With Raven in my arms, I walked over to the Yggdrasil where Verdandi was opening it for me. I took one last look at the ones behind me and their skeptical faces, and then I stepped into the tree.
Everything shook, and the fog was dissipating. The screams of the lost souls were clearer than ever, and they were more like a high-frequency pitch.
“Limbo is falling apart,” Verdandi said as she came up beside me. “I need to fix what your sister broke. Let’s hurry.”
We followed the now obvious trail through Limbo, passing the multitude of doors to the different realms until we reached the end and I could see the bars on Odin’s cage. His ravens squawked loudly as they flew around maniacally. The dismembering of Limbo was putting them in a frenzy.
“Odin!” I yelled before we even got to him. He turned to look at me, and his eye widened in surprise. “We need your help.” There was no time to play coy. I was in no position to do so.
“Fenrir.” He came up to the bars to get a closer look. “What has happened?”
“She killed Hel. At the cost of her life.” I swallowed a few times to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. “Please, Odin, save her. I know you can.”
The disheveled old man stood there with his gold patch covering his eye and watched her warily. That cold stare was not of a loving father. His ravens were erratic, and he whistled, calling them over to him. They flew to his shoulders like well-trained pets.
“After all she’s done, you ask this of me?” he said monotone, his eyes never leaving her. The sight of her wasn’t pretty. She was practically a burnt corpse in my arms.
“What about all you’ve done to her? You owe her!”
“I owe her nothing!” he roared into the vastness of Limbo.
A gust of wind blew past me, almost knocking me off my feet. I growled, my jaw tightening as I stared him down.
“She is your daughter, Odin. She stayed in Midgard all those decades ago because she thought she was doing your will. Everything she’s ever done was to please you. Even when you tried to screw her over, she wouldn’t kill you. Raven had this prison built instead because she could never bear to hurt you—a father who only wishes her ill. So, yes, you owe her because it’s Raven that keeps me from taking the Sword of Souls and driving it through your wretched heart.”
He grunted. “You would start Ragnarök for her? A random valkyrie.”
“She isn’t just some random valkyrie. She’s the savior of Midgard. Show some respect.”
Odin straightened and narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Because the answer is obvious. Yes, I would start Ragnarök if it meant avenging her death.”
“I didn’t kill her.” He shrugged.
“But you could have saved her.”
The Norn came up beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “We don’t have much time, Fenrir. We must go soon.” She looked from me to Odin and back to me, her expression neutral.
“It’s now or never, Odin. Decide,” I demanded as I brought her closer to his cage. “Save her or perish.”
Hugin and Munin began to whisper in his ears, and it was a conversation the Norn and I weren’t privy to. He nodded a few times and then cleared his throat.
“I’m willing to negotiate,” Odin said as he clasped his hands in front of his dirty tunic. “Her life for my freedom.” Predictable. I was expecting that. “And the Sword of Souls.” I wasn’t expecting that.
Verdandi leaned into me and whispered, “What are you willing to sacrifice, Fenrir?”
If Raven survived, she would be furious that I traded her sword, even if it was for her life. I should have seen this coming. Of course he wanted the Sword of Souls. Odin would want anything that could kill him, especially if it was in my possession.
“I’ll agree to a trade in ownership,” I said carefully. “And your freedom of course. But you heal Raven first.”
Odin nodded. “Agreed.”
I turned to the Norn. “Let me in.” She walked to the cage, and I followed. Verdandi placed a hand on the bars and then nodded me forward.
I walked through the bars of the cage and entered. Verdandi let go, enclosing me with Odin. If she wanted, she could seal us here forever.
“I’ll leave you two for now,” she said. “I must fix Limbo before it collapses.” I nodded and went to the center of the cage.
I laid Raven gently on the ground, adjusting her body and head. I brushed her hair out of the way and then leaned back on my heels as I knelt beside her. Odin came to her other side, his ravens still perched on his shoulders, and he knelt opposite me.
He brushed some of her hair. “My dark raven, how cruel is destiny. I did all I could to fight it,” Odin whispered.
I frowned at him as I watched him with such sincerity. It was the first bit of tenderness I’d seen from him toward her. Then like a light switch it disappeared.
“There’s a lot of healing that needs to be done. You don’t have to stay for it all,” he said as he peered up at me.
I shook my head. “I’m not leaving her side.”
21
Raven
They say death is painless. That once the darkness comes for you, you feel nothing. Some people believe there’s nothing after death, that boom, the lights go off and that’s it. I know better. There’s Valhalla, the Underworld, Limbo, and some other places, but I won’t get into that. Since Valhalla had been sealed and, well, I hadn’t been living the most savory of lifestyles, I never imagined I’d see the golden gates again, even in death. But with the return of the valkyries, hope had risen that maybe, just maybe, I’d get to go home. I knew I hadn’t been the best; I’d done things I wasn’t proud of, but I’d tried. In the end, I tried. And I could only hope that would be enough to save my soul.
I wasn’t born a monster. Had I been raised by my human mother, I could have been different. I would have had emotions like empathy and compassion. I would know what love was. What it was like to be loved and love someone in return. Those were the things that made up humanity, and it was beautiful. I never thought it was until now. I used to see them as weaknesses, but they were actually strengths. Being human made me strong. I wished I could show my sisters a better way.
Charlie had become like a sister to me. She didn’t deserve to die. The world, hell the realms, needed more people like Charlie. She was too pure. And I only hoped we would see each other in the afterlife. Because she was definitely going to Valhalla. She died a warrior.
The darkness flickered. That wasn’t supposed to happen, was it? It flickered again, and then I heard murmurs in the faraway distance.
I shouldn’t hear anything. Should I? Was I being lost in Limbo? Was that where I was going? Dread filled me as the thought of being stuck in Limbo came over me. An eternity going mad in this prison would be the ultimate punishment for my deeds. I guess I’d have Odin to keep me company, but why was I feeling dread? I shouldn’t be feeling at all.
“Raven …” My name echoed in the darkness. It was so far away I couldn’t make out who said it, if it was a man or woman. “Hang on …” it echoed again.
No, something wasn’t right. I wanted to grab my chest because I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The oxygen was getting thin, and the darkness was starting to feel claustrophobic. I needed to get out of here, wherever I was. I needed to get out now.
I gasped for air, and my eyes flew open. I sat up, clawing at my chest, trying to suck in as much oxygen as possible.
“Raven!” Fen said, and he was suddenly in front of me, grabbing me by my upper arms. His expression was of complete distress.
My head swiveled around nonstop, looking at where we were, and I scooted away from Fen, unsure of what was going on. I saw Odin on one side of me, and I jerked away, falling back.
“Raven, talk to me. Are you okay? Say something,” Fen said hurriedly.
“W-What—” I croaked as if I hadn’t had water in years. “What happened?”
I scanned the
area and realized we were inside Odin’s prison. What the hell?
“It’s a bit of a long story, Raven. Let’s just calm down for a moment—”
“You died,” Odin said, cutting Fen off. “I brought you back to life. See, Fenrir? Not so long.”
I swallowed a few times, and I looked at my arms and body. I remembered the battle in the Tualatin Mountains. Hel had risen the dead, we’d been overpowered, but then the valkyries from Valhalla arrived. Then … I killed her. I destroyed Hel’s soul. It was what killed me. I knew it would, but I did it anyway.
“Why didn’t you let me die?” I looked up at Fen with accusatory eyes.
He scooted closer to me and held my face, his eyes tearing up. “I wasn’t going to lose you, Raven. Not like this. Not right now. Not when you just told me you loved me.”
“I’ve lived many lifetimes, Fen.”
“But none with me,” he said, placing his forehead against mine. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “I would ask for your forgiveness, but I’m not sorry. Not for one second.”
I was breathing deeply, still trying to catch my breath, but my heart was racing. It couldn’t have been easy to come to Odin for help.
“Thank you,” I whispered and leaned in just an inch to press my lips against his. This kiss was soft, not urgent like normally. I was in no rush, and I had to still my beating heart. “Help me up?” I asked after pulling away.
Fen stood up and carefully helped me stand. I wobbled a little, but found my footing. Outside the cage was Verdandi. She looked tired, her eyes encircled in darkness, and beads of sweat covered her face.
“It’s good to see you, Hrefna,” she said with a slight smile.
I chuckled. “I thought you’d be planning my funeral by now, making it a celebration.”
She waved me off. “I don’t hate you that much. If there was a chance to save your life, I’d help.”
“Shocker,” I deadpanned.
“Don’t make me regret it.” She rolled her eyes. “Now come on. I’ve stabilized Limbo for now, but I need to put up new runes on the Yggdrasil. So let’s get you out of there.”
Verdandi placed both hands on two bars, whispering something beneath her breath. The bars began to move, sliding open and making an entrance.
“You’re opening the cage?” I asked, taken aback, looking over my shoulder at Odin who was getting himself ready to leave.
“It was the deal I made,” Fen said.
I watched as Odin strode out of his cage with his ravens on his shoulders and head held high. As soon as he was out, he sighed loudly as if taking in fresh air and turned to us.
“Well, come on.” He waved us on.
We followed behind as we walked out of Limbo and to the entrance of Midgard. One by one we exited, and I was the last one out. When I stepped out of the Yggdrasil, there was a crowd of people surrounding the tree. Once they saw me, a round of cheering and hoots and hollering commenced. Will ran up to me and picked me up off my feet and whirled me around.
“Dammit, Raven, you gave me a scare,” he said as he set me back down on the ground. “Don’t ever do that again.” He pulled me in for another hug.
“Where is she? Where’s Charlie?” I said into his shoulder, and he tensed.
He pulled back. “One of your sisters took her soul. Her body has been put to the side for a proper burial.”
I frowned. Even though I was glad she was taken to Valhalla, I just couldn’t believe she was gone. Why couldn’t she be saved instead of me? I’ve lived already; she didn’t get the opportunity to. It wasn’t fair.
“Raven.” Will brought me out of my thoughts. “She wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”
She would have wanted to live is what I wanted to say, but I kept quiet. In a way, he was right. Charlie was a warrior at heart, and she died like one. Now she was at peace.
“Sorry to interrupt this reunion, but our bargain.” Odin stood to the side, hands clasped in front of him. The valkyries from Valhalla only stared at him in awe. If only they knew what I did.
“Right,” Fen grunted. “The Sword of Souls. I promised a trade in ownership.”
“Yes, now give it to me.” Odin held out his hand.
I looked around the clearing for where my sword had dropped, and I saw Thor was holding on to it. I went to him quickly, and he handed it to me, placing a tender hand on my shoulder.
“Welcome back, Hrefna,” he said, giving me my sword.
I nodded. “Thank you, Thor.”
I turned to Fen and Odin and watched the sly look on the wolf’s face as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“I agreed to a trade in ownership, but I never said who,” Fen told Odin, and my father’s face turned alarmingly red.
“Your tricks will not work on me, boy!”
Fen turned his back on him and walked toward me. He held out his hand for me to give him the sword. “Trust me,” he whispered. I gazed into those obsidian eyes, and I knew without a doubt that I trusted him unconditionally.
I gave him my sword.
Fen took it and turned to Odin. “You’re so worried I’ll kill you and start Ragnarök, but your reassurance should be Raven. As long as she’s alive, I’ll never touch you. But as long as I live and she and I are together, you’ll never stop hunting her for this sword. So I have an alternative.” Fen looked at Hildr and handed the Sword of Souls to her. “The valkyries can keep it safe in Valhalla. Under lock and key where no one can touch it. Not me or you.” His gazed turned to Odin. “Someone needs to keep you accountable.”
Hildr straightened and received the sword. Her eyes trailed over to me, and I only nodded at her. It was a perfect solution—not ideal because it was my weapon, but for the sake of everyone, including myself, it worked.
Odin’s hands tightened into fists at his side. I knew he was trying to control himself in front of everyone. It was one thing to attack me outright in front of Fen, but another to do it in front of Thor and all the valkyries.
Odin walked over to the Yggdrasil tree, his ravens following. “Like your father, your tricks will only last for so long, Fenrir.” And then he disappeared into the tree.
It had been days since the battle, and there had been a lot of cleanup in its aftermath. Fen released the hellhounds from his servitude, and they were free to go where they pleased, and the ones who served Hel were sent to the Underworld. Most of the valkyries went back to Valhalla, but Hildr and Kara stayed behind for a while. They were curious about the valkyries of Midgard.
“Hildr, Kara, I’d like to introduce you to Lilja and Mia,” I said as Hildr and Kara entered Fen’s apartment.
“Where are the others?” Kara looked around the apartment as if they were hiding behind the curtains.
“Kara, there are two hundred of them. They won’t all fit in here. They are back in the mountains, resting,” I said by way of explanation.
“It’s very nice to meet you.” Hildr smiled warmly to them, but it wasn’t reciprocated, especially from Mia.
“I remember you,” Lilja said to Kara. “You killed one of us three hundred years ago.”
The tension is the room rose, and it was suffocating. I wanted them to get along, especially now that the gates to Valhalla were open again, and they were staying that way.
“If you’re looking for an apology, you won’t get one from me,” Kara said stonily. “We live very long lives. If you’re unable to move on, it’s going to be one miserable existence.”
“You killed one of us!” Mia exclaimed, taking a step forward. Her nostrils flared, and I could tell she was ready for a fight.
I stepped between them, putting some space in the middle. “Listen, it’s going to take time to work through everything. Eventually, you’re going to have to apologize, Kara.” I looked at her firmly. “And when she does, you’re going to have to learn to move on.” I shifted to Lilja and Mia. “We might have not been raised together, but we’re all sisters.”
“Hrefna is right,” Hildr agr
eed. “I think it’s time you come to Valhalla, your rightful place, where you should have been all along.” The invitation was for Lilja and Mia, but I sensed she was telling me too.
I took a couple steps back and let them talk it out. I couldn’t force the Midgard valkyries to go, but this was an amazing opportunity. It was where they should be. Lilja’s expression was of pure joy, and I knew then and there they were going. She’d make sure of it.
I left them in the living room and went into Fen’s bedroom. He was in the closet getting ready.
“Everything all right out there?” he asked.
“It will be,” I said and started to dig through my clothes. I didn’t know whether to go in my valkyrie armor or a dress. I never wore dresses. Did I even have one?
“Thor went back to Asgard this morning, but he said he’d return for the funeral. Will has a meeting at the station to see if he’s ready to return to work but will make it on time,” Fen said, updating me on where everyone was.
“He’s not ready,” I said as I threw clothes all over the place. “Will is not at a 100 percent. He’s still riding the high of the potion.”
“Maybe work will be good for him, even if it’s just desk duty. Especially after losing Charlie.”
I could understand that. Will and Charlie never got to begin whatever it was that was flourishing between them. After that potion wore off, he was really going to feel her loss, and I needed to be ready to be there for him, just like he’d been there for me.
We finished getting ready and headed for the cemetery where Charlie’s funeral was being held. The valkyries flew, but this time I rode in the car with Fen. I decided to wear a dress—one of hers actually—as a way to honor her, and I didn’t want to tear it with my wings.
When we got to the cemetery, Verdandi was at the gate waiting for us.
“Everyone is already inside,” she said. “Can I have a moment with Hrefna?” she asked Fen, and he looked to me for permission.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” I patted the hand he was holding and let him go. I watched his retreating figure as he went inside the cemetery and I stayed outside the gate with the Norn.
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