Devil With Benefits (Gods & Guardians)

"It doesn't feel like the same world. It feels like nothing ever happened," Ash says, spinning to check out the other direction.

He's right. For what happened, there's not a lot of reaction. People are still going to work. They're still buying liquor at the store. "It's like they don't know," I say.

"Well, it looks like there's vacancy at the motel. Should we book a room?" he asks.

Confused, we walk inside the motel.

The lobby is small, to say the least. Along the back wall, maps of the country are strung up. An older Chihuahua sits on the other side of the counter, but he doesn't pay too much attention to us.

It's strange how quiet everything is.

No one is sitting at the front, so I anxiously ring the bell a few times. Finally, after the third ring, someone can be heard shuffling toward the front.

It's a woman's voice. "Hold your horses. I'm coming."

A grey-haired woman steps out from the back.

I'm dumbfounded. No, I'm shocked. Absolutely shocked.

Judging by her expression, she is too.

Ash doesn't sense that anything is awry. "Um, hi. I think we need to book a room. Do you have any availability?"

I open my mouth, but I'm so baffled I could cry.

Her eyes don't waver from mine, but she carefully grabs a folder. "I'll look at the availability," she murmurs. "What did you say your name was?"

"Raven," I say. "Raven Harowitz."

She drops the folder. "Raven, you said?"

Ash clears his throat. "Look, if you don't want us to get a room, we'll just leave. You don't have to be rude about it. We're not vagrants."

"Mom," I say. "This is where you've been?"

It's her. There's no question about it. It's my mom, the woman I haven't talked to in over ten years. Odin must have known we would leave the council.

Odin brought me to her.

Ash takes a step back. "Oh," he mutters.

Despite our differences, a faint smile forms on her face. "Well, I've got some tea brewing in the back. I could boil some more water for you both if you'd like," she says.

I share a glance with Ash. "We'd love to join you," I say. "There's so much I need to share."

"Not too much, I hope," she says. "These days, there's just too much darkness in the worl

d.”

I laugh. If only she knew.

"You won't believe your ears."

Epilogue: Ash

Three years later...

Where were you when the world finally ended?