After the events of the first night in the city, Azrael wasn't sure where she would go next. She thought about returning to Ifera, but was too afraid of Lorcán finding out what she had done. Her next idea was to continue on to the coast. Maybe disappear at sea and pray she wasn't found. However, that was dead in the water when news was sent that the ports were to be closed. So, she decided the best bet was to travel back to the forest. There she could hide out and be safe.

Azrael planned to leave in the night and never look back. This plan was abruptly halted. She had found a friend in Rosemary and when the time came to enact the plan, it failed. Azrael didn't have it in her heart to pack up and leave. So, she stayed.

~~~*~~~

Azrael had begun to go stir crazy keeping herself cooped up in the room. There was a big fear of venturing into the city alone in the first few weeks and then the snow came. She would go down and help Rosemary here and there with small tasks of the inn. This evolved into helping in the tavern from time to time to just working almost everyday.

Three months had passed since that fateful day. Three blasted winter months and four snowfalls already. It was a record winter and everyone was already sick of it. Especially the tavern.

The tavern was packed to the brim and it was only noon. Rosemary had already thrown three patrons out and threatened at least ten more. The waitresses were drawing straws to who ran the next plate of food and the bar maids were practically drowning in mead. This included Azrael.

"Hey! Why don't you show some extra skin!" A drunk yelled and three others laughed.

The barmaid was humored. "Go fuck yourself." She moved away to the other side of the bar taking order after order.

The drunk leaned forward on the bar. "Oh come back! We just wanted some fun."

Azrael appeared in front of him, shoving his arms back. "Get off my bar!"

His face fell and the joking and laughter died away. "You better find your place bitch. You serve us."

"Yeah I know but you're clogging up my bar with your sorry excuse of humor and there's plenty of others that want drinks. So I'm asking once again to get off my bar or I'll toss you out myself." Adrenaline had kicked in at this point and she wasn't about to back down. "Take your friends with you."

The next thing Azrael knew was she was sitting on the floor with blood pouring from her temple. There was commotion above and yelling. Azrael looked up to see the two others practically on the bar counter yelling and cursing. Rosemary knelt to help Azrael up and held a cloth to her head putting pressure on the wound. Azrael then saw what was happening. The two maids pushed the drunk man away from the bar while some others were pulling him and his friends back.

"THAT'S IT!" Rosemary was already launching herself over the bar with two line cooks not far behind.

~~~*~~~

A small town that sat north of the royal city was completely smothered by the heavy snow that fell only a few days prior. No one dared leave their house unless completely necessary. Well, there was an exception and he was sitting in the pub that refused to close for 'a little snow.'

Raden had found himself in this rundown pub wondering what the hell he was going to do. Three months he was trying to leave, but that turned out harder than initially thought. There was no way he would be able to pass over the mountains again and the ports were out of the question once the decree was put in place. So, he sat at this bar with his watered down drink wondering what the hell.

There were times as he braved the cold where the thought of going back to Azrael lingered heavily. Then again how would he forgive her? He couldn't forgive something so selfish. She had made her bed and now she needed to learn.

So why did Raden feel like this was his fault?

The door opened, letting in the frigid cold. Raden felt his wings shiver, but weirdly not because of the sudden drop in temperature. He glanced over to the presence beside him and let out an annoyed breath. "Isn't it a little cold for your ass to be here?"

The scent of roses lingered in the air as the Goddess, Love, sat picking at her nails. She never once acknowledged Raden as she spoke. "Can't be any colder here then Merikh's fucking throne."

"One thing we can agree on." Raden toasted before throwing back the rest of his drink. "Now, what the hell are you doing here?"

Lebina shrugged off her heavy cloak and settled into the worn bar seat. "I came to see how my favorite girl was doing. Last I heard, you two were in King's City." She looked around the pub with disdain and a curled lip. "However, this is a... quaint little place too."

"Well, you missed us by three months."

"I'm sorry?" Lebina raised a brow. "Raden, so help me if something happened..."

"Don't get your robes in a wad." He took a sip of his dirt tasting whatever. It didn't even matter at this point. "Last I checked she was still there."

Lebina crossed her arms and if looks could kill, Raden would be on the floor. "So, why aren't you there?"

"Long story."

"I've got all the time in this world and the next." Lebina smiled brightly. Raden knew better than the sweet act she put on. He saw that behind that smile was resentment, but he couldn't argue with her. He hadn't exactly been the perfect picture of love. "Start talking, boy."

Raden spent the next hour or so explaining everything. He went through not only what happened in the forest but everything Merikh had done or threatened. As he did, Raden realized how hurt he was with the situation. How his creator had forsaken him and only thought of him as a thing. How Azrael's choice felt like a gut punch. He realized that no one in his life truly thought of him then again did he ever think of others first?

Lebina sat there in deep thought for a moment. Her face was unreadable which made Raden nervous. "I came here ready to beat your ass." Raden sat there ready for it too. "But you truly don't deserve it this time."

Raden sat there with a shocked expression. Maybe there was something in his drink.

"However, you weren't told the whole story."

"There's nothing more to tell," Raden argued, "Those Gods were forgotten for a reason."

Lebina scoffed, "Is that what Merikh told you?"

"No." Raden remembered the countless lessons he sat through with Arjan. She taught him everything she knew. "Arjan taught me the history."

For the first time, Raden saw Lebina react negatively towards Arjan's name. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That doesn't surprise me."

"Fine," Raden answered, "What are the missing pieces?"

"First off." Lebina narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger into Raden's chest. "I'll smack that attitude out of you one of these days."

"Get to the point."

Lebina had a tight smile plastered on her lips as Raden could see her physically restraining herself from attacking him. She took a breath and started. "So you are right that the four brothers hated humans. They saw them as helpless creatures and completely inferior to what they had created."

"So, why did they create them?"

"They didn't. Arjan did. See they created Arjan and Merikh first then me and Javiad. Arjan decided it was her job to create life and that's what she did. The brothers didn't like it because they weren't their creations. We were created by them to worship them." Lebina paused to call the bartender over. Raden sat there with a million questions swimming in his head. It still didn't make sense.

"But the story goes that they were going to kill the human race and the Ancient Gods rose up to protect them."

She shook her head. "The brothers were going to kill Merikh. See they have a sister who adored the humans, and they loved her. She truly was the light to her brothers' darkness." Raden saw something in Lebina's eyes as she spoke of this sister. There was sadness there as if she was speaking of a lost friend. "Merikh took advantage of that and of her. She was the one he stole the magic from."

Merikh stole a drop of magic from one of the Nameless. Azrael's voice rang in Raden's head.

"Arjan found out and threatened her. So, she hid and eventually they all just disappeared. Their names were forgotten by the mortals because of Merikh and Arjan." There were tears in her eyes as she spoke. Raden knew Merikh had done things in his reign but never this. Nor did he ever think Arjan was capable of such evil.

"But you remember their names."

She shook her head. "Their names were pulled from our memories and cast into the void. I was forced to forget my friend's name and was never able to help."

Raden furrowed his brow. "But Azrael still went against my warning. She gave a new name to this God who lives under the mountains and now there's no way of knowing what he will do."

"Azrael found one of them?"

"Didn't you just hear me..."

She held up a hand to silence Raden. "This could turn the war."

"Yeah, he'll end the world..."

This time Lebina slapped her hand across Raden's mouth. "Gods you're completely brainwashed. Just listen." She removed her hand and Raden scowled. "He's going to be more concerned with finding his family again, but if word is spread that a Nameless God was given a new name in turn given him power again then Merikh and hopefully the others will back down."

"But they'll still be after Azrael."

"They won't." Lebina smiled. "Not when she has this God protecting her."

He said that I was a creation of them. That he would protect me through this. The more Lebina continued, the more guilt Raden felt for how he left things. He had been brainwashed and lied to about everything.

"What was she like?" Raden wanted to change the subject before he darted out of there to do something stupid. "The sister I mean."

Lebina smiled and patted his hand. She somehow understood what was running through his mind. "She lit up anywhere she went. Everyone truly loved her and I was honored to call her a friend." She stopped and tilted her head. A faint smile played on her lips as she recalled those memories. "Azrael reminds me of her."

Raden rested his elbows on the bar and rubbed his face. He had royally messed up and there was no telling if he could fix this. At this point he wouldn't be surprised if Azrael didn't forgive him. Hell he wouldn't even be surprised if she never wanted to face him again.

He peered over at Lebina who was sipping cautiously on her drink. "I have one more question. Why the interest in Azrael? Do you have devious plans for her too?"

"She'll kill me for this, but at this point..." she took a deep breath. "I offered to make a deal with her."

"Deal?"

"To help her with you."

Raden just sat there dumbfounded.

Libena shook her head. "Gods you're thicker then brick. She made a deal of love." She flicked him in the forehead.

He rubbed the sore spot still confused.

"Do I have to explain everything?" Raden nodded. "THE BALL! Raden, why do you think Lorcán showed up at the library when he did?"

The puzzle pieces began falling into place right in front of Raden's eyes. He peered over at Lebina who sat with a triumphant smirk. Gods he hated when she was right about anything.

"I need to talk to Azrael."

"Go!"

Raden flew off in spite of the weather. He would rather have frostbite then waste any more time sitting at the sorry excuse of a place. It was time to face everything and get the only person back that truly loved him.