“Stop it, Valentine,” Fate ordered at her grinning father.
“I was just trying to make him feel more at home.” Unabashedly, Valentine picked up his wineglass saluting a furious Odin, while the embarrassed servant fled the room.
Broni couldn’t help smiling at her father’s behavior. She had missed her family terribly. Their antics restored her sense of equilibrium as nothing else could have.
Rhys, on the other hand, sat quietly, watching her with tightened lips. Broni lowered her eyes to the plate of food before her. She didn’t have to be told he blamed her for being made an immortal. He made no effort to hide his anger, and his attitude wasn’t endearing him to her mother, who was sitting tensely at the head of the table.
The others tried to draw Rhys into their conversations, however he remained aloof. Odin ignored the attitude, persisting until Rhys finally responded, drawn into a lengthy conversation with the God. Broni wasn’t surprised at Odin’s presence, her mother had already advised her of the concession made for her benefit. Broni watched as the stiffness left Rhys’s body, finally allowing him to forget his resentment long enough to finish the meal. Fate caught her worried look and smiled gently in reassurance. Broni wanted nothing more than to fling herself into her mother’s arms, crying until all the sorrow was cleansed from her soul.
She gathered herself, rising from the table after dinner. She then followed along behind the other members of her family as they moved into the other room to discuss who could have been responsible for the attack in the Hallway of Death and the destructive events on Earth.
“Morgana was a mere pawn. The council will take that into account when they pass judgment, but her punishment will be harsh,” Fate said, sinking down onto a plush chair. “We were supposed to believe she was the one who attacked you and your sisters. However, when she showed up at Jericho’s house to kill Cara, whoever is behind the attack hoped we would believe that she’d acted alone.”
“You have no idea of who attacked us in the Hallway of Death?” Broni questioned her mother.
Destiny waved her hand. “Take your pick; we have many enemies.”
“Zerina has disappeared,” Fate stated grimly.
“How is that possible?” Cara asked, shocked. “She can’t just disappear.”
“It would take considerable power, even more to create the Drearien, and there are only a few realms that are invisible to my eyes. Even Mother cannot find her.” Fate turned to Odin who also had the power of sight—the ability to foresee the future.
Odin frowned severely at Fate. “Do you question if it is I who has taken her?”
“No,” Fate said wryly. “I am well aware of your desire to have Zerina home as soon as possible. I was merely questioning if you have seen anything in your visions.”
“No.” Her mother stiffened in her chair when Odin shook his head at her. Broni could tell he was lying, yet remained quiet.
“Does Rocque have enough power to achieve this feat?” Destiny asked suspiciously.
“No. Whoever is doing this has managed to become very powerful, hiding their skills from all of us, but Rocque is able to communicate with any living thing. He may have seen something that will give us a clueto her location. I will talk to Rocque and Hades,” Fate added, as if it was an afterthought.
“Why Hades?” Broni questioned, studying both her mother and Odin.
Hades was Odin’s brother. Odin wasn’t hiding his interest in Fate, so she couldn’t imagine he was too happy for her to be near Hades, whose sensual appeal was impossible for any woman to fight, the only one immune was his own mother.
“Need my company?” Odin volunteered.
“I don’t believe so.” Odin’s displeasure was obvious at Fate’s refusal.
“He has the power to hide Zerina and Mother would protect her son,” Fate said pensively. ”She’s blind to her children’s faults.”
Broni threw her mother a warning look, she didn’t want Odin made angry. Her mother closed her mouth when she correctly interpreted her warning.
Broni wondered just what was going on between her mother and Odin since she had been gone beyond their agreement. The tension between the two was obvious. The handsome God never took his eyes off her mother, and Broni had caught the hint of jealousy in his voice. Her mother was used to being in charge, even with her father. However, as much as she loved her mother, she didn’t see her coming out the winner in any battle with Odin.
* * *
Fate stared at the stars with a frown watching the dark cloud. It was growing larger. What had begun as a tiny speck was now spreading.
“It will begin again,” Odin spoke softly, knowing her fear for Zerina was uppermost in her mind.
“Yes.”
The war that would bring an end to the world was at hand. It had been briefly delayed by Mother, but events foretold since time had begun would see their fruition soon. Several of the immortals would die, among them Odin and Thor. Everything that she had done to prepare her son for was beginning. She prayed to Mother for all her children’s safety.
As if reading her thoughts, Odin tried to give her solace. “You know the future changes constantly.”