Rhiannan POV
I woke up with my face smashed between Elisha's absurdly muscled chest and Sable's demon sized thigh, which, by the way, felt like sleeping on a lava slick boulder wrapped in sin.
Someone was drooling.
I hoped to every holy being in existence it wasn't me.
Then I heard the soft, raspy moan. Ah. Liam. Of course it was Liam. Man drools in his sleep like it's a kink.
I groaned, cracking one eye open. "Why do I feel like I got hit by a freight train full of dicks?"
A shadow moved at the foot of the massive bed. Kaleb. Shirtless. Hair wet from the shower. Holding coffee like a bribe he knew I couldn't refuse.
He smirked, all alpha swagger and unholy dimples. "Because you did, goddess."
I gave him the finger and snatched the mug from his hands like it was holy relic number four. "Blessed be the bean," I muttered, taking a sip.
Elisha stirred beside me, half growling, half mumbling, "Treasure…mine…bite you later…"
Sable's tail lazily coiled around my ankle. Liam rolled over and buried his face in my ass like it was his emotional support pillow.
And that was when Sasha crackled through the air like a possessed Alexa.
📣 "You've got… ninety-two million, four hundred seventy-six thousand, one hundred nine messages."
I choked on my coffee and sprayed it all over Elisha's chest. "EXCUSE ME?!"
The air shimmered...and then coins started raining down from the magic inbox like it was stripper night at the divine club. Gold, enchanted roses, scented scrolls, edible underwear, vibrating gemstones...seriously, who sent vibrating stones?
Liam yawned, stretching like a damn cat. "You break the divine realm once and suddenly everyone wants to smell your socks."
The fan mail was unhinged. Nobles sent wine and invites to orgies. Witches offered blood pacts. A siren offered me a coral palace and five boyfriends. One fae royal offered me his left nut and an heirloom ring just for a wink. I didn't even own pants in that realm.
But one scroll stood out.
Black parchment. Silver wax. Glowing seal that hummed with ancient magic.
I sat up straighter. My goddess mark flared.
Arwen leaned over my shoulder, eyes narrowing. "That smells ancient."
"So does your attitude," I muttered, but my voice wavered slightly. I cracked the seal.
The scroll unraveled on its own. Divine ink glowed across the parchment, curling into letters older than time. A map formed.
The Temple of Echoes.
Hidden in the Whispering Marshes.
And written in the corner, in divine script:
Within lies the Crown of Reflection. The second relic.
My heart stuttered. "This is it. This is the next step."
Kaleb frowned, jaw tight. "Truth comes at a price."
Liam rolled his eyes. "Wonderful. The broody prophecy warnings are back."
And then Sasha glitched. Hard.
⚠️ "I-I-I s-see…see…sooomething…watching…you…"
The air thinned.
The lights flickered.
And then… the deer head mounted over the fireplace turned to look at me. Its glass eyes glowed red.
"YOU ARE MINE."
I swear to the gods, we all froze.
Liam hurled a chair so fast it could've qualified for the fucking Olympics. "NOT TODAY, YOU TAXIDERMY TWAT!"
The deer head exploded into black goo and dripped down the wall. Sable growled low. Kaleb summoned lightning. Elisha snorted smoke. Arwen's shadows rose like a tidal wave behind him.
I sighed and rubbed my temples. "I hate it here."
Sable licked his lips. "I kinda love it."
We gathered what we needed...gear, weapons, demon resistant boots, spiked coffee, and an unreasonable number of magical condoms (because… why the fuck not?).
Sasha conjured a training illusion of the marshes so we could prep before portal jumping into hell.
It was gross.
Sticky vines, whispering trees, fog that licked your ankles like a horny ghost. Arwen got stuck in a tree again.
Elisha was not amused. "If that vine touches her ass one more time, I will incinerate this forest."
I chuckled. "Jealousy is such a good color on you, flame boy."
Sable tilted his head. "I think the vine likes me."
Liam: "Must be the dick with a personality."
Kaleb: "Okay. Weapons. Gear. Pack your sarcasm. Let's move."
I stood at the center of the illusion, staring down at the glowing map, and took a deep breath.
"The Crown is calling. Let's go answer."
A portal flared to life, swirling silver and blue, pulsing with magic.
My mates strapped weapons to their backs and grinned like gods of war. Sarcasm levels? Maxed out.
Kaleb smirked. "Fifty coins says the temple tries to seduce us."
Arwen winked. "Make it a hundred. And I'll let it."
I rolled my eyes. "Can we please not get dicked by a building again?"
Sasha crackled overhead.
"Statistically? No."
And with that, we stepped into the portal, toward the marshes, the Crown of Reflection, and whatever batshit horror show waited in the Temple of Echoes.
Together.
As always.