"Life doesn't mean a thing
We will all burn to the ground
Love is the only thing. "

– Missio

– T A Y A H –

I rolled over in the bed and smiled at the smell. That sweet and woodland smell of her. I reached my arm over and felt nothing but sheets.

My eyes flashed open and found myself alone.

I sat up and scanned the room quickly. The second thing I noticed was my immortal's armour gone along with her. I grit my teeth and let a puff of frustration leave me before ripping the sheets away and grabbing the first garment I found over a chair.

When I was in a tunic, riding leathers and had a dagger against my hip, I turned to the desk to grab my knives only to pause. A piece of parchment lay folded all too conspicuously. I palmed it and flicked it open briskly.

Tayah, forgive me.

I must finish what I am on this realm to do. I must do it alone. I will find you once it is done and you may decide how to spend your time on the mortal realm. I will not force you to return to Valhalla with me. 

Yours always.

She didn't bother to sign her name in that elegant script. There was no need. No other. I burnt it in my hand with little immortal energy.

Then turned to the nearest object and sent my fist straight through it. The desk snapped in half. I spun from my heel and strode swiftly to the door before yanking it open. I took the stairs quickly, not regarding any of the people milling about in the lower floor. A few cast me cautious looks. 

When I hit the cool Vayleron air I broke into a quick run in the last direction of that hideous underground nightmare. I knew the assassins had locations in so many networks running under taverns and inns but this... it was a different league of covert.

I found it all too easy to track our scents from the night before. Easier still to fly down the sharp turns and alleys that would lead me there. I kept my hand near my knives in hidden spaces as I ran, pulling my hood lower over my face.

What I did not anticipate after slithers of running was a tail.

I increased my speed so that no mortal could keep this up. Darting into sharp and dark turns that pulled me deep into the depths of outer Vayleron. I pushed harder and bounded up a wall, flipping onto a rooftop before crossing it in a few strides and dropping off the edge.

I dropped into a crouch, breathing heavily.

Slow clapping sounded from the other side of the alley. I took all of a blink to draw steel and fire into the other hand.

"Not too intelligent." A familiar voice drawled.

It only fuelled me more when I realised. I sent a powerful blast of fire at the hooded figure only to watch it vanish and become absorbed. Her hands glowed in response before Kára dropped her hood and gave me a sidelong look.

I threw a dagger spinning before she could call on her power. She dodged to the side with a snort. It clattered against the stone where her head was.

"Just the person I wanted to see." I snapped.

Her face was instantly that of apology. "Hear me before you–"

I strode up to her quickly and shoved her backwards with a bit too much force. She hit the other side of the alley with shock on her beautiful features. I didn't care.

"I warned you once before about making decisions for me." I growled, sending fire into both of my fists again.

"And I ignored you as I tend to–" She began before I snarled and she raised her hands to finish, "–not something that will occur again."

"Please make sense before I start using this heat." I grit back.

She exhaled before glancing down the empty alley and pushing me further from the street facing side. I shrugged out from her touch and prowled before the dark walls. Kára ignored me and stood firmly in the centre without conflict.

"You have the King's attention now."

I snapped my focus back to her eyes. No joke. No lie.

"What in hells do you mean?"

"I followed a pair of Royal guards distributing these." She told me as she pulled a piece of parchment from her cloak and presented it to me. I swiped it from her glove and scanned it quickly. The words. The reward. The meaning.

"It's a good thing the artist it blind. Because no one will identify us based on these portraits." I uttered, focusing on the hideous impression of me in black ink.

Despite it all she started snickering. I glanced up at her and tried to hold onto my own anger.

"Pray tell, Valkyrie. Why are you giving me this now instead of fulfilling what was on that note you left me?" I demanded, crossing my arms and leaning against the cool stone.

She looked almost guilty now.

"Tayah, I had a different plan in mind–"

"That involved you going alone to pursue Anselle?"

"She can't remain here so close."

"No you cannot accept the fact that she is the one mistake you made. And now you are doing everything you can to fix it when you don't need to alone." I snapped back, watching her face morph from shock to her own anger.

"Are you forgetting what I have told you?" She stated emotionlessly. "Her entire purpose is to get back what she once had of power. You step in front of that and you become a threat. I have dealt with threats for an eternity–"

"I don't give a horse's ass what you have stepped in front of before. I am saying it does not have to be alone! "

"Yes it does!" She shouted. Her eyes shone a bright sliver and I felt that god-like signature of power again. But I didn't back down. I took a stride towards her.

"You keep acting like you're on your own and I might start believing it." I whispered.

She rolled her eyes and stepped up to me. "Stop acting as if my interests lie else where, Tayah Ashrive. You know my purpose is to keep you safe."

"Really?" I scoffed, "I tell you my entire life revolves around your existence on any realm and you seem ready to throw it to hell and back–"

She secured my jaw quickly stopping my words. Gentle enough to hold but firm enough to snap my thoughts out of hysteria.

"I do not have the strength to see you hurt again. Not again." She said quietly, watching my eyes intently. "The thought is one thing. Experiencing it was too much. But I am not here to tell you I am risking anything. The opposite."

"What are you talking about?" I murmured, watching her silver eyes burn into mine.

"That bounty poster. I'm here to tell you that I am not going after Anselle. I'm here to keep you and your idiotic mortals together and keep you safe myself."

I didn't have a response for a few moments as I watched her sincere expression. I placed my hand on hers that held me and nodded before speaking.

"You could have pitched with that."

She snorted and flicked my hand away. "Honestly, Tayah. You were ready to scorch us both."

"That's because you're always so gods damned self sacrificing." 

"Remind me to leave you to your own enemies next time." She muttered, crossing her arms.

"The King?" I probed, raising my eyebrow.

She nodded. "Honestly at this point, Tayah. I expected nothing less."

I laughed quietly, adoring the way her eyes lit up when I did. "So, you approve of my buffoons once more?"

"I tolerate them once more. For you only." She murmured, pulling her hood lower over her eyes. I did like it when she did it. It made those eyes burn all the more–

"What of Anselle?"

"I must find the other immortals. She is about to become their purpose here. We are to disappear once more." She told me as she adjusted the many weapons below her cloak and gleaming armour.

"You could almost say this is like old times." I grinned.

She only gave me a withering look in return. "I am looking at the only good thing about this scenario. Your mortals however... Our terms remain the same."

"One happy family." I summarised, patting her shoulder with a grin.

She moved forward and surprised me with a kiss. "My love for you has limits when it comes to John Keavesmith and Kaden Nafferion." She winked.

I glared at the goddess that took my hand and pulled us towards the bustling streets for another day on the mortal realm.

* * * * *

Myself, Kaden and John held low conversation while Kára took the other two immortals outside. As I understood it, Revna would now possess her relic, Thanatos. The deep black shield seemed more alive in her hands that day in the assassin's den than I'd ever seen it.

Astrid held a complete look of disbelief even before the door had shut.

"Tayah." John asked for what seemed like the third time.

I tore my eyes back to his warm brown eyes and classically handsome features. Kaden too looked to me with troubled steely ones and a hard set jaw.

"I have good and bad news." I deadpanned, looking between them both.

The men glanced at each other before speaking at the same time. "What's the good news?"

"You have me around a fair bit longer."

Kaden broke into a wide grin while John narrowed his eyes. I sighed and twirled the tip of my dagger into the table. "I guess I'll now tell you the bad–"

"Oh, no, no." John interrupted, swiping my blade off me which I saw coming from a league away. "You have a habit of laying these juicy statements out without any meat on them."

"I could do with some–"

"Not now Kaden." I sighed, before this could become another distraction. "I will be here as long as it takes the other two immortals to track down and end Anselle of the Odians."

They both frowned more openly now. "Two immortals?"

"Yes. Kára–our immortal will stay to protect us. Which brings me to the bad–"

"Her name is Kára?" John snorted. "Why was I expecting something much more grand..." He drawled.

"My immortal name is Stormbringer, mortal." The goddess herself said from the doorway. "If it pleases you more to use." She said dripping irony and closing the door with a boot.

John gave her a neutral look before glancing back to me. "So give us the bad news, Ashrive. If her presence isn't bad enough already."

Kára didn't bother to react as she leaned against a wall nearby and drew her hood back.

"The King's men now seek our heads."

"We know." Kaden snorted. "Is that it?"

My mouth hung slightly open and I even saw my immortal tilt her head irritated towards them.

"I don't think you understand–"

"We understand just fine, little immortal." Kaden smirked as he made to pat my shoulder. "The King has been after us since we raided the reserves in the first place."

"Yes but the posters!"

"Are just an effort to be seen making an effort." John waved off. "The city is too large and a manhunt too expensive to bother with real bounty hunting."

"Mercenaries and bounty hunters are more a threat." John added, as he cleaned his nails with my dagger.

I glared at him. "Stop using an immortal weapon to clean your fingers and listen to me."

Then I saw Kára wordlessly move to stand behind John's chair and open her hand beside him. He flinched at the sudden presence before slowly lowering it into her hand like a scolded child. My immortal however, looked ready to take his limb off with it.

Old times indeed.

"Once again, mortals and their shortsightedness." She murmured, letting bright electricity run through the blade instantly scorching away any dirt. "Why do you think the King allows these guilds to function?" She asked them both.

John sighed long and leant back on the legs of his chair. "You tell me immortal. Because I can tell you're enjoying the sound of your own voice more than–"

She kicked sharply at a leg, snapping it and sending John to the ground in a crash. I fought hard not to laugh while Kaden suddenly had a need to cough. She looked down at him with her arms folded. Despite it all John mirrored the move on the floor.

"The guilds control the commoners, Keavesmith. While royalty control the aristocracy. Do you understand what I am telling you?" She spoke slowly, with bright silver eyes.

"Sure. Those with inherited golden goblets up their asses listen to the King. While the rest of us are either too scared of murderers or thieves to challenge authority." He snapped.

"Smart boy." She murmured, walking back to lean against a kitchen cupboard. "Those guilds could not end you. So now royal killers will try their hand. Believe me mortal, they are better equipped." 

Kaden thumped a fist loudly. "They have tried before."

She laughed darkly. "You think a troop guarding taxes compares to the castle elite that protect royalty?"

The men seemed to consider her words more carefully now. I sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Enough of this pointless infighting. John get off the floor." I told him.

He grumbled, dusting off his shirt and making an obscene gesture in Kára's direction which she smirked at.

"We're lying low–well, lower. Kára is staying with us to make sure the King's men aren't a problem. Since you're already settled away from anyone that can get hurt... I think we stay here."

"Tayah–" Kára was instantly off the wall with an argument prepared. I shook my head and held up a hand. "The men have done well to position themselves in the shipping sector. There is no better place with a low number of collateral if things go south."

"Not being in the city at all would be doing well." She growled.

"And if your immortals find themselves in trouble we are close." I reasoned.

This only made her scoff. "They have a relic of the Underworld. What could possibly–"

"Ah. I wouldn't flirt with fate that way. It always got me–" Kaden started.

"You couldn't even flirt your way into a corpse's bed let alone fate." John interrupted with an eye roll.

"Enough!" I shouted over them. "We're not discussing this. You two better figure out how to play nice with an immortal again and you–" I said flicking my head at the demi-god wearing a death glare– "I need to speak outside."

She had the door open before I even finished my words. The men started gathering up the broken chair and putting it into the wood burner.

"Get us some wine." I muttered, turning for the cool night outside.