Chapter 35

Kelly was working on the shoulder of the road to relieve Jean’s pain and stabilize the tissue around the break in her femur when she felt something strange happening around her. Mei, who was holding Jean, felt it also and stiffened slightly.

Suddenly the small group of women with their Fae escorts were enveloped by a glow. The Fae all dropped to a knee in respect as they were witness to the appearance of not one, but two goddesses standing side by side.

Sarah and Mei were astounded. Their goddesses had never appeared to them outside of a dream! Kelly’s goddess sponsor, Selu was enveloped in a golden amber glow as she smiled at her daughter-in-law-to-be. Her flowing green buckskin dress was painted and beaded in dizzying geometric designs that were nearly impossible to look directly at. Her waist length blue black hair was bound into braids on either side of her warmly smiling but concerned face.

Mei’s goddess Nyx was shrouded in streamers of stars and night and contrasting bright rays of sunlight that shone about her slim feminine shoulders. Her face was partially hidden inside a cowl but revealed an elegantly beautiful face shining with love for her adopted daughter.

“Welcome Mother of my beloved,” said Kelly formally.

“Welcome Mother Nyx,” echoed Mei respectfully.

“Enough of that nonsense!” said Nyx. “You are each carrying our grandchildren and we are greatly pleased!”

“Yes, Mom,’ said Kelly and Mei simultaneously.

Kelly and Mei shared a look and then smiled shyly at their sponsors. It had been a chaotic few hours. They were each wildly happy as they each had discovered that the other was with child and then stricken to the core with worry for their man and with the stress of escaping the Hellhounds.

It had been a tough call but Kelly had given the ‘no’ signal to Sarah when she was about to let the proverbial cat out of the bag. Kelly and Mei both knew instinctively that Ben needed 100% focus to stay alive. Sudden knowledge of a double pregnancy could have nearly immobilized the former life-long bachelor at a critical moment. Unknown to each other, they had separately been planning on telling him tomorrow not wanting to take focus away from Maria’s big day.

“Sorry girls but we don’t have much time. Manifesting here takes much power,” said Nyx.

“First, know that Ben is alive, but his life is merely a spark. Daughter, he will need everything you have to give to keep him in this world and it may still not be enough. He is in unimaginable pain at the moment. He has served the Light much already and he may choose to relieve the pain by leaving this world to pass deservedly into the next,” said Selu.

Kelly and Mei both paled at this and each reached out to hold each other’s hand. Surely their Ben would not leave them if he had a choice!

“And know that I and Sarah’s mother Waghoba are working to undo as much of the powerful magic that is blocking you as soon as possible. Athena is also working to facilitate further help. It is not hopeless- if we can get care for him soon,” added Nyx.

“Mother, what about my child to be? I’m worried that if I give all to Ben, I may harm our child. Ben would absolutely not want me to take any chances,” asked Kelly.

“Daughter, I may not directly help you beyond the gifts already given, but as your child-to-be is not born yet I can protect it while you heal Ben,” said Selu.

“Thank you Mother!” gasped a relieved Kelly.

“Of course! Now to ensure the best chances for our Ben, you should do the healing in a holy place and you should all be joined,” said Selu.

“I think we know just the place,” said Mei, sharing another glance with Kelly and then with Queen Rhiannon who nodded back.

Nyx cocked her head slightly to one side and then nodded as well.

“Perfect timing children, It looks like we’ve been able to remove the block on your communications. I still cannot undo the block on your chariots though” said Nyx,

Before anyone else could begin to react, Sarah literally flew up off the ground and interposed herself between Ben and Lizzy and the retinue of four tall muscular spear-wielding women with wings who had suddenly appeared just a few feet away.

“Holy Monkey Fudger! Where did you come from and who are you?” exclaimed Sarah.

“Really? Geez. Wings, spears, horned helmets, iron boob holsters? I didn’t realize public education had fallen so far,” said the apparent leader of the rather disreputable-looking group of women. “Do you think we are Lady Gaga groupies or something?”

“Aw give em a break Herja. This isn’t Germany and Wagner is nowhere near as popular as he was a hundred years ago. Also, we do look a little ragged around the edges at the moment,” said one of the women peering out from under her cracked helmet at the scorched feathers on her wings.

“Yeah, thanks to their boyfriend there! He nearly roasted us like turkeys Eir! What the Helheim is a mortal doing with that kind of power anyway? We were a thousand feet up!” said the one apparently named Herja with a glance over her shoulder at her compatriot.

“Yeah, he’s so powerful! Wow! He knocked us right off our horses in a pillar of flame” said a buxom figure with dark curly hair adding a totally unnecessary wiggle.

“Get your ovaries under control Kara! This is business,” said Herja.

“Wait, so you are all Valkyries? What are you doing here” asked Lizzy.

“Yep, that’s us. ‘Choosers of the slain’ and all that,” said Eir.

“Slain? Don’t you fuckin’ dare! He’s not dead yet!” yelled Sarah as she advanced threateningly.

No one was taking Ben from her!

The fearsome-looking warrior women visibly blanched and backed away slightly. Except for the tallest blond in the back. She just stared at Sarah out from under her helmet with a slight smile. Her helmet had a long nose piece that obscured her face and Sarah couldn’t get a good look at her. She did seem slightly familiar to Sarah though.

“Relax tiger woman. Don’t get your g-string in a knot,” we are here to ask a favor and offer our services,” said the one called Eir.

“What do you mean?” said Lizzy.

“Ah, you must be Lizzy! Athena said you’d be here,” said Herja.

“What, Athena sent you?” asked Lizzy.

“Well, in a manner of speaking. We are always around the great battles. We often see Athena there. She couldn’t make it to this one, but she said the fight was going to be epic and that we should check it out. Boy was she right. You shoulda seen it. Your Ben there and his partner Joe, wow!” said Eir.

“It was dreamy. He was soooo strong and brave!” said Kara.

Sarah couldn’t be sure, but it looked like Kara was about to have an orgasm just from thinking about it.

“Anywho ... we can get Ben home for you very quickly,” said Eir with a roll of her eye’s at Kara’s antics.

“But we will need a favor from you, well specifically, from Ben, in the future,” said Herja.

“Yeah it would be nothing that would impinge on his honor or safety,” said Eir.

“What is the favor?” asked Sarah.

“It’s tricky as it’s under negotiation at the moment and we can’t say. Athena is actually bargaining with our boss right now. You are going to have to trust us,” said Eir.

“What do you think Lizzy? Should we trust the Flying Wallenda sisters here?” asked Sarah with a raised eyebrow.

Lizzy’s owl pendant lit up briefly and sent a warm pulse of energy throughout her body.

“Athena’s telling me we can trust them and besides we don’t have much choice. Ben is barely hanging on,” replied Lizzy.

“Alright then, we agree on behalf of Ben, but you hurt him and I will hunt you all down and pluck you like chickens!” said Sarah.

“Ah ... I’m sure that won’t be necessary. We will be very gentle. We do this kind of thing all the time,” said Eir nervously.

“Oh yes, we’ll take good care of him!” said Kara with a giggle.

“No peeking at the goodies you flying slut!” said Sarah with a glare at Kara.

“Yes, alright, if you insist!’ Kara agreed with a pout.

“Now then, where should we take him? Bezos is a slacker at delivery compared to us!” said Eir confidently.

Just then Aestra’s radio gave out a burst of static. Comms were back!