enjoying hanging out with everyone."
Holland smiled softly, messing up her hair. "Are you too worn out to harass the others?"
"My entire existence is based on harassing people," she grumbled.
"That's my girl." Norah followed him out of the room and down the stairs when he muttered, "my dark, twisted, complicated girl."
By the front door, the Hollands were slipping into their winter gear. Mor and Kaiden were talking about their new swords while Bronn worked quietly and efficiently as he put on gloves.
"Hey, we're going outside to test out our new things," Kaiden told them. "Let's go, Norah. You can be my partner."
"Actually," Holland said, "we're going to sit this one out."
Mor made a face. "But we got new swords. You don't want to try them out?"
Norah lingered behind everyone, reading their reactions. "You should ask Vaella if she wants to be your sparring partner."
"I've never fought a god before." Bronn threw on a grey mask that covered everything except his eyes. He turned to the goddess, sitting at the table. "Vaella, would you do me the honor of training with me?"
The goddess nodded once, her expression pleasant. As she stood, she shot Norah a sharp glare. "Because you have asked so politely," she said. "Do you require to be teleported to another location?"
He shook his head. "No, the backyard should be fine."
Vaella glanced out the glass doors, to the reflective white piling up to her head and the glowing eyes watching her. "Norah, clear the snow," she ordered.
Norah went outside, pushing the snow back toward the fences and building it up into a wall to stop the wind. The dragons snorted, eyeing the ice that began to form a ceiling tall enough for them to hunker down beneath. Mor's dragon was the first to sit under it, sniffing the home she'd built for them.
It didn't take long for the door to open and her family to walk out.
Someone clapped behind her, the sound muffled by gloves. "This is going to be so much fun," Bronn said.
"I'm so excited," Mor said.
Norah answered one of Kaiden's questions about the sword he'd chosen and showed him how to activate the rune while Vaella marched toward the yard. The others followed behind her. She shifted into her full form.
Riveta winced. "Oh, shit."
A portal opened up to Vaella's side, her spear appearing.
Riveta sighed with relief. "I thought that was going through our wall," She told Holland as they sat on the porch's picnic table.
Cody froze mid-step, lips pressed tight as he took in the goddess, the wings, and her glowing spear. His heart sped up. He spun, jogging back into the house. "I'm getting the med supplies," he told Riveta.
He came out a few minutes later with a first aid kit and plopped it on the table in front of them. "Riv, you and I are on standby unless I get taken out," he said and joined everyone in the center of the yard.
They ran through a warm-up, her family asking Vaella questions about herself.
"What's that?" Mor pointed to the glowing orb on Vaella's spear.
"It is a celestial star," she replied stonily.
"It doesn't feel hot," Kaiden noted.
"Magic protects the user," she said. "And prevents the star from extinguishing."
Norah stared at the glowing orb of molten light, her lips curling with distaste. Her darkness always shrank away from it.
Holland sat with an ankle on his knee, his arms folded. He asked Riveta sitting beside him, "Mor's getting taken out first."
Riveta huffed, clad in a maroon jacket, black snow pants, and a mask that hid everything but her eyes. Her breath clouded as she spoke, "Cody."
"No." Holland's eyes scrunched as he frowned behind his mask. "Cody's fast, but Mor's just... aggressive."
The family finished their warm-ups. Vaella gave them tips on how best to approach a fight with any god--warned them that fighting gods was not like fighting mortals.
Norah's blood began to race as the four of them began to surround Vaella, their swords in hand. The entire family had chosen swords despite the variety Norah had brought them, but out of everyone Mor wore the most.
Cody seemed to be the only one nervous, constantly glancing at the spear in Vaella's hand.
"Oh!" Riveta shot up from her seat. "I was supposed to be making tea. I'll be right back."
"Begin," Vaella demanded.
Bronn struck first, his sword clashing against the wicked tip of Vaella's spear. Mor and Kaiden lunged together, trying to hit the goddess from multiple angles. They fell into portals, landing next to the dragons who snickered or blinked at them.
"Do you know what that paper Cedric got in the meeting was about?" Norah asked.
Holland didn't take his eyes away from the fighting. "We've been receiving reports about a creature making its way over the continent. It kills anything it comes across quite brutally but no matter how many people we send out, they can never find it."
"What do they look like?"
"Walks on all fours. Giant head," he responded. "We haven't had any solid pictures of it yet, but we've been told it mimics voices."
"I think I know the creature you're talking about." Norah pulled out her phone, scrolled through her photos, and showed him an aerial photo Nevaeha took of the Echo sprinting for her. "We call them Echoes."
Metal hissed through the air. Thuds of bodies made Norah's lips curl with distaste.
Holland leaned over to inspect the image on her screen. "Deal with them much?"
"Yeah." she showed him a few more, sending them to him when he requested it. "A god sent them to kill me."
She explained the situation as best as she could, hoping she didn't forget any information.
Holland grumbled something under his breath only to wince when Mor met the snap of Vaella's wing. She went tumbling across the snow. Her dragon slipped out from the shelter, using her snout to help her up.
"This isn't fair," she grumbled. She pulled down her mask, wiping the blood off her mouth. She marched across the grounds to pick up her sword and jogged back to the others.
"It is fair," Vaella declared, her voice carrying across the snowy winds.
Kaiden and Bronn charged her, coming at opposite angles. Vaella's wings unfolded, lifting her into the air.
Holland twitched as the two collided, their swords narrowly missing each other.
The back door slid open. Riveta set down thermal mugs in front of them, the tea steaming like smoke. "How long do you think it'll be until Mor--"
Mor threw a knife at Vaella. The goddess opened a portal. The blade wasn't seen again.
"Gods dammit," Holland hissed. He twisted to look at Riveta. "I was going to bet."
"Too slow," she mused, seating herself.
Norah could hear her family panting from here and, when a gust of wind came at her, she could smell the sweat. They circled Vaella, swords in hand, blue eyes flicking to one another. Metal clashed, curses cut the air, and Vaella was still only on the defensive.
"She's going easy on them," Norah muttered. She knew where this was going and she didn't think her mother would be happy.
"They're new," Holland said, his entire body tensed. Ready to react as if he were in the fight himself.
Norah slumped in her seat, aiming her phone at Vaella. "Still."
Her family lunged.
Vaella lifted her spear and thrust it into the ground. The ground shook. A wall sent the Hollands back. Kaiden's face-planted into the grass.
Her family jumped to their feet and struck again. And again.
"Oh, the yard's being destroyed," Riveta sighed, staring at the dent Vaella's spear made in the dirt.
Holland was laughing, heat clouding around his mask. "It's totally worth it. Oh--" he patted his chest, then his pockets "--I need to be recording this."
"I have it," Norah said, gesturing to her phone.
Mor stood to the side, glaring at the goddess as she fought the others. The whole scene reminded Norah of toddlers trying to take down their parents by their legs, but the parents just stared at the child.
And Mor had reached her breaking point.
She waited for Cody and Bronn to attack, only to meet the razored edge of Vaella's spear.
Holland hissed as Mor cried out, grabbing her shoulder.
It only appeared to be a graze, but still, Mor scowled at the goddess who paid her no attention and swept her foot under Cody's.
Mor threw another knife at the goddess.
Mor sprinted over only to run into a barrier.
Holland twitched again.
Norah eyed him sidelong. "You're too invested."
His eyes were sharp, calculating as they darted over the fighting. "What are you talking about?"
Bronn twisted around Vaella's wing. Holland flinched again.
Norah couldn't blame him. She knew what she'd told him earlier, but seeing her family training made her blood pound. She saw everything they were doing wrong and wanted to show off her skills.
Norah started twitching, a much more dramatic version of Holland as she recorded her family.
Holland glanced at her and scowled. "Not everyone gets to spar with a goddess, Norah."
"I might be used to it." She stood. "But that doesn't mean I won't fight her."
"Sweet." Holland was on his feet and grabbing a sword from the duffle bag inside.
Riveta sighed quietly, looking at her. "So much for a relaxing evening with your parents."
Norah bowed deeply, sarcasm dripping in her voice. "We'll be right back." She glanced at Evra standing behind the door, arms folded, her face carefully neutral. She said something Norah couldn't hear, even with her rings on, when Holland came into view.
He nodded, opening the door, a sword in hand.
Norah walked with Holland onto the ground, her heart racing with thrill. As soon as they noticed her, Norah flashed a sharp smile. "Let me show you how it's done."
Her family sighed, collapsing onto the ground with a thud. Bronn waved a heavy hand toward the goddess, panting. "You're lucky we wore her out for you."
Vaella stared at him, frowning slightly. She wasn't even sweating. "You are the one out of breath." Those dark eyes met Norah. "I thought we were working on tempering your desire to rush into fights."
Black swords formed in her hands. "I waited a full five minutes." She nodded to the spear. "No darkness; no spear?"
Vaella agreed, walking to the table where Riveta sat. Her spear thudded against the snow, a ripple of what seemed like air rippling across the sky, fence to fence. The same thing happened to the dragons.
"For your safety," she said, planting her staff into the soil. "Do not touch."
Norah looked at Mor, still grabbing her arm. She couldn't see it with the jacket she wore, but Norah felt her gold tendrils wrapping around the wound. Mor yelped. "My arm!"
"That's me," Norah said, as Holland snickered at Kaiden limping to Riveta. She didn't heal anyone else, thinking they'd want to remember this occasion for as long as possible.
"Any recommendations?" Holland murmured as Vaella approached.
Norah glanced at him. "She doesn't have her spear. She can't teleport anyone, but can still make barriers."
He nodded as Vaella reached them.
Norah tilted her head back to see her fully. She stepped back, her and Holland spacing themselves from one another.
"Are you ready?" Vaella asked, getting into a fighting stance.
Holland nodded his agreement. Then Norah, raised her swords.
"Begin."