Page 249 of Dark Haven Omegaverse

“Then how was Hel not an even exchange?” I demanded, throwing my hands up. “If not for Odin’s intervention and my stipulations, I would have been banished to Helheim while she was banished to Earth.”

“That exchange was to open the portal,” Hiro said. “You’d need another for this round.”

“You’d have to find someone willing to give up eternity, right? That’s what Hel gave up to go there, swapped her immortality for your lifespan,” Drake said, building off of the ideas we were throwing out there.

My head pounded at the thought. Who would be crazy enough to give up immortality? Especially for a queen who had just claimed the throne.

“I need to go check the barriers outside,” I said, grasping at any task that could lead me away from this conversation.

I needed time to think. The wheels in my head were turning now that I had a lead. Helheim wouldn’t let me go in someone’s place, and neither would the guys.

I had to find a third option.

Helheim’s energy wrapped around me as if it were digging its heels in, refusing to let me even consider such a sacrifice.

I didn’t need the reassurance. I was selfish enough to cling to this new life. The guys had given up enough for Helheim and there was no one left to replace me.

For it to be even, whoever gave up Helheim would have to be willing. Just as I had to be for the first exchange.

Unless it was the opposite. An unwilling sacrifice to close the portal. As soon as I had the thought, I shoved it away. The stakes were too high to risk that one. Gambling with someone’s eternal life wasn’t my style.

Even as I fortified the flames outside of Dark Haven, I couldn’t shake the feeling I was onto something. This was the exact path I needed to figure out the final piece.

We were closer than ever if I just focused.

My silence and brooding hadn’t gone unnoticed. When I glanced behind me, Hiro and Drake were whispering to Roman in the doorway.

In moments, every one of my men would know what we had discussed. Among that group, Drake was the rational one. Monty and Kol would kick my ass for even mentioning sacrifices.

They could kick, scream, and fight me all they wanted but it wasmewho was responsible for the realm, and it wasmewho had to close this portal.

Odin might have been forgiving and semi-patient the last time we spoke, or at least as patient as a god like him could be, but I doubted I’d get the same grace again.

“The demons are back.” Kol’s voice echoed from the rooftop. I turned in time to see the demons converging on the street behind us. He sent a wave of reassurance through our bond, his silver eyes locked on me. We didn’t need words this time.

Love was what I chose to send back. He fisted one clawed hand over his heart, the gesture of love and respect echoing the sentiment in the bond. He had faith in me and this time, so did I.

Drake and Hiro moved beside me as we turned to face the impending attack. They must have been waiting for the moment to strike, because as one they lunged forward.

It would be their last move.

“Kill them all.” My orders were clear. We attacked, the new demons still no match for our blades.

This time, Helheim rose to the challenge, power radiating through me and slicing through the crowd as swiftly as my blade.

I’d been angry before, but it had nothing on how I felt as I cut through the people that were once a part of the realm I now embodied. Helheim echoed the betrayal and sent a blast out that dropped the last of their army.

“Are you satisfied now, Crew?!” I screamed into the night. “If you keep this up you’ll be the only one left in this godsforasken town. Don’t think you’ll crawl back here after all the pain you’ve caused.”

Of course, there was no response to my screams. At the end of the day, everything Crew had done, despite being twisted by demons, was cowardly.

He’d hidden behind them like a shield, let them destroy everyone and everything around him, and put the only person he loved at risk.

This was only one of the battles raging across the country. We killed two hundred in the face of thousands upon thousands.

So many humans were corrupted or dead now. The aftermath would be devastating.

There was no time left for regrets and second thoughts. I knew that the conclusion I’d come to with the portal was right, we just had to find the sacrifice.

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