I sat beside the lake and watched as the kids ran around together. Harmony sat beside me and put her head on my shoulder.
"It's good to see you," she said.
"It's good to see you too. How's mom and dad?"
"They're fine. You should go visit them."
"That sounds like a good idea. I need to visit Ashley too."
"How is she?"
"Oh, you know how Ashley is."
Harmony laughed lightly. "Crazy and completely carefree?"
I nodded my head. "She's the perfect match for that super serious Alastair."
"Hey, can I ask you something?" she asked.
"Of course."
She took a deep breath and sat up looking at me. "Everything that happened and how it happened."
"Yeah?"
"Do you hate me?"
"What? Hate you?"
"Yeah. Do you hate me? I overheard some of the staff inside talking."
I shook my head. "Ignore them. We all know that you were under the influence of Hera."
"Yeah, but then Alex."
I held up my hand. "Listen, Harmony, first that was five years ago. Second, what happened happened. I can understand the feelings that the two of you had because that's how I feel about Edmond."
"So you hold no grudges against me?"
"Nope."
"Or Alex?"
I cringed a bit. "No. I hold no grudges. I love you. I can't blame you for things you're not responsible for."
"Good!" she said excitedly.
"I'm hungry," I said.
"Let's get a snack. I'm sure the kids are getting hungry too."
"Kids!" I hollered.
"Momma?"
"Let's go get a snack."
"Reuben!" Freddie and Vickie shouted running into the castle.
"Reuben? They want a sandwich?"
I laughed and linked my arm with Harmony's. "No. He's one of our chefs in the kitchen. He makes really great snacks and this delicious chocolate caramel something or other."
"Oh, great. I love chocolate caramel things."
We strolled to the kitchen, trailing behind the kids hollering for the tall, red-headed boy.
"My kitchen!" he feigned his anger. "It is overrun by baby pups! Oh no! Whatever shall I do? How do I get the infestation of baby pups out of my kitchen?"
He threw his hands up as the kids circled him pretending to howl.
"Oh no! It's a wolf attack. Oh, help me! Help me!"
The kids' howls devolved into fits of laughter as Reuben moved about expertly slicing and dicing up snacks and making specialty drinks.
"Welcome home, Princess Elanor." He bowed quickly as I leaned against the door jamb.
"Hi, Reuben. It's good to see you. Have the kids been driving you crazy?"
"Crazy? What are you talking about? I love having the pups here! They're the best thing about working here!"
I laughed as the kids took their plates and sat at the table that was put in the kitchen for them.
"Did you know that Reuben uses a knife?" Freddie asked.
"And, mom, and he cooks on the stove."
"What? No way!" I exclaimed as Reuben handed me a drink.
"I can watch them if you guys have anything to do."
"You don't mind?" Harmony asked.
"Mind? Heck no. I have some sugar cookies that need expert decorating." He glanced at the kids.
"We're good at decorating!" they all shouted.
"Perfect! Let me get the stuff and you guys get to decorate!"
"Reuben, you're going to be an excellent dad one of these days."
"Awe, thanks, Princess Elanor."
"Ellie, boy. Ellie. Call me Ellie."
He smiled as he put a tray of cookies and icing in front of the four kids.
"Thanks again, Reuben. Send them our way when you're sick of them."
"Never!" he shouted over the kids' giggles, helping them ice the cookies.
"So what do we do?" Harmony asked.
"You relax. I have some work to do before dinner."
"Boo. Do you have to?"
"Yeah. I just have to do a few things."
"Okay. I'll see you later."
I walked down a long, darkened hallway to my office. Opening, the door I flipped the switch. The lights seemed blinding as they flicked on the walls of the castle melted away.
I stood in a field, covered in armor in silver and gold-plated armor. I held a massive broad sword and stared ahead as wolves, unicorns, griffins, sphinxes, and other creatures ran past. I saw a blur of gold fur and turned my head to see Harmony shift into her wolf and look at me. She nodded before joining the surging army.
What is going on.
"Centaurs! Fire at will!"
I spun around to see a familiar face. King Dimare waved his bow above his head and ran forward, leaping over me.
Staring ahead I saw a heard of cyclops running toward us waving clubs as an earth-shattering roar came from the waters surrounding the tall, dark castle. A Kraken rose up with mermaids in its tentacles.
Standing on the wall of the castle with a whole host of archers were the gorgons. Medusa stood in the middle watching us.
What.
"Artemis!" I screamed.
Screeching harpies flew down from the sky, attacking as the griffins and sphynx took flight.
"Artemis!" I screamed again.
A harpy dove down and picked up a large, black wolf.
Edmond!
I stared in horror as the harpy dug its claws into his neck, before releasing him to drop to the ground in a heap. He didn't move.
An ogre swung down his club, making contact with Harmony. She lifted from the ground in a yelp before slamming against a rock.
I felt rage and anger taking over the fear that I felt. My wolf knew what to do. I let her emerge, shifting my body. We ran toward the army that was decimating all of the creatures. We lept for a goblin, but something sharp pierced our side. I looked down at where the armor had been before I shifted and an arrow stuck from my body.
I limped a few feet before falling to my side. As I lay there staring up at the sky, a troll stepped down on top of me, sending me into darkness.
I gasped and dropped to my knees as the blackness gave way to my office.
"Oh, what the hell was that?"
"Ellie?" Edmond shouted, kneeling next to me. "Ellie? Love, are you okay?"
I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. Wrapping my arms around his neck I sobbed into his shoulder.
"What happened?" he asked.
"We're in trouble. We're all in really big trouble."