Erik started wailing as if he understood what had happened. As if he knew his mother was dead.
Ash's heart stopped beating.
He'd never been able to stand the sound of an infant crying. "Go to your son, Wulf."
"Cassandra-"
"Go to Erik!" Ash snapped. "Now, and get out of the room."
Luckily, the Viking obeyed.
Ash cradled Cassandra's head in his hands and closed his eyes.
"You can't resurrect the dead, Acheron," Artemis said as she flashed into the room. "The Fates won't let you."
Ash looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. "Don't mess with me right now, Artie. This doesn't concern you."
"Everything you do concerns me. You know our bargain. You gave me nothing in exchange for Wulf's soul."
Ash rose up to his feet slowly, his eyes flashing.
Artemis took a step back, recognizing the fact that he was in no mood to play with her.
"You never had his soul, Artemis, and you know it. You used him to protect your brother's line. What better way than to release him to watch over his immortal wife and breed equally immortal children who are strong enough to survive those who want them dead?"
"Wulf belongs to me!"
"No he doesn't. He never did." Ash closed his eyes and touched Cassandra's forehead.
Her eyes fluttered open slowly.
"No!" Artemis snapped.
Ash looked up, his eyes glowing red. "Yes," he hissed. "And unless you wish to take her place with Hades, I suggest you back off."
Artemis flashed out of the room.
Cassandra sat up slowly. "Acheron?"
"Shh," he said, moving away from her. "It's okay."
"I feel so strange."
"I know. It'll fade soon."
Cassandra frowned as she looked around the room.
Wulf returned. He froze as soon as he saw Cassandra sitting up. Faster than Ash could blink, he was across the room so that he could scoop her up and hold her.
"Are you all right?"
Cassandra looked at Wulf as if he'd lost his mind. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
Wulf kissed her, then looked at Ash in disbelief. "I don't know what you did, but thank you, Ash. Thank you."
Ash inclined his head. "Any time, Viking. All I ask is that the two of you enjoy your time together and have lots of children." He folded his arms across his chest. "By the way, as a wedding present, I'm revoking the daylight curse from you and your children. No one born to either of you will ever again have to live at night. Not unless they choose it on their own anyway."
"Am I missing something?" Cassandra asked again.
One corner of Ash's mouth twisted up. "I'll leave it to Wulf to explain. For the time being, I'll go back to bed." Ash flashed out of the room.
Wulf picked Cassandra up and carried her toward his bed.
Artemis was waiting in Ash's bedroom for him to reappear. The look on her face told him she was planning on making the rest of his day miserable.
"What, Artie?" he asked irritably.
She swung a medallion from her finger. "You know who this belongs to?"
"Morginne."
"Wulf."
Ash smiled evilly. "Morginne. Loki is the one who has Wulf's soul. Think about it, Artie. What is the one law of souls?"
"They must be freely given."
He nodded. "And you never agreed to give up hers. Using Daimon venom, Morginne drugged Wulf so that he unknowingly gave his to Loki. The spell Loki used to trade their souls wore off after a few months and Morginne's soul returned to you while Wulf's went back to the amulet Loki holds."
"But-"
"There aren't any buts, Artie. I'm the one who made Wulf immortal and gave him his powers. If you want to put that soul back inside someone, then you better call Loki and see if he's willing to release Morginne to you."
She shrieked in outrage. "You tricked me!"
"No. This was the way things were meant to be. You needed someone to breed with Apollo's heiress. As much as I hate your brother, I understand why Cassandra must live and why Apollo can't die."
"You planned this from the beginning," she accused him.
"No," he corrected. "I only hoped."
She glared at him. "You still don't understand the source of your Atlantean powers, do you?"
Ash drew a ragged breath. "Yes, Artemis. I do. I understand them in a way you'll never comprehend."
And with that, he brushed past her and lay down on his bed so that he could finally get some well-deserved sleep.
Artemis crawled into his bed behind him and snuggled up to his back. She nuzzled his shoulder with her face. "Fine then," she said softly. "You won this round against me and Apollymi. I'll credit you with that. But tell me, Acheron... how long can you continue to defeat both of us?"
He glanced over his shoulder to see the evil glint in her iridescent green eyes. "As long as it takes, Artemis. As long as it takes."