BW6 CH1

Chapter One

Complete and total darkness engulfed Sean. Is this what death feels like?

“No, not death,” Morrigan spoke softly. “You’ll survive, though, in truth, you pushed yourself past your breaking point.”

Sean spun around to find Morrigan seated in his front room, the manor appearing around him. “Odin—!”

“Didn’t break any accord,” Morrigan said bitterly. “The Einherjar were invited.”

“Just happened to be invited?”

“No. One of the Asgardians accessed rarely-used channels to arrange it. I don’t know who or why, but the obvious answer would be Thor, because he was brought to task for killing you.”

“My wives!” Sean cried suddenly as his memory of the fight hit him.

Morrigan’s lips turned down. “Most of them are fine.”

“Most?” Sean choked.

“Sean...” The soft voice from behind him was filled with sadness.

Turning to see who had called to him, Sean’s heart clenched. Chastity and Lilly stood side by side at the foot of the stairs.

“No…”

“We’re sorry,” Lilly sniffled. “We tried.”

Sean lurched toward them, his eyes spilling tears. “No…!”

Both women rushed to him, grabbing him and sobbing.

Morrigan watched them, her face impassive. “They died doing what had to be done, Sean.”

Sean’s anger flared and he let go of his wives to spin on Morrigan. “What had to be done? What had to be done!? That fight never had to happen!”

Morrigan sat in the chair, unmoving. “That fight was destined the moment you placed yourself against Denmur. Maybe not on a field in front of the city, maybe not with your wives beside you, but a battle would have come, regardless. If they’d not been there, you’d be the one dead on the field now, and they would all be dying in the manor.”

“Sean,” Chastity said, grasping his arm, “we chose to stand beside you.”

“We knew what might happen,” Lilly said, taking his other arm.

Sean’s anger turned to ash as his two dead wives stopped him from attacking the goddess before him. “I… I got you both killed.”

“No,” Chastity said firmly and she spun him to face her. “You did your very best to protect us. Lilly gave her life to save Felora, and I gave mine to save Andie.” Grabbing his face, she dragged his lips to hers, kissing him hard.

Sean was shaking, tears pouring down his face, when the kiss ended. He never got a chance to speak, because Lilly turned him around and kissed him just as passionately.

When she pulled back, her forehead rested against his, her eyes burning with emotion. “Never blame yourself for us, husband. We saved our wives. We both had a choice, and we made it. You will need to be the rock for them, now— they surely blame themselves for us. Help them, love them, and then avenge us.”

“You’ll never be without them,” Morrigan said, pulling their attention. “Both of them venerated you, Sean. This place is yours, and as such, you may bring those who worship you to it when they die. There is already one person here, in fact.” She nodded to the hallway that led to the kitchen.

“Oh, Chas…” Marjorie whispered, stopping in the entryway to the room, her eyes wet.

“Momma!” Chastity exclaimed and rushed her.

Marjorie met her halfway, and the two of them sobbed as they held each other.

“How?” Sean asked Morrigan while Lilly held him.

“You’ve grown,” Morrigan said softly. “Maybe you didn’t fully comprehend what happened when we sent you off. Your memories of it might be fragmented.”

“You held a party and dropped me on the world.”

“No, Sean. We held a wake.”

Brow creasing, Sean tried to piece together the fragments of what had happened before he was dropped off into this new world. “I was on a table, and a party went on around me.”

“You are recalling the very end of it,” Morrigan nodded as she stood. “I need to go. You have a few moments with your loved ones, still. Cherish them, Sean, those here and those still alive. We’ll talk again in time.”

“Wait—!” Sean tried to stop her, but she vanished as if she’d never been there.

“Sean, where am I?” Marjorie asked as she and Chastity came over to stand near him.

“I’m not sure,” he replied. “Did you… hell… did you pray to me?”

“Yes,” Marjorie said. “You saved me from torment. I prayed to you every night, like my daughter did.”

“I think… this might be the afterlife for whoever does so.”

Marjorie inhaled sharply and her grip on Chastity’s arm went white. “No… please, no…!”

Chastity covered her mother’s hand with her own. “Yes. I’m dead, as are you.”

Marjorie sniffled. “Oh, dear child. Did that man get you, too?”

“Man?” Sean asked.

“I only caught a glimpse of his face while I bled out,” Marjorie whispered. “Average height, brown hair, and black eyes… he exuded hatred.”

Sean exhaled sharply— he knew someone who matched that description. “He came out of nowhere?”

“I was going to fix dinner when a sharp pain creased my neck and I was spun to face the couch. I saw that flicker of his face when I tried to struggle to save myself. As I grew colder, I felt my clothing being…” Trailing off, she shuddered.

“After you died?” Lilly asked in horror.

“Better than if I were alive,” Marjorie swallowed.

“Wait,” Chastity said, her eyes going wide, “wasn’t he with them?”

“Yes,” Lilly nodded, having made the same connection. “Myna killed him.”

“Evan and Klein were behind it all,” Sean said grimly. “Evan’s dead.”

“So is Klein,” Lilly said. “I saw Myna kill him before…”

Sean pulled her tightly to his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“No, Sean. I made my choice. We’ll be here making your home ready for you and our wives. Take your time, though?”

“All the time,” Chastity said, going to hug him, as well.

Sean exhaled. “I’m going to gut them.”

“Do it right,” Lilly said tightly. “If you just kill them, it will hurt our family. Make them attack you, force them into a corner, and make them lash out at you.”

“When they do, bleed them out. Make it hurt,” Chastity said.

“I will.”

“Sean,” Marjorie said from a few feet away, “thank you. For saving me when you did, for giving me a purpose again, and for loving my daughter as much as you do. I will only ever praise your name. You can do so much more for the world. I know you’ll make things better.”

Sean took a slow deep breath. Her faith in him was palpable. “I’ll do my best.”

“We know,” Chastity mumbled into his chest.

A flash of silver caught Sean’s attention, and his heart ached again when Omin landed on Marjorie’s shoulder. “Tell Onim that I’ll wait for them. The home will be ready for every member of the clan, as well.”

“I will,” Sean whispered before he felt something pulling on his heart. He pushed against it. “I think I’m going.”

Both of his wives kissed him again and stepped back. Love filled their gazes, and Sean tried to save that image in his mind as the room warped, elongating and stretching.

~*~*~

A soft hand touched his face gently, as if afraid of breaking him. “He’ll wake when he can,” Fiona whispered. “He’s breathing, and his wounds are healing. He used everything he had and refused to take any from us.”

“When he hears, what will happen?” Aria asked.

“We don’t know,” Myna said with sadness. “He couldn’t have helped even if he’d been awake… he had no energy, and we don’t combine for even a tenth of him.”

“Ven, is Onim okay?” Aria asked as she rested her hand on Sean’s leg.

“Heartbroken, but we knew it might happen. None of us expected a barrier. We got them clear, but it was too late by the time we did.”

“Their child?” Myna asked.

“Jutt is taking it a little harder,” Ven replied, “but Onim is handling it well. Arla is there to support Jutt. The clan is in mourning, but they all look to what will come in the future. We’re changing our tactics; we’ll no longer be going close to our foes.”

“That would be for the best,” Aria agreed.

“They’re asleep,” Ida said, coming into the room, followed by Ryann.

“When we checked, Felora was holding Andrea close. Their cheeks were red, like they’d been crying,” Ryann added. “Has he stirred yet?”

“No,” Fiona sighed. “We’ll have to try waking him soon, as much as I dislike the idea.”

“I’m awake,” Sean mumbled, forcing one bloodshot eye open.

His name was called out by all of his wives and Ven, and Myna used her nickname for him. Sean lay still as they piled on to hug him, letting their love start to thaw his heart.

Fiona was the first to pull away from him, her face grave. “Sean, we have terrible news.”

“Chastity, Lilly…” Sean said, beating her to the news, “and Omin. I know.”

“But how?” Aria asked. “You were out by the time we got to you. You haven’t stirred since.”

“I spoke to them,” Sean croaked, his throat beyond parched.

Ryann picked up the glass by the bed and thrust it to Fiona, who was in the best position to help Sean. Water sloshed over her hand as she did. Fiona gave her a nod and helped Sean sip.

“How?” Myna asked softly.

“Since they venerated me, there’s an afterlife for them,” Sean replied, taking another sip. “A manor like this. Marjorie’s there, too.”

“She was reunited with her mother?” Ida asked.

“Yes. They asked me to not act rashly.” Sean’s eyes closed and tears fell, his voice thick, “They’ll wait for us. They want us to take our time before we see them again.”

The door to the room opened, and Felora stood there with Andrea. “I felt him wake,” Felora said as they approached the bed.

Sean looked at his two wives coming toward him, and his heart clenched at the pain he saw in them— both of their lovers had died on the field. “I’m sorry,” he said.

Andrea sniffled, but shook her head. “No, Sean. No. She died saving me.”

“As Lilly did for me,” Felora added.

“What happened?” Sean asked as they joined the family on the bed.

“You’d paired off against Evan,” Fiona said. “Myna had to contend with Klein and one of the warriors, leaving the other four of them for the five of us. We were badly outclassed, Sean. They were Darragh’s equals or better in combat. I was pushed away from them and barely able to defend myself.”

“The same for me,” Aria nodded. “It left Lilly, Felora, and Ryann to face two of them.”

Ryann looked away. “I didn’t have the energy left to do what I should’ve been able to do. I’m sorry.”

“No,” Felora said, moving over to hold Ryann. “No one blames you. Lilly and I thought we could take the one warrior alone. We were fools.” Felora looked at Sean, her eyes wet. “He was like a storm… we didn’t even have a chance. When he knocked me and Lilly away, he went for Andrea, Chastity, and Ida.”

“Chas lurched to her feet and flung herself at him to save me. I was closer and not able to move out of the way,” Andrea cried.

“He ran her through without remorse,” Ida added, her voice thick with emotion. “I tried to get up, but I had no energy left in me.”

“I rushed back, able to get there to stop him from going after the others, but he knocked my sword away, slicing my arm to the bone. I was done for in that instant, but Lilly knocked me away and he gutted her, instead. She went mad, stabbing him again and again, and finally got an eye. I almost went to her, but…” Felora’s voice caught in her throat, “she gave me a smile and I saw her die.”

“Felora hit the one on me like a runaway wagon,” Ryann said. “She buried him and gave me the chance to finish him off.”

“They split to help me and Fiona at that point,” Aria said.

“When we looked at you, we saw you standing victorious, but then you fell,” Fiona said. “We all feared, but the bond was there to reassure us.”

“The commander called the fight over and the shield was dropped,” Ven said. “The clan rushed to protect you, just in case.”

Sean finally understood why he’d heard the sound of wings when Ven told him that. It wasn’t crows, but the Fairies that flocked to him. Shifting so he was a little more upright, he held out his arms, and his wives all pushed into his extended embrace.

“I’m going to gut them,” Sean said softly. “I’m going to destroy them and make sure everyone knows what hurting my family means.”

“Sean—”

“I’ll do it right,” Sean said, interrupting Fiona gently, but firmly. “I won’t risk hurting any of you by lashing out, but I will make them bleed. I’ll twist and make them feel pain for what they’ve done… For our wives waiting for us, and for us.”

“We will aid you in any way we can,” Fiona said when he finished. “Together, we’ll make them pay.”

A knock on the door came just before Tiska spoke from the other side of it. “Mistress, word came from the high magistrate. He requires Sean to attend his court tomorrow morning.”

Fiona exhaled the breath she’d been holding when she heard that Jasper had sent word. “Thank you, Tiska. Please inform the cooks that we will all be down for some food shortly. Gather the others, as well, please.”

Sean’s stomach growled and he chuckled. “I guess food is a good idea.”

The others joined him briefly, but they still felt the loss of their loved ones too keenly for it to be very happy. Everyone got out of bed to allow Sean up, but instead of getting up, he pulled Andrea and Felora back to him and held them tightly.

“Ladies, give me a moment with them, please?” Sean asked.

“Of course,” Fiona said as she ushered the others toward the door.

Andrea hiccupped and clutched him. “I miss her.”

“I know,” Sean said. “But you two weren’t here for what I told them.”

Felora sniffled as she snuggled against him. “What do you need to tell us?”

“They’re waiting for us,” Sean said softly. “It appears that Chastity’s insistence on worshipping me had an effect that spread with the rest of you and the Fairies. There’s an afterlife waiting for all of us… it looked like home. Chastity, Lilly, Marjorie, and Omin are all there right now. They told us to take our time rejoining them, but that they’ll have everything in order for when we do.”

Felora stared at him as tears spilled down her cheeks. “You truly are divine, Sean.”

“Oh, Chas…!” Andrea cried harder, burying her face in Sean’s chest. “You get to be with your mother again… I’ll keep him well, until I see you again.”

Pulling Felora to his chest, he stroked both their heads and let them cry. His own tears fell on them as they mourned.

~*~*~

Sean followed Andrea and Felora into the dining room. He looked down the table to where the staff sat, and saw the worried eyes. “Once the cooks get here, I have some things to say.”

The cooks weren’t long, as they’d been leaving the kitchen when he entered the dining room. “It’s a simple meal. We hadn’t expected to make a full one before dinner,” Glorina apologized.

“It’s fine,” Sean said. “You had no way of knowing when I’d be awake.”

They put bread, cheese, meat, and fruits on the table. Sean served himself first, but he didn’t start eating. He waited for everyone to take some before he addressed them all.

“You’ve noticed and heard of our loss,” Sean said, his tone subdued. “Chastity and Lilly are both gone. Things here will be shifting some, but the important part is that we’ve made a serious enemy of Lord Sharpeyes. He and his ally, Otis Denmur, will both increase their efforts against us. I feel the need to offer you all the chance to step away from us. You don’t need to be caught in the crossfire that is about to ensue.”

Everyone looked at Sean in silence until Glorina cleared her throat. “Sir, do you wish us to leave?”

“That isn’t my choice,” Sean said. “I welcome you all to stay and work. While I’ll do my best to keep you safe and happy, I can’t promise it.”

“You’ve given us so much,” Cali interjected, “and asked for nothing in return. We’d be ungrateful wretches to turn away from you now.”

“She’s right,” Lona nodded.

“Do you think they’ll attack here?” Quilla asked.

“Yes.”

“Then we’ll meet them and defeat them,” Quinna snorted.

“Sir,” Rumia said, “I’ve never known a person of your power who is as gracious or giving. I…” She trailed off and took a deep breath, “I’m with you, even if the Queens stand against you.”

“Agreed,” Mona said, echoed by Lona a moment later.

“The Queens is a tall order,” Quilla said, “but against anyone in this city? Yes.”

Rosa, Rumia’s mother, shifted in her seat before standing abruptly. “Sir, we won’t leave just because something might happen. We might not be fighters, but we aren’t cowards, either.”

Sean met her eyes and bowed his head. “So be it. I’ll do everything I can to make sure you’re all protected, and that starts by giving you more. Everything we can do, you can now do. My wives will help you understand what that means and train you to be prepared to use those skills if called upon.”

“Sir,” Xenta asked a bit hesitantly, “who do we report to now?”

Sean blinked slowly, his eyes closing as he tried to hold his emotions in check again. Before he could answer her, Myna said, “Me. I’ll take over the duties of the house. Since I’m already training you and the cooks in other matters, it makes the most sense for me to oversee your duties, as well.”

“I’ll take over the oversight of the outside staff,” Aria offered.

Sean swallowed hard and nodded, his voice thick, “Thank you, Myna. You, too, Aria.”

“I will join Andie in handling the store,” Felora said, “if she’ll have me.”

Andrea nodded, tears falling from her eyes again. “Please? I don’t want to be alone.”

“Sir,” Ven said, coming down the table to stand in front of Sean, “we’ve assigned a contingent of five Fairies per house member and have a large number in reserve. I’ve made sure that extras have been sent to each of your allies, as well, and at least one at each location to stay with the cuon all the time. If they catch scent of anything, the people there will know swiftly. We won’t let another incident happen.”

Sean looked down the table at the empty spot where Omin and Onim usually sat. “Thank you, Ven. If I can do anything for Onim, please let me know.”

“I’ll be speaking with Fiona about ideas later,” Ven said. “She’s already told us that you need time to recover.”

Sean glanced at Fiona, who was watching him with worried eyes. “Okay. No energy today.”

“Thank you,” Fiona exhaled.

A Fairy landed on the table. “Excuse me. Dame Mageeyes’ Fairy, Pura, is here to deliver a message.”

“They’re always allowed,” Sean said. “Any Fairy from a friend is.”

“Yes, sir,” the Fairy said.

Pura landed on the table a few seconds later. “Oh, you’re okay, sir. I was asked to see if you were okay, and to ask if you or Fiona could make it to the Oaken Glen tonight.”

“I’ll come,” Sean said. “I will have at least a couple of my wives with me.”

“Yes, sir,” Pura said, launching into the air. They hovered instead of leaving right away. “I’m glad you are okay, sir. All of us were worried.” They bowed their head, then shot away.

“Sean, you need to eat,” Fiona said gently.

Sean’s stomach rumbled and he felt an ache in his gut. “Yes, dear.”