A Twist of Wyrd (The Ways of Wyrd Book 1)

by PJ Friel

  “What was it about? Eamon?”

  “No. Just the past. Nothing that can hurt us now.”

  Glossary

  THE WAYS OF WYRD UNIVERSE

  (Note: The following definitions are in relation to the Ways of Wyrd Universe. Creative license has been taken with actual Norse Mythology for story purposes.)

  THE NINE WORLDS

  Alfheim [ALV-heym] - Home of the Ljósalfar [ joo-sal-far] also known as the Light Elves. Ruled by the Vanir god Freyr.

  Asgard [AHS-gahrd] - Home of the Aesir [ey-sir], powerful, immortal beings often referred to as the gods. Ruled over by Odin the Allfather, and location of Valhalla, Odin’s hall.

  Helheim [HEL-heym] - Home of the dead, also known as the Underworld. Ruled over by the goddess Hel.

  Jotunheim [YAW-toon-heym] - Home of the Jotun [yaw-toon] also known as Frost Giants. The Jotuns are divided into two factions, the Enlightened and the Devourers, and each one controls half the world.

  Midgard [MID-gahrd] - Also known as Earth. Home of humans and a dimensional waystation between the Nine Worlds until the gateways stopped functioning correctly and stranded Outlanders there.

  Muspelheim [MOO-spell-heym] - Home of the Fire Elementals. Ruled over by King Surt.

  Niflheim [NIV-uhl-heym] - Home of the Ice Elementals, which live as parts of a collective.

  Svartalfheim [SVART-alv-heym] - Home of the Svartalf, also known as the Dark Elves. Inhabitants live in underground caverns and are ruled over by King Alvis.

  Vanaheim [VAN-uh-heym] - Home of the Vanir, powerful, immortal beings often referred to as the gods. Ruled by Freya.

  OTHER IMPORTANT TERMS

  Berserker – A Warrior of Odin. Berserkers are chosen by Odin to be his peacekeepers on Midgard. Upon being chosen, a valknut tattoo is placed on their body in a location of their choosing and they receive their powers—one augmented sensory ability, accelerated healing, and immortality. After being chosen, they remain with their family until they reach full manhood, when Odin comes for them and takes them away to be trained. They rarely see their families again. Berserkers are brute force and overwhelming rage and determination. A Berserker doesn’t know the meaning of the word retreat. He will fight to the death.

  Hamingja [HA-ming-yah] – A part of the self, loosely defined as “ancestral luck.” Everyone has one, including humans, but most are never aware of them. If a family is “cursed” it’s often due to a snowball effect of bad luck in the lineage. Magic can be used to influence the hamingja’s good or bad effects on a person.

  Jotun Devourer – One of two Jotun clans. On Jotunheim, Devourers are blood drinkers and cannibals. They are intelligent, but revel in their primitive side. Once enraged, they become unthinking beings with super strength, intent on murder and mayhem. On Earth, the chaos that drives them has lessened, but they still need regular doses of violence to keep themselves under control, unless other means are employed. Their propensity for violence has led humans to think of them as more mob/mafia and Devourers have embraced this in order to keep their secrets. Special abilities: Frost breath and immune to cold.

  Jotun Enlightened - One of two Jotun clans. Highly Intelligent, but weaker in strength and physical abilities than Devourers. They embrace peace and order and are less violent than Devourers. In order to keep their natural desire for chaos under control, they employ several techniques: meditation, visualization, breath management, controlled environments, and as a last resort, drug usage. If an Enlightened were to kill someone in their society, they would be banished to The Devourers and never allowed to return. Special abilities: Frost breath and immune to cold.

  Norns – Three sisters who weave everyone’s wyrd (fate/destiny) into Yggdrasil, including that of the gods. They also tend Yggdrasil and try to ensure that everyone stays on the path they’ve been assigned.

  Outlander – A traveler from one of the Nine Worlds to Earth via the dimensional gateways. Most humans are unaware that Outlanders walk among them.

  The Failing - March 8, 1683. The day the dimensional gateways between Earth and the other eight worlds malfunctioned, trapping all Outlanders currently on Earth. The gates function only one way since that day—incoming, not outgoing. Once on Earth, Outlanders cannot return to their home world.

  Valhalla – Odin’s Great Hall on Asgard, where human warriors who die in battle go.

  Valkyries – Peacekeeping force on Earth. They take their orders from Freya, a Vanir goddess. Occasionally, they work with the Berserkers. Valkyries are grace and skill. Controlled, surgical strikes are their modus operandi.

  Wyrd [weerd] – The Norse concept of fate or destiny. Unlike the Greek version of fate, which is unalterable, wyrd can be changed by the individual. However, the Ways of Wyrd are unpredictable and the Norns don’t take kindly to rebels.

  Yggdrasil [IG-druh-sill] – The World Tree. Center of the dimensional universe that connects the Nine Worlds and holds everyone’s wyrd.

  CHARACTERS

  Alphabetical order by character’s first name

  MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! CONTINUE READING AT OWN RISK!

  Abigail Shelton [Jotun] - David Shelton’s wife. Mother of Gideon Shelton.

  Aidan Ferguson [Human] - Trygg’s stepson. Deceased.

  Andrew “Drew” Johnson [Human] – Gideon Shelton’s boyfriend.

  Ava Hinterland [Jotun] – Mordechai Hinterland’s wife. Deceased.

  Bartholomew “Bart” Reisser [Jotun] - Bodyguard working for Mordechai Hinterland.

  Bill Patterson [Human] - Sheriff of Summit County.

  Bryn Ullman/Brynja Aren Pruedatter [Aesir and Svartalf] – Heroine of A Twist of Wyrd. Private Investigator and owner of Simmons Investigations. Dezi’s best friend. Daughter of Prue Thordatter & King Alvis. Granddaughter of Thor and Sif. Great-Granddaughter of Odin and Frigg.

  Caitlin Mackenzie [Human] - Trygg’s wife. Deceased.

  David Shelton [Human] - Akron City Police Detective. Father to Gideon Shelton.

  Demarion “DG” Hinterland [Jotun] - Mordechai and Ava Hinterland’s son. Owner of the Prodigal Lair nightclub.

  Desiree Simmons [Human] - Aka Dezi. Bryn’s best friend. Realtor. Jace FitzRoy’s girlfriend.

  Eamon Duff [Svartalf] - Svartalf Bani of the Assassins Cabal. Bani is the highest rank an assassin can reach. Aoife Duff’s brother.

  Eugenia/Geni Ullman [Ljósalfar] - Bryn’s adoptive mother. Runemaster.

  Frank Ullman [Ljósalfar] - Bryn’s adoptive father. Runemaster.

  Gideon Shelton [Human and Jotun] - David Shelton’s son. Son of Abigail Shelton. Deceased.

  Grimm Harbard [Human] - Leader of one band of Berserkers operating in the US. Augmented hearing. Immortal.

  Harry Watson [Human] - Berserker with the power to read emotions and thoughts in a person’s mind. Can push thoughts into another person’s head as well as force an overload which causes the person to blackout. Immortal.

  Jace FitzRoy [Human] - Berserker with powers of healing. Immortal.

  Jack Jacoby [Jotun]- Bartender at the Dance Stage.

  Jalena [Ice Elemental] - DG’s hookup.

  King Alvis [Svartalf] - Bryn’s father and ruler of Svartalfheim. Kidnapped Bryn’s mother and forced pregnancy upon her.

  Levi Gellner [Jotun] – Limo driver employed by Mordechai Hinterland.

  Mist Kerrigan [Human] - Mordechai Hinterland’s live-in girlfriend.

  Mordechai Hinterland [Jotun-Devourer] - Trygg’s boss. Head of the Devourer Mob/Clan. Multi-millionaire. Owner of the Theater of War and the Dance Stage, with interests in several businesses in Ohio and all across the country. Has encouraged his people to use Enlightened techniques to control their violent natures.

  Naoko Wakahisa [Ljósalfar] - Runemaster working for DG.

  Odin the Allfather [Aesir] - Bryn’s great-grandfather. Ruler of the Aesir. Commander of the Berserkers. Has not been seen in over three hundred years, but continues to give orders to his Berserkers via Grimm Harbard.

  Prue Thordatter [A
esir] - Bryn’s mother, daughter of Thor and Sif, Granddaughter of Odin and Frigg.

  Tim Myers [Human] - Deputy of Summit County Sheriff’s Department.

  Trygg Kenneth Mackenzie [Vanir, Jotun, and Human] - Hero of A Twist of Wyrd. Berserker with enhanced olfactory system that allows him to track people/things by scent. Works as Head of Security for Mordechai Hinterland. Immortal.

  Note from PJ: Hey, so the definitions in this glossary are light and you may still have questions about the story universe and its inhabitants. I’ve tried to give you as much information as I can without spoiling our future fun. I hope that I’ve struck the right balance. If not, please let me know. I love hearing from readers and I’ll do what I can to satisfy your curiosity

  Acknowledgements

  They say it takes a village to raise a child. The same can be said about publishing a book. The following are people who helped me through my journey. I am forever in their debt and so very grateful for each of them.

  My sister, Dee. You are my role model, my biggest cheerleader, and my best friend. You’re also my voice of reason and you’ll know what I mean when I say...I didn’t write the book, I told the story. Thanks, Sis.

  Sheldon, my twin soul, best cousin in the whole world, and brilliant medical professional. What would I do without you and your amazing and equally brilliant husband Steve? I don’t ever want to find out.

  Beth, friend, co-worker, and one of my first beta readers. I know there were some days that you would have preferred punching yourself (or me!) in the face to hearing about Bryn and Trygg one more damn time, but you were too nice to say it and I love you for that and so much more. You are amazing. If anyone says any different, I will personally punch them in the face. :)

  Rita, friend, editor, task-mistress, cheerleader, confidant. This wouldn’t be happening without you. Wyrd surely led me to you and I am blessed. <3

  Michele and Jaime, my writing buddies. I can’t thank you both enough for all your help and support, so I’ll just do my best to return it. I love you two! (Btw, Michele’s website has the best writing advice around. http://themanuscriptshredder.com/ She’s always schooling me.)

  Tal, thank you for your guidance and friendship. Your calm approach and wise counsel pulled me off the ledge more than once during this journey. I appreciate you so very much.

  Nina, my Sister-in-Service to the Muse. How long have I been writing this book?? Yeah, I’ve lost count of the years, too. You’ve been with me through a lot of them, though. Tiger Mom, therapist, comedian, vanquisher of hoarders, kick-ass writer, and friend. I don’t know how you do everything you do, but you’re amazing at it.

  My beta readers—Justene, Tracey, Kari, Deb, Misty and Charlotte. I learned so much from all of you. Your feedback helped me write the best book I could. You're all amazing. Thank you!

  Bekkers, my sister from another mister. It's been a long journey from that tale of fortune cookies and angels, but I finally got here. Your love and support have meant the world to me.

  My wifeys! Loretta, Maria, and Misty. You three are seriously the best. You make me laugh and keep my TBR pile ridiculously long. You listened to my rambles and suffered through my ten thousand cover changes without sending a Svartalf assassin after me. That means we’re soulmates, right? (Just don’t tell your husbands.)

  Robert, I did it! Now, it’s your turn. Thank you for the many years of friendship and brainstorming. I wouldn’t have gotten here without you.

  David, fellow creative. You will deny this and poo poo it, but you are an amazing artist and an inspirational human being. Thank you for your help and encouragement. <3

  Devon, you were right. The magic only happens when I show up. Sometimes I resist this writing thing that I love so much, but when I finally give in and sit down at the page, I always hear your voice saying, “Do the work.”

  Jenna, my amazingly talented niece. Thank you for the Ways of Wyrd logo, sweetie! I can’t wait to see what you bring to the world with your art.

  Travis, for showing me what manly men do instead of rolling their eyes. Tell Sara I said you deserve a truck.

  Manuel Rogers, thank you for helping me to understand what it takes to be a warrior.

  The Classifieds Facebook group...y’all are the most amazing group of people I’ve ever met. Thank you for embracing my silliness and giving me a second family. I love you guys!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Living in a small village was peaceful–for the bedraggled Mr. and Mrs. Friel, parents of eight children. For their daughter PJ, the village of Gnadenhutten was a study in boredom. Her only excitement was found in skulking around the old graveyard at midnight with her friends and badgering the librarians at the local library.

  When told she wasn’t allowed to read adult romance (at the age of twelve), PJ decided to use the mail-order library instead. Sirena the Sea Siren sailed into her life (courtesy of Fern Michaels) and a respect for bold, gutsy, rebellious women was born.

  When PJ isn’t terrorizing the highways of Ohio in her red, mid-life crisis, sports car or crunching numbers in Excel spreadsheets, she’s writing about sword-wielding, ass-kicking, willful—sometimes wanton—women and the men who are strong enough to love them.

  Her hobbies include reading and creating artwork that reflects the juxtaposition of sensuality and strength in women.

  She is currently single and lives with her son, who thinks he’s the boss of her. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

  Website: http://www.pjfriel.com

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpjfriel

  Twitter: https://twitter.com/pj_friel

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pj_friel

  Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pjfriel