Mom, Cora’s mother, Lavania, and Femi were in the den. They’d cleared it of Dad’s things and they must have called the morgue to take his body. Tears rushed to my eyes. I knew that Echo and Andris would do their best to make sure his soul was okay. That belief was the only thing that kept me sane. Still, I missed him.
Mom and I spoke briefly. I wasn’t angry with her anymore. I was slowly adjusting my thinking about her situation. It wasn’t her fault she couldn’t reap Dad. The blame was on the Norns’ laps. Just like how they did this to Goddess Freya when she’d refused to join them, the Norns were now punishing me.
As soon as Cora and the swim team left, Torin left for Carson to talk to his soccer team. I headed upstairs to rest. Onyx was still at Castle Windhaven.
Someone had left my prom dress on the chair. Seeing the dress reminded me that tomorrow was junior prom night. I had no interest whatsoever in going. I went next door and crawled into Torin’s bed. I guess it was our bed now. His scent enveloped me and a sense of comfort coursed through my tired bones. It was early, but I was exhausted after staying up last night. My thoughts naturally shifted to Dad. What if they couldn’t find his soul a place? Tears welled in my eyes. I hated feeling helpless and useless.
Exhausted, I drifted. I was half asleep when my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered it anyway.
“Before you hang up on me, this is Ryder Copeland. I’m just calling all numbers on Beau’s phone to tell you he was in an accident. They don’t think he’s going make it.”
My stomach dropped to my feet. “When?”
“This morning. It would be nice to see some of his friends at the hospital. His parents are out here alone.”
“I’ll be there.” They did it, the manipulative hags. First Dad and now Beau, someone I had come to care about. I grabbed my jacket and started to leave the room, but an idea popped into my head. They wanted the dagger, didn’t they? Let them have it.
I went home and opened the drawer where I usually kept it, but it wasn’t there. Then I remembered. ONYX. I NEED YOU.
Could she hear me from across the ocean? I started for the mirror just as it turned into a portal and she walked into the room.
What’s with the ruckus? I was sleeping on an amazing bed Mrs. Donovan made for me. You’ve been crying again?
“Where’s my dagger?”
Gee, hold your horses. What happened?
“They went after Beau,” I practically snarled.
Our first case? Onyx asked.
“Beau stopped being a case and now he’s dying.”
Onyx disappeared into my bathroom and came back with the dagger. I grabbed it and said, “Bond.”
Can I come? Onyx asked.
“No. Stay here.” I left for downstairs. My rage must have been obvious because Mom took one look at me and jumped up.
“Sweetheart, what is it?” she asked. She, Femi, and Lavania were now in the living room. Cora’s mother must have left.
“They did it again. They weren’t just happy manipulating things so Dad could end up in Hel, they took our memories—”
“What memories?” Mom asked, her voice rising.
“Mine and Torin’s. Now they’ve gone after Beau.”
“The boy you’ve been tutoring?” Mom asked.
I nodded, so mad I wanted to scream. “He was in a car crash this morning. They don’t think he’ll make it.” I started for the front door.
“Oh, no. Not so fast.” Mom caught me by my elbow. “I’m coming with you. You’re in no state to drive.” She pried the keys from my hand. “And don’t forget these.” She removed the rings from my fingers.
In my rage, I’d completely forgotten about them. I shoved them in my left jacket pocket and zipped it up, wishing I had the chain. I liked having them touch my skin.
I didn’t realize Femi and Lavania were coming with us until we reached my car. They squeezed in the back. The registration for Mom’s car had expired weeks ago and we never renewed it, so taking it was out of the question.
~*~
No one spoke during the drive, but the closer we got to the hospital the angrier I got.
“Where’s Torin?” Mom asked.
“Carson,” Lavania answered. I was too pissed to talk.
“Rune anyone who tries to stop us,” I heard Mom say and I saw why. Lavania and Femi had their invisibility runes.
Inside, Ryder, Seth, and several baseball players were in the waiting room. I blinked when I saw Ellie and Amber. Justin wasn’t around and she’d come? And she looked like she’d been crying. I went straight to the information desk.
“Yes?” the nurse behind the desk asked without looking up.
“What room is Beau Hardshaw?”
The nurse continued to fidget with something behind the desk. “Are you family?”
“No, but his father will let me see him,” I said.
“Sorry.” She looked up and smiled. “Only family members are allowed to visit.”
I glanced at Mom. Her eyes were locked on the nurse’s face. “Rune her,” she ordered.
The nurse smirked and two others joined her. Everything clicked as I stared at them. In my anger, I must have turned off my Norn radar.
“No, Mom. I’ll take care of this.” I leaned toward the nurses. “Screw you, you bitter old hags,” I said through clenched teeth. “I’m seeing him and if you don’t like it, do your worst.”
Varying expressions crossed Mom, Femi, and Lavania’s faces when they realized who the nurses were. The people from my school and the others waiting for their relatives stared at me in shock. My voice had carried.
I turned and cursed. I had no idea where his room was. Just before I turned and demanded they tell me, Hardshaw senior stepped out of the room and saw me.
“Mom, stay here.” I hurried toward him. He stared at me with a look I couldn’t describe—hope and fear. “Mr. Hardshaw—”
“It’s you,” he whispered hoarsely.
“Yes.”
“Help him. You promised you’d watch over him.” He pushed opened the door for me to enter, but pressed against it to put as much distance between us as possible. “You said he has a great future, and now he’s dying.”
My heart broke. Beau was hooked up to every machine imaginable, his face swollen and purple with bruises and stitched up lacerations. It was like the windshield had exploded on his face. His mother’s eyes flickered between her husband and me.
“Janice, this is the guardian angel I told you about. She will help Beau.”
Beau’s mother scrambled to her feet and came around the bed. She gripped my hand. “Please. Help my boy.”
“Leave the room,” I said. They looked confused. “Please. Just go.”
They left, and I moved to the bed. Beau looked really bad. Since hospital security wasn’t breaking the door down, I knew I was right about the three nurses. I didn’t wait long before they joined me.
“Fix this. Now.”
They looked at each other, then Marj asked, “Why would we do that?” No matter what form she took, she was always the taller one. This time, she was a redhead. She wore her arrogance and condescension like a cloak. “You don’t listen to us, so why should we listen to you?”
“I have the dagger you want.” I lifted my right hand and showed them the tattoo. “Heal him, and I’ll give it to you.”
“What’s wrong with you? Get that dagger off you!” Catie snapped. Like Marj she had a distinct size she favored, short and a bit on the chubby side. Today she was a brunette.
“Why would I do that?” I shot back.
“Because you’re not supposed to bond with it that way!” she yelled, face turning red. “That staff is the most powerful weapon of our people. You think you are the first one to wield it? It’s been wielded by more powerful Norns before you and they all fell victim to its seductive power. You are to connect with its magic and channel yours, not absorb it into you. That’s the kind of thing that turns Immortals into Warloc
ks. This one turned our sisters evil.”
My first instinct was to remove the dagger, but I hesitated, remembering Eirik’s warning and the incident in the forest. Eirik bonded with his weapon and he seemed okay. Unless he was slowly becoming evil or power hungry like Torin’s father.
“How do I know you’re not just saying that to trick me? I know you want it.”
“Why would we want a weapon that doesn’t respond to us?” Catie asked, annoyance lacing her words. “It’s yours now. Every few centuries, a child is born who can bond with it. When she does, we know that she is our future leader and the first announcer of Ragnarok. We’ve already lost three Norns to that weapon and each time, we had to fight them to pry it from their evil hands.”
If these hags weren’t responsible for the attack in the forest, then that meant I was dealing with a different set of Norns. They even sounded differently. They were probably former wielders of the dagger wanting their dagger back. No wonder they’d grinned smugly when I’d bonded with it.
And if they controlled dark souls, they must have sent the Draugar too, just like Torin’s father had said. As for these three, my threat to join the dark Norns must have hit them hard. They’d thought they were losing me to their evil sisters.
I touched the tattoo of the dagger. Unbond. The blade lifted and peeled off my skin. I grabbed the handle, hating that I had to touch it, that it was the cause of all my problems. If I hadn’t bonded with it, I would be just another witch. I must warn Eirik about the dangers of bonding with his weapon.
“Now do you see why we are the only ones qualified to instruct you?” Catie asked.
She was right even though her condescending tone grated on my nerves.
“So give me private lessons, and try not to take me away from those I love.” They looked at each other and laughed. “What’s so funny about that? I’ve spent the last week helping Beau with his lessons and we did just fine.” Beau. I couldn’t believe they had sidetracked me. “What do I have to do for you to fix him?”
They watched my hand, a strange expression on their faces, and I realized they were watching the dagger. It must have a powerful pull on them. I shoved it in my pocket and zipped it up.
“So what do you want? And just so you know, I’ve decided on the side I’m supporting and it’s not you or your evil sisters.”
Silence followed.
“And it’s not the Asgardians or Hel and her army.”
More silence. Eyes watchful.
“I’m staying right here, supporting Immortals,” I continued. “The rebellion by the Warlocks a few weeks ago happened because you and the gods neglected them. I may have your gifts, but I can never be one of you.”
“We told you before, Lorraine,” Catie said. “You cannot escape your destiny.”
“I’m not escaping it. I’m embracing it, but I’m doing things my way. I’m going to have a life and I’m going to help those that need it the most—magical Mortals and Immortals. I am one of them. I am a witch and an Immortal. If they need help, I’ll give it to them. If they need to talk to you or the gods, I’ll be the intermediary. I’ve no interest in living in Asgard or your hall. I’m staying right here. And when Ragnarok draws closer, I will inform them first. Not you or the gods.”
“You don’t understand, you silly child. The gods will fight for humanity,” Marj cut in. Catie touched her arm and they had another one of their silent communications.
“No, the gods will fight for themselves. They only care about the survival of one man and one woman to repopulate this realm. If you haven’t noticed, Mortals come in all colors, shapes, and sizes. More will survive with my help and the help of the Immortals. Since I get to decide who goes inside the Yggdrassil, I’ll make sure the mix represents them. When I appear before the Council on my eighteenth birthday, this will be my position. I’m telling you now so you’re prepared.”
This time the silence was longer, but I felt the vibes that said they were communicating. I was tempted to link with them and eavesdrop on their conversation, but that would mean they’d hear my thoughts. The last place I wanted them was inside my head. They’d know I’d regained the memories they stole and about my marriage.
“Does your decision have anything to do with your Valkyrie boyfriend?” Marj asked.
For one second, all thoughts flew from my head and my stomach dropped. Did they get inside my head? I wouldn’t put it past them. Then I remembered the last discussion with Goddess Freya. They’d blamed Torin for everything and wanted us separated.
“Of course not. This is the path I’ve chosen for me. You’ve told me over and over again that he’s just a passing phase. I see that now. I’m destined for something greater than my youthful obsession with him.”
Another stretch of silence and conferencing among them.
“Fair enough,” Catie said. “Support your Immortals. But if you want this boy back on his feet, you must do a task we each give you. It’s the least you can do for all you’ve put us through with your shenanigans.”
My jaw dropped. “Me? What about what you’ve stolen from us?”
“Stolen from you and…?” Catie asked, latching on to my blunder.
“Me and my family,” I corrected myself, talking so fast my tongue tripped. “My father is in Hel because of you. I’ll never see him again. You know what? Forget it. What do you want me to do?”
They studied me as though trying to see beyond my words, and then Catie looked at Jeannette and nodded.
“Erase every memory of the hospital staff who treated the boy,” Jeannette said.
“Then the students at your school so they don’t remember the Valkyries or you,” Marj said.
“And finally the Witches who answered the Call,” Catie added. “That impossible boy refused to do as he was told.”
I studied their faces, hoping they weren’t tricking me. I hated the very idea of erasing someone’s memories. It was diabolical, like being mentally violated. Yet I saw no way out. Not if I wanted to help Beau.
“How do I do it?” I asked, feeling a little sick to my stomach.
“Link with me and I’ll walk you through it,” Jeannette said.
Yeah, like I was going to fall for that one. “No. Just explain it.”
“Fine. Will it,” she explained. “Mentally go over what they know and will it away, then go over what you want them to remember and plant it as new memories.”
She talked and I listened, and then I followed her instructions.
“These are the new memories. Beau fell asleep at the wheel and rolled his truck. He was thrown clear at impact and became unconscious. The doctors are baffled because he has no external or internal injuries. In a nutshell, he’s a medical anomaly. He’s just a boy in a coma, who will slip right out of it after this and surprise everyone. And all the original records should also be erased and replaced with the ones matching his new medical status.”
I studied Beau, his banged up face, and the machines, and I knew I was doing the right thing. With my eyes on him, I connected with the source of my magic and repeated everything Jeannette had said, until I could see the sequence of events.
A chill crawled up my spine as the bruises on Beau’s face disappeared and the sterile tapes covering the stitches melted away.
Jeannette smiled, and nodded at the other two.
“Good job,” Catie said and glanced at Marj. “Your turn.”
“Remove the memories of the Valkyries and Grimnirs from the people here in your town,” Jeannette said, “so they don’t recognize them. Instead of the Valkyrie playing football for your school, replace him with the Immortal.” She glanced at the others. “What’s his name?”
“Blaine Chapman,” Catie said.
“That’s right. Blaine Chapman. The memories of you will also be erased from everyone you’ve known most of your life. You and Eirik never attended this school. Your neighbors across the street will only know you as the girl who was homeschooled by an eccentric mother and father. This
way, when you leave, no one will wonder what happened to you.”
I shook my head. “Leave? I’m not going anywhere.”
“You must continue your studies, and since the Valkyries and your instructor are leaving, we assumed you and your mother will want to leave with them,” Catie said, smiling benignly.
I nodded. “I do.”
“Good. We plan to help with your education whenever we can now that you’ve decided on your future.” She looked at the others and added, “But right now, your focus should be on Beau Hardshaw. You’ve chosen to help Immortals and Mortals. Save him.”
I swallowed and wavered. They were too calm and smug, which meant they were up to something. I just couldn’t see it yet. The one thing they still didn’t know was that Torin and I were married. That should screw up whatever plans they might be concocting.
“Do you need more time to decide?” Catie asked.
“No.” Beau looked so peaceful. If it weren’t for the machines monitoring his vitals, I’d think he was dead. “I’ll do it.”
I closed my eyes this time and wove the memories in my mind: Blaine winning state with the football team, Torin, Andris, Ingrid, and Maliina never setting a foot in our school. Instead of completely erasing memories of Eirik and me, I changed it to Eirik and I leaving after the swim meet incident. If I hadn’t attended middle school I would never have met Cora. Erasing those memories meant erasing hers too. I refused to erase her memories or her parents’.
The cold I’d felt earlier was creeping toward my chest. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that with every memory-manipulation the coldness spread.
The door flew open, and so did my eyes as I whipped around to see Torin standing in the doorway, looking like my champion. The problem was he couldn’t afford to fight these women. He wouldn’t win. He took the scene in with a sweeping glance and reached a conclusion.
“You,” he snarled. “No wonder everyone out there is on a time loop doing the same thing over and over. Stay away from her.”
“This is none of your business, Valkyrie,” Catie snarled. “Lorraine, you’re almost done.”
Witches (Runes series Book 6) Page 37
