Truth or Death

by Sara C. Roethle

“Okay,” I said, then started walking. My boots rustled the dry leaves at my feet, and air scented deeply with bark, soil, and drying greenery hit my nose. The thought of Erykah, and everyone else who cared about me, weighed heavily on my shoulders. Chances were I’d never see them again. If Yggrdrasil’s magic didn’t kill me, Ve or Odin would.

  Marcos walked silently at my side, while Aila, Sophie, and Ve followed behind us. I didn’t look back to see if he led Sleipnir along, my gaze was already on the golden root I’d spotted through the trees. No ghouls or other creatures stirred in its presence. Perhaps it was because of Ve, though Loki’s presence hadn’t stopped things from attacking.

  “It’s beautiful,” Marcos said.

  I nodded. Yggdrasil might have become the bane of my existence, but it really was beautiful. “Too bad we’re here to kill it.”

  The breeze carried wisps of his spidersilk hair away from his sharp features. “You cannot kill it, not really. Its energy simply shifts to another vessel.”

  Goosebumps erupted beneath my flannel shirt. The vessel in question this time was me. I remembered all too clearly what had happened last time I tried to contain Yggdrasil’s magic. It had nearly torn me apart. Only time would tell what would happen this time. Marcos was stronger than Faas, but a god he was not.

  We reached the root.

  “It’s massive,” Aila said behind us. “I should have brought a bigger sword.”

  I was pretty sure the sword strapped across her back was the biggest sword she owned, but I didn’t say anything. Instead, I stepped toward the root and placed my hands upon it. It felt like home. Like with just a thought, I could become part of the tree and leave all my problems behind.

  I stepped back, shaking my head gently. Things were changing with every root severed. I wasn’t just becoming more tired. I was becoming closer to the tree.

  I looked over my shoulder to Marcos, Aila, Sophie, Ve, and behind them, Sleipnir, who seemed uninterested in his surroundings. “Are you all ready?”

  Ve stared at the root, something akin to hunger in his expression. “Just get it over with, mortal.”

  I met Sophie’s gaze for a moment, hoping she understood what I was about to do, then turned to the root. I heard footsteps behind me, then Marcos took one of my hands. I intertwined my fingers with his, not wanting to lose my grip. He might be my only lifeline in what was to come.

  I attuned myself to Yggdrasil’s energy, then started pulling it in. I did it quickly, not wanting Ve to notice, but it was too quick. My head felt like it was going to pop, yet the sensation was sweet like honey. All of that power would feel wonderful . . . right before it killed me.

  Marcos’ hand convulsed as the power reached him, filling him up as much as it did me. The only problem was, it wasn’t his type of energy. Though it was true that he and I had a similar flavor, he wasn’t tuned into the tree like I was.

  I heard Sophie, or maybe Aila, gasp as the power rushed into us. My vision exploded with starlight. I lost my connection with reality, like I was no longer standing in the silvery forest. The only lifeline I had was Marcos’ hand linked with mine.

  “Now!” I heard him shout.

  I collapsed, pulling away from the root, and Marcos went with me.

  Something grabbed the back of my collar, hauling me upward.

  Ve’s voice assaulted my ears, “Release it, mortal! Give it to me!”

  He held fast to my collar, shaking me until my shirt began to tear. My tears flowed freely as I tried to contain the power inside of me. At some point, probably when Ve grabbed me, I’d lost my grip on Marcos’ hand, but hadn’t realized right when it happened. Ve let go of my collar and grabbed my arm. I gasped, then like a cog clicking into place, the magic settled inside me.

  I finally managed to open my eyes, had a brief glimpse of Ve’s enraged face way too close, then I was flying through the air like I weighed nothing. I slammed into Aila with a crack that I was pretty sure was one of my ribs, but it was hard to compete with the pain in my shoulder. Ve had nearly ripped it out of its socket throwing me. We toppled to the dry leaves and I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. I registered Aila’s body beneath mine, but that was about all I could sense beyond the pain.

  Sometimes I could heal with my magic when I had enough power, but when I healed myself, it wasn’t like a conscious thought, it just happened, and it wasn’t happening.

  There was a commotion behind us, but I couldn’t move.

  “I’m going to sit up,” Aila said into my ear. “Are you injured?”

  “How are you not?” I groaned.

  “I am the descendent of Freyja, little girl. I’m made of hardier stock than you.”

  Aila sat up, cradling me like a child.

  Slowly, I relearned how to breathe. “Did you actually just make a joke?”

  She smirked down at me. “I do so from time to time.” She looked past me. “Sophie! Stand down.”

  My head lolled to the side. Sophie had a blade as long as her forearm in her hand, aimed at Ve.

  “I’m alright!” I gasped.

  She looked back at me, her brow furrowed. Once she saw me looking at her, her shoulders slumped. Sophie might have had her flaws, but she was loyal to those she deemed family, almost to a fault.

  Ve didn’t seem in the least bit concerned about her blade either way. His angry glare was all for me. “You kept the magic. Such a thing is forbidden, mortal.”

  I pushed away from Aila so I could sit on my own. My lower left side and my right shoulder were in agony, but I could still move my arms, and my legs seemed to be working. “It was an accident.”

  He stormed toward us, his angry energy prickling up and down my skin like the feeling you get just before lightning strikes too close. I didn’t see Marcos or Sleipnir anywhere. Ve stopped with his boots nearly touching my knees.

  I had to crane my neck all the way back to look at him.

  “You have severed many roots successfully,” he accused. “This was no accident.”

  I licked my lips. “I’m sure you can tell that Yggdrasil’s magic is changing. My old way of doing it doesn’t work anymore.” I met his gaze steadily, hoping he wouldn’t see through my lie.

  He spat onto the ground, barely missing my boot. “Do that again, and I will kill your friends.”

  The world seemed to slow for a moment, then I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat. It was the one thing I’d hoped he wouldn’t realize. Odin might have needed me, and he might have needed Erykah, but everyone else was just a hostage waiting to be used. He’d found my weakness, and I had no clue what to do about it.

  6

  We found Marcos and Sleipnir near the severed root, just as Marcos was climbing to his feet.

  He rubbed his pale brow. “I believe I lost consciousness.”

  Sleipnir nudged his shoulder with his muzzle. Of all people, the horse had taken a liking to Marcos?

  He looked behind him to the root, then back to me. “We were successful?”

  Ve walked past him and took hold of Sleipnir’s reins. “Hardly,” he scoffed. “And you will be the first to die if she does such a thing again. You shine with the power of the gods. It is a death sentence in and of itself.”

  Despite the giant angry god standing at his back, Marcos smiled. I was so glad Ve couldn’t see it. Marcos met my gaze. “Are you ready for the next?”

  I nodded, hoping Yggdrasil’s energy hadn’t driven him mad. Ve’s threat had me reconsidering our entire plan. I could sacrifice myself, and maybe even Marcos, but I’d never do that to Aila or Sophie.

  I reached a trembling hand toward Sleipnir’s reins while everyone gathered around me. Sophie stood closest, her body pressed against mine for comfort. I wished I could say something to her like, I won’t you get killed, but I didn’t like giving empty promises. I’d try, but some things might be beyond my reach.

  Sleipnir started moving, making the world around us a blur.

  You did it, Marcos’ voice exploded into
my mind. Do you feel the power? It’s marvelous.

  It nearly killed us. Can we only communicate while we’re traveling?

  He was silent for a moment. Yes, the god is distracted searching for the roots. I heard his threat. This time, we must take in more power, and we must destroy him.

  My hand spasmed around Yggrasil’s rein. We can’t! Odin will kill us all.

  Your thoughts are all so loud, Madeline. You know you must face him, and to do that, you must become godlike yourself.

  I managed to shake my head, though Marcos wouldn’t see it. That’s not possible.

  Perhaps not, but it is the only choice we have.

  I huffed. Well . . . shit.

  Ever eloquent.

  We touched down again. This root must not have been as far away as the first. Spindly pines surrounded us, and a light dusting of snow was on the ground. I stepped away from Sleipnir and wrapped my arms around myself, wincing at my bruised—maybe broken—ribs. The cold seemed to make the pain even worse.

  A sudden gust of snowflakes coated Ve’s reddish hair. “No tricks this time, mortal. Each time you disobey, one of your party dies. I will sever the final roots myself if need be.”

  Sophie rubbed her bare arms, her silk blouse doing little good to ward away the cold. Her blade was sheathed at her hip, but I knew she could draw it in the blink of an eye. “Let’s get this over with,” she chattered.

  Aila hefted her sword over her shoulder. “Where is the next root?” She bravely eyed Ve. “If I am to die, I will do so with honor.”

  To my surprise, Ve gave her a nod of acknowledgment. “You will keep whatever honor a mortal can manage to have.”

  Aila gritted her teeth, but nodded.

  Marcos had stepped away from us. I watched his black-clad back as gusts of snowy air played with his pure white hair. The sight would have been almost enchanting . . . if it was anyone other than Marcos.

  “This way,” he said, then started walking.

  Ve spat on the ground. “Yggdrasil’s magic clings to him, leading him toward it. He will most certainly be the first to die.”

  If Marcos survived to the next journey, I’d tell him to keep his damn mouth shut. I started walking after him through the snow. I had already been tired, now I was injured and the snow dragged at my hiking boots, slowing me down. This root would be our only chance. If we couldn’t defeat Ve, I doubted I could handle the next root on my own. I needed Marcos to help me contain the power.

  I watched him walking ahead of us through the snow, and realized Ve was right. He did shine with Yggdrasil’s power. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel it.

  It was frightening to think that someone like Marcos could hold such power. Someone who’d been willing to kill indiscriminately to gather enough magic to break Hecate’s hold on him.

  Here was hoping I’d keep enough of the magic for myself to not only defeat gods, but to keep Marcos in line when I was done.

  Alaric

  Alaric clutched Erykah in his arms, hurrying after Freyja through the dense, misty forest. At his side ran Mikael, his eyes ever vigilant on their surroundings, and his axe ready to protect the child he seemed to view as his own, or something like it.

  Faas ran with them too, bringing up the rear.

  Alaric swallowed the lump in his throat and picked up speed to keep up with Freyja. If Loki’s plan failed, Alaric would lose everything. His one small consolation was that Madeline was currently on earth, probably safer than any of them, but it was a consolation of little merit. He knew if Odin killed him and took Erykah, Madeline would stop at nothing to defeat him, and she would die.

  He wove around a tree with bark so dark it was nearly black. He’d never seen a tree like it before, but this was a magical place. He’d never seen most the things here before. Freyja had instructed them not to speak, not even if they were attacked, for human voices would draw in phantoms, intent on draining life from the living. The only sound was their footfalls on powdery earth, and to his ears, they were deafening.

  They were going to the underworld, the realm of death, the one place the gods feared to go, save Loki’s daughter, Hel.

  Freyja stopped suddenly ahead of them and drew the sword strapped to her back.

  He halted, clutching Erykah to his chest, searching for the source of danger. At a shift in the air he threw himself to the black earth, barren save the trees, curling his body protectively around Erykah as he used his shoulder to roll himself back to his feet.

  Mikael’s axe followed his movements, striking at a massive crow nearly the size of a horse. The crow shrieked and swooped upward toward the gray sky, leaving behind a scarred grey foot with sharp black talons, slowly oozing black blood into the earth. Erykah’s wails echoed across the land. The calls of more crows sounded in all directions.

  Ahead, Freyja swung her sword over her shoulder, beheading another crow mid-flight. Its carcass fell on top of the first crow she’d killed.

  Faas pushed on Alaric’s shoulder, urging him forward. If he was smart, he’d give Erykah to Faas. Alaric was the stronger fighter, he could protect her better with his hands free, but he couldn’t bear to let go of her. He couldn’t bear to tell Madeline he’d lost her because he’d handed her off to Faas so he could fight.

  So instead he tucked his head down and ran toward Freyja, who urged him onward as she warred with another giant crow. More would close in upon them soon. They had to find shelter, somewhere the massive crows couldn’t attack from above.

  His boots pounded on the dry earth, kicking up black dust in his wake. He would reach the goddess of the underworld or die trying, because the goddess of death would be their greatest ally. She would see some of Erykah’s power in herself, and protect them from Odin.

  Or at least, that was what Loki had hoped. In truth, he hadn’t spoken to his daughter in nearly six hundred years.

  The snow had continued to fall as we walked, and by the time we reached the root, it was piled high around it. My teeth had finally stopped chattering, but weariness tugged at my entire body. The gathering snow looked like a nice cushion to lay down on.

  Marcos stood beside me before the root. Holding his hand was like holding an icicle, though he wasn’t trembling like I was.

  He squeezed my hand, then looked at me.

  I nodded. His life was the one on the line right now. If he was willing to try, we could try. If we couldn’t defeat Ve, Marcos would die, and I would have to do the rest of the roots without his help.

  The golden root before me seemed to pulse with power. Those standing at our backs were barely a blip on my radar. I placed my free hand on the root, taking a moment to soak up its delicious warmth. There was so much power in it, it started seeping into me without me even trying, almost like it wanted to go.

  Ve’s voice growled behind me, “Remember our deal, mortal. Is your little game worth dying over?”

  No, it really wasn’t worth dying over, but if we didn’t play, I had a feeling we’d all die anyway. I said a silent prayer to Mara, the Morrigan, and to Kali, to every life and death goddess I could think of, even to Hecate. It was their energy I needed to get me through. Goddess energy to contain and use the power of Yggdrasil. The thought was so ridiculous I almost laughed, then stopped myself. Not having faith in my abilities was the surest way to fail.

  I pulled the energy from the root, filling myself up quickly, letting the spillover seep into Marcos. Suddenly I was warm, too warm. I sensed the same presence I had noticed the first time I took Yggdrasil’s magic in. It poured into me willingly.

  “Mortal!” Ve shouted. I could hear him stomping up behind us in the snow, then the sound of struggle as Aila and Sophie tried to stop him.

  I pulled faster. I only had one shot. The magic filled me close to bursting. My skin hurt, like it was tearing apart, but my ribs somehow felt better. The magic filled both Marcos and I up until we physically glowed with its power.

  Ve let out an indecipherable sound of frustration, then grabbe
d my shoulder from behind.

  I dropped Marcos’ hand then turned, shoving power not into Ve, but at him. I’d be damned if I let him have a single drop.

  The magic consumed me. I was no longer touching Yggdrasil, yet it forced more power into me. Ve was knocked back into the snow. He blinked up at me in shock.

  Then, I totally lost my grip.

  I walked toward him through the snow. Words that were not mine left my lips, “Mortals should not hold the power of the gods, but gods should not pluck the strings of fate.” I held my hands out before me, or something did. They didn’t feel like they were my hands anymore.

  Real fear showed in Ve’s eyes. The human part of me was glad, but whatever else was inside me, it didn’t care about his fear. It only cared about stopping him. “I release your energy back into the realms of Yggdrasil,” I said, “to take shape in another time and place where it is needed.”

  Energy poured out of me into Ve. Suddenly every memory, thought, and emotion that made him, him, played like a thousand movies before my eyes. It was my power of empathy amplified by a thousand. The human part of me recoiled in fear, but I no longer had control of what was happening. This was the power of Yggdrasil: the fates, life, death, and emotion all in one. Even the chaotic energy that was the Key. It recognized me as a vessel, and had finally taken hold. Maybe it had intended this all along.

  Ve became nothing but a blindingly bright pool of light, then just like that, the light blinked out of existence.

  I looked past the spot where Ve had been toward Aila and Sophie. Sophie held her arm at a weird angle, like it was broken, and one side of Aila’s face was badly bruised from their struggle with Ve.

  Sophie’s dark eyes looked me up and down. “Madeline? Are you in there?”

  A gust of snow picked up the ends of my hair, tugging the elastic barely holding my ponytail free.

  Was I in here? I was, or else I couldn’t think it, but I could feel something else looking out from my eyes.

  “Come, mortals,” my voice said. “Bring to me the eight-legged horse. It is time to make our power whole again.”