by S. E. Babin
"Your town has been breached then? By Trin and the Asgardians?"
I was still holding Eyra and she was getting pretty heavy. "Yes. With the help of Loki, I was able to toss them outside and reinforce the wards, but I need to move my people." I met her direct gaze. "Temporarily."
"You want your people to come...here?" Alaria's eyebrows were almost at the top of her hairline.
"If you would allow it."
She pressed her lips together for a moment but shook her head. "No men are allowed in Valhalla. It is an ancient rule and there are reasons we must enforce it. The women and children may come."
A woman from behind me cleared her throat.
"Yes, Pru," said Alaria.
“Perhaps we can let them use one of our safehouses."
Alaria's brow wrinkled before she nodded. "Yes. Good idea. You can move your people there. They will be safe. Once this is over you can come collect them." Her gaze went down to Eyra. "Provided you heal her first."
"Of course. Can I lie her down somewhere?"
"Come." Alaria turned and walked away. I followed as quickly as I could while lugging dead weight. She led me down a long corridor and then took a left into a small room with a simple bed and nightstand. "Lie her there," she said and pointed to the bed.
I laid her gently down, careful to tuck her wings under her back. "I'll need a little bit of time so I can figure out what I'm working with."
A massive booming noise came from outside the gates of Valhalla. Alaria stiffened, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Go," I said. "I'll stay here with her and see if I can wake her up."
Alaria rushed out of the room and I prayed it wasn't Trin at the door. Not that it should be anyone else. Few were stupid enough to screw with the Valkyries.
I ended up eating those words about twenty minutes later when Alaria led a blindfolded and very pissed off dwarf into the room where Eyra was just beginning to rouse.
"What the bloody hell are you yanking me around for? All I wanted was to see Eyra and you're acting like I'm coming in to kill all of you! I don't care about the lot of you. You're too tall and you're all too damn muscular and none of you have the softness of skin and the fair of face that Eyra does. I swear to the gods when I get out of here I'm going to hatchet every single one of you!"
Gravelbeard was good at canceling out his own arguments the more he spoke. This was a character quirk I was just now beginning to get to know.
"Is this yours?" Alaria asked, shoving the dwarf into the room.
I shut my eyes and sent up a prayer of calm. "Unfortunately, yes. Was he the boom at the door?"
She nodded. "The bloody idiot was using the door as target practice for his hatchets." Alaria gave him a grim stare. "Whatever those things he has on his back are, they are not ordinary hatchets. We had to intervene to keep him from breaking down the damn doors." The leader of the Valkyries frowned. "However, his only demand was to see his 'fair lady love' so we agreed he would stay blindfolded the entire time he was here." She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "See to it he remains this way, Freya. Even when Eyra wakes up. The importance of this cannot be stressed enough.”
I slapped Gravelbeard's hand away from his face when he went to remove the blindfold. "Respect the Valkyrie's rules or I'll throw you out myself," I growled. "They're allowing you something no one has ever been allowed, so show some damn humility."
"I'll show them my ass if I could find the fastener to my pants," he spat.
Alaria's eyes twinkled with amusement. "And Eyra likes him?"
I let out a disgruntled sigh. "So very much," I admitted. "I don't get it either."
"Our dear Eyra has always been a little...different."
"She's a bloody freaking angel, that's what she is," growled Gravelbeard.
Eyra stirred on the bed. "Pumpkin?" she said groggily.
Gravelbeard stilled. "Angelface."
Alaria and I both gagged a little. I steered the dwarf over to her bedside and clasped their hands together. Alaria kicked a stool my way and I pushed on his shoulders until he sat.
"I was so worried," he said quietly.
"I'm hard to kill," she assured him.
"Should we step out?" I volunteered.
"Yes," growled Gravelbeard.
"Noooo," drawled Alaria. "We just had this room cleaned."
Eyra grinned at both of us. "Thank you, Freya. I'm not sure what they did to me, but I couldn't snap out of it."
I shook my head. "I'm not sure. It was unfamiliar magic to me, though I wonder if that apothecary shop had something to do with it."
Her eyes widened. "Oh! I remember. The charm. It smelled like the Valkyries." Her brow furrowed. "So weird. But the spell was low magic."
I stepped closer and took her other hand. "It was Trin," I said quietly. "She sold us out to the Asgardians."
Eyra frowned. "I don’t know. It didn’t feel like her exactly. But what does that have to do with Sig?" she wondered aloud.
"I'm not sure. I didn't stick around for that long to have a chat with them about it."
She frowned but turned her attention back to Gravelbeard.
I focused on Alaria. "Can I leave him here for a little bit so I can move my people? The wards should still be holding, but I expect they'll start to weaken very soon."
Alaria nodded. "I'll send my best to help transport them to the safehouses. Return when you can." She eyed the dwarf. "He cannot stay. In ten minutes' time, he will hurtle back to Midgard whether he wishes to or not."
"Lady Terrorist," muttered Gravelbeard.
"Dirty Little Man Child," Alaria retorted.
I blinked at both of them and disappeared from Valhalla.
When I returned, most people were milling around in the streets. As soon as I popped in, people began to rush up to me to ask questions. The sounds of booming from behind were concerning. Trin and Tyr were trying to exhaust my magic so they could tear down the wards.
"Listen up!" I called. "In just a few minutes, there will be Valkyries helping to escort you to a safehouse. You will remain there until this is resolved." I frowned. "I don't expect it to be more than a few days. Once we make any repairs we need here, I will personally escort you home."
There was a loud murmur through the crowd. "We didn't expect this when we came here!" shouted someone. "Why are they here?"
I shrugged and was about to speak when Loki came up behind me and laid a proprietary hand on my waist.
"Good people! They are here because of love."
Heat started at the tips of my toes and slowly spread up to my cheeks and forehead.
"Specifically our love. Freya left here to escape the bonds of matrimony and an abusive husband. Never expecting to find true love in my arms, she balked at the bond a powerful goddess instilled in us." He removed his hand and raised my arm up - the one with the marital tattoo. "The bond is so powerful between us it's tattooed on the outside of our skin!" He showed the crowd his arm as well. "Freya and I are bound together by forces so powerful nothing can tear it asunder."
A skeptical voice powered out through the crowd. "Are you saying you and the goddess of war are...married?"
A winning grin spread over his face. "That's exactly what I'm saying. Tyr is here to exact Odin's jealous vengeance."
I wanted to curl up in a hole and die.
The first smatterings of applause started up in the crowd before it became a deafening roar. Loki pulled me close. "See what I mean, darling? The love us together, little witch. We will rule in peace and harmony." His gaze flicked over to where the wards flickered with red with every powerful hit from Tyr and the Valkyrie bitch. "As soon as we destroy some people," he growled in my ear. Straightening, he smiled and waved. "Thank you. We're deliriously happy as you can see. Now, if everyone would form a single file line with their families, we will get you out of here posthaste!"
They did exactly as Loki said with zero issues whatsoever.
"You're a jerk," I muttered.
&nb
sp; "But I'm an effective one. People listen when they're happy, little witch. And they're ecstatic that we are together."
"They don't even know you," I hissed.
"And how would you know that, Freya? Trapped as you were in your little ivory tower for so long. Periodic romps in town playing with the witches does not make you an expert on community."
Stung, I stared at him.
One dark eyebrow rose. "Am I wrong then?" he said, still wearing a wide grin.
"Shut up, Loki."
"That's what I thought." He slapped me on the rear end and the people roared their approval. "Now, let's get these people out of here so we can go kick some ass and take some names."
I rubbed my rear end and frowned at him.
Working with Loki and the Valkyries, it took less than twenty minutes to move everyone out of the town. Ten minutes into it, a hairy dwarf appeared from the sky and crashed into the dirt muttering every curse word in every language known to man. Five minutes later, he was helping us escort people out.
Gravelbeard wasn't so bad, I guess, though I really hoped I would never hear of any of his and Eyra's antics. I wasn't sure my stomach was strong enough for it.
When the last of the people had been moved, the three of us stood together facing the rapidly weakening wards. "What do we do now?" Gravelbeard asked.
"You know, you've spoken more in the last five days than I've ever heard you speak in my life."
"That's because you bastards keep interfering in my life and it's starting to piss me off."
A smile quirked the edge of my mouth.
"Plus if you're dead I don't get paid and that's very bad for my burgeoning business."
Loki's eyebrow went up. "Please, gods, tell me. What kind of business are you burgeoning?"
The dwarf eyed him. "Wouldn't you like to know, you sorry lout."
The smile on my face turned into a full-fledged grin.
Loki blinked at him in surprise. "Sorry?"
"You are sorry, you tricky, slick bastard. I can't even believe you somehow coerced this lady into marrying you." Gravelbeard turned his attention to me. "You're knocked up, aren't you? I guess I can understand the urges a woman sometimes has, though I can't imagine it's anything like the urges running through me when I see Eyra -"
"No!" I held up my hand. "That's quite enough of that. And no, I am not knocked up. This marital bond was due to the meddling of a powerful goddess who seems to want something from us both. I'm sure it will be dissolved as soon as she's finished with us."
I pretended not to notice the flicker of hurt in Loki's eyes.
"Ah well," Gravelbeard muttered. "Since you're married, I'm sure a little physicality wouldn't hurt ya none, now would it? Knock off some of the rust in that disused tank and maybe you'll come to work in a better mood, now wouldn't ya?!"
Was it justifiable homicide when an unkempt dwarf called your tank "disused"? Asking for a friend.
Loki didn't seem even a little bit upset by Gravelbeard's grumbling about my tank. He was staring at me, a gleam I didn't like in his eyes. "I think we should give this theory a chance," Loki said.
Gravelbeard grunted his assent.
"In your dreams," I said. "Also, this conversation is over. We have two crazy immortals who seem hellbent on killing me. Let's discuss that first, shall we?"
"This conversation might be over for now, but it's not over forever."
I glared at him. "It's over for the foreseeable future."
Gravelbeard sighed. "A perfectly virile specimen like him and you're worried about dying? Seems like your priorities are all messed up."
I gave the dwarf the hairy eyeball. "If I die, Loki's virility is a non-issue, isn't it?"
The dwarf pointed over his shoulder. "See over there? It's a veritable jungle." He squinted up at the sky. "I'd say you got at least another forty-five minutes before the sky falls." Gravelbeard turned to Loki. "Think that's enough time to do a satisfactory job?"
Loki's lips twitched and he gave a short nod. "More than satisfactory."
The dwarf hocked a loogie and spit it on the sidewalk, "See, Freya? A ready and willing specimen of virility and open land. I'd say love is in the air."
I scoffed. "You're both idiots." I walked away from them.
"You didn't tell Freya her hair looked pretty," Gravelbeard whispered wisely.
"Oh?" said Loki. "Is that the magic ticket in?"
"Aye, Loki. Tell her she's pretty and she cooks delicious food. Those two things are the way to even the coldest wench's heart."
I was literally surrounded by idiots.
Gravelbeard suspected I had less than an hour before Tyr and Trin broke back in. But what did they want? I continued walking toward the edge of town and as I walked, I thought. Finding the birch tree I sat against the last time, I leaned against it and thought about Morrigan.
"I know I'm not in a circle and I don't have any candles, but I need your assistance. I'd like to free the Norns and I know I need your help to do it. Whatever you need for this, I will help you.”
"I wondered when I'd hear from you." The Morrigan sat beside me, chewing a long blade of grass and staring at the sky above us as it boomed with magic attacks on the ward. She wore soft black leather pants, black calfskin boots and a sweater that looked so soft my fingers itched to touch it. Her hair flowed across her shoulders and down her back, but this time there were less feathers. She looked less made up today, more approachable. This told me I should be very careful. The Morrigan was never approachable.
"You have the magic to free the Norns," I said. It was not a question.
"Aye. Your husband bargained away his magic spear to get it." She pretended to check her watch. "His payment is due today." Morrigan grinned at me. "He needed to hang on to it for awhile. Winning wars, crushing heads, wooing women. All those things unfaithful husbands do when their wives aren't around."
Hope spread like a beacon inside of me. "Oh?" I asked curiously. "Gungnir?"
"Yep. Unbreakable spear. Covered in powerful runes. Never misses. Why?"
"What time are you supposed to meet him?"
The Morrigan sat up a little straighter and watched me carefully. "Twenty minutes. Why?"
"In exchange for his spear, you would reinforce the magic for how long?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Forever. The Norns would be trapped in a prison of Odin's making for the rest of their days."
"You would sacrifice Asgard?"
"I'm not an idiot, Goddess of War. I'm well aware of what could happen if the tree of life is not properly nourished."
"So this is a long game."
She smiled at me, a wicked, lazy smile. "Haven't you realized by now, Freya, that everything is a long game?"
I smiled back. "Why is his spear so important?"
The Morrigan shrugged. "Why does it matter?"
I knew why she wanted it. The spear was one of the few things that could take him down. "Morrigan?"
"Mmm?"
"Did you have a falling out with Odin?"
"Whyever would you assume that, Freya darling?" Her voice was light and deceptive.
"How long ago?"
"Before you were ever born. Before the heavens were fully formed. Before Heimdall took his place as guardian. It has nothing to do with you, so I will warn you once to stay out of it."
I chuckled. "I assure you if you seek to kill my husband, I will not interfere. I do not wish anyone dead, though I will tell you I will not mourn his loss."
Morrigan let out a heavy breath. "You are speaking around something. Tell me and I will bargain with you."
Leverage.
It was nice.
"Free the Norns, promise to never bargain with Odin again, and you shall have Gungnir free and clear."
Morrigan rolled her eyes and stood up to walk away. "Nice try. Gungnir is in Asgard and if you show your face there again, Baldur will not be so kind."
I didn't ask her how she knew about my meeting with Baldur. If one was smart, on
e realized someone like her had eyes in every small space.
"And if I could tell you for certain it was not?"
Morrigan stilled. "If you give me Gungnir, I will agree to your terms."
I shook my head slowly. "Agree to the terms now, and I will give you Gungnir."
Her eyes widened. "By Thor's hairy beard, you really do have Gungnir, don't you?" She leaned back and let out a bawdy laugh. “Baldur told me about your bargain. How you had nothing to bargain with and still bluffed Odin into fear. But you've had something even better the entire time.” The Morrigan stuck out her arm. I grasped her by the forearm and she took mine.
"I agree to your terms, Goddess of War."
"You shall have Gungnir in exchange for freeing the Norns and never bargaining with Odin again."
The deal was struck.
A roar shook the entire planet and Morrigan and I stumbled as the world swayed. When all was calm again, Morrigan let out a snort.
"Methinks Odin just realized his spear wasn't where he left it." She shooed me on. "Let's go. Now."
Morrigan and I ran back to my house like our tails were on fire. I think we both knew conserving our magic at this point was wise. We had no way to tell what was going to happen over the next little while. I held open the door, rushed into my bedroom closet, and rummaged through one of my coat pockets to pull out the spear I'd stolen the day I left Asgard.
Morrigan frowned.
"It's magic. Wait." I restored the weapon to its original size and handed it to her. Her eyes gleamed with avarice and something else I couldn't place.
Seconds after she accepted the spear, her eyes glowed a molten silver. Just a moment later, she nodded her head. "The Norns are free." Morrigan tilted her head, her eyes lost in thought. A smile curled over her generous mouth. "And they are on their way to give Odin a present."
"Oh shit," I whispered.
"Oh shit is right, my dear." The Morrigan sent the spear away with a whisper. "I quite enjoyed our time together. This is not a light compliment. I find you much more clever than the average Asgardian. Speaking of which." She leaned in. "The dwarf isn't wrong, you know. I'd say you got twenty minutes left to grab the trickster and make some hot steamy love."
