Page 53 of A Single Thread Of Hope

Nodding, I wiped my face against his shirt, and to Cy’s credit, he let me use him as a human tissue. Because you know whatelse Hell didn’t have, besides my loved ones? Tissues. Or coffee, probably.

Nudging me gently, Cy made me walk some more, and I trudged along behind Fea. After another indeterminable amount of time, the scenery began to change. It seemed lighter, with trees beginning to appear, though they were thick, pale things with strange-looking foliage.

“We’ve arrived,” Fea said softly.

I could almost feel the change. The ground vibrated with magic and power that felt slightly different to that of the gates of the Underworld, and even more different to the dead feeling of the River Styx.

Looking over at Fea, I wondered if we’d stumbled through the gates already. “If I’m in Annwn, won’t I get trapped here, the way I would have been stuck in the Underworld?”

Fea smiled at me, like she was so happy I was asking her questions, so she could flex her guide knowledge. She really was sweet. She reminded me of a little fairy. “No, because we aren’t truly in Annwn yet. We are nearing Tech Duinn. It’s where souls go when they first die, and then they move on to Annwn, the Otherworld. Kind of like a holding area.”

I didn’t know why I was going to the Celtic holding area, but I was just going with it. Maybe if I held off moving to any afterlife, a solution might just present itself for me to… what? Become a zombie? I was dead. Dead-dead.

Whatever.I was going to do what I always did—stick my head in the sand and hope it all worked itself out.

Fea was still talking, and I tuned back in, not wanting to miss anything. “Unlike most Underworlds, the Otherworld—we call it Annwn—is often visited by Mythics. It is a whole society, much like earth, with people and politics and happiness. Occasionally, even grand heroes can visit and return safely to earth, maintaining their mortal soul. Unfortunately, no one whois dead has ever returned.” She gave me a soft, comforting look. “Tech Duinn and Annwn are governed by two Gods: Donn, who presides over Tech Duinn, and Arawn, who governs the Otherworld. They bicker a lot, but it’s good natured. I think a healthy rivalry keeps them from being bored. You know what they say: a bored God is a dangerous one.”

In front of us, a big castle loomed. And I mean, it washuge.It towered right into the sky, so high I wasn’t sure there was an end. Its large walls ran right around, cutting off the view of the surrounding forest. It was certainly dominating.

“You’re a Mythic, right? Does that mean you can come and go from the Otherworld?” Maybe Fea could send a message to Nate, to my guys, and tell them that I was okay. That I wasn’t scared, or frightened, or sad. It would be all lies, but at least it might appease them.

Fea’s expression turned sad. “Unfortunately, no. I was killed by an immortal weapon, which means that my ability to visit the Isles was snuffed out. I’m a permanent resident of the Otherworld now.” She brightened. “But I can leave and travel around the Underworld if I like, which allows me to be your guide.”

Cy interrupted. “Your name sounds familiar to me. What flavor of Mythic were you?”

“I was a War Goddess, though I was never much for the actual fight. I enjoyed tactics more than the battle.”

Another Celtic Goddess of War. What were the chances of that?

“Did you know Néit?”

Fea smiled so wide, her face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Yes, you could say I knew Néit. Everyone knew him. A fearsome warrior, an expert horseman, a fair lord. He mightn’t have been loved by all, but he was certainly loved by Badb.” She pausedon Morrigan’s name, her eyes getting soft. “And me. He was my husband.”

My feet stopped instantly. My whole body felt like it had slammed into a forcefield. “You were married to Nate—I mean, Néit? I thought Badb was his wife?” I was choking on the words. How many wives did Nate have?

Fea shrugged. “She was my wife too. She was the Morrigan—the most beautiful, deadly Goddess in our history. How could I not love her too? Besides, it was different back then. You could handfast as many as you liked, as long as you loved and honored them, and Néit did love and honor us. He mightn’t have loved us as much as he loved a battle, or maybe even that damn ax, but he certainly loved us, and we loved each other.” She sounded wistful, like their relationship had been just a month ago, not several thousands of years in the past.

Cy cleared his throat. “That explains a lot, really. I guess I know now why your name was familiar,” he squeaked out.

I was saved from saying anything by our arrival at the gates of the fortress. Fea knocked once, and the gates swung inward, showing a giant dressed all in black.

His voice was like a thunder clap. “I wondered when you’d arrive.”

Chapter 29

TRYP

Itended to her body gently. We should have been giving her burial rites, but none of us were ready to say that final goodbye. Instead, Demke was using his magic to keep her in stasis, her body permanently in the state it was directly after her death, decomposition held at bay by the God of Renewal.

Eventually, we’d have to let her go. It had been four days, and I knew it wasn’t healthy to keep her up here, in her Gryphon nest, like Snow White, just waiting for true love’s kiss to wake her. Breathing out a rough sigh, I leaned over and kissed her waxy lips, dead and still under mine. Unlike Snow, she didn’t wake, but there was no doubt in my mind that she was my true love. My heart felt like it was a cold stone in my chest, one bad day from shattering into a million pieces.

The only part of her body that felt warm was the part touching the still form of Cy. If this went on much longer, I was going to have to try and set up some kind of IV system so he didn’t wither away beside her. I couldn’t help Wren, but I could keep Cy alive. I didn’t know how to place an IV, as that was more Teron’s domain, but I could learn from the internet, and we had all the equipment.

Still, I did what I could for them both. Instead of letting go and grieving healthily, I oiled Wren’s skin, brushed her hair, and made her look like she was still alive, just asleep. None of us could grieve appropriately, I guess.

Standing, I moved out of the room quietly and shut the door. I was the only one who went in there; not even Erus could stand to see her corpse.

The Gryphon—and by extension, Teron—still hadn’t returned, and I was beginning to worry they never would. I thought he’d come back for the babies, but so far, it had been Milo who’d stepped up into that role.

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