Agent Jones did not get into his F.I.T quietly or without a fight. Not that he had much fight left in him after the Wild Hunt. As much as he could try to tell himself that magick wasn’t real and I wasn’t the Demi-Goddess that I claimed to be, sensory deprivation is pretty damn intimidating and he knew that the F.I.Ts could at the very least teach people skill, so memory transfer wasn’t that far a step. He was scared shitless that I wasn’t bluffing and since I wasn’t, I could understand that feeling.

To his credit, he didn’t scream as he was placed in the saltwater of the tube, though he did look very uncomfortable. I supposed that the saltwater on the many open cuts he had received during the Wild Hunt contributed to that discomfort as much as the punishment that he was about to receive. I will admit that using saltwater instead of regular water may have been a bit petty of me but it would also ensure that his cuts would stay clean and promote healing during his time in the F.I.T. That discomfort would also be brief; he would probably be used to the stinging sensations and able to put them out of his mind before the real punishment began.

This was a punishment that he had more than earned. His victims, or at the very least the ones who were still alive, deserved to know that he would not escape justice. Perhaps he could even learn empathy from this experience, though I had to wonder if he would be even close to sane when he emerged. It was unlikely with so many traumatic memories originating from a plethora of different points of view. He could come out of that F.I.T a very special kind of crazy if he didn’t hold on to the core of who he was.

He was mostly hooked up now, despite his struggles, he just needed to have the helmet/breathing apparatus put on. I looked down at him past the two Nyiir’dhraí holding him in place and gave him as sympathetic a look as I could muster. “It has been your own actions that have brought you to this point, Agent Jones. Unlike you, I am capable of mercy. So, allow me to give you some advice before your punishment begins. These memories are not you, think of them as home movies from other points of view showing what a colossal dick you’ve been. Do not fight them, it will only make things worse. Try to learn from them, from what your victims felt, and consider whether that is the type of person that you wish to continue being.”

With that done, and the hope that he would take my words to heart, I nodded to the attendant. As she placed the final piece of equipment on him and secured it in place, I hoped that he would take my advice. I doubted that he would, given the type of person that he had proved to be, but I felt better having given him the opportunity.

Once Agent Jones was completely submerged and the F.I.T was closed, those gathered watched for a moment before going their separate ways. I would have a couple of attendants monitoring the F.I.T constantly until all of the memories were transferred into Jonesy’s mind to ensure that there were no physical health issues but everyone else was to stay away from his F.I.T. As soon as the deed was done and he was ready to be taken to his new home the F.I.T attendants would contact me.

With my duty done, I had a promise to keep. So my companions and I went to look for Shaoli so that Lissany and I could get measured for our new armor. I knew that they were working somewhere near where the Spring Court had set themselves up until their scouts found a good location for a new Glade. With that in mind, rather than wading through various groups of people, we walked with Laneera. The Princess of the Spring Court knew where they had set up shop and we were able to talk as we walked.

I liked Laneera. Much like her younger sister Sahnae, she was friendly, slow to anger, and had this deep wisdom that she was happy to share with others when asked. As we talked I was surprised to learn that she was close to the same age as my Mahair. Sure she was wise, but she didn’t seem to carry the burden that Mahair did.

“We have lived very different lives, your Mahair and I,” she explained sadly. “The Spring Court has always had a somewhat less hostile relationship with the Humans near our Glades and she has borne the fate of all Fae upon her shoulders for four hundred years. As you have probably come to understand, that is not an easy burden to bear, Your Majesty. I have also not been blessed with any children yet, let alone endured the loss of them.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I hope that she’s safe out there and finds what she’s looking for,” I replied with a sigh.

“Amoiraishe is cautious, powerful, and intelligent. She is also very stubborn, so I pity anyone who gets between her and whatever it is she is searching for,” the Spring Court Yseil'dhraí offered with a smile. “Enough talk of worriers and dismal topics, would you all care to join me for breakfast before you and your Guardian go to get your measurements taken?”

We accepted Laneera’s offer and for the second time, I found myself eating a somewhat traditional Japanese breakfast. The only one of us new to the experience was Pete but he seemed to enjoy it. I had never known him to be a picky eater and, while he gave the nori an uncertain look at first, he quickly shrugged it off and was soon eating with his usual gusto.

I was getting worried about my companions though. It was nine a.m. Vancouver time by the time we finished eating and none of us had gotten any sleep. I knew for a fact that Lissany and Rei hadn’t gotten near enough sleep the night before that either with the raid, fighting dragons, helping the people on the plane, and then everything with Vivian. Pete had mentioned not getting much either when we had returned to the safe house from Varüus’kiel. They all looked very tired and none of them were Fae, Nishalle and I would be fine getting three or four hours of sleep at some point but they all needed to get some proper rest.

With that in mind, I made an announcement to the three of them as we headed toward the group of Sül’shael that was where I was pretty sure we would find Hadrick, Yola, and Shaoli. “Liss, you’re getting measured first. As soon as you’re done I will set a portal for you, Pete, and Rei to return to the safe house. Nishalle and I will follow once I’m done.”

“But, Your Majesty, I’m…”

I quickly cut off the argument that my Guardian was about to make, placing my hands gently on her shoulders and giving her a sympathetic look. “This is an order, Kiddo. I know that it is your duty to protect me but the three of you can barely stay awake right now, you haven’t gotten proper sleep in at least two days. I need you at your best but you’re not right now. You’re exhausted and that’s when mistakes happen. Besides, I’m in my center of power and Nishalle will stay with me just in case. We won’t be long and all of you need rest.”

Rei looked like he might refuse as he said, “I don’t know Babe, you’re kind of a trouble magnet. I don’t feel good about leaving you and Nishalle behind alone, even for a few minutes.”

“Honey, please,” I insisted. “I’m serious, you all look like you’re about to fall over. Even if something did happen, would you really be effective in a fight right now? I’ll have Nishalle here and I’ll be surrounded by Sül’shael and other loyal Fae. Do you truly think any of them are going to let anything happen to me?”

“Those Sül’shael do seem to adore you,” my Kitsune fiancé reluctantly admitted.

“Yes, so they’ll take care of me, my love. Besides, if anything bad were to happen here, of all places, it would likely be something that I could easily handle myself or that none of you would be able to help with anyway. I’ll be fine. So when Liss is done just go to the safe house, curl up in bed to wait for me, rest, and keep that phone that we snatched from Jonesy nearby in case his boss is feeling chatty,” I told him before kissing him tenderly.

“Fine,” he said simply, once my lips had relinquished his own.

Pete looked like he was about to say something but Nishalle quickly put a finger to his lips. “My sister is right, big boy. You all need sleep and we’ll be fine for the short time that it will take for her to get measured. So there are only two words that I want to hear from you right now. You know what they are, and you know that I wouldn’t push this if I didn’t think that Taelya is right and you need rest.”

The large Human warrior looked like he was torn for a moment before sighing and saying, “Yes, dear.” That reply earned him a kiss as she caressed his cheek. It was actually nice seeing my sister being openly affectionate with him rather than her usual teasing and I had to wonder just how serious their relationship was becoming.

Lissany frowned as any support that she had crumbled. “I’ll go since you ordered it, Your Majesty, but I don’t like it,” the Beastkin girl said, not looking at all pleased with the idea.

“I’m not asking you to like it, Kiddo. I’m asking you to do it, for both our sakes,” I told her, wrapping her up in a hug. Once I had released her we continued on our way.

If either Lissany or I thought that Shaoli would be measuring us like a regular old seamstress with a measuring tape and stuff, we were in for a disappointment. Or perhaps not with all of the measurements that the Nyiir’dhraí would have had to do that way. The method that she did use was hardly standard, but probably a lot more efficient in the long run, even if I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone with claustrophobia.

“So, who wants to go first?” the cheerful and down-to-earth Nyiir’dhraí asked once we had arrived and the Xixie and the other Sül’shael had stopped mobbing us and excitedly telling me about all of the wonderful new things that Hadrick was teaching them to make.

“Lissany will be going first, she needs to go get some rest after this,” I informed her, motioning for my Guardian to go ahead.

“I guess that you need me to take my armor and stuff off?” the Jaguar Beastkin asked as she stepped before the Fae seamstress.

“Yup,” Shaoli agreed with a smile and a nod. “it would be best if you can actually get down to your underwear, Lissany. I really hope that you’re not afraid of enclosed spaces though because what I’m going to do will completely cover you from head to toe since Hadrick wants to make sure everything, including your new helm, will fit properly. Since you’re still growing though I’ll try to put a little extra room in the hips and chest so that you don’t need to immediately need to get your armor adjusted if you hit a growth spurt. We can put padding there and just remove it if you grow into it.”

“I’ll be havin’ the lasses make the armor in a way so that we can adjust the plates as bit as you grow too, Lissany. Hopefully, you won’t need to have a new set made for a couple of years, if then. Even then, as long as the Nythrin and the inner layer of dragonhide are still in good shape, we’ll just rework it for a better fit once yer finished growin’,” Hadrick offered.

My Guardian dismissed her armor with a sigh and began getting out of her outer clothes as the Dwarf spoke. “What do you mean, by completely cover me?” she asked cautiously of Shaoli.

“Oh, I’m going to use a spell I created called Clay Clone to create a mannequin with your dimensions,” the seamstress replied. “And since Hadrick wants to make the helm more comfortable for your feline ears we’ll need to include your head. It’s a good thing the ground here near the lake has a high clay content, it’ll make things a lot easier. You’ll probably want to take a shower later though. So here’s what I need you to do, Lissany. I want you to keep perfectly still and take a deep breath and hold it because the clay is going to cover you completely for a moment.”

Lissany frowned for a moment but then nodded her agreement. “My current helm kinda squishes my ears, it’s a little uncomfortable. I’m ready when you are, Shaoli.” She took a deep breath and held it as she attempted to stay perfectly still.

The moment that my Guardian had given her consent and taken that breath, Shaoli’s lips and hands began to form the sigils for her spell. “Tiihal kaida nihala!” No sooner had the words left Shaoli’s lips and her finger finished drawing the last sigil in the air in front of her than a large pile of clay flew through the air toward Lissany, spreading and moving along the surface of her body and for a brief moment, the Beastkin girl was completely covered before the clay exploded outward.

The clumps of clay seemed to just sit there on the ground for a few seconds before they all started to move toward one another with frightening speed. All of it shlorped together into one big blob that twisted and bubbled before flowing and coalescing into a perfect likeness of my Guardian; from head to toes and tail. The only difference was the lack of hair on the likeness’s head.

“That felt weird, and I think I have clay in my hair and some really uncomfortable places,” Lissany said as she tried not to stare at the clay construct while getting dressed. Once she had done so she reached up to fluff her hair. “I’m gonna need a shower after that. That’s a cool spell but why does clay-me look bald?”

Shaoli let out a musical laugh. “Yeah, some of the clay can stick a bit. I could have had it copy your hairstyle too if I had wanted it to, but your hair is really long and with it loose like that it’s in contact with the rest of your body, so I didn’t want that throwing things off.

With my Guardian finished with her turn I quickly cast the portal back to the safe house. “We’ll be back soon. All of you get some sleep, please,” I suggested gently before ushering them through. Once they were gone and the portal was closed behind them I switched from my weapons and damaged Lindwyrm-hide armor to my more casual clothes and stripped down to my birthday suit. It wasn’t like I was shy or had anything to hide.

“Am I going to need to hold my breath too?” I asked Shaoli as I attempted to hold perfectly still.

“No, Your Majesty, I should only need to do from the neck down for you,” the seamstress told me with a smile before starting to weave and speak the sigils for her spell. “Tiihal kaida nihala!”

It was around the time that the clay started to mold itself to my body that I felt it. An odd tearing feeling in the magick of Varüus’kiel. My wings were out in an instant and Shaoli’s spell fizzled from my movement as the sensation caused me to react instinctively. “Great Mother, what in the hell was that?”

“What was what?” Nishalle asked as she, Shaoli, Hadrick, and the Sül’shael all gathered around to look at me in concern.

I‘m not sure if it was my thoughts turning to Danu or the intrusion itself but Her voice was in my mind almost immediately. ~Someone has entered Varüus’kiel uninvited, my daughter.~

“What?! But who could do that?!” I thought back in a panic.

~Only gods could enter my domain uninvited,~ She told me simply. ~It goes against our rules though; no god may enter another’s domain without consent. I can feel their presence, there are two of them, but they are very weak. No more powerful than Tiamat was. You will have to deal with them, my child.~

~Calm yourself, my daughter. You are in the seat of your power and much more powerful there than when you fought the Dragon Queen in the outside world. I would come to take care of them myself but we have a situation among the gods. Some of our adversaries are attempting something previously unthinkable and our coalition is attempting to do what we can to protect those in need and bring them into our fold if they are willing.~ She told me sternly. Oh, that did not sound good. ~I have confidence in you, my daughter. I must go, I am needed. Follow the sense of wrongness.~

I clenched my fists by my sides, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself. “Sis, we’ve got uninvited guests on the island. I’m going to need to go face them. I… I don’t think that you can help me with this one. Whoever they are, they’re Gods, so you’ll likely freeze up when you see them.”

“Screw that, I’m coming with you, Tae. You’re my sister and I don’t care if you’re a Demi-Goddess or who the fuck it is that’s trying to mess with you, if you don’t make them pay, I will. Maybe I can do something and maybe I can’t, we won’t know until I try. Besides, if they’re here for you then they won’t be interested in me and I blend into the shadows well enough if I do freeze up.” Shit she wasn’t going to take no for an answer and I didn’t want to order her around, she was my sister not just some lackey who happened to be my protector.

“We’re coming too, Inu’Mahair!” Xixie said with a determined look on her usually cheerful face. A chorus of affirmation rang out from the twenty or so Sül’shael at the improvised forge.

If anyone other than the Yseil’dhraí could handle the intimidation aura that Gods cranked out it was probably the Sül’shael. They were regularly visited by Danu before we arrived on the island and seemed to have genuinely enjoyed interacting with Her. As much as I appreciated the thought though I shook my head. “Girls, please, I appreciate the sentiment but none of you know how to fight and I don’t want you getting hurt, I’d rather that you didn’t have to see it either. You’re so peaceful, innocent, and gentle and I don’t want you to lose those qualities.”

I felt bad for the disappointed expressions on their faces as I reached out for the feeling of wrongness with my mind. My eyes shot open in surprise as soon as I found it. Whoever they were, I wasn’t going to have to go looking for them. They were close and they were coming right at me. “Shit!” I muttered, “I was really hoping that if this came down to a fight there wouldn’t be anyone nearby to get hurt.”

My head swiveled in the direction that they were coming from and I could already see groups of people frozen in fear by their mere proximity. I stepped in front of Xixie and the other Sül’shael, hoping that I could offer them some protection and hopefully keep them from doing anything foolhardy once the fighting started. I was already trying to figure out how I could draw them off when a swarthy-skinned woman with dark hair and eyes and dressed in black robes stumbled through the crowds carrying someone in her arms.

The woman fell to her knees just short of our group and gently lowered the woman that she was carrying to the ground as she looked up at me imploringly. “Please… Taelya, daughter of Danu, we ask your mercy and a favor.”

I stared at her in stunned disbelief for a moment. I was expecting a fight and was completely blindsided by whatever it was that was happening. The woman was definitely one of the Gods, they both were, I could feel the divinity in them. They were both wounded though, light bleeding from their wounds. “Please,” the Goddess who had been placed on the ground said weakly, golden eyes looking up at me. “A…apologize for entering your… domain without consent. You slew Tiamat… I can… trust you.”

Whereas the one who had been carrying her was dark and swarthy and beautiful in a Mediterranean Goth kind of way, this other woman was breathtakingly beautiful with golden hair and bright blue eyes. Even in the armor that she wore and as wounded as she was, she embodied feminine beauty and raw sex appeal. Long legs, wide and shapely hips, a waspish waist, and generous breasts. Her face was both hard and beautiful, even scrunched up in agony as it was. They didn’t seem to be here to fight so I pushed that aside as I asked Xixie, “How good is your healing magick? Rei is probably out cold by now.”

The golden-haired woman shook her head, looking up at me sadly. “You cannot… heal me. Mine… was a fatal blow… struck from the shadows… like a coward.” Her hand trembled as she took a wickedly curved dagger from her belt and held it out to me with her shaking hand. “I ask… that you finish me off. I do not wish… for my divine essence or my aspects to go… to that coward Zeus. Already killed Utu.”

“Wait, you want me to kill you?” I asked gaping at her in horror. I couldn’t just kill somebody in cold blood like that.

Her shaking hand pressed the dagger into my own. “I am already dead, you… would be showing me… mercy. Please… I do not have… long. Finish me and take… my power for your own.”

“Please,” the Goddess on her knees asked imploringly.

The golden Goddess gently pressed my fingers around the hilt of the dagger in my palm. Her hand practically fell to the ground then, before she placed it over the center of her chest. “Here… it will be… quick.”

My hand was shaking as badly as hers had been as I moved the dagger to the indicated spot. Tears were flowing down my cheeks and I was having trouble breathing as I sniffled. She didn’t seem like a bad Goddess, why did she have to die and why did she have to ask me of all people to kill her? “I don’t even know your name,” I whispered, my throat tightening in anguish.

“Inanna,” I heard her say weakly as I turned my head away and thrust the dagger home. Then the rush of energy hit me as her divine energy was added to my own. My body felt strange, different in a way. Almost like when Danu had first infused me with her divine essence. I was tired and something had changed but I was too emotionally raw from the act that I had just committed to even think about what that might be.

I turned to the other woman with tears still in my eyes. “Why? Why me? You’re obviously close, why couldn’t you do this?”

“Because we were close,” the swarthy-skinned Goddess said with a despondent shake of her head. “Inanna was my sister. Utu, who fell before her, was her twin. I have lost my brother and my sister today when I was already weary of this existence. Me taking her power would have done no good, for I will soon breathe my last as well. I will tell you what I can before I find my release.”

Her name was Ereshkigal and she had been known as the Queen of the Underworld to the ancient Sumerians. She was essentially a Goddess of Death with the aspects of earth, darkness, and owls in addition to her death aspect. And, as she had stated earlier, she was Inanna’s older sister. Her younger siblings, Inanna and Utu were twins. Inanna was the Queen of the Heavens and her aspects included sex, love, war, justice, lions, doves, and political power while Utu was a God of the Sun, justice, morality, and truth.

They had had their sibling rivalries during the height of their power, usually due to Inanna. She was a War Goddess first and gained much of her power and aspects through battles with other Gods and taking their domains by force. She had even attempted to do so with her sister once. It had not ended well for Inanna. But as their worship and power waned the three siblings had gradually become closer.

Once the Veil fell they decided that rather than choosing a side in humanity’s fate or trying to get new worshippers that they would try to live quietly neutral among mortals, content with the power that they got from their aspects alone. They weren’t the only ones among the Gods to choose such a fate. Apparently though, the group that was all for wiping the slate clean, led by Zeus, held the belief, “You’re either with us or against us.”

I imagined that that was the problem that Danu and her group were facing. The more powerful Gods of Zeus’s little cabal were hunting down the neutrals with no or few allies and murdering them in cold blood for their divine essence and aspects. Usually, Gods only fought to the death in formal duels. Now though, it was like some gang war between the powerless and those looking to increase their power; all drive-bys, shanking in dark alleys, and shit like that. Shit just got real and my God-mother and her allies were now trying to bring some of those neutrals into their fold just to keep them safer.

Ereshkigal and her younger siblings had been caught blindsided by Zeus and a bunch of his buddies. Zeus had pretty much stabbed Inanna in the back while she was fighting one of his cronies and their brother had been killed in the exchange before Ereshkigal was able to get away with Inanna and bring her to Varüus’kiel at Inanna’s request. It seemed that Inanna and Tiamat had some bad blood between them that went way back. So, between all the gossip about me traveling through the ranks of the Gods and the fact that I had killed her once-enemy, Inanna asked her sister to bring her to me so that I could receive her aspects rather than Zeus. It sounded like she had only stayed alive long enough to do that through sheer spite.

The Goddess broke down into tears as she finished her explanation. I could feel for her, I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost Nishalle. Little Tíana had quickly found a place in my heart as well. I didn’t know what to say so finally I said, “I’m sorry for your loss, I don’t think I could ever bear to lose my sister…. Sorry that I was the one who took her from you.” I turned my head to look away, fixing my eyes on Nishalle.

My sister, like most of the people gathered, was still frozen in fear, watching us talk through wide eyes. The only ones that seemed immune were Laneera, who had come to see what was going on, and the Sül’shael. After they had stopped giving me strange looks, the girls had flown off briefly during the Goddess’s explanation to gather some luminescent purple flowers and were placing them carefully around Inanna’s body. I planned on giving the deceased Goddess a proper burial later and placing something for people to remember her by. No Gods were going to shwoop the body away this time, not in my domain.

“It was not you who took her from me, you merely showed her mercy,” Ereshkigal told me in a sad yet gentle tone. “Had you not, then I would have been forced to kill her myself to prevent Zeus from getting what he so desired. I am grateful for that and glad that some of her will live on in you, Queen of the Heavens. You have received her essence and three of her aspects, I hope that they serve you well.”

Whoa! I just gained three new aspects? Sure Inanna had had quite a few but that couldn’t be right. Maybe she was making a mistake, we both had one similar aspect after all. “Umm… I already had the doves aspect,” I told her. I was burning with curiosity about what other ones I picked up though. I didn’t want to push her with too much though, I mean, she just lost her brother and sister and I had been the one to kill the latter and gorge myself on her divine essence.

“I realized that when I first saw you, you have the same wings as she did,” the Goddess admitted with a sad smile as she nodded her head toward said wings. “You gained her sex, love, and justice aspects. Very appropriate, I think. Political power and war would not have suited you.”

“Wait, what?” I had to admit those aspects would suit me as a Fae. But a sex Goddess? Really? Didn’t I get enough attention glowing in the dark? Did I really need to make people lust after me too? Now I had a bad feeling about those odd looks that Laneera and the Sül’shael had been giving me earlier and the strangeness I felt in my body after absorbing Inanna’s essence. A look down confirmed my concerns. I was still naked so it wasn’t hard to notice that there were a lot more noticeable curves down there than there were before.

I was well aware that I was very pretty before but when I first got this body I was willowy with the subtler curves common to Fae women and without much up top, again common for my kind. Now I was more… abundant. Yeah, I was going to have to have a good look in the mirror later. I definitely had wider hips and I had gone up at least a cup size up top, maybe more. It was a good thing that we hadn’t gotten me measured yet.

Dammit, I could worry about that later. Right now I still had a mourning Goddess on my hands. A Goddess who abruptly stood up and walked toward Nishalle. Her fear aura suddenly dimmed down to practically nothing as she asked, “You are Taelya’s sister from her mortal life, yes?”

Nishalle seemed as surprised as I was that she could move again. It took her a moment to nod and say, “Yes.”

“You seem very protective of her; you were certainly resisting my aura enough when we arrived. I gather that the two of you are very close. What would you do to keep your sister safe?” Ereshkigal prodded.

“Anything,” my sister answered without hesitation. “She’s not just my sister; she’s my best friend and I would do anything for her. I would kill for her, I would die for her.”

“Yes, you have an intimate relationship with death and the darkness, I can see that. But would you live for her?” the Goddess asked, her expression and voice filled with determination.

“What part of ‘anything’ aren’t you getting?” the Tokh’dhraí replied grimly as she stared the Goddess down.

Ereshkigal didn’t back down either and I could swear that I saw sparks flying between their eyes as the Goddess spoke again. “If you would kill for her, if you would have the power to protect her, then kill me. Feed on my divine essence and gain my aspects. You would become a demi-goddess like your sister, immune to the auras of the gods and able to fight at her side. I have far less essence than she was originally given by Danu, less even than my sister, but it would be enough.”

“You want me to kill you?” Nishalle asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

“I grew weary of this existence long ago and now my brother and sister are gone. There is nothing to keep me here any longer. If you do not kill me then I will merely find someone else to do it, but I would prefer it to be you. Your sister has Inanna’s essence. If you take mine, then we will both live on as sisters in a way. Please, do this. For me, your sister, and yourself,” the Goddess pleaded.

I wanted to tell Nishalle not to be hasty, to think before she did this but that would have made me a massive hypocrite. I had just ended the life of this woman’s sister as an act of mercy. She was asking Nishalle to do the same and as much as I was worried about what could happen, this was her decision to make. My heart seized in my chest as seconds passed silently.

Finally, Nishalle gave a grim wordless nod. Ereshkigal turned toward me with a wan smile on her face and said, barely loud enough for me to hear, “Thank you. Both of you. Please, entomb us together somewhere peaceful where the earth and the heavens meet.” Nishalle and I both nodded in silence as my sister held Ereshkigal close and then sank her fangs into her neck.