Chapter One: The Fires of Hope

Austin, Texas- March, 2012

Spring had finally arrived, a little later then usual, bringing with it new life and hope for the world. Flowers bloomed with beautiful colors after a horrible winter of snow and freezing temperatures, animals that had been sleeping during the colder months were finally waking up to embrace the world once again. The world was starting to speed up again, returning to the hustle and bustle it had always been.

In a field just outside of the home he shared with his wife lay a man. His name was Mark Calaway. Tall, muscular and sturdy, he was relaxing on his back, allowing his limbs to spread across the grass beneath him. Arms curled behind his head, he watched as fluffy, white clouds floated slowly passed, enjoying the sunny afternoon. A cool breeze rustled the leaves on the trees around him, shaking their inhabitants awake. The birds were chirping as they flitted between the branches of the tall oak trees; the horses in the field with him were grazing not too far away, enjoying the sun. It was a beautiful day in paradise.

He turned his head slightly when he heard the sound of footsteps across the field. Walking towards him in a pair of Daisy Duke shorts and a white singlet was his wife, Michelle, supporting a barely-pregnant stomach. Her long, blonde hair was curled into a high pony-tail that hung down passed her shoulders. She was beautiful in the sunlight, tan and slender. His eyes traveled to her stomach and he smiled. Child number eight was on the way, their first child together.

"Hello, beautiful," he said, leaning up on his elbows as she crossed the field to him and sat down. She grinned at him.

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" she asked, leaning forward to kiss him on the forehead. He shot her a playful pout before he reached behind her back and pulled her down, the pair of them laughing as they rolled through the grass. He stopped them before they could roll down the hill into the creek and grinned down at her, his mouth curled into a cheeky smirk.

"Are you telling me I should lie to you every day?" he asked, leaning down to nip at her nose. She giggled and reached up to play with his hair. It was long and tied back in a pony-tail, but the roll in the grass had loosened a few locks and they hung in his eyes.

"No, but you've killed the word. Calling me beautiful every day devalues it," she replied, smile still in place. He shook his head.

"It only devalues it if I don't mean it."

He rolled off her, sitting in the grass and looking down at her. She had an arm curled around her bump, checking to see if the baby was okay. He knew it was; he could still hear the heartbeat even from his place beside her.

"How's baby today?" he asked, watching her sit up. Michelle shrugged, smirking.

"The same as always; curled up beside my kidneys so every time she kicks, I need to pee."

Mark laughed, thankful he wasn't the one giving birth.

"She's got an attitude on her already," he joked, winking at his beautiful wife.

"Of course, look at who her father is," she shot back, just as cocky as her husband.

He smiled, watching her play with her hair, closing her eyes and basking in the sunshine. His smile grew as the breeze blew her hair around. It reminded him of someone else, except her hair was black and she terrified him as much as she excited him. They had done so much together in the years they had known each other, but he hadn't seen her in about two years. Not since he'd made the deal that made him her protector. That was a story and a half.

The afternoon dragged on; he and his wife relaxed and soaked up the sun, making jokes and feeding their horses. Zeus, their English Mastiff, came out to play and chased rabbits around the field, causing the happily married couple to laugh and remember that the day was beautiful and life was magical.

By the time the sun set, they were exhausted. Mark decided to have an early night, as he hadn't been sleeping well lately. He was constantly plagued with images of Lady Serenity, the Goddess he had sold his soul to decades ago, when he was still just a child. He was happy that he knew her; she had made his life so much weirder than he could ever imagine, but in a good way. It was hectic and crazy but he wouldn't have it any other way. Most recently, though, whenever he closed his eyes he saw her in situations he didn't want to see her in. Bloody, bruised and beaten, curled up in pain or pulled apart and thrown around her suite in the Amethyst Palace. It was torture, plain and simple. He jerked himself awake every time she screamed for him.

He wanted to go to her, but he knew he couldn't. If she didn't summon him, he was unable to flame out and appear before her. He had tried, but he'd been bounced back with a warning from Hades, one of her many minions and Lord of the Underworld.

She does not require your assistance, guardian. Remain in Purgatorio until you are called.

It was reassuring, but the nightmares persisted and Mark remained worried. Michelle could tell; she knew of his oath to protect Serenity, but she didn't know the bitty-gritty details involving his affair. It was best if she didn't know; it would cause trouble that he just didn't need. He loved his wife, no doubt about it, but he had made a promise to the High Queen of Hell, one he intended to keep.

Curled up in bed, his arm wrapped around the shoulders of his wife as she slept peacefully beside him, Mark stared at the ceiling. The Grandfather clock in the hallway ticked loudly as the seconds went by, reminding him that he was still in Purgatorio and still far away from his Queen. He turned his head, looking out the window at the twinkling stars in the night sky. They blinked silently, beautiful and constant. It was a beautiful night, one he wished to sleep through. But sleep hadn't found him much in the last few weeks. Serenity's face kept plaguing his mind. He couldn't stand to see her battered and bruised; it caused his heart to pound viciously in his chest, harder and harder until he thought his ribs might fly apart and his heart launched from him. That in itself didn't worry him; what worried him was not being able to get to her in time. True, his teleportation took seconds, but those were seconds he could not afford to lose if something were to happen to her.

Mark turned his head to face the floor-length mirror hanging on the closet door. It was a wide mirror, enough for Michelle to be able to check out her entire body and pose to make sure whatever outfit she was wearing was suitable. He found his blood running cold again.

In the mirror, strapped to a chair and bleeding from her lip, was his Queen. Her dark hair had been cut short and she wore a halter neck gown. She raised her head, looking at Mark. The area around her eyes was bruised but that wasn't the image that made his heart almost stop; it was the fear and anguish in her eyes. The silver pools were bright and bloodshot. Her lips moved as she tried to whisper something to him, but a large hand covered her mouth. It was a shadow, not unlike some of the demons Mark had killed before. The face of the owner was completely devoid of detail and life, but he could see the pure white of teeth as its lips spread into a wide grin.

The thing that terrified him most about the image was the fact he was awake. He hadn't fallen asleep, he would have jolted awake again if he had. He was seeing the scene play out live and in vivid color, causing him to gently remove Michelle's arms from around him and flame out.

Mark appeared in the Crystal Garden, in his official Guardian attire; a floor length black skirt with a mammoth silver belt in the shape of a scorpion. He was bare chested, two black bands curled tightly around his biceps. He looked around; the Garden was exactly as it was the last time he'd been there. The trees sparkled in the artificial light, sending bolts of color around the area. In the center of the courtyard was a white marble table with two matching chairs pushed underneath it. He took in a deep breath; he could smell brimstone in the air, but also lilac and rose. He blinked, scanning the area. The place was devoid of life, but he could hear soft humming coming from further into the Garden. He followed the sound, hoping it was his love, or one of her attendees that could help him find her.

He reached a small clearing and stopped mid-step. Standing on a wooden ladder, reaching up to pick something from the trees, was Lady Serenity in all her glory. She was wearing a red, V-neck t-shirt and a pair of black overalls, her lower back-length hair pulled into a braid at the nape of her neck. She looked beautiful, even if she was looking more human than anything. Below her, holding up the ladder she stood on, was a dark-skinned woman with long red hair. She stood with her back to him, her head raised to watch Serenity. He didn't take much notice of what she was wearing, only that she had a barbed tail sticking out from under her skirt. Definitely a demon.

He smirked, allowing himself to take in his beautiful Serenity for the first time in two years. She was still as beautiful as ever, though now she looked a lot happier. The last time he'd seen her she had been hiding her fear of hurting him. Now that they were a couple, she didn't have to worry about it as much.

"Overalls suit you, Ren," he called, watching as she jerked back to look at him. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped open in shock. He could see a tiny silver stud on her tongue.

The demon at her feet had taken a defensive stance and was snarling at him. By her appearance, she was a lower level pain demon, barely a match for the self-proclaimed Lord of Darkness. He grinned at her and raised his hand. Black flames erupted in a circle around her, slowly growing smaller. She hissed viciously and attempted to slash at her fiery prison to no avail. Once her claws had broken through the ring, it flickered once and then tightened around her, causing the demon to screech. He looked up at Serenity, only to find she had fallen to the ground in shock. He grinned and raised his hand, lifting the demon into the air and hanging it by the collar from a tree, walking passed the step ladder and offering Serenity his hand. She stared up at him, drinking him in.

"M-my Markus?" she whispered, her head tilting slightly. He smiled when she took his hand, feeling her dainty fingers curl around his.

"I'm here, my love."

The grin that spread across her face lit her up like a firework on the Fourth of July and she leaped into his arms, curling her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He breathed her in, feeling the warmth radiate from within himself. Sometimes, home has a heartbeat, and his true home was with her, bowing to her every whim and sharing their world together. When he held her, everything melted away; worrying about Michelle and their baby, wondering what his scattered children were up to, curious as to how his brother's life was going. Nothing mattered right now, nothing but her wrapped around him and their hearts finally beating as one again.

Mark placed her back on her feet and put his hands on her waist, keeping her close. She reached up to touch his face, assuring herself he was real. He leaned down and bumped his forehead against hers, breathing her in. He was finally home.

Serenity's fingers gently grazed his cheek as she rubbed her thumb just under his eye. He opened his eyes and smiled down at her, drinking her in.

"My love, what are you doing down here? I did not summon you," she mused.

His smile faltered. That was true, she hadn't called for him. But the image he had seen in the mirror was still burned into his eyes, fueling the fires in him to protect her. He closed his eyes quickly and turned away, hiding the painful image from her. She wasn't as stupid as he thought she could be and she turned him back to face her. He forced his eyes open and blinked at her. Her eyes were a deep silver, concern darting between them like a sly rabbit evading a fox.

"What is it, my love? What have you foreseen?"

He needed to distract himself with something, anything, so he turned to the demon in the tree. She was struggling to get herself down, squirming around to try and wiggle free. He smirked at her. She hissed at him. She had sharpened canines and a black tongue. He couldn't see her face under her swirl of dark hair, but her eyes glowed a deep red under her fringe.

"I thought you hung around with Hades and Persephone, Ren. Why would you be with a pain demon?" he asked, looking down at Serenity. She smirked, knowing he was avoiding the question. She sighed and uncurled her arms from around his neck, walking back over to the screeching demon.

"I'm sorry, Lady Iremia," she cooed apologetically. Serenity raised an eyebrow at her. "I was not fast enough to protect you."

"I did not ask you to protect me, Levanica," the High Queen replied, snapping her fingers. The branch of the crystal tree Levanica had been hanging on snapped, dropping the sullen woman to the ground. She knelt at the Queen's feet, her eyes glued to the pavement beneath her. Serenity reached over and pat her on the head. The demon looked up at her. "I asked you to assist me in keeping the Garden pleasant and beautiful while Persephone is away. It is not your job to protect me." She grinned, turning back to face Mark. "It is his."

Mark smiled and reached up to place his hand over his heart, bowing his head in respect. Well, it appeared to be respect; he was being smug. It was his job and his job alone to protect her; she didn't trust anyone else to do it.

"At your service, as always, your grace."

Serenity grinned at him, but the grin disappeared when she looked down at the lowly demon at her feet. "Return to the seventh circle."

Obeying her orders, Levanica threw Mark an aggravated look before ripples started to appear in the air around her. Once the shimmering had settled down, she was gone and he was once again left alone with his Queen.

Before he had a chance to react, Serenity's fingers were curled around his and she was pulling her towards him. He smirked down at her.

"I can't keep anything from you, can I?"

The grin she gave him made her look like a cheeky school girl and all he wanted to do was tickle her until she collapsed.

"No, and you would be very silly to try."

He felt himself smirking, a low rumble filling his belly. He was laughing. It was hysterical laughter, yes, but he was laughing. This entire situation seemed very stupid, now that he thought about it. Had he been so desperate to see her that he'd convinced himself she needed him? Had he put the image in his own head to give him a reason to appear at her feet once again? She was here, alive and well, and now he felt very stupid for thinking himself into Hell, literally.

"I am, but I was worried about you," he admitted, sheepish grin on his face.

Her brow furrowed and she gave him a curious look, her head tilting again.

"What reason do you have to be worried about me?"

He shook his head, looking away from her. She took his hand and led him through the garden, back towards the palace. The walk calmed him; he was here with her, and she was safe and well. He could still smell lilac and roses wafting through the trees, calming his still-rigid nerves. The images still danced in his head, but physically holding Serenity's hand brought him back to reality; they were together and it would take the Apocalypse to tear them apart.

By the time they had reached the throne room, Serenity had changed from her gardening clothes into a beautiful gown. It was a halter-neck dress, black in color, which hung down to just above her knees in the front, but flowed down passed her ankles at the back. She wore strappy stilettos on her dainty feet. Curled around her waist was a thin, silver chain that hung down passed her thigh. At the end of the chain hung a scorpion, much like the belt he wore. Her hair had curled itself into a bun high-atop her head, beads threaded through it. She uncurled her fingers from his and stepped up to the immaculate throne. It was an onyx throne with a red velvet cushion on the seat. Two smaller versions sat next to it, a young man sitting in the one to her left. He was tall, from what Mark could tell, with pale skin and short, spiked, white-blonde hair. A single ginger streak hung down his fringe, making his hair look even paler than before. He was reading an old, leather bound book, a bored expression on his face.

When Serenity took her place on her throne, he raised his head to look at her. He had piercing silver eyes, with a slight green tinge to them. He looked quite a lot like Serenity.

"Come now, Blakius," she cooed, sitting down on her throne and throwing her legs over the arm rest on the opposite side. The male raised an eyebrow. "What literature could you be reading that has caused your unsatisfied expression?"

"To Kill a Mockingbird," Mark interjected before the blonde could respond, instantly recognizing the tiny bird on the cover. He looked up at the young man, smug smirk on his face. The blonde raised an eyebrow and closed his book, the thump echoing around the near-empty hall.

"Indeed, Guardian," he replied, his voice dripping with condescension. Mark raised an irritated eyebrow, his gaze darting to the queen. She had an amused grin on her face.

"I believe some introductions are in order," she mused, curling a loose strand of her fringe around her finger. "Markus, this is Blakius, crown prince of Caina."

Blakius bobbed his head in Mark's direction, standing from his seat. His face remained neutral as he turned to the Goddess beside him.

Mark's head had started swimming by this point. There were three options here that were all plausible. One, Serenity had had an affair with another God, thus spawning a child. Incredibly likely, considering the natures of Gods.

Two, he was Hades and Persephone's child. Not incredibly likely, if what he knew of Hades and Persephone was true. She wasn't the type to actively want children, and despite Hades' dickish nature, he wouldn't force it on her.

Three, and this was the one he was most terrified of, Blakius was his child. It made sense, given the fact he looked to be an exact blend of both himself and Serenity. Her pale skin, his height. Her human-form's blonde hair, his ginger hair. Her silver eyes, his green eyes.

It was this realization that caused the Deadman to drop to his knees, staring up at the love of his life. She looked down at him, sympathetic smile on her face, her head slightly tilted to the side.

"I guess, as the saying goes, the cat is out of the bag?" she asked quietly, swinging her legs back over the side of her seat and stepping down to him, resting her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her.

"Which time?" he croaked. They had consummated their union many times, twice the night he became her guardian despite the amount of pain he'd been in, so this was incredibly confusing to him. Serenity's smile softened even more, giving him the answer he needed.

Blakius had been conceived the night Mark had arrived in Hell and demanded his soul back. The night she had stolen his immortality from him to see him in the flesh one last time before she stole his soul from him. They'd spent hours making love to each other, and somewhere along the lines Blakius had been created.

Blakius himself stepped down from his throne and stopped in front of his would-be father, crossing his arms over his chiseled chest. He was tall, just as Mark assumed, but he was also slender. He had muscles, yes, but he was lean and fit. He was wearing a long white trench-coat with several silver buckles, a pale blue V-neck shirt and white jeans. His white combat boots reached up to the middle of his calves, showing off his toned leg muscles.

"So," he all but growled. Mark stood, eyeing his estranged son. He had a very irritated look on his face. "You are my father."

"Trust me, this is weird for me too," Mark replied, slight squeak to his voice. He straightened his shoulders to appear confident. He was speaking to his son after all, and he needed to show him that he was in charge, even if he had been thrown for a loop. Blakius merely raised an eyebrow. Mark turned back to Serenity.

"Where did the name Blakius come from?"

"Our son was born with ice in his veins. It is a play on the word glacier. Well, Glacius, the original lord of the Ice Domain we have down here," she replied, her gaze darkening as she looked over Mark's shoulder.

Mark turned and instantly groaned aloud, trying to hide his disdain for the God who had just entered the throne room.

The dethroned God of the Underworld swaggered into the room as if he owned the place, his head held high and his shoulders proud. He looked as dignified as ever, his long white hair pulled back in a half-pony tail, sporting his armor as usual. Under his arm was his helmet, silver and strong. It had bull horns attached to the top, a black gem situated between the two. Mark couldn't help but notice the terrified look in his eyes. He was proud, yet afraid of something. At the sight of Mark, Hades growled.

"What in the sixth circle of Hell is he doing here?"

Serenity stepped between her son and lover, holding a hand to Mark's chest, as if to stop him from attacking the wayward God. He merely smirked. His Goddess glared daggers in Hades direction, her eyebrow raising.

"It is of no concern of yours why my Guardian is here," she retorted, quirking an eyebrow at him. Hades stopped short, dropping to a knee. Mark couldn't help but laugh at how condescending his lover could be. She ruled her domain with an iron fist, ready to smite those who crossed her. He had to admire her style.

"I apologize, your grace," Hades mumbled, looking up to maintain eye contact with the Queen. She raised an eyebrow and beckoned him forth. He stood and walked over to the throne, standing beside Mark, bowing his head to Serenity, more out of fear than respect.

Blakius eyed him closely, keeping a close watch on the God. Hades merely smiled at him.

"I notice you are without my sister, Hades," the blonde God mused, the corners of his lips curling upwards into a smirk. "Once again you have failed to do your job."

"My job was to run this place before your mother cheated it from beneath me. Know your place, brat," Hades growled in return, immediately flying backwards as Mark's fist connected with his jaw.

He slid across the Palace floor and stopped just before the doors he had come through, kneeling and heaving. By the time he had stopped, his chest plate had melted away and his great sword had appeared in his hand. Granted, he hadn't expected Mark's punch, he had incredibly fast reflexes and was ready to attack within a few seconds of being assaulted. He looked at Mark and his eyes flashed with fear briefly.

"I dare you to insult my son again."

Hades spluttered, his eyes darting to Serenity. Mark could hear Serenity giggling behind him, obviously amused at this whole thing. Mark's eyes had become black at the mere idea of someone insulting his child, his vicious rage taking over very briefly. Hades was lucky to still be in one piece. Mark's eyes faded back to their usual green and he looked at Serenity.

"Hades, why are you without Princess Brookai?" she asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. Mark watched as Hades gulped, obviously terrified of the answer he was about to give. Serenity raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to him, a sense of purpose radiating from each step. He chose to stay silent, choosing against telling Hades he was a worthless little twerp who didn't deserve to be in the presence of the Goddess of Bargaining and Judgment.

Hades took a step back from the Queen, his gaze dropping to stare at the floor. His arm reached behind him to cup his other forearm from behind and he couldn't keep eye contact with the clearly angry Serenity.

"Where is my daughter?" she asked, venom dripping from her voice. Hades looked up to peer at her and the color drained from his face. Blake snickered from beside Mark.

"She... she was not in her room when I went to retrieve her, and nowhere else in Ignis Infernalis."

Before Mark had time to even blink, Serenity had raised her hand and used her magic to lift Hades into the air, constricting him. It wasn't the first time Mark had seen her do this. When he'd arrived in Hell after having his immortality taken from him, Hades had jumped to the Queen's defense against him, only to realize that by touching Mark, Serenity's rage had been set free, causing her to tear the God apart, his innards painting the walls of the throne room before he'd pulled himself together again.

Serenity shot her arm out, throwing Hades clean across the throne room and into the wall.

"That girl has been a thorn in my side for far too long, now," Serenity seethed, turning once again to face her lover and son. Her eyes had become that pitch black Mark hated to see; it showed him she wasn't as mortal as she appeared most of the time. Her anger had spiked and nothing anyone could say would calm her down.

Mark tilted his head, the adrenaline rush from before fading away, allowing the realization to finally dawn on him.

"I have a daughter too?"

Blakius burst out laughing beside him, holding his sides for good measure. Serenity's eyes faded back to their beautiful silver hue and she let out a giggle, tilting her head to the side as she covered her mouth, her other hand holding onto her side as she joined her son. Mark rolled his eyes; of course they were laughing at him. Due to some stupid rule of thumb, he had been barred from entering the Underworld unless he was called, how in the Nine Layers of Hell was he supposed to know he and Serenity had conceived children? They were acting like he was a moron and should have known these things.

"I am sorry, my love," Serenity breathed, finally finding some composure. Mark raised an eyebrow. "I forgot you have not been around enough to know."

"In the three conversations we've had since I became your Guardian, you couldn't have found the time to let me know?"

"Things have been rather hectic down here," Blakius answered, crossing his arms over his chest. Mark couldn't help but grin at him; he was definitely his child. The way he held himself reminded him a lot of his daughter, April. She was head strong and stubborn, traits she had picked up from him.

"Besides," Serenity added, taking Mark's hand as she grew close to him. "I would rather have told you in person, to spare you the burn of the informal announcement."

"So keeping it from me until I saw you was the way to go about it?"

Serenity tilted her head, deciding to avoid the question all together.

"Regardless, we do have a problem. Brookai has asked me several times if she can venture to the human world to meet the rest of her family, her siblings mostly, and I have not allowed this. She is still too young to explore the world above as she would her world. We have a strict code of conduct that she must adhere to. It is this that has caused her departure."

Mark smirked. "She sounds a little too much like her mother."

Serenity grinned and bat her hand against his chest. "Blakius, though older than his fiery counterpart, is also still too young."

"I would be able to track her no matter where she is, mother," the young God interrupted, clearly annoyed about a prior conversation he and his mother had had. "In addition, I would be able to blend in with the mortals better than she can."

"Clearly," Mark mused sarcastically, his eyebrow raised at his son. "The formal speech will give you away almost immediately. If Brookai has disappeared to Purgatorio to see her family, there is a large cluster of them in Los Angeles, or at least close to it. She has a sister and two brothers in L.A, and a sister in Las Vegas. They're not very hard to find as Gunner is obnoxiously famous, and April is married to someone who is obnoxiously famous."

Mark smirked as his son rolled his eyes, returning to his throne. He couldn't help but admire the drive Blakius had for finding his sister, but he also understood Serenity's reservations about the idea; he was still very young and hadn't been to the human world before. It would be difficult for him to blend in, considering his snow white skin and pale blonde hair, but at the same time he probably had the ability to change his shape to look more human. It was just the speech that he had to get a handle on. If he walked up to a random stranger and asked for directions it would probably begin with 'Excuse me, M'lady, could you direct me to the nearest tavern?' No, Mark would go. Plus he knew his way around the Los Angeles area enough to know some hot-spots that radiated psychic energy. The Star de Lune was built right over one, in fact, and was owned and operated by April, so he would start his search there.

"Your Grace," Mark said with a bow, causing Serenity to quirk an eyebrow at him. "If I may, I will begin my search upon my return to Purgatorio." He reached for Serenity's fingers and brought them up to his lips, gently kissing her knuckles. She smiled sweetly at him and bobbed her head.

"Very well, my Guardian. Please keep me informed, I wish to know her whereabouts as soon as you find her," she insisted, her royal demeanor returning. She was back to being the Queen Bitch he knew her to be. He grinned, bowing his head.

He then realized that Hades was growling near the door way, sulking as if he'd been shunned. Mark straightened his back, walking with purpose towards the still-open doors that lead to the crystal caverns. Hades scowled as Mark stopped beside him.

"What on Earth could be your trauma to want to be her Guardian?" he asked, eyebrow raised. Mark smirked, poking Hades in the chest plate. Where his finger had been was a smoldering orange dot that faded as quickly as it had sprung up.

"That's none of your business, Hades. I know my purpose, can you say the same?"

Hades jaw dropped open as Mark disappeared into the courtyard, smug smile on his face. He felt better, despite his first official mission as Serenity's Guardian being what it was. He thought he would have to protect her from a horde of vengeful demons, not go on a fetch quest, but he would do as he was told, retrieving his wayward offspring and returning her home before anything happened to her, or she spilled the world's most well-kept secret to someone she shouldn't.

He sighed. As he stopped on the bridge that lead to the portal that would send him home, he turned to face the Amethyst Palace. It shone with like a beacon in the darkness that surrounded it. It hung high over a pit of molten lava, causing it to glow with fire. He could see shadows flickering from the flaming columns that lined the walkway towards the entrance. The entire thing was surrounded by a large crystal wall, circular, that hid the castle away from prying eyes. The bridge he was standing on was directly in front of the main gate, allowing him entrance to the Palace and to Caina itself, the domain of his queen.

He turned back to face the portal and thought of his ranch back home. Michelle was probably worried sick about him. Time hadn't stood still when he'd left, and Serenity wasn't returning him home so he would return to a time he hadn't been around to witness. Perhaps Michelle was sitting in their kitchen with a hot coffee, keeping herself awake until he returned. Her sister was probably with her, keeping her company until they were reunited once more. He would call her as soon as he arrived in Purgatorio, letting her know that he was okay. He didn't want her to worry.

Mark took a deep breath, savoring the burn of sulfur and brimstone on his tongue, and stepped into the portal.