Erra is a dangerous little fuck. That is why our Heart was worried about introducing us to him. My brother's ill-begotten son is an undead without the senseless need to kill. An immortal blooddrinker.

And he is obsessed with my daughter. My child.

She is such a tiny little thing. The part of me that is Thelios is livid, but the part of me that is War is murderous. As soon as I took her from my Firesprite into my arms I remembered holding Poppy for the first time. Coming out of that damn cellar where she spent her first years in the above. How she barely ever spoke at first.

I eye Erra. I wonder if he knows what her life was like before my female rescued her? I imagine if he did, he would be hunting. Some torment must be handed out to everyone who knew that there was a baby in that basement. Our Heart is too soft-hearted to allow a soul to endure centuries of suffering, but I can tell that Erra is up for the task.

"Papa, look!" Poppy climbs on top of Momo's back and tumbles off into a roll. Both Momo and Poppy stand up, arms held out, as if they are performing the most talented acrobatics show.

I hide my wince when they do it again and Poppy's shoulder hits the floor a little too hard. Lady Kalla scolds them gently, admonishing them to at least use something soft underneath.

Erra gives them his cloak, spreading it out on the floor for them.

So, he's a thoughtful, obsessive blood-drinker. Still not impressed.

"Where is Our Heart?" my brother asks me in a low voice.

I look away from my daughter to find Nateos returning from the garden without our female.

I growl lowly. All that Death is doing is making the urge to run away with Our Heart even stronger. "Let's find her, brother," I murmur to him.

I make eye contact with Erra, making sure the young male understands to watch my daughter. The male openly scoffs. I scowl, a few more years and he'll be old enough to punch.

Outside in the garden we see no signs of our female, but three of her Basru are guarding a small whitewashed wooden door tucked into one of the corners.

"Our Princess?" my brother asks.

"In the Napthia garden," one of them answers.

"Alone?"

"With her cat," another Basru answers. "She asked for privacy."

I frown. There is something odd about the male cat she has. Even shifter animal spirits aren't so... aware.

My brother and I pace for no more than a few heartbeats before we've had enough with waiting.

I push the door open and see our female, curled up on a bench, fast asleep.

Mishu and Mushu push past me, cavorting and scampering around the garden. Mushu grabs a rose and yelps, looking at the thorn that has pierced his hand. I frown and walk over, looking at the thorns. The flowers have white petals with blood-red centers that look wet, like they are actual hearts. The thorns seem normal, but the very tips are black, and the edges appear too sharp to be any sort of normal plant. The thorn that pricked Mushu has a small spot of black blood on it.

A thud grabs my attention. Mushu has keeled over onto his back, his rounded belly stuck up in the air. Mouth open, he snores.

Fuck.

---

Grief is Love, without Love there is no Grief. You cannot grieve what you didn't love, first.

"I know, I know," I mumble. Enlal is annoying, the mother that I don't need. "I have a mama," I mutter into the fur I'm snuggled into.

"Firesprite, wake up, Our Heart," Thelios strokes my face. "Please, Princess, open your eyes for us."

So sweet, even if they're War and warriors and too large to fit in most bathing tubs and don't wear shoes.

"You want us to wear shoes?" comes the puzzled-sounding voice.

"We bathe in the River, Our Heart. We fit," says a much more suggestive male.

My eyes open. I would be embarrassed, but when you wake up to this sight, there's no time to waste on anything other than lust. Two males, both staring at me with handsome faces filled with loving concern. I can blame my female heart for what I'm about to do.

"Please kiss me," I ask Thane.

His eyes widen fractionally. "You're certain?" he asks.

I smile. "Yes."

He doesn't ask any more questions. A good thing, because I have another male to kiss and no time to waste. Anxiety is thrumming through my veins. A war is still raging between Love and Grief... and Uncle wants a wedding?

I find Thelios' hand and entwine my fingers with his. He squeezes gently and I feel the bond thrum. I'm giddy at the contact. They aren't jealous anymore. Urto gave me this gift. My twins are finally acting like twins, like more than brothers.

Thane's mouth melts with mine, our lips playing with each other, tongues delicately seeking. He is dominant, but not aggressive. So very arrogant, but when he pulls away and Thelios takes his place, I know that Thane is not the more experienced kisser.

That makes me sad, somehow. All that time we could have all had together, lost because of Inanji.

"More," I beg into Thelios' mouth. I feel hands stroke my legs, up and up, their calloused palms feeling wonderful on my skin. Thelios holds my face, wraps around my back, securing me to him. My breathing grows heavy.

A thud breaks my lust-induced trance.

I look up to see Mishu keeled over, on top of a sleeping Mushu.

"Oh, no! They touched the thorns!"

Both my males are laughing as they scoop up my sleeping gargoyles. I frown at them. It's not that funny. No one knows the effects of Napthia thorns on gargoyles.

Belen-cat hisses and leaves, his tail held high in agitation. I blush. I forgot we had a witness.

"That's Mardu," I say quietly.

Both twins look surprised, then they shrug in unison. "Knew there was something odd about him. I assume he revealed himself to you?" Thelios asked me.

"Mmm," I agree. I tell them what Mardu told me about my father and the greed of Inanji. We are all quiet for a moment, then I whisper, "I have an idea, but I have to tell you all something first." This place, with it's sleeping roses and heavy silence, is a good spot for a confession.

Both males tense, their predatory faces turned towards me, red eyes and ready muscles.

"Lier is my brother."

I let them absorb that before I continue, "my father... he wasn't the best father, and then... my brother's bond... his soul chose a goddess, too."

Thane catches on quickly, "Inanji," he growls.

Thelios pales and steps away from us a bit. "She cheated on him," he mumbles, going pale. "She... fuck," he rubs his hand over his face.

"Something Mardu said, about Urto splitting his spirit into you," I whisper. "Then... Enlal, I think, was speaking to me as I woke up. First Love, then Grief. What if it means more than just Inanji and I? What if Lier is meant to be... like me?"

"Like you?" Thelios murmurs, questioning.

"A god," Thane confirms, his grin becoming wicked. "We steal some Love from Inanji and place it into Lier."

"How? We had Urto's blood in us," Thelios points out. "And that was a willing god. Inanji won't be so happy to give herself over to us."

"She is feeding Anthea her blood," I tell them. "She must be, otherwise Anthea would be completely out of control."

"So, how do we free Anthea?" Thelios asks.

"We don't," Thane replies grimly. He glances around at the Napthia flowers. "Erra will."

My heart leaps a little. "He's just a baby."

Both of my males smirk at me. "No, he most assuredly isn't, Our Heart."

"Let's go," Thane says to me, "we can discuss more in our suite. There are details that need to be sorted. Patriarch Rimon can help us. And... we need to speak with Lier."

Thelios grins at his brother, "he's her brother. We can't beat on him."

"We can, a little."

I stomp out of the Napthia garden with chuckling males at my back. Nasir is waiting for me, a worried look on his face.

"Another petitioner, My Lady," he murmurs.

Thane growls, "another? How are they getting in here?"

But, I smile when I see Belen pacing at the end of the larger mourning garden. "Belen!" I call out. He looks up at me and grins merrily, but his eyes are tired.

"What is it, Belen?" I walk to him and grasp his hands. They are clammy, as if he's nervous.

"I have been speaking with your father, Mara. And... I want to return to the above."

I just blink at him. It sounds like a terrible idea. My father told me that souls go back, but as babies, with no memories of their pasts. Somehow I know that Belen isn't asking for that natural sort of reincarnation.

"I miss Esa. And I am worried. She is all alone, except for your Postites and an infant female. No city, no temple, no home. Who will care for her? Will she survive?"

I try to think of how to phrase my refusal. "Surely there are many souls who worry about their loved ones? But, Belen, life in the above is for just that, life. You are dead. You can't return."

He drops my hands and walks away, running his fingers through his hair roughly. Too rough, as the claw tips at the ends of his hands rake his scalp and make spots of blood appear in his hair.

"My Nan is up there, too. My family in the desert, the nomads. I just... it's so hard to stay here, fat and happy, while they suffer."

I think, tense and upset that I can't fix this for Belen. This is too much. There are too many things happening all at once. I have so many things to do...

But, as Uncle said, a goddess must bring balance... and Belen is my good friend...

"Only gods and those who serve Death may cross back and forth easily. That's very few souls. Just my Basru, my gargoyles, Gired and Rasted... but mortal souls must stay here."

My father's war is mine, now. I am the one who needs to protect her daughter from Inanji and any others who would harm her.

The world blossoms into something new and exciting as I remember, not just one daughter. I rub my belly and smile. Maybe I'll have only daughters? Wouldn't that put a stone in the spokes of War?

"Bel, my friend, what you ask for is impossible," Thelios says gravely. His look of sympathy is slightly ruined by the snoring gargoyles he has in his arms.

I look at them solemnly. Belen looks defeated. His head picks up and he stares at me desperately, "Isn't there a way?"

Thane wraps his arms around me, dwarfing my body with his. "Maybe," he replies easily. I turn in his arms to stare at him in astonishment.

"Lier will no longer be himself. The Basru must be kept whole, Our Heart," he says softly.

My eyes widen on him and I smile. Father is right, he is smart.

"Who are Rasted and Gired?" Thelios asks in a low tone.

"Later, I'll tell you?" I say sweetly. They both growl. "For now, let me gather some of these thorns."

I gather them with trepidation as Belen tells us that Lier is drowning his sorrows in the city. He is supposed to be here in Irkalla.

"As his Captain," Thane says, "he's a shitty Basru."

"I don't think you're the Captain, anymore," Thelios smirks at him.

"I'm Poppy's Captain," Thane shoots back.

I hear thuds from behind me. I ignore it. I think I just need to accustom myself to violence from those two. I rub my belly. Please be female.

---

When we leave the mausoleum, Our Heart stays with her Basru and Gired and Rasted hovering, invisible. When she told us that they exist we could just barely see the shadows move, easily dismissed as a trick of the light. Good to have around.

After all of the petitioners, we decided that only the 'giant, winged twin gods of War, would go fetch the idiot,' my Princess' words, not mine.

The city quakes in fear from us. Shutters are slammed shut, souls dive for cover. All we're doing is strolling down the street. The middle of the street, of course. It's easier for our giant, winged bodies.

Lier is just as I thought he might be, sloshed in his cups and slumped over in a nice enough tavern, the scent of bone wine on his breath. Apparently he can't hold his liquor in the Underworld any better than he can in the above.

"Lier," I shove his shoulder.

"She is raging," he says blearily, lifting bloodshot eyes to me. "Her hatred is putrid, offensive, pounding down on my head and I... I don't think I can last."

"You will, Lier," I say grimly. Thelios pours some water over the males head, then tips his head back and pours some more down his throat.

He coughs, shaking himself. He blinks at us, "you're some ugly fuckers. My sister could have anyone."

Fuck, he's spilling secrets in the middle of Ersetu.

I grab him and haul him up from his seat. He swings at me and misses, nearly toppling himself over.

He keeps shaking his head. "I shouldn't have even gone with her. My weakness could've lead me to betray her again. I need to stay away from her. I'm sorry, Mara. Maybe you should stay away from me."

"Let's get him out," Thelios says.

We haul him to the door. It takes two of us to wrestle his drunken weight out the tavern door onto the empty street. In the light of the Underworld, he looks like shit.

Lier blinks at me, until he finally spots Belen lurking in the shadows behind me. "Belen!" he says cheerily.

"Captain Lier," Belen says in a wry tone

"This is Our Heart's brother?" Thelios sneers quietly.

Lier shakes his head like a dog. "You can't make Mara do it. The bond between us is one I chose, not Inanji. Don't cut it. I won't let you hurt her that way. Just drown me in the fucking river."

"We can't drown you," Thelios tells him. He looks put out by that fact. I am a little disgruntled, too. Saving this male from himself to make Our Heart happy is worth it, though.

"Don't say her name," I snap at Lier.

"Drowning him in the river actually may be what we need to do," Thelios remarks.

I nod thoughtfully. "Think he can swim?"

Thelios shrugs.

In one smooth movement, we each grab an arm and spread our wings. Lier struggles between us as we lift him into the sky and fly over the city to the banks of the Crone River. About the height of the walls, we let go.

Lier plunges into the River. He pops back up, cursing and sputtering. Laughing, we lower ourselves until our feet skim the surface of the river. Lier swipes for us as the lazy current carries him closer to the Palace walls.

Thelios flies up and pushes his head under, laughing uproariously at the insults Lier tosses his way. When Lier's head resurfaces, I shove him back under.

Thelios is laughing so hard he can barely fly. Which leaves him vulnerable to Lier. My brother is pulled into the river a moment later.

I dunk them both, several times, before they manage to drag me under the water, too.

When the gargoyles fly down to play with us we know we're in trouble.

"I told you to fetch my brother, not drown him." She is frowning, but her eyes twinkle in amusement.

We all offer sheepish grins to the angry goddess of Grief.

"Mara!" Lier is still drunk enough to lurch out of the water and hug his sister, soaking wet.

I see Harku's eyes widen, before he explodes in angry chatter.

"Sorry," Lier lets go of a damp Mara, smiling. She smiles back, but her eyes show her concern as she looks over her brother.

"Oh, Lier, what happened?" she asks him, cupping his cheek in her palm.

His eyes drift closed. "She came to me when I was patrolling the eastern wall. She... she looked so broken, Mara. I'm sorry. I went with her. She seduced me," he says bitterly, "then told me I had to betray you to keep her. She kicked me out when I refused."

Mara kisses her brother's cheek. "It's not your fault, Lier. She's your Fated. We're going to fix this."

"No, leave it alone, Mara. It's not worth the danger."

"If this works, then there is no danger, Lier."

He looks at her for a long time before he breaks. "What do you want me to do?" he asks with a sigh.

"Have her drink this, as well as the rest of the household, then come and fetch me and I'll do the rest." She hands him the sealed jug filled with tea brewed from the Napthia thorns.

"What do you have planned, little sister?"

"We're going to fix Love."