Akira coughed. Ehren’s attention immediately snapped back to her. She groaned and tried to sit up. Ehren held her in place.

“Let me up, you idiot,” she rasped. “I must speak with her.”

Ehren didn’t reply or let her up.

“God damn it Ehren, let me up!” she growled. “I can’t breath let alone speak like this.”

She began coughing again.

“Let her sit up,” Freyja told him.

“But is that wise?” he asked.

“Sitting up won’t kill her,” Eir replied.

Ehren nodded and helped her sit up. The scars on her back were still weeping blood, soaking the bandages wound around her.

“Freyja, who cursed me?” she asked hoarsely.

“Loki,” Freyja spat with disgust.

“Then he must be the one to remove it.”

“Why?” Eir asked. “I can remove the curse right now, if you want.”

“No!” Akira snapped. “No one can remove it but him. If you or anyone else tries to remove it, it will only kill me that much faster. Trust me, I know this curse. I’ve lived with it since I was sixteen.

“How can you know any of that?”

“Because I told her,” Loki’s voice startled everyone but Akira.

“You were watching, waiting to see whether or not they would attempt to remove it.” Akira’s voice was hollow and she stared at him with eyes harder than flint.

“I was watching little wolf,” Loki replied. “Only to see what you would do.”

Akira sneered in disgust but said nothing. Ehren watched her closely.

“Ah, little princes,” Loki said addressing Ehren and Ferros for the first time. “I see you have taken a keen interest in my little wolf.”

“She is not your little wolf! She is not your anything!” Freyja thundered.

“Ah but you are wrong,” Loki replied. “This curse has branded her as mine.”

“I wish for you to remove this curse you tottering, ice giant spawn.”

Akira’s voice was quiet but her words were dagger sharp. Loki stared at her for a moment astonished. Then he flew into a rage. Ehren moved to put himself between them but Ferros stopped him.

“Shut up!” Akira roared before dissolving into a fit of coughing.

“You speak of your ruined face,” she rasped and wheezed. “That was your own damn fault. This was through no fault of mine other than comforting a homesick little girl with a song that wasn’t a hymn. I was whipped within an inch of my life twice and got blood poisoning for my trouble. You did this to punish me, did you? Well, I did nothing wrong other than callling the Mother Superior a hell-hated scut. Which, if I recall correctly, you laughed at.”

Loki pursed his lips angrily.

“Besides,” Akira continued. “Even this curse cannot brand me as yours. Or have you forgotten? You cannot brand that which does not belong to you, not when they are protected and belong to another.”

Loki’s upper lip curled in a silent snarl. Akira had bested him, for now. But the god of Chaos would always find a way to get what he wanted, eventually.

“Everyone must go!” Loki snapped viciously.

Eir and Frigg sneered in disgust at being ordered around by him but disappeared into the shadows.

“I will not take from this family again until it is time,” Hel said softly turning her back on Loki. “If I have to take this girl after all you’ve put her through, I will kill you. Laws be damned, I will kill you. And it will be far worse than having poison dripped on your face for all of eternity.”

She left in a swirl of black smoke. Freyja moved to follow her but Akira caught her attention.

“My lady, please look after my mother and siblings,” she whispered, tears gathering on her lashes. “They feast in your hall now. Please, I know my mother was never a true follower of you but I believe she made a deal to save my life. I just want to know someone will be looking out for them.”

“Hush my child,” Freyja soothed her. “Your mother and siblings do dine in my hall and I shall look after them. Your mother became more of a believer and follower of us in the years after she discovered what her own faith had done to you. As for the deal, it was not her who made it. It was me. I asked Hel to spare you.”

“Why?” Akira whispered dumbstruck.

“Because my child, it was not time for you to die. The oracle spoke of the great things you would do but only if you lived.”

Akira nodded lost in thought. Freyja kissed her forehead.

“Be well my daughter.” She turned to Ehren and Ferros. “Look after her. Love her for all that she is and all that she is not. But be mindful, do not try to make her into something she is not. She will not give up who she is for anyone, nor should she have to.”

With her blessing and warning given, Freyja vanished from the room. Loki turned to the remaining three occupants.

“You three get out,” he ordered.

“I’m not leaving her with you,” Ehren said. “I simply don’t trust that you will do as she’s asked.”

“If you stay, you will die,” Loki snarled.

Ferros wrapped his hand around Ehren’s upper arm and tried to pull him away. Ehren refused to move. Ferros looked to Kier for help. For a man who had supposedly seen war, he looked terrified.

“They’re real,” he muttered with a terrified stutter. “She was right. They’re all real.”

“Of course we’re real!” Loki snapped turning on him. “What did you think we were intangible beings like the one so many of you tiny humans worship?”

Kier gave him a jerky nod.

“Ha! That old lie! Why anyone still believes in that hoax I’ll never know. Man’s need to control each other knows no bounds.”

“Ehren,” Akira’s voice was barely audible but he still heard it. “Go. I don’t trust him either but Hel’s threat on his life will keep him in line. He values his life far too much to cross her.”

Ehren opened his mouth to protest but Ferros’ hand tightened on his grip on his arm. Ehren turned to his brother, who shook his head. Ehern sighed and stooped to kiss Akira’s forehead. He shooked off his brother’s hand and went to Keir. He grabbed him by the shoulders and steered him out of the room. Ferros followed close behind them.