“...and then Whaleina and Jennifer were both finally comfortable to go to the Underworld themselves,” Ever said.

  “Wait,” Zoe said, shuffling up in her hospital bed. “So you don’t always have to use your scythe to reap souls?”

  “That’s right,” Ever nodded. “This was a ‘self-reaping’ as Mentor called it. I just had to bring one soul to the other and they sorted of completed each other.”

  “A match made in heaven,” Zoe said, smiling. “Oh wait, what’s the Greek mythological equivalent?” She looked to Nyx, sitting on the other side of the bed.

  “It might be the Elysian Fields,” Nyx surmised. “That’s for souls who do great deeds while on Earth.”

  “A match made in the Elysian fields then.”

  “There is also Olympus,” Nyx continued. “Which is where you’ll be spending most of your time, after you–”

  ^That’s my bed!^ Mimi snarled. She snapped her little jaws at Nika who was curled up in the dog’s bed. Ever had been spending so much time away from her that she had literally begged to come with him after he had come back from his last reaping.

  “Mimi,” Ever said, getting up and walking over to the corner. “You can share the bed with Nika.”

  ^But I don’t want to!^ Mimi whined. ^And he’s a ghost, but I’m real!^

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  ^Watch your tongue, bitch,^ Nika growled. ^I’m as real as you are.^

  Ever put his hands on his hips. “That’s rude, Nika.”

  ^That’s literally what she is,^ the cat said.

  The goddess of the night and the goddess-to-be watched as Ever tried to keep the peace between the animals fighting for territory.

  “Nyx?”

  “I like it when you call me ‘mum’,” the primordial goddess replied.

  “Sure, Mum,” Zoe said hesitatingly, “I’m… not sure I’m meant to be a goddess.”

  “What makes you say that?” Nyx replied gently.

  “I just…” Zoe rubbed the back of her elbow. “Have you ever heard of something called ‘imposter syndrome’?”

  “No,” Nyx replied. “Please, educate me.”

  “Well, basically I feel like a fraud. I’m just some person who was lucky enough to meet Ever. Sure it’s cool to talk to animals, but…” she tented his fingers anxiously. “I don’t even know what sort of goddess I’m supposed to be.”

  “Oh Zoe,” Nyx said. “What you’re feeling is your human soul trying to comprehend something that it can’t perceive. It’s normal to doubt but I can assure you, you are no fraud. Once you Ascend, we’ll all nurture you to realize your true potential as a goddess of Olympus.”

  The two women looked to the corner of the room, where Ever had actually been able to get the two animals to share one bed, albeit begrudgingly.

  “So you’ve got like Zeus who’s the god of thunder, Poseidon who’s the god of the sea, Athena who’s the goddess of wisdom…” she paused after counting three of her fingers. “What will I be the goddess of? What will my name be?”

  “Your name is declared upon the moment you Ascend,” Nyx said with a smile. “As for what you’ll be the goddess of, while we have some ideas, that will ultimately be for you to decide.”