them. People who seek power are usually not people you want having it.”
We reached the top of the stairs, and two guards pulled open the doors, bowing to Mordred as we entered.
“I can’t get them to stop doing that,” Mordred complained. “I’ve asked nicely several times.”
“I think that’s one of those things you’ll just have to get used to,” I told him.
The five of us walked through the busy palace, with everyone bowing toward a frowning Mordred as he passed them, until we eventually reached the main hall, where two more guards opened the door and bellowed an announcement for King Mordred.
King Mordred sighed.
I tried very hard not to smile.
The main hall was full of people, and the sounds of their chatter stopped as Mordred walked into the room. A large wooden oval table sat in the middle of the room, and as Mordred entered, people began to take their seats on the multiple chairs that surrounded it.
“Your Majesty,” an elderly woman said, taking his hand in hers. “It’s good to see you unharmed.”
“I got a bit wet,” Mordred said. “But nothing too awful.”
“Have you heard about DC?” Loki asked him. Loki was Hel’s father, and he sat in the corner eating an apple.
Mordred walked over to Hel and kissed her hello before turning to Loki. “Yes,” Mordred said. “Sorry, just happy that everyone got off the ship in one piece.”
“We’re all fine,” Hel said. “We’ve got a few thousand new refugees to sort out. A lot of political prisoners that Avalon have taken.”
“Avalon is responsible for so many deaths,” Hades said from his seat. “Sometimes I wonder how we’re ever going to heal the realms even when we’ve won.”
Persephone walked over to her husband and kissed him on his bald head.
“Before we even think about winning, I’m going to need a team,” I said. “To take to DC.”
A few people shared nervous glances.
“Are you really the best person for the job?” a dwarf asked as he rubbed his large ginger beard. “No offense, but trouble appears to follow you.”
“Well, trouble is already there, so I’m ahead of the curve,” I said with a smile.
“You’ll have your team,” Olivia Carpenter told me.
She looked tired. Tired from helping to organize a resistance, tired from being a mum to a small bundle of never-ending energy, but mostly tired from spending every waking moment when she wasn’t working worrying about Tommy. I knew it ate at her. Knowing he was out there somewhere but not knowing where. It was tough for her daughter, Kase, and Olivia’s young son, Daniel, but Olivia was burning both ends of the candle. I understood. I’d been doing something similar, but I’d also had people to punch to let out my frustrations, while Olivia just added them to the ever-growing list.
I walked over and hugged her, feeling her sag against me. “You need rest,” I whispered.
“I need my husband,” she said. “Go home; be with Selene and Astrid. We’ll come find you in a few hours.”
“Business first,” I said. I told everyone what had happened on the ship, and when they were done listening, they agreed with pretty much everything I wanted.
“Mordred can’t go,” Jinayca said. She was one of the Norse dwarves and had been a large part of the rebellion since its inception so many years ago. She was also one of the smartest people any of us knew, so when she spoke, everyone listened. “Sorry, you’re a king now.”
“And a king should lead,” Mordred said sternly.
“Yes,” Jinayca said. “And we need to stop Gawain, stop Avalon’s plans for DC, and we need to find Atlantis. If you go to DC and involve yourself in matters there, we’ll have to send a guard with you, and then we’re putting everyone in one basket with no clear way forward afterward. We need to be proactive. Arthur and Avalon want us to react to everything they do, to keep us off balance. We can’t win this way.”
“And your plan is?” Hel asked.
“We need to find out how Gawain got into the Earth realm,” she said. “I assume you have some contacts, Mordred.”
Mordred nodded. “I have one or two, yes.”
“A request from a king would be better than a request from me,” Jinayca said.
“You want me to be more statesmanlike,” Mordred said. He looked over at Hel.
“I agree with her,” Hel told him. “Gawain would only try to get you involved in a fight you don’t need to be involved in. We all go to DC, and then Arthur