She hurried along, pulling Eva with her back down the stairs. The girl was shorter than her and moved quickly to keep up, while Leo was right on their heels. They flew down into the main room where Ravi sat, waiting. Apparently, everyone knew but Risa. She wasted no time when she saw him; she let go of Eva and, as Ravi stood, threw herself into his arms.

“Be safe,” she whispered, hugging him tightly. He had always been such a brother to her, cared enough to follow her to the underworld. She would never forget that, even if she wouldn’t be seeing him again.

“You, too. I’ll be waiting for spring when you come back.” He pulled away but took her hand instead, not yet ready to completely give up contact. “And Leo,” he said, turning to the man standing quietly in the corner, “thanks for letting me stay this long. Take care of her.”

Leo nodded once, brisk, but did not move from his place. Ravi turned back to Risa. “And don’t worry about Hades,” he continued on, eyes glittering mischievously. “I think that will sort itself out.”

Risa nodded and, knowing that this was as far as it would go, dropped her hand. Ravi leaned close one last time and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Good luck,” he said, and then backed away and nodded to Leo.

Leo murmured quietly, the words too low to hear, and suddenly the floor near Ravi began to glow. Light oozed from the circle, and though she could still see the stone floor Risa knew that it was a portal. Ravi knew, too, and took a step closer. Leo stopped speaking and waited, apparently satisfied.  

He looked over his shoulder at Risa one more time, giving her a sad smile. “Goodbye,” he said, voice just barely resisting cracking, and then took a last step forward— and disappeared.

Risa stood in silence, the room somehow far more empty now than it had been before even though it was still occupied by three people. Somehow, though, more than sadness she felt relief; Ravi was back home, safe from whatever she was going to face, and she didn’t feel as alone as she might have thought. Leo and Eva were both there, and Risa… she liked them both, felt comfortable with them.

Leo waited just a moment more before beginning his mumbled words, almost a hum, again. The portal began to close, the gentle light growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely. The air in the room relaxed, as though it was charged and she hadn’t even realized. Eva stepped forward.

“Why don’t we go for a walk?” She asked. He head was cocked to the side so her long hair tumbled down unhindered, one bore was raised in an expression that wouldn’t take no for an answer. Risa smiled, albeit weakly, and nodded, heading down the long hall that would bring them to the fields.

Leo followed, unsurprisingly, though he stayed far away enough to not intrude. Risa hadn’t once released a spirit since the first time, and he was beginning to get anxious. Was it luck, only? Then again, she hadn’t tried more than the one time. There was something about her that drew him in a way that none of the other Heir’s had, that kept him close. Maybe it was that bit of human in her, something that had never happened before, but whenever he looked to her he felt his expression become gentle.

Risa was entirely unaware of him behind her, instead focusing on the way the sun beat down on her and warmed her to the bone. The endless sun. She loved it and hated it but loved it more, unable to really find herself annoyed at the brightness or warmth. Even if it was dark and cold in the early winter months back home, it was a forever a mild summers day here.

Eva chatted, mostly about the dinner she was making and using her gift, while Risa let her fingers trail across the flowers. She should release them, she knew. Maybe later.

“Does Leo have a gift?” She asked on impulse, not really thinking about it much before she said it. Eva’s, it had been explained, was to give things a type of life, to inspire them to move. What about Leo?

“Leo?” Eva asked, evidently a bit surprised by the question. She glanced over her shoulder to where Leo walked along, but he was too far back to hear. “He does, but I think it’s best for him to show you when he’s ready.”

Risa nodded; Eva would never tell her if she didn’t want to, no matter how much Risa might beg. “Does everyone in the Underworld have a gift? What about Emily?” She hadn’t thought about Emily in a long time, what with everything going on. Maybe, with Ravi gone, she would put in some effort and try to meet her.

“Not everyone, no. Only the best of us.” Eva shot her a sly smile. “You do, you know.”

“I do?!” She couldn’t help but feel excited at the possibility of having some strange power at her fingertips, ready and waiting. Risa raised her hands, looking at them as if they would suddenly glow with magic.

“Of course! You can release the spirits.”

Her hands dropped to her sides. “Oh. That's all.”

“That's all?!” Eva leapt in front of her, eyebrows raised. “Being the Queen of the Underworld and releasing the spirits of the dead deserves a lot more than “that's all”.”

Risa’s lip quirked up in amusement.