by S. T. Bende
Uh, I’d better go. I raised a hand in farewell. Until next time?
The spirit smiled sadly. I’ll be in here.
I’ll work on your host for you, I promised. I’ll try to make your living arrangements if not better, then at least less awful.
Stay safe, the spirit warned.
You too.
“Elsa!” Runa shrieked.
“Sorry!” I sent another beam at Runa’s shoulder. The energy cleared out the region’s darkness, which enabled her demi-god genetics to kick back in. Her muscles rejected the bullet, dislodging it from the bone, and allowing the skin to knit itself back together. As the flow of blood ebbed, Runa leaned against the wall in relief.
“About time.” She swore. Her eyes flew open and she stared at me, her gaze shooting the fire of a thousand Muspelheims. Runa hated me; there was zero doubt about that. The question was, how far was that hatred going to take her?
And how many gods were going to die because of it?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“PICK UP, PICK UP, pick up.” If I will it, he will come…Positive thinking began working its magic. The communicator buzzed against my arm as I waited for Forse to answer. Runa had slammed the door on me just moments before, her newly healed shoulder severely weighed down by its enormous chip. She’d run out of patience with my fake attempts to track Fenrir, and she’d decided killing Brynn would convince me to do her bidding.
“Pick up!” I pleaded.
After a slow eternity, my wish was granted.
“Perfekt timing.” Forse stared at the screen. “We adjusted the search parameters with the additional info you gave us, and the locator’s narrowed your whereabouts to two potential sites—searching only the towers east of the ambush site cut our prospective locations down a lot. As soon as it confirms a single location, I’ll port us to the forest at the base of your tower. Get ready for company.”
His easy words did nothing to soothe my panic. “Forget finding me, just get out of here. Bifrost back to Midgard, or port to the far side of the realm. Runa thinks you’re dead, so you’re in the clear, but now she’s on her way to kill Brynn.”
Forse clenched his jaw. “Tyr,” he muttered through his teeth. “Some cover, please.”
My brother grunted in the background, and a shimmery bubble appeared behind Forse. My lower lip quivered. I’d never been so relieved to see one of Tyr’s protective shields. Brynn would be safe, at least for now.
Forse swiped his finger across the screen. “Oh, skit. Henrik just sent his full analysis of the crystal Runa ingested.”
“What does it say?” Brynn’s face popped into the background. “Oh, hei, Elsa.”
“Hei.” I waved halfheartedly.
“Double skit,” Brynn swore. “This is so not good.”
Tyr leaned over Forse’s shoulder, nodding at me as he read. “Hei, Sis.”
“Tyr, Runa is crazy. Your little bubble isn’t going to do anything. You have to get Forse and Brynn out of there,” I begged.
My brother scrolled through the screen. “Skit doesn’t begin to cover it. The good news is that the crystal’s effects last one to three days from the time of activation. So it could be wearing off any time now. Then we’ll only have a regular-issue crazy goddess on our hands, not a hyped-up crazy one.”
“Unless she pocketed a shard when the crystal exploded and ingests another piece,” Forse countered. “Then the clock would start all over.”
Tyr and Brynn swore in unison.
I leaned against the stone wall of my cell. “What powers did it give her, exactly? Did Henrik break them down?” I asked.
“She’s got the hand blast, as we saw. Henrik thinks it’s a dark magic-laced gas that’s being funneled into a condensed stream. The gas acts as a conductor for the dark magic.” Forse swiped the screen.
“Fabulous,” I muttered.
“Then there’s the porting. The crystal should give Runa the power to open and close portals within the realm. Apparently the crystal’s power is tied to Svartalfheim,” Forse explained.
“Interesting.” Tyr sounded thoughtful. “So if we got her out of here, even if she’s still hyped up on crystal juice, its powers would be impotent?”
“Probably. But this dose should wear off in a few hours. Let’s try to bring her in before she goes for round two, ja?” Forse rubbed his jaw.
“Obviously,” Tyr grumbled.
“Or you could wait out her rampage in Asgard, and come back when she’s off her uppers?” I offered.
“We’re not leaving you here alone, Elsa.” Tyr glowered.
Gods are so stubborn.
“Fine.” I tapped my chin with one finger. “Do you think she could have any other powers?” I asked.
“The crystal is enhancing what’s in her. She was already strong; now she should be stronger. She was already fast; now she’s like a cheetah on caffeine. You get the idea.” Forse rubbed the deep V between his brows.
I knew exactly why. “Her darkness is growing too, isn’t it?”
Forse nodded. “If Henrik’s specs are correct, this crystal is enhancing everything in her genetic makeup, from physical to emotional traits. Runa had a rough life, and I always believed those circumstances made her do the things she did. But now…I can’t help but wonder if evil was bred into her all along. Maybe her soul is coded for malice.”
“It’s not,” I interjected. “I talked to it. Her soul is really nice.”
“You did what?” Brynn squeaked. “Oh my gods, how?”
“Forget how, did you say her spirit is nice?” Forse’s eyebrows shot up.
“It’s a long story.” I glanced over my shoulder, but my cell door was still closed. Thank Odin. “The most important thing to know is that you don’t have much time. Runa has some major daddy issues, and unless we turn over Fenrir, she’s going to lose the only god she seems to care about—her bat-poop crazy father.”
“You been talking to Mia lately?” Tyr chuckled.
“You know what I mean.” I rolled my eyes. “Runa is determined to kill Brynn. I think her plan is to keep offing Asgardians until we turn over the wolf.”
“If she’s serious about hurting our people, then we’ll turn over the wolf.” Brynn shrugged. “We’ve trapped him before; we can get him back again.”
“It’s not that simple,” I argued. “She’s planning to use him to destroy Asgard. Apparently, the dark elf prophets say Fenrir will play a key role in Ragnarok. And Runa claims that if Tyr hands him over, he’ll die knowing he was responsible for the end of the realms as we know them.”
My friends stared at the screen without blinking.
“The dark elves have prophesies about Ragnarok, too?” Brynn tugged at her ponytail.
“Apparently,” I confirmed. “I know we don’t like to talk about the end of Asgard, but if there’s a chance this could be true, we need to prevent it.”
The vein in Forse’s forehead bulged. He was seriously mad. “Under no circumstances are we to turn Fenrir over to anyone. Our Norns say Fenrir will play a key role in Ragnarok as well. But they have nothing but heroic things to say about Tyr’s role.”
A loud crash interrupted our strategizing.
“What was that?” Brynn pointed. My friends looked up, but my view was restricted to three furrowed brows.
I tapped the screen on my forearm. “I can’t see. What is it?”
“I think a bird fell out of the sky.” Brynn flinched. Crash. “There’s another one. Is someone shooting them?”
Tyr closed his eyes. “I’m not picking up any mind signatures,” he surmised.
“Well, something’s making them fall. They aren’t dropping on their own.” Forse ran his hand over the golden highlights of his waves, and I wished I could reach through the communicator and do the same. His carefully constructed layers were slowly unraveling as his inner warrior clubbed his outer scholar over the head, preparing for battle in the name of survival.
A disheveled justice god was unfairly se
xy.
At the sound of a third crash, Forse swore. “They’re not birds. They’re drones in bird’s clothing.”
“Let me see,” I urged.
Forse angled his arm to show me the perimeter of the silvery bubble, where a fourth black blur fell at the protection. It struck the shield with a force that sent it bouncing back, hitting a nearby tree with enough impact to shake its needles loose. As it spiraled to the ground I caught a view of its feathered head, bent wings, and broken beak. The drone convulsed, emitting a series of red sparks before shooting a flare twenty meters straight up.
Oh, gods.
Tyr growled. “It’s a scout drone. Whoever’s sending them will be here any—”
He never got to finish his sentence. Before my friends could draw their weapons, a sea of black birds rained down on the protective shield. And a voice I wished I would never hear again broke through the peaceful quiet of the forest.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!”
Runa was ready to play.
Dear Odin, help us all.
“So, my little friends found you. How lovely.” Runa’s voice crackled, sounding far away.
Panic clawed at my heart. “Get out of there!”
“Drone birds are equipped with speakers,” Force said. “She’s not necessarily on site.” As he glanced up, a trio of drones struck the shield directly above his head. How much longer could it last?
“Whether she’s there or not, you need to leave. Get back to Asgard and send the Elite Team in to take her down. Don’t get yourselves killed!” I pleaded.
One corner of Forse’s mouth turned up as the locator emitted a series of beeps. “No Asgardians are getting killed today. We finally found you.” Forse picked up Brynn’s backpack and tossed it to her. “Brynn, you and Tyr hold Runa’s attention while I port to Elsa and get her out of the tower. I’ll have Heimdall drop the Bifrost to bring her home, then I’ll come back with—”
The loud boom jarred Forse. His lips parted as he took in the silvery bubble, now streaked with so many breaks it looked as if it’d met the business end of a Helbeast. The cracks popped as they traveled the length of the shield, until the whole dome was covered in jagged lines.
“Forbåskat,” Tyr swore.
“Incoming.” Runa’s voice rang triumphant as another bird dropped out of the sky, dive-bombing the apex of the shield. It sent a single crack from the peak to the perimeter of the already splintered dome.
“It’s going to give soon,” Brynn warned. “That last one hit the stabilizer.”
Tyr glared at the sky. “Forse, go get my sister, now!”
Forse wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword. With the other, he saluted Tyr before drawing a small circle in the air with his pointer finger. My last image before Forse ported out was of the silver glitter raining down on my friends, a sparkling contrast to the sweeping sea of drones. The fake birds filled the sky like a thick fog, blocking the sunlight and casting a haze over the forest. The communicator went dark for an endless beat.
Oh gods, come back. Come back!
As my heart thumped to a standstill, the beautiful image of Forse’s face filled my screen. Behind him stood a sea of thick, soot-covered trees.
“Oh thank Odin. You’re okay.” My teeth released their hold on my fingernails.
“For now. There’s no telling where Runa’s drones will turn up next.”
“Where are you?”
Forse turned a circle. “I’m in the woods due north of your tower, probably a good two kilometers away. If Runa’s super-senses are wearing off, I don’t think she’ll be able to detect me at this distance.”
“That was good thinking.” I glanced out my window.
“That’s why they pay me the big kroner. We need to get you out of there, but I’ve got to assess the castle to figure out the best exit strategy.” Forse squinted. “Is she still in the building? Or has she left to put a hit on Tyr and Brynn?”
I scanned the castle for energy signatures. “She’s here,” I confirmed. “And she’s really angry. Her spirit’s still good though—I’m going to talk to it and try to get her to call off her attack.”
“Nobody’s that powerful, Elsa.” Forse’s voice was low. “You think I didn’t try to save her a hundred times over the years? She doesn’t want our help. She doesn’t want to be saved.”
I stared into the sorrowful green eyes in the screen, finally realizing what this recon must have cost Forse. Coming face to face with the ex-girlfriend who betrayed him in the worst possible way; seeing how far the goddess he once loved had descended into darkness; watching helplessly as I was taken away. This trip had been a living Hel.
And now I was asking him for more time.
“I’m sorry, Forse,” I apologized. “I have to try. My mother would have wanted to know we did everything we could to save Lifa’s daughter.”
Forse raised his eyebrows.
“I’ll explain everything later. Just move toward the castle. I’ll try to talk to her, and hopefully get her to call off the drones—maybe even let me go. If I’m not in the forest closest to the tower in ten minutes, you’ll know I didn’t succeed. In that case, come up after me.”
Forse sucked in a sharp breath. “And if you don’t succeed? Then what do you want me to do with Runa?”
I closed my eyes. “Then you do what you have to do to protect Asgard.”
“This is too risky. Let me come and get you, and we can—”
My eyes flew open. “I am the Unifier of Asgard. For better or worse, I’m all our realm has. This soul needs my help. You have to trust me.”
Forse’s features softened. “I do trust you, hjärtat. It’s that monster I don’t trust.”
I took a deep breath. “Ten minutes. That’s it. Oh, and Forse?”
“Mmm?”
“I love you. You should probably know that.” With that, I pressed my finger to my wrist, the communicator’s screen darkening on the image of the God of Justice, with his mouth open and eyes wide.
My hands shook as I tucked my hair behind my ears. As terrifying as that was, I knew something even scarier lay ahead.
I gritted my teeth and sucked in a breath. Here goes nothing.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ERM, HEI. I REACHED out to Runa’s spirit. Are you still here?
Silence.
You don’t have to talk to me, but you need to call off this god hunt. They’re going to bring in assassins to kill you.
Still nothing, but my spirit felt the pulsating anger from Runa. My breath came in ragged gasps as I absorbed the rage burning within her. My heart sunk with the realization that I’d failed—Runa’s spirit was almost completely black. There was only a tiny flicker of light left within her—barely even a spark. The darkness had all but snuffed out the spirit that had once been a protective big sister and loving daughter.
Gods, what did it take for someone to go from being that pure, to this…this evil? What kind of blow had she been dealt since the last time I spoke to her spirit? Was there any point in trying to reason with her anymore? Or should I turn tail and save myself?
My gut tugged. Runa might have made some horrific choices, but so long as there was a spark of goodness within her, this poor soul deserved my best effort.
I pulled my shoulders back and pushed my spirit forward.
Runa, I know there’s still good in you. I’m so sorry you never had the family you deserved. I’m sorry you never knew the unconditional love every child should have. I’m sorry my mom, and Forse, and now even me, all failed to help you overcome your pain. I don’t know how to reach you, but I need you to know that if you continue down this path, you won’t be able to turn back. Right now there’s still a spark of light in you, but if you go and kill Brynn, and—
I don’t want to kill anyone. Runa’s spirit broke through. Oh, thank Odin!
You’re there! My joy was so overwhelming, I wanted to reach out and hug Runa’s spirit. But I wasn’t about to do anything tha
t might send the vestiges of Runa’s goodness back into hiding.
You have to stop my host. She snapped. Runa’s spirit spoke hurriedly, like she was afraid she might be snuffed out.
What happened?
Her father upped his deadline. She didn’t deliver the wolf, so he banished her. It’s exactly like—
It’s exactly like what happened when he punished her for protecting her brother, I surmised. Suddenly Runa’s energy shift made sense. He triggered an emotional memory of abandonment; the one that sent her on this path to begin with. And now he’s forcing her to complete the journey. Gods, what kind of a demon is this guy?
The spirit shuddered. You have to stop her. If she kills Brynn, and unleashes Fenrir…your brother will blame himself. He’ll spiral down the same path Runa is on. Only when he falls, the aftermath will be devastating. Because he’s not just Asgard’s God of War; he’s—
“Enough!” Runa’s shriek rang across the castle. The sound reverberated throughout the floors, bouncing off the stones and sending waves of pain through my heart. Heavy footsteps pounded outside my cell door, and when Runa wrenched it open, her face was nearly unrecognizable. Her eyes burned like two blackened coals, and her lips were pressed together so tightly, they made a thin line. She shot a beam at the wall sconce with her hand, and the lava rocks within began to smolder. Their light cast eerie shadows around my cell.
Block her, the spirit said.
Excuse me? I cringed as Runa stepped inside my cell.
Block her. If you have your mother’s powers, you can make her see—or feel—whatever you want her to. Push a thought into her head and take her off this destructive course.
My mother did that? How? I asked. Runa raised her hand, and I covered my face.
Just do it!
A blue light sparked in Runa’s hand, and I knew the beam was coming. Without knowing how, I pressed the image of a flower-filled meadow into her mind. Confusion colored Runa’s features, but her hand remained raised.
“What the Hel? Did you transport us to a meadow?” She pointed her palm at me.
It worked? I questioned. How?
