“The air, it’s so clean,” I marveled.
“The forest is helping with that,” War said.
With a flick of his wrist, we shot forward, gliding between towers as if we were ski boarding through the sky. War steered us to the balcony of a black tower etched with glowing Hex13 symbols. The hoverboard vanished beneath his feet, and we stepped inside Grim’s foyer. The floors were polished red marble, gleaming like fresh blood, and the black walls were lined with an arsenal of weapons—swords, axes, and spears.
“Grim’s home doesn’t have a garden? It’s soooo… gothic.”
“I told him his tower looks like a vampire’s lair,” War replied.
I hopped off his shoulder, shifting back to my normal size. War led me down a hallway where weapons outnumbered furniture a hundred to one. He pushed through a pair of heavy brass doors, their surfaces engraved with swords, and we entered the feast room.
Before I could take in the spread, Jinx and Blair rushed at me—both dressed in stylish, battle-ready catsuits and black stilettos with metal spikes. They nearly tackled me in a hug.
“Don’t knock her over, goddamn!” War barked.
“We weren’t expecting you to wake up for another few days. I’m glad you’re up—you missed a lot,” Jinx said, her voice trembling with emotion.
“War has filled me in,” I laughed, letting their warmth settle my nerves.
“He’s so mean to us,” Blair tattled, shooting War a look.
“That’s because y’all play too fucking much and act like children. Flying everywhere and knocking over shit,” War grumbled, and Jinx rolled her eyes.
Blair looped her arm through mine, grinning. “We’ve been training, and you won’t believe it—I took down a big ogre. Fucked him up!”
“Oh yeah?” I asked, delighted, and she nodded eagerly.
“I saved you his finger so you’d believe me,” she said, winking.
“Ugh, no thank you. This realm is turning you out, I see,” I responded.
“I was surprised myself, but Ms. Grandma thinks she’s a young hen now,” Jinx teased, nudging Blair.
Before we could go on, Grim, Civil, and Steel approached me.
“Welcome back, Eboenia,” Grim said, his voice gravelly but sincere. “You had us worried.”
“Awww, you have a heart after all,” I teased him.
“Yeah, I’m trying to do the right thing so Jinx can stop acting hard to get,” he replied, and she blew him a kiss.
“Stop playing and let me cuff you,” Grim told her.
“Give me more time to think about it,” Jinx teased him.
Civil stepped forward. “It’s good to see you on your feet again. War wasn’t the same without you,” he snitched.
“Yo, you talk too much,” War told him, and Civil shrugged.
Steel grunted. “Glad you made it, Eboenia. You fought like a true Hex13 and a lot of us… most of us appreciate you. You deserved your second chance,” he said.
“Thank you, Steel,” I smiled.
Their words warmed me, making me feel truly at home.
War’s clan had gathered near the long table, but before I could join them, Jinx got teary-eyed. She waited until War walked away before she let herself cry, hugging me fiercely. “Whew, I was holding it in because War seems like he’ll kill me if I cry around him. I thought you died on us,” she whispered, voice cracking.
I rubbed her back and kissed her cheek. “My life is just beginning, Jinx. It wasn’t my time to go.”
