Goddess: A Runes Book

by Ednah Walters

  He beamed and indicated for Astrid to pour some.

  “Is Eirik awake?”

  “Yes. I’ve already given him breakfast. He’s eating right now.” He took the tumbler from Astrid and offered it to me while she picked up a plate and started scooping food. When he stared at me expectantly, I took a sip and tried not to make a face.

  “Hmm, it’s good,” I fibbed. He grinned with approval. “Can I ask you something, Litr?” He nodded. “Have you ever seen jousting?”

  His eyes lit up. “Oh, yes. Challengers fight and compete for a prize. It is exciting.”

  Like hell it was. “What if they are fighting for the hand of a maiden?”

  “Then the rules are different. Everyone fights the one who claims to be the maiden’s favorite. The same way they’d challenged Baldurson for dominance as the dragon leader.” Astrid whispered something in his ear, and he smiled. “Most suitors come with their clan. Sometimes the challenger uses his clansmen to weaken their opponent before facing him.”

  “But that’s cheating,” I protested.

  “When dealing with the gods or kings, they don’t consider it cheating because his men belong to him.”

  Damn it. Echo could not fight a line of people without help. Eirik might help. “Can you open a portal to Eirik’s place? I’ll eat with him.”

  Astrid heaped food on a plate while Litr opened a portal. I could see Trudy, Hayden, and Jessica. Trudy saw me first and waved. Maybe they could help. No one would ever suspect them.

  “Don’t forget your apple juice,” Litr said, and I almost groaned. So close. I took it and thanked him. The three girls studied me with varied expressions. Hayden smiled, Trudy scowled, and Jessica still refused to hold my gaze, her face turning pink. She and I needed to talk sometime. Right now, I needed to know things from these two girls.

  “Have you guys eaten?” I asked while still standing inside my parents’ living room.

  “Not yet,” Trudy said, sounding annoyed. “Mama said to wait here. It’s crazy out there with more people are arriving, and I’m starving.”

  “Come in here and get food.”

  Hayden and Trudy didn’t hesitate. Jessica did. Getting irritated, I waved her through the portal. They crowded around the platters of food and served themselves. I caught Jessica staring at me from the corner of her eyes. She gave me another shy smile when our eyes met.

  As we ate, Trudy talked about everything: the people camping on the grounds, the villagers in the hall, the Goddess’ frustration, and her mother loving every second of it. Listening to her, you wouldn’t know she’d announce the end of the world. But then again, Raine was like her. Just a regular girl.

  “Damn, Trudy. Do you ever stop talking?” Hayden finally said.

  “Bite me, Hayden Ferrand. Until Celestia came here… No, until Eirik came here we never had visitors, so I’m enjoying it. Don’t ruin it for me.”

  “Do you guys know why they are here?” I asked.

  “For Celestia. Everyone loves her,” Trudy said.

  “Some of them are here for a different reason,” I said and got their attention. I explained what I’d learned from the goddess and watched their expressions. They were shocked. “So you’ve never attended anything like this before, Trudy?”

  “Nope. I’ve never seen anything this exciting until now. Not that this is exciting. Jousting and sword fights. It is terrible.” Despite her words, her eyes sparked with excitement.

  “And barbaric,” Hayden chipped in.

  “What if I asked you to help?” I asked.

  “Help how?” Trudy and Hayden said in unison.

  “Eirik told me how you helped him fight at some market place by using your minds.”

  Trudy and Hayden exchanged grins.

  “Can you do it again?” I asked.

  “Yes, we can help like we did in Nidavellir.” Hayden glanced at Trudy, who nodded.

  “We got inside their heads, and they forgot to fight because they were busy reliving their worst nightmares,” Trudy said. “I’ve even done it to the goddess’ warriors when they pissed me off.”

  Feeling better, I sighed with relief. “Thank you, guys. I was thinking of getting Raine, too. I don’t have active powers and”—I glanced at Jess—“you?”

  Jess shook her head. “Me neither, but Eirik could help if you ask him.”

  “No, I can’t. He should only focus on Celestia. We have to deal with this.” We ate in silence, everyone lost in thought. I kept imagining the worst things that could happen to Echo. I needed to be distracted. “Can you guys retrieve my lost memories now?”

  A muffled sound came from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to find Litr and Astrid. I thought they’d left. Litr looked panicked. I swear the Dwarf had more facial expressions than Dev as a soul.

  “We can,” Trudy said, and Hayden nodded.

  “You won’t mess with my other memories, will you?”

  “Nope. We are really good,” she bragged then glanced at Hayden. “Ask Echo or Eirik. We kicked ass in Nidavellir.”

  “Of course you did,” Baldur said, entering the room through a portal. Litr followed him. He must have left to get him. “My girls eating breakfast without me?” He dropped a kiss on my temple. “Morning, Daughter.”

  “Morning.” I’d just started thinking of him as a father, and he had to go and screw that up with his betrayal. That was how I saw it. Echo could die or worse—lose a challenge to some faceless, all-powerful giant. I glared at Baldur as he moved to Trudy and leaned down to study her face.

  “Morning, child. I hope you’re not up to mischief.”

  “Me? Never.” She gave him a wide-eyed look, and he laughed.

  “You’ve worn that innocent look often enough while doing something unconscionable, so you’re not fooling me. Behave.” He kissed her temple and moved to Jessica. “Morning, Daughter Number Two.” She turned red. He placed a finger on her chin and tilted her to study her face. “What’s this? Tears?”

  “No, Father,” Jessica whispered.

  “You are a precious child, but Baldur sees all.” He kissed her temple and moved to Hayden. He squeezed her shoulder. “Always nice to have you around, Hayden Ferrand. I still say you are related to an Asgardian. It will come to me.”

  “Hopefully never,” she mumbled.

  “Don’t say that.” He sat on the chair Litr had pulled out. He was between Hayden and me. “Family is important and must be cherished.” He tucked a napkin under his chin and picked up his utensils. “So, girls, what is this about retrieving Einmyria’s memories?”

  “They suppressed my memories weeks ago,” I said.

  “Is that so?” Litr placed a plate piled with food in front of Baldur, who dug in, the honey on the pancakes dripping down his chin.

  “It was for a good reason. You have some honey on your beard,” I said. He tried to lick it with his tongue, and laughter erupted around the table. I even found his antics funny despite being angry with him. He was such a goofball. I wiped it off with my napkin. “There. It’s gone.”

  He patted my hand. “Thanks, dýrr mín. Now about these memories, what can I do?”

  I explained about Raine’s wedding. “I just want those back. Celestia said Trudy and Hayden could retrieve them.”

  He studied Trudy and Hayden. “You can do this without harming her in any way? We just found her and don’t want her forgetting about us.”

  He would wish he didn’t know me if Echo got hurt.

  Trudy nodded, her direct gaze not wavering.

  “Okay. Give me your hand, dýrr mín.” I did and watched him close his eyes. When he opened them, he smiled. “Nothing bad will happen.”

  I shot him a dubious look. “How do you know?”

  “I am one of the best seers in the universe, Daughter.” He gave me a sheepish grin. “At least I was. I even saw my own death. Since I knew it was my destiny, I didn’t try to stop it. Your grandmother tried. Okay, look at me. Everything will be okay.”

&
nbsp; Yeah, try telling that to Echo. “Will it, Father? I know what you are doing, and I do not approve.”

  He caught on fast. “It’s my job as your father to make sure he’s worthy of you.”

  “What if something happens to him?”

  He frowned. Bet he hadn’t thought of that. If anything happened to Echo, I would never forgive him.

  “Do you believe in him?” Baldur asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then he will prevail. Remember, he won’t just be proving himself to me and your mother but to the people in this hall.”

  Damn. I should have known this was bigger than a father trying to make his future son-in-law sweat. I sighed. If he had to fight members of each group before some pompous son of a god or a king, I was getting him back-up. I needed Raine here.

  “Fine,” I said.

  “Good. Trudy and Hayden, go ahead.” His eyes didn’t waver from mine, and he continued to grip my hand. I had a feeling it was his way of reassuring himself I was okay. I gripped his larger hand and waited.

  Trudy and Hayden leaned forward to look at me. At first, I didn’t feel anything. Then I felt a slight pressure in my head, and I tensed. I brought my other hand and placed it on top of Baldur’s, happy he was here.

  He smiled. “You are doing great.”

  How did he know? The thought barely flashed in my head when new memories drifted into my mind. There was one of me walking along the hallway toward the attendance office. Seeing three girls, a short one with a cloak. One in a semiformal dress that hugged her body, gorgeous red hair perfectly styled. And a third who downplayed her looks in a simple outfit. I smiled at my initial reaction to them. The scenes moved faster. The walk to the upstairs bathroom, arriving at the castle in England, and watching Raine come down the stairs.

  “She was such a beautiful bride,” I said, laughing.

  More memories of Celestia and me talking rushed through my head. Asking Dev to help Mr. Cooper. Taking pictures with them. And finally, walking with Raine and her father to join Torin. Their vows were beautiful. The pressure eased, and Baldur dabbed my cheeks with a napkin.

  “Are you okay, dýrr?” he asked.

  A loud knock on the door stopped me from answering. Litr went to answer it, and a familiar voice reached me.

  “Is Einmyria okay?”

  “She is fine, Echo.” Litr sounded like he was ready to slam the door on Echo’s face. “The family is having a private moment.”

  “I need to see her,” Echo insisted.

  I stood, grinning.

  “Let him in, Litr,” Baldur bellowed. “Sit down, Einmyria.” It was an order, and I found myself obeying. “Girls, go help Maera distribute food to the visitors.”

  Trudy and the others took their time standing up. Echo entered the room, and his eyes flew to me.

  “You’ve been crying,” he said in a gruff voice.

  I nodded, grinning.

  He scowled and stepped closer. I had a feeling he wasn’t aware of anything or anyone in the room, except me.

  “You’re now smiling,” he added, sounding confused.

  “And crying. I just got back the memories of Raine’s wedding. Trudy and Hayden retrieved them.” I indicated the girls with a wave of my hand. Trudy had already opened a portal, but instead of leaving, they were deliberately taking their time. Echo’s focus shifted to the others in the room. He went a little pale when he saw Baldur. Yep, he definitely hadn’t noticed their presence.

  He stepped aside and smiled sheepishly at the girls as they went through the portal. “Thank you for getting them back.”

  The girls grinned. Something in Trudy and Hayden’s expressions when their eyes volleyed between Echo and me said they’d seen a lot more in my head than the wedding. I didn’t care.

  “Girls, close that portal now,” Baldur ordered and waited until they did before waving to a chair. “Take a seat, Echo.”

  Wariness entered Echo’s eyes, but he walked confidently forward and sat. He must have been in the gym because he wore a tank top and sweatpants, his perfectly sculpted arms glistening with sweat. He smelled so good, and I wanted to lean closer and inhale him. Kiss him. It had been almost five days since we kissed, and I missed the taste of him.

  He kicked my leg under the table, and my eyes flew to his face, but he wasn’t looking at me. His focus was on Baldur, and I realized I’d been staring at him. I was probably drooling. I sat up straighter. Baldur was studying Echo with narrowed eyes.

  “Have you eaten breakfast, young man?”

  “No, Golden One. I just got back and went straight to the gym when I felt… I was in the gym.”

  He was nervous. A first since we’d met. He swallowed and glanced at me. When he nudged my leg, I realized I was staring at him again. My face warmed, and I forced myself to look away.

  “Litr, prepare a plate for our guest,” Baldur said. He lifted his tumbler and chugged apple juice while still staring at Echo. For the first time, I saw how intimidating he could be. He had a presence that was easy to ignore when around my mother because she tended to dominate everyone whenever she entered a room. But without her, he became the center of attention.

  “You do know these chambers are off-limits to Grimnirs.”

  Oh brother. I glanced at Echo to see if he was shrinking, but his eyes didn’t waver.

  “I didn’t stop to think. She was in distress, and I felt she needed…”—me was implied, but not said—“help.”

  “So, you knew my daughter was in distress and charged in here to investigate?”

  “Yes, Golden One,” Echo said without hesitation.

  “And how may I ask did you know this?”

  “It’s hard to explain, sir.”

  “I have time.”

  Crap! My instinct to protect him kicked in. “We’ve been working together for almost a year, Father,” I explained. “I help the souls needing closure, and Echo reaps them. We make a good team.”

  Baldur studied me. Then he smiled. “That’s good to know, Daughter.” He focused on Echo. “How did you know my daughter was in distress?”

  “I just do. It’s a connection I still don’t understand myself. When she is sad or hurt, I always know.”

  “Interesting. How did you get past the guards?”

  Echo frowned. “I think they stepped out of my way.”

  The corners of Baldur’s lips twitched as though he was trying not to smile. “Litr!”

  “I’ll check on them, Golden One.” The Dwarf placed a stack of hot pancakes in front of Echo and hurried out of the room.

  “Eat your food. You’re going to need your strength,” Baldur said and drained his drink.

  Echo paled again.

  Litr returned, walked to Baldur’s side, and whispered in his ear. I tried to hear what he was saying with little success. Litr took Baldur’s plate away and replenished his cup. Then he came to collect my plate.

  “Are the guards okay?” I asked him, but Baldur answered instead.

  “They’ll live,” he said, and I knew Echo had probably barreled through them.

  “The goddess is going to need help keeping order around the hall, Echo. I’m pulling you off reaping duty and putting you in charge of Einmyria’s protection.”

  Panic flashed in Echo’s eyes. I was in the process of sipping my drink, and some went the wrong way. I started to cough. Echo and Baldur both stood to pat my back.

  “Protection?” Echo asked, going back to his seat. “Is she in danger?”

  “Yes.” Baldur stayed standing. He wiped his lips and handed the napkin to Litr.

  “Who would dare want to hurt her?” Echo asked.

  “The suitors lining up outside the hall could easily kidnap her.” This time, Echo choked on his drink. I thumped his back while Baldur watched with a smug smile. My father had a cruel streak in him. “The only people here to keep vigil are the villagers and the clans from Jötunheim. The rest of them, erecting larger and fancier tents in our front yard, are here for Einmy
ria.” The paler Echo got, the broader Baldur’s grin grew. He even gripped Echo’s shoulder. “The word is out about her arrival, and more will be coming from all over the realms to ask for her hand. I expect many marriage proposals the second they catch a glimpse of her. But none of them is good enough for her. Not a single one until they prove themselves worthy.”

  Baldur rubbed his hands and grinned gleefully as though looking forward to denying every request. I guess I should have been happy, except he was being mean to Echo in the process.

  “So eat, shower, and report here to be her bodyguard since you’ve shown that a dozen of my well-trained guards cannot stop you when you believe she is in danger.” Baldur pressed a kiss on my temple. “Go see your mother when you are done, elskr mín. I believe she was hoping you’d join her in the Sorting Room again.”

  Chapter 14. My Mother, My Clan

  “Suitors?” Echo growled when we were alone.

  “He knows about us,” I said.

  “How in Hel’s Mist did they hear about you? If they think they can waltz in here and propose to you—”

  I shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth. He glared at me. “You’re not listening to me. My parents know about us. Mom told me. My father invited the suitors.”

  Echo frowned. “Why?”

  “There’s going to be a tourney so the men can show me how manly they are. Anyone I favor will be challenged by the others and beaten to a pulp. Namely you. My father invited them here so you could prove to him, the hall, and all the realms that you are worthy of me. I tried telling my mother you’ve already done that, but she wouldn’t listen until she realized my father’s grand plan. She was livid.”

  “Oh.” Echo grinned. “Good. I saw a few showing off their sword skills earlier, and I wasn’t impressed. I can take them all.”

  “No, you can’t. It’s barbaric, and I will not be a part of it. Neither will you. I had a vision, and it doesn’t end well.”

  “For them or for me?” He chuckled. I kicked him under the table. “It doesn’t matter what you saw, Cora-mia. Any cuts and bruises I acquire along the way, I’ll wear with pride. I’m going to enjoy knocking deities and princes on their asses.”