A few days passed in relative calm at the palace, with the usual court business and intrigue continuing to swirl around them. Adrian had focused much of his time on preparing for the envoy's trip to Brenden, the small town that had fallen behind on its tribute payments.

As discussed in the council meeting, the mission was crucial, but Adrian's real interest lay in something else—something far more significant than tax issues.

It was the evening before the envoy was to leave, and after a quiet dinner with the royal family, Adrian and his goddesses were back in their chambers. The usual routine was in full swing—each of the women delivering their status reports.

Their information, though useful, was still inconclusive, leaving Adrian feeling as though they were piecing together a puzzle that had far too many missing parts.

Ava was the first to report, handing Adrian three pouches of coins, the weight of them obvious in his palm. "Your share of the profit," she teased, her golden eyes gleaming as she passed them to him.

Adrian raised an eyebrow, smirking at her as he placed the money on the bed beside him. This was something she had been doing for several days now, ensuring that their "business ventures" in the marketplace kept them well-funded.

Ava was a master at this, outsmarting merchants, setting up profitable deals, and always ensuring Adrian's cut was sizable.

"Always thinking of me, aren't you?" Adrian teased, tossing one of the pouches in the air and catching it. "Anything suspicious while you were out?"

"Nothing concrete," Ava admitted, leaning back against the table. "Just the usual—whispers here and there, but nothing that points to the Shadow Court. It seems the merchants are more concerned with the drought than anything else."

Selene spoke next in her usual calm and composed voice. "I've been keeping close to the farmers in the fields. They talk a lot, but most of it's small gossip. Still, there's something off in the air. They speak of strange lights in the distance at night, but nothing that anyone can confirm."

Adrian nodded, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Keep an ear out. Anything could be important at this stage."

Medea, who had been leaning against the wall sharpening her sword, chimed in. "The barracks are buzzing with rumors about a possible attack from the east. General Aric is tense, but like you, he's waiting for more intel before taking action. No concrete movement from the soldiers yet, but you can feel the tension."

Lilith, lounging provocatively on the bed, ran her fingers through her hair. "As for me," she drawled, "I spent more time with the palace staff. I tried speaking to Gerda, but she's just an old bird. All I got were a few cryptic comments about 'the old days' and how 'things are different now.'"

Adrian nodded at Lilith's words.

The group fell into a comfortable silence, and Adrian pulled out the map he had been studying earlier. Unfolding it across the table, he gestured for the goddesses to gather around. The map was the one the map maker, Kaleb had made for him to find the remaining goddesses.

Currently, Adrian, Medea, Lilith and Ava's position was showed by the glowing dots gathered at a spot—the kingdom of Zarpha. The remaining four dots were placed in different locations on the map.

"I was going through the map earlier today," Adrian said, pointing to a specific spot just outside the kingdom's borders. "And I realized something interesting—the town the envoy will be heading to tomorrow, Brenden, is near one of the markers on the map. And you know what that means."

Lilith leaned in, her eyes narrowing as she studied the map. "It's close to one of our sisters' resting place."

Adrian shrugged. "Exactly. And I was thinking it would be perfect side trip."

"So, you're going with the envoy tomorrow?" Medea asked in an even tone, though you can see the concern flickered in her eyes.

Adrian nodded. "Yes. "I'll use the trip as a cover to get to the temple and free your sister there."

Lilith, who had been unusually quiet, let out an exaggerated whine. "Are you going alone?" she asked and got a nod from Adrian."But why are you going alone?" she pouted, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness. "You know I hate being left out of all the fun."

Adrian chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm not exactly sure how many of you can come along without drawing attention. The envoy has a limited number of places, and I don't want to raise suspicions."

Ava, sitting with her legs crossed, smirked. "As much as I'd love to join you, I have business to attend to in the marketplace tomorrow. Someone has to keep our funds flowing."

Lilith rolled her eyes. "Always about the money with you, Ava."

Ava shot her a sly grin. "It's only about the money when you're spending it."

Medea's voice cut through their banter. "If you're going, then at least let me come with you. You'll need backup, in case things go sideways."

Adrian met Medea's intense gaze. "I'll see what I can arrange, but keep in mind, we can't reveal too much to the queen or the council. This mission is more about the temple than the tribute."

Selene, ever calm, added softly, "Just be careful, my Lord."

Lilith continued, "We've been lucky so far.."

Adrian nodded, appreciating the caution in their words. He rolled up the map and stood, looking around at the women he trusted more than anyone. They had been through so much together, and despite their teasing and differences, each of them was fiercely loyal to him.

He felt the weight of their shared purpose—there was more at stake here than just Zarpha's tribute or the queen's politics.

"I'll be careful," Adrian assured them with a firm voice. "But I can't shake the feeling that something's about to happen. Something bigger than any of us. It's been too quiet, and that never bodes well."

The room fell into a contemplative silence as the weight of his words settled over them.

Lilith, ever the one to break the tension, stretched lazily across the bed. "Well, whatever happens, we'll be ready. Just make sure you come back in one piece, darling. It would be such a shame if anything happened to that perfect body of yours."

Adrian laughed, shaking his head. "I'll do my best, Lilith. I wouldn't want to disappoint."

As the conversation drifted back to lighter topics, Adrian's mind remained focused on the days ahead. The trip to Brenden would reveal more than just the town's troubles—he was sure of it. And only the gods knows what personality the next goddess would have.

One thing was sure though. The storm was coming. He could feel it in his bones.

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