“Oh, and I almost forgot,” I added. “She's a psychopomp too; she carries the souls of the dead to their afterlives.”
“Can you stop her?” Brevyn asked with wide eyes.
“Sweetheart, that goddess won't know what hit her.” I smiled brightly at him and kissed him on the nose.
“Your mother has conquered Death numerous time,” Arach added confidently. “She will do so again, do not doubt it.”
Brevyn smiled and relaxed between us. Arach and I held our smiles long enough for Brevyn to close his eyes and fall back asleep, and then we looked at each other over our sleeping son with grim acceptance.
“This is war, A Thaisce,” Arach said. “You heard our son. That means; I shall join you.”
Chapter Fifty-One
We waited until all the Royals had headed back to their kingdoms; all except for the High Royals, who we asked to stay behind. Then Arach and I had a meeting with the High Royals, Isleen, the God Squad, and my men. Thrud was watching the children so we could talk. Her offer came as a relief to me since I didn't know her well enough to include her in the meeting.
First, we told everyone about Brevyn's vision. After the uproar died down, we told them about Arach's intention to come to the God Realm with me until the matter with Disani was settled.
“You can't leave your kingdom ungoverned, King Arach,” King Cian said sternly. “I appreciate that this is a worrisome situation, but your wife has always handled such things with her vast congregation of friends in the God Realm. I'm certain she can handle it again.”
“Regardless, I will help her,” Arach said firmly. “That's why you're here, High King. I wanted to notify you and ask for your approval on my solution.”
“And what's your solution?” Cian asked.
“I will leave Isleen in charge of the Fire Kingdom,” Arach said. “She's run it before, back when I was a child. She's more than capable.”
Isleen frowned and looked uncomfortable. Lugh took her hand reassuringly.
“You can do it, Is,” Lugh said. “I know you can.”
“She can,” I agreed. “But she shouldn't have to do it alone.” I looked at the High King and Queen. “Which is why we'd like Lugh to stay here and help.”
“Lugh?” Queen Meara asked in surprise.
King Cian gaped at us and then began to smile. “You show great trust in my son, King Arach.”
“He has been a good friend to my wife and therefore, by extension, a good friend to Fire,” Arach said. “But, more importantly, he is the High Prince of Faerie and as such, is an acceptable interloper upon my throne. Prince Lugh will get experience running a kingdom, and Isleen will have the support she needs.”
“I think that's a wonderful compromise,” Cian said.
“But what do you think, Isleen?” I asked her. “Would you be okay with this? We would take the boys with us so you wouldn't have to worry about them.”
“You're taking the Princes with you?” Isleen asked in shock.
“The time has caught up between the realms,” I explained. “That's why everyone was able to visit. That also makes it a perfect opportunity for my fey family to visit the God Realm. I think the boys would love to live with the Intare for awhile.”
“I'm sure they would,” Isleen whispered. “But I'll miss them terribly. How long do you think you'd be gone?”
“That depends on how fast we can find Disani,” Odin said.
Odin's face was still etched with worry for Asgard. Brevyn's vision had hit him hard, of course. His sons sat to either side of him, and they looked nearly as worried as he did. But it was Thor who seemed particularly upset. He was the Protector of Asgard, after all, and Brevyn's vision had portended his failure.
“Vervain, I recall rescuing you from Disani in that false future,” Re reminded me.
“Yes; you were with Azrael and the Horsemen,” I said. “It was quite impressive.”
“Thank you, but that's not why I brought it up.” Re waved off the praise; a very un-Re thing to do. “They had holed up in the mountains outside of Kabul, correct?”
“The stronghold,” I whispered. “Yeah; that's where it was.”
