Page 33 of Goddess of Light

With guns.

“What the fuck?” Rasmus says. “Who the hell are they?”

And that’s when I see someone march out of the front doors and stop at the end of the platform, an extremely tall, commanding figure dressed all in black.

My father.

The God of Death.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DEATH

I followthe general who called me and hurry out of the front doors and under the raised portcullis, heading straight to the end of the barbican where a few troops have gathered.

They’re pointing in the distance, in the middle of the Star Swamp, their rifles raised and ready.

There’s a small, ragtag group of six people coming toward us single file, and at the very front of them stands my daughter.

Loviatar.

My heart soars, a gasp escaping my lips.

“Should we fire?” General Pekka asks, appearing beside me.

“No,” I growl. “Hold your fire! Lower your weapons! That’s my daughter!”

I push into their minds briefly for extra measure, and they all lower their guns in unison. At least I know they were more than ready to defend this place. That counts for something.

Lovia waves her sword at me in greeting and then starts running, her blonde braid whipping behind her. As she gets closer, I see the rest of her ragtag crew.

Vellamo, Tapio, Tellervo, the Magician, and…

Rasmus.

I let out another growl just as Torben comes to stand next to me.

“Oh my Gods,” he mutters under his breath. “What is Rasmus doing here?”

I give him a sharp look. “I don’t know, but if you let your fatherly instincts get in the way…”

He shakes his head. “I know he’s a traitor to his mother,” he says. “Even though that’s as much my fault as anyone else’s.”

I grunt. “Sort your family trauma out some other day. Keep that boy in check, or I’ll do it for you.” I wriggle my fingers at him, implying I’ll take off the gloves. “Lovia better have a damn good reason for bringing him along.”

Soon, she’s climbing up the stairs to the platform and running toward me, troops parting on either side of her to let her through.

“Father!” she cries out. She drops her sword with a clatter and runs straight into my arms. I envelop her, holding tight, as if loosening my grip for a moment might see her slipping out of my arms, never to be seen again.

“Lovia,” I manage to say, her name stuck in my throat. I never let myself really think about her much—too afraid, I suppose, of coming across an answer that would devastate me. But now that she’s here, in my arms, my only daughter, I realize just how much she means to me. All this time, I think I’ve been a good enough father, but I’ve been keeping my children at arm’s length, too worried about their duties or their roles to let myself be as involved as I should be.

All of that will change going forward.

Hanna was right. I owe them so much more than what I’ve given.

“I thought I would never see you again,” Lovia says, her words muffled against my coat. “This is the last place I thought I’d find you.”

“And I you,” I admit. I pull away, holding her by the shoulders. She looks pale, scratched up, a little worse for wear overall, but her eyes blaze with strength. “And Tuonen?” I dare to ask. “Where is he?”

---