Verden was quick to take command, and, to Reyna's surprise, so was Radi. She commanded an imposing demeanor that almost matched his. It wasn't a simple act though. She slipped into the role as if she was never anything else but a queen. However, Reyna thought there was something empty in the way she carried herself. Despite the earlier agreement that evaporated the pillars' standing as royalty, it was obvious a regal and commanding presence was needed to guide the confused and frightened survivors that gazed around like cornered animals.

Lys had said he had gathered all the humans and demons in the same place. There hadn't been many survivors which made it depressingly simple for everyone to settle somewhere in Auronmar's castle to spend their nights. The half that was still standing was sturdy, and it helped that there was running water. What had surprised Reyna the most was how docile and submissive the humans and demons shuffled into the structure.

But she didn't want to think about that. She just wanted to bury herself in Dante's scent, to melt on his skin, to enjoy his arms around her. Her hair was still wet from the shower, but she didn't care. He was keeping her warm. She wrapped her leg tighter around his waist and he laughed. Reyna smiled. With her head on his chest, she relished the vibrations of his voice as it tickled her ear.

"I missed you," she said, her arms squeezing his bulky frame the best she could.

He kissed the top of her head. "I did too. Seeing Cerus and Lina together made me miss you even more."

"Yeah. They make a Hallmark movie seem bland."

"I'm just glad you're safe."

Reyna felt his fingers stroke her thigh. His touch was hot and mesmerizing, and it helped sooth away her worries. The heat lapped up her leg and settled below her stomach, swirling and hungry. Reyna looked up at Dante and saw the same desire in his eyes.

A shiver ran down her spine, but it wasn't because Dante brushed his thumb over her lower lip or because of the intensity in his gaze that held love she never imagined. It was because of Umbra's words: All of them will have several opportunities to find happiness.

All of them except those with the dark blood.

What would she be denying Dante by giving him the flower? What experiences he would be able to live otherwise? The struggles of staying up late studying for college finals. The smiles from parents proud of their son. The pain of failing at a lifelong dream. The elation of laughing while watching a daughter dancing to her favorite song. A pain lanced through Reyna's heart. She would not have children. To watch them grow and die, knowing she would continue to live for lifetimes without them, would be a miserable and agonizing affliction she could not bear.

As Reyna ran her fingers through Dante's hair, watched the strands fall over her eyes, she wondered what families, what happiness, she was refusing him.

"I love you," she said and kissed him before he could answer. She straddled him, her fingers gripping the bottom of his shirt and pulling it over his head. His bare chest was always a sight Reyna appreciated. Her fingertips brushed over his abs, tracing the crevices of his warm flesh, feeling his goosebumps rise and meet her touch. His own hands slid up her legs and Reyna was treated with another marvelous display as his arms and chest flexed and tightened with his movements.

"What is it?" he asked, again caressing her thighs.

"What do you mean?" Reyna unbuttoned his pants.

He caught her hands in one of his. With the other, he lifted her chin to meet his eyes. "Reyna."

She didn't understand why he appeared blurry.

"What is it?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but instead of words, a sob escaped her.

He hugged her tight enough to press her tears against her cheeks, to have her own breath warm her face. "It's okay," he said. "You did amazing. You helped save them all."

Reyna inhaled. Nodded.

"I love you so much you can't even imagine. I just want you to be happy."

Finally Reyna found her voice. "I want you to be happy too."

⁎⁂⁎

When Reyna woke up from her nap, she felt a sweet soreness between her legs and across her abdomen that she knew wasn't going to last for long. She already felt her magika, no longer strained from fights and from creating worlds, reaching its peak. Soon, her power would begin to sustain and heal her, and she would be back to eating about twice a week.

Dante, on the other hand, had his stomach growling in his sleep, a sign of his berserker appetite rearing its head. Reyna giggled and kissed his cheek before slipping out of bed and into the bathroom. They had taken up Dante's old room in the castle. Even though they had protested taking it, Verden insisted. He had laughed when Reyna pointed out it was too luxurious for them to have and said she obviously hadn't seen the rest of Auronmar's castle. Reyna admitted she felt a huge relief knowing the survivors were housed in places far more lavished than Dante's modest room.

Reyna ran the bath. She had showered a few hours ago, but she suddenly had the urge for a soak. Though she lacked any bath bombs or bubbles, the warm water was inviting enough. As she waited for the tub to fill, she picked up her clothes she had left on the floor. She found the flower.

The petals were brown, and the tiny stem had wilted. The room spun around her. Had they messed up? No. She still felt her own power. She could sense Dante in the other room along with everyone else in the castle. They were strings of energy, warped into humanoid shapes that hummed with energy. She could tell exactly where Verden, Mundus, and Radi were, and they couldn't be further apart from each other.

So why?

A thought crossed her mind. It was because she didn't want to anymore. She didn't want to give it to him. Now that she didn't want Dante to have the flower anymore, its existence was voided. That was the only explanation she could think of. Her own flower from Mundus had also shriveled but that was because the magika was gone. Lina was an odd case, a spirit carrying the power of a dark blood but unable to tap into it herself. She had infused Reyna's flower to bloom again, and because it was Lina's intention that gave it life, it was no longer Mundus' to give to her. If only they had more of those flowers, Reyna and the others wouldn't have had to go into the demon world to find the Aqua Oscura fountain.

Reyna shook her head, surprised at how certain she felt about the thoughts running through her head. It almost felt like the dark blood power itself was speaking to her, allowing her to understand what flowed inside her body. It was desperate, a plea of understanding coming from something that seen its demise. It was fearful and cautious, an entity that feared the oblivion that nearly swallowed it.

With a sigh, Reyna crumbled the dead blossom in her palm and flushed it down the toilet. She knew what she was doing, and she was doing it because she loved him and deserved more than what she could ever give him. She slipped into the bath with a clearer mind. After about ten minutes, she heard a knock on the door.

"Reyna, are you in there?" Dante's voice floated into the bathroom.

Hearing his voice solidified her decision. "Yeah, I'm here."

He peeked in and grinned. "Hurry up. You have to see this!"

She tilted her head to show him her confusion.

"Come on." He entered and took the towel Reyna had left next to the sink. With a flick of his wrists, he held it open.

"Can't you just tell me what it is?" Reyna asked but still exited the tub.

"You have to see." Despite the urgency his words implied, his tone was soft and intimate like his movements. He toweled her dry, hands cupping her body. He finished by planting a kiss on her head.

Reyna dressed while Dante watched her by the window. "So what is it?" she asked when she finished.

"Here." He drew the curtain open.

She gasped. The ruptured land which had been slabs of dirt sitting on each other like masses of huddled giants seeking shelter was flattened. Though the grass on it was patched, Reyna could see sparks of color dotting the green. But the sky. It was free of lightning and stars painted it, powders of light against an amethyst backdrop. On the horizon, the violet darkened to raw sapphires swallowed by a liquid onyx. Reyna opened the window and the air smelled like life.

A laugh burst out of her as she jumped down. She fell several stories and enjoyed every second of it. Dante's distant voice called her name from above but heard the delight in his tone. Reyna landed in a dotted ring of budding flowers. They swayed in the breeze of her landing, and it was the most beautiful dance she had ever seen.

The multiple gasps Reyna heard to her left made her turn. Huddled against the castle wall was a group of five humans. Their eyes were wide, alert, and though they bore into Reyna, she could see the horror and fright in their sleek, sick shine. But Reyna also noticed their clean clothes and new shoes. Verden had been busy. Over-his-capacity busy she was sure.

"Um. Hi there," Reyna said as she slowly stood from her crouch.

They froze like terrified animals.

Dante made a heavy landing next to her, spooking the group even more, but his appearance also prompted them to talk. Their hushed chatter rolled with what Reyna recognized as Russian. As quickly as they fired their words, they found their ability to move and ran away.

"I don't think they trust us," Dante said.

Reyna clenched her jaw. "I don't think they see us as humans."

"It'll take time, something you have and will be around to see. We'll both see it."

She couldn't answer him.

Dante laced his finger through hers, and his touch gave her strength, made her remember why.

"Dante, I can't give you the flower. And I probably won't ever be able to give you another one."

He loosened his grip on her hand.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Why?" He was as silent.

She glanced at him. He was staring straight ahead, but Reyna saw the wavering in his eyes. She couldn't tell him the truth. Not now. "I wasn't able to get one. I'm sorry."

He released a soft chuckle and smiled at her. Maybe she had imagined his hesitation. "It's okay," he said. "It just means I'm going to have a really hot, young wife for the rest of my life."

Heat rose up her neck and to her cheeks at the thought of marrying Dante. Though she had refused to extend his lifespan through the flower's abominable effect, there had been no doubt in her mind that she was ready to be by his side for the rest of it. But hearing it out loud caused a fluster that made her feel human. "I, um." She giggled despite herself. "I'm sure I'll have a really hot husband too."

"Finished?" a familiar and icy voice asked. Radi walked up to them with the group of humans from earlier in tow. "I was told humans were falling from the sky, but I see now you simply prefer to use windows instead of doors."

"They told you?" Dante asked pointing at the group.

"Yes."

"I didn't know you knew Russian," Reyna said.

"I do not. Verden gave to me this strange contraption." She held up a cell phone and fumbled with it. Her frown deepened as she attempted to find something with three fingers on the screen. By the time she found it, her fangs were out in a snarl. She shoved the screen at Reyna and Dante. "This map translates spoken and written words from the language of the mortals."

"You mean app?" Reyna said.

"App?"

"You said map. It's called an app. It's short for application."

Radi looked at the phone, then at Reyna. "It seems to have malfunctioned for I do not understand what it is you are saying."

Dante put his hand over his mouth to push down his laughter.

"You two wait," Radi said and then turned to the humans behind her. She spoke into the phone in her native demonic tongue, stood in silence for a few seconds, growled at it, and repeated her words. The speaker spat several phrases in Russian. The people glanced at Reyna and Dante, a few of them with smiles, before leaving.

"What did you tell them?" Dante asked.

"The truth." Radi sighed as she pocketed the cell by her flaming sword. Even though Reyna knew her sword only burned what Radi wanted it to burn, she winced.

"So what do you want from us?" she asked.

"Verden hoped to speak to you, Reyna. He desires to discuss when you may be able to help him tear the seal that surrounds the castle," Radi said.

Reyna sighed. Those words were enough to invite the fatigue from the past weeks. "You can't help him do that?"

"Those proficient in the summoning mahou are better suited for breaking seals." With that, Radi departed.

"She could've told us where to find him," Dante said.

"I know where he is."

He paused. "Oh yeah. You could probably sense where the bugs are too."

Reyna hit his chest with the back of her hand. "I'd go crazy if I sensed that too."

"At least it'll help me hide from you."

"As if you'd want to hide from me." She pulled on his shirt. "Come on. Let's find Verden." Maybe she could ask him to make her a cell phone too. One filled with fun apps and sporting a nice camera.

As they circled the castle to the front gates, a flair of memories fluttered through Reyna's mind of when she would walk this same path after a day's worth of harsh training. They were minus one person though. That was pushed to the side as she started to notice something. Only humans were outside. They roamed around like the cautious creatures they were--all dressed in clean clothes and new shoes too--but there was a hesitant comfort in the way they sat on the ground or leaned against the trees. The inside of a demon's castle was alien and distressing. Confining. But standing on land that housed grass and flowers, despite the strange sky above, was a familiar sight to them.

Verden was in the throne room, a destination that wasn't long from the entrance. As Reyna expected, the inside was mostly filled with demons. They appeared at home, and Reyna knew this came from Verden and Radi. Though their new world wouldn't be one ruled with hierarchy, it wasn't a notion that would topple overnight. The demons were molded under generations of royal order. Having a king and queen no longer at war with one another was a sign of normality to them, much so when staying in the castle of their previous ruler.

This segregation of demons and human didn't surprise Reyna, but what did was the sight of Anna with Radi. The little girl clung to a stuffed animal Reyna recognized. It was a little golden lion with a red handkerchief tied around its neck. She remembered when that plush sat on one of Gahn's shelves in his room. It felt so out of place in the jungle of books and paper, obviously something he took from the human world. Whenever Reyna would ask him about it, he'd smile, and a shadow of remorse would drape over his eyes.

"Reyna! Dante!" Anna's eyes brightened when she saw them.

Radi turned to see them too. She pushed a lock of her orange and yellow behind her ear and crossed her arms. Anna ran to them saying something in demonic Reyna had learned was the equivalent of yay! The little girl stumbled as she halted, and Reyna swore she saw Radi flinch. Anna paraded her toy, adorable growls rumbling in her throat. Reyna was surprised at the sound since she figured Anna had never seen a lion, much less knew the sound it made. Reyna suspected Radi had a hand with that.

"You should hurry to Verden. We all have much ahead of us. It is best to start now," Radi said to Reyna.

She was right. They were all on a path that had no end in sight and wouldn't for a long time.

Dante read her thoughts. "It's okay. Anna and me can play here, right?"

The little girl laughed, repeating one of the few English words she knew. "Play! Play!" She wiggled the lion in front of Dante's face and growled again.

He laughed and mimicked her roars as he swung her into his arms. Reyna sighed with content as she watched the two before going on her way to Verden. She still sensed him in the throne room, but he was now accompanied by a familiar essence. When Reyna opened the double doors, she was not surprised to see Mundus.

The room was huge and empty as it always had been the few times she was in it. The dust blanketing the stone floor promised a great shine once cleaned. The carved walkway that led to a grand set of stairs was a deep gray and filled with so much dirt Reyna couldn't tell what the designs were. There was only one seat on top of the platform, but instead of standing in the middle, it was off the left as if missing its partner.

Verden and Mundus were sitting at the bottom step caught up in a not so animated conversation. They looked like twin statues. One had his head hanging down, hair over a shoulder like he was trying to draw a curtain between him and his brother. The other stared straight ahead with one leg raised to nestle his right arm. Neither looked at Reyna, but she knew they had sensed her entrance.

"I'm sorry I interrupted. I can come back later," she said, her hand on the door.

"No. You are fine." Verden stood and beckoned her to come in.

Mundus was motionless.

She walked the lengthy pathway to the throne chair, her muffled footsteps the only sound in the room. After ten steps, she couldn't stand the silence anymore. "Radi told me you wanted to talk about dissolving the seal."

"Yes. How are you feeling? Do you think you can manage something like this? It's not something we're going to be able to do in one day."

She sighed. "I feel exhausted already."

He smiled. "Then I take it you can start helping me in a few hours."

She reached the base of the steps. "Sounds like fun, but I think the true question here is can you handle it? I saw all those new clothes everyone was wearing and the food they were eating." Now that she stood in front of him, Reyna saw how gravity was the only thing keeping him up. "Seriously, Verden. At least wait until tomorrow. I don't think it'd be good to have you fainting again."

Mundus chuckled but still kept his head bowed.

"I'm fine," Verden said.

"All I'm hearing is how much you want Ayame to yell at you," Reyna said.

Another chuckle from Mundus.

Verden released a drawn-out sigh. "Fine. Tomorrow. Find me as soon as you wake up. And, Reyna"--he tucked her hair behind her ears, his hands resting on her cheeks--"I'm proud of you."

She cupped her hands over his. "I'm proud of you, too, Verden."

He nodded before releasing her and exiting the room. Reyna was left alone with Mundus. The air told her there was something he wanted to say. She waited.

"I shall be leaving," Mundus said.

Maybe she had read the atmosphere wrong. "Oh. Okay. I'll walk with you."

"No." He at last faced her. "I tend to aide my brother the best I can in stabilizing this new world, but once I believe he is able to hold this burden, I shall leave."

She blinked. "You mean you're leaving as in going away from here."

"I have much to atone for and even more to ponder. I can not do that if I remain here."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

He lowered his gaze. "I do not know. My intention is to take on the pillar in my brother's place when he can no longer. However, given his stubbornness, I may have to pry it from him."

"You're pretty stubborn too, you know."

"Yes, I do."

She didn't expect that answer. A minute of silence passed before she asked her question. "But you're not leaving soon, right?"

"I doubt such." He stood. "But I will leave all the same."

Reyna chewed her lip. "Will you at least tell me goodbye when you do?"

His smile was soft. "Of course, Reyna."

She watched him walk down the stretch of floor. And she would remember when she'd see him leave again.     

Adorable Dante by the fabulous @LadyofthePond