"Everything I just said, I take back." Apollo declared, the second my sword appeared in my hand.

I felt how ready it was, the steady thumping in my palm matching with the way my own heart was racing. A few stray tears kept coming, and wiping them away I shook my head at Apollo.

"They have to be stopped."

"Obviously, but now is not the time. There was something very similar to a plan remember, Cain will arrive when he's supposed to and-"

"Save Kara. I know, but when will that even be? When everyone else is dead except for her?"

At what point would it be enough? I just lost Deimos, and I had never been more thankful that Artemis, Hades and even just a little bit - Hermes, weren't here as well. Since Apollo didn't have an answer or anything further to say, I went to leave. The trouble with that was, he didn't need to stop me now, because I stopped myself. It was the one thing I was thankful for, and I was about to lose it.

As one.

"We're not one That's only you and me. Too many of us are missing."

"What?" He frowned, and I could see him trying to work out what I was talking about now.

"It's not just me and you. Art isn't out there, Hermes, Hades, Cain." I look at him as he catches on. "We've all always been together, working together, at every critical point in a battle. Zeus and Cronus, Odin, Cain slash Hercules. We need the A-Team for this."

"Come on, we'll go find them. Art was heading out with some of her huntresses, Hermes was going too. If we go into the forest and then-"

"No, I'm not leaving. I can't, if anything else happens, I have to be here."

I could see the millions of reasons he had prepared to tell me that was not going to happen and I braced myself for it.

"Do not move until I'm back." He orders. "Promise me?"

"Fine."

"No, say it."

"I promise." Too bad I had my fingers crossed behind my back. Sorry, Apollo. "Go, go get them!"

He's gone and I wait barely a second later to go back up to our viewing point on the upper level. In that time, Frigg has joined Kara and they're both at the mercy and scrutiny of the Furies who have them in their full control. It's only their cries that fill the room now, while the trio simply stands there; watching and waiting. That's all I can do too. They torture the Queens as if they were merely puppets on their string and all of this was solely for their entertainment.

If they wanted vengeance, I was going to give it to them.

My eyes fall on Deimos despite not wanting to see and he hasn't changed. I didn't think he would be again, but there was a flicker of hope that I hadn't actually seen what I did. I pushed down the emotions that nearly regained control, focusing on the fact that I hated Apollo was right about something. There would be time for feeling all of this later, but right now, I had to focus.

The trio suddenly stops, as Frigg collapses, moving in closer together yet they don't speak. The one with the shield approaches Frigg. She hasn't made any attempt to stand though she's still alive; her back arches as she seemed to curl up before she stretches out feeling around the floor as if she's looking for something. Shieldy approaches, I can feel her desperation and her fear as clearly as it was my own. I hold my sword that little bit tighter as she is kicked over and onto her back.

The Fury raises the shield above her head as she stands over the fallen Queen, and my stomach sinks as I realise her intention. I can't stand by and let this happen, and as I brace myself to interrupt the shield is being thrown down to collide with Frigg's neck, when Kara's hand shoots out. She managed to divert the deadly blow above her friend's head, and as Karas sword hits metal, the clang it makes gives me hope.

Come on Kara.

My sword is vibrating in my hand, eager and ready. Kara's standing, facing off against the three. This is her moment, and while I am aching to join her, I can't. I know it's not my time, it has to be hers and any doubts she has over her place and abilities won't exist after this. She shields herself and stands ready to attack. The trio nod and I'm holding onto the rail so tightly I can feel it starting to weaken in my hand.

All the Furies are now holding weapons of their own, black blades with flecks of gold that catch the light as they raise them in sync. They're not smooth blades, the edges are serrated - made for cutting and tearing. Their kills would not be clean, easy or kind.

No, there would be no more death today unless it was theirs.

Every time the swords meet, I shudder. Blood appears on Kara's arms; a cut here, a slice there. Good thing she is made for this. Kara knows how to fight, how to survive. Her powers are in full force, protecting, anticipating and deflecting all they throw at her now. I expect them to play dirty, yet they don't even when Kara returns hit after hit, and the blood they now wear is also theirs. They move as one with steps as well-rehearsed as Karas and I can't look away. I've never seen her like this, and despite the stories she'd shared over the time I'd known her of some of the battles and wars she'd fought in, I could never have imagined her as amazing as she was now.

Come on Kara.

This was why she'd been Odin's favourite, why she had been a leader of the Valkyrie and was now a Queen in her own right. I had no doubts if she had faced Odin again, with her powers returned, it would have been at her hand he died. Kara did not need to be saved by Cain.

I don't see what happened, but I do see Kara's next move doesn't go to plan as she misses Lefty completely, barely having time to spin and block the hit sent her way. Kara stumbles, regains her balance, and carries on, but the damage is done. Despite it looking like she had the upper hand, any signs of the fatigue they had been showing a second earlier is gone. Like wolves moving in on the kill, they strike harder, faster, and there's no attack coming from Kara now. She's on the defence and they know it.

We all know it.

Athena calls Kara's name, fighting and fighting whatever keeps them stuck in place, but it's not enough. Everyone can sense the end is near, Frigg groans on the floor where she still hasn't moved, and Kara needs help. I want to scream at Frigg to get up, and fight on.

"Where is the Fallen One?" The Fury on the right demands.

I wanted to ask the same damn question.

Kara doesn't answer, just glares at them as she's forced backward and falls onto the throne. All three blades point at her neck and she's trapped. The crowd starts to fidget, finally showing signs of breaking free and the mention of Cain has sent a rush of anticipation over them.

"Dead." Kara spits at them; literally, as her blood sprays onto the blades. "I killed him. You're too late."

"Lies!" The shield holder roars.

I feel cold. They know he lives, they've already faced him on the mountain so did we have to hide him in the Underworld at all? Had we misunderstood Hecate's message or was she really no better than everyone else, and was simply playing games of her own. The prospect that he wouldn't get here in time, or if he did, what that would mean suddenly terrified me and looking at Deimos, I wanted a sign he was okay; that he was still in there. I have something you can use against me, God of Straight Faces, come and find it, beat me - make this part of our training. I'll gladly lose this time.

He does nothing, only someone in the back of the room does. With their freedom gained, I watch someone run for the exit. So much for loyalty and another soon follows. They don't even get to scream as the shield Fury appears in front of them, and fresh blood now covers her sword and dress.

In the blink of an eye, she's back with the others and Kara is trying her hardest. I know she is, but alone, against the three, I don't think she'll be able to keep it up for much longer.

"The God Killer will be no more." The three say in unison.

Kara stops struggling.

She glares at them as if daring them to try and as they do, Apollo returns. Startled I swing my blade up to meet him which he barely manages to dodge.

"Woah, just me. Did we make it in time?" He asks, eagerly looking down below us.

The Furies have moved slightly, a sword now situated at her abdomen, her chest and her neck. They pull back, ready to strike and Kara glances towards Deimos before closing her eyes.

"Kara!" I hear someone yell, and I think it might be me only Apollo's hand is already over my mouth.

Their blades are pushed forward, as Apollo stops me again. It's Frigg, it had to have been Frigg calling out and now she's awake, she'll stop them, but she'll need help. Apollo dodges my hit and again, so he's forced to let me go. I make no effort to hide anymore and I am standing in clear view, about to jump down over the balcony to get to Kara while being terrified of what scene I was about to witness.

The Furies blades never meet their target. They can't; they're trying yet an invisible wall seems to separate Kara from the rest and distracted with their attack, Apollo has me back behind a statue before anyone has hopefully noticed.

"The hell were you thinking?" He whispers screams at me. "Oh that's right, you weren't!"

I look at Apollo, feeling dizzy with relief, while also certain that isn't his doing or any of the others right as the familiar feeling of Cain being close by its. Sure enough, we look again and he's there at Kara's side, the pair hunched together as they're having a quick chat. Cain looks around, frowning slightly before leaning closer to Kara again.

"Kara's hurt." Apollo whispers. "Cain will help her."

All I could do was nod, but a new fear of how bad was it and how much of a toll would that take on him replaced the anxiety of seconds ago. Her hand is red as it leaves her lap, and the look of satisfaction on Righty's face as she inspects her sword say enough.

The room takes a collective breath in; it was hard not to. He was still very much the Dark King and his power takes control. The hold the Fury's had was released and they shrunk together like a herd of frightened sheep that were also in awe of the wolf before them. With little sense of self-preservation or maybe the lesson had been learnt from the fate of the two statues behind them, no one makes a move to leave.

The rush of whispers followed and Athena pushed her way to the front. Aphrodite lingered behind her, and the man at her side wasn't someone I recognised. A mixture of awe and fear remained on all their faces, but more surprising was when Athena bowed.

"My King, you, you have returned." The hint of fear was impossible to miss.

"How is this happening?" Aphrodite gasped.

The shield Fury laughs then, and I'd managed to overlook the fact they were still there. I couldn't keep up, I felt sick and anxious, my anger fighting with my pain and everything that was going on.

"Your Queen is a liar." Righty hissed. "It was you we sensed, Fallen One, now where is the one we seek?"

Whatever it was he had done began to fail and as Kara stood, the evidence of her wound was on full display as the blood-soaked fabric appeared wet against her side. Her outfit altered to something new as she stepped forward to stand beside Cain; less Queen and more warrior as the silky dress disappeared. If I didn't know better, it was very similar to what I would wear, and I wondered if she did that on purpose. Frigg is sitting up, holding her head as she watches what was going on and I urge her to get up and help them.

"Whoever it may be, is not here," Kara growled. "I am the God Killer, and you will discover soon enough why they call me that."

"Your sword is clean. Do not waste our time with your false titles." Lefty raised her sword once more."We had planned to offer a quick death. Instead, we will make sure your incompetency and failure here today is felt until she takes her final breath. Will she last hours or days?"

It's then I see Artemis, Hades and Hermes appear behind the Furies. Athena instantly moves closer to them, finding strength she didn't just have as she faced off against the trio as the Furies laughed again.

"We should go down there now. We're all here now."

"Are you sure?"

I nod, and Apollo's frown deepens. "Okay, and FYI, I'm not against you staying up here, or outside, or back in your realm while you have the option to do so?"

"You're so funny, when did you get such a good sense of humour?"

"It's not too late to change your mind," he forces me to face him. "If anything happens to you. Elise, it's not going to be like all the other times. I might be able to heal you, but I've never- I don't know if it's even possible to save both of you."

"I won't let it get that far. We face them as one, and if shit gets bad, I will go. You're right, it's not like the other times and I'm not willing to take that risk." I put my hand on my stomach, not so sure if that hint of a lump I can feel is doughnut related anymore.

"Let me go first. Clearly, it's you they want, so make them work for it. Okay?"

"Fine." I reluctantly agree, mostly thanks to my little reality check. Even so, I can't stop myself from feeling hopeful. We're going to do this.

"It does not matter. She will die slowly, and painfully knowing it is their fault." Righty added, not noticing the new arrival as Apollo appears beside Artemis.

They shared a worried look, but nothing else, they didn't have to as those last words seem to act as a trigger to Cain. He breaks, and I shiver at the chill in the room as day turns to night which I know isn't Apollos doing this time. His power has always felt like its own presence, and it's all that exists in the room now.

Kara turns to Cain, who doesn't move, appearing completely neutral and calm on the outside which was even more terrifying than if he appeared mad. Shieldy raises her shield, and their intention is clear as they move to link arms. Too bad they don't get the chance and the three are tossed apart effortlessly. Their bodies bounce awkwardly onto the hard ground as they land, and they don't move.

"My King," Athena starts as those within the hall that can disappear, run for the exit or take a pose ready to help.

It gets fairly empty pretty quickly in there until Cain speaks.

"I am no King. I swear it to be by the will of Themis, and the oath I made on the River Styx, I return to right my wrongs, offering my allegiance to the chosen Queen" He tells suddenly roars, and its part of the show that Athena, in particular, seems to eat up. "If she accepts."

Kara nods. "I accept."

As the Furies rise, they seemed disorientated and wobbly on their feet, and no further words were needed as everyone instantly goes on the attack. They seem to know what was coming, weapons raised as their power fights Cains as he remains in the same spot, clearly concentrating on them. Artemis is quick to fire her arrows. Lefty lets out a screech as it lands in her outstretched arm. She spins to turn on Artemis who already has fired two more towards her, as Apollo follows pulling whatever light he can to blast towards her.

Athena follows Hermes after Righty, Aphrodite hesitantly following with the same determined look on her face if not the same enthusiasm. Frigg and Hades go after Shieldy, cautious in their approach as her intent with the shield are obvious. Hermes stands by Cain, who hasn't moved an inch. Hermes had joined Apollo and Artemis, faces I didn't know were helping alongside them and I had no idea when Ares got here.

Chaos takes over, everyone is facing their own battle and while I'm hopeful, I don't understand. Cronus was tough, we faced him as an old man after being imprisoned for who knows how long and he had been younger when facing them. He could have handled them, I didn't doubt it. Despite my friend's efforts now, something in the back of my mind told me they weren't even trying yet. We were no army; had we got lucky or were we being played?

The answer came seconds later as the room shook and the wave of power that washed over us had everyone falling to their knees. Even from my hiding place I wasn't immune, and fighting against it, I crawled to the edge unable to miss a second. Everyone was now on the defence, the trio reunited as though nothing had just happened and dismissed as if they were ere flies buzzing around. Cain still stood in the same position, seemingly unbothered by whatever that just was or the situation he now found himself in. It made him their target and nothing thrown their way came close to touching the Furies now. Artemis arrows did not meet their mark, Hades zombie-like minions he conjured up turned to ash quicker than he could command them. It wouldn't matter what they did, the Furies dismissed it easily, except for Cain.

If there ever had been any doubt as to why he was so feared, this was it. Where we had all fallen, he remained and the intensity of their focus was breaking him down piece by piece. It was only the presence of the Furies that remained by the end. This time when they tried to force him to yield, he wavered. Again, and again while the rest were once again locked in place, Cain kept fighting until suddenly he was spun around by an invisible force, and I saw the blow that rocked him forward so he fell at their feet.

"Where is she?" Lefty demanded.

"We want the girl," Righty growled.

"Cain!" Kara cried as they separated and the middle Fury rested the tip of her blade against the back of his neck.

I knew their plan as Shieldy raised it into position.

So much for not being reckless, for waiting and watching and being smart about things. In that split second, I made two decisions and I just prayed it worked.

"This is a little dramatic, if you want my attention just ask nicely," I called out.

"Get, out!" Kara screamed, her body shaking as she too was still fighting with all she had. "Leave!"

I didn't need to see Cain to know how he currently felt about this change of events. I felt it. I think the entire world felt it. The crowd around me fell silent and daring to look, some looked like they'd just passed out. I hoped that's all it was and not the alternative. Apollo, Kara and Hades all had on the similar look of fear and concern. Focusing on them was a mistake, and I didn't even dare look at Deimos.

"The one we seek." Lefty, well now, Righty smiled.

All the women had black lips, their skin was more grey than white and two had the same blackness to their noses in varying states while the other had it down half her face. Their eyes were bloody, a pinkish stain painted around the edge and left streaks down their faces. Now I was so close, I saw it all and their movements held a slight stiffness to them that hadn't existed when they fought Kara. New Lefty pointed a finger at me, her fingers bloody and damaged, the same blackness on her arm and hand. Frostbite.

Apart from the scars they carried, they were otherwise identical and once could have been beautiful. It reached a new level of creepy as they smiled in unison, tilting their heads slightly as they looked me over from head to toe.

"Is it she?" Righty seemed a little awestruck which would have been flattering at any other time.

"I'll be happy to discuss things further, but only once you let my friends go." I motioned behind them and two laughed as Shieldy swapped which handheld her toy. I met her gaze, trying not to shudder. "Is that a no then?"

"Elle." Cain managed to get out, rising to his knees. "Ru-un."

Shieldy tapped her fingers against the inside of the disc as she held it, the other two starting to wave their arms in the air as they swayed and when they took a step towards me, I didn't run or retreat. I wanted all of this to be a bad dream, a nightmare that had made its way in as I slept alone. None of it was real, actions wouldn't have consequences. Breath in, breath out; relax.

I looked around and as Kara got closer to me and pointed at the three. "What are they doing? Is it some kind of interpretative dance?"

"Summon-mon-ing." She tried to answer.

Trust your instincts.

Signs everywhere.

"Well, now you've found me, what do you want?" I ask.

The dance party continues as they come closer and I brace myself as Shieldy suddenly stops. She looks down, and instinctively I follow. It was more than that; it was like a compulsion to look and despite Apollo's earlier warning, I did look at the shield.

It was beautiful.

I take a deep breath, focusing on every single breathing technique Ailin had ever taught me while trying to teach me to meditate and step towards them. "Looks expensive. I bet this didn't come from Rumpels."

It was as if I was looking at the inside of an oyster shell; a rainbow of colours flowed across the surface as it trembled in Shieldys hand. I almost wanted to touch it, but the last time I'd been hit with a dose of venom, it hadn't gone great and Cain didn't look like he'd be in a position to get me back on my feet. He couldn't even get onto his, and as I inspected the shield, which seemed to make all three of them turn to stone, I reached out around Cain, and Kara letting my powers cut off whatever it was that had them trapped.

"What magic is this?" Lefty hissed.

"She is blind. It will not work on her." Righty answered.

"No. She sees." Shieldy mused. "Don't you child?"

"Perfectly." I smiled at her.

All three hiss, and again I'm forced to face the shield. I make a show of it, actually semi-fascinated with the story behind it, and I search from some clue that it truly was what Apollo suspected. Faintly in the colours, symbols and lines could be seen if I tilted my head slightly to try from a different angle and within the centre, the snake-headed silhouette of a woman told me he was right.

Well, fuck.

"She lies!" Righty screeched, making a move to lunge towards me with her fingers curled like claws. The look in her eyes was pure madness, so I matched crazy with crazy and laughed.

"Only when I have to," I shrug. "If you knew my mother you wouldn't be against telling the odd little lie here and there. Let's stay on topic, you've found me. What do you want?"

"You to die." Lefty purred.

I nod along as if she'd just said anything else other than that. "You three as well? I mean, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me that very same thing."

"Are you sure it is this creature, sister?" Right not so subtly whispered. "She is of unsound mind. It is why she remains so unaffected by the powers of the serpent witch."

"There is no fear." Lefty agreed. "Perhaps we have nothing to be concerned about."

Maybe I was insane and the fear I felt was too deeply buried right now to be easily found.

"I can hear you. Both of you." I point out.

"No," Shieldy smirked, narrowing her eyes as she looked me over from head to toe. "She is very much the opposite, Megaera."

Oh so they had actual names, and I looked at Lefty, who in turn looked at me in the same way Shieldy did.

"This has gone on long enough," Righty huffed, her breathing heavier than the other two as she was getting herself worked up over something. "Let me rip her apart, piece by piece and I will tell you what I find."

"Or you could not do that. Sounds painful," I suggest, before motioning up and down myself a smirk. "I also quite like what I have going on with all of this and I only got my hair the way I like this morning. Be a shame to ruin it."

Apparently, that was the final straw for Righty and as she went to pounce, Shieldy stopped her.

"Calm yourself Alecto, I admit I am slightly intrigued. This creature is barely one of us. Her mortality still lingers in her essence as if she has only recently come into her powers and yet, we rise now upon the orders of finding the God Killer for her crimes against the Powers, whose very existence should never have been. I see the marks on her soul. I see the fear she hides. It is not her body I want to inspect, it is her mind." Shieldy tilts her head as if that's exactly what she was currently doing. "To think she is what stands in our way of regaining our sire's throne for ourselves, now that is something I can not bring myself to believe."

"Oh, wait, you three are those types of pain in my ass. Right, this makes sense now. Sorry, but Kara's butt is the only one warning that chair, and on occasion, my own because best friend rites." I turn to Kara and wink, which only makes her roll her eyes. I've wasted enough time. "Also, my mind is off-limits and too bad you didn't see this coming."

The force of Cain's hit sends Shieldy stumbling towards me. In the process, she drops the shield and my sword is ready for her as it gets its first taste of blood. The whizz of an arrow shoots past my head, and Megaera screams as it must find its target. I don't get the hit I was intending, as Shieldy managed to gain some kind of control of her fall, but the cut is deep into her side, and the blade is wiped clean on the layers of her dress as I pull back, and attempt to hit harder only I don't get the chance.

Cain is suddenly behind her, his hand raised yet he doesn't touch her. He doesn't need to and as he raises her up, those black-tipped stubs on her hand claw at her neck.

"Who sent you?" He demanded.

She stopped trying to free herself and the gurgling sound that followed could almost be mistaken as a laugh, but apparently, I'm the one not of sound mind.

"Who sent, you?" Cain asked again.

Megaera screamed again, a similar screech coming from Alecto and daring to look away, each team had regrouped now and were winning. Hope began to bloom again and standing beside Cain, I raised my sword to her neck allowing the tip to break the skin ever so slightly.

"He asked you a question." I prompted.

She took in a wheezy breath before coughing, bits of red flying from her mouth as she gave us a bloody smile. Watery eyes looked between us, the right side starting to swell slightly from an earlier hit.

"It doesn't matter," She sighed. "Only what happens next."

"Then enjoy death," Cain promised.

I looked her in the eye as his powers tightened their hold, and daring to look away I saw Deimos. The need for revenge hit me like a punch in the guts, and I put my hand on Cain's arm to stop him, raising my sword again.

"This is for Deimos." I only sought out the relief that it was over and the rush of knowing I'd been able to punish her for what they had done.

Kara had said her experience in the mountain with them required her death as a punishment for her first kill; a life for a life. I only wanted the same, and as Shieldy laughed, my sword deeply embedded into her chest, the price was paid.

"How did it feel?" She asked, on her knees as she swayed with the effort to remain upright and not collapse. "Getting your revenge?"

As the initial rush subsided, and the need to claim her death as my own eased, that hollow pain that had remained on the edge of my subconscious was fighting to take over. This didn't bring Deimos back, the hurt was still there.

"It wasn't enough," I whisper.

"It never is."

Cain pulls me back, and as I go, I keep my sword, twisting it just that little bit to make sure it hurt like I was. Neither of us expected Alecto and Megaera to suddenly be with her and their broken, bloody bodies match Shieldys. In the instance that Cain raises his hand, they've linked arms and disappeared; the blast of power Cain and Hades direct there only hitting the marble of the floor with a force that has Cain catching me as I stumble backwards.

"Go, Hermes! Follow them!" Kara shouts desperately. "Cain, Hades?"

He looks at me and I nod, the four of them gone as quickly at the Furies.

"Elise, are you okay?" Apollo asks as he and Artemis replace Cain and I look at them unsure.

I turn away, taking in the room and the damage it had received, much like the people that regroup and look as dazed as I felt, around us. Catching sight of Frigg's red hair, I want to go and finally introduce myself only I don't move, I don't speak. I feel sick, my throat burning with a warning of what was coming. My eyes don't want to focus, and deciding to take a step towards the stairs to sit down, my foot hits the air as I sway to the side.

I'm soon sitting where I had planned, only the worried face of Apollo is in front of me and Artemis is holding onto my arm so tightly it hurts. It's not over, but we survived and as I hear my name, again and again, I just look over to Deimos. Not all of us survived.

"Elise?" Apollo says again.

"Sorry, what?" I ask, forcing myself to focus on him as I feel those familiar tingles leaving me.

"You nearly fainted." He explains, handing me some water. "I can't sense any injuries and you both seem okay from what I can tell, and-"

"What? How do you know we're both okay?" Had I been hurt? I didn't feel sore.

"I sensed the second heartbeat, that's all. I mean, I didn't push anything, I was focusing on you. You spaced out there and I didn't see any blood." He started, slightly confused.

"Second heartbeat?" I put my hand on my stomach. "There's a second heartbeat?"

Artemis looked at me like I'd just grown a second head. "Well yes, it would be the, you know?"

"He has a heartbeat," I repeat, more to myself than the twins. "I've been so scared, and I didn't. I hadn't known, but we have a scan soon to find out if it's okay, but I wasn't, I didn't-."

I feel the tears and close my eyes.

"Oh." That is all Apollo can say, while Artemis pulls me under her arm and hugs me.

We stay like that until I sense the second Cain and the others have returned. The mask of defeat is unanimous and spinning around Cain stops as he sees us. I'm up and running towards him before Artemis can even say my name. His arms are open and waiting, and I throw myself into him as if we'd been apart months not days.

"I've missed you," I whisper into his ear as I'm nearly crushed in his hold. "I love you."

I don't care who sees us or what they think as I kiss him now; it's hard, rough and desperate. My hands hold onto his shirt as if I didn't he was going to disappear and by just being together nothing else mattered right now. I trembled as we parted, breathless and exhausted as the world suddenly seemed to close in around us. His hand came up to hold the side of my face, his eyes searching mine for something before we kissed again; softer, slower and somehow able to hold back what I couldn't yet I felt it simmering there just under the surface.

"I love you too, Elle." He tells me, but there's more. Cain can't hide his disappointment. "We lost them. It wasn't enough, and they're still out there."

"I know." And I hold him tighter.

It's not over, but we survived.

_________________________________

 The whole time I was sitting here typing it I was like and Elise is going to---- nope? Now she will definitely do ---- oh nope, she's staying there. Anyone else surprised Elise actually managed to stay out of it until the point she did?

And Blueberry is doing okay too, proud of Apollo for how he's doing as well - though now having to face Cain after last time will be interesting for both of them....