Sure, with a flick of her wrists, Love could cast aside the super strong werewolves with arms twice her size, but what is the consequence for her body when the fire bird is released? At this time, Love doesn't care; she was too consumed in the raging fire that never seems to subside. Samara is still kneeling in front of her, the werewolf boys are no longer holding her still; they are more like allured to the energy that Love releases each seconds.
Love grabs Samara's neck, squeezes and pulls her up until they are face-to-face. "You want to burn me?" Love asks, reaching for Samara's fingers, "at least make sure that I am not made of fire first."
Samara howls in pain when Love breaks open her fingers, the hand she mostly used to punch the crap out of Love. "Love, stop!" Adena screams, running toward Samara whom Love threw on the ground, slumped and still writhed in pain.
Love turns toward the werewolf boys who are still bewitched by her presence. Her hair glows differently under the sun, the fire in her eyes almost could burn through the wolves before her. "Look, Love," Elko begins, holding both his hands up in surrender, "we weren't- I wasn't-" he stammers, stopping when Love steps forward, smiling like she owns his soul. "What the hell are you?"
"Oh," she pretends to gasp. "Let's test this one out, shall we?" She reaches to her jeans' pocket, crackles of fire appears in her arms.
The switchblade turns to a broken-blade sword, and in instant, as she holds it up to the sky by the hilt. A fire forms, completing the blade. "Holy-" Elko was about to scramble back with his fellas, but Love quickly holds the end of the fire blade against his neck. "The Phoenix sword.... You're the Phoenix?!"
"Stop!" Says the guy Love recognizes as Daniel, the other guys begin to stand up.
But with a raise of her hand, Love freezes them and brings them to the ground, kneeling like they have to worship her to live. "Don't make me slit his throat and imprison him in Tartarus!" Love points the sword to the guys.
"I think that is enough." Hekate suddenly rings in her ears. "You do not want the bird to overwhelm you."
"In a minute..." Love answers.
A wolf suddenly attacks her to the ground. Love shrieks and lets go of the sword, letting it fall to the ground. "Enough!" Adena presents her fangs when Love sits up on her elbows, "you will not hurt my friends. We have already grieved enough. We have lost enough. We do not need to lose someone else."
With a groan, Love slowly gets up from the ground. An image of Adena leading the pack after Vanshni suddenly appears in Love's mind, wolves would line up to have her aid, to have her train them as a great fighter. "Interesting," Love steps forward, holding a hand against the stake. "Tell me what you know about these corrupted witches."
She holds out her other hand and summons the sword straight to her grasp. Adena slowly transforms back to a human form, sighing, "they are going to ressurect an emperor. The one that offers those who worship him control and unimaginable power." She explains, "he had been buried within the sun's soil for so many years. He did not die when Jaromir defeated him along with Phoenix."
"Why?"
"Because he's made of magick and kaos. He's intelligent, powerful, and it would take just a little drop of the blood of the one who 'killed' him to ressurect him. It's all necromancy bullshit." Love nods, somehow she is familiar with the trick of necromancers. "But he is not our biggest concern right now. The dark practitioners have decided to re-claim all of Four Lands without hesitation, they want to kill all of the citizens and bringing all lands together at once."
The Phoenix' fire dies down, and Love's eyes slowly beginning to go back to normal. Only that she can barely hold herself up. "Fi- Filotimo." Love sighs. Though her wounds have healed, yet somehow her energy is reducing and reducing.
"Yes." Adena says, "they are looking for Jaromir. He's been hiding away for years, hell, thousands of years. I think I remember being told that he can't die because he had decided to curse himself with immortality to protect Four Lands." She explains further, "just so nobody would take his blood or skulls and use it to bring Jovian back to life."
"Love? Love! What the hell- Oh my gods!" Talia suddenly comes running in to the area, witnessing her daughter by the stakes of burned witches.
"Now, I don't know what the hell you are. But I know for damn sure that's the sword of Phoenix in your hand," Adena raises her brows, "it would never leave your side, not ever. So, you better get out there to freaking Gardenia and save Julian."
Talia runs toward Love, Roman following behind. They both are confused with the surrounding before them. "Mom... Dad.." Love slumps against the stake. Her breathing is ragged.
"What the hell is this?" Talia turns to Adena, gesturing toward the stakes.
"Oh, they were dark practitioners. Not your kind, definitely...." Adena sniffs her and wides her eyes in shock, "Titan."
"I've got you, sweetheart," Roman kneels down next to Love. "It's all right," he grabs the sword and easily shrinks it back to switchblade. "You'll live. The Phoenix just woke up from her sleep, she'll need adjustment."
"Samara," Adena says, "it looks like her broken fingers won't heal. You're a doctor, aren't you? Can you... please, take a look?"
Talia turns to the pained Samara on the ground, before looking back to her daughter in Roman's arms. "It's fine, mom," Love smiles, "I did that to her. You can try to heal-"
Darkness consumes her vision and brain, causing her to pass out in Roman's arms. Talia sighs, she runs toward Love to check her vitals; until any severe symptoms are cleared out, Roman gives Talia a reassuring nod before carrying Love back to the car.
Talia, then, turns around to check on Samara who is being consoled by Elko and the other guys. They attempted to bring the bones together, but Talia has announced that the bones shattered; and the only thing to save her from infection, is to amputate her hand, just up until the wrist area.
A Phoenix touch, a harm caused by a Phoenix, can never be reversed by super healing power. Werewolves, vampires, those who are able to heal themselves, will not be able to again when a Phoenix is the culprit of the wound.
***
"All you need is my pomegranate," Persephone says as she puts a half sliced pomegranate in front of Love. Though her body is still asleep back in New Orleans, her soul has made her way to Underworld. "Trust me, they are not allergenic. I have made sure of that a million of times!"
Love looks up at Persephone's tall, gorgeous form before her, and sighs, "will these make me as pretty as you?" She asks.
"Oh. You're just saying that... Husband!" Persephone calls out to Hades who walks in to the dining room with his helm of darkness tucked on his side. "Our Phoenix just called me pretty." She clasps her hands together.
"And she's right." Hades nods in agreement.
"Yup," Love lazily puts her forehead against the, ironically, cold table. "I will eat, if you two eat with me."
"I have had enough of Persephone's pomegranates, I think I will-"
"Do you not like my pomegranates?"
"I- it's just that I-"
"Hades!" Persephone demands. Love looks up to see Persephone puts her hands on her waists, standing tall and fierce in front of Hades who is cowering in fear.
"Of course, I do, sweetheart." He sighs
"Say it without a sigh of despair!" She demands, her tone is much harsher now.
Hades looks up at her, he stands before her like a soldier. "I love your pomegranates, Persephone." He says without hesitation.
Love smiles widely at the sight of two strong deities arguing like a human couple. A bowl of pomegranates and expensive-looking cutlery suddenly appear on the table. "Dionysus sends us a wine every day." Persephone presents a bottle of wine and puts it on the table, "do you drink as much as he is, Love?"
"I have only read of Dionysus, but yes, I do drink a lot." She nods her head.
"Now that the Phoenix has awaken, you may be able to visit any realms you want. Only with your father's supervision, of course." Hades walks around the table, "and you can have any drinks you want."
Love eyes his helm when he puts them down. She has heard of the tales, but still unsure whether to believe the written texts. "Maybe soon." She says.
Persephone pours the thick, purple wine in to each of their cocktail glasses. Love smiles, "thank you, Your Majesty." She takes the glass calmly before drinking them all in one gulp. Persephone wides her eyes in shock. "Well, Dionysus' wine better not make me blow up in allergy reaction as well."
"You are definitely a drinker." She bursts out laughing before pouring more wine in to Love's glass. "Drink away, dearest. It's all safe."
Love nods, agreeing. Though her body is resting, so far, she has had a great time in Underworld. Sure, the screams and moans from the dead just outside of the palace can be disturbing. But Hades has made his palace quite comfortable for his visitors.
"So, Hades," Love smiles when he sits down on an empty seat across of her, "tell me how you got the helmet."
"Oh, interesting one!" Persephone grabs two pomegranates, cracks them in half with just her hands before presenting them on her husband's plate.
Love sips her wine, tasting its strong taste of grape. She had drank a wine back in Nyx's castle, nothing ever happened to her physique when she came back.
"And if I tell you, what then?" Hades asks, raising his brows in amusement.
Love turns her head to look at the white piano sitting on the other side of the room, "I'll play you a song."
Hades and Persephone look over at the piano. When Hades takes a bite of the pomegranate, Love does the same after raising a slice up in the air to toast both King and Queen. "You'll play a piano for us?" He asks.
Love closes her eyes as she bites on the pomegranate passionately. Though she never tasted one before, the familiarity and sweet syrup from the fruit makes her excited. Her mouth is full of pomegranate berries when she gives both of them a friendly thumbs up.
Persephone laughs, she walks around the table to sit right next to Love. "Speak, husband, while our guest is enjoying her dinner." Persephone says, grabbing one pomegranate for herself before cracking it open.
"Years ago, my brothers and I decided to free the Elder Cyclops from the depth of Tartarus - with Nyx's approval, of course." Hades begins. Love takes another bite of the pomegranate, careful not to spill some of the juices off of her mouth. "Of course from what you've seen, some Cyclops are still kept in Tartarus for their reckless and murderous tendencies. But the elder ones, they forged my brothers and I quite impressive weapons to help us against the Titans."
"Oh, no!" Love remembers her mother being part of Titan clan.
"Don't worry, your mother chose humanity and decided to protect them instead of choosing sides." Persephone smiles.
"Yes, she did. When Titanomachy ended, we decided it was best to leave Talia alone in her nature." Hades nods in agreement while enjoying the pomegranate, "her anger could call upon the end of times. I am not surprised she is married to Phoenix himself."
"Man, my parents are cool-" Love bites on to another pomegranate, "and very powerful. I do not want to cross them."
Suddenly, Love can feel warmth spreads all over her arms, her body. A familiar, booksy scent is strong now, which makes her lift her head up and look toward the door. "Are you expecting someone else?" Love asks.
"Not that I know of." Hades turns his head toward the door. He can also sense someone outside of the palace. "Or maybe I am, would you two like to accompany me outside?"
Persephone and Love stands up from their seats, Love wiping the remaining juice of the fruit off of her mouth first before following the two deities out of the dining room. The more they approach the front hall, the stronger their scent is.
"Smells like Nikolas..." Love shrugs.
"Oh, the Elven boy!" Persephone clasps her hands together, "is he here? He better be. I like that beautiful boy!"
"Persephone, I am still your husband."
"Yes, darling. The Elven boy can forge a weapon! He is the kind of man we all need."
Love chuckles softly. "Yup. He's amazing, all right!"
Hades opens the front door with just a flick of his hand. The wind in Underworld is surprisingly strong this day, even the current in River Styx is strong enough to wash away anyone that is unlucky enough to drown in.
"Is it the boy...?" Hades points over to the familiar figure struggling to hold on to a rock. Half his body is drowned in Styx.
"What the hell!" Love gasps. "Nik?!"
It is him.
Love quickly sprinted down the stairs, without even caring that she may trip or the fact that the ground is filled with sharp-like rocks. She keeps running. The ground turns to mud; the bloody mud that she hates the most in Underworld.
Nikolas struggles to grab on to the mud, it is way too slippery to be used as a helping hand. He wides his eyes in horror when he realizes most of the ground is made of flesh, skeletons, and blood. The current is so strong that he begins to lose feeling of half his body, he grimaces everytime some slimey thing brushes his feet.
"Jesus Christ, if this is one of the time where you save people from dying a horrible death, please do." Nik forces himself to push outward until he is fully holding on to the rock, he has almost given up fighting the current.
Love finally arrives, losing her breath, "Nik, hold on!"
Slowly, he lifts his head up until she sees Love in a gorgeous black, slick, long dress that hugs her body perfectly. "Love?!" He furrows his brows, "what the- this is where you're going? Where the hell are we?"
She smiles, before slowly leans over and extend an arm, careful not to get in to the river. "I'll tell you as soon as you're out!" Love gestures for him to come forward, "look, the river isn't going to calm down anytime soon. So, you'll have to believe that you're going to get to the shore safely."
In the midst of panic, and already feeling as if his whole body is overwhelmingly numb, he eyes Love suspiciously: "how should I know that you are Love?" He asks.
Love sighs, "I am currently asleep in New Orleans, that this is just my astral form." She says, "and I hope the fuck that you are not dead and you're also astral projecting."
"I... am astral projecting."
Love grabs an old root that sticks out of the ground, she moves it around before using it as a lever to hold on to. "Come on, Nik," she lowers herself to the ground, extending an arm further to catch Nik on the rock, "you do not want to die in Styx."
With a force of his muscles, he pulls himself up further until half his body comes out of the surface and extends an arm out for Love to catch. "If I die..."
"Nope! I'll catch you!" Her foot nearly slips, but she digs a heel in to the ground to keep her still.
Their fingers brush each other, Love leans herself forward even further until she can catch his finger, "Goddess Styx," Love mumbles, "I call upon you, I need you to stop the current!"
"... there will be a price to pay." A voice suddenly appears, loud and clear.
"Styx, do as she says." Hades suddenly stands beside her, "the boy is alive and well. We needn't take a soul we shall not suppose to."
Love moves even further forward to grab a hold of Nik's forearm. The current calms down a little, Nik smiles weakly when Love lets go of the branch to fully grab him. With the current less of a threat, Love slowly gets up and steps in to the coldest water she has ever felt.
"C'mon, handsome," she shivers when she steps further and holds his arm around her shoulder, "you think this is a swimming pool that you can just swim in?"
He slowly lets go of the rock and gently holds on to Love as she pulls him away from the river. He limps when he steps on some sharp skulls and skeletons underwater. "I remember falling asleep, and waking up nearly drowning." He says softly.
With gentleness, Love kicks off some bones from their way and let him walk through the softer, bloody mud, "what the hell were you thinking coming here, by the way?" Love asks, looking over at him.
"You've been asleep for a day, Love, am I suppose to just stand there and wait for you to wake up? No, thank you."
Love laughs before lowering Nikolas by a large branch, "you're insane," she kneels down in front of him and ruffles his messy, damp hair. Nik inhales deeply as he moves around his toes, his ankle, "you have officially bathed in Styx. Congrats, Achilles."
"What?" He stares up at her in horror, "we're in- we are in Underworld?"
Love turns her head to look at Hades in black cloak and Persephone in her radiant and long dark blue dress approaching both of them, "yep, and they are the rulers." She turns back to Nik.
"The Elven boy, we meet at last." Hades says.
"I made a pomegranate juice to help you recover from the incident." Persephone holds a giant glass of thick and red juice of pomegranate.
Love gets up from the ground to take the glass from her, Nik follows suit and stands a little wobbly on his feet, "you... know me?" He asks Hades.
"Of course I do. The young man who is able to forge a weapon, the one born in a long line of Elven. Your mother used to speak to the Gods and Goddesses before she decided to reside on Earth."
"My.... mom?" He wides his eyes, "and you must be Hades, and Persephone."
"It'll take a while for you to adjust to the aftereffects of bathing in Styx." Persephone smiles, "but you'll be as invincible as Achilles, of course, he was the first one who was bathed in the river as a baby."
"Yep, you'll be my right hand," Love presents the glass to him, "drink up, Nik."
Nik stares at Love in disbelief. She only smiles wider to gain more of his trust. "You've been hanging out in Underworld when everyone back in NOLA is worried sick about you?" He takes the glass from her.
"Well, everyone back home knows I am insomniac. They must think the sleep is well deserving."
"Still, you're asleep because The Phoenix absorbs your energy," he sighs, "I thought you were on the brink of death. Don't scare me like that ever again."
She stands on a root, "okay. Now drink!"
"Young people." Hades sighs before turning around to go back to his palace.
Love watches as Nik sips on the juice calmly. He grimaces at the sweet taste, very sweet, indeed, and feels as the juice helps him gain his strength back. The cold in his chest down area is slowly fading.
"Love is about to play us a music," Persephone smiles, "come join us enjoy the performance back in the palace, Elven boy."
Nikolas pulls the glass away from his lips, "it's, um, it's Nikolas."
"He likes Golden Boy as well." Love teases, she presses a hand on his lower back and leads him toward Hades' palace.
"Any reason why you choose to call him golden? Does Nikolas resemble the sun?" Persephone asks with a big smile.
Love looks up at him, "no, I'm not golden."
"Hmmm, let's see," she reaches over to ruffle his hair once more, "you'd rather study than breathe: with all the knowledge in that big brain of yours, you've become the coolest person I know!" She smiles softly, "and you've earned plenty of ribbons for your achievements in all that biology crap you love. Hmm, what else...?"
"I like this," he smirks, "you praising me for the achievements you weren't even there to witness. Some people really need to take notes from you."
She grins up at him, "maybe next time, I get to witness a lot of your success. Like going to med school!"
He looks around the area and grimaces, "or just successfully getting the hell out of this place in one piece."
"Are you hurt?"
"No, thanks to you, Persephone and Hades. Do you think I should bow?"
"Oh, no, dearest! My husband and I think bowing to those with higher status only brings more conflict; it brings a barrier between us, the King and Queen, and you." Persephone explains, "you are no more less than us merely because you do not rule a realm, or have higher power."
Nik smiles, he sips the last bit of the juice, "it's nice to finally hear leaders defend the smaller status kinds. I am kind of sick of hearing so-called Kings and Queens to demand respect when we are given no reason to respect them."
"Are you talking about all leaders?" Love asks, "because I tell ya, I do not like King Damian and Queen Beatrice. They do anything but open their fancy palace for the survivors. And they wanna kill the dryad!" She says in horror, "and to think that everyone around me is against the idea of me stealing the tree."
Nikolas looks at her, "I may know a thing or two about a shrinking spell."
"Of course, you don't- wait!" Love stops from walking, gaping in shock, "are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Love, you saved me from drowning in freaking Styx. The only way to pay you back and well, cover up my humiliation is to help you out. Beside, it's ominous that they'd actually cut down the dryad even knowing damn well she's still alive."
Without hesitation, Love attacks Nikolas in a bone crunching hug as she jumps and wraps her legs around his waists. She kisses his mouth, wraps her arms around his shoulders as if her life depends on it.
"Oof!" He staggers back, but catches her anyway.
"You, who agree with me, get a kiss." She pulls away a little to look in to his eyes.
He smiles, a little dazed from the mind bending kiss, "never thought I'd be making out in Underworld, though." Love kisses him again, this time, more passionately.
"Aren't you two adorable." Persephone smiles warmly at the couple, "never let anyone falter that love of yours. Not even someone closest to you."
"Never." Love mumbles against his lips, on which he smiles.
She drops to the ground, smiling up at him in full adoration. It is nice being heard, being understood, when it feels like nobody around us listens, but then that one person merely comes along and has the same outlook as you.
The three of them walk in to the palace, Persephone tells Nikolas about every statues and paintings presented in each halls, the history behind each of them, even the painters; which of course, are made by the Gods, Demigods, Titans, and even humans.
Hekate is in the dining hall, speaking with Hades. Love immediately introduces a wide-eyed Nikolas to Hekate's tall and fierce form. She eyes him suspiciously first, before offers him a glass of wine.
Love sits behind the perfectly polished piano, she stretches out her arms and fingers. Nikolas resting his hip by the piano to watch Love play 'My Favorite Things'.
"I wish I had my phone right now." Nikolas says, sipping the wine.
Love can't help but eye his entire outfit right now, the one he chose to look more appropriate in front of the deities; a basic, all-black suit. Yet somehow, he looks completely radiant. "Don't make me blush." She narrows her eyes at him.
She begins to play elegantly. It's one of the classics she was taught by her piano teacher when she was around 13-14. She'd listen to the song over and over again, practiced without the sheets, but by memorizing each notes of the song. As Love plays, the strong winds and current in Styx eventually calms: as if they only stopped to appreciate the new, livelier tunes in the realm of the dead.
The souls in Elysium stopped what they were doing to listen to unfamiliar music that rings throughout the Underworld. Hades and Persephone dance together around the dining hall, while Hekate smiles proudly. Nikolas enjoys his wine, and forcibly asked by Love herself to serve her the wine, even after he refused to knowing that she is allergic.
After 'My Favorite Things', Love proceeds to play 'Someday My Prince Will Come'. Persephone asks Nikolas to dance, and of course, with better mood, he agrees. Only that Hades is watching him like a prey.
***
When they come back to their own reality, Love wakes up first with a jolt. She realizes that it's dusk, and that there is a hand holding hers on the bed. A headache sours her mood immediately, she sighs and rests back against the bed; feeling a lot heavier. She loves astral projecting, not only it makes her feel lighter in terms of spiritually, but also emotionally, she could meet anyone she wanted.
Love turns to Nikolas who slowly gains consciousness, she looks down on their hands and sees that the dark stains in her fingertips are still there. Not even Phoenix itself can fix the strange stains. He blinks a few times, getting used to the reality he actually lives in, and not Underworld.
"Shit, I think I'm dying." He presses a hand on his forehead, "didn't know travelling to Underworld almost costed me my life."
A big smile spreads across her face, "if you were taken by the current, I am pretty sure I can steal the ferryman's boat and go after you."
"You're going to rescue me like a knight in... shining black dress?" He asks.
"I'm going to change in to a Roman armor, but okay." She shrugs, raising up the bed until she rests her weight on her forearms. "Are you feeling okay?" She asks.
"Better now that you've woken up." He says softly, "you cracked a wolf's fingers, huh? That's sexy."
Love laughs, "that was scary. I thought I was going to kill them."
"Well, are you okay? You were beaten up pretty bad."
"Pretty bad? Props to Samara for nearly gutting me with her fist." She chuckles. Her attention diverts to the desk where a giant statue of dying Achilles stood, well, laid.
Her eyes widen in shock as she instantly sits up the bed to reassure the real sculpture of Achilles himself is actually there and isn't just an illusion. "Holy shit, no way. No fucking way." She jumps off the bed to walk over to the desk. The migraine pain is throbbing that she is now on her feet.
She hisses in pain and grabs the left side of her head to ease the throb, "don't tell me it's from the deities." Nikolas follows her and gets up from the bed.
"It wasn't here before?" Love gasps when she touches Achilles's head armor, down to his beautiful miserable face. "Wow, I think I've never been in love." She kneels down in front of the giant statue, she traces his muscular leg and touches the arrow stuck in his heel.
"For Our Dearest Bellona & Golden Boy." Nikolas reads off of the brown paper with Persephone's handwriting.
Love is still way too amazed to even listening to him. Never thought she'd see the day where a sculpture of Achilles himself could be on her desk. Not the real one made by Ernst Herter which could be the size of Talia's garden.
"Why'd she call you Bellona?" Nik asks.
"Because I remind her of Bellona." Love turns to him, smiling. "Maybe because I'm not a strategic, intelligent fighter like Athena."
"Like Ares?"
"Yes, you know, she is the Roman equivalent of Enyo, the Greek Goddess of War - Ares' twin sister, more like."
Love can hear a series of footsteps outside of her bedroom. Levi almost breaks the door open, she gasps when she sees Love kneeling in front of a giant statue. "You're back!" Levi pushes Nikolas aside and tackles Love to the ground. "How dare you make me age 10 thousand years in one night!"
Love laughs, she wraps her arms around her sister gently. "Hey, in my defense, I had a good sleep."
"Aw, look at Lev being all soft." Laurie walks in to the room with a canvas on his arm, "I'm starting to think Lev's the crybaby sister."
"That's true. She cries more than-"
Levi holds out a hand until both Laurie and Nikolas' voices are gone, but since the Prayer of Elven spell is attached to Nikolas: no mischief charm could affect him. "Mmph!" Laurent grunts in exasperation.
Love giggles and pats her sister on the back. "Where the hell were you?" Lev smacks Love on her arm, "you were asleep for a day!"
"... Hades' palace." Love grimaces, "but look what Persephone gifted to both Nik and I! She's really pleased that I played a piano."
Levi closes her eyes shut, grimacing. "You played a piano in Underworld?"
"She did." Nikolas says, "even saved me from drowning in Styx."
Laurie gasps, his voice returning, "I knew it! I knew something bad happened. It's- it's here!" He showed off the piece of art he had painted on the canvas.
The exact picture of Love attempting to reach Nik's forearm while he's almost dying against the rock, half his body is under the red river. "That's- I'll pay you my life if you'd let me keep it." Nik offers.
"Nik's almost drowning?" Lev bursts out laughing. "I cannot believe, and you called yourself a jock?"
"Hey, that was my dad." He defends, "and in my defense, Styx was having a bad day. The current was strong. How was I supposed to swim?"
"True, that was a helluva day outside of Hades' palace." Love chuckles, "but we got the most beautiful piece of art in return." Love presents the statue with her hands. "Yours is beautiful too, Laurie- wait," she raises her brows, "why are you here again?"
"Well, I didn't want to go back to stupid Veleno," he shrugs, handing Nik the painting, "so, I decided to stay at Nik's place!"
"Oh, that's nice. You get to live a human life now. I will buy you Fimbulwinter donuts, that is for sure." Love grins.
"Yes, please. I want to meet psychics here as well. What they think about, you know, me."
"All right, Narcissus." Levi gets up from the ground, "you're not allowed to speak to anyone about Four Lands. Not even witches."
"Yes, I do know that, 'Fun Police'." Laurie chuckles.
"Aw, where's Kali? I thought she'd be here as well."
"Oh, she has to stay in Crimson Cove. Their family is super strict about her being social and all."
"That's sad," Love grimaces, getting up to her feet. "Anyways, I need some painkillers for this migraine. Who the fuck knows how painful awakening the Phoenix is?"
"Me too, please."
"I'll get them." Lev shrugs, "I'll order pizzas too. Mom says to keep all of you fed."
"Ooooh, can I have two chicken florentine, please?" Love grins.
"Sure?"
"What? It's my favorite, and I wanna share it with Nik." When Levi exits the room, Love walks over to Nik who's still holding the canvas as he stares at it amazingly, "so, did you tell my parents that we are, you know, seeing each other?"
Nik turns to Love, "... no? After hearing what they are, I don't want to start a war with those two."
She giggles, "yeah, they acted like stupid Julian didn't exist either. They do not like the idea of their daughters 'dating'."
"Julian... Right, the prick who left you. And you are going to rescue him in Gardenia." He lists the things Love are going to do soon, "... why exactly? You can't trust him."
Love shrugs, "he has a pack that needs him. They have gone through a lot after the leader was killed. So, yes, I am bringing his ass home."
"How'd you know he'd be in Gardenia?"
"The witch who took him opened a portal to Gardenia. It's a long story, I don't even-" she shakes her head, "how about we are planning our move to get the dryad to safety now?"
"What!" Laurie, who is still in the room, shrieks.
"Ssh, don't tell anyone!" Love shushes him, "if you tell my sister, I will knock you out, put you in a box and send you to freaking Veleno."
He wides his eyes in shock, Nik only shrugs in a way that says "don't cross her". "Okay," he finally sighs, "I don't even know how the hell you two are going to pull this off, but good... luck? Blessed be?"
"Blessed be." Love smiles.