The six of us squeezed into the compact car; Mercy practically on Shadow’s lap. As the smoke from the fight got worse, the silence inside the car got heavier. We were running away, it made the air inside the car almost claustrophobic.

The minutes felt like hours, driving ten miles per hour felt like ninety. Getting on I-95 we slowed again. Cars were piling onto the interstate from every direction.

“We’re never going to get out of here,” Lightning murmured. Yet somehow the roads didn’t cave; Florida didn’t sink below the ocean. Somehow we all made it out of Florida, out of Georgia and into South Carolina.

The roads finally cleared and we drove the speed limit. “So where to?” Lightning asked.

I didn’t know anyone in South Carolina. I didn’t know anyone anywhere.

“We should go to Hawaii or something. Sand, sun, sit back and wait for them to kill each other,” Mercy spoke some of her attitude coming back.

Shadow made a motion, Brad interpreted, “Shadow says we should pull over in a rest stop first.”

At the rest stop we filled up on vending machine junk food. Ideas were presented and dismissed for our next move. Mercy finally said, “North Carolina.”

“What?” I asked.

“What’s in North Carolina?” Brad and Lightning asked at the same time.

Mercy hesitated, “I have family up there--they own a horse ranch. We can stay there while we figure out what to do next.”

We agreed in a heartbeat. We needed a place to regroup, fill each other in. We needed to stop moving.

Brad took over driving until we got close enough that Mercy had to take over. It was easier than giving directions, she pointed out.

The ranch as we drove up to it was a two floor mansion spread over two acres of green grassland. A good fifteen miles from the nearest town. We parked by the three car garage, built separately from the house.

“This is your house?” Brad asked looking like he was going to tease Mercy until he saw the look on her face.

“Don’t be a jackass,” she shoved him forward.

When it came time to knock, Mercy stopped, her fist inches from the door.

It didn’t matter, the door swung open and a young man in his early to mid twenties stood there. “Mercy?” surprise arched his eyebrows.

“Hey Robbie,” her fist turned into a weak wave.

“We thought you were dead,” he blurted before realizing what he said and grimacing, “I mean…come in.”

We walked into a hallway, Mercy led us to the kitchen. The room sprawled out like kitchens on TV. The room was full and they all stopped and stared at Mercy when we walked in.

Only for a moment though then tension broke as a woman, an older version of Mercy, broke into a smile and wrapped her daughter in a hug, “Oh, welcome home, we were watching the news, we were so afraid…”

“Come on, Susan, let the girl breathe,” but the moment the woman pulled away, the man who spoke wrapped Mercy in a second hug. I couldn’t see her face. I wanted to think she was happy; I certainly would be.

After the hugs, Mercy made the introductions. Her parents, Susan and John; her younger brother, Robbie, her older brother, Michael, and his wife, Lisa and their children, Ruth and Josh, twelve and ten respectively.

We smiled at each other like idiots before Susan clapped her hands, “We were making lunch, why don’t you guys wash your hands, Mercy will show you where everything is and we’ll talk over a good meal. Ruth go set the table.”

Mercy made no move to start talking once we sat down. Shadow nudged her. Brad gave her a look. Luckily, Heala took the initiative.

She smiled, that wistful look back on her face. I was starting to wonder if it was all an act. “Thank you for letting us into your home,” she began by telling them that she, Lightning and myself were changed by the gods. If any of Mercy’s family was surprised, they didn’t’ show it. Heala went on to tell them of how they met Ethel. I perked up, since this was the first time I was hearing this too but the story was disappointing. Ethel found them and made them an offer, they had already joined together as Warriors so her offer only enhanced what they were already doing.

She left Kitty and Toni out of the story entirely. She introduced me as a killer of gods, leaving the Prince out of the explanation as well. I fidgeted as she told of how they found me, that they recognized me as an ally right away and the plan was set in motion as if it were destiny.

They listened without questions, though the kids seemed ready to jump in. Their parents shook their heads at them, stalling eager mouths.

She told them about the Jester. I just said he died, without elaborating, still seeing the open scalp and brain in my mind's eye. She told of how the Prince showed up to take his revenge for the death of two gods. I didn’t add that I didn’t think they were dead. She said that they seemed to start fighting amongst themselves for no reason, failing to mention that she was passed out for most of it. How Ethel, and I winced at the devotion still in her voice, protected us long enough for us to run away.

Some of my guilt at not stopping Toni abated. She would give her life for Kitty over and over, nothing could have stopped her. Even now, Lighting and Heala would walk into the knife that killed them if Ethel told them too. Maybe that was just pessimistic, after all I disobeyed the Prince.

When Heala was done, Susan sprang up asking if anyone wanted coffee and dessert. John shook his head at her, her smile slipped for the first time and she sat back down.

“So what are you planning to do now? Finally become a stable-hand?”

Mercy shook her head, “We need a place to crash until we figure out what happened in Florida. Once the dust clears they’ll need our help, at least cleaning up. At worst…” she shrugged.

“What are the gods like?” Josh asked, the excitement in his voice made me shudder; Sam sounded like that too.

“They’re vicious and dangerous, and they’ll kill you the first chance they get,” Mercy scowled at him.