Gods

by Ednah Walters

  “Yes, Mother.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “She trusts me. You should try it some time.”

  She patted his cheek. “I trust you, silly boy. I just don’t think you can control Trudy. But as long as Celestia is with you, then I know she’ll behave.”

  “That’s insulting. Where’s your sense of loyalty, Mother?”

  She tapped him with her scepter. “There are certain things we women are very good at, Son, that you would never understand.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like knowing when not to question your mother.”

  I laughed. “Things beyond your comprehension.”

  “Show off,” he shot back.

  “Children, that’s enough. Celestia, make sure Trudy behaves. Eirik, I will hold you accountable if anything happens to the girls. But right now, you need to shower and change out of those sweaty clothes.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He planted a kiss on her cheek. “You still love me the most, right?”

  The goddess just shook her head and shooed us out of the room. She had changed so much from when I first met her it was surreal listening to her. Her relationship with Eirik was beautiful to watch. They teased and tested each other, but the underlying emotion was love.

  “Do you want to disappear in my quarters and not come out until its time to take you home?” he asked, the moment the door closed behind us.

  “I’m all yours after I talk to Maera.”

  “You’re mine always, beautiful.” He scooped me up before I realized his intention, and I looped my arms around his neck. He smelled of clean sweat. “I don’t like to see you cry. What happened in there?”

  “We talked and things got tense. She is really nice.”

  “I know.” He headed toward his quarters. “You want to wait for me while I shower and change?”

  “Can I see some of your pictures while you shower?”

  “Sure.” He lowered me down on his bed and showed me how to use his camera to view pictures, and then he went to shower. I was still going through one memory card when he finished and joined me, trapping one of my legs with his. His hair was wet and he smelled so nice I wanted to bury my nose in his neck and sniff him.

  “Which ones are your favorites?” I asked.

  He kissed my shoulder and studied the still pictures, pointing at different ones. It wasn’t easy focusing because he was either rubbing his lips across my skin or stroking it, but I was determined to resist him. The goddess had given me a job to do, and I had to stay on task.

  Easier said than done. I got distracted, and a few times I closed my eyes and savored the sensations. He was an amazing photographer and had an eye for detail. Then I saw the time.

  “Crap! I gotta go home. Tomorrow, bring your camera and take pictures. I’m sure Trudy will want you to capture the moment. I also want to see a memory card with people, so I can meet Raine and Cora, Torin and, uh… what’s the name of the other Valkyrie?”

  “Andris,” he said without looking away from the camera’s screen. “If I bring one of my camera’s I’m bringing it with you in mind, not Trudy.”

  “I don’t know how you can be so sweet, yet mean at the same time.” I sat up and ran my fingers through his hair. It had grown so much in three weeks.

  “Because that’s who I am, Dimples.” He switched to camera mode and turned to take pictures of me. He moved off the bed. “Look at me. No, don’t pose. Just be yourself.”

  I wasn’t sure what he saw through those lenses, but he walked around the bed taking pictures of me from different angles. He put the camera down and joined me, his eyes intense. I knew that look only too well, and I was only human. He’d been driving me crazy with his caresses, so when he cupped my face, I closed my eyes and let him redefine my reality. He was such an amazing kisser.

  “Stjärna mín,” he whispered as he trailed kisses down my neck. I loved it when he kissed my neck. I forgot about going home, until my watch dinged again.

  “This time, I’m going home.” I jumped up and started for the door. “I still have to thank Maera and say hi to Anne Marie.”

  “Hey,” he called out and snapped a few more pictures. “Have I told you how crazy I am about you?”

  “Every day.” Amused by his antics, I opened the door and headed for the rotunda. Every time I’d said I wanted to go home, he either started making out with me, or picked up his camera to show me something, or take pictures.

  He caught up with me before I reached the rotunda and lifted me into his arms. “Why are you always picking me up like I can’t walk on my own?”

  “Because you are puny and can’t keep up with my long legs.”

  “That’s insulting.”

  “Am I right or what, guys?” he asked the guards in the rotunda, and they grinned and bobbed their heads. “See? They agree with me.”

  “Right. You can say the sky is green and there are tropical forests in Helheim and they’d agree with you. Put me down, and I’ll show you what my legs can do.”

  “What are you planning? To tackle me?”

  “No, race you to the kitchen.”

  “You wouldn’t stand a chance, shorty.” He kissed my nose. “Besides, I like having you up here instead of stooping down to kiss you.”

  I pinched his arm.

  “Ouch. What was that for?”

  “For making fun of my size, you big oaf. Put me down.” I wiggled until he lowered me down. He looked really sorry. Fighting a grin, I took off along the hallway and yelled, “Sucker!”

  He growled, the sound echoing along the hallway. I glanced over my shoulder, expecting him to be right behind me. He wasn’t even running, the arrogant asshat. Then he leaped forward, determination gleaming in his eyes. I squealed and raced ahead. I hated running, but I started this and was determined to beat him.

  I reached the Throne Room at a run, surprising nearby guards. I glanced over my shoulder and found Eirik gaining on me. He wasn’t even trying. Runes appeared on his face and arms.

  “That’s cheating,” I yelled, running past the throne.

  He was beside me in a fraction of a second. “You started it.”

  He reached for me, but I ducked. I went around him and sprinted ahead. He reached out to grab me again. I screamed while focusing on Maera. A portal to the kitchen formed, and I shot through it while he ran straight ahead. It closed behind me.

  “What is it?” Maera asked. “Are you okay? We heard screams.”

  I laughed and hugged her. “I beat him.”

  “Beat who?” Before I could answer, Eirik appeared, looking so annoyed, I laughed harder.

  “Eirik. I beat him!”

  “Cheat,” he griped.

  “Sore loser,” I shot back. “If you can use runes, I can use portals.” I turned to explain to Maera and found the kitchen staff had stopped whatever they’d been doing and moved closer. “We were having a race to the kitchen, and I won.”

  “She cheated. Twice.”

  “You made fun of me. He said my legs were short, like it was a bad thing.”

  “Is that so?” Maera pinned Eirik down with a glare. “You see my legs? Do they look short?”

  “No, ma’am. They are perfect. I’m going to make you pay for this,” Eirik whispered and backed away. “I didn’t mean it the way she said it. Yours and hers”—he kissed his fingers—“sheer perfection.”

  Maera’s lips twitched. “Of course, they are. Somehow I knew you would be behind the ruckus when I heard it. Out of my kitchen. Shoo.”

  Eirik crossed his arms. “Not without her.”

  “Fine. Stay.” Maera cupped my face. “Let me take a look at you. You look well. There’s a sparkle in your eyes, but we know who’s responsible for that.” She patted my cheek. “You are all skin and bones. We need to fatten you up and…” Her voice trailed off and her chin shook. “Don’t ever scare us like that again.”

  The housekeeper completely lost it, and Eirik inched away, leaving me to comfort her. The coward. I glared at
him, but he just smirked before opening a portal. This woman had nursed me, and I would forever be grateful to her, but I was completely clueless when it came to consoling her. I was starting to tear up when Trudy arrived.

  “She is healthy and happy, Mama. Thanks to you. You should be celebrating, not crying,” Trudy scolded. She knew just what to say to her mother to make her feel better.

  Maera wiped the corner of her eyes with a hanky. “You are right, my little one. We should celebrate. I will pack some food. You poor thing. No mother to cook for you and watch over you and your papa. He loved my pastries, too, so wait here.”

  Trudy and I hugged.

  “Thank you. I had no idea what to tell her and was beginning to panic.”

  She grinned. “And cry.”

  “No, I wasn’t.”

  “You were close, which would have been the worst thing to do with her because she would have cried harder. By the way, she met your father and liked him.”

  Maera returned with a basket of her stuffed pastries covered with a cloth. She ordered me to pick up food several times a week because someone needed to take care of us.

  “Does she know I’m almost eighteen and I’ve been doing just fine taking care of myself and my father?” I asked as we walked away.

  “Blame your papa,” Trudy said as we left the kitchen and went in search of Eirik. “He liked her cooking. Anyone who does gets Mama’s undying devotion. Oh, he regaled us with stories of your escapades while Mama fed him. Going after bad guys you see in your visions. Helping the police. Making sure your home is clean and there’s food on the table. According to your father, you are a saint. I’m not sure what a saint is, but it must mean the perfect daughter. Mama would insist on helping me set the table whenever he visited just to hear his stories.” She glanced over her shoulder as though looking for eavesdroppers before asking, “Have you seen her?”

  I knew “her” meant Einmyria. The goddess wanted me to be buddies with her and I was not going to disappoint her.

  “No. Do you know where she is? I want to say hi.”

  Trudy’s jaw dropped. “You want to say hi? How about punch her in the face or crack her ribs and make her feel the pain you felt? Or even better, let me get inside her head and reduce her to a catatonic state?”

  I laughed. She was terrible. “How are things?”

  “Tense. She spends a lot of her time with Baldur, which hurts the goddess’ feelings. Another reason to hate her. She wants a swimming pool.”

  I shuddered at the words. I wondered if my fear of water would ever go away. “Is she coming with us tomorrow?”

  “Oh crap! I forgot to tell Eirik. He cannot invite her. The last person I want on my first trip to a mall is that girl. There he is.” Eirik was by the entrance with Rhys. From the looks of things, they were having an argument. “Tell him she can’t come.”

  “I can’t. She is his sister. If he wants her to come, we can’t say no. Anyway, I need to see her.”

  Trudy groaned. “You suck. You are supposed to be on my side.”

  “I’m not on anyone’s side. Tell Eirik I’ll be back in a few. I need to find her.”

  Trudy made a face. “She’s in her bedroom. She’d asked for a snack and Mama made me take some to her. Like I’m her servant. She was lucky I didn’t throw it at her.”

  I pushed the basket of pastries into Trudy’s hand and opened a portal to the rotunda. The same guards who’d grinned while Eirik carried me like I was his pet were still on duty.

  They bowed and smiled, until I said, “Where are Einmyria’s quarters?”

  Their smiles melted away and they looked at each other, but no one volunteered to show me the way. I had no idea where her bedroom was, but according to the goddess it was next to theirs.

  “Can one of you take me to her, please?”

  The guards were reluctant, but one nodded and escorted me to the goddess and Baldur’s quarters. For once Litr wasn’t there to open the door. He often anticipated my arrival. Instead, Einmyria opened the door when I knocked.

  For a beat, she just stared at me. She was about my height and I found myself staring at her eyes. I tried to see their real color through the contacts.

  “Hey,” I said.

  She blinked, and I could swear the contacts shifted. “Hey. I heard you were around.”

  “Yeah. Eirik kept me busy, but I meant to stop by and see you before I left.”

  “Does that mean you forgive me?”

  I wanted to say hell no, but the frustrated look in the goddess’ eyes flashed in my head. I nodded. “I guess so.”

  “Oh, thank you.” She hugged me, and it was the moment with my mother all over again. I froze, uneasy and not sure what to do. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you. That wasn’t me. I swear.”

  I should wrestle her to the ground, pluck those contacts, and expose her for the fraud she was, except, it could be possible to have lighter colored eyes as a child. Besides, the goddess had one blue eye. Anne Marie could really be Einmyria.

  She leaned back and gave me a shaky smile. “Thank you for understanding. You and Eirik are together, and that makes you my sister now.”

  I played along. “Of course. Like you said, we are sisters now.” I wanted to throw up.

  ~*~

  EIRIK

  “Where’s Celestia?” I called out when I realized she was gone.

  “With Einmyria.” Trudy moved closer, the basket of pastries in her hand. “Please, don’t tell me she’s coming with us tomorrow.”

  “She is.” I hadn’t asked Einmyria yet. Ignoring the pouting Trudy, I focused on Rhys. “Sit down with the guy and talk like normal people.”

  Rhys scowled. “Echo is the opposite of a normal person. He is unreasonable about many things, and Dev tops that list. He won’t talk to me.”

  “How about this. I bring him to the table and you can owe me.”

  “My loyalty cannot be bought.”

  “Stop being so damn literal, dude.” He was too serious. I studied the tats on his arms and grinned. “You can wear me. Yeah, that’s how you’ll repay me.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”

  “Add a dragon tattoo to your collection when I bring Echo to the negotiation table. You have space for one more, don’t you?” Rhys stared at me as though I’d lost my mind. I wasn’t surprise he didn’t find my suggestion funny. “Lighten up, Grimnir.” Laughing, I opened a portal to the rotunda. “Come on, Trudy.”

  “I already have a damn dragon tat, Baldurson, and it has nothing to do with you.” He yanked his shirt up, to show me one on his left side, right under his ribs. The tat was big, a round Celtic looking symbol with the silhouette of a flying dragon in the center. It was impressive.

  “Not bad. Not that I needed the visual.”

  His violet eyes narrowed. “Fine. You’ll get your tat. But if you don’t deliver, you will owe me one, no questions asked.”

  “Dude, I was kidding.” I was still laughing when the portal opened.

  “Why can’t I just wait in the hall?” Trudy griped as she followed me into the rotunda.

  “Because I want you to see what forgiveness looks like, and maybe”—I led the way down the hallway to my parents’ quarters—“you’ll stop hating Einmyria.”

  A derisive laugh escaped Trudy. “If you think Celestia will forgive what she did to her, you are nuts. I hope she whoops her ass.”

  “Celestia doesn’t hold grudges. She’s reasonable and sweet, and a lot more understanding than you, Trudnir.”

  “Ha. That’s what you think. I’m sure we’ll find them at each other’s throat. I bet on Celestia. As for your sister, she needs to stop treating me like I’m her servant.”

  “She does not.”

  “She’s the one who needs to prove herself around here and someone needs to tell her who I am.”

  I sighed. Dealing with women was exhausting. I entered the main room ahead of her and found Celestia hugging my father. I liked that my parents were fond o
f her. It was going to make things easy for me when I told them how I felt. Einmyria watched them from across the room, a weird expression on her face. The second she noticed me, she grinned and started toward me, the look gone. Maybe I’d imagined it, or maybe Trudy was getting to me.

  “Celestia and I talked. Everything is okay between us.” Her eyes narrowed when Trudy joined us. “What are you doing here? We didn’t ask for food,” Einmyria said dismissively.

  “Told you,” Trudy murmured as she walked past me, then she paused to give Einmyria a tight smile. “These are for Celestia. Mama is sending her home with some of her best pastries since someone knocked her out and she didn’t get to eat properly for three weeks.”

  “Girls, that’s enough,” Father said, letting Celestia go and putting an arm around Trudy’s shoulder and the other around Einmyria. He pressed a kiss on Trudy’s forehead and studied her with a gentle smile. “Little one. For years, you complained you didn’t have someone your age to do things with. You two should be best friends, not fight over the past. Celestia understands that Einmyria was under Angrboda’s influence and has forgiven her. Can you do the same, for me?”

  Trudy stared at Einmyria, then Celestia before she nodded.

  “Thank you. Einmyria, Trudy is a member of our household. She will play a big role in Ragnarok and we are honored to have her here. So, you two must learn to get along.”

  “Yes, Dad.”

  “Wonderful. So I hear tomorrow is a big day for all of you. Trudy is visiting Celestia for the day.”

  “And going shopping at a mall and watching a movie in a real theater just like Mortals. Mama and Papa said it was okay after Eirik promised he’d take good care of me,” she added quickly, when my father frowned.

  “Be careful out there. All of you.”

  “I’m not going, Dad,” Einmyria said. “I have all I need here and Maera is making me more clothes.”

  “Then you’ll help make sure the men finish demolishing the floor so they can start on that pool.” Father’s glance swept us before stopping on Celestia. “I’m happy you came to see us, dýrr. Don’t let my son keep you to himself whenever you visit.”