I sat in the lounge with a blanket draped over my shoulders and Zeus having his arm wrapped secure around my waist, wanting me close to him which I DID NOT MIND considering I almost died...but then again whats new.

Everyone one else was standing up.

"Nikolai could have a witch," Eudora being the one to break the pending silence, "He's not dumb, if he is recruiting, he'd definitely be getting some kind of Divinitians to be on his side."

"He wouldn't kill, Lily." Ozai said as he enters. I could see Eudora visibly tense up which was interesting to me. Ozai didn't even acknowledge her which was surprising since he's usually very polite.

Dylan looks at me with a knowing look and mouthed, "They were mates."

My eyes widened in shock, but I tried to refrain from reacting, but it was so shocking. Ozai? smart, masculine, intellectual professor, quiet, wise OZAI??? Matched with a sassy and smart mouthed chocolate goddess with the most out there kind of personality and style. Who knew they were together. Wait...used to?

"You're Nikolai's top card he can play against, Zeus, because he knows you would be Zeus's top priority." Ozai continued.

Eudora rolled her eyes, "He will have other cards up his sleeve. It's Nikolai we're talking about, he'll have other means of getting Zeus down."

"I never said he wouldn't have other plans, but that Lily would be his top." Ozai said.

"I for one think that we should put a protective spell over the territory." Donny pushes in.

"True," Sozin said with his whiskey bottle, "We don't know if this witchy thingie really is from Nikolai, but we should be prepared for anything."

"I also brought some toys with me," Dylan said has a exhaled his cigarette smoke, "Special toys I built for war. I think you dogs will be quite impressed with them."

Sozin rolls his eyes, "We're not dogs."

Dylan shrugs, "Might as well be."

"At least we're pure breeds of the wolfish Metamorphians. You're a big magic mush between necromancy and other shit I don't even wanna BEGIN to know."

I frowned and tilted my head, "Necromancy?"

Dylan smiles, "That's right, beautiful. I am a normal wizard, but I also am half necromancer from my mother's side, however, my family is a very ancient one and well...I guess I am sort of royalty among the Divinitians." He bragged with a smile, "I am also-"

"Gay," Donny interrupts.

Dylan shouts, "I am not gay! How many times do I have to tell you!"

Sozin snickers, "Dressed like that, you might as well be. And what's with the eyeliner under the eyes? You depressed or something?"

Donny smirks, "Yeah, you trying out the emo, look?"

Dylan rolls his eyes, "It's called originality. At least I don't blend in with your boring crowd. I bring a new flavour to the smoothie, ya know? A little tang...a little tong, a little bitter, a little naughty, and I like it so you can all just go fuck yourselves."

"Fuck ourselves? Wouldn't you have more experience in that arena, Dylan?"

Dylan shouts, "Fuck you, Sozin!"

Sozin shakes his head, "I'm good...I don't swing that way ya know?" He said with a cheeky wink.

"I am the only gay one in this whole god damn castle!" Kurt shouts over everyone, "So all you can hakuna your tatas! Or maybe hakuna your diddles!" He said and then burst out laughing at his own joke.

"How have I stayed friends with these people," Dylan said before taking another drag of his cigarette. His eyes turn to me. While everyone was bickering about themselves, Dylan stared at me intensely as if his eyes were in a trance. I frowned. In an instant Dylan was right in front of my face, "Because I am a half necromancer...I am constantly haunted...haunted by the dead. I can see them, I can see their pasts, their history, their stories...but you...your story is most intriguing, I didn't know that you and-"

"Enough!" Zeus shouted. All the bickering stopped and the whole room fell into silence. Zeus stood up from the couch, "I am done with this. Lily was almost killed today. I am done being a player in his game."

"What are you saying then?" Asked Sozin.

"It's time to play my game." Zeus said with a tone of determination, "I asked Xavier to make some phone calls. He's getting his allies involved. Dylan, you said it yourself, you're practically royalty among your kind...use that. I want you to recruit as many of your kind as you can. Same as you two, Eudora and Kurt. You're top warriors amongst the Metamorphians, they respect you so they will listen to you. Sozin, I want you to do something that you're very good at."

Sozin raises his brow, "Which is? I mean, there are a lot of things I am good, you're gonna have to be more specific for me, Zeus."

"I need you to gossip."

Sozin snickered, "Gossip? You're joking?"

"I need you to spread a rumour about me."

Sozin raises his brows in surprise, "That is like...my dream come true, do you know how much I've wanted to tell people of your bullshit?"

Zeus rolls his eyes, "A fake rumour, ya bastard."

"Oh," Sozin said in disappointment, "Why do you think anyone would listen to me?"

"Because you're a drunk hellhound. Act like you let something slip while drinking at the bar or some shit like that."

Sozin smirks, but then nods, "Done. I can definitely do that. What do you want me to slip, exactly?"

"I want you to say that I am away. That way it might draw Nikolai in more. He'd wanna go for Lil."

"You got it."

Zeus inhales a deep and thoughtful breath, "Though we have a lot to do. Leave it till tomorrow. Consider today your last day before everything hits the fan."

"Well that's motivating." Dylan said sarcastically.

Everyone dispersed and left the lounge area. Zeus turned to me and sat down.

"And what will you be doing exactly?" I asked.

"Planning and training."

"Training the men?" I asked.

He smirks and shook his head, "Nope. you."

My eyes widen and I sat back, "Hold up! Me?"

"I will be there to protect you, but this is a war Lily, if something happens to me, I want you to be able to at least fight."

I laid back on the couch and sighed, "Fine. It's fair enough, but just have the lowest expectation of my fighting skills."

Zeus chuckles, "I won't have any expectation, I just at least want you to know the basic stuff."

"Okay."

"Good."

Zeus leans down and digs his arms under my back and knees then lifts me up, "Whoa!" I said in a fright. I instantly wrap my arms around his neck, "Why you carrying me, soldier?"

Zeus walks us up the stairs, "I wanna feel close to you."

I tilted my head in question.

My mate sighs, "I've almost lost you twice in a span of one week. That's twice too many, Lil. I don't know what I'd do if you died. Just...Just let me have this...I need this right now." Zeus wore the past week on his face. He looked tired and drained.

So I simply said, "Okay." I leaned in and kissed his cheek. He carried me into our room and we both just flopped on the bed. Zeus immediately pulls me into his arms, having me right up against him. He laid his head on my chest and closed his eyes with his arms still secure around my waist.

I ran my fingers through his hair. We didn't say anything and I don't think we really had to. I began to hum a little melody, a song that my uncle Noah taught me.

And we just laid there. My thoughts drifted off to the war and I felt my anxiety come back. It was so hard to know how this was going to play out. What if we didn't win?

I shook my head. I can't afford to think like that. Us losing would result in me dying...or worse...Zeus dying. The thought of either of those happening worried me.

Stop it Lily. The war isn't happening right this instant... right now, I am laying down with Zeus...and that's it. And that is exactly where I want to be.

"Zeus?" I softly said.

I looked down and smiled. He was fast asleep. His body sagged against mine. His breathing was deep and even. His face was void of any stress at all. I stroked his cheek and kissed his forehead, "I think...I have finally fallen for you, Zeus of the Hellhounds." I whispered.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

***

"Where are you!" I yelled.

I was breathing hard. My heart was beating. My blood was pumping. My legs were burning. I was running.

My eyes searched everywhere for her. I could hear her, but I couldn't see her. She was screaming for me.

"ZEUS!"

I looked around this god forsaken maze, "LILY!" I yelled.

I kept running. Blood pumping. legs burning. Heart beating. Panic awakening. Dread spreading.

The maze was no ordinary maze. It was made out of mirrors...mirrors that would switch, twirl, spin, flip, shatter, regather and repeat.

Every turn I took, I hoped to see her, but I couldn't.

"ZEUS!"

She was screaming my name. Screaming in pain.

"LILY! WHERE ARE YOU!"

I turn a corner and only was met with my reflection, I was about to spin around and take another turn, but I halted. My reflection...it was of a different depiction. He looked like me, stood like me...but his eyes...they were not me.

"Find her," He told me.

"I'm trying! But I can't find her it's impossible!"

His glowing red eyes filled with anger, "Find her! Or it could be too late!"

I turn and sprinted. She can't be gone...she can't she just can't.

I was running...my heart was beating...my blood was pumping...my hope was dwindling.

Suddenly the scene changed. All of the mirrors...they're gone. I was settled in a black room that echoed. I turned around. A giant mirror stood...waiting to reveal something...a truth.

I stepped forward and there he was again.

"It's too late," He said.

Heart stopped, Blood stopped, legs, stopped, hope......stopped....or maybe not?

"NO!" I yelled as the pain and grief ripped my a part. I punched the mirror...shattering into a million pieces...but to my surprise...I felt a clothing material inside my fist.

The glass settled on the ground and there he stood...in the flesh. I growled and roared as I pulled him in, "She is not gone! I refuse to believe that! She is still alive!"

"You have to let her go." He said.

I push him away and said "I will not let her go. She is still alive...I will find her."

The man stepped forward toward me and said, "Then let me save her...for the both of us."

I stood there confused, "You're just my reflection."

The smirks and raises a quizzical brow, "I am your reflection?" Repeating my words. He takes another step forward while shaking his head. We stood toe to toe. He raises his hands and cups my cheek as he said, "You poor creature...you live as if you're an individual...thinking that you're living in the truth."

I growled, "What do you mean?"

The red eyed man leans in and said, "You're the mirror...you're my reflection."

I snarled and said, "You're not real. I know who I am."

"How could you? You don't remember anything about who you are."

I clinched my jaw and yelled, "Then why the hell are you here!?"

"To help you."

"HOW? Help me HOW?"

"By showing who you really are."

I growled, "How will you do that? How can you?"

The man cups my head with both of his hands and said, "Let me in...remember who you are."

***

I gasp awake. I whipped my head down to look at Lily. She is fast asleep. I look outside and see it was night time.

My clothes were soaked with sweat. I groan as I stood up from the bed. That dream...that dream was repeating over and over again in my mind. My head hurt.

I walked to the mirror. My reflection. It was normal. I raised my hand and touched the skin just underneath the eyes. They were their normal green colour. It was a complete and accurate reflection of me...so why do I feel so lost? Why is it when I look at myself...I see a stranger.

"Who the fuck am I." I whispered to myself.

I walked out to the balcony and looked up at the stars and I thought of Lily. The thought of her calmed my mind and heart and I was able to think a little more clearly. I may be lost...but the one constant thing that has kept my feet on the ground was her. Lily.

Thoughts of her being hurt...screaming my name invaded my mind. I can't let that happen...I won't.

I marched to my desk and turned on the lamp. I looked through my files and notes and began to plan and calculate. I need to prepare for this. I cannot risk her...not her.

I looked over my shoulder at my mate. She laid there in a ball of blankets. Hair messed up and spread everywhere. I think she was even drooling a little bit...I couldn't help but smile when I looked at her. She was beautiful. She was the good in me. She is my pure little light that shines through my black heart.

I will not lose this war...I refuse to. By losing this war...I lose her...and that can't happen. I won't let it.