by Ken Lange
Rick gives me a questioning look. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because it would’ve been wrong. They were prisoners who were being abused by outside forces for no other reason than that they could. I made a choice in that moment to destroy the wraiths’…loas’ hold on their world. Doing it nearly killed me, but Loki and Fenrir saved my life…and did it again just the other day.”
Mir frowns. “I’m not convinced.”
Rick turns to him. “Why not?”
Oh, he shouldn’t have said that, because Mir’s going to make him pay. A fraction of a second later, he floods Rick’s mind with images of the Jörmungandr tearing through worlds, devouring stars, and massacring anyone who stood in their way.
Mir gives him a hard look. “That’s why.”
The vision leaves Rick sweaty, panting, and on the verge of being sick. “Is that true?”
I nod. “It is. But that’s from a timeline that no longer exists. They may never harm anyone.”
Mir’s tone is indignant. “Right! They’re just pacifists now that you’ve saved them.” He glances between me and Rick before finally focusing on me. “Are you going to tell him?”
I blink. “What?”
He trembles. “That if you’re wrong, we’re doomed.”
For the first time, I can see a sliver of Kvasir in him. This fear of failure had kept the man repeating the timeline over and over again in an attempt to get things right. That turned into madness and warped him into something even worse than the Loki.
I get to my feet and walk over to him. “My friend, if I made the wrong choice then I did. But I’d rather die due to an act of mercy than become a tyrant.” My tone softens. “Think about it. Do you believe, even for a second, that the Loki you just showed Rick would’ve saved my life not once but twice now?”
He shivers and his expression falters. “No…”
I gesture at him. “This is why I’ve kept quiet.” Sitting in my chair, I spread my hands wide. “They’ve been free for several months, and they’ve done nothing to harm us. And for reasons unknown to me, they chose to save my life the other day. In my book, that rates us giving them a second chance.”
They both sit there, stunned, for several seconds. Eventually, Rick finds his voice and says, “I’m not sure what to think.”
Mir’s form ripples. “You still should’ve said something.” The light around him flares as he shifts in his seat.
“What are you doing?”
He shrugs. “Getting comfortable.”
Confused, I ask, “That’s it?”
He nods. “Yes…why?”
Glancing over at Rick, I find the same light throughout his body. Well, that’s just messed up. On a hunch, I place my hand over my right eye, and the light fades away. “Ah…Mir, could you check something for me?”
He gives me a quizzical look. “Sure…what’s up?”
Pointing at my right eye socket, I say, “There’s something weird happening there that’s making it difficult to see clearly.”
He glances at Rick and then me. “I’m sorry?”
Yeah, that sounds nuts even to me. “I’m not crazy…but there are these strange flares of light. I’m not sure if this is part of the healing process or not. That’s why I’m hoping you can figure out what’s going on before it gives me any more of a headache.”
He gets to his feet. “All right, give me a few minutes.” He vanishes.
Rick downs his drink as he stares at the space previously inhabited by Mir. “I’ve heard Nicholas and Kira say how weird it is that he appears and disappears at will, but I hadn’t realized how unsettling it is until now.”
I raise my glass in his direction. “Just think—” A pain shoots through my right eye socket, and I slap my hand over it. “Goddamn it.”
Rick gets to his feet. “What’s wrong?”
I wave him back into his chair. “It’s fine. At least, I think it is. This is just Mir’s bedside manner.”
Returning to his seat, he runs his hand over the top of his head. “Yeah, he isn’t exactly gentle.”
That was shitty of me. It wasn’t that long ago that Mir saved Rick’s life by introducing the Idunn into his system—which didn’t go according to plan. Not that there was much of one. Considering that it landed Rick in a coma and, if things had continued to go sideways, could’ve killed me as well, maybe there should’ve been.
“Sorry about that.”
He shrugs. “It is what it is. I just don’t want to find myself flat on my back again.”
I chuckle. “No worries. The worst thing that could happen is he puts me into a coma and leaves the rest of you to fend for yourselves in the aftermath.”
Rick grumbles. “Oh, is that all?”
Mir appears beside Rick and stumbles into the seat next to his.
I get to my feet. “You all right?”
He shakes his head. “Not sure, to be honest. Never seen anything like what’s happening in your head.”
I chuckle. “You’re not the first to say that.”
“Funny.” He sits up and places his elbows on his knees. “The eye is completely gone…everything. But the Idunn are building something new.” Confusion and awe mix in equal measures on his face. “Don’t get too excited. It’s not an eye. It’s more like a receptacle. Whatever it is, it can sense things on an energetic level, so it’s sort of like seeing but not really.”
Cool air swims in and out of my empty socket as I glance around the room. In a bizarre way, it’s almost as if I still have the use of both eyes… My left eye continues to function as expected. The right…well, let’s just say it’s a new experience.
Seriously, it’s weird as hell being able to see through solid objects—and the ability to watch electricity run through the walls is only fun for about a second. Everything around me has its very own signature, and while it’s fascinating, it’s also overwhelming. And I’m guessing this is only the beginning of what this new…receptacle can do.
“Okay…so what’s this mean? Do we have any idea what it’s going to turn into?”
He sighs. “Couldn’t tell you, but the good news is that you won’t have a depth perception problem soon. In fact, you should be able to perceive things better now than when you had both eyes.”
Rick blinks. “Are you kidding me? He can actually see stuff without an eye?”
Mir nods. “Yeah. The Idunn and Viktor have a special relationship. So, while they’re not bothering with rebuilding an actual eye, they’re adapting to the current circumstance.”
Rick rubs his hand over his face and lets out a low groan. “When I came to work for you, I knew you were unique, but even so, this is bizarre as hell.”
I chuckle. “Couldn’t agree more…but I’m not complaining. I’ve still got work to do and having to learn how to live my life with half my vision gone isn’t something I’ve got time for right now.”
Rick nods. “That’s probably true—” He gets to his feet and walks over, peering into my eyes. “Now that’s just fucked up.”
Mir strolls over to take a look for himself. “Ah…that is…strange.”
“What the hell are you two talking about?”
Rick points at my right eye. “The inside there. It’s completely gilded.”
I glance at Mir, who nods. “Okay…” I move over to the mirror to see for myself…and sure enough, there’s a hollowed-out socket covered in gold.
Rick grimaces. “That looks painful.”
I shake my head. “It isn’t.” When I pull my hand back from my face, all I can smell is sweat and antiseptic. “For fuck’s sake, I reek. Why didn’t one of you tell me I need a shower?”
Mir shrugs. “Don’t look at me, I can’t smell anything.”
Rick frowns. “I thought it’d be rude.” He checks his watch. “You’ve got things from here, right? I really need to take care of things downstairs.”
I nod. “Yeah, I can handle getting clean on my own.”
A drink pops into Mir’s han
d. “I’ll be here when you’re done.”
Wobbling on the spot, I ask, “Any chance you’d mind giving me a few minutes to myself?”
He frowns. “Fine…but we need to talk about this Loki situation.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Really? What’s there to talk about?”
Getting to his feet, he folds his arms. “The fact that you unilaterally decided to save them and didn’t tell anyone.”
I blink. “Doing a decent thing for people who were in pain isn’t something that needs discussing.”
He drops his arms and steps toward me. “This is the Loki we’re talking about. Are you sure they can be trusted?”
I laugh. “No…but I’m not going to exterminate an entire race over crimes they haven’t committed. Especially when there’s a good chance they never will now.”
Mir’s cheeks burn crimson. “But who are you to decide that for the rest of us?”
I walk over and reach out to him, but my hand passes through his shoulder. “I understand your fear…but had I done what you think is right, I’d be dead now.” Raising my gaze to his, I say, “There’s a real possibility that breaking Carcinus’s hold on them will give them a chance at an actual life. Would you really deny them the opportunity to prove us wrong?”
His resolve breaks. “I know you’re right on a moral level, but if you’re wrong…we don’t get a do-over this time. You saw to that when you killed Kvasir and broke the loop.”
I nod. “If I’m wrong, I am, but I refuse to make a choice based on what might happen. I saw someone suffering, and I did my best to fix that. It was the right thing to do.”
Rick points at me. “I’m with Viktor on this.”
Mir glances up at Rick and nods. “So am I, but—”
“But you can’t help being afraid, knowing what you know.”
He sighs. “Yeah.”
I smile. “We made the right choice then, and now. So far the Loki are proving themselves to be a powerful ally.”
His voice is full of anxiety when he speaks. “True.”
I thumb over my shoulder. “Now, if you two don’t mind?”
Rick and Mir wave as I turn and walk to my bedroom to close the door behind me.
Chapter 11
Thanks to Galen’s recent upgrades, the shower helped me more than any medicine or whiskey could. Most of the aches and pains have subsided. The only lasting impression the fight left on me is the missing eye.
After checking myself in the mirror to make sure I don’t look like crap, I move to the kitchen. I’m starved, and unless Justine finished it off, there’s some leftover Chinese takeout in the fridge. I strike gold with two containers. Not bothering to heat up the food, I grab a fork out of the drawer and dig into the beef lo mein. About halfway through, my phone rings.
Not recognizing the number, I hesitate before answering. But who knows? It might be Ethan. Honestly, I’m hoping it is, because I’d like to have a word with the prick. “Hello.”
The deep, gravelly voice that answers sounds somewhat familiar. “Good, you’re up and about.”
Gooseflesh erupts down my arms. “I am. May I ask who this is?”
He chuckles. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather discuss that in person. Would you mind meeting me at Popp Fountain? I’ll be on the bench at the east entrance.”
I know what you’re thinking. The last random call I took ended with me nearly getting murdered and needing to be rescued. Thing is, I’m ninety nine percent sure this is the Loki. If they wanted me dead, they probably wouldn’t call me up to schedule it. I put my food on the counter.
“Any chance you’d be willing to give me a hint? I mean, I haven’t had the best week.”
Amusement works its way into his tone. “I’m terrible at clues…so no. But I can understand why you’re being cautious and while you have no reason to trust me, I promise you that no harm will come to you while we’re together. Is that enough to convince you?”
I run my hand across my forehead and nod. “Yeah. When works for you?”
There’s a short pause. “Say half an hour? Oh, and I’d prefer this to be a one-on-one meeting. I’m a bit shy.”
This is going to go over really well with everyone. Then again, if I don’t say anything, no one has to be the wiser…except Mir, of course. “Not a problem. See you shortly.”
Hanging up the phone, I glance at my watch and count off three ticks before Mir appears. “Please tell me you’re not going? The last thing you need is to have your teeth kicked in again. We’re just getting you back on your feet.”
He makes a fair point, but I’m still going to ignore it. “I told the man I was going, and you know breaking my word isn’t something I take lightly.”
He shifts on the spot. “Okay, but you’re going to bring along backup, right?”
I lean against the counter. “Why are you asking me questions you already know the answer to?”
His tone hardens. “Maybe if you’re forced to say it out loud, you’ll understand just how stupid you’re being.”
It isn’t as if I don’t see his point, but again, I’ve got a good idea who it is. Telling him will only make this situation way worse than it needs to be, though. “You’re right, this is insane, especially considering how things have been going for me lately.” I run my hand across the side of my head. “I’m not sure why, but I feel obligated to go.”
He throws his hands up in disgust. “Of all the people in the world, I never thought I’d hear you give such a flimsy excuse.”
That’s probably deserved. “Thing is, I’ve got a hunch that this guy has nothing to do with the Baron or Ethan.”
He folds his arms. “What makes you think that?”
While I’d like to tell him it’s the Loki, or that I think it is, he isn’t handling that situation all that well right now. If he figures it out, he’s going to lose his shit, but this needs doing. I can’t say why, but this meeting feels important. Significant. “For starters, he sounded genuinely happy that I’m still alive. No one who works for them could say that.”
Mir rolls his eyes. “Wow, a bit of voice acting and you’re ready to give someone another shot at taking your head. Smart, man. Real smart.”
I shrug. “Be that as it may, I’m still going. Besides, it isn’t as if I’ll truly be alone. One or more of the Ulfr Hunn will be somewhere nearby, even if it is against my better judgment.”
He sighs. “Christ, seriously? It’s almost like you have a death wish.”
Doing my best to sound reassuring, I say, “You know better than anyone just how strong my will to live is, so that’s a cheap shot. How about you come clean and tell me what’s really bugging you, because you’re normally not the mother hen type?”
His voice trembles slightly. “You’re right. Normally, I’m not, but with all the weirdness going on lately—”
“You mean the loa thing?”
He shakes his head. “No. I mean…well, something’s wrong. Kira’s acting strange. The Nexus has a hiccup, and I don’t know what’s causing it.”
Concerned, I ask, “What’s going on with Kira?”
His expression sinks. “No idea. She’s been unusually quiet…when she’s not having some sort of outburst like the one with Rick. While I can’t put my finger on the problem, there’s definitely an issue.”
It’s suddenly a little harder to breathe and my hands shake slightly. “I’ve noticed things were off, but nothing as extreme as this. Any idea when it started?”
He scratches his beard. “Like you, she has holes in her memory prior to coming online with the Nexus…not to the same extent, of course, but they’re there.” Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he sighs. “But it seems that her more volatile nature surfaced after her return from China. Then there are the other…inconsistencies.”
What the actual fuck? “What sort of inconsistencies?”
His shoulders slump forward, and he hangs his head. “Every so often, a weird static will reverberate through the
Nexus. It’s never for long, but it’s still there.”
My mind is racing, trying to put all the pieces together. “How is that possible?”
He plops onto the barstool. “I’m not sure. At first, I thought it was a problem with your system, considering how damaged you are.”
“But it’s not.”
He rolls his shoulders. “Not as far as I can tell. There’s no real source for it. But since your eye got knocked out, the static is getting stronger. Now it’s creating feedback, which really isn’t helping things. It hasn’t screwed up anything yet, but if it keeps up, there’s a real possibility of it disrupting the Nexus in a major way.”
Checking my watch, I grimace. “We’ll pick this up after my meeting. Do what you can to keep the ship righted, and we’ll delve into this more when things calm down.”
Mir nods. “Fine, but you really need to have a sit down with Kira. No one’s told you this yet, but after she cut her finger fixing you up, she wrecked her lab. Then the thing with Rick… I’ve just got a bad feeling.”
Placing my hand over my heart, I say, “Promise. I’ll do that when she comes back to work.” Pausing, I ask, “We good?”
He pauses for a moment before nodding. “I guess so.”
I can’t blame the guy for being worried; he’s lived through this nightmare before.
When I step into the hallway, Zadock Jones is slowly making his way toward me.
I raise my hand and wave. “Afternoon, Zadock. You okay?”
He shakes his head. “No, not really.”
Stupid question. His mother was just murdered by Ethan, and I’m an insensitive ass. “Christ, I’m a dumbass. Sorry.”
His voice trembles. “It’s all right.”
Hanging my head slightly, I say, “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about what happened.”
Zadock shakes his head. “There’s nothing you could’ve done. I’m told she was dead before you got there.”
I nod. “Yeah, but that doesn’t make me feel any better about the situation.”
He lifts his gaze to mine. “Don’t beat yourself up too much. Mom chose her lot in life a long time ago.”
