Truth or Death

by Sara C. Roethle

  He gestured toward the tall man at his side. “Ve will accompany you.”

  My eyes slid to the man, Ve. “Is he the god of never getting tired? Because that’s what I’ll need to survive.”

  Odin’s one-eyed glare made me whither in my boots. I looked to Ve, who still hadn’t spoken.

  “I will help you contain the magic from the roots.” His voice was a deep rumble, like if bears could talk.

  I didn’t like the sound of that. Contain, steal, what’s the difference? “That’s not the area I have issues with.”

  Odin snorted. “You could have fooled me. Releasing more magic into Midgard will only upset the balance further. Do you truly wish to destroy your homeland?”

  After my discussion with Loki, it wasn’t difficult to see through his mask of concern. “Can I still bring Loki?”

  “Loki is busy,” he snapped. “You may bring your fellow Vaettir,” he nodded back toward Sophie, “and you may enlist the aid of any current residents of Midgard. Now go.”

  I stared at him, unsure of what to say, not that my words ever seemed to sway him. “Once this is finished, I will be able to return to Midgard with Erykah?”

  He inclined his head. “You will be together. You have my word.”

  Yeah, together where? I thought. In the grave? I looked to Sophie. “I guess we’ll go find Mikael and get ready to go.” I really wanted to speak with Loki first too, but I doubted that was going to happen. Odin obviously wanted to keep us apart.

  I nodded to Odin, then turned back the way we’d come. The double doors opened ahead of us as if on command, revealing the two guards who’d escorted us. Ve followed silently in our wake.

  Once we were in the hall, the doors closed behind us, Sophie leaned in toward my shoulder. “Mikael will not be coming. He’s . . . tired. I will be coming with you. We will pick up Aila, and Marcos . . . if he can be found.”

  “No Faas?”

  “No.”

  Just how much planning had occurred while I was asleep, and which of the gods had gone to Midgard to communicate with Aila, and why? I wanted to ask her a million questions, but the presence of Ve and the two guards were like heavy weights dragging at my back. I wasn’t going to be able to see Loki or Hecate before we left, and now I wasn’t even going to have Mikael with me on earth. With Ve along, Sophie wouldn’t even have the opportunity to let me in on the plan.

  We reached the doors leading outside. The guards held them open. We exited and left them behind. Ve followed.

  I glanced back at him, but his gaze remained ahead of us on the cobblestone path. If I hadn’t already heard him speak I would have thought maybe he was mute, but I knew I could never be so lucky.

  Once we were aways down the path, Sophie veered off to the right down an intersecting path.

  I stopped walking. “Where are you going?”

  She turned around. Her dark eyes were filled with some hidden warning. “We’re going to Yggdrasil’s branch. You heard Odin. We don’t have time to dally.” Her gaze flicked past me to Ve.

  My gut clenched. I wasn’t even going to see Erykah or Alaric before we left? Were they even still in the cottage? I hadn’t seen them that morning. They could be anywhere.

  I forced my breathing to slow, not wanting Ve to notice my panic. Mikael and Alaric wouldn’t let anything happen to Erykah. I even believed Loki would protect her if it came to it. The best thing I could do for her now was go along with whatever plan had been made in my absence.

  I straightened my shoulders. “Okay, let’s go.”

  As we walked toward the World Tree’s branch, I wondered at my chosen escort. Sophie made sense. She was descended from the goddess of war. She could face down any ghouls, elves, or trolls in our path. Aila made sense too. She was six feet tall and probably as strong as Mikael. She’d be able to sever the roots in Mikael’s absence. I assumed Marcos was the substitution for Faas. His energy was like mine. We could combine powers, but he could also help regulate me if I needed it. Although, I’d never be able to trust him like I did Faas. Hell, we might not even be able to find him. He had the tendency to disappear for long periods of time, only showing up when there were Doyens or goddesses to be defeated.

  If I wasn’t so utterly terrified, I would have smiled at the thought. We didn’t have any egomaniac Doyens left to put down. All that was left was a certain god. Facing Hecate had nearly killed us all, but we’d managed to beat her. Could we face the All Father and win?

  I really wasn’t sure, but we would soon find out.

  5

  Rather than picking a root, we traveled straight down to the base of Yggdrasil’s trunk. The trunk was the closest appendage to our home outside of Hillsboro where we’d find Aila.

  I let go of Sophie’s hand as our boots touched down on the soft, sandy beach. Ve had traveled on his own, and for that I was grateful, because I really didn’t want to touch him.

  Sophie looked past where I was standing, her eyes wide as the salty air whipped her drying hair across her face. “Oh. My. Goddess.”

  I turned around. Standing a few paces away was Ve, and beside him was the biggest horse I’d ever seen. Though it wasn’t the horse’s size that had me stunned, nor the green hue of its coat. The massive horse, which stood even taller than Ve, had eight legs.

  “Sleipnir,” Sophie gasped. “How is every myth actually true?”

  “Myths have to come from somewhere,” Ve replied.

  We both jumped at the sound of his rumbling voice.

  I rubbed the goosebumps on my arms. “Don’t tell me we’re going to be riding that thing.”

  Ve stroked Sleipnir’s smooth green neck. “He can find the roots faster than you, mortal. Only with his help, can we complete your task in time.”

  Sleipnir stomped his hooves in the sand. It probably wasn’t the time to mention that even normal horses made me nervous. “There are going to be five of us. I don’t think we’ll all fit on its back.”

  Ve’s forehead wrinkled in indignation. “No mortal may ride him. You will simply hold his reins. It is enough.”

  I was beginning to really dislike Ve. “How will he know where we want him to go?”

  “I will tell him.”

  Great, just great, so we literally had zero control over how things were going to go down from here. I wanted to look at Sophie, but quelled the urge. She’d tell me the plan whenever she was able, which definitely wasn’t right now, with Ve staring at us like we were insects he wanted to crush beneath his giant boots.

  I approached Sleipnir warily. Keeping my gaze on the eight-legged horse, I asked, “Can he take us to our house? Otherwise we’re going to have to wait for Aila to drive all the way out here.”

  Ve nodded sharply. “It is just as traveling through Yggdrasil. Hold Sleipnir’s reins, and attune yourself with your location.”

  Okay, so maybe he didn’t have total control, he just wanted it. Finally, I glanced at Sophie, but her expression gave nothing away. “You ready?”

  She chewed her lip, finally showing some of the nerves I could already sense from her. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “Hmph.” Ve took hold of one side of Sleipnir’s reins where they rested over the back of the horse’s neck.

  I went to the other side of the horse, wanting to hold the reins as far away from Ve as possible. Sophie moved near me, then grasped the reins right below my hand. We locked gazes for a moment, then I closed my eyes and thought of home.

  Sleipnir’s energy snaked over me, different than what I felt from Yggdrasil. It was ancient, primordial energy, and I almost let go of the reins when I realized what it reminded me of. Sleipnir’s energy felt just like the Norns’ magic. It was almost comforting in a way, but the scope of it was just too grand. It was something I knew my mortal brain could never fully comprehend. The Norns might have been only a single aspect of Yggdrasil, fate, as it were, but they were sometimes scarier than the gods with their seemingly unending knowledge. Sleipnir was the same way. It was
that energy that allowed the beast to attune itself with Yggdrasil.

  Just as all of these realizations crashed over me, Sleipnir’s magic swept us away. He’d taken the image of home in my mind and run with it, literally . . . or maybe not. I could sense that he was running, but my feet felt solid on the ground. Everything around us was a blur.

  I stumbled as the sense of movement stopped. We were standing in the driveway of the home that we shared with several other Vaettir. I spotted Kira in the garden toward the southern side of the house and winced. I didn’t want her anywhere near Ve, but she’d already seen us.

  Her naturally green hair fluttered out behind her as she ran toward us. Her loose, patchwork dress made her look like a child, though it wasn’t much of a feat since she was already the size of one. I didn’t see her sister, Sivi, anywhere. She never would have let Kira run toward a stranger and a giant eight-legged horse.

  She slowed as she reached us, only then seeming to realize she didn’t know half our party.

  “Kira,” Sophie snapped, “go inside.”

  Kira pouted. “But I haven’t seen Madeline in ages.”

  Sophie stepped between us. “Now is not the time. Where is Aila?”

  Ve watched it all dispassionately. It really probably wasn’t dangerous for Kira to be around him. He didn’t care enough about mortals to bother with killing them, though calling Kira a mortal after how long she’d been alive was pushing it.

  Before Kira could answer, Aila emerged from the front door in all her Viking splendor. She flicked her glossy blonde ponytail as she approached, looking tall and powerful in her mishmash of leather and fur. Even in the modern world she preferred dressing more primitive, unless she was somewhere she needed to blend in. Her hazel eyes registered Ve and Sleipnir, then landed on me.

  “Where is Mikael?”

  I sighed. “Why is that always your first question?”

  “He is my Doyen.” Her sharp Scandinavian accent grew thicker with her sarcasm. Unlike some of the others, she retained a strong accent that bespoke a different time. I didn’t care about her sharp tone, because it let me know no one had communicated with her. Sophie telling me I’d be taking Aila and Marcos was just her way of letting me know those were the two people I needed to gather.

  I sucked my teeth. “I’m your Doyen too, so stop asking questions and do what you’re told.” Aila was just going to have to remain as in the dark as I was going forward, though I knew it wouldn’t help for me to tell her I didn’t actually know where Mikael was. She’d been his second in command for centuries. She was a bit attached.

  She glared at me, then looked next to Sophie. Her expression softened.

  I couldn’t help my smirk. “Someday one of you will have to tell me what happened between the two of you.”

  They both glared at me.

  It was Sophie who spoke first. “Now is not the time for stalling, Madeline.”

  She was right, I was stalling. Ignoring Ve watching us impatiently, I turned to Aila. “Marcos doesn’t happen to be around, does he?”

  Aila crossed her well-muscled arms. “Yes, he showed up this morning. Said he felt you severing a root,” she glanced at Ve, then back to me, “ . . . differently than the ones before.”

  The tension in my shoulders eased. Leave it to Marcos to show up just when things were about to get crazy. He had a way of doing that. “Get him out here, and fetch your biggest sword. You’re both coming with us.”

  “I’ll get him!” Kira offered. I’d almost forgotten she was there.

  She was off before anyone could agree, quickly disappearing into the house.

  Aila was watching Ve. “Care to explain to me what’s going on?” she muttered to Sophie.

  Sophie crossed her arms. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. All you need to know for now is that you’re coming with us. Mikael’s orders.”

  Aila lowered her voice further, sidling closer to Sophie. “And what of your orders?”

  I averted my gaze. Who knew, maybe this little adventure would give them an opportunity to work out their romantic issues. Either that, or we’d all die. The latter was probably more likely, unfortunately.

  I watched the house as Marcos emerged, a great sword in its scabbard gripped beneath one arm. His long white hair was just as I remembered it. As far as I could tell, his non-descript black clothes were the same ones I’d last seen him in too.

  Sophie’s shoulder butted up against mine as she moved to stand beside me. “Why is it that we always end up needing him?”

  Aila stood on her other side. “And how does he always manage to show up at just the right time?”

  I snorted. “Who knows? I’m still trying to figure out why you let him inside the house.”

  “Mikael’s orders,” Aila explained. “He told me to start searching for him as soon as your deal with Odin was made. He thought you might need him eventually.”

  Marcos reached us, though his gaze was on Ve and Sleipnir. “My, my Madeline. You never fail to entertain.”

  “If that’s what you want to call it,” I grumbled. I turned to Ve. “Ready to go?”

  “I’ve been ready.”

  I bit my tongue before I could let loose a scathing reply. I was tired and scared, and that made me grumpy. I turned back to Marcos. “You didn’t eat Kira, did you?”

  He offered me the ghost of an actual smile. “I thought it best that the little one remain inside.” He returned his gaze to Sleipnir. “Where are we going?”

  “You know of Sleipnir?” I asked.

  He walked past me toward the horse, absentmindedly handing Aila her sword along the way. “I had Hecate whispering in my ear for many years, Madeline.”

  I followed him with Sophie and Aila at my back. I would have loved to run inside the house for a bite to eat, but there was no way I was inviting Ve inside.

  I took hold of Sleipnir’s reins, then looked up to Ve. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “Get what over with?” Marcos asked as his long-boned hand gripped the reins right beneath mine.

  My back was to his chest, and he had to sort of wrap himself around me to make room for Sophie and Aila. I tried not to squirm. The punches to my dignity just kept on coming.

  “We’re severing the rest of the roots today,” I explained. “I might need you to lend me some energy.”

  I didn’t have to look back to know he was smiling all creepy-like again. “Splendid. Life was growing quite dull without you around.”

  “You call wild magics, ghouls, and other creatures taking over earth and causing mass panic dull?”

  “Those things have little to do with me, Madeline. You, however, make my life exciting.”

  Shaking my head, I closed my eyes and thought of Yggdrasil’s roots. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

  I tried to come up with a plan as we were once again swept away. How was I supposed to put Yggdrasil’s magic into the earth with Ve around? Surely he’d be expecting me to send the magic up with Odin—or maybe he was going to contain all the magic for Odin . . . unless he could be persuaded to betray him.

  Marcos’s voice sounded in my mind, nearly startling me into dropping Sleipnir’s reins. Ve is Odin’s brother. He will not betray him. What does Odin plan?

  Don’t speak into my mind, I thought, it’s creepy.

  How else are we to plan? We have shared our energy many times, Madeline, when will you start using it to our advantage?

  Fine, I sighed in my mind, Odin is harvesting Yggdrasil’s magic. Hecate thinks he wants to bring his wife back to life.

  His thoughts were silent for a moment, then, You speak with Hecate?

  She was the first one to figure out what Odin was doing.

  He was silent again. Wherever Sleipnir was taking us was far away, with how long it was taking. You will keep the magic for yourself, he decided. I will help you.

  I can’t do that.

  You can and you will. It is the only way. To bring the dead back to life,
especially a goddess, will upset the balance of all worlds. It will be our destruction.

  I tried to shake my head, but it was difficult to move while leagues were passing us by. I did it before.

  You altered a short span of time. Just a small error, and this world is in utter chaos. This will be . . . bigger. Take the magic. Use it against Ve. I will help you.

  We touched down, and the stream of conversation cut off. I was left feeling dizzy and scared. Sophie and Aila both looked a bit green.

  Ve stepped away from Sleipnir. Ve’s red hair was a bit wily, but he seemed otherwise unscathed by the journey. Surrounding us were dense silvery trees, and the first rays of early morning sunlight. Wherever we were, we were in a different time zone.

  “The root is that way.” Ve turned and pointed toward the rising sun. “Take care of it quickly. We have five more to sever.”

  I gasped. “Only five?”

  He stared at me. “Not every root took hold when you regrew the tree. Some worlds were cut off. Your wild magics were not enough.”

  I glared at him. I’d like to see him regrow the friggin world tree.

  I looked to Aila, noting the massive sword now strapped across her back. “You’ll need to be ready with your blade. The moment I say to sever the root, do it quickly, in one swing.”

  Her eyes pinched with worry. “I will try.”

  Ve’s rumbling voice made me shiver. “You will not try, mortal, you will do.”

  Sophie shot him a scathing look, but Aila only eyed her feet, having more reverence for the gods than her one-time lover.

  Marcos’ bony hand alighted on my shoulder. That he was a comforting presence in that moment spoke volumes. His voice did not enter my mind, maybe since Ve was looking right at us, but the message was clear. I needed to take in the magic of the root, and Marcos was there to help me. His motives, as always, were unclear, but they didn’t really matter in that moment.

  Ve sneered. “What are you waiting for, mortal.”

  I observed him for a moment, wondering if he knew that I knew he was Odin’s brother.