by Kate O'Hearn
“He’s become obsessed with me.” Freya sighed. “Because of his hatred for me, he disobeyed a direct order from Odin. As punishment, Odin cut off one of his wings and banished him from Asgard. Now Dirian blames me for everything. He killed me once during a competition between the realms, and then he nearly killed me again when I tried to find my brother—if Thor hadn’t intervened, he’d have chopped me to pieces. But now, with Skuld under his power, he can order her to cut my life thread so that if he kills me again, I’ll stay dead.”
Every part of her hurt as she walked to the tunnel exit and peered up. “He knows I’m here and he’ll be coming for me.” She looked back at the others. “You can’t be near me when he does, or he’ll get you, too.”
“I have an idea,” Quinn said. “Dirian being here could actually be good for us.”
“How?” Archie cried. “Did you miss the part where Gee said he wants to kill her for good?”
“I know,” Quinn said. “But if he’s as obsessed as you say he is, Freya is all he’s focusing on—which means if we split into two groups, he’ll almost certainly go after Freya. So the group without Freya stands a good chance of freeing Skuld.”
“That could work,” the sergeant agreed. “This mission is more important than each of us individually. Freya, if you draw him out, we can move on Skuld.”
“Wait,” Archie said. “Are you saying Gee should sacrifice herself so Skuld can be rescued?”
Quinn nodded. “That’s exactly what he’s saying. And he’s right.”
Freya listened to the argument heating up. Archie was defending her, and she knew why. He too had fought Dirian—and lost. Apart from her, Archie and Orus were the only ones who had a clue what they were truly up against. The thought of facing the dreaded Dark Searcher again terrified her. Could she really do it? This war was bigger than her, bigger than all of them. She had to put her emotions aside.
Freya walked over to her best friend. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Archie, we all know the danger. We’re not all going to survive. But if I do this, if I can distract Dirian, maybe you guys can get Skuld away from here. Get her back to Vanaheim to her sisters or to Odin in Asgard. Then maybe you can stop this war.”
“No way,” Archie argued. “You’re talking like you’re already dead.”
“Look at me,” Freya said. “I’m burned everywhere, my feathers are damaged beyond repair, and I can’t fly. The only reason I’m still moving is Skye’s pain potion. This is the best and only solution.”
Orus cawed in misery. “No, Freya . . .”
“You know I’m right,” she told him. “I’m not giving up. I have my sword, and I will fight with all I have left. And I may get lucky and wound him. But even if I don’t, while I distract Dirian, you guys can free Skuld.”
“I’m staying with you,” Archie insisted. “And don’t try to tell me no. Dirian knows we’re always together. If I’m not with you, he’ll suspect something.”
“Me too,” Orus cawed.
Freya closed her eyes and dropped her head. “You’re right; you should come with me. We’ve gone this far together—let’s finish it together.”
“Now that that’s agreed,” Sergeant Romin said, “let’s get out of here and get moving before they come after us.”
* * *
Skye used magic to lift everyone out of the tunnel. The moment the hot air touched Freya’s burnt skin, she clenched her teeth and fought the pain. Her hands started to shake, and she shivered all over.
“Are you all right?” Quinn asked, moving closer.
Freya nodded. “It’s just the heat. Give me a moment and I’ll be fine.”
The sergeant called his soldiers together. “All right, you all know your assignments. Quinn, Archie, and Freya will head out first, going in from the right. We’ll follow a bit later, from the left. Everyone keep your weapons at the ready and stay sharp. Remember, this mission is everything. If one of us falls, don’t stop. Just keep going. There is no room for sentimentality in war. Whoever frees Skuld, get her out of here and don’t look back. Understood?”
When everyone nodded, Freya looked at Quinn. “Let’s go.”
Skye and the Earth soldiers moved in one direction, while Quinn, Freya, and Archie climbed higher in the sky and started to move in the other direction toward the Great City.
With the cover of night to shield them, they passed silently over the villages. The giants’ homes glowed with the light of their flames. Occasionally they would see a giant out on the street, glowing like a beacon in the dark. Freya sensed a strange calmness in the air, as though the giants living below didn’t know about the war their leaders were waging on Asgard.
The second town was a similar sight: elderly fire giants going about their normal lives, as though nothing had changed. Were they so confident of winning that they weren’t prepared for any attacks on Muspelheim?
The giants didn’t appear to sense them high in the sky above them. Although they were very much like frost giants in size, their senses weren’t as acute. This filled Freya with hope. Perhaps their mission stood a slight chance of success.
Late into the long night they flew over small and then larger settlements. Soon they reached the outskirts of the Great City. They circled around it and encountered smaller villages that tapered off into single dwellings. It was almost dawn before they approached the edge of the Muspelheim desert.
“He knows I’m coming,” Freya called. She tried to suppress a shiver but couldn’t. “I can sense Dirian’s excitement. He’s waiting for me.”
“Good,” Quinn said. “Let’s hope he stays focused on you while the others get to Skuld.”
Archie looked over to her. “I still don’t like using you as bait.”
“Me neither,” Orus agreed. “There has to be another way.”
“There isn’t,” Freya said. “But we’re not going in unprepared. I have my sword, and Quinn his magic. Together we can fight him.”
“And what about all the other Dark Searchers or fire giants with him? He won’t face you alone, and you know it,” Orus said.
Freya did know it, but she didn’t want to comment. She had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well for any of them. She buried that thought and focused on what she had to do—draw Dirian away from Skuld.
They started over the crimson sands of the vast desert. The temperature soared, even in the predawn light, and warned of the heat of the day to come. Saying nothing, Quinn pressed on and carried them deeper into the desert.
Skye had given Freya another dose of the liquid that would dim her pain. But as the heat of the sandy desert rose, her skin seared and burned.
“You okay, Gee?” Archie called. “You’re looking really pale.”
Freya nodded and gritted her teeth. “It’s just getting hot.”
“We passed hot long ago,” he commented. “This is volcanic!”
As they ventured deeper into the desert and with the sun’s glow starting to peer over the horizon, Freya began to regret her decision. She was in far too much pain to fight properly. She could barely focus, let alone wield her sword with any accuracy. But they’d come too far to stop now. The others were counting on them to draw Dirian and the Dark Searchers away.
“There,” Quinn called as he pointed into the distance to a large keep sitting alone on the crimson sand.
“It looks just like the Dark Searchers’ keep in Utgard!” Orus cawed.
“Maybe it’s the same one,” Archie called hopefully. “If it is, we know a hidden way in.”
As they drew near the tall stone structure, Freya’s hopes sank. The stone used to construct this building was deep red. The Keep of the Dark Searchers in Utgard was solid black.
“It’s not the same,” Freya said, failing to hide her disappointment. “But if we’re lucky, the layout might be similar.”
“I hope we can get in there without much trouble,” Quinn said. “That sun is no friend of ours. If we’re still outside when it climbs higher
in the sky, we’ll be roasted alive.”
Freya nodded. “We’ll get in. Dirian won’t want me roasted outside the keep. He wants to kill me himself.”
“You make it sound like we’ve already lost,” Archie said.
Freya looked at him and smiled sadly, knowing she wasn’t up to this. It was taking all her strength just to keep moving. She didn’t have the energy to fight Dirian. Her only hope now was for Skye’s team to make it in and out safely.
“Be careful, Freya,” Orus cawed. “If you let yourself be captured too easily, it will raise suspicion. We must enter as though we’re attacking.”
“Have you been reading my mind?” she asked.
“No, but I know you better than you know yourself. You’re giving up.”
“No, I’m not—I just know my limits.”
“Hello . . . ,” Archie said. “I’m here, remember? I haven’t trained all this time at Valhalla just so you can surrender. What about Quinn and his bag of magic tricks? This fight isn’t over till it’s over. You got that?”
Freya smiled again. “Got it.” She looked over at Quinn. “Take us down to the balustrade. He may know I’m here, but we’re not going to make it easy for him to catch us.”
Quinn maneuvered in the sky and brought them down to the imposing keep. On closer inspection, it was larger than the one in Utgard, with four large towers at each corner and a wide patrol balustrade running along the top.
“There’s no one up here,” Archie said.
“And I know why,” Quinn answered. “In a short while the sun will be up fully. Anyone still out here doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Over there.” Freya pointed to one of the tall towers. She spied a large door that led to the balustrade. “We’ll go in through there.”
When they touched down on the roof, Freya drew her sword. “Quinn, can you magic yourself a sword? And perhaps a cape to hide your wings? We don’t want you to be recognized as Vanir. I want you to conceal your magic until we really need it.”
“And a sword for me, too, please,” Archie said. “Crixus trained me well. I’m not too shabby at all.”
Quinn cast a spell, and two shining silver swords appeared on the ground at their feet. Quinn picked his up and inspected it. “I’ve never used a sword before.”
“Hopefully, you won’t have to. It’s just for effect. Let me go in first. Use your magic if you must, but hold back if you can. I’m hoping that with your wings covered, they’ll assume you’re human like Archie.”
“Be careful,” Orus cawed.
“You too.” Freya pulled the handle on the door. She stole one last look at the rising sun, wondering if she’d ever see it again. Taking a deep breath, she entered Dirian’s keep.
23
FREYA SWITCHED HER SENSES TO full alert. She could feel Dark Searchers inside, but no fire giants. Scanning further, she felt something else—another presence: a very old and powerful presence.
“I can feel Skuld,” Freya said. “She’s down in the dungeons. But she’s surrounded by Dark Elves, dwarfs, and I think I feel some trolls.”
“So where’s Dirian?” Archie asked.
Freya frowned. “I’m not sure. I can feel him, but it’s like he’s all around us. It’s really strange.”
Quinn nodded. “I feel it too. He’s using Dark Elf magic to amplify himself—wait . . .” He inhaled sharply. “No, it can’t be!”
“What?”
His intense gray eyes settled on Freya. “Do you feel that? She’s here.”
“Yes, Skuld is here. We know.”
Quinn shook his head. “No, not Skuld. I’m talking about Vanir-Freyja—she’s here too!”
“Freya?” Archie asked, sounding confused.
“Not our Freya, the Valkyrie,” Quinn corrected. “I mean Vanir-Freyja, twin sister to Vanir-Freyr.”
“Wait,” Archie said. “Are you saying there are two Freyas?”
Freya nodded. “Okay, quick history lesson. Remember I told you about the ancient war between the Aesir and the Vanir and how hostages were traded? Well, the Vanir sent the brother-and-sister twins, Freyr and Freyja. They’ve lived in Asgard ever since the war but are never seen. My mother named me after Vanir-Freyja, but changed the spelling.” She inhaled. “It makes sense now—probably because I have a twin brother.”
“But she didn’t name your brother Freyr; she called him Kai,” Archie pointed out.
“Yes,” Freya agreed. “But she might not have been allowed to call him Freyr because he was to be given to the Dark Searchers.” She turned back to Quinn. “Is Vanir-Freyr here too?”
Quinn closed his eyes. After a moment he shook his head. “No, just Vanir-Freyja.”
“That’s strange,” Archie said. “You’d think Dirian would capture both—double the magic.”
A rock settled in the pit of Freya’s stomach as she recalled the stories about Vanir-Freyja. “He’s not using her for magic—he could have taken any Vanir for that. No, his intentions are much worse.” She looked back at Quinn. “Do you remember any of the stories about her?”
“Not a lot. Just that she’s supposed to be the most enchanting woman in all the realms.”
“Exactly,” Freya agreed. “It’s a part of her magic. Men fall instantly in love with her the moment they see her. Throughout the ages, the giant kings have tried to possess her. Dwarfs have used their magic to create jewelry for her, just to see her smile. That’s why she went into hiding. It’s even rumored that she was the very first Valkyrie, but I don’t know for sure.”
“No one could ever be that beautiful,” Archie said.
“She is,” Freya said. “What if Dirian is offering her as a gift to the giant king who defeats Odin?”
Archie shook his head. “That’s crazy! Maybe he took her because he’s in love with her himself.”
Freya shook her head. “I don’t think so. He’s too evil to feel anything but rage and hatred.”
Quinn caught on to Freya’s line of thinking. “You’re suggesting Vanir-Freyja is the giants’ incentive to go to war?” He paused and rubbed his chin. “I’ve heard they don’t care about power or ruling the other realms. . . .” He snapped his fingers. “Of course, it makes perfect sense! Dirian is clever. He’s using Skuld as a weapon and Vanir-Freyja as the reward for the giants.”
“That is wrong on so many levels,” Archie said. “We’ve got to save her. We can’t let Dirian give her away like some kind of prize in a game. It’s evil.”
“But we must be sure,” Quinn said.
“What other proof do you need?” Freya challenged. “No one, not even Dirian, would have the power to unite the giants unless he could promise them something big in return. Our history is filled with stories of how the giants have tried to get hold of her. They even stole Thor’s hammer to exchange for her. Now she’s here? That can’t be a coincidence. Dirian must be using her as a prize.”
Freya looked up at the rising sun. “This changes everything. Quinn, get out of here now, before the sun rises fully. Find Skye and the others and tell them what’s happening. Send one of the soldiers back through the tunnel to Midgard. We must get word to Thor and the others. Vanir-Freyja is even more important than Skuld.”
Quinn shook his head. “I can’t leave you; you’re in no condition to fight. You can barely stand!”
Freya shook her head. “Don’t you understand? I’m not important. None of us are. Only Vanir-Freyja and Skuld matter. If you’re captured with us, the others will never know how Dirian is controlling the giants. Don’t you see? You must go!”
“She’s right,” Orus cawed. “Go now, before Dirian sends his Dark Searchers up here.”
“I—I,” Quinn started. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“If you don’t go now, you’ll be roasted by the sun!” Archie pushed Quinn toward the door. “Just get out of here and warn the others!”
Freya felt Quinn’s conflicted emotions and realized she didn’t want him to go either. But this was bigger than a
ll of them. “Forget about us and go. Archie and I will do what we can to distract Dirian and the Dark Searchers. You and Skye must work with the soldiers to get Vanir-Freyja out of here. Don’t you see? If she’s no longer the prize, the giants will stop attacking Asgard. That’s how we’ll do it! That’s how we’ll stop Ragnarök!”
24
FREYA WATCHED QUINN DISAPPEARING INTO the distance and felt a pang of disappointment.
“Earth to Gee . . . Hello?” Archie’s voice shook her back to the moment. “Wow, you’ve really got it bad.”
“What?” Freya frowned.
“You heard me.” Archie smiled and shook his head. “You and Quinn?”
Freya stole a final look into the sky. Quinn was gone from sight. “Archie, this isn’t the time. We’re about to face Dirian alone. The chances of us surviving this are nil.”
“I know that,” Archie said. “Which is why you shouldn’t deny your feelings. You like him; there’s no crime in that.”
“We’re at war! I don’t have time for these feelings.”
“But you do feel them,” Orus added. “I’ve seen it too, Freya.”
“Not you, too,” Freya said to the raven on her shoulder. “Can we please focus? Vanir-Freyja is in here somewhere. Until Dirian catches us, let’s see if we can find her.”
Freya stormed down the tower steps, which ended any further discussion. Of course they were right. There was something about Quinn that she really liked, and she regretted that he had to leave. . . . But this wasn’t the time to let feelings distract her. There was too much at stake.
With her senses on high alert, Freya felt Dark Searchers all over the keep. So far, none were making moves to come after them. The tower stairs wound down through each level. At the ground floor, Freya paused before a tall, dark-red wood door. Dirian. She could feel him close by.
“He’s through there. What’s he waiting for?”
“He’s toying with you,” Archie whispered. “He must know you’re expecting him to move, so he’s teasing you.”
