"I don't get it. Why should the goddess care about Raine's father?"

"Eirik," Echo said. "She hasn't forgotten that the Norns placed Eirik close to Raine and her family so he'd be surrounded by love. Sure, it's the Norns' fault for bringing him here, but she has enough hatred to go around, and she's spreading it."

I frowned. "Does she know about me, too?"

Echo slanted me a glance, the corner of his lips lifting. "The girl her son loved so much he left Asgard to rescue her from me? Oh, yes."

I winced, and Echo chuckled. I punched his arm. He was such a jerk sometimes. "Quit playing. I'm serious."

He hugged me close. "No one touches what's mine, and you, Cora-mio, are mine. According to her, you and Maliina are one and the same. Since she's dead, you're dead too. Since she's seen Maliina's soul, you ceased to matter. Come on." He snatched my hand, and we walked toward the mirror portal, which responded to his runes.

"Wait. Does Raine know how the goddess feels?" I whispered.

"Of course not. She's too impulsive and might decide to do something rash and anger the gods and the Norns. Only Torin knows."

And knowing him, he was keeping that secret from Raine. Probably best that way. I wouldn't want to know either. The portal to the living room opened, and I could see the others seated around the wet bar and the couch. The silence was spooky.

I tugged Echo's hand and stopped him. Once we joined the others, he'd be leaving to escort Raine's father to Hel. That in itself didn't bother me. His plans to find a special room under the goddess' very nose bothered me more. What if she found out what he was doing? What if her guards busted him? He could end up on Corpse Strand with the damned souls.

"Does Goddess Hel have lots of guards?"

"Three main ones, but I know their routine. Talking of guards, you need this." He fished my cell phone from his back pocket and pressed it in my hand.

Crap! I'd completely forgotten about Dev. "Did you talk to him?"

"Not really. Once he answered my question, I figured the rest could wait until I return."

"What question?"

"We'll talk when I come back," he whispered, gripped my hand, and pulled me through the portal. Most of the people in the room had a glass of something, except Raine and Torin. She was curled up beside him, her eyes glassy and red-rimmed. Torin's expression said he was hurting for her. She looked worse than before, possibly the result of accepting the fact that her father was heading for Hel's realm. If she knew about the goddess' hatred for her family, she'd probably go over the edge.

Femi's eyes were red, too. She always looked like nothing fazed her, but she was a softy inside. Blaine, Ingrid, and Andris stared into their drinks with gloomy expressions. Since they were at least several centuries old, I'd bet they were drinking alcohol.

Svana, Raine's mother, was missing. I wondered if she knew about the goddess' hatred. Knowing her, she probably did. Maybe she'd taken off with her husband's soul and stashed him some place in Asgard where Goddess Hel would never look. On the other hand, she'd just gotten re-instated as a Valkyrie and wouldn't jeopardize that.

Torin saw us first. "Ready?"

Echo nodded. "I just need to get my coat and gloves."

"And me. I'm going with you," Andris said, standing.

"No, you're not." Echo said. "Hel is my realm, and I decide who travels with me."

"Raine needs Torin," Andris said, speaking firmly and, for once, not baiting Echo. "Even you don't know how long you'll be gone."

I was surprised when Echo nodded grudgingly. If Raine heard their exchange, she didn't show it. She didn't even look up when the study door opened and her mother walked out with her father's soul trailing her. Mrs. Cooper looked as bad as Raine. Mr. Cooper looked calm. Since he was married to a Valkyrie, he must have been mentally prepared for all this. Most souls were often confused by the presence of Valkyries.

Raine's mother hugged me. "How are you doing?"

"Better." I stole a glance at the soul and read gratitude on his face. He smiled. "I'm sorry I blacked out."

"No, no, sweetheart. Don't ever apologize for that. What you did was very brave. Because of you," her chin trembled and tears filled her eyes, "I heard Tristan's voice once again. I don't want you to worry about these medium runes, because Lavania will find out what's going on and help you master their use." She kissed my cheeks then focused her attention on Echo. He stiffened.

"Find a good place for him," she whispered.

"I will, Mrs. Cooper," Echo said quickly, but he wasn't escaping Raine's mother that easily.

"Thank you." She kissed his cheeks and hugged him.

Echo gave me his rescue-me eyes, but I just shrugged. He'd better get used to it. Mothers smothered. Raine's mother and Lavania hugged. My mother cooked and plied you with food.

I only got a brief moment with Echo before they left. He cupped my face and rubbed my cheeks with his thumb.

"Dev stays with you at all times until I come back," he whispered.

I wasn't expecting that. "Um, okay. Why?"

"Because Torin and Raine won't be at school for the rest of the week, and even though I know Blaine and Ingrid are Immortals, they have no experience dealing with souls. Dev does."

He trusted his old buddy now. My job was done. "Okay."

His eyebrows flattened. "You're not going to argue with me?"

"Nope. What did he say to make you change your mind?"

"It's not what he said. He rescued you. I'll always be indebted to anyone who takes care of you." He planted a kiss on my lips and started to walk away, but I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. I wasn't ready to let him go yet.

"Did he tell you who attacked me?"

"Yes. I'll take care of her when I come back," he vowed. "Can I go now?"

I reached up and kissed him. "Be careful."

He grinned. "Always."

He left to get his coat and gloves from the car. I stared after him and frowned. Something he'd said had bothered me, yet I couldn't put my finger on it. I went over our conversation, and my stomach dipped.

Her? He'd said he would deal with her-the dark soul that had attacked me-when he came back. That could only mean one woman, the only one who hated me enough to want to hurt me.

Maliina.

I shouldn't call her a woman. She was an evil Norn wannabe, a bitter, angry soul without a conscience, and she was back to steal my body. Again.

CHAPTER 16. THE TRUTH.

My mind was still on Maliina as I watched Echo and Andris leave with Raine's father. The whole thing was kind of anti-climactic. I'd expected thunder and lightning la Thor. Maybe the rainbow bridge Raine talked about.

Instead, Echo created a portal as usual, except it led to nothingness. An endless white wall of ice and floor of snow. A few flakes accompanied the frigid air that blew into the room. It was a different kind of cold. Biting. Piercing the skin to the bone. No wonder Echo often returned frozen. We all stood there with arms crossed and stared at them.

Mr. Cooper only wore his gray suit, but the cold didn't seem to bother him. I wondered if Svana had dressed his body in that suit or whether he could choose what to wear by just thinking it. When I'd gone into the study to see his body, only his face had been visible.

Echo turned, and our eyes met. My insides melted. I blew him a kiss and mouthed, "Love you. Be careful."

He spread his arms as though to say, "I'm in my realm. What could possible go wrong?"

Arrogant man. He didn't even button-up his duster while Andris was dressed like an Eskimo. I'd bet he was regretting going. Mr. Cooper turned and stared at us. Her mother pressed her hands to her heart. He imitated her gesture. Raine started to cry again.

Ooh, dang it. Tears rushed to my eyes.

No one spoke or seemed interested in leaving after the portal closed. They went back to their seats and drinks. I wanted to be here for Raine, who sobbed silently in Torin's arms, but I didn't really think she needed me. She had Torin, her mother, Femi, and Lavania. Actually, all the Immortals and Valkyries were here for her.

I wondered if they cared about the dead bodies or had funerals and viewings. From my experience at the nursing home, a funeral home picked up the body once the hospice nurse confirmed death. Femi was a hospice nurse. So far, no ambulance had come blazing into their cul-de-sac.

I rubbed Raine's arm and she gave me a weak smile. "Do you want me to stay?"

She nodded, pulled away from Torin, and hugged me. For a moment, we held on to each other and cried. When she went back to Torin's arms, she continued to grip my hand.

"No, sweetheart," her mother said. "Cora has school tomorrow and needs to go home."

Raine glared at her mother, and everyone held their breath. I was sure she was going to say something mean. But Torin whispered in her ear and she looked away.

"Fine, mother." The smile she gave me was weak, but her eyes still blazed.

Whoa. She was pissed. The silence that followed was uncomfortable.

"Before you leave, Cora, I wanted to thank your friend for the part he played tonight," Raine's mother said. "Maybe one day we'll get to meet him."

"I wish I could have done more, Mrs. Cooper," Dev said from my cell phone. His beautiful accent was back. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"What's your name?" Raine's mother asked.

"Dev, son of Graenen."

"Thank you, Dev," Raine's mother said.

"How long have you been around, Dev?" Lavania asked.

"A couple of millennia. I am a Druid. We don't lose our identity, even in death, because our souls live on."

He had everyone's attention. Even Raine stared at my cell phone. Maybe Dev's crazy sense of humor was what we needed to cheer people up.

"Did you know Echo before you died?" Blaine asked.

"We grew up together." I could hear the smile in his voice. "We-Echo, Rhys, Nara, and I-were inseparable."

"Rhys?" Ingrid asked.

"Great guy. A bit anal." He chuckled. "No, a lot anal."

"Why are Rhys and Nara after you now?" Torin asked.

"For the same reason Echo hasn't spoken to me since he killed me."

I winced. He made Echo sound so bad. "Dev," I said.

"I know. I deserved it. He did me a favor, the first of many. He let my soul go because he knew what was waiting for me on Corpse Strand. Over the years, our paths have crossed, and he always looked the other way." He chuckled. "That's one thing about the guy. He can be a real pain in the ass, but he's loyal to those he loves. He will not admit it, but he loves me. Like a brother. "

You didn't kill those you loved either. He'd piqued everyone's interest before. Now he had them hanging on his every word. Me included.

I placed my cell phone on the coffee table and everyone inched closer. Blaine and Ingrid even left their stools at the wet bar and came to sit by us. Even Raine stopped crying.

"When Echo defied Valkyrie laws and turned our people into Immortals, I was the first one he turned. I betrayed my people and many people died. I brought dishonor to my family and my friends. I would have been excommunicated by my people. To a Druid, that's a fate worse than death. I couldn't do that to my family. No one talked or associated with an impious criminal, but I knew my parents and sisters would not have believed the charges. They would've defied the laws and visited me, and they would've ended up sharing my fate. My death was the only option."

The silence that followed was deafening. I'd bet they were wondering why I was helping someone they probably believed should be on Corpse Strand. But they hadn't talked to Dev. They didn't know him like I did.

"But there's more to that story, right?" I said.

Silence. Gah, stubborn Druid. Now was not the time to play mute. The others shot me sympathetic glances. I didn't need their pity. Dev was not guilty. He wouldn't want to talk to Echo if he was.

"He didn't betray his people," I added, daring him to deny it.

"Then who did?" Raine's mother asked.

"I don't know. I just know he's innocent. Otherwise he wouldn't have come to me to help him reconnect with Echo. Echo is the one he wants to talk to, not us."

Dev sighed. "I'm so not liking you right now, Cora Jemison," he said, sounding so much like an American teenager.

"That's okay. I like you enough for both of us. I trust you, and I refuse to believe you are evil or that you betrayed your people. How can you be when you saved my life? A dark soul tried to possess me, but he fought her off," I added when the others looked at me curiously.

Dev sighed. "She's right. I meant to tell Echo everything first, but since she's making me feel like I walk on water... You're good, Cora."

I grinned. "Thanks."

"The woman I loved betrayed them."

Just one sentence and it packed quite a punch. I sighed with relief.

"I didn't know that at the time. Teleia was living with the sympathetic non-Druid Gaulish family I'd found for her. I paid her a visit whenever I could and shared information about what we were doing, where various groups were hiding, or where we were headed. Whenever I visited, she'd send me to a nearby Roman prison with a care package for the son of the family she was staying with. A lot of sons of non-Druids had joined the army. " He sighed. "The first time I delivered the baskets, one of our hiding places was attacked in the dead of the night." His voice changed as he continued, becoming raw with pain. "Innocent children, women, and the elderly were slaughtered. Not once but three times. We knew we had an informant and questioned everyone. No Druid could betray his or her people, we kept saying. We were wrong." His breathing was heavy, and if a soul could cry, he was. "Family comes first. Those we love come first. She was passing the information I'd shared with her to the Romans to secure the release of her two younger brothers from the dungeons."

Silence followed and I thought he was done talking.

"Unfortunately, the prisoners saw me give the guards the basket, saw them find and read the scrolls hidden under the food."