Jade’s wounds were mostly healed but her right hip and shoulder still throbbed with a dull ache. The meeting with the treefolk was in a couple days, but she wasn’t about to put anymore worries on his plate.

Jade entered her old room. It had been months since she had been in here. There was stuff scattered around from where she had come down looking for one thing or another and not bothered to clean up. Clothes were everywhere. There was even a tipped over wooden box of toys and games.

Looking at them now, the toys looked like they were from a dozen different cultures. She found a leather bag full of marbles, one of her favorite toys. For some reason she felt she needed to keep them close so she folded the bag into her mecromail.

There was a metal model of sapphire dragon sitting on a shelf. It had been a twelfth birthday present. All the limbs moved and the ‘skin’ of the wings was an illusion. It was from the same show as Boom Stick Bob. She found his model half buried under some other toys. She picked up the pale infernal and straightened his crimson hair. With a bit of searching she found his staff at the bottom of the toy box. No shop ever sold these models. No mortal even knew about the videos. These toys were new, hand crafted with weapons, cloths and everything. I’ll have to ask Rezu about them.

She collected all of her models, their pieces, along with some other things. She stored all of it in her mecromail. I shouldn’t leave important things lying around down here.

Cinder was sitting naked on the bed with her back pressed into the corner and her knees up to her bare chest. Her arms hugged her knees. She looked, and smelled, like hell. After what she had been through lately, it was no surprise.

Jade felt guilty about starting the whole punishment thing but she knew something would have happened either way. But maybe Zaggy wouldn’t have been caught in it as bad. She didn’t know what to do or say. She kept going through her old things long after she was done searching. She was giving Cinder the chance to speak first.

“Why are you in here?” Cinder said with a scowl.

“This is my room.”

“You have a room near Karimere now.”

“I have orders to talk to you, or to listen and let you talk.”

“Only that pale bastard would have given you those orders.” She snapped.

“So what. I am still here.”

“Where is he?”

She shrugged and looked towards where she sensed him. Up and east. “He has been moving randomly, all over the lab. My guess is that he is looking for Lili and she is avoiding him.”

“Good.”

“He wanted me to tell you that he meant what he said by the lake.”

“Had he just woke up when I saw him today? Has he been recovering this whole time?”

“Yes.”

“Then that pale bastard was wearing her damned mark when I saved him, when we were by the lake, when he told me he wanted to redo the ritual! I damn near killed myself trying to save him! I should have let him fall!”

“He wants to fix things with you.”

“After what he has done to me?!”

“I think he means to marry both of you.”

“Why would I do that?! I’m not going to share him with her!”

“How is that any different than what you were going to do with Lili?”

“She has a claim. Not Love Eternal!”

“The reason doesn’t matter. You are still sharing him. I knew that much when I went after him. I didn’t expect it to be exclusive.”

“But it’s just physical with Lilithana.”

“He has been dating Lili for years. I know they care for each other. I don’t think it is the same as how he feels for you. But I am sure Lili is feeling jealous. That is probably why she has been so harsh on you. When Rezu got me out of the healing tank, he warned me to tread lightly around Lili. She has been quite irritable since he got marked.”

“I bit him first. I should have got Love Eternal first. How could he put a mortal over me?”

“If you hadn’t threatened him with a power sword I might listen to that argument.”

“I’ve been under a lot of stress, ok!”

“You think he hasn’t? Between you, Gwenyr, Lili, Rimmer and me I don’t know how the man is sane. For all I know Rezu has taken a shot at him. They have been spending a lot of time together too.”

“Rezu? Would Zagreus do that?”

“No idea. I’ve never seen him near another man.” She shrugged. “Hell, except for Rezu, and the five minutes I spent stealing cheese, I don’t remember ever seeing another man.”

“Are you still interested in Zagreus?”

Jade hesitated and dropped the shirt she was holding, then shrugged. “I don’t know. It feels… off. Like I somehow know it won’t work.”

“What do you think about Rezu? He is a kind one.” Cinder said. It felt like Cinder was trying to talk, to think, about something other than Zaggy.

“Rezu is like the cool older sibling I can talk to about personal stuff. It’s been fun having him here. The rest of you are like a bunch of crazy aunts.”

“Even Karimere?”

“She was more like the creepy neighbor lady, but now she is like the girlfriend I don’t want to bring home to mom… And before you say it, I don’t want to know anything relating to my mom and Rimmer. Let me live the dream.”

Cinder sat in silence for a while. Then she gasped, “Wait a minute. Why were you in a healing tank?”

“Gessil hit me with a tornado of stones and gravel. Busted my hip, shoulder and two ribs. My right side was basically ground meat. But I got to her and melted her into a screaming pile of goo.”

“You. Fought. Gessil the Undying.” Every word took effort, like it was some horrible curse that would destroy reality if spoken aloud.

“She was going to kill you.”

“That. That. That does not matter child. You are the Second. You are wearing a training mecromail. You shouldn’t have been on the same half of the planet as that psycho. You promised.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t run. I chased you because I thought you were going to hurt Zaggy. Then I saw the scarlet energy and was worried about both of you. Hell, Rezu and Gwenyr were missing too. It felt like I had suddenly lost my whole family.”

“Going there was still foolish.”

“I didn’t know I would be fighting alone. The first thing I saw was her about to drop a boulder on you. I had to stop her.”

“Wait a minute. I impaled her! Into solid stone! How was she still alive?!”

“I don’t know. What I saw was less of a person and more of a sentient, angry mass of meat.”

She rubbed her temples. “But she was dead.”

“Stop stressing. You used enough arcane to light a small star. You hit a double stim. And you just got out of a tank. Have you even eaten anything yet?”

“Double stim?” She gasped. “What the hell was I thinking?”

Jade order some food while Cinder muttered random questions to herself.

***

Zagreus spent hours following an eye-drone. He walked and crawled, through parts of the lab he had no idea existed, until he finally found Lilithana. She was working in a room with a massive crystal that had to be the size of Gwenyr’s palace, one of the main power crystals.

“Need something?” Lilithana said as she continued to work, only acknowledging his presence with her voice.

“I want to talk.”

“I know. I thought having the golem lead you nowhere for hours would give you the hint that I don’t want to.”

“I’m stubborn.”

“I noticed.” She turned to him and walked closer. “I am glad that you have healed. You had me worried. When I discovered that you were lost, I sent every golem I had to find you.”

“Were you worried about me or the Eleventh?” Damn that was a low blow but he had to know her answer.

She squirmed. Dead mode… squirmed. “The Eleventh is necessary for the mission but I would be saddened if I lost you. I enjoy our time together.”

“Do you think because of this thing on my neck or Cinder or Karimere that I would just forget about you? Or reject you?”

“I consider it a possibility. I claimed you. I forced you.”

“Except that first time I have been completely willing. And even I understand that first time. No matter what happens I’m not going to forget about you. All of this is messed up and not normal. But I am trying.”

“I accept your statements.”

“I am doing the best I can, with all of you. But I need you lighten up on Cinder. She is trying too. But she can’t work through millennia of shit in a six-day, especially not while she is being pressured in the worst and most shocking ways.”

She shifted uneasily. “I don’t understand you anymore. You chose the Life Eternal with Gwenyr. Before that the only thing you ever agreed to was sex and dates me. You have adamantly resisted everything, constantly, from everyone else. Then you suddenly let Gwenyr mark you, twice. Why?”

“I am an idiot. I’m sorry. Ok. A complete and total moron.”

“So you regret letting it happen?”

“I regret how it has hurt all of you.”

“You have not hurt me.”

“Try to tell that to someone else, I know you better than that.”

“I will admit to some … confusion.”

“I need you to answer some questions.”

“Ok.”

“When you sent me to Gwenyr did you expect her to try to mate with me? And did you expect her to use the god favor for a child? Did you plan on making Cinder jealous? Did you plan on letting Gwenyr mark me? Are there any other similar events that I am missing that you manipulated?”

“Cinder has been short temper for a long time. Being around you had heightened that reaction. She must go with you to Geothae. She cannot go in her current condition. We had to do something. Some of your questions are correct, others were convenient coincidences. The fact that I took advantage of them and more makes the questions irrelevant.”

“Did you wake Cinder so she could rush to my room earlier?”

“Do I have to answer that?”

“No. I want you to go apologize to Cinder and tell her how you manipulated her. I don’t need to know. She does.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea.”

“I’m not asking. Do it, or I cancel all of our dates until you do.”

“That is unacceptable.”

“It is unacceptable that you have been using me to hurt her. Go own up to what you did, and I will do my best to clean up the mess we have going on.”

She looked him over slowly.

“Maybe I should put it more in your terms. I like spending time with you and want to continue. We just need to adjust a few things around it so I am comfortable with the situation again. Ok?”

“What about the threesome? You only have two days left.”

“Are you seriously counting while was unconscious?”

“A year is a long wait. You made many excuses.”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I will find someone willing by the two days or you can invite Karimere.”

“Acceptable. I will confess to Cinder by tonight.”

He nodded. “Now, give me alive mode.”

She complied then looked at him with sad eyes.

He hugged her and held her for a minute. “I want you to think about what you want.”

“I want my time with you. I know I cannot have you. I know you must leave.”

“I’m doing the best I can.” They kissed and he left.

***

He got a shower and some fancy clothes from Rezu then used the telepad to the ruins under Gwenyr’s Palace. It was just past noon in lab-time so, just past midnight here. He went through the door into the palace and made his way to Gwenyr’s chambers to find seven guards outside it. He showed himself to them.

They all jumped and readied weapons.

He bowed. “I am here to see Queen Gwenyr.”

A female wearing shiny silver armor stood tall. She asked from behind her facemask. “Who are you?”

“I am Zagreus Shadowbane. God of Darkness.”

“What is a ‘god of darkness’?” She asked.

“What kind of things happen in darkness? Dangerous predators, carnal relations, everything and anything. Fear and love. What do you do in the dark?”

She sighed, “What business do you have with the Queen at such an hour?”

“And I am her Love Eternal.” He showed them his neck.

More guards appeared. Soon he had two dozen guards around him.

“What is the problem?” Everyone should know who I am. Who are these guards?

“The problem is that no god would let a mortal mark him like that. On top of that Shadowbane is a female. We are going to escort you to a nice cell until someone can come collect you.”

He groaned to himself. These were obviously the Chosen. They spoke his language clearly. They probably knew Sarya was dead, but they would not reveal that. Rezu must have added guards to protect Gwenyr from any retribution from the dead Lord’s allies. Zagreus smiled. “What happens if I say no?”

She gestured and the others backed up to the walls. She lifted her staff and pointed the spiked bottom at him. It glowed with a deep indigo arcane, a mecrotech power weapon.

He shrugged, “First one to get hit loses and you have to promise not to propose afterwards. I can’t deal with any more marriages right now.”

The other guards laughed.

She growled. “Deal.”

Yep. Chosen. He rushed in with an illusion of himself dodging her first strike while he got to her side. The room was a bit dim. His hidden self would be almost impossible to see in this light. He let his illusion give her an opening. She lunged, striking the illusion straight through the shoulder. He appeared beside her as his hand closed around her throat. “Nice hit. You went for wounding.”

She swallowed.

He felt it. “Now my turn.” He sent a cold sensation across her body.

She shivered.

He smiled and let her go. “Do you have a name, Chosen?”

That last word got their attention. “I am Feyrath. But I still cannot let you pass.”

“I was hoping to surprise my wife in bed but I will wake her if…”

“Stop playing with him and let him pass.” Lilithana’s voice said from nowhere. The guards were unsurprised. “He is the god Zagreus Shadowbane and that is the Love Eternal mark of Queen Gwenyr. He fought Gessil the Undying and lived. Gessil is no more. And if any of you repeat that ‘darkness’ nonsense I will have your tongues.”

There was much muttering. Feyrath bowed low. “I am sorry my Lord. My cohort just arrived tonight and we were only told to guard here.”

He bowed. “It has been fun playing with you. Maybe I can visit your little army again sometime.” He went through the door with Feyrath as escort. Four more guards stood in the anti-chamber. Through the next door, he saw a shadowcat standing just inside the Queen’s chambers. It was a young male with light purple stripes.

*I am Zagreus Shadowbane.* Zagreus sent to the shadowcat but he looked to the far corner where the shadowcat was actually standing.

The illusions vanished. The shadowcat sent. *What is the third rule you created?*

*Don’t anger the God of Fashion.*

The shadowcat nodded and left the room with shiny guard.

He appreciated the efforts Rezu had went to, to protect Gwenyr, but he was glad finally to be alone with her now. Then he had an idea. He smiled, stripped and morphed.

This bed was as big, or bigger, than the massive one at Founder’s Cove. He walked softly as possible onto the bed. He put his massive head over Gwenyr’s and licked her whole face with his giant tongue.

She shoved at him to no effect. “What are you doing you slobbering beast? I allow you to guard me, not join me in bed. Get out, now!”

“I missed you too.” He licked her face again.

She threw her arms around his massive neck. “You… You…”

“Are you ok?”

Her grip tightened. “I saw it.” She spoke softly. “I saw the column coming for us. I saw that monster coming up behind you. Then we were suddenly somewhere else. I thought you were dead. Rezu was desperately trying to get back to you. He was furious. He left and I didn’t know anything for hours. Oh… it was horrible.”

“It’s over. I’m safe. She’s dead. We defeated that monster.”

“Thank you for saving me.”

“Thank Rezu. He did most of the work.” He felt a tingle on his neck.

“I did. I gave him a knighthood and he is now Lord of those lands.” She let go and fell back on the bed. Her hands rubbed his neck and there was faint lavender glow shining on her face. “Love Eternal.” She said breathlessly, almost crying. “I can see it in your fur.”

He morphed and lay down next to her. Her face was still tinted lavender. “So you turned me into a lamp?”

“That is Love Eternal. It is a precious thing. Do not joke about it.”

“You are precious to me but I will still make jokes. It’s what I do. That, and glow in the dark.”

She laughed at him, smothered him in kisses and gentle clawing.

When she gave him a moment to breathe he said, “There will be a meeting with you, me and the other gods in about a day. I will sort out all the non-sense with Cinder and the others.”

“I thought I knew what I was getting into but I saw their power. I know I am just a mortal. They scare me. The Goddess of Death kept asking questions about the Love Eternal.”

“I will get her to apologize. You will be ok. I will be there.”

She nodded. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” He pulled her close and whispered. “I love you.”

She trembled. “I still can’t believe you are real, my love.”

They made love. Then he left. The glowing faded when he got away from her.