I glance at the others as she waits for us to tell her what to do before looking back at her. Just as my eyes lock with hers, hers widen and then the silver of them starts to shine. A vision. Her head drops back before rising, those glowing eyes moving around the room. Seeing but unseeing. Sean scoots back from her, giving her room as she starts to rise. We form a loose circle around her, but she doesn’t move, breath speeding up, eyes still darting around, until suddenly they lock onto something, and her arm drifts up reaching. “NO!” is torn from her lips as her head falls back. Raven catches her as her legs give out, lifting her in her arms before placing her on the couch once more.

Sean paces, worried. It’s been an hour, and still she hasn’t awoke. I keep looking at Raven, her face paler than normal. Another hour passes as I sit by the tiny woman’s side, holding her hand. “We need to call the others. This isn’t right.” Sean nods and pulls his phone out, calling Kai. I listen as he tells them to get here, the calmness of his voice a contradiction to the pulsing of his beast beneath his skin.

Raven walks to the door. “I’m going to go get my aunt. Maybe she can tell us what is happening.” She disappears down the stairs, and then her shape soars by the window as her wings take her to the portal, her Valkyrie blood letting her change its destination. Morrigan must know something. Sean paces more until I stand.

“Sit with her, brother. I’m going to try to get some information.” He looks at me for a moment, hesitating, torn between protecting me and protecting her. “I will be just outside.” He nods, joining her on the couch. I let the great cat spring forward, ignoring the nervous sounds from the stalls as I race through the barn. It takes seconds for me to reach the tree. I don’t bother shifting back. Instead I climb the low branch working my way up and into the canopy. Opening my mind, I ask for Yggdrasil’s aid.

‘Cat sìth, Druid, my son, what is your need?’ Her power flows through me, and some of my tension eases from me.

“Cora. Can you reach her? She had a vision but hasn’t woken back up.” I feel her moving through the ground, reaching for the house. Seconds tick by before she responds.

‘She isn’t alone where she is. Someone very dangerous is in her vision. Someone twisted by Odin’s anger. It isn’t I who can draw her from it. Neither will the Norns, I’m afraid. If they tried, I fear they will be trapped along with her. I’m sorry.’ There is sadness in her, in the tree beneath my paws, and as I leap down, I feel it even in the earth below. Shifting, I look up to the window, jerking around when I hear movement behind me. Aislin rushes from the portal with Kai right behind her.

“Where is she?” Her voice is tinged with a frantic energy as she sweeps by me.

“Sean is with her in on the couch. I just ‘spoke’ with Yggdrasil, but she cannot help us. She did say that someone dangerous is wherever Cora is.” I lock eyes with Kai. “Raven has gone to get Morrigan to see if she can help.” No sooner than the words are out than they both appear beside us. Raven comes to me, and I grasp her hand, squeezing it tightly.

“Let’s go check on her. Maybe I can follow her in, although I’ve never tried anything like that, and her gift is not one that I know much about. The Norns guard themselves closely.” Morrigan’s voice is serene, but there is a tightness around her eyes.

“Yggdrasil said the Norns will not help for fear of getting locked in with Cora.” Everyone’s head looks at the house as we hurry faster to our friend.

Aislin falls on her knees beside the couch, her hands running over Cora’s hair and face. We all feel her power flare out and we wait silently, hoping she can tell us something. Her brows draw down, and she shakes her head.

“She is calm, happy even. I don’t understand,” she says. Morrigan steps closer, her eyes sliding closed, and power plays over my skin causing my cat to ripple. Sean’s growl to my left draws my eyes, and his are glowing bright green as his wolf pushes at him. Raven moves between us, placing a hand on us and drawing some power, balancing us until we can calm the animals.

We are forced to our knees as a tidal wave of power rushes out of Cora. I can hold on no longer, and the cat bursts from me. Snarling, I look around and see the wolf has taken Sean. Raven is in all her Valkyrie glory, and Kai has destroyed the wall in his attempt to protect all of us. His bronze dragon is rising in the air. Aislin is out cold on the floor. When I get to her side, I nudge her with my muzzle as the dragon roars from above.

“Aunt, what was that?” Raven’s voice is outraged and filled with apprehension. I look to the Goddess and see her eyes are that of her crow. Horror settles in the pit of my stomach as I force the shift and stumble as pain flashes through my body. Silence envelopes us while I sit with Aislin waiting for her to wake. Five minutes tick by as the others get control of themselves. Kai is still circling, his dragon outraged. Aislin’s hand flexes in mine, and his name whispers from her as she moans. Her other hand comes to her head just as he drops to the floor by her side.

“What the fuck happened?” Jason’s voice rings out across the pasture as he and Emma step through the portal. Emma screams and runs toward us, the truth of her upset falling on us. Giant white flakes drift down in a steady stream and cause near white-out conditions.

“Emma, calm the hell down. You’re going to freeze us,” Sean yells at her as she tops the stairs.

“Sorry. Sorry.” She drags Aislin into her arms. “Are you okay? Jesus, the wall.” Aislin’s hands grip her tight, and I feel the sliver of her power bleed into Emma. The snow slows and then stops.

“I think I want you around all the time, if you know what I mean,” Jason whispers as he kisses Aislin’s head. She pushes at him, but his words did the trick and the tension is broken.

“I need to go see my mother. This is very bad.” The Goddess disappears, and we all exchange a very worried glance.