I watch as he paces, unable to help him in any way. Aislin sits at my side, and Emma is across from us. The men are getting ready, checking weapons and just in general, unable to sit still. There's so much tension in the air, it is like a thick fog coming off the bayou. I feel uneasy. A part of me wants it to just start already, but the other part doesn't because I know something horrible is going to happen.

Aislin says something, but I can't make it out as a vision takes hold. I'm not sure how long it's been, but everyone is standing around looking at me. “We have to go now. They're going to New Orleans and they're going to kill everyone. It's starting.” For a split second, they all just stand looking at me. “We have to go now!” I scream. Everyone bursts into motion and then another scream fills the air.

It’s Aislin’s, and Emma's joins hers. I push forward, moving to their sides, and what I see has my knees hitting the floor as I shake my head in denial. Aislin rushes forward, also dropping to the floor, sobs shaking her body. There in front of her, in front of us, in a basket that has always been used when flowers were picked from the garden, are the heads of Conall and Moira, their faces frozen in terror. Aislin reaches for them, but Emma grabs her hand, stopping her. We pull her into our arms as we tried to comfort not only her but ourselves. It’s not long before we are each scooped up and carried away. I hear Emma scream Daddy and I begin to fight Loki's hold.

“We have to go. Everyone else is still there, Emma's parents, friends, and family. Hell, we need to go and save even the strangers. It's almost Halloween, so the streets will be filled with people going to the parades and the parties.” He nods but doesn't let me down. Instead he turns back, striding down the hall, his arms tense and his jaw locked.

Thank God, the basket is gone. I will never stop seeing Mr. Flanery in there. Kai is standing, holding Aislin. She turns in his arms, and the rage flows from her. As it hits those around her, their sadness turns to rage also, driven by her power. Her voice is low and deadly when she speaks. “He will pay for this.”

Danu opens a portal, and on the other side, I see my city and even here, I can hear the screams. I fear we will be too late. One last glance around and we run through. Kai shifts, roaring, calling the other Guardians as he flies through, Aislin on his back. Danu opened the portal at the river’s edge, and we hit the bank running up and over the levee into the Quarter.

I stop as everything comes into focus. It’s mayhem, a blood bath. I look at the others as they fan out, searching for our enemies. I touch Loki’s arm as I turn and race toward Remy’s apartment. It’s a few blocks past Cafe du Monde, and I make my way through the shadows away from the street. I don’t check but I know he runs right behind me.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I reach his door to find it standing opened. “No.” It’s barely a whisper as I stand in the threshold for a moment before I step over it. Crossing to the bed, I open the wardrobe. Nothing is in it, and for a moment, I have hope.

“Does he have a car?” Loki asks from where he stands at the window. I shake my head. I don’t know. Glancing around one more time, I can’t tell if he left or was taken. I move to Loki’s side and look out at the street. What I see makes my heart drop. There in the middle of Chartres Street was Remy’s cart. Easel, canvases and paint are still sitting in it and an ancient, brightly clothed body that I recognize lays beside it with her hand still on the handle -- Aunt Colleen.

I’m frozen until a woman runs by, clutching her child in her arms and a howl rips through the night. “Let’s go. We can’t do anything here.” He nods and leads the way out. Jason or Sean is hunting, and so must we.

Holding tight to the spire on top of the cathedral, I look out of what was my city. Hours have passed as the battle has been fought. Loki put me here when the water started rising. I look down at my phone, which will die in minutes, as I try once again to understand what I’m seeing. We thought he only attacked here but we were wrong , so wrong. Many of us left when we finally understood what was happening. The rest of the world has no idea. The news reports are saying massive storms, solar flares, or some other extinction event. But it is Odin and his allies. They will destroy the planet before they let us have it.

Loki is searching for the others that stayed to fight here. It is a scene from a nightmare, bodies floating in blood red water. I almost fall when he appears beside me. “They are all retreating to the farm, the portal. I’m taking you there so you can get away.”

“So we can,” I correct, but he doesn’t say a word. I’m shocked, my head turning left and right. Mimi had warded around the portal and tree. The magic is holding the water back as we huddle on the small patch of earth. Everything is gone. The barn and the horses. Aislin is sobbing, and I feel my tears finally begin to fall. We have lost everyone.