Shatterproof

by Stein Willard

  Not long after his elevation to the leader of Odin’s wolf-warriors, Bodvar’s eye caught that of a beautiful maiden. She was the virgin daughter of a Vanir goddess. The Vanir was another race of gods in Valhalla and not very tolerable of Odin and his brutal way of life. When Loki noticed the longing looks passing between Bodvar and Aga, he thought it a prime opportunity to lure the warrior to his side. To make a long story short, Loki managed to bring the two lovebirds together, without the knowledge of their respective races. By the time they were discovered, Loki had already wrangled a favour from the powerful Berserker and wasn’t bothered much when the warrior was temporarily banned from Valhalla for defiling a goddess. It seems that after a millennia Bodvar was still holding a grudge.

  Loki’s eyes widened when the warrior lifted his hands, ready to ascend to Valhalla. He quickly stepped closer.

  “I need you to protect me from Hlif. She…” He didn’t get to finish.

  “No.”

  “What do you mean by ‘no’? You owe me!” Loki was panicking. Bodvar was a man of his word. An honourable warrior. He couldn’t renege on their agreement.

  “I will not fight Hlif.”

  “Why not?” Loki’s eyes narrowed, growing sly. If he couldn’t influence the man’s honour, he would attack his pride. “Or are you scared of being bested by a woman?”

  Bodvar glared at him. “Yes.”

  “WHAT!” He surely hadn’t heard that correctly. Did Bodvar the Berserker just admitted to being scared of meeting Hlif in battle. The Berserkers were the male counterparts of the Valkyries. They were all well trained and deadly warriors. “You cannot be scared of her. She… she is but a woman. A mortal.”

  The warrior frowned. “You are a fool for thinking that. If you were less of a coward, you would have realized that Hlif never needed special powers to make her a great warrior.” He leaned closer to Loki until their noses almost touched. “She was born to be great.” Bodvar stepped away and throwing his hands up, he disappeared in a flash of light.

  Swearing under his breath, Loki hurled the glass across the room.

  Time to consider a Plan B.

  ***

  Bo looked around, disoriented. The beeping of machines and the sterile smell was a sure giveaway. Her second day in Iceland and she already landed herself in hospital. She swept the room and froze when she made out the slumbering form of her grand… Magarethe. The fact that she could remember that was a relief. No amnesia. If so, then why couldn’t she remember what led to her ending up in hospital. She lifted her hand, trying to pull off the oxygen mask.

  “You probably shouldn’t remove that.”

  Bo slowly turned her head. She immediately recognized the tall form of Hlif. The dark grey eyes were hooded as they studied her. Hlif’s appearance triggered all the memories from her visions. Now that she was aware of Hlif’s true identity, the look of apprehension on the beautiful face was completely out of place.

  She lifted the oxygen mask. “What happened?”

  “You tripped over your feet and hit your head.”

  She tripped? A vengeful, faceless killer was hunting her across two continents and she trips over her feet and ends up in hospital. How utterly lame was that?

  “How long have I been out?”

  “About fourteen hours,” Hlif said carefully. “It’s my fault that you ended up hitting your head.”

  “What did you do?” She tried to sit up, but the blinding pain that shot through her head made her gasp. Hlif was suddenly very close, her hand resting protectively over Bo’s forehead. The touch, so comforting and familiar, made her close her eyes.

  “You shouldn’t move. I’ll call the doctor to give you something for the pain.”

  She was gone before Bo could stop her. The last thing she needed was something that would make her fuzzy. Especially now that she knew all there was to know about her and Hlif. And Loki! She needed to warn Hlif.

  “How do you feel?”

  Bo stiffened at the unexpected voice. She turned her eyes slowly to meet Magarethe’s. The other woman looked both hopeful and nervous. There was already so much for Bo to work through and staying angry with Magarethe was not something she wanted to deal with now.

  “I’ve been better.”

  Magarethe smiled, but it didn’t overshadow the concerned look on her face. “You’re lucky you have such a hard head.”

  “Wonder who I got it from,” Bo muttered. The smile on Magarethe’s face widened. She didn’t have to wonder any longer, it would seem. She closed her eyes for a moment, hoping it would stem the pain behind her eyes. “What made me trip over my feet?”

  “It was more a case of ‘who’ made you trip over your feet.” Magarethe took a deep breath. “The man who’s been stalking you turned out to be Harald.”

  “Harald? Should I know him?” Why couldn’t her grand… Magarethe just be direct.

  “Harald Haardraad.”

  Gurith’s father! Odin mentioned the man’s name during their conversation. How could Harald be alive after all this time? How did he know she was the reincarnation of Gurith? He must though; otherwise, he wouldn’t have followed her. That explained his strange behaviour. Bo realized now that Harald wasn’t staking out her house, he was guarding it. An honourable idea, but with a very creepy execution.

  Magarethe was watching her with great expectation on her face. What did her mother expect her to do? Or say?

  “Oh.”

  Magarethe’s response was quite interesting. Her face pulled into a mask of utter disbelief as her mouth opened and closed comically. “That’s all you have to say?”

  Before she could form a retort, Hlif entered the room followed by two nurses and a doctor. When she stopped a few feet from the bed, seemingly unsure of what to do now that she was there and with a poorly disguised look of such longing on her face, Bo couldn’t take it anymore. She held out her hand and watched as surprise flash over the beautiful face. Hlif’s hesitation was brief. She almost trampled the hospital staff in her attempt to get to Bo’s side and take her hand.

  “I’m sorry, but you’ll have to leave now,” the doctor objected.

  Hlif’s hold tightened and Bo turned to the doctor.

  “They stay,” Bo said in a firm tone.

  The peeved doctor gave Bo a level stare. “According to hospital policy no one but the necessary hospital staff…”

  “We’ll be waiting outside the door,” Magarethe interrupted the doctor and reached for Hlif’s free hand.

  The familiarity between the two women surprised Bo. The world seemed to have changed in the past fourteen hours. Hlif was staring at her with a fierce intensity that made Bo realize that her accident had deeply affected the Valkyrie.

  Bo brought Hlif’s hand to her lips and smiled at the astonishment on the other woman’s face.

  “Don’t go far, Valkyrie. We have a lot to discuss.”

  The kiss had obviously thrown the woman, but the use of her title had dumbfounded Hlif. Magarethe had to pull hard to get Hlif out of the room. Bo held Hlif’s gaze until the nurse closed the door behind their retreating figures. She lay back and allowed the staff to prick and prod away, her mind never far from the tall woman, she knew was probably pacing the hallway before her door.

  ***

  “She knows.”

  “But how?”

  Hlif spun on her heel. Magarethe was shaking her head. Bo had already been unconscious when they discussed Hlif’s history. She felt herself deflate. Unless Bo simply used the term in jest. Magarethe herself joked about it last night when she spoke about Bo and Hlif having babies together. Her shoulders slumped.

  “She doesn’t know. I think she was only teasing me.”

  Magarethe grimaced. “It sounds like the most plausible explanation.” She gave Hlif a rueful look. “I’m sorry, Hlif.”

  “Me, too.”

  Hurried footsteps sounded and Harald and Shawn came down the corridor towards them. Both men looked alarmed. They probably went by the wa
iting room and found them gone.

  “What happened?” Shawn asked sharply.

  “She woke up.”

  Harald seemed visibly proud. “I told you she’s a fighter.”

  Magarethe scowled at him. “She had to be, what with the situation you’ve placed us in.”

  Not in the mood for the bickering she was sure would follow, Hlif moved away from the group to where it was a little quieter. As much as she wanted to believe that Bo had only been kidding when she referred to Hlif as a Valkyrie, she couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps that was not the case.

  For starters, there had been a peculiar look in Bo’s eyes when she had called her that. The look had been oddly familiar, too. Hlif sighed. Maybe it was just her imagination. She was desperate to reclaim her place in Bo’s heart and that was probably why she was coming up with all these theories.

  The door to Bo’s room opened and she quickly approached the doctor. The man’s expression didn’t change as he took them in.

  “The swelling on her brain isn’t as dire as we had initially thought, but the medicine we administered also aided in the process. Preliminary tests look promising; however, we would like to keep her overnight for monitoring. If by tomorrow everything appears normal, we may discharge her.”

  “Could one of us stay with her tonight?” Hlif asked quickly.

  “Yes, but it’s important that she rest as much as she can, so no keeping her up late. For now, you can visit with her for a few minutes, before the pain medication kicks in.”

  With a curt nod, the doctor left them. The nurses were still busy around Bo’s bed and they waited impatiently for them to finish up. Hlif estimated that it wouldn’t be long before the painkillers kicked in, for Bo’s gaze was already bleary as she tried to focus on them. More specifically, Hlif found, on her.

  She gave the drugged woman a small smile and received a blinding one in return. Inhaling sharply, Hlif quickly lowered her gaze, overwhelmed by emotion. That was exactly how Gurith used to smile at her. And only her. When she looked up, it was to find Bo still looking straight at her. She had a tiny frown between her eyes.

  One of the nurses appeared in Hlif’s direct eyesight. “Who will be staying with the patient tonight?”

  Hlif looked at Magarethe and received a tiny nod. “It will be me.”

  The nurse gave her a few quick instructions about what Bo would need during the night. Hlif listened attentively, but she was also acutely aware of Bo’s eyes on her. The others were standing around the bed, chatting to her, but the blonde seemed to be quite engrossed in watching Hlif. After the nurse left, Hlif hung back, allowing the other to spend some time with Bo.

  ***

  Shawn was tired and looking forward to a hot shower and a kiss from his wife. Jennifer would not believe the day he had. Even he was struggling to process everything. To top it off, his coffee-drinking session with Harald had been quite enlightening. He needed to thank Aeron for her watchful eye and attention to detail, for Harald confirmed that his clan settled here almost six hundred years before the ‘first arrival’ of the Vikings.

  Harald’s great-great-grandfather, Torsten, a renowned warlord, had a falling out with a Jarl over land promised to him and his warriors after they helped the Jarl settle a border dispute with a rival clan. A skirmish between Torsten and the Jarl’s men ensued, which ended terribly for the warlord when his most trusted generals betrayed him. In retaliation, the warlord kidnapped the Jarl’s beautiful daughter and fled.

  The Jarl’s daughter was set to marry a powerful Danish king and Torsten knew that remaining in Scandinavia would be a death sentence. He sailed for foreign shores, only to get lost at sea and ending up at the most peculiar-looking place. The earth was barren, the mountains spewing fire, but the water was fresh and the sea was rich in fish.

  With his new wife heavily pregnant, he knew that another long sea journey would be detrimental to her survival and that of his heir. That was how the Vikings settled in Iceland in the 1st century.

  A sharp knock on his car window jerked Shawn from his musings. Jennifer’s concerned face peered at him through the window. He quickly rolled the window down and smiled at her.

  “Hi, honey.”

  “Hi, yourself. Are you okay?”

  He felt the tension of the day leave his body as he looked at the beautiful woman before him. “Now that I’ve seen you, yes.”

  She rolled her eyes at him. “If you say so. Wanna come inside?”

  “Oh, yes.” He gathered his briefcase and waited for her to step back from the door. They kissed softly and Shawn held her close for a few moments longer. Jennifer gave him a quizzical look and he kissed her again. “I’ll tell you once we’re inside. Where are the girls?”

  “They decided to take Cleo out for some dessert,” Jennifer replied as she hooked her arm through his. “Are you hungry?”

  “Famished.”

  “Maybe we could find out if they have room service.” She glanced at him. “By the looks of you, it seems like you had quite an interesting day and I’m eager to hear all about it.”

  Shawn nodded. “And I’ll tell you everything as soon as I get something to eat and a hot shower.”

  “How about I draw us a bath and we can talk while I wash your back?”

  Shawn chuckled softly. “I knew I had a winner when I pursued you all those years ago.”

  An hour later, Shawn was leaning back in the hot bath, Jennifer’s arms holding him close. They had shared a dinner of wonderful lamb stew and washed it down with a few glasses of a superb red. Shawn couldn’t think of a better space to be in at that moment. He was so comfortable; he ran the risk of dozing off.

  “So, what happened today that has put that sparkle in your beautiful golden eyes?”

  He smiled. Jennifer always joked that it was his eyes that made her finally decide to give him the time of day. “Well, where to start?” He wiggled his toes. “Do you remember the woman I invited for dinner last night? Hlif.”

  “Yes, I do. What about her?”

  Shawn turned his head so he could look at Jennifer. “She’s just like Aspen and Maxima.”

  Jennifer blinked at him. “She transforms into a statue?”

  “Saw it with my own two eyes,” he said as he relished at her shocked look. There wasn’t much that shocked his imperturbable wife. “But that’s not the shock of the day.”

  “What could beat seeing a live woman turn into a statue?” Jennifer retorted.

  He shrugged. “Bo Witteman is the reincarnation of Queen Gurith and the lover of Hlif, who is a Valkyrie and the daughter of Odin.” He didn’t have to look at Jennifer to know that she was left speechless by the last revelation.

  Chapter 16

  Hlif lifted her head where she stood looking out the window. It was almost midnight and the shadows had gathered in the room. Her eyes flitted over Bo’s sleeping face before they moved to the darkest corner in the room.

  “Do you come as a friend or a foe?” She might not have her sword with her, but she was armed with a dagger, an immortal blade that could do immense damage, even cause death, to an immortal being.

  The shadows shifted and a large figure stepped into the dim light coming in from the corridor. Bodvar was heavily armed and Hlif’s hand moved to the back of her jeans where the dagger was hidden.

  “It depends on you, my old friend,” Bodvar said, his eyes were fixed on Bo’s sleeping form.

  Hlif moved to block Bo from his gaze. Valhalla was a place of alliances but very few friendships. Bodvar and she might have fought many battles together, but if the Berserker had higher aspirations for his position in Valhalla, then no alliance or friendship would stop him from attaining just that. That was the kind of ship Odin was running nowadays. Eat or be eaten. A true predators’ paradise.

  “I don’t have time to unravel puzzles, Bodvar. Who sent you?”

  The warrior moved closer to her and Hlif unsheathed the dagger. Bodvar’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of
the weapon. He held up his hands. “It depends on whether you want me to be a friend to you and a foe to anyone who tries to harm you or your beloved.”

  Hlif held his gaze for a moment longer, searching the blue depths for any deceit. She sheathed the dagger. “Why are you doing this?”

  The heavy shoulders shrugged. “You are an honourable warrior and one I greatly admire. Since your departure, Valhalla has become an echo of its former self.” His eyes turned sad. “I am unsure what I am representing anymore.” He was quiet for a minute. “I have been watching you carving out a life here in the mortal realm and I realized that this is what I want. A life free of duty to another and to find my own path.” He smiled wistfully. “Maybe even father a son or two and teach them how to grow up to be honourable men.”

  Hlif realized that she had never considered her banishment that way. Now that she had Bo and was standing on the cusp of regaining everything she had lost, she could afford to see the advantages of her unfortunate punishment. Bodvar was right. She was free of perpetual servitude and duty and now could be anyone she wanted to be. She watched the large man closely. Bodvar would make a great addition to her team. The right woman would find him to be an ideal husband and a wonderful father.

  “Are you willing to give up immortality for all that?”

  “Without hesitation.”

  Hlif smiled and reached out her arm for a warrior style greeting. Bodvar smiled broadly and Hlif noticed that it looked like a weight had been rolled off the Berserker’s massive shoulders.

  “I’ll be keeping watch outside the hospital,” he said after a while, appearing rather self-conscious.

  Hlif nodded and watched him melt into the shadows. She stood motionless, looking at the shadows where Bodvar had disappeared. Even though she had expected the outcome, it was still disconcerting to hear that things were not going well in Valhalla. Valhalla had been the motivation behind many Viking armies. Men were willing to lay down their lives to reach the oasis of eternity in the bravest and most selfless of acts.