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"This is no one’s fault No one but the Dark Ones that ca each set of eyes "Do you hearwhat she loved" She looked at the body covered on the bed and her lip trembled softly "She would never have wanted us to find blame in ourselves"

A knock on the dooroccurrence Ree felt the power just out of sight and immediately went to open the door Just past the arched doorfraid, Hecate, Athena, Aphrodite, and several other gods and goddesses Ree didn’t recognize Brigid stepped into the room, and nodded to Kay Instead of her norreen dress, with a dark blue cloak that trailed on the ground The dark red hair around her face had been pulled back in braids that swung gently when she knelt next to the bed She bowed her head and placed a hand on Ellie’s liht to Kay and pulled her into aHer weathered hands stroked Kay’s hair, and she placed a soft kiss on the woman’s cheek She stepped back to look at Melanie, her eyes full of tears

"Because Kay is the re huods tonight, as I say that we are terribly sorry for your loss We cannot bring back the dead, but I can proood care of the woman you called mother" Hecate turned to look at Ree with compassionate eyes "We would celebrate their lives with you tonight"

Ree nodded her head Hecate walked to the bed and gently lifted Ellie Turning carefully, she walked out the door and headed for the front door As they walked, other gods joined the a limp form in their ar her senses tingle To see these i the dead, was one of thethe beach stood eight pyres Hecate gently laid Ellie’s form on the first pyre and unwrapped the sheet Once she had Ellie free, she kissed her forehead once Each of the gods and goddesses did the sa Pam’s battered form was hard to look at, but Ree refused to turn her eyes Paden pulled her against his chest and wrapped his aroodbye to Ellie

Kay stepped up and whispered quietly to her mother She adjusted Ellie’s shirt and kissed her on the cheek She stood up and turned to look at the gods and goddesses "Make it worth it Make all of this worth the cost"

Melanie stepped up to stand in her ently kissed Ellie before brushing so, just walked back to stand next to her oddesses forroup so that they were closest to the pyres

Hecate’s voice rose in a haunting tune thatof love and death, Brigid went to each pyre and, with the touch of her hand, lit the wood The fla down Ree’s cheeks She tried to think good things for the dead, to focus on the bright moments she had shared with Ellie, but her e of the older woht of Pa, but she had been a kind woman Someone who had felt real and normal in the , she turned to look at Ree "Go and do what you need to We shall stay with the pyres until they are gone No one shall set foot on this island who is not welcome"

Ree nodded her head and looked at her friends They all wore the same expression It wasn’t the fire that had once filled the Instead it was cold and serious

Chapter Eighteen

As she turned to leave, Ree caught Athena’s hard stare The goddess’s face was partially blocked by the hood of her white cloak, but her intent was obvious Ree jerked her chin up and left without a second thought The goddess obviously wanted the sa Ree did--tountil she got into the ared out of her jacket and grabbed sheaths that went along her back Once she had her swords in place, she loaded herself doith throwing knives and daggers She wasn’t sure she would need theht without the metal and the whisper of leather as everyone "suited up" Ree pulled her hair over her shoulder and quickly worked it into a braid Her eyes traveled over her friends, taking in their expressions and intense feelings She knew they were ready to go kill, to take out as many Dark Ones as possible, but she wanted to ht place She waited until everyone was done, waiting around the rooht to take out as many Dark Ones as possible That oing after him But we need to be focused on our task first and foremost We need to take all of his back-up, his help fro for trouble" Ree pulled her jacket back on and zipped it up carefully

"What if trouble finds us?" Weylin’s knuckles creaked around the po

"Then ret it" Ree turned and led the way to the boat at the dock She slowed once they got near the water and looked for Melanie She turned to her friend "Melanie, I think you should stay with your mom"

"I’m fine, Ree Don’t try to keep me away frorabbed her arm She looked at Melanie and absorbed her eht with her instincts but finally nodded her head Maybe this would help Melanie, to keep busy and have an ioal

As they hopped onto the boat, Ree felt the tugging presence of a god nearby She looked over her shoulder to see Athena and Brigid standing next to each other near the trees They were both looking out at the water, so Ree followed suit As she watched, a slight shi away She looked back at the goddesses and nodded in understanding They were consciously shielding the island now Nothing would get through at this point

"I guess youat Ree with glealanced briefly at Ree before turning back to the console

"We had words" Ree sat down on the bench next to Melanie She didn’t touch her friend, worried Melanie’s careful façade would fall apart

"Must’ve been some words" Bryce ed and thought about what they were going to do when they hit thecompany and carefully hters Once everyone was ready, they headed don They had to walk through an unsavory area to get to the historic district, but Ree wasn’t worried If soer that followed her friends like a dense smoke, they could deal with it quickly As they ca there quickly left Each of the humans eyed Roland and Paden with suspicion as they quickly walked down the block

"We hit the furthest safe house from here and work our way back to the boat" Ree started off on a jog, heading for the side of a building that had a broken fire escape She ju the rattlingtheht before They all crouched on the top of a building across the street and decided on the best plan of action

"Fire?" Weylin licked his lips and narrowed his gaze at the dilapidated house

"Could spread," Bryce said "Is there anyone in the surrounding houses?"