Are you ready for it?

The Final Part in the Hunter Series starts... now.

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Rain came down in heavy, torrential waves leaving a flood of water everywhere I looked. I hadn't known this kind of weather would ever happen here, but of course it had to rain and storms were only natural even in this world so alike yet different to the Earth I came from. Biology lesson aside, I felt like I'd spent lifetimes in this realm and had only known freakishly perfect weather. Considering I was standing beside the man my world referred to as an ancient Greek god - the god of light to be specific, and only months ago I'd been kidnapped by the god of fucking thunder obviously things wouldn't work the same as they did back home. As if thinking about Thor summoned him, lightning zig zagged across the sky, and the deafening clap of thunder that followed seconds after sent Blueberry into a spin as I nearly jumped out of my skin completely.

"Scared you too little one?" I lazily rubbed my stomach, and was instantly rewarded as he moved beneath my hand. I felt Apollo watching and the usual look of curiosity and fear on his face. "Want to feel him?"

"I don't know if," He hesitates as more thunder silences him and so I grab his hand and bring it the rest of the way to make the decision for him. Blueberry jumps again. "Oh, he's really moving around in there."

We end up moving to sit in silence after that, watching the storm unfold from the sheltered balcony. Apollo got us a blanket as I inched closer to him, the large daybed feeling too big as the wind roared around us and the temperature seemed quick to drop even lower. Storms had never bothered me, but this, something about all of it felt off. Maybe because my best friends were out there with my boyfriend, and each time the clouds lit up I was certain I saw shadows moving within them. It was only yesterday that Apollo had nearly been killed by Oizy, a psychotic goddess who drove people to despair by crushing their mental health with her toxicity and depression-inducing lack of fashion sense.

I made that last part up, but she wasn't great to have around and you don't try to kill my friends.

"Your anxiety is making me anxious." Apollo sighed, putting an arm over my shoulders as he pulled me closer. "They're fine. It's just weather."

"My bad. I forgot the Furies melt if they get wet. Guess we're all good so long as it stays this way."

He groans, shaking his head. "I think that only works on the Wicked Witch of the West."

"She's real?" I can't hide my surprise at that and sit up to look at him better. "Wait. You're joking?"

"Yeah, just a joke."

After all I'd discovered and been through, the fact that witch existed shouldn't actually surprise me. I have spent my life as a Hunter, being raised to hunt down the supernatural creatures that did the wrong things by an ancient set of laws we were all governed by. I thought I had seen and knew it all, from shifters, vampires and a large assortment of demons, but then the gods or powers as they're called here entered the picture and I still feel like I know nothing at all. It wouldn't be the first time they let me think a storybook creature existed when it didn't, but after meeting Medusa and seeing her own personal cave of wonders, nothing was impossible anymore.

"You're a joke." I mumble, pulling the blanket up higher as I settle in again only to catch him rolling his eyes.

"Real mature, Bunny." He huffs back.

"Says the one who got drunk in town and nearly died last night." I snap, harsher than I intended to be.

"Pot, kettle black? You've been in similar situations a hundred times before, in fact you did die!"

"I was sacrificed. It's different."

"How so?"

"If I have to explain it, then it defeats the point of my argument and I will not stoop to your level." I decide.

"That makes no sense, and are you implying I'm stupid?" I merely shrug making Apollo groan as he gets up, letting a rush of cold air in under my blanket that has me quickly fumbling to wrap myself up tighter with it. "So sitting here being miserable is your plan for the rest of the day?"

"Pretty much. Everyone's out, whatevering, and it's raining?"

I was no weather expert, but this was the kind of storm you didn't willingly go out in. No umbrella in the world would hold up against this wind and so many of the paths were flooding. Kara had wondered if some little weather boy band called the Anemoi decided to get in on the lets attack Olympus bandwagon but the rest put it down to just bad weather. Since she said it, and after Oizys attack on Apollo, no one wanted to risk leaving it to fate to see what would happen next. Apollo nearly died last night so he got put on babysitting duties as I'm pregnant and things are tense so I don't need to be out with a giant target on my pregnant back. Did I mention I was pregnant?

"And?" Apollo didn't look impressed.

"And, cold." I hug the blanket. "And I promised to sit tight while they made sure it was a natural phenomenon and not more Team Fury visitors."

Plus I was tired, a little sore and more than happy to take the afternoon off to sit in my cocoon of warmth and comfort. I didn't need the million reminders a day that I was knocked up, my body was perfectly capable of reminding me of that fact even more than my well meaning, micromanaging, often infuriating team of friends. The only thing missing was a hot chocolate and maybe one or three doughnuts - I grinned up at Apollo as I got my treats together and offered him a cup while patting the now empty space beside me.

"No marshmallows?" He pouted, taking it as he sat back down and sure enough, two blobs of white appeared. "Better. This feels more like a pity party than you staying back while they all go patrol."

"Honestly, and I'll only ever admit this once, I feel pregnant today and after last night, I don't feel like going on another adventure." One of Circe's lions comes out to join us, his giant bulk stretching out across any remaining space including the area around my feet. "Hey Jason."

"That's not Jason." Apollo sighs as the lion lifts his head to snarl at me; he doesn't mean it viciously, and I know it's Odysseus from the black streak in his mane. I just enjoy annoying them. A large paw settles on my leg and Apollo pushes it off. "No touching."

"Ignore him Ody, doughnut?" I offer him one and it's gone in a single lick. "Do you think they're okay? I didn't expect them to be gone this long."

They'd set off before breakfast, planning a patrol around the whole region that saw them split up into groups of two. The darkness made it hard to keep track of time, and while I was positive Kara's instinct was off, I was starting to worry. The Furies had managed to team up with their creator - Uranus, and their power up from this was not what I would call keeping things in balance which is what Themis had declared when she gave superpowers to my practically a brother, Zane. Not only that, what was typically one third of the Fates, managed to inherit all of their power and was team Asshole as well. I didn't want to know what Nieve was capable of or plotting, but she had to be stopped.

"There is a lot of land to cover. Maybe they got lucky and found some info on the Furies while they were gone?" Apollo pushes Odysseus away again as he makes a move for the cup of hot chocolate. "Or you know, are now all trapped in some hellish dungeon waiting for you to rescue them?"

Odysseus yawn roared and shaking his head before setting his sight on Apollo with an unmissable, don't even fucking think it, look on his face that I had to agree with.

"You're not funny. And Ody thinks you're an idiot. Isn't that right?" I pat his paw that's back on my legs, earning a nod in response. "Tell you what though, I miss the days when getting kidnapped by psychotic shifters was all I had to worry about."

"Don't we all?" Cain agreed, casually walking around the furniture to stand in front of us.

"Considering that most of that was your fault, you're not allowed to joke about it yet." Dumping my treats I fight to get up while trying to stay under the blanket, and not trip over a lion combined with the general awkwardness of moving with my stomach feeling the size of whatever large fruit or vegetable Blueberry now was at.

"Not exactly my fault." His hands were firm yet gentle on my arms as he helped me get off the bed without falling on my ass or face, managing to stay balanced as I then threw myself at him as if he'd gone for days not hours. "And I was referring to the part where Apollo is an idiot."

"Of course you were." Apollo grumbled. "So, how did it go?"

"Just weather, the others are starting to return in the main hall. Why is there a lion here?" Cain looked at the animal with clear disapproval, something they both seemed able to agree on as Apollo mimicked the look as he got up.

"Apparently they don't know boundaries." That earned a snarl as the animal sat up. "Plus she fed it."

Apparently the look of disapproval was hereditary on their mothers side as they both wore identical expressions. I could practically hear them thinking, 'for fucks sake Elise' in unison too.

"Why are you all looking at me like I fed him a body? It was one doughnut."

The large head bumped into my back - at least someone was on my side, and while Cain tried to push it away, I dropped an arm over his shoulders and gave his mane a rub, before scratching behind his ear earning a loud rumble of purrs to start.

"Might have new competition there, brother. I'll leave you three to it." Apollo winked, disappearing a second later.

"Why did he make that sound so creepy?"

Cain gave me a tiny smile that didn't last. "Nothing. Just remember they're not overgrown house pets or a replacement for Alfie. These were once warriors, powerful men that chose to be this way for the sake of Circe and her nymphs."

He looked at me expectantly as slowly my brain worked out the point they were making which did not impress me. I was only being nice, and had maybe forgotten the true reality of the lions that now resided in the castle. Slowly, I stopped scratching his ear and stepped away, an annoyed huff leaving the beast as he glared at Cain before hopping down and sauntering back inside.

"Please tell me that wasn't some weird kind of foreplay?" I frowned.

"No idea, but you can rub behind my ears anytime to find out." He dipped his head low as he talked, kissing my neck, my cheek and then my lips before pausing as he gave a less subtle tug on my blanket. "Why are you wrapped up like a burrito?"

"A better question would be why do you smell so damn good all the time?"

"Better than the lions?"

"Hm, I've never really thought about sniffing them this close." I admit, freeing my arms and releasing the blanket which gathered between us around my hips as I wrapped myself around him. "Good thing you came back when you did."

"I can tell, and as much as I want to do plenty of other things with you right now," I don't need to see his face to know he's frowning. With a sigh I cut him off from whatever other, less desirable things he had in mind.

"Time to regroup with the rest of the Scooby gang to compare notes, insults and start an argument or three or still do those other things just in a shorter time span?"

Cain smirked as I looked up hopefully at him, completely ditching the blanket now as I knew other ways to keep warm that I hoped he might be interested in before any of that happened because I wasn't in the mood to deal with any of it.

"Not quite."

"Have something else in mind?" I grinned yet I felt the mood shift as the thunder returned; not ominous at all. "What happened?"

It wasn't just a change between us, but the whole area. Looking around, I stayed close against Cain but had no idea where we were. It was some kind of wooden room, or maybe a hut but all that really the biggest difference was how cold it was here, different to where we'd come from. Back there it had been wet, windy and expected considering the weather. It was freezing here, like snow was coming or had just happened and the stark white world shifted into clearer focus as I looked out the window. Yup, snow. Instinctively I shivered, hugging myself as the memories of blindly searching for Zane in a blizzard came to the front of my mind which had my heart racing.

"Where are we?" I ask, trying not to dwell on the thought as I feel a little faint. I didn't need to get lost to a panic attack right now.

As if sensing my state of mind, Cain is once again surrounding me - bringing me close against him and I happily snuggle closer. Forcing myself to calm down, I took a few deep breaths. There was an odd earthy, damp smell in here that I didn't like, and the longer I stood with Cain the warmer it seemed to become. There was no furniture, just dusty windows and an old black doormat by the door. The sight of the locks, chains and metal bars crisscrossed on the panel was alarming and nothing about this place screamed cozy little love den for two.

"Kara was right. This isn't natural weather." He starts

"Fuck." There was going to be no living with her now, and I wasn't sure I wanted to hear any more.

"But not for the reasons she thinks."

"So it's not the weather trio?"

"Different trio. I came across an old acquaintance, Eirene, who is one of the three last Horae."

I groan. Cain using the term old acquaintance rarely worked out well. He was a whole level above me when it came to pissing off the people he came across. I still couldn't look at the ocean like I did before becoming a damn mermaid because of someone from his past and there was the whole Dracula issue, Hercules and not forgetting Sobek-Ra.

"Why is it always three?" I mumble, starting to lightly bang my head on his chest. "And who are they? Please tell me not another long lost fairytale and while the Furies are the monsters under your bed, they're in the cupboard with Fate lurking in the shadows?"

"Oh, you've heard of them then?" He sounded surprised, but more amused which only pissed me off. Not the time to be making jokes, and this was a little more serious sounding than the wicked witch of the west.

"Jerk, of course I haven't. I wouldn't even have known as much about Thor as I do if not for Chris Hemsworth, and don't even get me started on Hercules. My war on Disney will have to wait with that one. I'm still annoyed that Hades hair isn't a flaming blue mess. So who are they?"

"Nothing bad. I am hoping there might be a chance for new allies, and that's something we can't ignore right now. Granted, there used to be a lot more of them, but they've faced their own tragedies over the centuries. The Horae is said to control the seasons, time and stability of justice. Eirene is said to represent peace."

"Now I know you're joking." We didn't get that lucky. Ever. "You're telling me, a goddess of peace has come with this kind of insane weather after Oizys attack last night and what, wants to talk?"

"Her timing is a coincidence, probably but it's hard to tell with ones like her. I have heard some rumors claiming her ancestry is linked to Themis and I think that could be why she's here. Not Oizy."

My stomach sank, as a new fear took over. "Zane?"

"I don't think so." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "She didn't mention it anyway, but it may be why she wanted to talk to you with the guardian claim."

"Wait. You've talked to her?"

"Yes and there are a few things I need to tell you before she gets here."

I just looked at him for a second, not sure what to think about any of it. "If you tell me to be nice to her and not myself, I will punch you."

"I'd hope so." He agreed easily.

"And coming out to this place, to see an acquaintance of yours, is something you think of as a good idea?"

"She is exactly as she appears. Eirene truly stands for peace, I met her a very long time ago and-."

"Like Chrysaor? Cause that worked out well."

"Technically it did work out just fine, though not entirely to plan and by being yourself, you have Medusa as your ally, and carry a sword she gifted you." He pointed out. "That has never happened in history. Ever."

"Luckily otherwise we'd both likely be dead already!" I snap.

"Your concerns are all valid, but Elle, my love, please trust me on this."

I wanted to. "Apollo nearly died last night."

"I know."

"Everything is a mess right now and hiding in tiny huts in a blizzard hardly seems like a normal way to go about things." I sighed. "But I do trust you. If she licks me, attempts to turn me into another species or speaks in riddles, I'm leaving. What do I need to know about her?"

"Two things. She knew me as-"

I sensed this new power's presence a second before she arrived, spinning around in time to see her appear by the doorway. It didn't give Cain a chance to finish filling me in. The locks and bars looked even more intimidating than they did a second ago as the hut began to feel too small for the three of us, mostly because I almost expected her bright blue hair to burst in flames, Disney Hades style, any second. I managed to keep my mouth shut and those thoughts to myself.

"Greetings to you again, Leander."

I looked over my shoulder at Cain as he moved to stand beside me and mouthed, 'Leander?'

"You're early." He greeted with none of his usual malice..

"I am aware, dearest." She smiled, and glancing back up at him, he caught my eye and grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze. Random name, okay. Calling him dearest - well all of this was going to need some explaining. "I was just too excited to meet this, Empress."

There was some emphasis on the word this, and I looked at her cautiously. "Well here I am. Eirene I assume?"

Eirene moved in a confident, yet graceful manner. She was taller than me, and even Cain tilted his head up just a touch as she came closer to us. Like most powers, she was beautiful yet not in the more common sense like Aphrodite and the others. Her nose seemed too small for her face, and large, wide blue eyes reminded me of Penny. Everything about her was interesting, and I had to fight the urge just to stare at her to take it all in. She moved like water, her arm flowing out towards me before she pulled her hand back to cover her mouth as she giggled.

"I forget we do not know each other. I feel as if we have already met!" Oh gods, she had to be part fae or have something to do with them. Her voice became even more sing-song, the goodness pouring off like a sickly sweet perfume. "Hecate sings you nothing but praises and oh the stories I have heard."

Say what now? "Hecate?"

"Never mind. Tell me more about this little one." Chairs, a coffee table and snacks appeared; a small forest taking over the barren, freezing hut I wasn't sure we were even still in. "It has been so long since we had something to celebrate. I mean, the death of Zeus was one matter, but this is another entirely! What is it you are calling him?"

I followed her gaze down to my stomach, before looking around us cautiously as if something might just jump out from behind the trees or drop out of the sky. It started to get hot too.

"Blueberry." I mumbled, sitting beside her awkwardly as I looked at Cain for an explanation but got the distinct impression from him I was supposed to just roll with it.

"Of course dearest, and the baby." She reaches for a small bowl of fruit, full of blueberries and hands it to me. "His name is to be?

"We have yet to decide on a name." Cain answers, failing to hide his amusement as he takes the bowl off me and then chooses to sit on the floor opposite us. "We call him blueberry in affection, for he was that size when Elise found out she was pregnant."

Eirene clapped her hands excitedly, and tiny little flowers sprung up on the table wherever there was space and all around us on the chair. Suddenly she was wiping away tears, and looking at me as if I was her long lost puppy she just got back as I had to take off my jacket. The blizzard had just turned into the tropics.

"Beautiful! What a moment that must have been for you both!"

"Oh it was something." I take the tea she hands me, purposefully avoiding looking at Cain.

"Indeed." Cain agreed in a similar way.

"I'm sorry about all of this, dearest Empress. I don't do well in crowds as Leander will account for. Awfully jumpy in new places, having been killed seventy or so times by now." She rambles casually. "Just the other day, I was walking through the Crossroads with Medea, and she was recounting a tale of her cousin, Circe. Sensitive subject and I am not a gossip! Then she says the ocean nymph has found herself a new old home as she is no longer banished, with thanks to the Empress."

Did she know something about Circe?

"That's right, do you know her?" I ask curiously.

"Not directly, but as with anyone who makes waves, their names are bound to wash up to your shore at some point in time." Eirene smiles. "It made my heart sing to hear she'd found her way home. Bad things so often happen to good people."

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, hating that even for a second I had doubted my friend. "So, is this just to meet me, or is there a reason for your visit? I know the Crossroads, perhaps you could take us there if you're uncomfortable being here."

And you know, let me see Hecate. Gaia - anyone really that could help us out.

"I suppose this is a little odd of me to come and see you, both of you, considering. I did have my sisters hide my movements with their delightful seasonal switch. No one likes to go out in the rain, or the snow except this one managed to find me anyway. Again. Clever Emperor." She sighed, glancing at Cain a little wistfully for my liking. "It has been a long time since our paths crossed, and the timing is not lost on me just as Medea retold Circe's story."

"How did you two meet?" I had a distinct feeling she wanted me to ask; goddess of peace my ass, but I was going to do it anyway because I was curious.

Cain had never got around telling me those two things I needed to know prior to meeting her. Looking at him now, he seemed eager to look anywhere other than at me, while picking at some of the food on the table. Eirene didn't seem to have any issues looking at me, or him, and I had a feeling I knew exactly where this would be going.

"It was in your realm, a long time ago now. I was younger then, of course, and it was the first time I'd been murdered. He helped me, and Portia. She was still shaking off the pain death brings so many when it occurs. That poor girl." She sighed sadly, a new stream of tears rolling down her cheeks. "I understood her in my own way, you see my sisters thought I was lost to them and there were still twelve of us in those days. Leander found me, similarly to how he found her."

"Did he, so are you an oracle too?" I wonder, yet Cain shakes his head and so does Eirene. "Wait, murdered?"

I doubt it was a coincidence that Cain found Eirene, injured and in need of help with Portia in tow. Nothing I'd heard about them back in those days would let me believe it was all done out of the kindness of their hearts.

"No, I am not an oracle. What a curse that would be! We both were filled with pain and a need for revenge. Portia helped me see there was another way as my wounds healed, while Leander helped me regain my powers and reunite me with my family." She smiled, despite the way she spoke as if she was reading a dramatic scene from a play and if she threw her arm over her face, and fainted, I wouldn't be surprised.

What did surprise me was the flash of blue as she licked her lips, which is where my attention was now focused. Did she have a blue tongue?

"Generally winter is when it happens, the curse of spring! New life, rebirth and all that. Thankfully it never lasts, unlike my kin who have met their final ends." She kept talking and I have no idea what she was on about now.

"Eirene, our friends will soon be looking for us. What is it you wanted our time to discuss?" Cain spoke to her in an even more surprising way; almost how he talked to me when he knew I was about to completely lose my shit and wanted to try calming me down.

Everything about this meeting was odd. Not once did he have his usual, dark and broody persona in place; there were no threats, menacing glares or dark, angry eyes. He seemed cheerful, light - as if we didn't have mountains to move to claim a happy ever after four ourselves.

"I understand, and appreciate you doing this, for all you've ever done for me." Eirene sighed happily, placing one hand over her heart as the other patted my knee before she got up as Cain did the pair standing together. "I once sought to ease the storm in your soul, to bring you the peace I worried you'd never have. Yet, with her you found home within the chaos and turned it into something beautiful. I may not have the sight, dearest, Leander, but I can see it all so clearly now."

"I am sorry for the past." Cain admitted, actually sounding guilty. He couldn't have tried this approach with Merrow or the Warlocks?

"You were never the Fallen One, to me. One day all will see that. Keep proving them wrong, time and time again, old friend." Old friend, yeah, okay. "Now I need your Empress."

Everything around us vanished so we were back in the freezing cabin. Cold, unbreathable air replaced the humidity of the forest and everything about Cain shifted just as quickly as the blue haired, apparently peaceful power latched onto my arm with a strength I hadn't thought she'd be capable of.

"Eirene," Cain warned. "Let her go."

"Please dearest, come with me." Eirene begged, inching closer as she blocked Cain from my view and apparently us from him too as I sensed a bubble of her power around us now. "There is no need for us to fight. I know you will win, and that is not my intention but he would not send you anywhere alone."

"What do you want?" I ask instead, shaking off her hold.

"Peace, and I know how you can achieve it." I look around her, and shake my head at Cain who I knew was seconds away from doing more than destroying the shield around us. "Gaia sent me."

Of course she did because how could I refuse that.

"Thank you, but no thank you." I hated even saying the words, and went back to Cain. "So, you guys were a thing back in the day, Leander?"

He didn't look happy or as relaxed as he had before, choosing to glare at his old friend instead.

"Briefly."

"Elise, you don't say no to the first mother." Eirene snapped, sounding very unlike herself.

"Explain." Cain ordered.

"Gaia wants to see her. Tell her to come with me!" She huffed.

"Is your tongue blue?" I ask her instead.

Eirene crossed her arms, looking more disappointed than angry at me now - a look I'd seen on my own mothers face many, many times. "I didn't believe them when they told me how young and foolish she was. I didn't understand why Portia spoke so highly and Adala so, not highly, about this new Empress. Then Hecate came, and I had to see her, and dearest, your aura, oh it says so much, such wonder, and colour, plus you have that old soul so alike his own and oh!"

Flowers began to sprout up from the old wooden floors, freezing and dying just as quickly as she dared to come closer to us.

"Oh? What does that mean?" I frown.

"Of course, it makes so much sense now. I guess, I will just have to take you both after all." Eirene decided as more flowers appeared around the walls and even from the roof, right before a portal appeared in the corner of the room.

"Take us where?" Cain demanded, clearly the time for pleasantries was over, not that it mattered as she sauntered towards the portal, and just before she stepped through looked back at us.

"To learn about the Fourth."