"Well, that depends." Camila took a step forward, eyeing the woman on the throne. The woman held herself with her chest thrust forward and her chin held high. When she spoke, she looked down her thin nose. "Are you Catalina?"

The woman sighed. "It's really not that simple. You might want to take a seat."

"I prefer to stand."

"So it's easier to fight?" The woman shrugged an elegant shoulder. "If you feel you must. My name is... complicated."

"If it's difficult to pronounce, I've taken classes in proper name pronunciation."

"At least your parents were thorough." The woman pursed her lips. "You can call me Selene. But my body belongs to Catalina and my soul to Inanna."

"Inanna?"

"The first immortal. Named after the Sumerian goddess of sex and war. It's messy, I know." The woman—Selene? Inanna? Camila wasn't sure what to call her—waved a hand. "I promise I'm not here to fight with you. Please sit."

Camila got the sense she wasn't asking.

There was a small wooden chair resting below the dais. Camila picked it up, carried it up the dais steps, and set it down beside the throne so she and Selene were on the same level.

Selene raised a thin eyebrow.

Camila sat.

"Where is the Heart of Catalina?" Camila asked.

"With me."

"What do I need to do to get it?"

"Make a deal."

"With a ghost? I like my bone marrow where it is, thank you."

"A goddess, actually." Selene frowned. "Not all ghosts have bad intentions. Most do, but not all."

Camila leaned back against the chair. It creaked ominously and she adjusted her position so less weight rested on the chair.

"You're a goddess?"

"Yes."

"Prove it." Camila braced her hands against her knees.

Selene rolled her eyes. She sighed, lazily raised her hand, and snapped her fingers. The sound rung through the ballroom, clear as a bell.

Camila gasped.

She rocked forward, falling from the chair. She forgot Declan, she forgot Alex, there was only beautiful, ethereal, perfect Selene. Camila wanted to do was run her fingers through her silky black hair and taste her plush pink lips. Electricity crackled along her skin.

"Mate," she choked out.

Selene sighed, snapped her fingers again, and Camila pulled herself back into her chair, the intense need evaporating and her cheeks as red as a tomato.

"Oh," she managed.

"Indeed."

Camila raised her chin, determined not to let Selene throw her off guard. "What kind of deal did you have in mind?"

"It's simple. You embrace your nature and I'll help you out. And Camila," Selene's expression was hard to read, her face still and devoid of emotion. The shift in her features was miniscule, so small Camila suspected she'd imagined it, but, for a moment, she was sure Selene winced. "You could really use my help."

"I assume you mean the whole turn into a wolf thing, right?"

A faint sigh escaped the goddess. "It's much more complex, but yes, that's the gist of it."

"Do I have to do it now?"

Selene looked up at the ceiling. "I suppose not. But why wouldn't you use every weapon in your arsenal to stave off Dragomir and Rosa?"

"All right." Camila held out her hand. "Deal?"

"Deal."

Selene reached out, plucking a rusted iron box from the air in front of her. She offered it to Camila. "The Heart is inside. I wouldn't open it here, as it's quite pungent. Do you mind if I offer you some advice?"

Camila took the box. The iron was unnaturally cold, almost painful to the touch. 

"Of course."

"Dragomir can't get the Heart."

When Selene didn't elaborate, Camila tucked a stray hair behind her ear and asked, "Why?"

"It's the only thing that can kill him. And you don't want Rosa to get it, because then she can use it to make herself immortal and she tends to go on murder sprees, so, you know. Best avoided."

"I thought she was-"

"Already immortal?" Selene leaned forward, resting her pointed chin on her hand. "Not technically. She sold her soul to a demonic spirit several centuries ago and sacrificed a good deal of her power to do it. Also, I'm kind of mad you didn't stick it out with Declan, but I did approve the bond with Alex for a reason, so you better not screw it up."

Camila raised an eyebrow. "You've paid attention."

"We don't have Netflix in the heavenly palace." Selene shrugged. With the deal struck, the goddess relaxed her shoulders, resting her forearms on her knees and leaning closer to Camila. "And honestly, your life is pretty dramatic. I've been thinking lately I should've mated you with a human or something boring like that. How do you feel about slugs?"

"No! Definitely not." Camila shivered, shaking her head. She wasn't totally sure Selene was kidding. "I do not want to mate with a slug. Although, actually, speaking of mating bonds..." She paused, trying to find the right words.

"You want to know if the mating bond with Declan will stick."

Selene's black eyes glinted with sympathy. Camila nodded.

Selene pursed her lips. "Now that you've got an official mating mark, the bond with Declan will fade with time and distance. Unless, of course, you don't want it to."

Camila glanced around the ballroom. It was identical to the night of the dance. The sun was setting, the light filtered through stained-glass skylights, the arched ceiling held up by columns with roaring lions at their base.

She took a deep breath, letting the simple action calm her racing heart. "Are my parents alive?"

Selene was silent.

If she strained, Camila could hear the melancholy tune of a violin solo.

"Yes."

Camila closed her eyes, shoulders slumping forward, her breath escaping her in a relieved sigh.

Selene winced. "Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. There's these two friends in London who are fake dating to scare off her ex and the guy just proposed to the girl and I'm not sure if he's sincere or not. I had to listen in. It's dramatic stuff."

Camila raised an eyebrow. "Did she say yes?"

"Apparently, she needs to think about it." Selene shook her head, scowling. "Do you know how many times I've wanted to shake you by the shoulders? Like, how on earth did you not know how Alex felt?"

"He hides his emotions very well." Camila tapped her fingers against the wooden chair. Eager to change the subject, she said, "Do you have any more advice for me?"

Selene furrowed her brow. "I suppose you should know that a deal with a ghost doesn't need to go poorly. Not if you offer them something that doesn't belong to you. I mean, it'll go poorly for whoever owns whatever you give them, but that could be..." She winked meaningfully. "...a good thing."

Camila nodded, the beginnings of a plan taking root in her mind. "Thank you. Will you be okay without a heart?"

"I've got a couple spares." Selene's black eyes seemed to pierce through her skin, to see every fear and insecurity. "And Camila?"

Camila turned.

The goddess smiled sadly. "Victory has a cost."

Before Camila could respond, the ballroom dissolved before her eyes, breaking into bits and pieces. The chair crumpled beneath her, soft as freshly fallen snow. She caught a glimpse of Selene's face, her hand waving, her lips set in a faint smile.

Everything went black.

Thank you for reading!! I hope your day (or night!) is going wonderfully! 

Question: on a scale from one to ten, what are the chances that the box is totally empty?

-Harley