by Kate O'Hearn
‘You will fight against Odin?’ Thor demanded.
‘We don’t have to fight at all,’ Freya insisted. ‘Don’t you see? All we’re asking for is the right to know each other. Where is the crime in that?’
As she spoke, another Dark Searcher crossed the line and stood beside Vonni. ‘I too will stand with my brother.’ He removed his helmet and everyone gasped. The resemblance between Vonni and the Dark Searcher was striking. The Searcher turned back to Brundi and bowed his head deeply. ‘My mother.’
Brundi’s hands went up to her mouth as she recognized her first-born son. ‘Kris!’ she cried as she stumbled forward to embrace him.
One by one, the Dark Searchers put away their weapons and stepped forward.
Azrael leaned closer to Thor and Balder. ‘Where is the injustice in that? Truly, what crime have they committed?’
Thor lowered his hammer when the Searchers all moved to the side of the Angels of Death and Valkyrie family. ‘There has been no crime committed here,’ he admitted.
‘But tell me, Angel,’ he continued. ‘What am I supposed to tell Odin?’
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
‘Freya, Archie and Kai,’ Thor commanded as he and Balder stood away from the others. ‘We cannot linger a moment longer. We must return to Asgard. You three have caused a lot of trouble in Utgard. We must explain to my father what has happened.’
‘It wasn’t our fault,’ Orus cawed. ‘They started it, not us!’
‘Actually, a troll started it—’ Kai corrected.
‘It doesn’t matter who started it,’ Thor interrupted. ‘We must let Odin know.’
‘What about them?’ Freya gestured to the Dark Searchers and Valkyries.
Thor nodded. ‘Your words tonight made a lot of sense, and I will implore my father not to separate Valkyries and Searchers. But that’s not what is important right now.’
‘The war is,’ Freya said darkly.
Balder nodded. ‘We will need all our fighters if we are to defend Asgard. The Dark Searchers and Valkyries cannot remain here.’
‘What about Vonni and his family?’ Archie asked.
Thor’s eyes settled on Vonni. He was standing with Sarah and Kris, his brother. ‘It is best if he remains here. He can fight and he is brave to stand up to me. But he has never gone against a Frost Giant.’
‘We’re preparing a deep mine for the family to hide in,’ Freya said. ‘We hope the gold inside will shield them if the giants invade Midgard in the war.’
Thor raised an eyebrow. ‘Was it only to hide them from the Frost Giants?’
Freya dropped her head. ‘And Odin,’ she admitted. ‘We were certain he would kill Vonni and maybe even Mims and the baby if he knew the truth.’
‘Do you think of Odin as a barbarian?’ Thor challenged. ‘That he would kill children?’
‘No!’ Freya said quickly. ‘But Odin insists his rules are obeyed. Brundi broke the rules and Vonni and the family are the result. We thought he’d be furious.’
‘She’s right, brother.’ Balder nodded. ‘Odin will be furious when he learns the truth.’
‘But not enough to kill,’ Thor said. ‘Right now, our father has a lot more to concern himself with than a small family here in Midgard.’
Suddenly screeching pierced the sky. An eagle touched down and shimmered into Loki. His face was covered in a film of sweat and his clothes were in tatters.
‘Loki! What are you doing here?’ Thor demanded.
‘It’s Dirian!’ Loki gasped. ‘He called the Dark Searchers to his side. Those who wouldn’t join him were killed. Dirian has found a way to keep them dead – they can’t rise again.’ He turned to the Searchers. ‘You’re all that’s left of Odin’s loyal Searchers. If you’d stayed in Utgard, you’d be dead too.’
‘This can’t be,’ Thor shouted. ‘We were just there!’
‘I swear by all I believe, it’s true!’ Loki continued. ‘Dirian and his Searchers waited until you and your hammer left, then they made their move. They were the ones who forged the alliance with the Frost and Fire Giants and stirred up the Dark Elves, dwarfs and trolls. They convinced them all to join their cause. Dirian has accused Odin of sending a Valkyrie to Utgard to spy on them. He’s the one leading the attack against Asgard.’
‘Dirian is the traitor?’ Balder cried.
Loki focused on Freya. ‘His hatred for you has driven him mad. He is out for your blood!’
‘No, this isn’t Freya’s fault,’ Azrael called, coming forward. ‘I should have worked it out sooner. Dirian is an opportunist – I have no doubt he’s been plotting against Asgard for some time. He’s using Freya’s appearance in Utgard as the trigger, but she is not the cause.’
‘It doesn’t matter what started it,’ Loki insisted. ‘Light Elves have been pouring into Asgard to align with Odin’s forces. I tried to find Odin to tell him, but then heard Heimdall was closing Bifröst – I was the last to get across.’
‘We’re trapped in Midgard?’ Kris growled as the Dark Searchers gathered round.
‘It’s far worse than that,’ Azrael said as he called his angels together. ‘It has started. We must all prepare.’
‘You don’t mean . . .’ Freya cried.
Azrael’s face was ashen as he turned to her and nodded. ‘War in the Realms has begun.’
To be continued . . .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
No Man is an Island
No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
John Donne
You might wonder why I have put that wonderful poem in the acknowledgements of this book. But there is a reason. Just like ‘No man is an island’, no book is created by one person alone. It takes a whole collection of people to create what you are holding in your hands right now.
From my amazing agents, Veronique Baxter and Laura West, to my great editor, Naomi Greenwood, and cover designer Lynne Manning and so many more people whose names I will never know but wish I did, they all work together to make it possible for you to read the story I tell . . .
And what book would be complete without its readers. YOU my friends are as much a part of this story as my agents and editor. Because it’s you who really matter to me. You inspire me to keep going. And for that, I sincerely thank you.
For those of you who know me, there are others I need to acknowledge, and hope that you, dear reader, acknowledge too. The animals around us – those whom we share this world with. Be they horses, dogs, cats, frogs, dolphins, whales, sharks or all the others . . . They all need our help and protection. I ask each of you to do all you can for them.
This book is dedicated with much gratitude to my MONSTERS!
Kevin – The Minotaur (even if he did fire me . . . no wait, he made me redundant!)
Frank – The Turtle (my very own Florence Nightingale)
Ollie – The Blackbird (a rising star who will shine the brightest)
Romin – The Dragon Knight (mobile obsessive, but sweet beyond measure)
And David – The best brother in the world and . . . Lord Dorcon, Malek, Dark Searcher & Dragon!
I love you all – especially the ‘Elevator Slam-Dancing’!
Copyright © 2014 Kate O’Hearn
First published in Great Britain in 2014 by Hodder Children’s Books
This ebook edition published in 2014
The right of Kate O’Hearn to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Pate
nts Act 1988.
All rights reserved. Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form, or by any means with prior permission in writing from the publishers or in the case of reprographic production in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency and may not be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
E-pub conversion by Avon DataSet Ltd, Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire
ISBN 978 1 444 91662 1
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