A Home for Misfit Monsters

Chapter 23 - Nothing To Fear

"I can't bring her back as she was before." Rhia spread her hands over Gavina's gray and mangled body as she looked up at Ezra. "She'll be like you. A god bound to the Earth. Are you sure you want me to do this?"

"Yes," he said, brushing a lock of his sister's short hair from her face. "Sephyr trapped her soul in her last moments of torture and that's not how she should spend eternity."

"No, it's not," Rhia murmured as her hands glowed over his sister. "Quid sumptus, reddo, exsurgo et esto amem."

What was taken, I give back, rise and be alive.

The shimmering magic slithered from her fingertips and seeped into Gavina's chest. Her mangled limbs untwisted and righted themselves and her tortured face relaxed as the power settled over her.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Ezra said, taking Gavina's hand as her chest slowly rose and fell.

Rhia slid her hand to his shoulder. "It's going to take her body time to adjust to the new perimeters of her power. She needs to rest," she said, kissing his cheek. "And while she's resting, I'll explain what happened tonight."

Ezra nodded, letting go of his sister's hand before he turned to Rhia and the adoration shining in his black eyes pooled in her gut. "Thank you," he said, kissing her forehead as they stood from the bed and he threaded his fingers through hers. "What changed in you?"

"What do you mean?" She frowned as they stepped out into the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind them to walk down the creaking staircase to the swell of chatter below.

"I don't know, but since you've risen from the dead, again or not." He shook his head. "I still don't understand what happened," he said, squeezing her hand. "But you feel different. There's no fear in you like before."

A smile tugged at Rhia's lips as she turned around and slid her hand to his cheek. "It's because I have nothing to fear anymore."

"None of us do," Gia said, swirling into the hallway with a bright smile on her face with her eyes full of pride. "My daughter has finally grown into herself like I always knew you would." She held out her hands to them. "Come. It's time we share everything with Sae."

"What do you mean, everything?" Ezra said, cutting his eyes to Rhia. "You were still keeping secrets from me?"

A blush burned over Rhia's cheeks as she bit her lip. "Remember when we had to tweak our plan?"

"Yes, I remember," he grumbled as she tugged him through the house to the sitting room where everyone had gathered after settling the new gods into the makeshift barn the Sedliw and the demons erected for them.

"I was in the room when we laid out the plan for Annie to use her shapeshifting magic to imitate you, Rianne was supposed to cloak your magic over Annie and Gia was supposed to give a small portion of herself to make Godiran think he had your power. Then you," Ezra said as they sat on the couch. "Were supposed to appear in your goddess glory when Godiran least expected it. That was the plan."

Rhia nodded. "To be fair, that last part happened. We just didn't factor in Sephyr at the time."

"So, what really happened?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Why did you let me believe I lost you?"

Rhia sighed. "I'm sorry, but we didn't trust Godiran would believe your act if you knew what was happening."

"Especially since I knew Gavina wasn't herself when she came back," Carter said, sitting up and pouring Ezra and Rhia a cup of tea.

"How did you know? I didn't even feel his presence in Gavina," Ezra said, taking the tea as he gazed at the misfit beings littering the room. "Did all of you know?"