Luke's POV

Pixie sat in my lap as Victor tried to explain what had happened with him and Typhon last night. Her body was shaking as he explained about her parents. I wrapped my arms around her. "Hey, it's okay," I whispered in her ear, "We will get your mom out, I promise." She leaned back against me and seemed to relax if only for a moment.

"What about the spell?" North asked. Victor seemed to shift his weight nervously. He was wringing his hands and looked like he was about to pass out.

He came and knelt before us. "I need you to understand we aren't giving up," he said, taking her hand. "Just because Typhon doesn't have an answer, doesn't mean there isn't one." She blinked slowly as the implication of what he said sank in. Did he mean there wasn't a cure - no way to stop the spell?

"What aren't you saying, mo dhragún?" she asked, stroking his cheek.

A tear fell down his face. "Erebus wants to force you to bear his child to claim the Fae throne. Your child will be heir to both Fae realms. Whoever fathers your child has a claim to Fae magic."

"Typhon wants you to make the claim," she said softly, "and you refused." Victor nodded, looking heartbroken. "So he assumes I will not survive this."

"That is not a fucking option, little wolf!" Gabe yelled. "We will tear this world apart before we let you go."

Her eyes filled with tears as she tried to smile. "I know you would, m'anam, but at some point, we have to consider all possibilities." She gripped Victor's hand again, "Despite his poor delivery, Typhon brings up a valid point. Should the line end with me, or should there be an heir?"

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to you talk about yourself as if you're already dead. You promised me, Star," Sean said painfully. "I can keep the shadow at bay and buy us more time to look for answers. What about Nyx? North, call on her now! For that matter, how about all of them show their high and mighty asses up? Each one of them has a hand in all of this, they need to fucking help!" I'd never seen Sean this mad or forceful before. Owen was trying to calm him down, but he wasn't having it.

"Did you all hear me? Get your immortal asses down here now! You all keep saying we've been claimed to save her, but you won't tell us how. We need answers and we need them now!" He was pacing the room, screaming to the air. When he stopped, everything went still. It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room, then there was a loud sound from the yard followed by yelling and more cracks and booming sounds. Wide-eyed, we all bolted towards the yard. Hell, I didn't even let Pixie stand up, I just carried her with me.

The yard looked like a freaking comic con.

They came.

Every last one of them answered Sean's demands and were standing in the yard, including a veiled old woman who I assumed was Cailleach.

Loki was the first to look up and acknowledge our presence. "Who's idea was it for an extended family reunion?" I laughed as Pixie giggled. "Ah, ástvinur, is this your doing?" He bowed to her.

"Does he always flirt with her?" Cailleach asked me as she stepped closer to Eveleen. Pixie squirmed out of my arms and flew into the old woman's arms and started to sob. "What on earth, child? What has happened?"

The bickering and questions that had filled the yard suddenly came to a halt at the sound of her tears. With a wave of his hand, Loki produced chairs for everyone. All except Typhon sat silently, waiting for Cailleach to calm Eveleen. "This is my fault," the Titan said finally. "I meant to help, but instead I've caused more harm." He looked at Victor and grimaced. "I told Victor everything, and he in turn told all of them. They know about the Queen, Rion, and Erebus. I also told them about the fate of the child."

"You had no right!" Nyx snapped.

"He had every right," Cailleach said in a deadly tone. "We are the fools who have failed her and her chosen. The moment Phineas took her, we should have told them everything." The old woman continued to hold Pixie as she spoke. "Please do not judge us too harshly, my child. In our immortality, we often forget what it is to really live. Ask what you will and we will answer what we can."

"Can we stop the shadow spell Erebus has infected her with?" I asked quickly. Might as well cut right to the point.

Nyx stepped forward, "Not entirely. As the doctor already knows, he can stop the spread temporarily, but the stone is infected, which means so is her soul. There are possibilities, but we aren't certain if they will work. Please understand, that we aren't trying to be vague on purpose. This is all new to us. Erebus has never placed a part of his own soul into someone before. This isn't just a spell, he has literally connected himself to her."

Sean spoke up, "Okay, well beyond my light, what are our options?"

"Letting North turn her completely will release his hold, but it will also remove her Fae magic. She would be a vampire only, and it might break the bonds you share since she would technically be dead." Nyx said with a sour look.

"Going to Rion and seeking his magic to override the spell, but as Typhon warned, that has a whole new set of risks," Odin added.

Selene cleared her throat, "Kota can claim her and give her a turning bite to break the spell as well. He has the ability to turn her into a werewolf. I do not know what impact that might have on her magic or bonds."

"Completing her bonds," Loki said quietly. Cailleach glared at him. What was that about?

"How will that help?" Silas asked.

"Completing her bonds allows her to access her Fae magic fully. A Fae isn't whole until they've found all of their soulmates, it's like pieces of her soul are missing," Brigid said. "It is possible, considering her lineage, that her magic combined with her chosens' would be sufficient to break the bond and destroy the binding stone."

Pixie looked at Brigid, then Cailleach, "How many?"

"I don't know. I thought I did, then you met that one," she pointed at Brandon who blushed crimson, "and it was anyone's guess, not to mention the stubborn one." Cailleah turned to Triton, "If someone could get his charges in line, it would certainly help."

"Don't look at me ya old biddie! I've been trying. He's stubborn as they come," Triton sassed, then nodded at Silas, "At least he was willing. Maybe he can get Axel to see reason?"

Silas gaped, "Wait, Axel is yours also?"

"Did you think it was a coincidence that both of you work at the aquarium and have a love of all things to do with the ocean?" Triton laughed, "We haven't even gotten to the fun part, my boy! Wait until you get your tails," he chuckled. Silas looked like he was going to faint.

"Did you say t...tails?" he sputtered.

"God of the Sea and Merfolk, Silas. You stopped being fully human the day you accepted my claim, I just haven't had a chance to show you yet. I was hoping you and Axel would be able to learn together, but he's being an ass." Tritan replied.

"Ass is an understatement," Loki said under his breath.

"If our calculations are correct, we believe the other two members of the Toma team will also be her soulmates," Owen added.

Pixie was watching but didn't speak. I noticed she was paying close attention to Loki. I think she has the same suspicions I have. Was it even possible?

"So you all have theories, but no real answers is what I'm hearing," Nate finally said in an exasperated tone. "Can you at least suggest how we move forward for now? Should we find Raven and Corey?"

Cailleach answered this time. "We need to get Triton's errant charge on board first, then yes, you should seek out the other two." Once again she pointed to Brandon. "If you are her soulmate then the odds are high that your brother is as well. That would explain why your claim has not made itself public yet. Most likely they are waiting to claim both of you at once, considering he's a drama queen," she rolled her eyes. "And you, little one," she spoke to Eveleen, "you need to prepare for a second claim. I'm not the only Goddess that has ties to you." Her eyes went wide at the old woman's words. "Now, I need to speak with a couple of you individually. This might be a good time for some of you to speak with your charges as well. Stop being cryptic and answer some damn questions for a change." The woman stood and walked towards Owen. "You're first grey eyes." His face paled.

Author's Notes:  Not sure why I imagine Cailleach and Triton arguing like an old married couple, but it just works so I rolled with it.