Math led us down several flights of stairs, then turned from the main staircase to head out through the trees. After weaving along suspended walkways around platforms and rooms build between the spaces, he took another smaller staircase down to an open garden. It was a riot of blooms, with roses of every colour spilling, climbing, and creeping on stone statuary. A fountain burbled somewhere, but I couldn't see it until we rounded a large wooden gazebo, covered in red and white climbing roses.

Sitting on the stone edge of the fountain was a lanky elf with long reddish-blond hair. His brown eyes shot up to meet mine. He stood quickly, brushing non-existent dirt from his tan-coloured tunic and pants. Fidgeting in place, he seemed nervous, and it reassured me, lessening my own anxiety.

I continued to walk towards him and noticed another figure out of the corner of my eye. A tall female in green and black armour, bare midriff with large crossed swords on her back, turned in my direction from where she'd been standing on the other side of the gazebo. White blond hair cut shorter in front but cascading down her back offset the dark armour and black scroll-work tattoos on her bare sides. Throwing knives adorned her thighs. She looked both sensuous and fierce, a look I frequently associated with our Valkyrie.

Wow. This was my mother? Holy shit!

Mist gave a chuckle and murmured, "Well, we know where you got your badass side from, Shannon."

I snorted a laugh, tearing my gaze from the green eyes of the female to meet Mist's amused expression. Even as I smiled, I punched her in the shoulder. In my own green and black leather corset and combat leggings, with silver, gold, and black Asgardian scale armour chestplate, I couldn't deny the familial relation. Equally armed, I had sai on each hip, short crossed swords on my back and throwing daggers strapped to my arms above the vambraces.

A smile stretched the female's lips, and she walked towards me. "With a Valkyrie at your side, I'm going to assume your weapons are not for show and you know how to use them."

"Oh, our princess is a badass warrior goddess. She holds her own, especially considering how newly immortal she is," Mist replied when I didn't respond right away, still devouring every detail through the pounding of my heart.

"I'm Maeve, Goddess of War and Lust, and your mother," the female said, holding her arm out like the Valkyrie did to clasp forearms.

"Maeve!" Mist burst out, then started snickering.

I punched Mist's shoulder again, not understanding her humour, before I took the few steps that would allow me to greet my mother.

Despite the flipping and churning of butterflies madly beating at my insides, I clasped her forearm and was startled when she tugged me in for a brief hug.

"You'll have to excuse Mist. I've probably hit her too many times in the head in training," I said, when Mist continued to laugh.

Maeve grinned, eyes lighting up. "No, she just knows my reputation. Did you inherit my appetite for sex, perhaps? Is this why your friend is so amused?"

The flush of heat rose from my neck to cover my cheeks, and I squirmed in place. This is not the conversation I expected to have upon meeting my mother!

Mist hooted. "Oh, she is definitely your daughter. It's a good thing Loki is a sex god. They are well matched."

"Why did I bring you again?" I retorted.

Mist smiled. "Because you love me more than Kara?"

I rolled my eyes at her. Kara had been visiting her twin sister on Vanaheim for the past few weeks. I hadn't wanted to drag her away from a family vacation just to help me deal with my shit.

"I'm glad to see you have such good friends, Shannon. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you grow up or to be the one to train you. Shortly after you were born, there were incursions of fire demons near our southern borders that drew me away. I'd planned to take over your raising once you'd reached your adolescence and could accompany me. But well... best laid plans. Perhaps we can spar while you are here?" Maeve asked, warmth and interest in her eyes.

"I'd like that, very much," I told her.

"It's my fault," a male voice interjected. "I forgot time moves differently between the realms. I'm so sorry, Shannon."

Somehow, with my mother in front of me and the boldness of her personality, I'd forgotten there was another elf present.

"Shannon, this is Dylan. Your father, the God of Selkies, and unfortunately, as scatterbrained of mind as he is satisfactory in bed," Maeve said with a wry twist of her lips.

I winced. "I'm not sure I wanted to know that."

Mist laughed. "Yeah, remember that when Aidan gets old enough to notice his parents disappearing constantly and asks about the noises out of the bedroom, closet, garden, bathroom..."

"Do shut up, Mist!" I groaned.

Maeve smirked. "You really did inherit a lot from me, didn't you?"

I tried to ignore the two of them as they continued to trade jokes at my expense and instead focused on the nervous male. Hands twisting together, he had a hard time holding my gaze.

"Hi Dylan." It felt weird to greet him by name, but this elf was a stranger, for all that he was my father. I didn't feel an instant kinship or connection the way I had with Maeve.

"Shannon... I... I really am sorry. I didn't mean for you to grow up there. With spending most of my time as a seal, I didn't know how to take care of you as an elven baby in the water," he explained, his voice low.

"Actually, I can breathe under water. Or at least, I can now that I'm immortal. I never tried before my transition," I told him.

His brown eyes widened. "You can? You are a sea goddess too? That's..." His face lit up with delight, before he lowered his eyes again, shoulders drooping. "I should have tried. I should have waited to see what your powers were, before assuming you couldn't join me in the water. So much time I lost because I didn't. I'm sorry."

Tentatively, I reached out to put a hand on his arm. He looked up in surprise. "I get it. I can see why you might have thought what you did. My childhood wasn't bad. The people you chose were good parents," I reassured him.

He put his hand on mine where it rested on his arm. "It's kind of you to say so. Perhaps... perhaps when this situation with Prince Elatha is all settled, we could go for a swim and I could introduce you to your half-siblings. You've got two brothers and a sister, all selkies."

"That sounds lovely," I told him.

"Are you hungry? It's after the midday meal, but I could show you to your rooms for a bite to eat and we could spar this afternoon if you'd like?" Maeve offered, looking back and forth between Mist and I.

With a glance to Mist and her flashed hand sign agreement, I accepted, saying goodbye to Dylan and following Maeve out of the rose garden. Taking us through a warmly lit path back into the forest until we reached the base of one of the giant trees, we climbed numerous flights of stairs until we were in the canopy. Nodding to the two guards on either side of a large wooden entrance, Maeve pushed the door open and entered.

"The honour guards are stationed there for your protection. Should you need anything, you can simply ask them. They will lead you wherever you want to go. These chambers are for visiting dignitaries, which you are, as a member of the Asgardian royal family," Maeve told me.

The walls were tightly interwoven branches, with a living green leaf roof overhead. The suite was richly appointed, with handwoven rugs on smooth wood floors, comfortable seating, and several bedrooms, with a rock bathing pool steaming invitingly in the central space. A bathroom with toilet and sink was located between the bedrooms. I had no idea how they managed indoor plumbing this high in the trees, but clearly it worked.

A knock at the door and an elf entered carrying a loaded tray with fruits, cheese, flat breads, a large flagon of what appeared to be wine, and a set of glasses. He placed it on a side table, gave us a quick bow, and disappeared without a word.

"Wow, that was fast," I said.

"They've probably been waiting for your arrival and had it ready. They just needed word from the guards that you'd arrived," Maeve told me, pouring drinks for each of us.

Taking it from her, I raised my glass in a toast. "To getting to know you."

"Slainte," Maeve replied, clinking her glass to each of ours.

Sitting around the table, we started exchanging stories. Admittedly, I listened to Maeve and Mist's tales more than contributing my own. They'd each had hundreds of years of experience to draw on. I did share some of my adventures last year, including my experiences with Elatha. As the drink flowed, it was easier and easier to talk.

"You know you don't have to choose, Shannon?" Maeve told me after I confessed my depth of attraction to the Atlantean.

"What do you mean? Of course I have to choose."

"No, my dear. That's your Midgardian upbringing talking. It's not unusual for Tuatha de Danann to have more than one consort. In fact, triquetra are the most common relationships, as the triumvirate of power between three consorts is sacred to us. We often talk of the aspects of three in our culture," Maeve said.

"Huh. I've heard of the power of three in reference to the Sidhe, but I'd never heard this aspect before," Mist added.

"Doesn't the odd person feel jealous? Left out or excluded?" I asked.

"Do you feel left out if you are giving or receiving pleasure, but not both at the same time?" Maeve asked, cocking her head.

"No," I replied after a few moments' consideration.

"Then why should anyone feel left out? There are always ways to include all three," Maeve said. "If you need suggestions, daughter, speak up. It's not like I'm not known to be with multiple males at once. Frankly, I insist on it, since one or two can never seem to keep up with me." She shrugged with an amused twitch of her lips. "Goddess of Lust, after all."

The fantasy that had haunted me since my time with Elatha came to mind, both him and Loki taking me together. Elatha had been encouraging, playing on that imagery with me. But, given Loki's jealousy, it wasn't something I'd been comfortable admitting to him since returning to Asgard. I'd done my best to bury it, yet it refused to be denied. That Maeve thought I could have both was a pleasant fantasy, but I couldn't see it ever actually working out.

"Yeah, keeping up with me isn't an issue for either Loki or Elatha," I grinned.

Maeve smiled. "Perhaps I need to widen my horizons and look for non-elven males."

"Oh good gods, I can see the havoc now when you come visit Shannon in Asgard, Maeve," Mist laughed.

"Now that is a brilliant idea, Mist," Maeve agreed.

I groaned. Diplomatic relations between Asgard and the Summer Realm looked to be interesting in the future.