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“Occulta,” echoes in faint whispers all around. “Beware.”

Measure the blood of the Mother.

Shara carries the most, most, most…

This quorum is called by Triskeles. Shara is the Speaker of Triskeles.

“The Mother speaks through us,” we said out loud, Shara’s voice echoing in the hollowed-out space. “Her creation is under threat. All may be lost. All may be destroyed by the Nothingness from Beyond that Screams with Madness. Her children must rise to the Call. Stand and defend the Mother’s creation. Come to the table, all daughters of Her Daughters. You are needed.”

Distantly, gasps of surprise and sharp inhales echo around us.

The squawk of an owl and the hum of massive computers. The iron gate creaks open, the whispers of the dead coming near. A white glow rises like gossamer wings fluttering over a gleaming blue sword. Peeking from the lush green of the jungle, a jaguar creeps close with a low, rough cough. The first kiss of spring adorned in delicate blossoms. The harsh embrace of winter’s frost on the earth. Crispy blades of frozen grass beneath our feet.

More. Others. Siblings dropping in beside us. With us. Adding their blood and power to the weight of Triskeles.

Creatures singing from the darkest depths of the oceans. The howling winds of a hurricane. Rolling ripples of power beneath the ocean floor, swelling towering waves above. Sirens. Merpeople. Oni. Yokai.

Skolos siblings joining Undina and Nuri. Queens from all over the globe. Pulled to the table.

Pulled to Triskeles.

Answering our Call.

We tip our head back to look up at Shara’s alpha hovering at our back. His face carved from harsh granite.

“We’re ready.” Pause. Breathe. “Don’t let go.”

With Shara’s braid twisted around his arm, his giant hand locked around the base, he picks her up with his other hand and dangles her over the still pool of black liquid.

“Never.”

RIK

As soon as the tips of her sneakers touched the fluid, I felt instantaneous strain.

Something latched on to her and started to pull. Hard. Sucking her down into the fluid faster than I intended, even though I was braced for anything. Up to her waist in seconds. Her neck. Even beneath the shimmering veil, her eyes were wide and scared, though my proud, strong queen wouldn’t admit it. She sought me one last time, and then her head sank beneath the surface.

Muscles bulged, tendons popping up beneath the skin, my bones creaking with the growing force. Most of my body shifted into solid granite, the mighty weight of the rock troll. Though the force still pulled me inexorably closer to the edge.

I had to let her slip through, at least enough to catch Tanza. Though the sharp bite of dread gnawed on every nerve in my body.

I can’t see her. She’s gone. She’s not even in this world. She’s nowhere. So fucking strong. Will I be able to pull her out? I must.

Gritting my teeth, I let my body fold a bit more or risk busting bones in my thighs. My spine. Finally, I lay on the ground. On my belly. Like I’d held her in the bath just hours before. Eyes squeezed shut. Teeth aching. Focused. Entirely. On her.

She’s here. With me. With us. Always. I will pull her out. I will never fail her. I will never let her fall or slip. Never.

Though she felt so far away. Galaxies away. Her bond stretched between us. So thin.

Her hair squeezed around my arm like an anaconda. Rock dug into my flesh, annoying bumps that didn’t abrade my skin, even though my thin cotton shirt rolled up. The Eleusinian Mysteries shielded me. Though I still slipped. Closer. To the edge.

My right hand sank into the fluid, and I lost the ability to feel her hair in my grip. I could only hope my fingers were still tight. Still holding on.

To be sure, I slapped my left hand over the braid’s tail on my forearm. Making sure I still had hold of her, even if the magical hair loosened its grip on me.

I slid a bit deeper, and I felt the vise grip of jaws on my calves. The dragon had one leg. Sekh the other. With their combined weight, I stopped slipping. Though the strain increased in my shoulder. I moved my left hand down around the hair just above my right wrist where it sank into the fluid to ease the drag.

I willed my shoulder to hold. My elbow. My wrist. Rock can’t separate or tear. Cement holds my joints together. My bones are hard like diamonds. Can’t break. Can’t shatter.