Hide and Seek (True Destiny Book 6)

by Dana Marie Bell

  Mama Special Snowflake—Eistla? Yeah, Eistla—shrugged. “So earn it.”

  Toni sighed and sagged back. “How?”

  “You’re a homicide detective, and this is a city. You think the guard couldn’t use your expertise?” Mama Smoky Feet was pointing at her, her gaze filled with real fire. “Teach them what you’ve learned from being a detective. Bring in human technology. Some of us use it already, right?”

  She had. The guards at the gate to Svartalfaheim had held modern weapons. “I suppose,” she drawled, her mind whirling with possibilities.

  “But remember, you’re still going to be the queen,” Mama Summer Flowers replied. “I’m not sure how much you’ll be able to do with the guard, what with your other duties.”

  “What other duties?” Toni glanced between the women.

  To a one, they either shrugged or averted their eyes. Only Mama Special Snowflake—damn it, Eistla! Gotta remember that—replied. “Good question. There hasn’t been a queen on the Shadow Throne in… Ever.”

  Great. That was awesome. She’d be setting the precedent for whoever followed her. “Gee, that’s awesome. I’m the Neil Armstrong of Shadowland. Do I get to plant my flag up Nik’s ass?”

  All of the women laughed at that, even Atla.

  Mama Bread winked. “One small step for woman…”

  Toni held up her orange juice cup, glad when the rest of them did the same, even Mama Smoking Feet, who she hadn’t been sure could even hold a mug. So she was a ghost, not a magical Skype session. “One giant step for the queendom.”

  They clinked their cups, in total accord. Nik was going to shit rainbow puppies when he found out how well Toni was getting along with her future in-laws. “So. Tell me about my ass turning into Snow White.” She pointed to her wrist, which was almost as pale as Eistla’s. “I really need to go makeup shopping.”

  “Ooh, shopping trip!” Mama Dark Elf and Greip shared a high-five.

  “Look on the bright side,” Mama Bread replied. “There’s no evil queen trying to off you.”

  “Yet,” Atla muttered.

  Toni sighed. “Great.”

  Chapter 17

  “Are you sure it’s Einar?” Nik stared at the spy he’d sent out into the craftsman’s section of the city. Einar was among the best. If he’d created the device Frederica was using, no wonder Nik’s powers were blocked. The Dökk Alfar were infamous for their creations and their powers to confound even a god.

  “Positive.” Dag twirled a dagger between his fingers, the weapon he was named for an extension of his arm. He was perched on Nik’s desk, his legs swinging like a child’s. He was one of Nik’s favorite people in Svartalfaheim and a loyal friend. “If it helps it was just for profit.”

  No, it didn’t help. It actually made things worse. If the man could sell Nik out so easily then Einar would need to be watched. Nik sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “All right. I’ll go speak with him. I need the key to turning the damn thing off.”

  “Want me to steal it?” Dag grinned and slipped his dagger into its sheathe.

  “No. I’ll purchase it. Gold will speak louder than anything with Einar.” The tradesman was discreet, but Nik had no doubt he could be bribed into giving Nik what he wanted. He’d have to make sure Einar learned that Nik was back in Svartalfaheim and taking up the throne once more.

  “All right. I’ll be around if you need me.” Dag hopped off of Nik’s desk and pulled his hood over his dark, braided hair. Like Nik, Dag kept it a little longer than shoulder length. Unlike Nik, he kept his silver nails sharpened and often poison-tipped. Shaking the man’s hand could be suicide if you were on his bad side.

  “Thank you, old friend. I’m so happy to work with you again.” Nik held out his hand.

  Dag took it in the clasp of a warrior, palm to forearm, keeping the sharpened tips of his nails to himself, thank goodness. “Good to have you back, my lord. It’s about goddamn time.”

  Nik pushed Dag away. “Knock that shit off. I’m not officially back yet.”

  “Bullshit,” Dag coughed into his fist.

  “Dag,” Nik warned.

  Dag danced back with a wicked grin. “You brought your kjæreste here. Of course you’re back. If you’re going to lie to yourself keep me out of it.”

  “Asshole.” Nik couldn’t truly contradict him. He had brought Toni, and he did plan on taking the mantle of leadership once more. No doubt Travis would do the same once Grimm was in the ground once and for all. “I still need to deal with Frey and the Old Man.”

  “Need my help?” Dag winked. “I’ll even give you a cut rate.”

  Nik laughed. “It won’t work on the Old Man, but I might ask you to give Frey a hard time of it.”

  “Done and done. I’ll send you my bill once he’s good and sick.” Dag smiled, the expression one that terrified men and brought women to his bed in droves. “Now, go find your kjæreste, my lord. Let her cheer you up.” Dag waved good-bye as he sauntered out of the office.

  Nik and Toni had been in residence in the palace for a few days now, and finding the craftsman responsible for blocking Nik’s sight had taken over much of Nik’s time. Between dealing with his people and consulting with Dag, he hadn’t had much time to spend with Toni.

  He’d seek her out after he spoke with Einar. The man could be a bit grumbly and he didn’t want to subject Toni to the man’s temper—or him to hers. Nik could tell her temper was wearing thin. Since he hadn’t officially taken the throne her hands were tied as far as what she could and could not do. She was the queen in everything but name, and his people treated her as such, but she seemed stifled by her inability to act. He’d have to talk to her about that, make sure she understood that she could do what she wished. He’d have her talk to the captain of the guard. She’d be one hell of an asset to his people.

  And if he found out that the captain was less than receptive to her ideas he’d simply replace him with someone more amenable.

  Nik drew on a cloak over his silver top and black pants. His black boots were a pair of his favorites, a guilty pleasure he never wore on Midgard. With silver buckles up the sides, the steel-toed combat boots gave him a sense of bad-assery. Not something he’d tell anyone else. Unfortunately, the laughter on the man’s face when Dag noticed Nik’s footwear assured him that the assassin was aware of their effect on Nik.

  Nik left the palace and headed for the craftsman’s district. Einar was with a client, but once he grasped who his new client was, Nik had no doubt the man would end his transaction quickly.

  Nik observed all of the happenings in his beloved city. He watched his people go about their lives, living uncaring of the stigma of dwarf or dark elf that had been placed on them by Grimm and Adam. The Lios Alfar could be a bit stand-offish since Adam Grey took over, but Travis would put that to rights once he took his people back. Dark or light, they were all Alfar and deserved to be treated the same.

  There. Einar’s shop hadn’t been all that hard to find. The man had owned the place for the last five hundred years, after all. Nik strode in, aware people avoided getting in his way. He probably looked as annoyed as he felt. “Einar,” Nik drawled, his tone lethal.

  The man behind the counter jumped. “H-Heimdall.”

  The shop cleared out in an instant, the door slamming shut behind the last customer Einar might ever have if he didn’t give Nike the answers he sought. Nik strode toward Einar, ignoring how the man paled even further. With their white skin it was quite the feat.

  “Can you guess why I’m here today, Einar?” Nik glanced around the shop, noting the various items Einar had on display. Quite a few of them were meant to work against both the Aesir and the Vanir. What was Einar up to?

  Einar’s skin turned grayish. “The commission was fair, sire.”

  Einar’s guilt was confirmed by his own words. “Oh, I have no doubts of that. But the commission was used to hide a kidnapping from me of a dear, dear friend.” Nik leaned on the countertop and tapped his metal
lic nails on the wood, scratching the expensive purple heartwood. Einar must be doing well to have so much of it in the shop. “So how do I counteract it?”

  Einar swallowed and reached under the counter. “I have the device here, but it doesn’t come cheap. The components alone cost a pretty penny, not to mention the hours of spellcasting—”

  “Save me the speech and give me the device.” Nik wouldn’t allow the man to blather on and on. He wasn’t here to barter, but to find a solution to his problem.

  “Yes, sire. Of course.” Einar held out a small golden sphere. “Press the button on the side and, once the mirror opens, you’ll be able to observe anything you wish.”

  Nik smiled sweetly. He’d have someone watch the shopkeeper. Einar was working both sides of the fence, hoping to profit from the coming of Ragnarrok. He wondered if either Oliver or Adam had been by. “Thank you, Einar.”

  Einar bowed. “You’re welcome, sire.”

  Nik slid some gold coins across the counter, the exact amount needed for the sphere. “I believe this covers it?”

  Einar’s complexion warmed. “Yes, sire.” The slithering greed in his voice was amusing. The shopkeeper was back with the jingle of some coins.

  “Oh, by the way, have you seen Frey or Odin recently?” Nik watched Einar’s reactions carefully and saw the slight shift of his eyes.

  “Frey has been here, my lord.”

  “Oh? And what did he purchase?” No doubt it was something to further one of Grimm’s schemes, but what could it be?

  “Something similar to your device, sire. Something that would allow him to find something he’s searching for.”

  “Do you have any idea what that something might be?” Nik tapped his silver nails on the wooden counter again, right where he’d left the scratches.

  Einar shrugged. “I rarely ask what these devices are for. Since his was a simple locator device I have no countermeasure for it.”

  Nik stared at the man, watching him start to sweat. “Are you certain of that?”

  Einar gulped, paling once more, but he nodded affirmatively. “Yes, sire.”

  “Very well. Thank you, Einar. You’ve been a great help.”

  Einar bowed. “It will be good to have you on the throne once more, sire.”

  Nik very much doubted that Einar believed what he said. Nik planned on keeping a tighter rein on shopkeepers like Einar. They wouldn’t be allowed to work against the good of the people ever again.

  Nik left Einar’s shop, his pocket a little lighter but his spirits high. He’d be back if the device didn’t work. Nik would test it out later, once they were back on Midgard.

  First, he wanted to tell Toni about his success.

  He found her wandering in the garden, a lost expression on her face. People bowed to her as she passed, and she’d either nod or give the world’s most awkward curtsey. Sometimes she did both. He watched her for a few moments before approaching her. “Hey.”

  “Hey.” Toni faced him with a brave, trembling smile. “Can I ask you something?”

  Uh-oh. From her tone of voice she was about to ask him something embarrassing, either to her or to him. “Sure.”

  “You guys are toymakers, right?”

  “Yeah that’s one word for it,” he drawled, wondering where the hell she was going.

  “Does that mean you’re Christmas elves?”

  Nik rolled his eyes. “Ho ho no.” He took hold of her arm and dragged her down the path toward a more secluded area, ignoring the snickering of those around him. Ye gods, she asked the oddest questions sometimes.

  “Can I ask you something else?”

  “Sure.” He stopped under a flowering wisteria, the purple flowers framing her face. She was so beautiful she made his heart ache, and she had no idea.

  “What am I supposed to do here?” She put her hands on her hips and, now that they were away from the others, the lost expression was gone. “I can’t be a lay-about lady, I need to do things. I need to work, damn it.” She glared at him. “When I tried to talk to him about what I can do around here the captain of the guard patted me on the head like I was cute. Cute!” She threw her hands up in the air. “I’m a freakin’ homicide detective, not Hello Kitty!” She blew her bangs out of her face. “It annoyed me.”

  Actually, she was adorable, but since he valued his balls he kept his mouth shut.

  “So tell me what I’m supposed to do.” She stared at him expectantly.

  “Right now? Go home with me.” He pointed toward the palace. “We’re going to say good-bye and return to Midgard. Things there aren’t anywhere near done, and we’re needed by Kir’s side. Besides,” he pulled out the golden ball, “I have a new toy to try out.”

  Her eyes lit up. “That’s the spell neutralizer?”

  “Yup.” He tossed it in the air and caught it, all without looking away from her face.

  “Then let’s get out of here.” She grabbed his arm eagerly. “We have a woman to find.”

  “For a second there, I thought you didn’t like my home.” Nik watched her warily, wondering if that was the real issue. She’d been sort of down ever since they arrived, and watching her light up made him think that Svartalfaheim might not be the place for her.

  She turned on him, her eyes shifting to silver. “I love it here.” She looked so fierce he tried to take a step back. “These people are fucking amazing, the architecture is beautiful, and you really need a police force.” She nodded with a far-away expression. “I’ll deal with that once I have a wipe-away board and my guns.”

  He chuckled. Of course she would, and his people would benefit from her expertise. “Then you know exactly what you’ll be doing here.”

  She smiled and turned, tugging him after her. “Damn right. Your moms helped me figure it out.”

  He stumbled. When had she spoken to his mothers? Last he’d heard they’d been vacationing in Fiji. Did they use Skype to talk to him and gotten Toni instead? He tried to keep his tone neutral to hide his surprise but wasn’t sure he succeeded. “They did?” And why hadn’t he been informed of it? He’d have to have a talk with them. He should have been told of their call immediately, but no one had told him a thing.

  “Yup.” She skipped—freaking skipped!—ahead of him, her hands behind her back like a schoolgirl. “I liked them, especially Atla. We had a lovely breakfast together.” She laughed lightly, almost child-like in her glee. “I’m going shopping with Mama Dark Elf–”

  “Eyrgjafa.” Shopping trips? Breakfast? What was going on in his castle?

  “Yeah, her, and Greip once this whole Ragnarrok thing is taken care of. Atla said she might join us, too, just to watch the shopkeepers freak the hell out.” The light laugh morphed into an evil chuckle. “I really like her.”

  He gulped. She liked his most fearsome mother? “Oh?”

  “She’s kick-ass, and she loves you a great deal.” Toni turned around and grinned at him. It reminded him eerily of Ulfrun. “And they all think I need to clean house around here.”

  “If my captain of the guards treated you like that, I’d say you do.” Especially since there’d been no report of his mothers’ visit. He sped up so he could take hold of her arm, leading her back into the palace where they would pack for the trip home. “Once I officially take the throne the place is all yours.”

  She sighed happily. “I just knew you’d see things my way.”

  He chuckled. “It’s not like I can help it.”

  She elbowed him in the side. “Not funny, mister. Not funny at all.”

  Chapter 18

  Nik stepped off the elevator first, appearing happy to be back home. “We need to show Logan and Kir the mirror needed to find Sydney.”

  Toni nodded, following after him, watching his back as always. “Once we have Sydney we can move against Frederica and neutralize her. Then all we need to do is take down Grimm and all of this will be over.”

  He glanced over his shoulder, his expression startled. He’d regained his human ap
pearance as soon as they’d stepped off the Bifrost Bridge and back on Earth, so his eyes were human gray rather than metallic silver. For some reason, the change had surprised her. She’d gotten used to those reflective irises, so alien yet so beautiful.

  Those same irises had looked back at her in her own mirror. Luckily, his moms had taught her how to change her appearance so she didn’t look like a York Peppermint Patty all the time.

  He smiled as if he could read her thoughts. “You’re starting to think like a true warrior.”

  That earned him a glare. “I’ve always been one, that’s why I’m a cop.” She strode past him and knocked on Kir’s door. “Open up, guys, we’re home!”

  There was the sound of scrambling, a few loud bangs and a muttered ouch before the door swung open. Logan stood there, his dark red hair disheveled, his shirt askew and a wicked grin on his face. “Welcome back.” He ran a hand through his hair, smoothing it down a bit. “We were, um, busy.”

  “We figured.” Nik shook his head. “What has been seen—”

  Logan smacked his shoulder before Nik could finish. “Asshole.”

  Nik chuckled and pushed past both Toni and Logan. “Come out, Kir, Jordan. We have news.”

  “We know, dickhead.” Kir came out in his usual black attire, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. “You couldn’t wait five more minutes?”

  Toni shook her head. Nik had to have been aware of what was going on inside the Tate-Saeter condo, but he’d chosen to interrupt them anyway. “You know he lives to annoy people.”

  “True.” Kir’s hair was all over the place, the pale blonde longer than his lover’s now. He’d grown it out in response to Logan and Jordan’s pleas.

  Speaking of Jordan, the very pregnant woman waddled out of the bedroom. “I hate my ankles right now.”

  “You’re beautiful, love.” Kir put his arm around her and kissed her forehead, his expression immediately becoming tender. “You’ve never been more so.”

  “Hmph.” Jordan pushed her glasses up her nose and turned her attention to Nik and Toni. “So. What have you got?”