"Inanji wields the same power and with worse results," I defend myself. My mind tumbles, how to convince the other gods that I am no threat unless they force my hand?

"Does she?" Enlal speaks up. "Tell us, Mara, you claim that you can see a bond between those shifters," she indicates the West Antechamber door. "Yet, there is no bond of Love. What is it, then?"

"A bond of Fate," I say, frustrated.

"Is it? Or is it a bond of a different sort of love? A deeper connection that Inanji can't even see?" Enlal questions.

"She is lying. There are no such bonds," Inanji spits out.

"It is true!" I snap back. I turn to look at my father. "How can I show them?"

He looks a bit lost and very angry. "If this becomes an argument of Inanji and my daughter with no proof, I will always believe Mara."

I smile at my father.

Pir speaks up, his vision, as always, fixed on something in the distance. "I think we've established that Inanji is willing to lie and bring terrible things into the above, but that doesn't mean that I believe your daughter, Nateos, without proof of her claims."

"I released that," Inanji points at the Forgotten grandmother, sealed into the hole with metal bars, "to show the world that the Murderess is nothing but a foul creature. How could I have known that it would create an army?"

"The Forgotten are my creation, Inanji," my father spits. "To punish souls who have forgotten our ways. And you did know what releasing that creature meant. Mara is the only one of us who didn't know!" he roars in Inanji's face.

She immediately bursts into tears.

I hear a derisive snort before my vision is filled with a broad, muscled chest. "I think the question remains, who is telling the truth about the bonds?" Urto growls. He takes a step closer, crowding me backwards. I try to hold my ground, but he pushes me back until I am pressed against the wall.

"Tell me that our bond is still there," he says softly.

I glance down automatically, Inanji's bond is dull. I gave Thane and Thelios Urto's blood and now it looks like the black, sick bond between us is swallowing her weak, silver bond whole.

"What do you see?" Urto asks hoarsely.

I look at him with tears in my eyes. I hurt for him, but I know what I see. "It's dark. Black, like a bond of pure hurt."

His eyes are wide and green, as deep as he claims his forest goes, no hint of red showing anywhere. "All I am is pain," he murmurs to me.

I take a breath to speak, to offer some meaningless comfort, inhaling the scent of fire and woodsmoke, but Urto pushes himself away from me. He walks over to the throne altar and sits down without looking at any of the other gods. Taking out a blade that glistens pure red as if on fire, he begins to twist and turn it in his hands.

"This is ridiculous," Inanji speaks up. Apparently, her fake tears are over, for now. "There is no proof!"

"Why must we decide this now?" Enlal says smoothly. "After all, time will tell."

"So, we allow Love and Grief to war over bonds?" Pir says with a wicked grin. He's an odd one, this god.

"You said that Urto would decide who is telling the truth about bonds!" Inanji inserts a little desperately.

"I thought we decided that Urto would have the final say on the undead army," Enlal muses thoughtfully. "These bonds are a new issue, aren't they?"

"She is lying. She's jealous because her precious male belonged to that House and rejected her," Inanji says venomously.

"And I have started to wonder, Inanji, what part you played in Thane's decision," I say quietly.

She laughs bitterly. "He rejected you, despite the bond that you tried to place on him. Like a yoke around his neck he shed the bond, as did Thelios, with me."

I look at her. I am starting to believe that Inanji did something to my males, that she laid her foul bonds on them. Did she bind Thane to Anthea and Thelios to herself? I have no way of knowing. By the time I could see bonds both my males had, as Inanji said, 'shed the yoke.'

I smile to myself. "And yet, despite everything you have done, they chose me," I say proudly.

"We always will," a voice mumbles. An achingly familiar, wonderful voice.

"Thelios," I breathe. Their faces, oh gods, their sweet faces. My males, my twins. My feet fly to them, to my males, my Fated souls with their grey eyes looking at me as if I am the only one in the room.

"Thelios! Thane!" I am laughing with relieved happiness as I rush to them, but, just as I am almost there and realize that I should probably not crash into them, an arm wraps around my waist and hauls me back.

"Not so fast, sweet Mara. You are still mine," Urto says, ignoring the twin growls that my males make.

I ignore Urto as best I can so that I can soak in the sight of my males. Thane is standing a little straighter than Thelios, but there is pain in his eyes. Thelios looks like he should be lying in the cairn, instead of on top.

"You're still so hurt," I say tearfully.

"We'll not be kept from you any longer, Sprite," Thelios states with an obvious warning to Urto. He sways on his feet right after, his hand tightening on Thane's shoulder.

"Impressive recovery," my father murmurs, almost as if to himself.

Enlal gasps suddenly, "how did you enter this room? Only gods may walk through the doors."

I feel Urto's arm loosen on my waist. As if sensing the impending explosion, my father grabs me away from the War god.

"What did you do?" Urto whirls to me in anger, muscles bulging, hands fisting at his sides. He issues an angry kick to the Grandmother, who howls as she crashes back down into the hole.

I wince. Angry red eyes meet mine and I spill the truth. "I fed them your blood." I warned Urto that my secrets wouldn't be nice.

"My blood? How? Where did you get..." the War god's voice trails off. Suddenly he starts to laugh, a booming noise, head thrown back. We all watch, silent and wary, until he finally stops. He wipes his hand down his face and gives me a look of anger mixed with pride. "You are clever."

"No 'sweet' name for her any longer?" Inanji snarls. "Now you see her duplicity, Urto."

"I see that she loves her males and won't give them up without a fight," Urto sneers at her.

I pull away from my father and rush back to Thane and Thelios, only to be stopped by Urto again.

"You will not touch them. You still belong to me."

"Let her go!" Thelios growls at the same time that I speak.

"I am not an object, Urto. And Inanji's bonds don't mean more than the others. Her bonds are false, wicked things."

"You fucking bitch," Inanji snaps.

"Enough," Enlal says. "What do you mean by that, Mara?"

"It means that my bonds with my males have nothing to do with Inanji. They are strong and beautiful and just right," I smile at my twins as they smile back.

"Your bonds with them are beautiful and mine is hideous," Urto says in my ear. It's not a question.

"Why? Why sweet Mara, am I so unlucky to fall in love with a female who thinks our bond is a terrible thing?"

"I am not yours, Urto. I never was."

"Let her go," Thelios warns him. My male's eyes are watching intently, frightened that Urto will suddenly hurt me.

Abruptly, he lets me go. The red-hot blade he was twirling earlier appears in his hand with the slightest of motions. He points it at me. "Tell me, Nateos, what this new game is? You allowed me to have the slightest glimpse of paradise only to tear it away? Inanji's lies and manipulations have nothing on you. Nothing!"

"Urto," my father says calmly.

"No!" the War god roars, "do not try to placate me! Her bonds exist! She tells the truth! I have nothing! No bond, no Fated, no wife, no children! You have it all!" he screams.

"Urto," Pir is on his feet, the distant look in his eyes gone. Now he looks intently at Urto, a deadly, menacing stare.

Urto chokes, then coughs out water onto the floor. He grins macabrely at Pir. "Trying to drown me?" he rasps out. He chokes again, sucking desperately at air until water spews out and he is able to breath in water again.

"Stop," I whisper. I find my males and curl into their arms.

"Don't look, Sprite," Thelios warns me gently.

I shake my head, of course I'm going to look. I can't pull my gaze away from the suffering War god as he struggles to fight against the terrible death of drowning over and over. He stalks towards Pir, step-by-step, agonizingly slowly as he gasps and chokes for air. Suddenly, his healing is a curse as his body fights and fights against the older, powerful god.

When Urto is only a step from Pir he reaches out his hand and grasps the Water god's neck. Pir stiffens, but Urto keeps choking, so clearly Pir is continuing his assault.

Urto reaches up his other hand, armed with the red-hot blade. Enlal cries out as the dagger moves closer to Pir as Urto struggles to pull it up. My males limp over, each of them grabbing the War god's arms. Grimaces of pain and determination paint each of their faces.

Urto meets me eyes and the look of concentrated rage fades just a bit. Pure power shines in those red eyes before another cough disrupts his stare. One sharp slash of the dagger and Urto sucks in a deep breath, the water gone from his lungs.

Pir, freed, stumbles backwards, a look of shock on his face.

I scream as Urto's chest splits open. The red-hot blade sinks into muscle and sinew, slicing it open. Blood spills onto his clothing, over his hand. He cuts deeper, yelling out a shout of pain.

"What are you doing?" I ask hysterically.

"I will have a bond!" he screams. "I will have two!"

With a powerful yell of rage-filled pain, Urto pushes the dagger lower, cutting open his own body. My males have now switched their efforts to stopping Urto from harming himself, but it's too late. Light pours around the blade, fire licking the sides of his wound as his body tries to heal itself but the god fights against his own abilities.

Two parts of Urto fall apart and explode into hellfire.

My males both scream, falling to their knees with the War god as they are all engulfed in flames.

My screams echo in my own ears. Hair-raising cries of grief as I watch the flames flicker and burn so brightly that I can't see any of the males inside them.

"Thelios!" I cry out when I see a flicker of a tattooed hand emerge from the flames. It disappears again, then another hand, this one Urto. It's the last time I see any flesh, the next hand is clawed and scaled. A tail whips out from the melee, the flames rising higher as if to snatch it from the air and bring it back.

The throne room trembles, dust from the ceiling falls to the floor. A column near the balcony cracks. The Underworld is screaming in fear.

A pair of wings unfurls, black with red tips. I've never seen wings like these. The ground trembles under my feet as I desperately try to fight to get closer to my males. Hands are holding me back, a soft murmur of reassurance in my ears.

"Thane!" I scream as the winged male turns, eyes bright red, fangs dripping. Flames of red and green still lick his body. Another male stands next to him, scaly skin flickering as if molded of embers. His wings are slowly extended, trails of fire dancing along the veins. "Thelios," I whisper.

Both males step forward, mouths curling, fangs dripping. "Our female," Thane says to his brother. Thelios smiles at me.

"Father," I whisper, "where is Urto?" I don't need to ask. I know where he is. He is gone, a parasitic leech that attached himself to my males' souls. The bond I shared with Urto is twining and wrapping itself around the bonds with Thane and Thelios.

"Mara, step backwards. They are new gods. Dangerous," my father says quietly.

A sob rises up in my throat.

"Come," Thane holds out his hand to me. I don't take it. He looks different, with a raw, untamed power. The arrogant Prince of the Underworld is here.

I shake my head like an idiot, mute with shock and not just a little terror.

Thane's eyes narrow on me, "Come to me. Now, female."

I swallow my tears. Does he not remember me? I look at the bond between us. My right hand raises, disobedient, and touches it. It sparks with power and meaning.

"Do not speak to my daughter that way," I hear the warning in my father's voice, but he is calm, trying to tame the beasts in front of us.

"Your daughter is ours," Thane looks at my father and smiles wickedly. "Our gorgeous female."

"She is perfection," Thelios murmurs.

"A treasure," Thane agrees. "The gift that Fate has given to War."

I feel a wave of grief. Not typical here in Ersetu. I turn my head Inanji is crouched down next to a statue of a giant demon-dog with three heads. Her cheeks are red and her eyes are emotional and filled with sorrow and hate. She looks nothing like the proud goddess of just moments ago.

"Our pretty little goddess," Thelios murmurs. There is something condescending in how he says it.

"I am the goddess of Grief. I am Shadow and Sorrow. I hold dominion of all souls' bonds in the afterlife," I correct him.

"Such a dark purpose for such a beauty," Thane murmurs.

"We will help you shoulder that burden, Love," Thelios vows.

I look between them, frantically. I catch my father's gaze. He is opening doors, letting in my Basru. My gargoyles come tumbling in with them. Their little stone faces covered in open shock. Except Alnue, who just looks awed and very interested in the new Thane and Thelios.

Inanji looks at Lier, then abruptly leaves. My brother stares after her for only a second before his dark eyes swing back to the escalating situation in front of him. He searches the room with his gaze, most likely looking for Urto.

"Do not look at those males," Thelios snarls lowly. I jump a little. "You are ours." Thelios rages fire. Literally. Flames pour down his arms, his tattoos lighting up. My eyes... my dark eyes inked on his collarbone look like they are lit with an internal flame. I bite my lips together to keep the whimper inside.

He stalks me. My gentle lover, Poppy's papa, my husband, the destroyer of my temple home, strides towards me like a predator on the hunt.

"Brother," Thane claps him on the shoulder, halting him. "She is afraid."

"I will hold her and she will learn to stay," Thelios brags.

Anger sparks inside of me. I am not some bitch dog to be obedient and stay. When Thelios begins to walk towards me again I snap, "Don't touch me!"

He chuckles. "She is fiery, brother. A pretty flame."

I clutch my stomach. It hurts to be called that so casually. I was Thelios' Flame.

"What's wrong, little firesprite?" Thelios croons.

Tears drip down my cheeks. He looks at them. "Her tears are sacred, brother."

Thane responds in a low voice, "our little Princess is special, brother."

I scream and whirl halfway around. Thane has crept up behind me. I was distracted with Thelios and didn't even notice his brother moving. I take several stumbling steps backwards, towards the altar.

"Mara, talk to them," Enlal tells me. "They will remember you soon."

"T-Thelios," I stutter. I hope they snap out of this very soon.

"Is that what you call me?" Thane asks me.

I shake my head, "Thane. You're Thane. Your brother is Thelios."

Thane frowns. "It doesn't sound right."

"Is your name Urto?" I ask slowly, feeling both terrified and ridiculous.

"You don't love Urto," Thane responds. "You will continue to call me 'Thane.'" He frowns, "no, it does sound right."

"Oh, gods." This is a nightmare. I just need to wake up and be back in my temple in the above.

"Yes, we are," Thelios says. He laughs, "we are the gods of War, firesprite."

"Mara. My name is Mara."

Thelios' smile falters. "Mara... I lost you," he murmurs. A look of confusion flashes across his face before it clears back to determination.

"You... um... Inanji took you from me."

Thelios snarls so viciously that I gasp, falling backward... almost into Thane's arms. My father growls, but my focus is on the livid Thelios with flames licking his scales and wings glowing with fire.

"That fucking whore. She kept me from your side!" he roars.

"Calm down, brother... Thelios," Thane says his brother's name as if it's something new to his ears. "We have our female, now."

Thelios pulls his anger back with visible effort. "Tell me you are mine. Ours," he demands. "Our goddess, our female. Tell me!" he shouts.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment. When I open them, my twins are in front of me, shoulder-to-shoulder, watching me intently.

I need to be brave. My goodness, they are still Thane and Thelios, my Fated males. Urto was a good male to me, too. I just have to push through this fear in me.

I'm afraid that they won't love me now.

I reach out both hands, tentatively. I almost drop my hands back to my sides, twice, before finally mustering up enough courage to just barely brush their bare chests with my fingertips.

My knees give out. I start to sink to the floor, but my males catch me. It makes the feeling of vertigo worse. My soul understands that these are my Fated males.... But, they aren't alone. Urto sliced his own essence in half and forced his way into my twins.

I watch their eyes as the red fire of War fades. A ring of forest green circles the familiar grey.

And it's my fault. "Father," I say woozily, "this is my fault?"

"No, hush now, sweet daughter," my father tries to soothe me, but he's far away, part of the loose circle of warriors ringing the three of us.

"Urto's blood..." I slur. My eyes screw shut.

"Shh, my Heart, don't cry anymore," one of the twins croons to me. I can't tell who. I'm surrounded by heat and feeling.

A hand smoothes over my hair, my forehead. Another strokes my back, cups my cheek.

Silence descends. Or did my ears just stop working?

One large hand smoothes over my belly. A hot whisper in my ear, menacingly serious.

"Whose baby is this?"