To be Claimed by Her

Chapter 77

Luke's POV

Pixie sat in my lap as Victor tried to explain what had happened with him and Typhon last night. Her body was shaking as he explained about her parents. I wrapped my arms around her. "Hey, it's okay," I whispered in her ear, "We will get your mom out, I promise." She leaned back against me and seemed to relax if only for a moment.

"What about the spell?" North asked. Victor seemed to shift his weight nervously. He was wringing his hands and looked like he was about to pass out.

He came and knelt before us. "I need you to understand we aren't giving up," he said, taking her hand. "Just because Typhon doesn't have an answer, doesn't mean there isn't one." She blinked slowly as the implication of what he said sank in. Did he mean there wasn't a cure - no way to stop the spell?

"What aren't you saying, mo dhragún?" she asked, stroking his cheek.

A tear fell down his face. "Erebus wants to force you to bear his child to claim the Fae throne. Your child will be heir to both Fae realms. Whoever fathers your child has a claim to Fae magic."

"Typhon wants you to make the claim," she said softly, "and you refused." Victor nodded, looking heartbroken. "So he assumes I will not survive this."

"That is not a fucking option, little wolf!" Gabe yelled. "We will tear this world apart before we let you go."

Her eyes filled with tears as she tried to smile. "I know you would, m'anam, but at some point, we have to consider all possibilities." She gripped Victor's hand again, "Despite his poor delivery, Typhon brings up a valid point. Should the line end with me, or should there be an heir?"

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to you talk about yourself as if you're already dead. You promised me, Star," Sean said painfully. "I can keep the shadow at bay and buy us more time to look for answers. What about Nyx? North, call on her now! For that matter, how about all of them show their high and mighty asses up? Each one of them has a hand in all of this, they need to fucking help!" I'd never seen Sean this mad or forceful before. Owen was trying to calm him down, but he wasn't having it.

"Did you all hear me? Get your immortal asses down here now! You all keep saying we've been claimed to save her, but you won't tell us how. We need answers and we need them now!" He was pacing the room, screaming to the air. When he stopped, everything went still. It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room, then there was a loud sound from the yard followed by yelling and more cracks and booming sounds. Wide-eyed, we all bolted towards the yard. Hell, I didn't even let Pixie stand up, I just carried her with me.

The yard looked like a freaking comic con.

They came.

Every last one of them answered Sean's demands and were standing in the yard, including a veiled old woman who I assumed was Cailleach.

Loki was the first to look up and acknowledge our presence. "Who's idea was it for an extended family reunion?" I laughed as Pixie giggled. "Ah, ástvinur, is this your doing?" He bowed to her.

"Does he always flirt with her?" Cailleach asked me as she stepped closer to Eveleen. Pixie squirmed out of my arms and flew into the old woman's arms and started to sob. "What on earth, child? What has happened?"

The bickering and questions that had filled the yard suddenly came to a halt at the sound of her tears. With a wave of his hand, Loki produced chairs for everyone. All except Typhon sat silently, waiting for Cailleach to calm Eveleen. "This is my fault," the Titan said finally. "I meant to help, but instead I've caused more harm." He looked at Victor and grimaced. "I told Victor everything, and he in turn told all of them. They know about the Queen, Rion, and Erebus. I also told them about the fate of the child."