Crown of Crimson (Underworld Gods 2)

“Raila!” Lovia yells over the side. “What on earth are you doing down there?”

“Lovia!” I yell up at her. I can’t help but grin at the sight of her again. Along with Raila, I feel like she’s one of the few allies in this place that I have. “Is this a rescue mission?”

“It was supposed to be!” she says. Then with the grace of a Goddess, she leaps over the side of the hole, grabbing the rope at the last minute and swinging down until she lands beside us, her blonde hair whipping around her like cornsilk.

She smiles at me, looking as gorgeous as ever. I can’t help but throw my arms around her and give her a tight hug, whether she likes it or not. I’ve never been much of a hugger so it startles the both of us.

“Hey,” she says to me, sounding surprised. She pats me on the back, apparently not much of a hugger either. “Nice to see you, too,” she says with a melodic laugh.

“Sorry,” I say, pulling back. “Just nice to see a familiar face.”

“Can’t say I blame you,” she says, then gestures to Raila. “Especially when this one doesn’t even have much of a face.” Her gaze sharpens. “What are you doing down here Raila? And how did you get down here?”

My Queen needed attention, she says. I am here to serve her.

Lovia lets out an exaggerated sigh and shakes her head as she looks at me. “The utter devotion in your Deadmaiden. I swear mine can’t be bothered to even make small talk. I mean, she’s been mute since my father put that spell on her, but still. The effort would be nice.” She looks me over. “Least she got you cleaned up. Wasn’t looking forward to hauling you out of here in the state you were in. Sarvi told me everything.”

“Wait, Sarvi told you? I thought only Death and I could understand the unicorn.”

“I manifested it,” she says with a shrug. “I’ve spent some time in the Crystal Caves, it really opens your brain in new places. You’ll understand when you go there. Anyway. Have to say I was a bit insulted I wasn’t invited to the wedding this time around.”

“You didn’t miss much,” I assure her, and I automatically make a fist with the palm that had been cut and bled. Luckily it seems to be healing. “I’m going to guess your dad doesn’t know you’re down here with me?”

“My father?” She laughs again. “Hell no. But you’re family now, so I’m not about to let you stay in the oubliette, no matter how cranky he is.”

I look between the two of them. “You’re both going to get in trouble for doing this.”

Lovia waves dismissively. “Phhfff. Look, he won’t say shit to Raila because I won’t even mention it was her. I’ll take it all on. I don’t care.” Her expression grows solemn as she looks at me. “I told him to let you go, Hanna. When I learned that you had left, I told him he should just let you go. He wouldn’t.”

“So you’re not mad that I left to begin with?”

She shakes her head. “Once I learned it was Rasmus who took you, I understood why you left. You had to see your father again.”

Finally, someone who gets it. I feel my shoulders loosen with relief.

“Did you know that I’m related to Rasmus?” she asks me, her lip curled in disgust.

“I know now,” I inform her. “I was there when he found out. I also was there when he found out that I’m related to him too.”

Lovia looks stunned. “Excuse me?”

I nod. “Turns out your mother and my father…”

Her brows shoot up. “You have got to be kidding me. And he didn’t know either?”

I shrug. “Seems like he didn’t. I know it sounds crazy, but I trust him.”

“Sarvi told me he’s with Louhi now,” she says grimly. “I think whatever trust you had in Rasmus should be gone now.”

I look at Lovia for a moment. After seeing Louhi, it’s almost impossible to imagine that Lovia is related to her. I never saw Tuonen’s face under his mask, but he did have horns growing out of his head. But Lovia, with her long blonde hair and perfect face and bright personality, she seems as far removed from her mother as possible. I have to wonder the last time Lovia spoke to her. She talks about her from time to time, but it’s like she’s talking about a villain, not the person who gave birth to her.

And I thought my relationship with my own mother was complicated.

“Well, no matter now that you’re here,” Lovia says to me. “Might take some time for my father to trust you again, but that can’t happen until I get you out of here. You strong enough to climb the rope, or do you need me to carry you?”