Now I was a pawn. Great. But what would the Norns do to punish me for refusing to join them? Would they take Torin like they’d done to Goddess Freya’s husband, or my child like they’d done to Frigga?
~*~
The meeting ended, and I went upstairs to bed. Onyx curled up beside me and for once, I didn’t shoo her away. When Torin arrived a few minutes later with a platinum chain, I was staring into the darkness, my mind a jumble of scenarios that solved nothing. Either I married Torin and had a few centuries of happiness before they take him from me or joined the Norns and never know life as Torin’s wife. Either way, I could lose Torin.
“No, I’m not removing my ring,” I said.
“Yes, you are. Come on. You know that they’ll know the truth if they see it.”
“I don’t care. I’m sleeping with it.” I turned over. Yet I couldn’t fall asleep. And when I did, I was trying to stop the plane from crashing while the Norns chased me with my dagger. Worse, Torin wasn’t there to help. I woke up screaming for him.
“I’m here,” he whispered. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Yet I had the same dream again and again. When I woke up in the morning, I was in a crabby mood.
~*~
I finally agreed to wear my ring around my neck. I kept touching it to make sure it was there, or maybe to remind myself there was still a chance for us. I should be happy, darn it. I was going to be Mrs. Torin St. James. But I could be leading him to his death.
I didn’t see Cora until lunch when she dragged me to Echo’s place to discuss her boy problems and the dark soul she was helping, Dev. Was it just last week I’d worried about souls and fought Draugar? It seemed like ages ago.
“Echo and I fought,” Cora said, looking ready to cry. “I know. Shocking. I don’t know if I should really call it a fight. He refused to help me with Dev and I, uh, got pissed.”
I listened and tried to be supportive. Part of me wished I could share my problems with her too. I stroked my ring through my shirt, finding comfort from it, and made appropriate responses as she talked. We got lunch ready, soups from a nearby restaurant.
“I told him I didn’t want to see him for forty-eight hours,” she continued.
“And he listened?”
“Not really.” She went on and on about their fight and his attempts to reconcile. “I miss him.”
Forty-eight hours was nothing compared with what the Norns were planning for Torin and me. Would we have a year if we married? Ten? A century? Or a day?
She frowned and studied me as though she knew something wasn’t right. “Once he finds out about what happened yesterday with the Grimnirs,” I told Cora, trying to act normal, “he’ll be here breathing fire and threatening to decapitate someone.”
“He’s not going to find out because Rhys, the walking ad for tats, used to be the third member of their trio and they don’t talk. And you guys are...” she zipped her lips.
“You’re forgetting the girl,” I reminded her.
“Nara is a pain. Everything about her bugs me.” She yanked her cell phone from her pocket. “Dev said she and Echo dated.”
“Oh. I don’t know what I’d do if Torin’s ex appeared,” I said. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Norns unearthed one to mess up my relationship with Torin. “Probably put a hex on her.”
Cora laughed. “You wouldn’t. You know he loves only you, and you’d ignore her the same way I’ve been ignoring Nara. The problem with her is she keeps saying things that make me want to punch her in the nose.”
“She’s jealous, that’s all. You have the power.”
Then Cora did something weird. She lifted the phone to her lips and said, “Hey, Dev. You there?”
“You talk to him on the phone?” I asked.
“He likes to commandeer my electronics to communicate. He’s not back. Come on, let’s eat.”
My stomach still churned and food was the last thing I wanted. I studied Cora’s phone. I didn’t care that Dev was a dark soul. Any soul who used electronics rather than dead bodies or dogs had to be worth knowing.
Cora noticed that I wasn’t eating and pinned me down with a speculative glance. “How are things with you?”
The soup smelled amazing, but it tasted like salted water. Fighting my gag reflex, I shrugged.
“Not you, too,” Cora griped. “I have had enough of reading body language, so talk.” She moved closer. “Watching you do magic is amazing. Does it affect you?”
I couldn’t come up with an answer to such a simple question and stared blankly at her. Concern flickered in her eyes.
“Oh yeah,” I said lamely, wracking my brain for a decent response. “The rush is off the charts. Scary.”
“And?”
“That’s it.”
“There’s a lot more going on with you, Raine. Spill it.”
She wasn’t going to stop digging until I gave her something. Since I couldn’t tell her the truth I tried to give her clues. “I need to marry Torin.”
She choked on her soup. I thumped her back, trying hard not to laugh at her expression.
“Really?”
“Really. I need him in so many ways it scares me, but marrying him is at the top of my list. It’s the only way we can survive all this mayhem. We need each other.”
“Does he know how you feel?”
I nodded, but she didn’t see it because a gush of frigid air swept through the kitchen and Echo entered the room. I was forgotten as she jumped into his arms and they got lost in each other. When she lifted her head, our eyes met and I indicated the pool deck. I disappeared outside, giving them privacy.
It was three o’clock in the afternoon and the Miami sun hit the deck at just the right angle. I kicked off my shoes and settled onto one of the deck chairs. I wasn’t hungry, so I ignored my soup.
A sudden chill rushed over my skin and shadows blocked the sun. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know who my visitors were. I wanted to ignore them, but I was told to act normal. How could I act normal when these hags could rob me of everything?
“Do you mind? You’re blocking the sun,” I asked in the nastiest voice I could muster, squinting at them. They didn’t move.
Their wrinkly faces creased even more.
“We asked you to delete the memories of the students at your school,” Marj said.
I sat up, my hand creeping up to cover my necklace, but I stopped just in time. “I’m not one of you, so I won’t.” I looked at my watch. “Come back in three months and twenty-three days. I’ll be eighteen.”
“Do you know what will happen to those you’ve helped?” Catie asked.
“Go ahead. Reverse what I did and see what happens.” Were they the Norns responsible for making sure Eirik’s father died young to punish his mother? And did they take Goddess Freya’s husband to punish her for refusing to join them? Or were different Norns involved? According to Lavania there were many. Some good and some bad. An idea popped into my head and I ran with it. “I have lots of opportunities. Sides I could join and still do what you do.”
Silence followed.
“Sides?” Catie asked.
I squinted at them. “Maliina did it when she joined your evil sisters. Push me hard enough and that’s where I’ll end up too, with them. Neither you nor the gods are going to know what happened when the shit hits the fan. The giants are going to slaughter all of you while you sleep and Hel will sit on Odin’s chair.”
Their eyes glowed with rage and fear slammed into me. But I refused to back down. I was fighting for the right to be left alone, to decide my future. My heart hammering and my stomach heaving, I faked indifference, leaned back on my lounge chair and closed my eyes. The silence was ominous. Any second, I expected them to strike.
When they didn’t speak, I wondered if I had I pushed them too far. I didn’t need to add the part about Hel, but dang it, I was between a no life with Torin and a short life with him. I was desperate.
The moment they left, reli
ef rushed over me so fast I felt faint. Not wanting to wait around in case they decided to return, I picked up the bowl of soup and went back inside. Luckily for me, Echo and Cora were eating instead of making out.
~*~
Once we went back to school, the rest of the afternoon passed quickly. I was about to get in my car when Beau caught up with me.
“Is St. James going to be home this evening?”
“Yeah, I think so. Why?”
“My stepfather wants to thank him for what he did to our Dodge. Do you have his digits? I need to pick his brain about my truck.”
“Just drive it to the house. I’m sure he won’t mind taking a look at it.”
“The engine conked out on me this morning. I had to hitch a ride with a friend.”
“Oh. Yeah. I’ll let him know.”
“Cool. See you tonight.”
I got in my car and headed home. I did not feel like tutoring him this evening, but I couldn’t cancel. Tonight was the last night.
Femi was in the living room watching something when I got home.
She switched off the TV and jumped up. “Hey, doll. How was school?”
I gave her a tiny smile. “Same ol’ same ol’. Is Dad up?”
“He’s not home yet.”
Something shifted in my stomach. “He and Mom…”
“Left with Torin about an hour ago to get your marriage license. They’ll get it, don’t worry.”
From what I’d read online, I had to be there in person with an ID and my parents to sign consent forms. Or they could rune some clerk and have her issue them one. I knew in my gut that something was going to go wrong.
“I’ll be upstairs. I’ve got lots of homework,” I fibbed.
Onyx got up from her window seat and stretched when she saw me. I didn’t even know when the seat became hers. It was mine, then Eirik’s, and now my cat’s.
How was school? she asked.
“Good.” I put my books away then removed my engagement ring from the chain and slipped it on my finger. I studied it, smiling. It really was a beautiful ring. I didn’t know how long I’d get to wear it, but I was going to enjoy every minute of it.
It’s beautiful. It matches your eyes.
I studied the diamond. “My eyes are not that amazing.”
Okay, smarty pants. Whatever you say.
I studied her. “You’re sure we should trust the goddess?”
Onyx sighed. As far as you can trust someone using you to get revenge.
“Blunt as usual. I like that about you. I gotta go.” I admired my ring one last time and engaged my runes. The mirror responded. In seconds, I was in the foyer of the mansion.
“Oh, Ms. Raine. You scared me. I didn’t hear you come in.”
Crap! I’d been so preoccupied I didn’t stop to think about the housekeeper. “Hi, Mrs. Willow. I, uh, I’m looking for Lavania.”
“I haven’t seen her today, but Ms. Ingrid is home. She’s in her room.”
“Thanks.” Lavania was supposed to be back today. I didn’t really want to talk to Ingrid, but I couldn’t leave either, not with the housekeeper around. It was either a portal or a long walk home.
I knocked on Ingrid’s door and she called out, “Come in.”
I pushed open the door and our eyes met in the mirror. She was changing and was down to her panties. She didn’t even cover her breasts when she saw me. “Hey, you. I thought it was Mrs. Willow. Come in.”
I closed the door behind me, but I didn’t move from it. Her room was done in purples and lavender. It suited her. “Can I use your mirror? Mrs. Willow almost caught me using the one downstairs.”
She just sat there watching me, completely comfortable being half-naked. “I tried to find you during lunch, but you were gone.”
“I was with Cora at their place in Miami.” I stared at my ring to avoid looking at her. “Portal, please.”
She got up and closed the gap between us. “Come here.” Then she proceeded to hug me.
I stiffened.
If she noticed, it didn’t stop her from rubbing my back or saying, “This should be the happiest moment of your life, and you’re dealing with all this mess.”
At first, I wanted to push her away. Then I found the situation so ridiculous I chuckled. She leaned back and scowled at me. “What’s so funny?”
“For starters, you’re going to getting wrinkles scowling like that.” She rolled her eyes. “Second, cut out the mothering. I already have a mother.”
“I’m hundreds of years older than you.”
“Doesn’t mean jack. You look my age. Third, put something on.” I wiggled out of her arm and gave mock shudders. “You can’t go around hugging people when you’re naked.”
“Yeah, well, I like being naked.” She picked up my hand and studied my ring. “That is truly one-of-a-kind. You should have heard him talking to the jewelers.” She lifted my hand and placed it next to my face. “But he got what he wanted.”
I frowned. “What?”
“A diamond that looks exactly like your eyes. The amount of green had to be right. I think he had several jewelers and diamond dealers around the world looking for it. Andris set up the meetings, so of course Torin complained to him about how incompetent the dealers were for not finding what he wanted.”
I teared up. Onyx had gotten it right.
Ingrid pulled on leggings and reached for a sports bra. “You should have seen him when a dealer finally did,” Ingrid continued. “He didn’t even blink at the outrageous price. Mind you, he had already offered a finder’s fee for whoever got it. Then they had to cut it for both the engagement ring and your wedding band and mount them on these old family rings Echo found for him. Hey… I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“Sorry. It’s… This is supposed to be my moment, damn it!”
“I know.” She returned to my side and rubbed my arms. “But you know what they say… If you don’t fight hard to love someone, you don’t appreciate what you have.”
I wiped my cheeks and shot her a dubious glance. “Never heard of it.”
“I just made it up. What are you doing now?”
“Since Lavania is not back, heading home to work on my powers and have a pity-party. Want to join me?”
“Hel’s Mist no! But you can join me. Go change into your workout gear. We’re going to burn some energy.”
“You hate sweating.” I remembered her complaining at StubHub.
“I hate sweating in high heels while dolled up. As you can see, I’m not dolled up right now.”
Except her workout outfit was just as trendy as her regular clothes. But like me, she chose ones with hidden pockets for hiding artavo. In fact, I watched as she slipped the tiniest artavus, a portal stillo, in the interior pocket and zipped it up.
“Okay, I’m in. Where are we going?”
She grinned. “To your forest. We Immortals need camouflage when we work out and the woods around here love you.”
I used her private portal, changed at hyper-speed, and told both Onyx and Femi that I was going for a run. Torin and my parents were still not home. Ingrid joined me and we headed to the forest. I looked around at the green foliage and smiled. I felt better already.
“Thanks for asking me to come. I needed this,” I told Ingrid.
“Catch me if you can,” she said and took off.
I kept up with her easily. Then passed her.
“Cheater,” she yelled.
“Not my fault,” I called back. The trees and the bushes created paths for me, making the run even easier. After an hour, we stopped. I leaned against a tree trunk and tried to catch my breath. The forest floor was thick and lush with spring sprouts.
“Look at these babies,” Ingrid said, and I followed her gaze. She was staring up. The trees were endless, but sunrays shot through to feed the undergrowth. Ingrid disappeared and came back with ice-cold bottled water. Perks of air portals. She threw one to me and twisted the cap off of hers.
“Do you know
where we are?” she asked.
We’d headed north and the trees along the coast were the same. “Mount Hood National Forest or somewhere in Washington.”
“Or Canada,” she added and chuckled.
“Or Alaska,” I said. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the crisp air and the warm glow of the sun. Then I heard the whispers and my eyes flew open. “Something is coming.”
Ingrid stopped guzzling her water. “I can’t hear anything.”
Twigs broke and the ground shook. “More than one. We gotta go, Ingrid.”
We jumped to our feet, but it was too late. We were surrounded by black bears. About a dozen of them. Most of them full-grown. From Animal Planet, I knew black bears didn’t hunt in packs or live with extended family.
We moved closer to each other and away from them, and reached for our hidden artavo. They closed in. I tried to connect to the source of my magic, but I was too rattled. I needed to calm down.
“They are behaving weird,” Ingrid whispered. I couldn’t tell whether she was scared or not.
“I know. They’re not pack animals and rarely attack people.” Come on, magic. Work with me.
“So do we open a portal and disappear or run?” Ingrid asked. This time, I heard the excitement in her voice. “We can outrun them easily.”
“No, we subdue them.”
“Why?” Once again, I didn’t hear fear. Maybe she was an adrenaline junkie. Might explain the cheerleading.
“They’re possessed. See how they’re behaving more like humans than animals? Torin and Andris fought possessed dogs last week. We need to knock them out, not hurt them.” I tried again to connect to my magic, but it was as though something was blocking me, or it.
“Okay,” Ingrid said slowly. “Strength and speed runes,” I heard her add.
“Right. Ready?” I asked.
She grinned. “Yep.”
“Now.” We charged. Ingrid headed in the opposite direction.
I barreled into the nearest bear and hoped the trees helped without me asking. The force of my attack propelled it backwards, but this was a huge animal. It stood on its hind legs and swatted me like a fly.
Witches (Runes series Book 6) Page 31
