I didn't expect to wake, although given I was in Helheim when I died, perhaps I should have. Everything glowed blue around me, and when I rose—heart pounding, a scream on my lips, and patting my body in a frantic panic—I found myself intact, all limbs present and accounted for. Equally weird, I was still in my fighting leathers, armour, and with all my weapons.

Nice to not have my guts spilling out, but where the fuck was I?

The bed chamber I was in had ice-blue walls, wood furniture, and white and grey furs on the bed. A tray of food sat on the top of the dresser, along with a steaming cup of liquid. Tea, if my nose wasn't lying to me.

Nothing hurt as I walked to the dresser. Would food taste different now that I was dead? I popped a red grape into my mouth and the burst of sweetness exploded on my tongue. It still tasted as I remembered.

Taking the tray and mug with me, I settled down on the bed. Crackers, cheeses, sliced fruit similar to an apple, and grapes. I ate every bite and sighed as I sipped the tea.

The door opened and a silver-haired woman entered, with eyes the same blue as the light that emanated from the walls, ceiling, and even floor. Her blue dress matched her eyes and swirled around her legs as she strode towards me.

"I'm glad to see that you've woken and eaten, Shannon. You are going to need your strength. Your powers won't work until I restore your life."

My heart thumped, then skipped a beat as a roaring sounded in my ears.

"Did you... did you say restore my life?" I asked, my voice cracking as I clenched the mug in my fingers.

She smiled, her eyes glinting as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Indeed I did, my fellow goddess. You were not meant to die today, and you still have a son to save, as well as soulmates to whip into shape. Plus, I owe a debt to someone who saved my life when I needed it. Now, I get to pay it back."

"Who are you?"

"Hecate."

"But wasn't it your hellhounds and vrykolakas that killed me?"

She patted me on the leg. "Yes. I do apologize for that, but I wasn't expecting any living beings to attempt to cross my territory. You had the scent of Youdu clinging to your bodies and my beasts mistook you for Hades' foul creatures. We don't get along, he and I. He tries to steal my territory, sending in his black hounds and disgusting carrion birds."

"We wouldn't have entered your territory, but we couldn't get past Hraesvelg. He blocked the way to the ladders down to the Ghost Gate."

Hecate wrinkled her nose. "That disgusting giant eagle of Hades. He thinks if he parks his ass on the edge of my territory, it will help him invade." She tilted her head. "Or did he want to force you into my territory, knowing what would happen? You didn't have a token of safe passage from Hades? We didn't find one on you or your soulmates."

I let out a disgusted growl, thumping my head back against the wall. "No. Hades was pissed that Loki wouldn't sleep with him, even after Loki told him he had soulmates now."

Hecate shared my look of disgust. "That fucking blackmailing pig. I assume you made a fair trade for Baldur's soul or I couldn't see you leaving Youdu without pursuit."

"We gave him an Atlantean power module that provides more energy than a soul and emits only water."

Hecate nodded. "I'm familiar with it. That was a more than fair trade, but I can't say I'm surprised Hades screwed you over."

Another woman poked her head in through the open doorway. "They are awake."

Hecate smiled and rose from the edge of the bed. "Come, my dear. Let's reacquaint you with your soulmates."

Following her, she led me to a small room where Baldur stood, eating a handful of crackers. He inclined his head to Hecate and opened his arms to me. Gratefully, I cuddled into his big frame, so like Thor's.

"I'll call for you when it's time," Hecate said, then disappeared through another doorway.

Baldur's arms tightened. "I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you, little sister. With you dying here, I wasn't sure if it meant you were gone for good, would pop up in the Hall of Judgment, or somewhere else entirely."

I squeezed him just as fiercely. "Same."

A woman came through the door Hecate had disappeared through. "They are ready for you," she said.

"Stay behind me, Shannon, at least until we know it's safe," Baldur said, taking the lead.

I followed behind, unable to see anything past the bulk of my large brother. When he stopped and suddenly stepped to the side, I was unprepared for Loki and Elatha to be in front of me. Elatha had his hand at the nape of Loki's neck and Loki's hand cupped Elatha's cheek. Both had red, swollen eyes and tears spilling down their cheeks.

My heart clenched to see the grief, then the shock in their expressions.

Before I could step toward them, they embraced me from either side. Wracking sobs shook them, both kissing my cheeks and my hair. Their hands checked me over with little touches to my face, my arms, and down my back.

"By the Norns, Shannon—"

"Never leave us again! We saw you—"

"You died!"

The memories of searing agony—teeth and claws digging into me—had me struggling to breathe, and I shoved it away. I had my consorts. My soulmates. Even if I couldn't feel the bond. Instead, everything was cold around me, despite the press of their bodies against me. Gods, I hope the bond returned when Hecate returned my life.

Their words continued to tumble over each other as first Loki, then Elatha kissed me in a melding of mouths and souls.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Loki turned to Hecate. "Why is she so cold?"

Hecate's smile turned up on one side. "Just like your brother, she hasn't yet been restored to life. You see and feel her, but you can't connect with her soul through the bond, can you?"

Loki's eyes widened and his grip tightened. "N... No," he whispered. "Please." Tears filled his emerald eyes, spilling down his cheeks.

On the other side of me, Elatha trembled, his large body vibrating as tears coursed down his dark cheeks.

Hecate looked from one to the other. "I didn't bring Shannon out here to torture you. Don't beg and don't offer yourselves as payment. She doesn't want that, do you, Shannon?"

I shook my head violently. "No! Not at all. I won't have them trading their lives for mine."

Hecate smiled and held out her hands towards Baldur and me. In each hand, she had a small blue bottle with a cork. We each took it from her. "Don't drink them until you step through and onto the other side, but then make sure to drink it immediately, all at once."

She waited until Baldur and I acknowledged her instructions, each of us nodding.

Her eyes swirled and turning from us, she held her hands out. At first, a glowing blue pinprick appeared, then it expanded into a portal.

"How?" Loki asked.

Amusement twitched her lips into a smirk. "So many seem to have forgotten I'm also the Goddess of Crossroads and Doorways. Do step through, so you can leave Helheim and restore your brother and consort to life. I can't keep it open for long."

Baldur stepped through, followed by Elatha. I was in the portal, Loki's hand in mine, when Hecate spoke again.

"With this, my debt to Farbauti is paid in full. Do give your father my best, Loki. Faith doesn't deserve to be hunted."

The portal pulled back, depositing us on the other side with Loki's mouth open and hand reaching back.

"Quickly, Shannon. Drink the potion," Elatha urged as Baldur tipped his into his mouth.

I uncorked the blue bottle and drank it down, grimacing at the ashy copper taste. Yeah, I didn't want to guess what was in it. Heat flashed through my body and I gasped. On my next inhale, an electric sensation shivered over my skin, my heart raced, and a mix of fear, shock, love, and hope swirled through my brain, then anchored in my chest. I staggered.

Both Loki and Elatha grabbed me, keeping me upright.

Baldur stumbled, snagging an olive tree to keep himself upright.

An olive tree?

Looking past Loki and Elatha, I took in the water trickling in fountains and brightly coloured clay tiles that created patterns on the walls of the courtyard in which we stood. Date palms and olive trees swayed in a warm, dry breeze.

Oh my god.

I knew where we were.