"It took them nearly a week to get back."
Honey had spent a majority of that time just... sitting around with the Raven Sister, doing a whole lot of nothing. Not that she minded. In fact, it was probably a good thing to have some downtime. It gave her time to relax and refocus. The goal in front of her was closer than ever. Maybe. If Lukas and Dai would just come back.
Then the Raven Sisters would leave her alone. Once again, it wasn't like Honey minded the company. She might've gone crazy if she were here alone, but the Raven Sisters seemed a bit... superfluous. There was no real reason for them to be here, other than to wait out whatever was happening in the heavens alongside Honey. Or maybe it only seemed superfluous because their mere presence was scaring off anything that might want to hurt Honey.
But just when Honey was about to admit that this was all foolish - that she needed to move on, to find a way back home, back to her brother, that she needed to accept that Lukas and Dai weren't coming back anytime soon, if ever - the entire Woods seemed to come alive with light. Honey had been half asleep when it happened but she was quick to rouse when her entire body was suddenly submerged in light.
"What was that?" Honey said, snapping to attention as she stared in the direction the light had come from.
Alysia spread her wings, clearly on the defensive. "Only one way to find out."
The three of them hurried in the direction of the light. It had come from the exact spot that the god and familiar had disappeared from. And they stood there, in the same clothes, wearing the same expressions, as if no time had passed for them at all. Honey let out a silly little laugh. Lukas and Dai. Dai and Lukas.
They were back.
Honey burst out, tackling both boys in a hug. Dai let out an unflattering squeak but Lukas just grunted and braced all three of them so they didn't fall straight to the ground. He truly was a blessing. "I thought you were gone for good!" Honey said when she pulled away. "Gods, don't scare me like that!"
"How long were we gone?" Lukas asked.
"And how are you still alive?" Dai said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "These Woods are made to get Lekkis dead."
"Your concern is truly touching," Honey said, rolling her eyes. "And about a week?"
Which was when the Raven Sisters appeared behind Honey. They bowed in unison as Dai cocked his head. "Oh," he said. "You kept her alive."
"And who are they?" Lukas snarled, his eyes narrowing.
"Friends!" Honey said, pulling the Raven Sisters up and squeezing their shoulders. "We're all friends here. They did sort of keep me from not dying while you two were off doing who knows what, who knows where-"
"We went to the heavens," Lukas said, sighing as he lowered himself against the back of a tree. He looked rather worn, but Honey didn't say anything. She just pressed her lips together and sat down across from him. The Mutare didn't dare lower themselves. They stood at attention, filled with acute alertness.
Probably why they were still alive.
"And you didn't take me?" Honey asked with a weak laugh. "Are you okay?"
"Fine," Lukas said. "I just need a night's rest. When I wake up, there better be two less Mutare here, though. I don't care which two."
Dai scoffed, his tail flicking. "You are like a whiny baby," he said, turning to walk away. "Sia, Bliss, I want to talk to you."
"Wait up!" Honey said, getting to her feet. "I'll come too!"
Dai didn't say anything. Not a word of protest or acknowledgement. They just walked away, allowing Lukas his rest. It was probably for the best. There was nothing worse than a cranky god and Lukas was the type to become cranky when he wasn't allowed enough hours of sleep. Dai was the opposite. He worked himself up into a frenzy. It seemed he was that way now.
The Wild Woods was quiet and dark, but the scent of moisture was thick in the air. It would rain soon, Honey realized. She'd gotten good at smelling storms before they arrived upon living on the coast. This storm would be a bad one. When it was through, Honey knew that the world they existed in would be a completely different place.
Finally, Dai found a clearing he thought suitable enough. He seemed just as tired as Lukas was - in different ways of course - but his eyes still flicked from body to body. He was just as alert as ever, ready for a battle, ready to fight for his life if need be. But no battle came. Just the four of them standing in a clearing together.
"Why have you been following us?" Dai asked. "I thought I told you to knock it off. Lukas will notice sooner or later."
"We were ordered to," Alysia said. "Do not act coy."
"I do not understand what causes you hesitance," Bliss said. "If you would just complete the task your brother has given you then the three of us would be able to return to the Keep by sunrise." She cocked her head towards Honey. "Or four, if you'd prefer."
"Keep?" Honey squeaked. "Oh no thank you, I've met enough gods for one lifetime. I'm not particularly fond of crossing paths with the Dark Master too."
The Raven Sisters looked at her oddly, but Dai just scoffed. "You see, she doesn't want to go. And I promised I'd teach her how to fight."
"We know," Alysia said.
"The Woods whisper all things," Bliss said, turning her head. "There are no secrets here."
"So you guys... know what we're searching for, right?" Honey asked.
"The Rose Book," Alysia said.
"Hidden in the Lost Mountains," Bliss continued.
Then, both of them said at once: "Buried in the ashes of the Ice Prince's old village."
Dai rose a hand. "That's enough," he said. "You shouldn't divulge other people's secrets. It's in poor taste."
The Raven Sisters bowed. "We apologize, milord," Bliss said.
"But we think you should tell the truth."
"And keep your promises."
Honey blinked, startled by all of this. The Raven Sisters were mysterious. Every ounce of their bodies oozed the substance. They were mysterious and they liked it that way. Honey had been with them for a week and yet she felt privileged to even know their names. That was about as much as they would tell her about themselves. Well their names and that they were Dai's apprentices, once upon a time.
Still, Honey liked them well enough. They made good company and indulged her more often than not. They told her of Mutare customs, of old Mutare legends, even taught her a couple of Mutare words. But, despite the short sweetness of the time spent together, the Raven Sisters spread their wings and, just like that, disappeared through the treetops.
Dai's tail flicked but he turned away. "Foolish creatures," he said, shaking his head. "I only go back on a promise when it's a promise worth going back on."
"Oh?" Honey asked. "And teaching me to fight?"
Dai smirked and then tossed her a sword made of ice.
"Let us begin."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Dai says women's rights.