by Sumida, Amy
When I thought about it, I realized how silly I really was to be surprised over it. I mean originally they had all come from Atlantis. Brahma once told me that he hadn't started out looking Indian, it was human ego that altered him to look like his people. I needed to keep in mind the fact that they hadn’t started out that way. It was much easier to deal with gods when you realized they weren’t really gods at all, just an advanced civilization with powerful magic and great toys. Hmph, I wonder what the Atlantean race really looked like.
There actually were a lot of Nordic gods there but there were also some more exotic looking ones. It was the We Are the World god assortment. Middle Easterners sat next to Asians, a Greek spoke rapidly to a Indian(dot not feather) as an Egyptian listened in, and I even saw what appeared to be a Pacific Islander. I felt a little shiver when I looked at him; there was no mistaking the pure hatred he was shooting my way.
I briefly wondered if he was related to Ku. I hadn’t met another god in the Hawaiian pantheon since I’d killed Ku but I was pretty sure they knew I did it and even more sure that they were all pissed. Hawaiians were very into ohana, it's always family first. Ku had also been acquainted with Odin, he'd had the chant to get into Valhalla in his book. It was how I'd been able to get in the first time I'd come to Asgard. So it made sense that one of his brothers in his pantheon would be there.
Odin seated me next to him and I heard a whispering start to flow among the gods. I looked at Odin expectantly and he took a deep breath before standing to address them. Everyone quieted and gave him their full attention.
“My friends,” Odin looked out at each of the men and women. “I’ve invited you all here to announce a huge change.” There were more mutterings but he held up a hand and silenced them. “We all know that taking power from sacrifice is not necessary. We don’t need to feed off humans any longer, we’re powerful enough on our own. We've war-mongered for so long that humanity has become a violent race. I fear for the well being of the planet and the people who have supported us, who have made us what we are. It is with these conclusions that I’ve made the decision to stop stealing their power and join with the Godhunter and my son, Thor.”
“Odin this is outrageous!” A burly man with a ZZ Top beard and two long braids in his dark hair, one on each side of his face, stood up. “You can’t switch sides without speaking with us first. This is a decision for all of us to make.”
“No, it’s not,” Odin squared his shoulders. “I haven’t decided for all of you. I’ve decided only for myself. You can stand beside me or you can leave now. There is your decision.”
Utter silence greeted Odin’s ultimatum, even I felt the breath catch in my throat. It wasn't the way I’d expected him to break it to them. I guess when you’ve ruled for so long, and over gods no less, you tend to get a little arrogant.
“We’ve stood beside you for centuries,” Mr. ZZ Top continued. “Now you’re going to cast us aside for a whore?”
“Hey,” I frowned but before I could say anymore, Odin grabbed a spear off the wall behind him and chucked it across the room, straight into the protestor. “Holy shit!” I screamed and jumped to my feet, “Nice throw.”
The man was sprawled on the stone floor, with the spear sticking straight up out of his shoulder. Not a mortal blow for a god, nothing short of decapitation was fatal for them, but it still must’ve stung a bit. The man groaned and started to reach for the spear but Odin was there first. He grabbed the butt of the weapon and pressed the man back down with it.
Other gods were starting to stand and I mentally shook myself. I needed to use the opportunity to study their reactions... or look for an escape route. So I tried to stay calm and look around at all of them. Mostly there was shock but a few of them looked angry; ferociously, and potentially traitorously, angry. I tried to memorize their faces.
“You’ll not speak ill of her, Bragi,” Odin waited for the man to nod vigorously before pulling out the spear. “She’s more honorable than most of you are and I won’t permit her to be slandered, especially since she's here as my guest. I’ve made my decision and I’ve given my reasons. Now you must each decide for yourselves which path to take.” He looked around the room. “I’m your leader but I’m giving you a choice out of friendship. That’s all I owe you… a choice. You have until tomorrow night to make it.”
He turned and strode back up to the table, replacing the spear on the wall before resuming his seat. He motioned to one of the dead warriors that served him, and dinner was placed before everyone. I stared at the thick slice of prime rib, blood seeping out of it portentously, before looking over at Odin.
“That went well,” I lifted my wine in salute.
“Did you notice anything?”
“You mean besides you spearing a man in defense of my honor?” I smiled at him and I couldn’t keep the warmth from filling my eyes. What can I say? It was romantic in a barbaric madman sort of way.
“Yes, besides that,” Odin’s lips twitched but he eyed me with a matching heat, well maybe his heat was a tad warmer.
“There were a few faces that appeared to be very disgruntled but I’ll have to do some more research before I’m sure.” I looked away from his piercing gaze. “We’ll see who leaves tomorrow, that'll at least help narrow it down. You’re lucky we didn’t start a riot. Maybe my presence here wasn’t such a good idea.”
“It’s your presence that’s going to make my enemies nervous enough to mess up,” Odin looked over the small assemblage thoughtfully. “Honestly, I thought there’d be more protests. The lack is disturbing.”
“Why?” I frowned and took a sip of my red wine. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Unless they were already plotting against me,” Odin glanced back at me, “and this will simply push them into action sooner.”
“Why would they want to oust you after all this time?”
“I have no idea but I haven't lasted this long as their leader without trusting my instincts and my instincts tell me danger's brewing.”
“Is that why no one is sitting up here with us?” I looked pointedly around our empty table and Odin laughed.
“No, the high table is reserved for me, my family, and any honored guests that I choose to dine with.”
“So normally you’d be eating alone?” I looked over the two filled tables before us.
“Yes.”
“How horrible to be surrounded by people yet be so isolated,” I wondered if he did it on purpose. Maybe he preferred it that way.
“I haven’t been comfortable around others since Sabine died,” he stared down at his food, then took a deep breath and smiled at me. “You’re the first person whose company I’ve truly enjoyed since that dark day.”
Things were getting too heavy again, I had to lighten it up. “What about your Valkyries,” I gestured to the throng of beautiful women who sat at the table on our right. They were the only ones who had shown only a slight amount of surprise at Odin’s speech. It really didn’t matter to them, they were steadfast in their loyalty, of that even I was certain.
“They’re pretty to look at but all they think about is fighting and fu… making love.”
I laughed loud and hard, throwing myself back in my chair and earning disapproving glances from the gods. Odin joined in and the stares turned to confusion.
“I would’ve thought those two things would be entertaining for you,” I was surprised at how easy it was to flirt with him… and how fun.
“They are,” he leaned in to kiss my cheek and stayed near to whisper, “with the right woman.”
“Which would you prefer,” I found my lips a hairsbreadth from his, “fighting or…?”
His eye flamed for a second, then he closed it and when he opened it again, the fire was replaced by ice. I watched his jaw clench before he spoke. “I didn’t realize you could be so cruel, Godhunter.” He pulled away and I resisted the urge to reach for him.
“Odin,” I touched his hand and felt him tense beneath my fin
gers. “I’m so sorry; I don’t know why I turn into someone else around you. Maybe Trevor was right in wanting to be here with me. Or maybe I should just go home. I can come back tomorrow.”
“No,” he grabbed my hand quickly, “it’s alright. Be cruel, just don’t leave.”
My eyes widened and I felt my breath rush out of me. My heart was pounding again, the stupid, traitorous organ, and I felt my magic trembling to life inside me.
“I don’t want to be cruel, to you or Trevor. I’m a grown woman, I shouldn’t behave like this. No wonder your friend called me a whore, I’m acting like one and I need to go home.” I started to get up but Odin pulled me back down.
“I told you that you’re safe with me and I meant it,” he leaned in close so no one could see us. “Don’t go; I won’t pressure you into anything.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about,” I looked away from him.
Why the hell did he make me feel like this? I hardly knew the guy and what I did know was more mysterious than factual. A mystery, that’s what we’d toasted to and that’s what my attraction to him was.
“I need you here, Vervain,” he glanced over at the rest of the hall and then back at me. “How will it look if you leave now? I may lose even those who are still loyal to me.”
I pushed him back a little, it was too hard to think with him so close. “You’re right, I agreed to do this. I won’t back out and leave you hanging because I’m having an issue controlling my lust.”
His mouth dropped open a little before he burst out laughing. “Your honesty is brutal but refreshing. Most women would deny what they felt and ignore the situation between us. You throw it out into the open, no ulterior motives, just a desire to conquer it.”
“It does neither of us any good to ignore things,” I sighed, rubbing at the knots in my neck.
“I wish I’d been the one to find you that day,” he murmured and took a swig of ale.
“What day?” I gave up on trying to tame my muscles and looked back over at him.
“When you crept into Valhalla,” he waved as if he could bring back a vision of the day, “to steal my campaign plans, and Thor caught you because he was trying to steal them as well.”
“You would’ve killed me,” I grimaced and then smirked, “or at least tried to.”
“Hardly,” he laughed.
“The Godhunter breaks into Valhalla to steal your Make War Not Love plans and you’re saying you would’ve just let me go?”
“I didn’t say that,” his eye twinkled. “All I said was, I wouldn’t have killed you.”
“Just torture me a bit, eh?” I laughed, then sobered as the thought of being tortured by Odin hit me. It was like a splash of cold water in the face of my raging libido.
“Remember what I said,” he brushed a lock of hair behind my ear. “You’re safe here, Vervain.”
“Yeah, now,” I pushed at his shoulder and smiled. “I doubt our meeting would’ve gone so smoothly back then. At the very least, I would’ve kicked you in the balls like I did Thor.”
“You kicked Thor in the balls,” his one eye got huge.
“Oh, you didn’t hear about that?” I laughed, remembering Thor’s face when I’d caught him off guard. “Yeah, that whole thing about the bigger they are… it’s true, Thor fell hard.”
“In so many ways,” Odin’s lips twisted.
“You never forget the first woman to kick you in the balls,” I nodded sagely, then got serious. “I’m bad news. You should run screaming.”
“Thor has a good heart but he’s been a fool,” Odin narrowed his eye on me. “If you were mine, I’d never have let you go.”
“Even if I killed your ex-wife?” I tried to block out the image of Sif’s head lying three feet away from her body, but I’d imprinted it on my mind so I’d never forget. Murder shouldn’t be easy, it should always come with a price. Unfortunately, part of the price of that particular killing had been Thor.
“Even if you tried to kill me,” Odin’s voice brought me out of my dark thoughts. He was staring at me with a little smile that seemed to say he knew I had it in me to do just that… and he found it exciting. The gods are crazy.
Then a thought occurred to me. “You were married, right?” I really didn’t want another angry ex after me for messing with her husband. Goddesses didn’t seem to accept divorce easily.
“Yes, thrice. Thor's mother, Iord, died before we left Atlantis, then I married Frigg, who I split from amicably, and then Sabine, who also died,” he smiled sadly. “You won’t have to fight over me… or for me, like you did for your wolf. It’s just me.”
“And all your traitorous friends,” I’d intended it as a joke but his smile vanished as he looked over his shoulder at the room. “Odin, I’m sure they’re not all against you. The Valkyries are definitely behind you, if for no other reason than they like the view. Can’t say that I blame them.”
He chuckled low and shook his head. “You’re very good at that.”
“What?”
“Changing my mood in a heartbeat.”
“It’s a talent and a curse, depending on which way the mood goes,” I rolled my eyes. “Just ask Thor, I could take him from wondrous infatuation to wild fury in seconds. He threw a vase at my head once.”
“A vase?” Odin choked, “At your head?”
“Well, near my head,” I shrugged, “it hit the wall very close to me.”
“And may I ask what you said to elicit such a response?” Odin leaned back in his chair.
“Why do you assume it was something I said?” I tried to look innocent and affronted but he wasn’t buying it. “Ok, so I might have told him I was more of a man than he was,” I looked away, embarrassed, as Odin howled with laughter.
“That’s it,” the Polynesian god stood up. “I refuse to sit here and watch you become besotted with a human. She’s the Godhunter, Odin! Have you no honor? She killed Ku.”
“Honor is the reason I’ve changed sides, Kane,” Odin didn’t stand, he just shifted in his seat to face the man. “I don’t see the honor in stealing power, especially when I’ve all I need already.”
“You’re blinded by lust,” the thick islander shook his head. “I’ve made my decision. I’m a friend to you no longer.” He stalked from the hall and a few others got up and followed him.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“This is necessary,” he smiled sadly. “It’s not the ones who leave now that I’m concerned about. There’s honor in their honesty. It’s the ones who stay behind, to betray me secretly, that are the real problems.”
“So step one is done,” I looked over the remaining gods, who all met my stare uneasily. “Now, we wait.”
Chapter Eight
Two days later, I was sitting before the fire in my guest room, compiling a list of names. I’d been introduced to the remaining gods and although it wasn’t the warmest reception, most treated me with a grudging respect. They knew me as the Froekn’s Rouva as well as the Godhunter and many of them had seen me fight. If the Froekn didn’t warrant respect with the gods, watching me kill one of their own sure did.
Unfortunately, murder wasn’t a way to make friends or influence people, and most of them gave me a wide berth. I only had what knowledge I could get from a distance to help judge loyalties, even with my love magic whispering to me which of them was worthy or not, I couldn't say for sure who was a traitor. I mean just because someone was unworthy of my love magic, it didn't make them guilty of betrayal.
It was looking more and more like I’d have to resort to a spell. I just wasn’t sure what spell to use. I put the list down and reached for my spell book. While I was flipping through the pages, a knock sounded on the door.
“Come in,” I called over my shoulder.
Odin came in, carefully took the book from me, put it aside, and pulled me to my feet. “You’re working too hard; it’s time for a little break.”
“What did you have in mind?” I glanced at the book.
I laughed and hurried to comply, yanking on an old pair of jeans and a red tank top before sliding into a pair of boots. All I knew of Asgard came from roaming it as a lioness or peering at it from Thor's balcony. I was looking forward to wandering through its unique landscape as a human.
“Okay,” I came out of the bathroom, putting my hair into a ponytail. “I’m ready.”
Odin led the way out to the stables. He was carrying a leather sack over his shoulder and he flung it down before he went to saddle a couple of horses for us. He led a dark gray mare out for me and helped me into the saddle. I took off before he could mount Sleipnir, too excited to wait for him.
“This way,” he caught up with me, then his horse quickly overtook mine, to lead us along a worn trail through the trees.
The forest closed in around us, the sweet scent of pine, sap, and growing things, meshing with the rich smell of earth and animals. Sun poked in through sporadic gaps, looking like bright little windows to faerie worlds wherever it hit. We followed the path up an incline, letting the horses trot leisurely. Then the trees thinned out, revealing a cliff top view of Asgard.
It was breathtaking. On our left was Valhalla and behind it the land stretched to the sky, spotted with the homes of other gods. Nearby was Valaskjάlf, noticeable only because of the way it sparkled through the trees. On our right was a grassy plain where wild horses were grazing and beyond that, the cliffs that held Bilskinir Hall.
I briefly wondered if Thor was home before I let my gaze drift out over the lake and up the cliffs that guarded the channel to the sea. There was a large stone carved with runes set upon the top of each cliff. They were the guardian runestones of Asgard, although technically it was Thor’s job to protect the Viking god territory.
