Hlif stood, not able to hold back anymore. She went to stand next to Bo. The woman’s face was wet with tears. Not sure how else to show her support, she stood by silently and waited. If Bo needed her, she only had to reach out and Hlif would be there for her.
Seconds ticked by. Then a minute. Finally, Bo turned around, fully composed.
“Was that why you were so distant with me. You weren’t sure if you wanted me?”
A sob escaped Magarethe’s slips. “I was scared that if I got too close, I would not be able to keep the secret anymore. I ached for my child…for you. Everyday.”
Bo nodded. “Thank you for telling me.” She left the kitchen without a backward glance, leaving Hlif to watch Magarethe silently fall apart.
It all came back to Loki and the ripple impact his actions had on the life of these innocent mortals.
Chapter 11
Shawn rolled over and felt around for the offending phone. He found the vibrating instrument and glanced at his sleeping wife. A read the caller ID and frowned. The hour was still early and this could not be good.
“Hlif? What happened?”
“Good morning, Professor. I apologise for calling so early, but I need your help.”
“Give me a moment.” Shawn threw off the blankets and patted barefoot to the bathroom. “I’m back. Tell me what I can I do for you?”
He listened as Hlif explained how she needed to talk to him about Bo and how it couldn’t wait. An hour later, he was showered and dressed. He leaned over Jennifer and kissed her. The blue eyes flickered open. “Good morning, honey.”
“You’re dressed.”
“I need to go out and help a friend?”
“But it’s still early.”
He kissed her again. “I know. It’s Bo.”
Jennifer blinked. “Bo? Is she okay? What happened?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll know more once I’ve spoken to her.” He stroked her cheek. “You’re going out shopping today. Maybe we could meet up for lunch later.”
“That sounds good. See you later, my love.”
She was asleep even before he had left the room. Given the chance, Jennifer would spend the whole day in bed. He loved to see her so relaxed, considering the fast-paced lifestyle she led as a celebrity food critic.
The drive to the address Hlif had provided took about twenty minutes. He was surprised to notice the tall frame of Hlif waiting outside a nondescript, three-story building. She approached him as soon as he got out of the car. She smiled, but he could tell she was troubled.
“Thank you for coming, Professor.”
“Anything for a friend. How’s she doing?”
Hlif sighed. “She’s in her room. I wanted to talk to you first before we sit with the two of them.”
“Sure.”
He followed her into the building and realized that he was in the headquarters of Valkyrie VIP Private Security and Investigations. It had an open-plan setup with several workstations and a few glassed-off cubicles. Hlif led him past a large glass cubicle that served as a boardroom and which was fitted with a bank of monitors. They entered the office next to the boardroom. It was airy and neat. The furnishing was aesthetically minimalist, with a gleaming desk, a stylish seating area, and floor to ceiling bookshelves. Shawn was surprised to notice that some of the titles related to archaeology. There were even three of his books in the collection.
The aroma of coffee dragged his gaze to where Hlif was pouring them each a cup. Shawn was practically salivating for his first taste of the day. He gratefully accepted the drink and followed Hlif. They each took a seat at the small lounge area. He studied the woman over the rim of his mug and taking in her very causally outfit of loose jeans and a white button-down shirt. Hlif looked good in everything. He thought of Hanna and wondered if the young woman had made work of the suggestion to get to know Hlif first. With the raw magnetism she exuded, he was sure that most women who met Hlif were tempted to leapfrog to the obvious part.
“I have something to confess.”
Shawn’s eyes narrowed. That was not a good way to start a serious conversation. “You do?”
“Yes.” Hlif stared into her cup for a moment, before she looked up. “I know all about your daughter-in-law.”
Aspen? Shawn fought hard not to react. “What exactly are you referring to, Hlif?” Please, don’t let her try to blackmail him. He genuinely liked Hlif and he hated to think he was such a bad judge of character.
“I know that she’s about three-thousand years old.”
Crap! She really did know about Aspen. “That’s absurd. How would she still be alive if she’s that old?”
Hlif’s eyes were sharp as they studied him. “Maybe she was cursed and turned into a statue that would come alive at night. What do you think?”
Shawn put his mug on the table and stood. “It would seem that I was lured here under false pretences. I’m leaving. Thanks for the coffee.” He walked to the door. Maybe it’s a good thing Hanna hadn’t gone for Hlif, after all.
“I’m like her.”
Shawn stopped dead in his tracks and turned. “What did you say?”
“I said, I’m like Aspen.”
Not sure how to respond to that, he simply stared at her with wide eyes.
“If you take a seat, we can talk about it.”
Shawn glanced at the door and then back at Hlif. This had been a perfect out for him. He hoped he didn’t regret not having taken it. He carefully took a seat.
“I’m old. Probably even older than Aspen, I don’t know.”
“Wow!” Shawn swallowed. Really? Wow! That’s what he was going to go with. “I’m sorry. It’s… I don’t know what to say. What do you want me to say?”
Hlif smiled. “Nothing. Unless, of course, you have any questions.”
“Who... who are you really?”
“I’m Hlif the Supreme Valkyrie and daughter of Odin Allfather.”
Hlif the Supreme Valkyrie.
He had found Hlif!
The hair on his nape bristled as realization dawned as he gaped at the woman watching him calmly. He was in the presence of a goddess. She was Odin’s favourite daughter; the commander of his Valkyries and the most revered demi-goddess.
Now that he knew what to look for, it was easy to spot. Her presence. It was suddenly unmistakably authoritative. Hlif carried her power with effortless grace. However, it wouldn’t hurt to be sure.
“H… how do I know you’re telling the truth?”
Hlif took a sip from her mug. “I was there when Gurith killed herself. Loki, my bastard of a half-brother, was the reason she took her own life. He found out that Gurith and I were lovers and he wanted her soul so he could be in Odin’s good graces.”
Shawn gaped at the woman before him. Odin, Loki, and Gurith. This was too absurd not to be true. He reached for his coffee mug with a shaky hand. “You and Queen Gurith were partners?”
“She was the love of my life. I was banished from Valhalla because I refused to let Odin take Gurith’s soul.” Hlif inhaled deeply. “Odin couldn’t capture her father’s soul. So, he wanted hers.”
Shaking his head slowly, Shawn stared at Hlif. “Why was the warrior’s soul so important to him? And Gurith’s?”
“Gurith’s father, Harald Haardraad, was one of the greatest warriors ever. He didn’t want to end up a peon in Odin and Frigg’s game of souls, so he took his own life and ended up wandering the mortal realm. Gurith, on the other hand, was a magnificent warrior. Some believed she was an even greater warrior than her father. When Loki found out who she was, he pursued her. He still is.”
Still? “What do you mean he’s still pursuing Gurith? Isn’t she dead?”
“Not anymore. She was reborn nearly forty years ago.”
Shawn put his mug down and pinched himself. He’d hate to find himself dreaming all this. The pain from the nip was real and so too was Hlif. “How do you know that she was reborn?”
“Because she’s asleep in one of my g
uest rooms.”
His brain went into overdrive as he put the puzzle together. Suddenly a lot of things began to make sense. Aspen asking about the statue in the tomb. Hlif offering the help of some ‘woman’ to assist with information on Gurith. Hlif rushing off even before Shawn had given her the name of his friend who was in trouble.
Gurith was reincarnated as Bo Witteman!
This was a lot to take in. He walked over to the window and stared out through unseeing eyes. Aspen knew or at very least suspected. That’s why she kept asking all those cryptic questions. Yet, one thing didn’t add up.
“Shouldn’t you be in granite form right now?”
“I haven’t been a statue for almost twenty years now.” She lifted her hair. A tiny braid blended with a blonde strand was visible. “After Bo’s parents were killed, I found a lock of Bo’s hair amongst her mother’s items. Having it on my person stops me from transforming.” Hlif’s eyes lightened perceptively. “That’s when I first realized who she was.” Hlif’s expression turned cold. “As for the murderers, I made them pay dearly.”
Shawn felt like his head was about to explode. Now he knew why it seemed like the perpetrators disappeared into thin air. Hlif made them disappear.
“Does she know?”
“No.”
Then why was he here? “What do you want me to do?”
“You called her here for a reason. What is it about?”
Shawn frowned. “You know about that?”
“I know everything about Bo,” Hlif said, her eyes glowing with an ominous light.
“I believe you,” Shawn said quickly. There was no need to provoke an obviously love-struck demi-goddess. “I wanted to tell her about the strange deaths that occurred in their lineage and how it could explain her parents’ murder.”
Hlif stood. “Then that is what I want you to tell them. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Do you think they’ll believe you?”
“No, but I have a plan. Are you ready to meet with them?”
He didn’t have a choice, Shawn thought as he nodded. He should’ve brought Jennifer along.
***
Bo pulled the duvet over her head when she heard the door open softly after having blatantly ignored the knocking. The bed dipped and a familiar spicy scent surrounded her. Bo waited expectantly to see what Hlif would do. In a perfect world, she would’ve loved for the other woman to get into bed with her and spoon her as she had done earlier.
“You have a visitor.”
“I’m not up to seeing anyone today.” It was the truth. She was still a little raw, after having heard Magarethe’s brutally honest tale about why she had given her up. To think she’d made up excuses for Magarethe earlier.
“It’s professor Whitaker.”
The professor was here? Bo wondered if there was anything new the man could add to what she’d heard already. Did he perhaps know who was chasing after her? And why?
She threw the blanket off and found Hlif watching her with an odd tenderness in her eyes. Hlif blinked and the look was gone; replaced by one of concern.
“I’ll need some time to get ready.”
Hlif nodded and stood. Even in her emotional state, Bo noticed the low riding jeans with appreciation. The woman knew how to make clothes look great on her.
“I’m sure he’ll understand.” The concerned expression was still there. “Since you didn’t manage to finish your breakfast, I’ll have some eggs ready, in case you feel like having some.” She seemed unsure of what to do next, thus Bo was surprised when Hlif leaned over her and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
Stunned, by the kiss and the oddly intimate remark, Bo lay motionless as she watched the woman leave. She blew out a shaky breath when the door closed behind Hlif. Bo had been with a lot of women and every time, she’d felt in charge. Had known exactly how to feel. How much to give. Not once did she have to break her own rules.
She hadn’t counted on having a tall, intense woman with mysterious eyes come to her rescue. Nor to have said woman wreak absolute havoc with the senses. Even as emotionally chaotic as her life was now, she was acutely aware of Hlif.
Could it be that her current feelings of abandonment heightened her response to Hlif? The other woman wasn’t making a secret that she wanted her.
Bo threw off the duvet. It was time to stop feeling sorry for herself and face the world. Professor Whitaker called her here for a reason and that was probably what she needed to get on with her life.
***
It amazed Shawn by how much the woman resembled Bo. She was a few decades older, but she was still a very beautiful woman. He smiled when sharp icy blue eyes caught and held his.
“I’m sorry for staring, but it’s uncanny how much you resemble your granddaughter.”
The sharp glint in the woman’s eyes softened perceptively. She lowered her gaze and reached for the coffee mug in front of her. “She’s not my granddaughter.”
Shawn blinked and sought out Hlif. The Valkyrie was busy at the stove from where the most heavenly aromas were coming. The dark head turned and a sable brow arched over very stormy grey eyes.
“She’s my mother.” The voice so unexpected, made them all turn to the door leading down the hallway.
Bo Witteman looked pale and depressed. He moved over to her and held out both his hands. She looked at them before she moved in for a strong hug. Shawn was shocked, but he sensed she needed the closeness. He held her tenderly. When she pulled away, her eyes were dark with emotion.
“Hi, Bo.”
He wanted to ask how she was doing, but he had an idea of how she would be feeling. When he’d last spoken to Bo, she still referred to the older woman as her grandmother. Just now, her tone held a note of bitterness to it when she mentioned their change in relationship. It was evident that Bo’s state of mind was a direct response to the revelation that her grandmother was, in fact, her mother. Shawn wanted to know more, but they weren’t close enough for him to snoop around in her personal life.
“Professor.”
Bo threw a glance at her mother before she took a seat next to the woman, where Hlif had placed a plate with an omelette and a mug of coffee. The Valkyrie stood quietly next to the pulled out chair. Shawn watched their interaction closely. Bo might not know she was in the presence of her immortal love, but it was obvious that the blonde wasn’t completely indifferent to the Valkyrie.
Hlif, on the other hand, was watching Bo with an almost possessive look in her eyes. When Bo took her seat, she looked up at Hlif and for that moment, the rest of the world didn’t exist for them.
They were already in love, Shawn realized. Poor Hanna. He took a sip of his coffee as he subtly studied the couple. Bo reached for the fork and under Hlif’s encouraging gaze, began to eat.
“I’m sorry to hear about the stalker following you here,” he said softly and Bo looked at him. “Hlif told me.”
“He was here earlier, but Hlif scared him off.”
Shawn threw a quick glance at Hlif. She had left that important part out. He wondered why. “I hope it scared him off forever.”
“I doubt it.”
He glanced at Magarethe. What a strange way to introduce herself into the conversation. Maybe she knew something already. This was also a great lead into the conversation he was to have with them.
“Why would you think that, Ms Witteman?”
The woman gave him a sharp look. “Lund. My surname is Lund.”
Shawn blinked. Lund? He had come across the name in the book. Lund was one of the many lines of the Haardraad lineage. His news might not be news anymore. Bo hadn’t even looked up from her plate. He put the mug on the table with a sigh.
“It would seem I am late with what I thought would be news to you.” Bo looked up this time and Shawn noticed the disappointment in her eyes. “But I still want to tell you what I know.”
Magarethe turned to look at him and although she favoured Bo in looks, she w
as nothing like Bo. Nor would Shawn want Bo to become as cold and distant as her mother.
“Yes, let’s hear what you have to say,” the older woman snapped, but a cool look from Bo, silenced Magarethe.
Hlif came around to fill up his mug and he smiled at her. He wondered when she was going to come clean with Bo. If Bo’s reaction to her mother’s secret was any indication, Hlif should expect some turmoil. He took a sip of the coffee and began to relay what he had read in the book. When he was done, he noticed with regret that he hadn’t told them anything new.
The kitchen was quiet and Hlif was busy making a fresh batch of omelettes. Shawn accepted his plate with a grateful nod. He had taken his first bite, when Bo spoke.
“Do you know who’s hunting us?”
He couldn’t answer that question. It was up to Hlif. “No.”
“Where did you get the information from?” Magarethe asked calmly. She seemed less combative now. In fact, the woman appeared a little more relaxed.
“I found it in a series of diaries by Irish monks who inhabited Iceland long before the Vikings arrived. It’s written in Gaelic. Some details might’ve been lost in translation, but we could piece together everything that pertained to the Haardraads and their reign.”
“Could… could I see it?”
Shawn smiled at Magarethe. “Of course. I would love if you could visit the tomb. It would be an honour to have a descendent of Queen Gurith on site.” There was a soft pinging sound and Hlif excused herself. “The dig is closed tomorrow, but I would love to have you over.”
Hlif entered the kitchen, followed by a tall, powerfully built man with greying hair and sharp icy blue eyes. Magarethe looked alarmed as she looked at the man, but it was Bo’s reaction that alerted Shawn to the fact that something was drastically wrong. The blonde’s face was a mask of terror as she surged to her feet. Shawn followed suit, but before he could do something, anything, Bo turned to run. The chair she had just vacated, overturned and became caught in Bo’s feet. She went down, her head hitting the floor with an audible smack.
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