The pony goddess of love wasn’t what Solvei had been expecting.

Well well well, this is a surprise! To think that Missus Solvei Legis wants to talk to little old me. What’s on your mind, sweetheart?

I wanted-

No, wait, I know what this is about! continued Kara, her voice turning into an excited squeal. You want some tips about how to keep your husband’s eyes on you now that he’s got his own little band of bedwarmers, right? Well don’t worry, titan or not, there are all sorts of ways you can tickle his pickle-

Th-that’s not why I contacted you! yelped Solvei, fighting down a blush. She didn’t know what a “pickle” was, but she could guess. I wanted to talk to you about Hroth-, I mean, Fenrir’s eye!

Oh. The goddess heaved a bored-sounding sigh. I guess we can do that instead, if you want.

Closing her eyes in relief, Solvei let out a sigh of her own. Thank you. I was hoping I could ask-

But I really think you could use my advice, you know. Unless you LIKE coming in dead last behind his other wives.

...excuse me?

Despite it having been her idea, Solvei had been extremely nervous about talking to Kara. Although Lex had made it clear – once he’d finished trying to talk her out of her out of this endeavor – that his communion spell operated in a manner not unlike the telepathy the two of them regularly used, that had done little to reassure her.

Since meeting Lex, Solvei had come face to face with two gods: the Night Mare and Soft Whisper. (Vystalaran didn’t count, since he’d been posing as a mortal for the entire time that she’d interacted with him.) Both had been overwhelming experiences. The Night Mare, enraged at having her sacred rites sloppily enacted in a desperate bid to secure her attention, had been beyond intimidating. And while Soft Whisper had been dispassionate to the point of emotionlessness, the sheer weight of her presence still made Solvei shudder, knowing that the lethargy the striped goddess had radiated was that of the grave.

But even considering that Lex’s spell kept her at a distance, Kara was unlike the other two, having neither the Night Mare’s imperious fury nor Soft Whisper’s quiet resignation.

Instead, she was more like one of the shallow, gossip-loving girls that Solvei – or rather, Akna – had known growing up.

I’m just saying, replied Kara, her tone nonchalant. Compared to his top-heavy pretty kitty, your chest is so itty-bitty that it’s a pity. And his fox-bride has a headdress for her butt, which means she just has to bend over to prove that she has a masterclass of an ass that leaves you surpassed. And that new girl he brought home...

Kara snickered then. Let’s just say that there’s a reason why guys love sticking it in crazy. And trust me, she’s seriously crazy for him. Did you know that when he first called her his wife, the basement immediately started flooding? Which is seriously kinky, considering that she’s probably...you know.

Solvei didn’t know, and didn’t want to. She’d never liked girls like Kara, who couldn’t weave a basket properly or remember the differences between poisonous berries and edible ones, but only ever wore most flattering outfits, knew every beauty regimen ever invented, and had all the latest gossip about who was sleeping with who. Trying to get them to talk about anything they weren’t interested in had been, in Solvei’s experience, far more trouble than it was worth.

Except now, the giggly gossip girl was a goddess. More than that, she was the goddess who’d be granting her the power of Hrothvitnir. Which meant that she couldn’t simply tell Kara exactly where she could shove her opinion about her being “dead last” among Lex’s other wives.

But at the same time, Solvei knew better than to just back down and let Kara dictate how things would go.

It had been blindly following the goddess that had turned Thermal Draft into that insectoid doppelganger thing, according to what the mare herself had told Fail Forward.

I appreciate the offer, replied Solvei, keeping her mental voice firm. But even if I’m not the prettiest of his wives, I know how Lex feels about me.

She smiled as she said that last part, remembering the tender moment they’d shared right before she’d asked him to let her talk to Kara.

And not just him, she continued, recalling how close she’d felt toward Nenet and Mei Li when they’d helped her during her fight against Burly and the elves. Even if I’m not as smart as Nenet, or as skilled of a homemaker as Mei Li, or as...good at whatever it is that Nisha does, that’s fine. If I can protect Lex when he’s in danger, making it so he doesn’t have to go through his battles alone, then that’s enough for me.

Oh, sweetheart, that’s a beautiful sentiment. Really, it is. But trust me when I say that it’ll get old fast. I’ve seen a lot of “battle bride” types-

Solvei’s eyebrows furrowed at that. Battle bride?

-and it always starts out great, with her and her husband coming back from a fight with their chests heaving and blood pounding, unable to keep their hands off of each other, throwing themselves onto the sheets as they peel each other’s clothes off, wrestling to see who gets to be on top-

I get it already! yelped Solvei, growing flustered in spite of herself.

But after a while, things change. One day your hubby’s doing you doggy-style – no offense – right there in the doorway because he wants you so badly he can’t wait until you get to the bedroom. The next thing you know, you and his other wives are sitting around playing a boardgame while he’s in the bath enjoying a bunch of fox-girls washing him with their boobs. I’m just trying to make sure you don’t end up like that.

Solvei allowed herself a smirk, not missing how Kara had changed things up. First it was her not being as attractive as Lex’s other wives, then it was him throwing all of them aside for the vulpines. All while the goddess presented herself as the one who could keep that from happening.

I appreciate that, she replied, making sure to keep her mental voice level. And if that happens, I know how to get in touch with you. But right now I’m more concerned with being the best, er, “battle bride” that I can be. And in order to do that, I need Fenrir’s power.

Aw, aren’t you just the most diligent little thing!

There was nothing in Kara’s tone to suggest that she was upset at being rebuffed, but Solvei knew that meant nothing. While more than a few of those shallow girls in her village were the type to throw a tantrum when they didn’t get what they wanted, there were plenty of others who’d smile and bat their eyes even while plotting revenge.

Well, I suppose we can begin right now then, continued Kara. Do you want to start fingering yourself first, or call in the other girls and have them get you going?

The question made Solvei recoil, tail curling between her legs on instinct. Excuse me?!

For the ceremony, explained Kara, as though that was obvious.

Ceremony? echoed Solvei, before shaking her head, realizing that she was letting Kara dictate the terms of the conversation again. I’m sorry, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I was under the impression that you were going to, I don’t know, shrink that giant eyeball down and...replace one of my eyes with it, I guess? And then I’d wear that cape, and the whole thing would be over.

This time Kara’s laugh was tinged with incredulity. Okay, wow, where to begin...

Solvei bit her lip, not liking the sound of that.

First of all, you’re not one of my worshipers, sweetheart. For that matter, that big gross eyeball and the tacky ice cloak aren’t dedicated to me. That means that I don’t have any way of directly affecting you – or them – unless you create a pathway for me to extend my influence through.

Create a pathway how?

By performing a religious ceremony dedicated to me. And since I’m a goddess of love, well...I’m sure you can guess what that entails.

Of their own accord, Solvei’s ears folded back against her head. You can’t be serious!

I’m very serious, sweetheart. A senior member of the pantheon, like the Night Mare or the Sun Queen, can directly manifest their power on Everglow – and its coexistent demiplanes – whenever they want. But the rest of us can only affect that world indirectly, either by the aspect of reality that our divine portfolio gives us authority over, or by appearing through a channel created by someone on your end. And the more we want to do, the greater the channel we need.

And so that means...

An orgy, stated Kara matter-of-factly. And with how much power I’ll be working with, it’s going to have to be a seriously big one. Like, you and Lex plus the other wives, those planar prostitutes he brought back, the fox chicks, and probably most of the girls in your village. I’d say the guys should take part too, but we both know Lex would never allow that. Fortunately, I gave him a blessing so that he can handle all of you at once, but there’s still going to have to be a lot of girl-on-girl action going on too.

Her eyes wide, Solvei sank down onto her haunches, struggling with what she’d just been told. Bad enough that her first time with Lex had been while Nenet had participated and Mei Li had watched, something which still made her wince to remember. Now she had to get it on with him and every other female in the area all at once?

Oh, and while we’re on the subject, pro tip: try not to get an eyeful of your mom or your grandmother while he’s doing them. That’s the sort of thing you can never un-see.

Groaning, Solvei curled up in a ball and buried her face in her hands, trying to stop herself from imagining what Kara had just described.

There’s got to be some other way!

Solvei had no idea if there was any other method for the goddess to give her Fenrir’s power, but at the same time she felt certain that there had to be. Kara had, at every point during their conversation, tried to steer things in the direction that she wanted. Which meant that she was almost certainly doing the same thing now. By that logic, standing fast and insisting that some other solution be explored would eventually convince the goddess to present an alternative.

Or at least, Solvei really, really hoped it would.

Well...

What? Solvei’s head snapped up, despite not being able to see Kara, as she caught a note of hesitancy in the goddess’s telepathic voice. What is it?

If you don’t want me to oversee things indirectly, the only alternative is for me to do it in person. But that would mean either preparing a vessel – ladies or doppelgangers only – to serve as my avatar-

How do we do that? blurted Solvei, certain that it couldn’t be any worse than having to do it not just with the guy she liked, but also all of her female friends, family, and neighbors as well as a large number of strangers. And how many people have to be involved?

Not many, admitted Kara. Usually four or five are enough, but it can be done with fewer than that. In theory, a vessel can prepare themselves completely on their own, but that’s extremely difficult.

Lifting her head, Solvei felt a rush of hope run through her. Okay, that sounds promising. What exactly does a vessel have to do in order to become your avatar?

Die.

...

More specifically, they have to die in mid-climax. And I don’t just mean your usual run-of-the-mill squeeze-and-squirt; they have to be having the kind of screaming release that makes them feel like they’re already dying, you know what I mean?

Solvei barely heard that last part, staring blankly at the far wall in horror. They have to die?

I mean, it’s not like they suffer! protested Kara. Not if it’s done right, at least. You’d be surprised how hard some people find it to judge the exact moment and intensity of someone else’s sexual release. But I’m sure Lex will manage just fine.

A listless shake of her head was the only reply Solvei could make.

Lex would never go along with any plan that required someone to die, and Solvei knew she couldn’t either. The very idea made her sick to her stomach. Even if Kara’s vessel – which would have to be someone else, Solvei knew; if she or one of Lex’s other wives died, he’d suffer a severe backlash – could be resurrected after the goddess was done possessing her, killing someone just so she could gain a power-up wasn’t something Solvei could bring herself to agree to.

This isn’t going to work.

I’m sorry sweetheart, but those are the only ways, murmured Kara, and to Solvei’s mild surprise, she actually sounded apologetic. With how strong Lex had already made you, and the amount of power he wants me to work with, I have to do this personally. And being on Everglow, you either have to create a channel for me to work through remotely, or prepare a vessel to invite me into. There’s no other way.

Again, Solvei said nothing, just laying there and staring at nothing.

Except...

Something about what Kara had just said stuck with her. The words looped around in her head, making her brow furrow as she silently reviewed them.

Until suddenly, she realized what it was that had caught her attention.

“Being on Everglow,” she repeated as she sat up. That’s what you said right? Because we’re on Everglow, we have to either make you a channel or find you a vessel?

That’s right.

Well, what if we weren’t on Everglow? What about if we were on the Astral Plane? Or that Shadow Plane that Nisha said she grew up on? Or some other place that isn’t here?

That’s not a good idea, sweetheart. You’re right that if you and those artifacts were on another plane, I could just show up and perform the process without any sort of special preparations. But that’d mean that we’d be vulnerable to all kinds of interference from the denizens – or even the other gods – of wherever we were. And while I doubt that many of them would be any kind of real threat, merging you with the remainder of Fenrir’s essence is a very delicate procedure. Even a slight interruption could significantly endanger its chances of working.

Her shoulders slumping, Solvei sighed. That had seemed like such a good idea too-

Unless, cut in Kara, we did it in the Quivering Depths.

The way the goddess said that sent a shudder down Solvei’s spine. Why? What kind of place is that?

The very best kind, answered Kara, her voice becoming a purr. My realm.

Author's Note

As Solvei tries to figure out how Kara can infuse her with Fenrir’s essence in a way she can accept, the goddess proposes that she come visit her in her divine realm!

Will Solvei be making a trip to the Quivering Depths? Or will Lex refuse to let her deliver herself to Kara?