My cheek was throbbing as fast as my heart was beating. Something wet tickled the top of my lip and wiping my nose with the back of my hand it was smeared with blood.

"Aw princess, that hurt?" Kara mocked, twirling her sword as she raised it towards me once again. "Need a tissue?"

"Bitch." I cursed, wiping it one more time before matching her sword with my own.

Her hair and eyes were wild, a soft red coloured her cheeks and already her lip was becoming swollen and bruised where it had met my fist. She spat blood, grinning red as I charged at her again.

"It's called revenge," She smirked. "Can't face the heat without your powers, can you?"

"I was fine before I got them," I grunted, her blade slicing my shirt and grazing my skin as I just missed the full hit.

She stumbled slightly, a tiny mistake, and for calling me princess, I took the shot. My palm hit up, catching her chin and snapping her head backwards, and this time she didn't just stumble, she fell onto her back with a yelp. I pounced, tasting blood from where my nose was still bleeding and my blade was hovering above her throat as I crouched over her.

"Take it back!" I shouted at her.

"No!" She laughed, "Do you want me to say, Queen instead? Huh, Queenie? You know what they say. If the crown fits!"

Her hands are on my ankles and with a grunt of effort, she manages to pull on them enough that I lose my balance. Falling to the left, I'm quick to kick as she springs up, tripping again, but she gets hold of her sword. On the floor, we spin around in the dirt and the clang of metal on metal rings out again and again. It's dirty, brutal and neither one of us is backing down. We've covered each other in scratches and cuts, yet there is not a clear winner.

"I prefer Goddess. Amazing One will also be sufficient." I taunt. "Perhaps your-"

I'm cut off as the earth trembles and begins to crack. Bits of fire shoot up and from the smoke, hands take shape to grab onto my legs.

"What the fuck?"

Kara looks rather pleased with herself and looking around, Deimos is just to the side of our training ground, concentrating on the space in front of me. In seconds I've sent a small ball of fire his way, weakening his hold as the earthquake stopped.

"Aw, poor little valkyrie needs the big bag power to save her?" I mock, and I spot the instant Kara sees red.

She charges forward letting out a loud battle cry as she does so. "I need no one to save me."

"Tell that to him." I managed to get out between breaths, fighting her and Deimos is tough and the new slice she delivers on my arm is instantly distracting.

"I didn't ask him to do it!" She huffs as we struggle on.

"What's the deal?" I ask, barely ducking in time as she pulled out a smaller dagger to try and hit me with. "You two a thing?"

"No! I don't, date, your kind."

"What's so bad about us? Take me for example, I'm a catch, you'd be lucky to get one of my kind!" Talking, fighting and blocking Deimos proves too much and this time, she has me down and a sword at my throat. "I think he likes you."

"There is more chance of you beating me than of me and him happening." She wipes the sweat of her brow. "And let's face it, that's never going to-"

I use my powers this time, moving to stand behind her. "You were saying?"

"That is cheating," Kara screams, slowly standing and turning around.

"Got powers, may as well use them." I shrug. "I am so done with today."

I drop my sword and stretch, wincing as each of those awkward cuts stings with the action. My arms and legs feel like jelly, and it takes a few seconds for my hands to unclench from how hard I'd been holding my weapon.

"You cheated. So by default, I won that." She stretches as I do, making the same faces. "You're getting even faster, by the way, I barely have time to think when we're into it."

"So are you. This week has been hectic, but worth it." We limp to where Deimos is waiting, and he shrugs as Kara points her finger at him.

"You looked like you could use some help."

"I don't need help." She snapped, walking right past him.

"That means thank you in Valkyrie." I tell him, patting his chest as I follow after her.

"You are all very strange creatures." He sighs, keeping pace. "You fight like you will kill each other, yet laugh while doing so."

"It's training, it's not real." Apollo appears in front of Kara, a second later her limp is gone and nothing but dirt and blood remain to show what just happened.

"Ready?" He asks.

"Yes!" The tingle of being healed is a welcomed relief. "Is that smell me, kara or you?"

"You. Kara? It's hard to tell. You both stink."

"I think that means-" Deimos mumbled under his breath, not finishing as I glared at him. "Nevermind."

He leaves us, catching up to Kara and the pair disappear.

"You don't need to keep doing this to yourself." Apollo starts, and I shake my head.

"I do. We do. I'm glad you feel ready for a fight, but I've been pretty chilled apart from the odd visitor. When we went up against Enyo, we got lucky. There were like five of us and it wasn't easy to take her down. Even the fire guy, we got lucky with him because of Deimos fucking with his head first. We have to be at our best, better than that."

"You are fully recovered from saving Zane. You have control of your powers now and are in the best shape I think I've ever seen you in." He compliments.

A second later we're at the bar, following Deimos and Kara to Eric who sits on a stool with his laptop.

"That was a good hit, despite him healing me, I still feel it in my neck and jaw." Kara groaned, before taking the seat next to Eric.

"Beat her?" He asked.

"She cheated." Kara huffed.

"I gotta go see Ailin in like twenty minutes," I ignore them. "Can I use your shower?"

"Why not just use your powers?" She snapped.

"You're a terrible loser, you know that right?" I tease her.

"Use mine," Eric offers. "I clean it more than she does hers and you left stuff in there already."

I cringe as he says that while looking at Apollo, who simply rolls his eyes in response.

"You do not! You're the messiest person I know!" Kara grumbles. "Um, aren't I paying you to work here? Why haven't you offered us drinks yet?"

"Because you closed the bar since it's now pre-war headquarters" He snaps back.

"To the public, not the rest of us."

"She's right, you really are a sore loser."

I leave them to it and hide out in the shower, enjoying the water and peace while I have it. By the time I'm finished, I'm late and appearing in Ailin's office she's on the floor in the lotus pose.

"You're late."

"I didn't want to shock you by turning up on time." I sit down in front of her, mimicking her position.

"How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly calm, and not just because my ankles are touching my knees."

"There is only so much you can do until you it's all you can do."

"That doesn't make sense, even for you." Ailin smirked. "I wanted to talk to you about when I go. Last time, things got a little crazy because the magic that powers the Treaty was gone."

"I've been thinking about this since it became obvious you would eventually leave."

"Oh great, cause I was totally out of ideas on what to do." I smile at her. "That's why you're the boss, right?"

"Apparently."

"So what's your solution?"

"I don't really have one, Hunter."

"What?" Did I hear her right? "Are you kidding?"

"No. I need someone like you I guess, someone else to keep it powered up." She sighs.

"Would be helpful, but we're all going. I wouldn't even know how to transfer it over if we did have someone."

"Obviously." Ailin stretched her arms up, twisting her wrists before they settled onto her knees. "So, I have the fae and the witches already gathering to combine their powers into magic we can use to keep things under control. Just, make sure you come back. It won't be a long term solution."

"You said you didn't have a plan?"

"It's not foolproof or tested and not much of a plan. It's all we have though." She unfolded her legs, slowly standing and held her hands out, helped me stand. "You will come back, won't you?"

"I plan to."

"You don't make plans, Hunter. It's what do you say, part of your charm?"

We hug and I don't want to let her go. "Thank you Ailin. For everything."

"Do not make this sound like a goodbye, it is not something I am willing to consider." We parted and she moved to sit behind her desk. "When do you leave?"

"I'm not sure. I can't get Art to talk about Hermes or to work out how to get our own portal over." I frown. "I'm going to hit Dorian up when I leave for obvious reasons."

"Keep me posted."

"Of course." I leave her, appearing in another office. Sitting on the desk beside his computer, he barely looks up at me. "Hey, you!"

"I knew you'd come." He grumbled. So much for just saying hello.

"You've been so busy, I feel like we never talk anymore." I sigh, picking up a folder from his desk. I hoped it was full of interesting things, spells maybe, something other than the graphs and charts it contained.

"We never talked to start with, and if not for my daughter or the fact I am still waiting for him to find out we're gone, so I can sell you out to save my own ass, I am not exactly eager to keep any conversation with you going for long." He mumbled, still typing furiously.

"I thought we were friends, but at least you're being honest."

"We are friends. I'm kidding. If I did do that I'm not sure who I'd be more scared off. We're friends, so long as it doesn't cost me my life." He stopped, rubbing his eyes before looking at me. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Are you actually working or just like to look busy?"

"Working, have you never heard of Dorian? The mining company?" This actually seems to amaze him.

"No?"

"Look it up sometime, it might convince you I do in fact, work. Why are you here Elise?" He sits back in his chair and picks up his cup of coffee. "Instincts tell me it isn't just to say hi as this is the first time I've seen you since I went back to my everyday life.'

I wait until he finishes drinking before dropping my bombshell on him.

"Cain knows we've gone." He drops the cup on the desk, clearly not quite finished as he chokes and coughs, nearly falling off his chair. "But it's fine. I think. Relax."

"What?" He finally gasps.

"He had to have caught up with Aion, and he told him, so then Cain came to see me. This was a couple of weeks ago now, three maybe? I have no sense of time at the moment. Just, don't worry." I assure him.

"How can I not, you speak with so much confidence it doesn't exactly put me at ease!" I watch as he wipes his mouth and the desk where some of the coffee spilt. "And you're just coming to tell me about this now?"

"I've been busy. Sorry, and well, I do need one tiny little thing from you now," Landorian struggles to sit back in his chair, his hands tremble as he closes the laptop, reopens it, and then closes it again. "I need a portal. Into that world. Can you help? Please?"

He looks at me, at the laptop, and then stands, moving to look out the window at the city below.

"Elise, I can't. What if-"

"Don't worry about him." I move to stand beside him. "I got us out of one mess, and I promise, I'll keep you out of this one."

"I can't just open a portal there. It's not that simple. I'm not like Hermes or Aion, even you. I practice magic, I don't have the same kind of powers." He turns to face me. "Why would you even want to go?"

"Eris took some of my friends. I can't ignore it anymore, and I'm hoping I can talk some sense into Cain." I admit.

"Your friends are probably dead and well, since we aren't, as well considering whatever is going on with you two, maybe you can do just that." Landorian looked up at the moon, frowning as he did so. "Balance. Timing. I thought it was interesting then, but I see it clearer now. This is what they were telling us. This is your turning point. Those cards I drew for you., do you remember? The Wheel of Fortune was in your present, here and now."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I hadn't paid any attention at the time or thought about it much since.

"Life is always filled with ups and downs, it's a cycle. Like a wheel it turns. Nothing is forever. It can all change in an instant. Forces out of our control are at work, they're unavoidable, as I'm sure you can understand. Your future? Strength. It's a card of bravery, compassion, of finding out just how strong you are. Together, it does suggest a positive outcome for you, thought at what cost?" A deck appeared in his hands, different to those. "Shall we see if they draw the same?"

"I think once was enough."

Landorian doesn't listen, shuffling the deck before spreading them out on his desk.

"You pick this time. Place them as I had, one, two, three." He instructions, biting his fingernail as he watched and waited for me to do as he wanted. "Go. They're just cards."

"Fine." I do as he wants and put them in order. "They're the same?"

Sure enough, The Tower is in my past, Wheel of Fortune in present and Strength in the future.

"Good thing that wheel hasn't turned just yet." He mused. The deck vanished. "There is something I can do. Maybe. I need some time."

"How much?"

"I'll let you know." Holding out his hand, a tiny hourglass appeared. "Aion gave me this, a way to summon him should we ever need his talents. It's the sand of time, or so he said. You need a way in, he'd be able to give it."

My stomach sunk.

"What if he, Cain might have-" I wasn't sure what to say.

"Doesn't matter. In some ways, Aion is beyond immortal. He is timeless. Maybe he had his own doubts over the future and gave me this to ensure he wouldn't be meeting his end any time soon." Landorian let me hold it. "Honestly, I was saving it for a rainy day. I am sure it was intended for you, more than I so this seems necessary."

"You can summon him, from anywhere, dead or alive?" I put it on the desk, scared I'd do something to damage it.

"Yes." He answered like it was the most normal thing to be discussing. These days I wasn't sure what was normal.

"Well, thanks for not holding out on me."

"If it ensures I am not meeting a similar fate to our friend, then I am happy to assist."

Everything was starting to line up. "Thanks all the same."

"I'll be in touch. Do you mind?" He shooed me away from the desk and I left him to it.

"Took your time?" Kara greets me as I return to the bar.

"Performing miracles isn't as easy as beating you."

"Hahaha. Hilarious Queenie. So, what's the latest?" She sat up off the lounge, looking as serious as ever.

"The Magician is working on getting us a way over."

"He is? Just like that?" Kara laughed. "I don't know how you do it, Ellie. I really don't."

I flopped down beside her. "I'm actually freaking out a bit."

"If you weren't, I would be very worried. We'll get through this, whatever it is. I'll be there with you, we all will. You aren't doing this alone."

"Thank you, it's just-"

"Ah, Elise! Get out here now!" Eric's panicked voice had us both up and looking down towards the bar, it was hard to miss what had him so scared.

In an instant I'm down there, hands raised slightly as a pink tongue flicked in and out in front of me.

"Alfie!" I felt the tears coming, unable to breathe I reached for him yet he coiled backwards, partly hissing as he did so. "It's me, Alfie, I'm here. It's Elise."

"My Elissse." He rumbled, leaning in closer.

The second I touched him, I felt the muscles under my hand twitch and relax. He softened, lowering his head so we were at the same height and forehead to forehead I closed my eyes as the tears came.

"I missed you, so so much." His tail came to curl around my legs and I hugged him as best I could. His skin was new, shimmering in the light as if he had been oiled up for this occasion. "Oh, Alfie."

"Sssorry Elisse. Alfie comes home now." He nudged me all over before letting me rub under his chin. "My Elisse"

"Alfie?" I hear Apollo say behind us. "He's okay?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" Kara asked.

"I haven't seen him since we got back. I've been too scared to ask where he was." He admitted.

"He's back now, that's all that matters." I'm not sure who I'm talking to when I say it.

"Great timing." Artemis sighs. "The Valkyrie are ready. The armour has been made, weapons have been assigned."

"Alfie, I don't even know where to begin," I whisper, instantly feeling a part of me I'd been missing returning. Our connection clicked back into place, and I felt like I could breath easier. "I am sorry I wasn't around. I'm sorry for everything that happened. I'm sorry you've come back now when it could all happen again. You can stay, Alfie. Stay with Old Bloods. Annipe and Same Blood too."

Even as I said it I selfishly knew I needed him with me. In battle, he was like an extra limb, the one thing I could count on without any doubt to have my back. He'd been there through it all. The fights, the tears, the recovery, the hours I'd spent rambling about every detail in my life I could never say to anyone. It hit me now just how much I had truly missed him.

"Alfie comes. Alfie stays with my Elise." He insisted.

The others talk about where we're at. What is ready, what we still need to do. I can't leave Alfie, sitting with him away from them. I just got him back, I wasn't ready to let him leave my sight. Eventually, Kara comes to get me, so leaving Alfie with some brown bubble water, I reluctantly rejoin the group.

"I'll take a few of the girls to see the other Valkyrie. If we can get them on our side, we will have an army. Depending on the status of Odin, and who is left in charge, I think we can do it." Kara declares, pointing at the map they'd set up on the wall.

"What numbers are you talking?" Artemis asks.

"Two hundred at least."

I look at their maps and plans, not really understanding any of it. I'd missed too much. From what they said now, the pink pegs were the groups of back up they were setting up around the kingdom. Apollo and Artemis explained the different ways in. The bulk of it seemed to involve ambushing the castle, and Artemis and Kara discussed different methods of attack.

"Everything always ends there, on the battlefield." Apollo pointed it out.

"Maybe we can avoid that. If we can get them into the main hall, defend ourselves and declare new ownership, their army should stand down." Artemis wondered, moving a few pegs around. "We might have the numbers to defeat them. The genie will help, the Oni, can you ask them Elise?"

All eyes turn to me.

"What if it doesn't have to come to that?" I ask.

"This is just in case it does," Kara assures me. "Plan B."

"Did I miss Plan A?" Deimos frowned.

"Elise wants a chance to talk it out, meet with Cain and-" She starts to explain.

"If you think that will work, you're just as insane as he is!" Artemis is the first to react. "You told me what happened! Do you really want to turn up, a challenge in itself, and expect this to end peacefully?"

"He listened and helped her at the hospital, saved that Slayer." Deimos answered thoughtfully. "If we can get her to him, privately, without an audience how Eris would be expecting, it may work?"

"She would be glued to his side, waiting for us." Apollo sighed. "To separate them would be a task in itself."

"But worth trying?" Kara adds.

"If we are even considering that we have to make sure Apollo and I aren't there, at least not noticed. It would only make things worse." Artemis calmed slightly. "We'd need to work out a whole new approach."

"He didn't seem too bothered you were here. If he was hating you as much as you say, maybe he's over it. Wouldn't I dunno, he have come back or sent someone by now to finish you off?" I shrug. "Maybe he's over that tantrum?"

"I don't know, but the three of us turning up together could undo all of that." She looked to Apollo. "Especially if you decide to open your stupid mouth again."

He said nothing, yet there was an unmissable blush appearing on his cheeks as he looked down at his hands. I thought about what happened at the hospital, and maybe Cain wasn't completely over it as he accused Zane's state to be part of Artemis's plan to trap him. The rift between the siblings was not going to be easily fixed, yet what had caused it exactly since he seemed so sure they were out to get him.

"Again?" I wasn't sure what I was missing right now, but Artemis seemed to know.

Artemis looks between us, her eyes narrowing on her twin as she frowned. "It's all been said has it? You've all had a talk?"

"Most of it has been," He sulked, shaking his head. "It's irrelevant."

"Idiots. My mother was incapable of birthing smart boys. I must have received all the brains for both of you!" She huffed.

"What are you rambling about?" Kara asked impatiently.

"This fool prefers to speak before thinking. Should I tell them or will you? I couldn't shut you up at the time, though you seem rather quiet now?"

"Art-" Apollo groans.

My mind raced as a new flurry of anxiety swirled around my stomach. Alfie came sliding over then; his head in my lap kept me seated, and idly I stroked between his eyes.

"What did you do?" I ask him.

"I didn't plan for it to happen. I had just got home. I was upset you hadn't joined me, the breakup, all of it. " He sighed. "I was angry. Hurt. I blamed him for it because anytime our world was mentioned or when you talked about him, you got this, look. Cain was the same. He was gone, but it still felt like he was always there and well, the first couple of times I went back, I said things. About us, you, what you think or say about him. That's how it started."

"What?"

"It was stupid. I know. I was hurt and jealous. Not my proudest moment that's for sure." Apollo stopped, glancing at Artemis who only glared at him. "So when we were over, I don't even know what he said or did, but we got into it. I had enough of always feeling like I was competing with him. We avoided each other after that, but it was enough for Eris to use. Hades was next, and after he left Portia stepped in, but he wasn't listening. I hurt him, he was angry too. Plus everything else."

"Elise," Kara put her hand on my shoulder as I stared at Aflie.

I wasn't sure what to say.

"I tried so hard to make sure you knew how stupid your doubts about me, about us, were. I chose you. I was with you." I finally told him.

"I know!" He hung his head, looking away from us.

"It was never going to matter what I did. You weren't ever going to trust me, trust my love because of your own fucking jealously. You broke us. You did it to yourself. It wasn't his fault, or mine." I spoke slowly, each word vibrating with the anger and hurt thinking of it all brought back. "I don't even know what to say."

"I know. I know!" Apollo groaned. "Trust me, I've had a lot of time to think it over. If I could go back I'd be doing a lot of things differently."

"You and me both."

"I'm sorry." He meant it, I know he did but it didn't matter what he said now.

It was too late.

"Doesn't matter. It's done isn't it," I wasn't sure what any of this meant. "So, I'm going in, alone, to try and talk out some kind of way to end it as well as get Matt and the girls back. If that all goes to shit, we go to war."

"When you say it like, it sounds so simple." Kara let out a big breath.

"It will be." I'm not sure how I manage to sound so certain. "It has to be."

"So you're mostly planning to just walk in there, clear up a few misunderstandings and hope he will then just do what you want?" Deimos taunted.

"Is that how it went with Zane?" Artemis wondered, I was unsure if she was being sarcastic. "You just asked Cain to save him?"

"I made him an offer, and he accepted. Zane was his friend too, it wasn't hard." I stop patting Alfie. "I'll think of something and hopefully do it again. I mean, if I can talk to him, and he listens, maybe we can call a truce?"

"Just like that?" Apollo frowns, shutting up quickly as we all turn to glare at him.

"He did banish you to another era, did he not?" Deimos adds.

"With the intention to kill me, but he didn't. You two are still alive, so think about it. If he wanted any of us dead, don't you think we would be? He's had more than enough opportunity and that says plenty."

"You know we were hunted. We've spent months hiding and running. I got lucky, Apollo did not." Artemis snapped. "Do you forget that?"

"I'm not saying he's innocent, I'm saying there's a chance we can get out of this and end the war," I hesitated. "I think it's more Eris than Cain. He seemed confused both times I talked about those that have come here after me and said he never sent anyone. You two were banished, not to return. Those following you could be no different than my visitors, sent by her to finish the job."

Everyone seemed to think this over, especially the twins.

"That makes sense." Artemis slowly agreed a few minutes later.

"Okay, so it seems you could be onto something. But what if we can't get him alone, without Eris or anyone around to see you?" Kara asks.

"Um, well. I don't know yet."

"Eris likes to play games. She probably thinks she's winning right now." Deimos speaks up.

"Never mind how many of her friends are now dead," I mumble.

"She doesn't have friends. She is too selfish and only surrounds herself with those she can either control, manipulate or use to her advantage. Those that follow her are the outsiders, the ones no one can accept or want around. Even the darkest of minds and hearts feel lonely, we can all want to feel accepted sometimes." He frowns, his gaze drifting for a second before he continues. "Her eyes seem to be set on the crown, I'd hate to see her ever get her hands onto it. If he isn't part of her plans, and just like us, even Cain could be in danger. I've seen it before."

Artemis nodded along.

"I don't think he is. He knew who she was and never hid or denied it to anyone. Aphrodite once hung around with a few associates of hers, and I know before Zeus banished him, he had been in that gang at some point. We've heard the stories, we tried for his sake to believe she had changed as we thought he had. I hope it is only us she has fooled." Apollo went to say something, before shaking his head, choosing then to leave. He stepped over Alfie and stomping down the stairs before disappearing. "I'll give him a minute, and then go find him."

"Don't rush," Kara mumbled. "When does the Magician think he will have our way there sorted?"

"He didn't say. There isn't anything we can do until then, so I'm going home for dinner, and on to Raya's," I nudge Alfie, smiling. "Olivia is going to be so happy to see you, big guy!"

His tail twitched with excitement and with our meeting over, we went back home. Dinner was easy and fun, the energy Alfie brought back into the house felt by all of us - even as he and Annipe fought for control over the TV remote. Since he didn't have that issue at Raya's we left early and with Olivia nestled within his coiled body, he zoned out in front of the Kardashians while Raya and I split a bottle of wine.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Raya sighed.

"Do I ever?"

She laughed. "Good point. Penny will find you and kill you all over again if you let anything happen to you before you're Maid of Honour."

"Hopefully I'll be back before she's even decided on flowers or cake or whatever else people get for these things. You have all bank cards and account details right?"

"I do. She won't want to take it. You know she's too proud for that."

I shrugged. Thanks to my inheritance from Cain or as he was known then, Leo - plus my own family money, I had way more than I was comfortable with. Passing a large chunk of it that I didn't need to my friends and charities had been one of my final tasks before leaving.

Just in case.

"Her Dad still won't talk to her and I know what she had was getting less and less. Colton isn't from a family like ours, so this will help them. Tell her she can buy shoes with it all, I don't care."

It was then Raya tensed, slowly putting down her wine glass as she stared behind me.

"Ah, friends of yours?"

Turning I frowned and outside the glass door, Dorian and Aion waved back. They looked nervous, like kids being caught sneaking out.

"Shit."

"Who are they?" She asked hesitantly. "They look like door to door salesmen."

"Close enough. They're our way to the other world. It's time."