by S. T. Bende
“What? Who’s going to watch Mia? Or is she coming with us to…wait, where are we going?” Brynn asked.
“I can take care of myself,” Mia objected.
Tyr glanced at Mia out of the corner of his eye. It didn’t take a High Healer to see how irritated she was, and my normally thick-headed brother crossed to her side to soothe her in an uncharacteristic display of sensitivity. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and spoke to Brynn. “You and your boyfriend can swap jobs for a few days. Henrik, I want you to stay here with Mia. You can call Freya back from Asgard if you need help getting anything ready for Mia’s family’s visit. Mia, you’ve been adding to that ‘Must Bake For Jason Cookie List’ in your backpack for weeks, and Henrik is Asgard’s resident baker’s man. I know he’d love to help.”
“If this is your way of making me forget how annoyed I am that you don’t trust me to take care of myself, then you aren’t as bright as I thought you were, Tyr Fredriksen.” Mia huffed. Then she turned to Henrik. “But he’s not wrong, I have a laundry list of things to do to get ready for my family’s visit. Including bake.”
“Hold up.” Henrik held out one hand. “Where are you going? And why is Forse about to kill someone?”
We all turned to look at Forse. Sure enough, his eyes were slits, his breathing was sharp, and he had a pulsing forehead vein that rivaled Tyr’s neck one. He positively seethed anger.
“We are going to Svartalfheim,” Tyr answered coolly. The four gods in the room drew a collective gasp.
The mortal took in our reactions with practiced calm. “Which one’s Svartalfheim again?” she asked lightly.
“The worst one after Helheim,” Brynn muttered.
“It’s the realm of the dark elves,” I explained. “When the cosmos was born, the blackest souls were sent to a wasteland—a realm of isolation and soot. Svartalfheim.”
“And you’re all going there?” Mia squeaked.
“Forse, Brynn, Elsa, and I are going there.” Tyr spoke with his chin on Mia’s head. “You’re staying here with Henrik.”
“Elsa doesn’t need to go,” Forse argued.
“You of all people know how delicate this retrieval is. The perp has been a fugitive since…well, it’s been a long time. She’s being harbored by dark elves who demanded Fenrir in her place, and I have no intention of unleashing that beast again. The elves agreed to accept one of the Svartish treasures from the vault instead of the wolf, but they could very well turn on us once we get there. We need a Unifier to make sure this exchange goes peacefully. Right now, Elsa’s all we’ve got,” Tyr finished.
“Um, thanks?” I said.
“You know what I mean.” Tyr turned his gaze to me. “I don’t want to drag you into Svartalfheim any more than Forse does. I know you’re not up to speed on the peacekeeping function, and I don’t like putting you in danger. Not only are you my baby sister, but you’re a Key—you’re one of the gods we train to protect. I hate everything about this. Unfortunately, I don’t have another option.”
“I could go,” Mia offered. Her voice was shaky, but she held her head high.
“No.” Five voices sounded as one. A combination of relief and disappointment flickered across Mia’s features.
“If I’m not ready, you’re definitely not ready,” I reminded her. “I’ll get this one, and once I have a handle on this bizarre skill set I’ll pass the torch to you. I promise.”
“I’ll hold down the fort from here this time.” Mia stared me down. “But I don’t want to be on baking duty with Henrik forever.”
I swallowed. Figure this out, Elsa.
“Hey, there are worse things than baking with me.” Henrik raised an eyebrow. “I never did teach you to make my mom’s chocolate mousse cake, did I?”
Mia looked up with a small smile. “Does she use Mexican vanilla?”
“Tahitian,” Henrik countered. “And I’ve got a stash in my secret cabinet.”
“Now that that’s settled, does anyone want to tell me the name of the perp we’re retrieving from that Odin-forsaken realm?” Brynn chimed in.
I turned to my brother and waited for his answer. When he spoke, his voice was clipped.
“Runa.”
The name fell like a lead balloon at a birthday party. Brynn’s mouth dropped open, and Henrik sucked in a breath. I couldn’t see Forse’s face, but the sound of knuckles cracking behind me let me know he wasn’t happy. I could relate.
Oh dear gods. We’re going after Runa.
The room swirled in a violent vortex, and Forse gripped my arms to steady me. As he righted me in my chair, the world slowed to a standstill. Runa was more than just Forse’s psychotic ex-girlfriend. She was the monster who committed the crime—the one that changed everything.
When I finally found my voice, it came out dry and scratchy. “We’re going after Runa.”
“Yes.” Forse watched me carefully.
“And you’re charging her with high treason.”
“Yes,” Forse repeated.
“Good.”
Forse kept his hands on my arms as I breathed through my rage. “Elsa, if you don’t want to go with us we can—”
“We can what?” Tyr interrupted. “We can’t let the dark elves keep her—her crime was against Asgard, and she needs to answer to our realm for what she’s done. Not Svartalfheim. You of all gods know that.”
“Förbaskat, Tyr, I’m not letting her hurt Elsa!” Forse exploded. The words echoed off the marble countertops, piercing the normally calm kitchen.
“I’m not letting her hurt anyone!” Tyr yelled back. “And the only way I can ensure that is if I bring her to Odin!”
“Enough!” I interjected. With my emotions under control, I re-opened my abilities and sent waves of calm at Forse and Tyr. Their chests continued to rise and fall with angry breaths, but their auras reflected a slight decrease in rage. It was the best I could do. “Forse, I understand where you’re coming from. But Tyr’s right. Runa needs to be brought to justice. And since that’s you”—I tapped the justice god with my pointer finger—“and since I’ve got your back whether you like it or not, I’m going with you. Tyr’s spot on; we don’t want this exchange going bad. We can’t let her hurt anyone else. I need you to have that faith in me you promised you would.”
“I believe in you, Elsa. I’ve always known you have what it takes to master this job, even before you believed it yourself. You’re incredibly powerful, and you can do anything you set your mind to. But there are so many forces working against us these days. If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.” Forse pressed his forehead to mine. His concern was sweet, and normally I’d have melted into a giggling mess at the contact, but right now I just couldn’t go there.
“Let’s make sure we’re all safe then. We’ll bring Runa in so she can be prosecuted to the fullest extent of Asgardian law.” I shot Forse a look brimming with confidence I didn’t actually possess. Since the energetic fireballs shooting between him and Tyr suggested they still operated at a six on the anger scale, it was clear I was a woefully ineffective Unifier.
And I had the job of my life ahead of me.
“When do we leave?” Brynn placed her hands on the island countertop.
“First thing in the morning. I’ve got to head to Asgard after dinner to retrieve that weird-shaped crystal from the treasure room.” Tyr ran a finger along Mia’s arm. She shivered.
“Odin’s willing to part with that?” Henrik sounded surprised. “The research team hasn’t figured out what it does yet.”
Tyr shrugged. “Whatever it takes to get Runa in custody.”
“Well then, it sounds like you’re going to need your energy.” Mia jumped up and put on her oven mitts. As she bent over the stove, she called out orders of her own. “Henrik, get the drinks. Forse, add two more place settings to the table. This lasagna’s not going to serve itself.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Henrik saluted. He swatted Brynn on the behind and gave a rakish grin as s
he giggled.
“Henrik!”
“Brynn, you can get the salad out of the fridge.” Mia carried the lasagna to the table and set it on hotplates. “Tyr, make sure we’ve got enough ice cream. If not, please bring some in from the garage fridge.”
“Aye aye.” Brynn set to task.
Tyr checked the contents of the freezer and closed the door. “We’re fully stocked. Prinsessa, this looks amazing. Come and sit down. Oh, and Brynn?”
“Yes?” Brynn set the salad on the table and turned around.
“The next time you and Henrik get dressed in a hurry, try to wear your shirt the right way.” Tyr winked as he took his seat.
Brynn glanced at her T-shirt and her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my gods!” she squealed, before running out of the room. She returned half a minute later, with a righted shirt and a mortified expression. She picked a dish towel off the counter and threw it at Tyr, who wiped tears of laughter from his eyes. To my right, Forse chuckled quietly, and even Henrik sported an enormous grin.
“I’m going to remember this moment when you’re crying for your bodyguard to save your life in Svartalfheim,” Brynn warned.
“You do that,” Tyr guffawed.
Mia sat beside him, muffling her laughter behind one delicate hand. “Sit,” she giggled. “Eat. You’ve all got a long day coming up tomorrow.”
Forse held out my chair and I shot him a grateful grin. The smile he returned me looked forced, but I’d take it.
Mia only knew the half of it. Long day didn’t begin to cover what it would take to retrieve Runa. But we’d get it done. And if that monster was the reason Forse kept that wall around his heart, then maybe I could do more than just keep the peace on this recovery mission.
Maybe I could give Forse—and myself—a real chance at happiness.
CHAPTER THREE
“ELSA, YOU’RE WAY TOO good to me. You made my favorite.” Forse tossed a kernel of popcorn in his mouth, and I tried my hardest not to stare at his lips while he chewed.
I failed.
“Light sugar, extra butter.” I forced my eyes upward. “The perfekt balance of sweet and savory.”
“Thanks. I have a surprise for you, too.” Forse set the bowl on the end table and walked to the kitchen. He returned carrying two glass containers and an easy grin.
“Coke in a bottle! Where’d you find that?” I bounced on my knees.
“A market in Eureka just started carrying it, so I ordered you a case. I popped a few in your fridge and left the rest in your garage.”
I clapped my hands together. “Forse Styrke, you are too much. How did you remember how much I like this?”
Forse raised one eyebrow. “I don’t remember you liking it as much as I remember you trying to kiss me because of it.”
My face went from zero to blazing in half a second. “You spun that bottle and it landed on me, thank you very much.”
“True.” Forse opened both bottles and handed me one, then reclaimed his spot on the couch and took a long drink. “But you were the one who jumped across the circle and tried to attack me. If Tyr hadn’t pulled you back, who knows how far you would have tried to go.”
That was my brother. Interfering with my love life since early adolescence.
“Whatever.” I took a delicate sip. The bubbles tickled my nose as the sweet liquid slid down my throat, bringing on a delightful wave of nostalgia. “Oh my gods, this is so good.”
Forse raised his beverage. “Thanks for the popcorn.”
“Thanks for the Coke.” I clinked my bottle against his, and picked up the remote. I pressed “play” as we finished our beverages in companionable silence. Forse set our empty bottles on the end table and settled the popcorn in his lap, then threw his arm across the back of the sofa and shot me his easy smile.
“Get over here, hjärtat.” Forse tilted his head. My heart raced at the endearment as I scooted into the nook he’d made just for me. I nuzzled my cheek against Forse’s chest, and tucked my feet underneath me. It was a calculated position—just enough contact to evoke that warm feeling of safety I got whenever Forse touched me, but not so much as to signal his emotional red flags. Despite our comfortable exchange, I knew Forse was one awkward hand-brush away from bolting out my door faster than he had at Freya’s spin-the-bottle party. I didn’t know if it was a guy thing or a me thing, but boys hadn’t exactly lined up to date the God of War’s little sister. Tyr’s overprotective streak and propensity to blow up when anyone looked at me twice were massive turn-offs to would-be suitors. But Forse had always been the exception; Tyr never minded my spending time alone with his friend. Maybe it was because they’d known each other for hundreds of years, or maybe it was because Forse’s title bound him to a certain honor code that eluded lesser gods. Either way, it made things infinitely easier for me to spend time with him.
I shifted my weight so my knees brushed against Forse’s thigh. The additional contact sparked a wave of warmth that ebbed up my legs, through my stomach, and settled around my heart. With a contented sigh, I increased the pressure of my cheek on Forse’s chest. Smooth muscle muffled the heartbeat, but I heard its tempo increase. Yes! An elated grin broke out across my face at the sound. It might take him years to figure out how perfekt we’d be together—if he ever put it together—but at least I had physical confirmation that I had some kind of effect on him.
Forse cleared his throat and leaned slightly away. My mouth twitched as I tried not to frown. One step forward, two steps back. Every. Single. Time. With great reluctance, and the long-suffering patience only an immortal could summon, I lifted my head and met Forse’s eyes. I wanted to ask why he felt the need to pull away from me, but I knew having the talk would freak him out. So I settled for the first thought that came into my mind. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
“Elsa,” he started. Then he pressed his lips together so they made a fine line. He’d closed off. Dang it.
“We’re just watching a movie,” I reminded him. “That’s it. We’re two friends who’ve known each other for centuries, watching The Tempest.”
“That’s it, huh?” Forse withdrew his arm from the back of the couch and set the popcorn on the end table. When he turned around, he rested his palms on his thighs.
I mirrored his posture, hoping to put him at ease. “It can be. Unless you want to talk? About…anything?”
Please, please, let Forse want to talk about us. After years of not asking me out, please let today be the day he tells me he’s secretly loved me all along and he wants to spend an eternity making up for lost time by—
Be quiet, brain! Stop getting my hopes up.
“We can’t do this tonight hjärtat.” Forse shook his head. “In the morning we’re going to see Runa. We can’t afford to lose focus, even for a minute. The last time we saw her, she…she…”
“I know,” I said softly. “If she hadn’t released Fenrir, my parents would be alive.”
Forse’s skin paled and a thin sheen broke out across his forehead. “She’s a monster. Tyr doesn’t see that we’re walking you straight into a trap.”
“Oh, Tyr sees it.” I tapped my temple, reminding Forse of my link to the sometimes disturbing inner workings of Tyr’s mind. “Odin gave us freaky sibling powers, remember? I know Tyr’s taking care of things on his end. He had you drop off the locator before we started the movie, right?”
“Ja,” Forse answered.
“Then you know Henrik’s upping the tech on that tonight. Probably trying to decrease the search time, increase the radius, maybe even plug in that app Mia and I are working on to identify mind signatures. Trust me, Tyr’s making sure we’re going into this mission with every tool in our arsenal fully prepped.” I paused. “Have you trained Brynn on how to use the locator? Somebody other than you should know how to operate it.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence in my ability to not get captured.” The corners of Forse’s eyes crinkled with his smile.
“You know what I mean
. Having an alternate is just good sense.”
“True. And it’s why I trained both Brynn and Henrik on how to use it.” Forse rubbed the back of his neck.
“Hey, we’ve got this. We’ll be back before you know it, and then you can go back to not touching me on movie night.” I elbowed Forse in the ribs.
“Else, I—”
“I’m kidding. I’m trying to make you laugh.”
Forse pressed two fingers between his brows. “We’re dragging you into the middle of an obvious setup. Nobody’s even trained you to defend yourself.”
“I took combat in school,” I argued.
Forse looked up. “You knew you were a Key so you followed the protected god curriculum—not the protector god curriculum. The two terms of basic swords your program required aren’t enough. Not when you’re dealing with Runa.”
“Okay, then you teach me.” I sat up. “We’ve got tonight—teach me whatever tools you think I need to take her on.”
“That’ll take more than one night.”
“Well, one night’s what we’ve got,” I pointed out as I paused the movie. “It’s not how I was hoping we’d spend the evening, but I’ll make you a deal. I let you teach me whatever would make you feel better about my going with you—offense, defense, swordsmanship, gun safety, those stupid Three Stooges routines Henrik finds so amusing—whatever. You get two hours to prep me as you see fit. And after, you curl up on this couch with me, and we watch a movie or talk or just stare at the fire—anything but think about what we’re doing tomorrow. Because you and I both know what a giant bucket of stress you are right now, and that’s no way to go into a hostile zone. We both need to relax.”
If the rigidity in Forse’s shoulders was any indication, relaxation was going to be a tall order.
“Do we have a deal?” I asked him.
Forse drew a slow breath. “Your brother’s going to kill me.”
“For the self-defense class? Or the relaxing on the couch?” I teased.
Forse didn’t crack a smile. “Both.”
“Well, he can just deal. Keeping me in a bubble didn’t help us when Fenrir came knocking, did it? I’m long overdue for a combat refresher. High school was forever ago.”
