by S. T. Bende
My hair whipped at my cheeks as I looked over my shoulder. I shouted at the injured valkyrie atop Fang’s haunches. “Your pegasus looks stable, and she’s circling back for you. If I get you close enough, can you jump to her?”
“I think so,” she shouted back.
“Good.” I steered Fang closer to the all-white mount, and turned my head again. “Whenever you’re ready.”
The girl pushed herself up and leapt for her pegasus. Despite the nasty acid burn on her face that had to be causing all kinds of pain, she gripped her horse’s mane and rode hard toward our attacker. Pulling an arrow in her taut bow, she took aim and fired at the jurgmat. The arrow pierced the sea monster’s eye. With a fierce shriek, the creature slapped the water with all four of the tentacles surrounding its head. It disappeared beneath the surface, and for one joyful moment I thought it might be dead.
Then it shot out of the sea, its powerful tail fluke lifting it a full twenty feet above the surface. As it soared, it shot lightning from each of its tentacles, caging my team within a deadly energy field.
Oh, Helheim no. It did not go there.
“Take it down!” I shouted.
My girls drew their weapons. The sky became a blur of flying arrows and glinting swords. Two valkyries swooped down on the jurgmat, their swords held high. As the creature dropped back into the ocean, my soldiers sliced through two tentacles, removing half of its lightning canons, and coating the sea in a surge of black blood. The jurgmat resurfaced, now moving considerably slower.
A staticky bolt shot from the water, and I knew it was now or never. I dug my heel into Fang’s ribcage to drive her lower. Her massive wings quickly closed the distance between us and the sea monster. When we were directly above it, I reached down to unlock the safety at my ankle. I angled my heel so it was clear of Fang’s wing, prayed my boot designer had crafted a kickback-free model, and cleared my mind of all thoughts but one.
Fire.
A blast immediately burst from my boot. The jurgmat let out a gurgled squeal, and I looked down to find a fresh stream of black liquid oozing from between its eyes.
“End this! Now!” I ordered.
A sea of arrows pierced the jurgmat’s blubbery back, and the two sword-wielders swooped in, removing the last flailing tentacles that slapped haphazardly against the water. With a final glurg, the life flickered from the jurgmat’s arrow-pierced eye. It sank slowly into the tar-colored liquid now surrounding its massive form.
We’d done our job. We’d decommissioned our threat.
Thank gods.
“Regroup,” I commanded. I hurriedly reactivated the safety on my boot.
My team flew higher, out of range of any unseen aquatic hostiles, and formed a loose, airborne circle.
“That was excellent work,” I praised. “We’re clear to assist with the other two situations.”
I glanced at the shore, where Odin’s team was under siege by a fresh flock of krugers. Holy Helheim, how many were there? Things hadn’t fared much better on the dock, where Tyr, Forse, and Henrik were moving away from Naglfar. They were being driven back by three jotuns, three dwarves, and two shockingly frightening trolls. Förbaskat. We’d disabled our threat, but our brothers in arms hadn’t been as lucky. And they were badly outnumbered. It would take a miracle to turn this battle around.
But we had to try.
“Bring it in, ladies.” My girls drew a tighter circle in the air. “Okay. Odin’s guards have higher numbers, so they stand a better chance of defending themselves. Getting War’s team on that ship—and making sure they sink it—is our new priority. We’ll attack from behind, taking out the dwarves first and—”
My throat closed up as a sparking, black portal opened at the end of the dock. It expanded while Tyr, Forse, and Henrik retreated unaware. The battalion of jotuns that Freya and I had seen from the war room emerged, one member at a time, their weapons drawn and poised to strike.
My boys were about to be slaughtered. And I was too far away to do a thing about it.
CHAPTER TWELVE
FREYA
“SVETANA, GET ME MY horse and a battle suit!” I ripped my shirt over my head and shouted into the empty war room, knowing full well my assistant was listening.
Sure enough, Svetana burst through the door a half minute later, blue and silver uniform in one hand and a data pad in the other. She tossed the neatly folded fabric at me, and pulled up an image of each of the nine worlds from her device. “Shall I reroute any of the teams?”
“Send the half of Mariana’s team and the full Muspelheim team to the Jotunheim dock, and make sure they bring the feyndrals,” I ordered. “I want the rest of Mariana’s team to stay here protecting the compound…and making sure nothing comes for those children.” I removed my shoes and pants, and slipped easily into the updated suit. It was thicker, yet more pliable than our previous model. “Do you have War’s coordinates?”
“Yes, and I’ll remain on standby so you can let me know if I should request that additional support be sent your way. Any other instructions?”
“Ja,” I said. “Get Heimdall to drop the Bifrost outside the entry now. And make sure Starla’s waiting for me by the time I get outside.”
“Your pegasus will be in transit momentarily.”
“Good. My friends need me.” I reached instinctively for the handle of my sword, but of course it wasn’t in its sheath. “Skit, I need weapons. Call for—”
“They are at my desk,” Svetana offered gently. “I had them sent up when you arrived as well.”
“Thanks, Svetana.” I leaned forward to speak to the holo-screens. “Muspelheim team, reroute—coordinates will arrive shortly. Mariana, keep half of your team where they are and send the other half to the location Svetana forwards you. The rest of you, continue with your missions as planned. Svetana will hold down the V.C. while I assist with the situation in Jotunheim.”
“High Commander!” Svetana squeaked. “I’m not qualified to—”
“You’ll do great. I have to go.” I charged across the room, pausing at the threshold to set up a drip for my other job. After rooting my energy to the core of Asgard, I sent a heavy pulse of love at each of the nine realms. Then I bolted through the door.
My battle belt was waiting on Svetana’s desk, and I wasted no time strapping it to my waist and barreling down the wide, winding staircase of the V.C. My fingertips grazed the pockets of the belt, confirming my broadsword, dagger, slicing disc, and secret weapons—the encapsulated and miniaturized Gullinbursti and Skidbladnir I kept in a hidden pocket—were all in place. Secure in the knowledge I was as armed as I could be, I swung a sharp right at the foot of the stairs, and quietly entered the room where Mia was addressing the once-captive children.
“You all did beautifully. Now, remember.” Mia smiled. “If you need me, I’ll be just upstairs, finishing some work with my friend, Elsa Fredriksen.”
“I love Elsa,” a knee-high girl squealed. “She helped my dad when he got hurt.”
“Elsa’s the best.” Mia rubbed the pad of her thumb along the girl’s cherubic cheek. My subtle wave caught her eye, and she nudged the girl back toward her friends before coming to my side. “Everything all right?”
“You’re needed in Jotunheim. Tyr’s in trouble, and your gift is much more effective in person.”
Darkness cloaked Mia’s eyes. “How do I get there?”
“Come with me.” I opened the door and slipped through it. Mia paused to address the children.
“Slight change of plan—I’ll be back shortly. Elsa will help you if you need her. I’m so proud of all of you.” With that, Mia emerged through the doorway, her long denim-clad legs making quick strides across the marble floor. “Let’s go.” This tone was considerably more abrupt than the one she’d used with the children.
Skit. If our mortal was going into war, she’d need sturdier battle wear than jeans and a sweater. “Svetana!” I barked into my communicator. “I need a suit for my Unifier. Can y
ou have one sent down?”
“Absolutely,” Svetana replied. Seconds later, a curly haired girl charged down the stairs and thrust a valkyrie uniform at me.
“High Commander! Here,” the girl said breathlessly. “The tech team’s been working on this model since Balder fell. Its fibers are reconfigured for maximum protective capabilities. It’s not equipped with the same attack features as our regulation model, but it is a fully operational defensive suit. Ideal for safeguarding a valuable asset.”
Her eyes slid over to Mia. A Unifier was definitely a valuable asset. But a mortal unifier…I shivered at the thought of my friend going into battle without protection.
I took the suit from the girl and passed it to Mia, then pointed to the door to my right. “That room should be empty. Go put this on and meet me back here.” Mia hurried off to change while I turned back to clasp the young valkyrie’s hand. “Thank you. That suit may well save my friend’s life.”
The girl’s curls slid in front of her eyes as she ducked her head with a shy smile. “It is my honor to help.” Then she withdrew her hand from mine and scurried back up the stairs, in the direction of the lab.
Mia emerged quickly, now wearing valkyrie-issued silver and blue. “Where do we catch our transport?”
“We’ll Bifrost in on my pegasus, Starla,” I briefed her as we moved. “Brynn’s teams debilitated the sea monster, but there are assassin birds targeting Odin, and a new team of jotuns bearing down on Tyr, Forse, and Henrik. Odin’s guards are working on the birds, but I need you to send energy at the jotuns—try to slow them down enough to give our boys a fighting chance. They’re massively outnumbered.”
“I understood about half of that, but I know what I have to do.” Mia broke into a run, darting in front of me through the now open door of the V.C. The rainbow bridge shone brightly in the compound’s expansive drive, and my all-black pegasus knelt beside the Bifrost, ready for boarding.
“Follow me.” I eased myself onto Starla before offering my hand to help Mia up. She’d mounted the horse herself before I’d fully turned around.
“Let’s go, Freya,” she barked.
With a cry, I urged Starla forward. The pegasus flapped her massive wings and rose from the ground, her head barely entering the Bifrost before we were shot across the cosmos and into the icy realm.
Gods, I hoped we weren’t too late.
**
“Tyr! Break left!” Brynn shrieked.
I quickly scanned the ground, where Tyr dove just in time to avoid a sparking arrow. A full three dozen jotuns stampeded across the dock where he, Forse, and Henrik were positioned, their backs together in a tight triangle. A second jotun attack team moved in on their other side, its members opening fire with weapons that ranged from arrows to electrocution cannons.
“Mia,” I said through clenched teeth.
“On it.” She wrapped one hand tight around my waist. Her other arm shot out toward the fray, palm open. A surge of warmth nudged at my back, and I had no doubt she was already doing her thing. Good. We needed all the help we could get.
In the distance, Odin shot me a wary, one-eyed glance. I knew Tyr had apprised Asgard’s ruler of Mia’s involvement as Unifier, but it had to be a shock for him to see a mortal riding into the heart of battle. I’d likely have some explaining to do back in Asgard if things ended in our favor…and in Valhalla, if it didn’t.
Here’s hoping for the former.
I angled Starla downward, and she dove for the dock. With my chest pressed flat against her spine, I drew my broadsword and held it perpendicular to my body. Starla flew near enough to the jotuns that I was able to slice one in half on our first pass. I’d just circled round for another when Brynn’s frantic wave caught my attention.
“What?” My second pass took out another two jotuns. Brynn tapped frantically on her collarbone before extending her thumb and pinky to her ear. Did she want me to…call her? On my collar?
Recognition dawned as I realized our new uniform contained a neck communication device. Thank gods. Turning on my wrist com would have been impossible with my sword in one hand and Starla’s mane in the other.
“Got it.” I managed to activate my suit com by rolling so my collarbone pressed against Starla’s spine. “Talk to me, Brynn.”
“Did you bring the boar and the boat? The guys need an escape route, stat!”
I looped around and eliminated a fourth jotun just as its comrades turned electrocution cannons on me. Starla flapped viciously, darting in a serpentine pattern until we were out of firing range.
Skit, that had been close.
“Unleashing the boat and the boar now.” I wrapped my sword arm around Starla, and used my other hand to pull the tiny capsules from the hidden pocket of my belt. With great care, I raised them to my lips and blew lightly. A tiny thrill shot through me as each capsule transformed in a wash of glittering, gold powder—one became a golden-haired boar, and the other a wooden, dragon-headed ship. The ship dropped into the ocean, its subsequent wave crashing over the dock and extinguishing the charge of the electric canons. One of the jotuns flailed, thrown off balance by the surge of the sea. As he fell in the water the boar took off, running easily through the air before snatching the jotun in her snout and wrenching his head clean off. The remaining jotuns took trepid steps back.
Good.
“That. Was. Awesome.” Brynn squeaked into the com. She raised her rapier. “Valkyries, attack!”
Brynn’s team swooped down, circling the dock in a whirlwind of blades and arrows. The jotuns’ numbers quickly dropped. Those remaining were so sufficiently weakened that Tyr, Henrik, and Forse shifted focus to the second attack team.
Gullinbursti charged to their aid. The boar quickly dispatched the trolls before being struck by one of the dwarves. She stumbled, rolling onto her back with a squeal. As she struggled to right herself, I caught a spark of colors pouring through the clouds. The Bifrost broke through, shooting a team-and-a-half of valkyrie-backed pegasuses, and four fire giant-wielding feyndrals into the sky. My chest caught at the sight of the teenage fire giant and her juvenile pet at the front of the dragon team. Hyro and Marshmallow soared fearlessly into a battle that, in all likelihood, was going to get them both killed. No!
Activating my suit com, I issued my orders. “Sigrunn, protect Odin. Take the krugers down. And please look out for Hyro—it’s her first battle.”
“Yes, High Commander.” My lieutenant general’s voice was steady as her pegasus looped around, drawing near enough to the feyndrals to relay my command to their riders. Seconds later the dragons dove, swooping down on the closest flock of aviary assassins and lighting them up with streams of fire. The scent coming off the birds reminded me of the afternoons we’d spent around Henrik’s barbeque in Arcata. I had no doubt those particular assassins had been eliminated.
With a shout, I dove back into the fray. By the time I neared the dock, the boys had taken out all three of the jotuns in the initial attack party. Only the dwarves separated them from Naglfar. My chest loosened as something akin to relief seeped through me. We were literally a few feet away from sinking the ship—from stopping the trigger that would have isolated Asgard from the realms, and led to our demise. In mere moments, we would turn the tide of Ragnarok to our favor—despite the prophesies. Despite the odds stacked against us. Despite everything.
“Mia, hold tight.” She squeezed my waist as I urged Starla closer to the dock, intent on impaling at least one of the dwarves standing between my friends and survival. We were close—so very close. Victory was nearly ours.
And then Hymir arrived.
Tyr’s biological father dropped through a portal just above Naglfar. He landed on the bow of the ship, the weight of his eight-foot-plus frame crashing a wave over the dock. Tyr, Forse, and Henrik raised their dripping swords to Hymir’s cruel face. Despite the chill, the giant wore a sleeveless tunic that revealed the scarred stump of his severed right arm—the one Tyr had relieved him of in Svarta
lfheim. He raised his remaining arm as if in welcome, its pale grey skin covered in bulbous knots.
“My son,” Hymir boomed. “Come quickly, and I won’t kill all of your friends.”
“I’m not your son,” Tyr corrected. “And you’re not killing any of my friends.”
“No?” Hymir ran thick fingers through his unruly white hair. “Very well. Perhaps I’ll leave that to your sister.”
No!
A flash of black leather and crimson curls burst from the portal. Runa landed silently on the ship, her knee-high boots touching down at her father’s side. “Tyr,” she sneered.
A growl was Tyr’s only response. Though I was fifty feet away, I easily made out the whitening knuckles around the hilt of his sword, and the twitching vein atop his jaw. Tyr was furious.
And he was about to let everyone know it.
“That’s Tyr’s dad?” Mia’s squeak gave me a start. I’d forgotten she was behind me.
“Don’t let him intimidate you. Your Unifying is working—we were about to take the ship. Keep going.” I nudged Starla with one heel, directing her slightly away from Naglfar so Mia was obscured from Hymir’s view. If he realized what Mia meant to Tyr, capturing her would become his top priority. And I wasn’t letting anybody hurt our human.
Especially not the monster who made my best friend doubt himself at every turn.
Brynn and her team circled me and Mia. But the herd of pegasuses drew Runa’s attention—she pointed one crimson-tipped fingernail at Mia.
“That’s her,” she drawled.
“Excellent,” Hymir hissed.
Mia screamed as Hymir twisted his palm. Before I could reach around to grab her, my friend was thrown onto a terrifying trajectory directly into the arms of the killer who’d imprisoned Elsa; who’d delivered Tyr to Hymir on Svartalfheim; who’d escaped Asgardian prison; and who’d plotted to kill us all. Mia writhed in Runa’s grasp, her body frighteningly frail in the half-giantess’s muscular arms.
