Page 91 of The Demigod

Everything changed. Slowly, all at once, then slowly again.

It was a different world than it was a year ago.

But at least some things hadn’t changed.

Namely, the family we had created in this sprawling mansion full of an absurd number of fireplaces and, now, candles.

Hell, the girls and I had a whole candle-making workshop going in the basement.

We all could thank Lenore and her rustic coven for teaching her things that would help us all endure the end of life as we knew it.

We all became verifiable experts at the things that kept us halfway sane: candle making, herbs, gardening, wood chopping, and some solar energy that allowed us to have music or movies on occasion.

Sure, almost everyone under the roof was immortal, but that didn’t mean we wanted to live forever without some basic luxuries.

“How are the hydroponics going?” I asked Lenore when she came in from the kitchen.

“They’re all sprouting already! I’m so excited for some fresh greens again. We went through those cold frames faster than usual.”

“We were feeding more mouths than we expected.”

Both the babies being born and the many humans who came to our doors seeking help.

“Which is why Lycus is building me a bunch of new ones. And a proper root cellar to store everything we are going to be growing this year.”

“Have I mentioned recently how badass you are?” I asked, getting a little head shake from her. “I just grew up this way, is all,” she said, waving it off. “Though, it is handy I can make it rain when I’m sad. The crops never fail. And, well, there are a lot of things to be sad about in the world lately.”

There were.

But there were good things too. Positive change. Things to hope for again.

Humans, as they’d proven time and time again since they’d first appeared, were resilient. They had innate goodness, a desire for justice, the need to rebuild no matter how many times everything they’d toiled over got knocked down.

Little by little, that was what they were doing. Striving, expanding, creating community, rebuilding everything that had been taken from them.

“So, are you ready for today?” Lenore asked, giving me a soft smile.

“Absolutely.”

“No reservations?” she asked.

“Did you have them?”

“I think we all had some. The idea of giving a piece of our souls was scary. Not knowing if it would make us different, less empathetic.”

“You are the most empathetic person I’ve ever met. You and Jo have done so much good.”

“I guess maybe that, you know, helps. That you have us around to see as examples of how little the spell changes you.”

“It must have been terrifying for you,” I said, realizing how much she had been willing to risk for forever with Lycus. She’d gone through with the spell for immortality, not knowing what it would do to her.

That was a hell of a lot of love.

And, honestly, I could relate.

I thought I’d loved Daemon back in the cheap motel room, when we walked hand in hand through Hell, when I’d dragged his nearly lifeless body out of the car and to his door, when I’d tended to him with no signs of improvement for days, when he’d woken up and told me he saw an eternity with me.

But, somehow, each day that passed brought with it more love, more certainty that this was the only man for me.

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