I followed that train of thought, growing alarmed. “What will happen when I fight Mordred? Or if one of the Queens dies? Or if Alex dies?”
Pandora was silent for about five seconds. “I have no idea. I can see the current distortions if I look, but I cannot predict what will happen in the future. Perhaps days or weeks could pass here. Or we could all die instantly of old age.”
I gasped, staring at her.
She sighed defeatedly. “I just wanted you to be aware. I know it’s not something you can do anything about.”
I thought about the Hourglass in my satchel. If it was ever time to take a risk, this was it. I’d fought Mordred too many times already. This was going to be the end. Period. And if I was ever going to give away something powerful, Pandora was the most credible person I knew.
She ran my freaking Armory, after all.
“Maybe I can do something about it….” I pulled out the Hourglass my parents had given me—the one that could lock down time between Fae and the earthly realm. It could also speed up or slow down time. It was like a master switch. I handed it over to her.
She accepted it with both hands, treating it as if it was made of porcelain. “I’d forgotten about this,” she whispered reverently.
“If you notice that time is getting out of hand, you can use this to control it to some extent. But only if things get out of hand. There might be benefits to time moving slower here…”
Pandora thought about that, and then sucked in a breath about two seconds later. “An army. There could be time to build an army.”
I shrugged bleakly. “I’m not sure there would be that much time, but enough to gather up a few friends at least.”
She nodded thoughtfully, setting it down near the wall where it couldn’t fall over.
“How did you know about the snowmen?” I asked, indicating some of the blue blood splashed over my arms.
In answer, she walked back to the door and threw the deadbolt, making sure we wouldn’t be disturbed. This simple act really put things into perspective for me. But then Pandora really, really put things into perspective for me.
“Your parents gave me this,” she whispered as she walked closer to me in slow, serpentine steps. She reached up and pulled the brooch off her toga, letting it fall to the ground.
“Whoa,” I said, lifting up my hands and trying to keep my eyes on her face—which was incredibly difficult with all that tan flesh swaying at me like the friendliest of hellos.
She drew closer, actually pressing her breasts and hips up against me, pinning me to the edge of the pool. It was only then that I realized that—although she’d seized an added benefit—she hadn’t been trying to make a move on me. She held the small metal brooch in her hand, and she was trying to show me what was inside it. I’d been so busy trying to look at only her face that I’d missed it.
I blinked at the open brooch—more of a locket, actually—but it was empty inside. I frowned. “I don’t see anything, Pandora,” I told her, trying to block out the pleasant view in my peripheral vision.
Which was hard since said view was pressed firmly against my bare flesh.
Pandora frowned. “When I look inside, I can see what my host sees,” she whispered. “So that when I am all alone here, I know that he is safe. That he hasn’t abandoned me. That he will come back home.”
I stared at the brooch and then at her. On one hand, that was incredibly kind of my parents to give her such a gift. But on the other hand…
“My parents gave you a Nanny Cam?”
She frowned, not catching the reference. “Hope can see Hope,” she explained. “But I’ve only used it when I was worried for your safety. I watched you often on your mountain,” she admitted in a soft whisper. “I watched you fight Pan,” she added, a tear falling from her cheek. “I miss him dearly…”
I cleared my throat forcefully, biting back my own heartache at her unexpected comment. “Me too, Pandora,” I admitted sadly. “I had no idea you had this,” I said gently. “Some might call it a curse.”
She straightened her shoulders. “Knowledge is pain. I have taught you this before. In this very room, to be exact.”
I nodded, remembering. She was talking about when she’d helped Alex, paving the way for him to later become the vessel for King Arthur’s soul.
“This is how I saw your snowmen. And how I will watch time between the realms while you are away.”
There were a million warnings I wanted to give her, but I realized how arrogant it was for me to assume I knew how to handle objects of power better than Pandora. If she had wanted to end the world, all she had to do was go play with her collection in the Armory. This was just a drop in the bucket compared to what she already managed.
“Now, you must clean up,” she said sternly. “You look like a vagrant.”
Without further warning, she yanked my satchel over my head and shoved me backwards, hard enough for me to drop my staff in the process. And I fell into the healing pool, pants and all. It wasn’t deep, so I was instantly able to set my feet and breach the surface. “Hey!” I snapped, laughing as I wiped water from my eyes.
I stared down at my forearms and blinked to find that all the blue blood was simply gone. I checked the rest of my arms, then my chest. It was all gone.
Holy crap. One quick dip into the pool had instantly cleaned me.
I was so amazed that I didn’t even process the flash of tan flesh in my peripheral vision until it was too late. Pandora ducked her head under the water, and I felt my jeans sliced off from the hip to the ankle as efficiently as a master fisherman deboning a fish.
“Pandora!” I shouted, covering myself with both hands and sitting down on the underwater bench near the lip of the pool.
She flung the ripped jeans, and a freaking knife, outside the tub. Then she rolled her eyes at me and stretched her arms out wide on the opposite side of the tub, giving me some pleasant things to feast my eyes upon.
Listen. I’m a healthy male. And I’d been living on a really cold mountain for a really long time. My testosterone reminded me, painfully, that we had not been working together as a team for quite a while, and that it was time to prove my loyalty. Right now.
I fought it down, noticing that I was gripping the wall of the pool.
Pandora grinned wickedly. Then she shrugged as if to say suit yourself.
We sat together in companionable silence, and I finally began to relax, the healing pool actually serving to rejuvenate me, refreshing my energy and revitalizing my mind. I hadn’t necessarily felt tired, but now I felt like I wouldn’t be able to sleep even if I tried.
I had a lot of things I wanted to ask Pandora about, but I knew I would sit here for a long time listening to her answers. And I had enough questions for hours of conversation.
However.
Even though Fae might have a time flux issue, my beef with Thor did not. And Gunnar had a limited window to use Geri and Freki.
But I deserved five minutes, at least. If for no other reason than to clear my head and think about everything I’d learned. I spent my time thinking long and hard about Odin and Niflheim. About whatever secrets he was obviously keeping from me.
After my five minutes, my thoughts drifted back to Gunnar, knowing that he was probably freaking out about my long absence in Fae. And that Drake and Cowan had probably ratted me out, spreading their filthy lies about the hot tub and the librarian. I sighed, glancing over at Pandora. “Do you have any towels? A robe?” I asked.
She shook her head, smiling eagerly.
I frowned, noticing my satchel on the far side of the room.
“You, um, cut up my pants.”
“I sure did,” she said, biting back a laugh. “What a shame.” She flashed me a suggestive grin. And then she drifted towards the front of the pool, propping her elbow on the lip and settling her chin into her palm, fully intending to have a front row seat when I climbed out.
I sighed in resignation. Then I climbed out of the pool,
pointedly ignoring the appreciative sounds from behind me as I strode across the room. I reached into my satchel and pulled out some dark jeans and a white shirt. Perfect for making the God of Thunder my bitch.
I pulled out another shirt to use as a towel, and then I began tugging on my clothes, feeling like I was going out on a date. It had been a long time since I’d had a warm bath.
Once I was dressed, I reached inside again, hoping to find a pair of shoes. I smiled as I pulled out a pair of socks and some old boots.
I sat down, tugging them on as I looked up to find Pandora still watching me from the pool. I figured now was as good a time as any to ask her opinion on an earlier idea of mine. “Is it okay if I borrow a few things?” I asked. “From the collection.”
Her smile stretched wide. “Of course. Go crazy.”
And I found myself grinning as I climbed to my feet, gathering my things.
“Thank you, Pandora,” I said, throwing back the deadbolt and opening the door.
“I’ll see you soon, my Host,” she replied. And now I knew it meant much more than a polite farewell.
It was a literal fact.
Chapter 40
I had dropped off my satchel in the balcony room, deciding it would only get in the way. I’d taken a small item from inside, but that was it.
I walked on through the Armory, using my rainbow staff as a walking stick as I considered my conversation with Pandora. As I walked, I studied the deadly items on the wall, dismissing them for various reasons—either I didn’t know how they would directly benefit us, I didn’t know what they were, or I wasn’t sure if Gunnar knew how to use them. Because I wasn’t shopping for me.
I finally found Gunnar in a side room, staring at the Nemean Lion Cloak hanging on the wall. That relic brought back old memories. Gunnar and Ashley had both worn it before, gaining incredible strength to fight off some Greeks.
That felt like it had happened in another life.
I sighed, shaking my head as I gripped my rainbow staff. Gunnar didn’t react to my presence. He’d probably scented me from down the hall, being a werewolf.
“You finally ready, or do you need to take off for another six hours,” he said in a frosty tone. “Did you have fun with Callie?”
I winced. I hadn’t known I had been gone that long. Since there was no way in hell I was going to tell him about Callie and her Mask yet—maybe not ever—I jerked my chin at the lion skin. “Pandora thinks time in Fae is more skewed than normal. Big events impact it more than others. She’s concerned about it.”
Gunnar nodded to himself. “Makes sense. So what was so impactful about your time with Callie?” he asked.
Crap. “Why don’t you tell me why you and Odin are so buddy-buddy?” I fired back in a calm tone, referring to their secret conversation outside the Armory.
“He was concerned about you. Wanted to make sure you didn’t overlook Thor or underestimate him. And he was showing me how to use Geri and Freki,” he admitted with a shrug. “Your turn.”
“Instead of discussing my relationships, how about we do Odin’s bidding. You think that thing will still fit your new dad bod?” I asked thoughtfully.
He slowly turned to look at me, a smile creeping over his face. “Tell me you’re not joking…”
I waved a hand at the Nemean Lion Cloak, encouraging him—and glad the distraction had derailed him.
He snatched it off the wall and threw it around his shoulders. Then he pulled up the hood and rounded on me. “Rawr!” he said playfully.
I grunted, rolling my eyes. “Wulfric is way scarier.”
He gave me an easy shrug. “Then imagine Wulfric wearing it.”
“Nah. I’d rather imagine Thor shitting himself when he sees Wulfric wearing it.”
Gunnar grinned eagerly. “Let’s go before some naked librarian walks by and distracts you again.”
I grimaced. “Drake and Cowan. Those bastards.”
Gunnar shrugged. “I know better. They don’t. Which makes the teasing so much more fun.”
I sighed. “It will probably make Pandora laugh,” I admitted.
“Where are we going, exactly?” he asked, his humor fading as he prepared for the task ahead.
I smiled, rubbing my hands together. “That’s where I’m hoping you can help. Otherwise we need to go ask Odin, and I’d rather not see him right now. I have some things I’m trying to work out in my mind about his story. Some things just don’t add up. And, call me old-fashioned, but I find it distasteful to ask Thor’s dad directions for this particular road trip—to kill his son.”
Gunnar grunted. “And you can’t hold your temper around him.”
“And that,” I admitted.
“So? Where are we going, and how can I help?” he asked, sounding puzzled.
“Can Geri and Freki help us get to Asgard? Or is that also distasteful?” I asked, frowning.
Gunnar looked up at me sharply. “You’re kidding. Asgard?”
I shrugged. “Thor mentioned that he wasn’t stupid enough to attack me in Fae where I held all the advantages. Made me think he might feel safe at home.”
Gunnar grinned from ear-to-ear. “So you want to wallop him on his home turf, in front of his allies, proving a point.”
“Hell no, man. I want to wallop him on his stolen throne, in front of all his people. To kill him on his own seat of power.”
Gunnar snarled eagerly. “Oh, I like this plan.” Then he glanced down, staring at where the wolves must be. I couldn’t see much this time, but I did catch a faint, repetitive blur. Were they wagging their tails? After a few moments of silence, Gunnar looked up at me and smiled a terrible smile. “They can take us, but I’ll have to drive.”
“Get us close. I don’t feel like walking far or meeting the locals. The throne room should suffice.”
Gunnar arched an eyebrow. Then he burst out laughing, straightening out the back of his Nemean Lion Cloak as if it wasn’t fitting him properly. I grabbed his forearm and took a deep breath, unaccustomed to sitting in the passenger seat.
My world exploded with rainbow light.
Gunnar—via Odin’s wolves—earned five stars on their Norse ride-sharing service. We landed about a dozen feet from a colossal golden throne. All I noticed was that it was expensive and that it was empty.
The rest of the throne room, however, was not.
Traveling by rainbow power must not have been that uncommon, because as I spun around to make sure we weren’t about to be dog-piled by a fleet of Valkyries, I saw a bunch of boring members of the court congregating near food tables on one side of the huge room.
Gunnar and I stood in the heart of Asgard, between parallel rows of thick, soaring, marble columns that led, fifty feet away, to a set of double doors that were at least thirty feet tall.
The members of the court—probably gods and demigods—were eating legs of turkey and other finger foods as they listened to a familiar asshole seated on a chair by the table of food.
None of them noticed us. At all.
I walked up a set of steps that elevated the throne above the floor level of the rest of the room. The platform was a large square shape, and at each corner, a life-sized statue of a god stared outward, regal and majestic. I noticed Thor, Freya, a one-handed man, and another beefy guy. In the center of the platform, stood the tall-backed golden throne. I walked up to it and sat down, kicking my boots up on one of the arms.
This was just ridiculous. Where were the guards? And how could they be so unperceptive?
Gunnar walked up to stand beside the throne, glancing about anxiously. I thought he was looking for threats until he turned to me, pursing his lips.
“You see a bathroom anywhere?”
I blinked at him. I craned my neck, searching, and my eyes locked onto one of the statues. I grinned, pointing. Gunnar nodded. “I normally wouldn’t do this, but I think I’ll make an exception today,” he said. “An exception for him.”
I nodded, turning my attention back to the
crowd of Asgardians, really hoping one of them would turn around.
Gunnar pulled up the hood on his Nemean Lion Cloak, and then began to piss on the side of Thor’s statue.
Still, no one turned around. Instead, they listened as Thor began to bitch and moan about one of my favorite subjects.
Me.
“Nate Temple has disrespected Asgard. He has used dark magic to brain-wash Odin—”
I burst out laughing.
The crowd spun to look at us, surprised to realize they were not alone. Their looks morphed to stupefied disbelief to see just how disrespectful two St. Louis boys could be when they felt slighted.
“Hey, Thor,” I said, waving.
The crowd parted and Thor slowly walked out from behind them, staring at me incredulously. His face began to darken.
And then he saw Gunnar finish his business, shake it twice, and put his tools away.
“Okay. Much better. Now it’s mine,” Gunnar said, walking back up to me and sitting awkwardly on one butt-cheek on the arm of the throne. He locked eyes with Thor. “Woof.” I grinned at the canine territory reference, giving Gunnar a high five.
Thor spun back to his people, pointing a finger back at us. “You see? He is a demon. He mocks all of Asgard—”
“Hey, Thor!” My voice rang out over his. “Shut up,” I said calmly. “I love Asgard. I just have a real problem with people who hit pregnant women.” I pointed a thumb at Gunnar. “But my friend is probably going to address that topic in more detail here in a minute or two. You see, Thor’s target was his wife.”
Gunnar gave them a slow, murderous nod.
I saw Thor’s shoulders bunch up angrily, but he pressed on. “I admit he even kidnapped me, taking me to Niflheim where he knew he would finally have a chance to kill me. I bravely escaped—”
“THOR!” I bellowed, making many of the crowd turn to look. “Tell them the truth. How you came to Niflheim of your own volition, and how I swatted you down like the little bitch that you are.”
Knightmare: Nate Temple Series Book 12 Page 24
