Of Gods and Monsters

by Susan Harris

  Ever shook her head. “Ash’s power is like a beacon. I won’t endanger Ricky’s mom or Zach to Odin.”

  “Then we cloak her power. Shield her from Odin’s eyes.”

  They were all a little startled to hear Freya speak as she came over and placed the stirring child in Ever’s arms. Erika joined them. Freya glanced at Erika, letting out a sigh as she said, “When Erika’s mother gave her to me to train, I knew who her father was. Anyone who looked at you as a child and felt that coil of war inside your veins would have known. I used an old spell to dampen your aura. I had intended for Odin to never know whose child you were, but I cloaked you from even Tyr, which was not my intention. We could do the same with Ashlyn.”

  Erika frowned, rocking back and forth on her feet. “Much as I hate to say it, Freya’s idea is good. We flew by the Moore estate, and the only magic we could sense was the warding. Add Freya’s spell to that, and Odin will never find baby Ash.”

  Ever glanced at her mother. “Thank you. I will flash with baby Ash to Ricky’s mom’s with you and Erika, and we will get her settled and you can perform the spell. Can you remove it or tell me how to remove it?”

  “Of course.”

  “I’m coming too,” interjected teen Ash, lightning in her amber gaze. “I want to check in on Zach.”

  Ever handed Ash to Derek, allowing her mate to say goodbye as she stepped away from the father and daughter, gathering up her sword and sheathing it along her spine before saying to Freya, “Thank you for offering to shield her.”

  “Perhaps if I had done so with you all those centuries ago, we would not be standing on the cusp of the end.”

  Ever let loose a sigh. “The past is the past. We are not the fates to change it. We can only ensure that the future is secure. If you keep on looking backwards, you will lose the chance to truly live. We march toward the future; it is the only direction that matters now.”

  It was as close to absolving Freya of her sins as Ever could muster. Now was not the time for rehashing old arguments or grudges. Maybe, once the war was over, she and Freya could have an honest conversation and settle things.

  Derek kissed their baby on her forehead, then placed Ash in her arms. His wolf was very close to the surface, his eyes filled with amber as he growled. “Go. Take her now before my wolf decides that it should not be separated from its pup.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s the man, not the wolf, thinking that as well. I love you.”

  “I love you too,” Derek said, gravel in his tone as she held her daughter to her chest and flashed from the warehouse to the grounds of Ricky’s mom’s house. Melanie had been right. The wards around the house were rock-solid, Killian obviously as powerful as his older brother. Ever took a step toward the house, felt the ward push her back, and that reassured her that little Ash would be safe here.

  The door flew open as Erika, Ash and Freya all appeared beside her and a small woman with graying hair waved her hand over the door and the ward around the door shimmered.

  “Melanie rang ahead to let us know you were coming.”

  Ever passed over the threshold, and once they were all inside, she closed the front door and the ward fell back into place. Ricky’s mom gave Ever a warm smile, and Ever knew she would look after Ash as if she were her own.

  “Thank you for agreeing to look after her for us.”

  The older woman dismissed her thanks with a wave of her hand. “Nonsense. That mate of yours is like a brother to my son. I always wanted to fill the house with grandkids, so your little one will always be welcome here.”

  “I have my own room,” Ash said softly, then clamped her mouth shut as the older woman glanced at Ash, her eyes wide.

  “My Ricky told me that you came from the future. I’m not much for all that science fiction thing, but it is obvious who you are. It warms my heart to know that you are so special to us that you have your own room. Now, come, let’s get the little you settled.”

  They were led to a large kitchen that seemed to be the hub of activity. A young man in his early twenties was crouched down by Ricky’s son, detailing how Zach could use his magic and push it into the wards. The little boy turned, and on seeing Ash, he darted away and right up into her arms.

  Ash balanced him on her hip, then came to stand beside Ever, who was still cradling baby Ash.

  “Hey Zach, remember when I said that when you are grown, me and you are bestest friends? Well, this is me right now, and when I go home, I’m gonna need you to look out for me.”

  The little boy nodded his head of black hair so hard that the strands went into his eyes. “I promise. Dad said I could use my cat claws if someone tried to hurt baby you.”

  Ash laughed and pulled his nose. “Good idea, Z, good idea.”

  Killian had gotten to his feet, his dark hair and eyes not as dark as his brother’s, nor were they as filled with mischief like Ricky’s were, but Ever felt as though the young man was wise beyond his years.

  “I need to hold her to work the spell.” Freya broke through Ever’s thoughts as Ever handed the child to her mother. Then the goddess looked at Ricky’s mom. “I need some sage and some jasmine oil.”

  “I’ll get it,” Killian answered as he opened cupboard doors and got the ingredients that Freya had asked for.

  “Why is a goddess asking for items to work a spell?” The clipped tone of her adoptive mother Samhain didn’t so much as surprise Ever but reminded her of a childhood that seemed like a distant memory. Ever angled her body in the direction of the voice, her pulse quickening at the sight of the woman who had raised her during this life cycle.

  “To keep the child safe. One would think you would want our granddaughter safe, yet your tone says otherwise.”

  Freya’s own tone was blunt, and Ever had not been aware that Freya knew who Samhain was. But it looked like Samhain had added everything up and taken one look at Freya and seen the resemblance.

  “You mean like you should have from the moment Ever was born? Don’t take that tone with me when I raised her.”

  The atmosphere was quickly becoming more hostile than Ever had anticipated. Her lips parted to ask them to stop the pettiness, but Ricky’s mom got there before her.

  “There is enough fighting out in the world right now. If you two cannot be civil, then you should both leave. I will not have a besting match in my house.”

  Killian stepped in front of Freya, a slow smile on his lips. “You need me to get you anything else?”

  Freya blinked, frowning, then shook her head. When she reached for the sage stick, Killian took it first, clicked his fingers igniting a spark to light the sage. Then he handed it to Freya, who was looking at Killian like she had taken a punch.

  Dear gods, was Ricky’s brother flirting with her mother?

  Freya snapped out of herself and waved the sage over the baby, then dabbed the jasmine oil over her tummy.

  “Is that it?” Ever asked, her nose crinkling at the scent of sage.

  “That is just to mask the scent. The other part is next. General.” Freya held out her palm. “You’ve been wanting to make me bleed for centuries. Now is your chance.”

  Now Ever truly believed the world was ending because Freya was making jokes.

  Then again, knowing Freya, she probably was being serious.

  Erika pulled a dagger from her waist and, instead of cutting her palm, slashed a small cut across Freya’s finger. Blood and magic flowed from the wound, and then Freya placed her bloody finger on baby Ash’s forehead. Freya’s lips moved, yet she did not speak as Ever felt the shift in the air. Then the baby’s aura disappeared.

  Freya removed her finger, held her granddaughter out to Ever. The moment Ever took Ash from Freya, her mother’s knees buckled, and she would have face-planted if not for Killian catching her.

  Freya’s own magic aura, seemed to dim as Killian helped her to a seat, then started to immediately brighten once she had a moment to rest.

  “She is now masked. You asked me ho
w to break the spell. It will break the moment she leaves my side, as it once did when Erika first left Valhalla without me. The first moment we are separated by distance, the spell will fade.”

  Ever stared open-mouthed at her mother. “But that means you will not fight on the battlefield with us.”

  Freya smiled, and Ever understood for the first time why there were poems and sonnets about her mother’s beauty. “My fight is not with Odin. I will do as I once should have and protect the next generation. Should the battle spill from the city, I will defend the children with my life. I will hold the line.”

  Then Freya pushed from the chair and strode from the kitchen, leaving Ever with tears in her eyes. “She deserves the chance to fight. She should not be sidelined here.”

  Erika placed a hand on Ever’s shoulder. “She doesn’t see it as being sidelined. She is the next line of defense. I pity the fool who dares come knocking on this door with all the power barricaded inside.”

  Ever watched as Killian grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed out after Freya. Well, this was not expected.

  “It’s okay, Mom. Grandpa Killian knows how to handle Grandma …” Ash’s voice trailed off as her eyes widened and she realized that she had divulged another fact about the future that she really shouldn’t have.

  Erika chuckled. “Good. It’s about time she got some.”

  Ever shook her head. “Even I don’t know what to say to that.”

  Zach yawned, sagging a little in Ash’s arms as Ricky’s mom took the little shifter. “Think it’s time the kids went to bed. Come on, Ever, I got down my boys’ old Moses basket for Ash. She can rest in my room so I can keep an eye on her.”

  Ever followed the older woman out and up the stairs and waited in the hallway as she settled Zach in bed. Then Ever was led to Ricky’s mom’s room. The room was small, modest, filled with pictures of her sons and some new ones with Zach. There was even one of Ricky and Derek, her mate smiling and laughing beside Ricky with an even bigger smile on his face.

  “I’ll leave you to settle her. Take as much time as you need. The peace and quiet is probably welcome.”

  Ever turned to thank the woman, but she had already slipped out and closed the door behind her. Ever glanced down at her child, the one who held her heart even though she knew she once had thought it best she not be born. Ever couldn’t imagine a life without her now as she paced the floor and looked out the window.

  Killian sat on the fountain in the courtyard, an easy smile on his lips as Freya glared at him. She said something, and Killian threw back his head and laughed, causing Freya to get that “I’ve been punched” expression again.

  “Odin took away her chance at happiness. In her own way, Freya sacrificed her future for ours. I understand it now. I do.”

  Ever kissed her daughter’s forehead, then laid her down in the basket. She was caught between snatching her up again or running away as fast as she could. Ever found it harder to walk away, even if she knew it was for the best.

  Before she could change her mind, she ducked out the door and closed it softly behind her. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she felt like she was about to vomit.

  “Leaving your child for the first time is scary.”

  Ever lifted her gaze to see Samhain waiting on the landing. Her face was stern, as it always was, yet her eyes were softer.

  “I wanted to apologize for my behavior when you came to tell us that you were pregnant.”

  “Is that you, or did Dad tell you to apologize in case we all die?” Ever said sharply, folding her arms across her chest.

  “It’s me. I have tried to protect you since Tom first brought you to us, and when you charged off and took a wolf as yours, I felt like I had failed you. I pushed you away, telling myself that it was easier to lose you now than to watch you die. I should have known that you were more than a mere human, destined for greater things.”

  Ever sighed and shook her head. “There is nothing wrong with being human, Mother. Right now, humans are fighting a war that I started and dying to protect the city. And you didn’t fail me … I failed myself. But I will stop him because I need to see her grow up to be the smart, beautiful woman she is today. Hopefully, you get to see that too.”

  Ever descended the stairs as Freya came back inside, her cheeks a little flushed, glowering at the warlock who came in after her. Freya glanced at Ever, inclined her head, then stepped into a lounge area. Ever blew out a breath, made to follow Freya, then paused to look at Killian.

  “You as smooth as your brother?” she asked an amused Killian.

  “I learned from the best.”

  “Good,” Ever said before she offered him a smirk. “You hurt her and I’ll break both your kneecaps.”

  Killian just grinned and walked down the hall. Ever shook her head as she joined Freya. The goddess had her back to Ever, her shoulders tense as she continued to look out the window.

  “Do not underestimate Odin’s power. He is born of the first gods, and he will not be so easily felled. And if he is, we do not know what will happen to the world of men, of gods and monsters if he is slain. It might just unravel the fabric of the universe itself. You are brave of heart, my daughter. Do not become a monster to kill one.”

  There was a hitch in her tone that made Ever itch to hug her, but she refrained from doing so.

  “Freya?”

  Her mother didn’t answer her, so Ever tried another tactic.

  “Mom?”

  That had Freya turning round to face her, and Ever took her shot. “Thank you for staying to protect her. It means a lot. It matters. But remember that Odin doesn’t get to keep you as his victim. And if that means getting naked with a certain warlock, then I say go for it. Life is too long to walk the road in loneliness.”

  Ever left her mother standing there with a shocked expression as she went to the kitchen and thanked Mrs. Moore once again. She waited as Killian opened up the back door, watching until they stepped outside before he pulled across the patio door and sealed the wards.

  Freya inclined her head to Ever as she entered the kitchen, then Ever felt the urge to spread her wings. Erika, her general, grinned, then unfurled her night-black wings and flapped herself up into the air. Ash held out her hand, calling forth Mjölnir, the hammer flying through the air and into her outstretched palm. Then Ash whirled it around for a couple of spins and launched herself into the air.

  Ever felt her own wings itch along her spine, and she shed the magic that allowed her to hide them inside her body, much like she had felt when she felt her toes in the sand at Valhalla. Unfurling her own wings was like a homecoming of sorts. They sprang from her back, feathers of gold and glitter, brighter now than she had ever remembered them to be. Stronger too.

  She flexed the wings and then, after Erika called her name, she flew upward toward the sky and was joined in their flight by her Valkyrie sisters, their wings beating in sync with hers as they traveled the night sky.

  Ash

  * * *

  Ash dreamt of blood and death, the screams all around her as she tried to fight against the never-ending force that she fought alone. Her arms and legs ached, tiredness made her dizzy, and hunger gnawed at her bones. The chains on her ankles chafed her skin as she punched and shoved at the invisible attackers, trying to stop them before they tore innocent humans to shreds.

  It was futile, her attempts. However, it was not in her vocabulary to give up even when all seemed hopeless.

  “Do you see what your slip-ups could cause, Ashlyn?”

  Ash whirled round, grunting as the chains hampered her movement, her eyes going to where three females stood among the bodies of the slain and simply ignored them like it was nothing that they had not seen before.

  And considering these were the fates themselves, she supposed they had seen it all before.

  Urðr was the youngest of the trio, appearing as a child, though one look into the fate’s eyes would tell you that her eyes were old, e
ven if her body appeared not. Her hair was dark blond in color, her clothing simple and plain.

  Verðandi stood beside her, a woman in her mid-thirties, the same hair and eyes. It was only when Skuld stood among her sisters, slightly hunched with her hair as white as snow, when the three pillars of the fates were aligned—the past, present and future—did you notice the resemblance.

  “You have evaded us once again, Ashlyn Eversdótti. The magic your cat displays is impressive, yet you flout the conditions in which it was possible for you to return, as does your mate. Even now, you meddle in the course of destiny for Freya. What say you?”

  Skuld’s voice grated on her like nails on a chalkboard.

  “It was a slip of the tongue. I meant no harm when I misspoke. I shall endeavor to keep my mouth shut until the battle is over.”

  “This is not your battle to fight in. That time has not yet come to pass,” Verðandi advised Ash, the fate’s eyes swirling as if she was checking to see if Ash had caused any more disruption in the timelines.

  Zach was the one who understood the concept of traversing the timelines. He watched enough superhero movies even before he started working on repairing the Bifrost bridge. He had warned Ash not to interfere in things that did not concern her, to not alter the future in any way other than to ensure her safety. As the shard of the Bifrost in her pocket made her want to take it out and go home, she felt that she still could help in the fight without changing too much.

  Urðr tilted her head to the side, as if she was reading Ash’s mind and pondering her thoughts. She smiled for a split second, then her expression darkened.

  “You know the outcome should you think yourself greater than fate itself. We stand outside the rule of Odin himself, not beholden to any god. We are instruments of the past, present and future and are duty-bound to ensure it comes to pass. Do not dare think you are better than we.”

  Ash felt the chains around her ankles tighten before there was a sharp tug forward, yanking her to her knees. The fates were suddenly standing around her. They reached out, gripping her hair, yanking her head back, and then, with claws not too unlike a wolf’s, they slit her throat.