Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Kane was unapologetic about his early arrival for Game Night. He swept into the Castle carrying a bottle of Puck’s Pleasure and a box.

“It isn’t called Game Afternoon,” I said, although inwardly I was pleased by his decision. I was doing my level best to treat this like any other day and not succumb to negative thoughts. Kane’s presence would help with that.

“As much as I’d like to be selfish and limit the evening hours to only ourselves, I understand your desire for company.” He set the box on the kitchen table, and I burst into laughter at the name of the game.

“Battle for Souls? Seriously?”

He glanced at the box. “What? It’s a card game.”

“It’s your life,” I stressed.

Ray cleared his throat as he entered the kitchen. “I hate to interrupt, but you should know there’s a pretty blonde lady outside the gate.”

“Pretty blonde like Barbie or pretty blonde like Grace Kelly?”

“Barbie. ”

“That would be Posy. She’s the recruiter for The Corporation.”

“I take back what I said,” Ray said. “She’s hideous.”

“She can be pretty and still be part of an evil global organization.” Addison had been attractive in that romcom sidekick way.

“I know, but I refuse to pay her any compliments on principle.”

I looked at Kane. “Time to test the new ward. Want to watch?”

He uncuffed a sleeve and rolled it to his elbow, exposing his sinewy forearm. “I’ll keep my flaming sword on standby.”

We stepped onto the porch in time to see Posy kick the bottom of the gate with such frustrated force that her pink pillbox hat shifted in response.

“Problem?” I called.

She adjusted the hat pins. “I’m here to see you, obviously, but I can’t open your stupid gate.”

“It’s designed to keep out vermin and reptiles. Which one are you?”

Even from this distance, I could see the intensity of her glare. “Your file doesn’t say anything about a sense of humor. I’ll have to amend it when I get back to the office.”

I sauntered to the bridge. “I’m surprised to hear that. Pretty sure Mathis thought I was funny.”

“Mathis thought you were gullible.”

I harrumphed.

“Either let me in or…”

“Or what? You’ll huff and you’ll puff and blow my house down?”

Her eyes glinted in the fading sunlight. “It would be an improvement.”

“Wow. Somebody didn’t get her vitamin C shot this morning, and it shows. ”

Kane joined me on the bridge. “I thought you were exaggerating. She really does look like a Barbie doll.”

Posy slammed the heel of her hand against an iron bar. “Let me in or I’ll have no choice but to use deadly force.”

“Toddler Tantrum Barbie,” Kane remarked. “Haven’t seen that one in the stores.”

I folded my arms. “Oh, please. You’re a recruiter. I guarantee your orders are to bring me in alive.”

“Maybe so, but my orders don’t say anything about unharmed.”

“She’s smarter than she looks,” Kane said.

Posy curled her slender fingers around the iron post of the gate. “I’ve seen a list of the magic users in this backwater town. I bet I could break this measly ward with only a few sharp notes.”

“What makes you so sure I shopped local?”

She let loose a whiny laugh. “Gimme a break. You only dare to leave your fortress when absolutely necessary.”

“Do you think she can break it?” Kane asked in a low voice.

“I honestly don’t know.” There was only one way to find out and I wasn’t looking forward to it.

Posy opened her mouth and released her first note. An amplified G10. I winced at the cracking sound behind me.

The siren tried to open the gate but was met with the same resistance.

“Looks like you hit a sour note,” I yelled.

“Is it wise to taunt her?” Kane asked.

“No, but it’s fun.”

Ray materialized beside me. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but one of your front windows is busted.”

That was the reason I wasn’t looking forward to her efforts to break the ward. In the process, she was liable to break every window in my house .

“I’ll take care of the window,” Kane offered.

“This is my mess. I’ll clean it up.”

“Already on it,” Nana Pratt declared.

I turned to see her sweeping up the glass with a dustpan and brush. My ghostly roommates were more invaluable than they could ever know.

Posy smiled and unleashed another earsplitting note. The Castle shook but the other windows remained intact, as did the ward.

Thank you, Phaedra and Ashley .

I drew closer to the gate. “Listen, I don’t have the budget to pay for any more broken windows. What exactly do you expect to do if you make it past the gate? The only way you’re going to take me off this property is to kill me, and as we’ve already established, you’re not allowed to do that.”

Posy’s mouth opened to answer and then clicked shut. Just as I suspected. No answer. It seemed she was more interested in winning than executing an actual plan.

She dusted the front of her retro pink coat. “Come with me now, or I’ll destroy your house.”

I shrugged. “This house was in far worse shape when I bought it. It can be fixed again, but I won’t be happy about having to do it.”

“All I ask is that you pay a visit to corporate headquarters. I’ll arrange the meeting. I’ll even book the best conference room. It has a view and everything.”

“I have a perfectly nice view right here.”

She turned to look at the town below. “Ah, yes. All those houses so close to the river. I’m surprised there hasn’t been a major flood here.”

My body tensed. “This is how you recruit people? Brute force and threats?”

Her smile was sticky sweet. “Whatever seals the deal.”

“Will there be donuts? ”

“Not typically, but I’m sure we can accommodate your request. Boston cream?”

Wow, they really did their homework. It was equal parts impressive and terrifying. “Or apple cider. I’m not fussy.”

“Fine, Miss Not Fussy. If I promise cappuccinos with monk fruit sweetener and Boston cream donuts, will you come?”

Ray looked at me. “That kind of makes you sound fussy.”

Kane answered her before I had a chance. “No, she will not. We know how you operate. The second she steps foot on your premises, her life as she knows it will be over.”

Posy sucked in a dramatic breath. “Mr. Sullivan, that’s a very negative mindset. Then again, I’d expect nothing less from the prince of hell who got his tuchus kicked by Lucifer. Must be hard to bounce back from that level of humiliation.”

“No need to take potshots at my boyfriend. I’m the one you want.” I shot a glance at Kane. “Did Canto leave yet? Maybe he can take Brutal Barbie with him. She’d fit right in.”

Posy gave the gate one last shake. No entry. “This won’t hold up against us in case that was your expectation.”

“It held up against you.”

“I’m a recruiter. I’m not designed for manual labor.”

Designed. Like an object. Typical corporate mentality. “If I show up at your headquarters and hear your company’s pitch, you’ll leave me alone after that?” I estimated it would be worse than an enema but better than a time share presentation.

“We only ask that you hear us out,” Posy said. “We’d love to offer you a peek behind the proverbial curtain.”

Gods, that was tempting. A firsthand glimpse into their operations might allow me to identify a few weaknesses.

Not that I was considering revenge.

Dammit, Gunther.

“You have my card,” Posy sang. “Don’t be afraid to use it.” She gave the iron bars a final flick with her perfect fingernails before retreating.

I held my breath until she disappeared from view. I turned toward Kane, whose grin was as wide as the moat.

“You look awfully chipper given how vehemently you objected to her proposal.”

His grin remained intact. “You referred to me as your boyfriend.”

“I can’t help it. The English language doesn’t have a more suitable word. Partner. Significant other. Better half. Main squeeze. Bae. I dislike all of them. If we were shifters, we could say ‘mate.’”

He grimaced. “We’re not shifters.”

“You might reconsider mate when you hear Gun’s proposal—demon candy.”

Kane suppressed a smile. “I’ve always been partial to inamorata.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s Italian for lover, but it’s gender specific. I would be your inamorato.”

“No surprise it’s Italian. They have all the best words.”

“The French would disagree.”

I considered the term. “It sounds nice. Let’s use that one.”

“It might confuse people who don’t speak Italian.”

I kissed his cheek. “That’s what context clues are for.”

His smile evaporated. “You’re not genuinely considering her offer, are you?”

“I haven’t ruled it out.”

“Why? What could you possibly have to gain? It isn’t as though you’d ever join them.”

“No, but it might give me insight into their operation.”

“Aite told you everything you needed to know.”

“Not really. She told me how separate the departments are from each other. If I could feign interest in multiple departments and convince them to let me peek behind the curtain, as Posy said, I could learn something of value.” Like whether Hades and Persephone had, in fact, been obliterated.

“Or you could find yourself locked in a cage with a magical collar awaiting an assignment.”

“I agree with your inamorato,” Ray said. “This is a bad idea. You’ve shored up your defenses, and when you get back from Helheim, we’ll stock up on supplies like the magma monster suggested.”

Helheim. For a fleeting moment, I’d forgotten about the impending danger. If nothing else, Posy’s visit had been a good distraction.

“I’ll think about it,” I said, noncommittal. “One crisis at a time.”

An image of Gunther shimmered in front of me. He bent over to address the mailbox. “Help me, Lorelei Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”

“You’re hilarious,” I deadpanned, although he couldn’t hear me.

“I take it Gunther is here,” Kane commented.

Nodding, I sent the mage a text. Wait there . “I’ll be right back. I want to make sure I handled the pre-approval process correctly.”

I hurried from the house to greet Gun at the gate. Thanks to a stiff breeze, the tail of his long jacket flapped behind him.

“Could you see me?” he asked.

“An Oscar-winning performance.”

“That’s very cool.”

“And very annoying, but a necessary inconvenience.”

Gun studied the open gate. “Can I walk through?”

“Give it a whirl. ”

He stepped through the gate and stopped abruptly.

“Is there a problem?”

He looked around. “I just wanted to see if I’d be struck by lightning or something.”

“No, you’ve been pre-approved.”

“I feel honored. Who else has pre-approval privileges?”

“The mail carrier, and the UPS and Amazon delivery drivers.”

His smile faded. “I see.”

“Yours is the most special kind of pre-approval though.”

He lifted his chin a fraction. “As it should be. I have folding chairs in the car.”

“Kane’s here. He can help with those. Where’s Cam?” I asked, as we strolled toward the house.

“Five minutes out. She needed to make an emergency Nerds run. She didn’t realize she’d finished her last box after lunch. Who else is coming?”

“West, Phaedra, Otto, and Josie. My roommates.” Max opted to stay outside. He wasn’t really an indoor magma monster.

“Why Josie? She hates you.”

“Hence why I invited her. Maybe she’ll learn to love me.” In truth, I’d invited Dantalion, too, and expected Josie to mind the Devil’s Playground. Instead, Dan drew the unlucky straw.

By the time Gun and Kane sorted out the additional seating, the other guests began to arrive. I’d been able to pre-approve all of them, which made it easier for me to stay inside and mingle.

“It seems wrong to throw a party in the middle of all this turmoil,” Cam said, as she filled a plate with oatmeal raisin cookies.

“It isn’t a party,” I said. “It’s a gathering. Let’s face it, if I’m going to die in a land of the dead, I might as well win big the night before.”

Josie appeared beside me. “Who says you’re going to win?”

I turned to Cam. “Notice she skipped right over the mention of imminent death.”

“Don’t wanna get my hopes up,” Josie whispered and gave me a wink.

Gun examined the options. “Ooh, Twister. I’d love to see West pull the stick out of his ass to be flexible enough for that one.” He frowned. “Hungry Hungry Hippos?”

“A special request for Nana Pratt.”

“What about poker?”

“I figured you get enough of that action at One Oak.”

“Is Scattergories a good idea?” Cam asked. “Assassins are very competitive.”

“So are werewolves.”

I turned to see West in the kitchen doorway.

“Not all werewolves,” Gun said. “I’ve seen Bert shoot pool.”

“That’s not about competition. Bert’s just usually too drunk to shoot straight.” He scented the air. “Nana Pratt was baking again, wasn’t she? I smell cookie dough.”

“There are more than cookies. She went on a baking spree when she found out I was entertaining multiple guests.”

West’s eyes lit up. “So what you’re telling me is I’ll leave here tonight a few pounds heavier.”

“That’s entirely up to you.”

Otto’s driver delivered him safely to the Castle, and Kane helped him carry in a couple bags of food prepared by Heidi.

I stared at the volume of food currently being unpacked in my kitchen. “Did you think I wouldn’t provide snacks? ”

“I thought you might be preoccupied with other matters. I assumed I was doing you a favor.”

I caught a glimpse of tiny cakes and made a beeline for that bag. “I’ll take care of this one.” If this was going to be my last night in Fairhaven, I was stuffing myself to the gills with cream cheese frosting. Priorities.

Given my lack of furniture, there were two game stations set up in the parlor room, where we’d relocated the kitchen table and chairs, as well as Gun’s metal folding chairs.

“You should’ve told me to bring a table,” Otto said. “I have more than I know what to do with.”

“I’m not asking guests to bring their own furniture. It’s rude.”

“Yes, we prefer to sit on the floor because that’s so much better,” Camryn replied from atop a pile of cushions.

Josie nodded her approval. “Sarcasm suits you, Sable.”

“Do you mind if I turn on music?” West asked.

Claude beat him to it. The hand scrambled to my phone and tapped the passcode, which I didn’t even realize he knew, and selected my ‘upbeat playlist.’ Sneaky revenant. He’d be peering over my shoulder at far more than my enemies.

Barry White blasted from the speaker. Gun glanced up from his Scrabble letters. “Excellent choice.”

Kane grinned at me from across the room. “Yes, it certainly is.”

Heat spread to my chest and cheeks as I recalled listening to the same music when Kane and I were alone.

Josie surveyed the room. “Where’s the liquor?”

I motioned to the corner where Kane had set up the booze station. “Let me know if you don’t see anything you like.”

She examined the bottles. “This will do.” She twisted off the lid and poured a drink. “Want one? ”

“Why not? Might as well have one last killer hangover if I’m going to die tomorrow.”

Josie rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You’re not dying tomorrow.”

“Because you know something I don’t?”

“Because I’m not that lucky.” She poured my drink and handed it to me before returning to the cluster of players.

Kane approached me with a smile. “She’s beginning to warm to you.”

“Hardy har.”

“I’m serious. If she didn’t like you at all, she wouldn’t have shown up.”

“Pretty sure she showed up solely to give me a hard time. It’s her own form of entertainment.”

“You’re not wrong,” Gun chimed in. “I once saw her show up at a country music bar just to heckle the line dancers.”

“Rightfully so,” Cam said. “What even is line dancing?”

I looked at Gun. “What were you doing there?”

He plucked popcorn from the bowl and tossed a couple kernels into his mouth. “I wanted to see if the cowboy known as Big Bob lived up to his name.”

I rotated between games, trying to spend as much time with each guest as possible. Nana Pratt was the biggest winner of the night, as the undefeated champion of Hungry Hungry Hippos. If only they could’ve heard the ghost talk smack during the games. I laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my cheeks.

Ray kept his distance. “I don’t even know you anymore, Ingrid.”

There was a minor hiccup when Josie accused Phaedra of cheating, but the missing Scrabble tile was subsequently found under the sofa. Crisis averted.

“This was surprisingly fun,” Otto said. He seemed to enjoy chatting with his opponents while battling for the tiny white marbles.

“Yeah, it was all right,” Josie grumbled.

Kane nudged her. “Admit it. You enjoyed yourself.”

“I like to win. Those hippos were pure gold.”

“You should come by and play against Nana Pratt again,” I said. “She was happy to have a genuine competitor.”

Josie grew quiet. “Must be hard for her. Hanging around for eternity.”

“It seems to me you’d know something about that, too.”

“I still get to live a life,” Josie countered. “That poor woman’s stuck in your orbit. I can’t think of a less exciting world to inhabit.”

“I appreciate the kind words.”

She looked at me. “Be careful tomorrow. Maybe don’t die. Kane would be sad, and then I’d have to comfort him.” She heaved a sigh. “It’d be a whole thing.”

“I’ll do my best. Have a good night, Josie.”

The vampire exited the house and disappeared into the night.

West shook my hand. “Nice job, Clay. You should come by the trailer park for the pack’s next game night. I’m sure there’d only be a couple objections.” His grin suggested he was only kidding. I hoped.

Otto was next to depart, then Phaedra, followed by Gun and Cam. Each one tried to hug me, but I waved them off. “Save it for the next time you see me,” I told them.

Cam pressed a small box of Nerds into my hand. “Take this with you for luck … and in case you get hungry.”

Gun gave me a lingering look. “If you don’t come back, I’ll lead a search party, but that would mean missing my massage on Wednesday, and they’re booked months in advance.” He exhaled. “So just come back.”

“That’s the plan. ”

Kane waited in the parlor room, seated on the red leather sofa that was almost universally despised by everyone except the two of us.

I flopped on the cushion beside him. “I didn’t expect game night to be so exhausting.”

He gave me a wry smile. “Perhaps if you hadn’t insisted on challenging the two most limber guests to a game of Twister, you would’ve conserved more energy.”

“Gun was only limber because he used a tarot card.”

Kane shrugged. “What did you expect? You failed to implement a ‘no magic’ rule.”

I rubbed my sore shoulder muscle. “I know better for next time.” Assuming, of course, there was a next time.

Kane pressed his forehead against mine. “I’d like to stay with you until you leave.”

I raised my lips to his and kissed him. “I’d like that too.”

We fell asleep entwined on the sofa, rising hours later to watch the sun crest the river from the comfort of the second-floor balcony. Standing behind me, he kept his arms wrapped around my waist for warmth. I ran my hands over his skin, tracing each line and scar and committing them to memory.

“You should let me go in your place,” he said, his breath hot on my neck.

“No last minute jitters. I’m the proxy. It has to be me, or the deal is off.”

“This is my fault. I brought Alessandro’s problem to you.”

“This is Erika’s fault, and none of us could have anticipated the outcome.”

“I should’ve anticipated that you’d sacrifice yourself to save him. It’s very on brand.”

“It wasn’t on brand for Aite, but I wouldn’t be standing here now if it hadn’t been for her.”

“She was making up for lost time. You…” He rubbed my shoulders. “I don’t know why you do it. ”

I turned to face him, still in his arms. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Those demons in hell aren’t your loved ones. They’re not even your friends.”

“I told Canto no, remember?”

“This time, but you didn’t get on Lucifer’s naughty list by sitting on the sidelines. And what about the guild? You have no obligation to protect anybody.” I thought of Hestia. “Is it oldest child syndrome?”

He barked a laugh. “What?”

“Do you have an intense sense of responsibility toward others? Are you an overachiever? Do you have a Type A personality?”

His mouth twitched with amusement. “I don’t know. Do I?”

“I don’t think you’re Type A. That’s more West.”

He clasped my hands. “Let’s not invoke the werewolf’s name when we’re having a moment.”

“Is this a moment?”

“Kissing at sunrise. Intimate conversation. This most definitely qualifies as a moment.”

“Could be our last one. I guess we should make it count.”

He squeezed my hands. “You’re going to make it, Lorelei. You’re going to find Oskar, escape Helheim, and come back to me all in one magnificent piece.”

I smiled up at him. “Because I’m an overachiever?”

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Because I can’t unmeet you. The damage has been done.”

“Damage?”

He gazed into my eyes with a burning intensity that made my knees quiver. “I’d rather subject myself to Lucifer’s wrath all over again than lose you, Lorelei. It won’t happen. Not on my watch.”

“And what will I get if I make it back alive? ”

“What you already have. My heart.”

“Throw in a new air fryer and consider it done.” Despite my attempt at levity, a wave of emotion swept over me. I kissed him hard on the lips before he could see the tears in my eyes. “I’ll come back to you, Kane. I promise.”

We retreated inside the house so I could prep. I opened the trunk at the foot of my bed and selected as many weapons as I could comfortably carry, although I wasn’t convinced they’d be very useful in the land of the dead. Most creatures that dwelled in Helheim had no fear of a blade and their nightmares were likely worse than any I could inflict. Needless to say, I had my work cut out for me.

I tucked Erika’s vial of potion into the front pocket of my pants where it would be most secure. The only risk to it would be if I fell flat on my stomach or if an opponent’s weapon struck me in exactly that spot. The odds of either were unlikely.

A hearty breakfast awaited me downstairs. Nana Pratt had gone for the full English, minus the blood sausages because (a) I didn’t like them, and (b) they were hard to get in this neck of the woods. I slurped my coffee and attacked the plate with vigor.

“Game night must be hungry work,” Ray commented.

“It’s like she’s trying to store fat for the winter,” Nana Pratt agreed.

“I have no idea how long I’ll be there.”

“In that case, maybe you should consider another shower,” Nana Pratt replied, “and pack an extra stick of deodorant.”

I glanced up at the elderly ghost. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“I can’t smell, remember?”

“But you’re making it sound like I do.” I polished off the coffee and scraped the plate clean. “Thank you for this. I feel human again.”

“Probably best if you felt godly,” Ray pointed out.

I carried my dish and mug to the sink and rinsed them.

Nana Pratt shooed me away. “Claude and I will take care of that. You focus on the important things, like not dying.”

Ray placed a ghostly hand on my shoulder. “I won’t wish you luck because you don’t need it. You can do this.”

“Thanks, Ray.”

I practically pushed Kane out of the house. “I can’t think straight with you next to me,” I said. “If you want me to survive this, the best gift you can give me right now is to leave.”

With one final kiss, he left.

I sheathed my weapons, tucked my phone in my pocket, and said goodbye to my roommates. Claude tried to cling to my shoulder, but I set him gently on the front porch.

“I’ll need you to look after the others,” I whispered, “and to find Matilda if things go south. She’d want to know.”

Max intercepted me at the bridge. “Let me come with you,” the cherufe insisted. “I’d like to make myself useful.”

“This is dangerous. You came to Fairhaven for sanctuary, remember? I have no interest in seeing you hurt.”

“It’s more dangerous for you than for me. Even if they catch me, they won’t know what to do with me.” He patted his rocky middle. “I’m fairly indestructible. If nothing else, I can distract them while you make the save.”

I had to admit, it wasn’t the worst plan in the world. Max wouldn’t go full hero like Kane would, which meant no risk of proxy rule violations. “Only if you promise to leave Oskar’s rescue to me. He’s my responsibility.”

He raised a chunky hand. “I do solemnly swear to leave the heavy lifting to you, unless it’s actual heavy lifting, because I’m fairly strong. ”

“You’re a good magma monster, Max.”

He flashed a row of shiny stones. “I know, but it’s nice to hear it out loud.” He clapped his hands together, spraying dirt everywhere. “What’s the plan?”

“We enter Helheim undetected. Find Oskar. Escape. Deliver the love of Erika’s life to her. Everybody lives.”

“Alessandro must be very special to you for you to go to all this trouble.”

I shrugged. “I barely know him.”

Max rubbed the bumps on the side of his head. “Then why are you risking your life for him?”

“Because I can, and because he doesn’t deserve to be in this situation in the first place.”

Max nodded. “They definitely sent me to the right place.”

Outside the gate, a familiar figure paced back and forth. A black hair topper covered the landing strip on his head. It looked better than I would’ve expected.

The gate creaked as I opened it. “What are you doing here, Alessandro?”

His eyes were dark and sunken. “Waiting for you.”

I noticed the dagger attached to his hip and sighed. “The whole point of me going is so you don’t have to. Go home.”

“I shouldn’t have let you take my place. It was wrong.”

I steeled my mind as I patted his shoulder. I didn’t want to risk his heightened emotions triggering a glimpse of his recent nightmares. I needed to stay calm and collected.

“Too late for regrets. Not to worry, though. Max is joining the quest as my wingman.”

“Who’s Max?”

I hooked a thumb over my shoulder. “That cherufe over there. Humanoid creature made of earthly matter.”

Alessandro squinted at him. “Huh. I thought some neighborhood kids had built a fort.”

The fort lumbered over to join us outside the gate .

“Max, meet Alessandro.”

Max waved.

“Are you invincible?” Alessandro asked.

“No, but I’m solid, and nobody wants to get between me and a hard place.”

Alessandro blinked at him. “Right.” His hollow eyes slid to me. “I still think I should come.”

“I appreciate the gesture, but that won’t be necessary. We’ve got this,” I said. If only I felt as certain as I sounded.

“At least let me accompany you as far as the entrance. I’ll wait there until you come out. Then we can go see Erika together.”

It seemed pointless to argue when he’d probably wait there anyway. “Fine, but not a step farther.”

He offered a firm nod. “Deal.”

Alessandro opted for the passenger seat of my truck, whereas Max made himself comfortable in the flatbed. I slowed down over the bumps and potholes. No need to rough Max up prematurely.

We walked through the woods to the crossroads. West must’ve told the guards to expect me because they each gave me a gruff nod of acknowledgement and moved aside.

“Best of luck, Lorelei,” Xander said. “I heard you threw a helluva game night. Can I come to the next one?”

“If there is a next one.”

Alessandro reeled back. “You threw a party last night?”

“It was a small gathering.”

“And you didn’t invite me?” He shook his head ruefully. “It’s because of how I look, isn’t it?”

“It’s because I only had a limited number of chairs.”

“Whatever. You know where you’re going?” Alessandro asked, as the three of us passed through the crossroads.

“Yggdrasil, then we make an offering to Odin and hope he opens a portal for us. ”

“If not?”

I shrugged. “Then we’ll have to go through the official entrance.” Which would make things harder but not impossible.

The incubus waved a hand at the trees. “Aren’t we just walking through the same woods?”

“You don’t feel the difference?” Max asked.

“No. Should I?”

“Not necessarily,” I said, although I felt it the moment we passed between the two large oak trees that marked the entrance to the crossroads. It began with a faint buzzing in my head and a tingle down my spine.

“It’s because of the mark,” Alessandro said. “I bet that’s why I can’t sense anything different.”

I doubted the mark was the cause of this particular issue, but there was no point in kicking the incubus when he was already down. Just like people, some supernaturals weren’t as attuned to their surroundings as others.

“I need everyone to clear their minds and focus on Yggdrasil.” I held up an illustration on my phone. “If imagery works better for you, then picture this.”

The forest grew darker, and the trees grew closer until our path appeared more like a hedge maze, and finally, a narrow corridor where a silver door awaited us at the end. There was no knob or handle, so I simply pushed.

We spilled into a place devoid of trees—except one.

Yggdrasil was the largest tree I’d ever seen. The ash tree was so large, in fact, that I was unable to see the top limbs that stretched straight into the sky.

“We made it,” Max said, sounding relieved.

Alessandro slapped the cherufe’s back. “Rock on, Max.”

Max gave him a thumbs-up in return. At least I assumed it was meant to be a thumb. Hard to tell when his hands were made of sticks and stones .

I aimed a finger at Alessandro. “Wait right here by the door. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.”

His face soured. “Now you’re just rubbing it in that I wasn’t invited to game night.”

I motioned for Max to join me at the base of the tree to make the offering. “Hail Odin, first and foremost among gods, hear my plea.”

“Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you?” Max whispered.

I shushed him and continued. “We seek passage to Helheim, to the land of the dead. As you are the one true god of death, we forsake all others and beseech you to grant us entry.”

Using the blade of my throwing knife, I sliced my palm and let the blood drip to the earth.

“I don’t have any blood,” Max said. “Is that a problem?”

“No, just stay close to me and we should both be transported.”

Next, I slipped a packet of poppy seeds from my pocket and sprinkled them on top of my blood. In ancient times, poppy fields were also known as Odainsackr, or Odin’s ground, a site where the god performed healing wonders. I crossed my fingers that he’d perform one of his wonders right now.

The ground trembled and opened beneath us, swallowing us whole. Unlike my trip to the underworld, there was no sensation of falling. It simply felt like I’d blinked and ended up elsewhere.

Hopefully that ‘elsewhere’ was the land of the dead.

“Gods really love to have their asses kissed, don’t they?” Max mused.

“It never hurts to pucker up.”

I looked around to get my bearings. Ahead of us stood a wall of mist.

“Does your map say anything about fog?” Max asked .

“No, but that doesn’t surprise me.” If anything, it gave me confidence that we were on the right path and that Helheim awaited us on the other side of the wall.

“Is it supposed to be a deterrent?”

“Or to signal a boundary line between realms.”

“More atmospheric than a brick wall, I guess,” Max said. “Ready?”

“Yes, but stay close to me. It’ll be very easy to lose each other in there.”

Max counted to three and we stepped forward. The mist embraced us like a long-lost lover, gathering us in its gossamer arms and offering featherlight kisses. My skin tingled. It would’ve been all too easy to turn back or remain lost in the mist indefinitely. Unable to see him, I reached for Max and maintained a grip on his rugged arm as we ventured forward.

“It’s getting thinner,” I said, now able to glimpse the cherufe’s bulky silhouette through the haze.

“The road to Helheim is paved with good intentions,” Max quipped.

“You’re telling me.” I sucked in a breath as the mist finally cleared, and we were granted our first glimpse of our destination.