Collide and Seek

by Sara C. Roethle

  Alaric allowed me to pull him down the path, if a little reluctantly. He didn’t ask any more questions, which got him major bonus points in my book. It was nice having someone actually trust that I knew what I was doing. Unfortunately, I didn’t really trust it myself.

  We’d only gone roughly a quarter of a mile when the first scream cut through the air. Mikael stopped in his tracks, forcing us to do the same on the narrow path.

  “What is going on?” Alaric demanded, finally letting his anger seep through. His anger sent fiery sensations creeping up my hand where it rested in his.

  Mikael didn’t turn around as he answered, “It doesn’t matter. It’s ancient history.”

  Unsatisfied with Mikael’s answer, Alaric turned to me. Another scream cut through the air, followed by the sound of metal on metal. I could sense his tension, and knew he was only moments away from pulling out of my grasp to run back toward the village.

  “Ignorance is bliss,” I explained weakly, clutching onto his hand.

  Ire crossed his face. He pulled his hand away from mine, but didn’t run. His gaze was on Mikael’s back as he replied, “Only to those willing to play the fool.”

  Finally Mikael turned around and took a step toward us. I instantly felt like a dwarf with his 6’5” frame so near, and Alaric only a few inches shorter. “They’re already dead,” he hissed, daring Alaric to argue with him. “It is not for us to tangle the strings of fate.”

  Alaric stared at Mikael for a heartbeat, then turned his astonished expression to me. “You knew,” he whispered as more screams reached us.

  “Let us leave this place,” Mikael said through gritted teeth, flexing his hands impatiently.

  We both stared at him, knowing we had no choice, but unable to make the decision to move forward.

  He spun on his heel and marched away, leaving a cloud of angry emotions in his wake. The decision made for us, Alaric and I began walking while I did my best to shut out the sounds of battle in the distance. Instead I focused on Mikael’s back. His emotions were slowly sliding away, being shut back behind his normally impenetrable shields.

  I didn’t need to be an empath to know how much the move had cost him, and I didn’t need to be a psychic to know I’d have a hell of a time finding my way past those shields again.

  19

  We continued walking as ominous clouds gathered overhead. The sounds of battle had faded long ago, leaving us with only the whistling of the wind to break the silence. Medieval Scandinavia might have been a blustery, rainy place in general, but as ice cold raindrops began to hit my face, it felt like the universe was mocking me. First, fate saw me kidnapped, then tortured, then nearly sacrificed to free the little key around my neck. As if that wasn’t enough, Lady Fate continued on to see me shackled to said key, pregnant, and hunted by the majority of the Vaettir. Cold rain and no shelter was just icing on the cake.

  The three of us continued on in silence, not remarking on the rain. Though it was uncomfortable, it was the least of our worries. I wanted to ask Mikael how we would travel through time without the Norns, and I wanted to ask him what we would do after that, but I was afraid to prod the beast. His raw emotions were still too fresh in my mind, though I felt nothing from him now as he walked beside me.

  “What did she tell you?” Mikael asked suddenly, breaking the silence and making me jump.

  Alaric and I both turned to watch him as we continued walking.

  “I spoke to her after she met with you,” Mikael went on, “but she wouldn’t tell me. She simply said you knew what you needed to do.”

  I looked down at the ground ahead of us, still muddy from the previous day’s rainfall, and bound to get muddier. My boots felt like they weighed a million pounds, and my clothing was beginning to take on the weight of moisture from the rain. I could at least unburden my thoughts and share everything Erykah had told me, but something stopped me. I had no doubt Mikael would allow me to sacrifice myself if it meant he would finally beat the sentient being that was the key, but Alaric would try to stop me. If not for my own well-being, then for our child’s. I could just share the part about needing to break down Mikael’s shields in order to learn how to build my own, but it might make Mikael close up even more. Still, I had no idea how to take down his shields without his help.

  “I need you to teach me to shield my thoughts,” I said finally, leaving out the implication that he needed to let his own shields down in order to show me.

  Mikael stopped walking and turned to fully face me, while Alaric stood silently at my back. Mikael searched my face, as if to behold the importance of what I wasn’t saying. Suddenly, he turned and began walking again.

  Alaric and I had to jog to catch up with his long legs. “Well?” I pressed.

  He wouldn’t meet my eyes. “I don’t know how. It’s something that has always come naturally to me.”

  I grabbed his arm to halt his pace, then instantly regretted it. The angry look he gave me was nothing compared to the pain leaking through at my touch. My lips parted in surprise, and Mikael’s eyes widened.

  He shook my hand away and took a step back. “Stay out of my head,” he growled.

  I took a step back and bumped into Alaric’s chest. “I didn’t mean to,” I replied instantly, feeling shaken.

  I could almost feel Alaric smiling behind me as his hands protectively enveloped my upper arms. “But isn’t that the whole point?” he taunted. “If she’s to learn about your shields, you have to let her in. She must see inside your head, everything laid bare.”

  I was glad the look on Mikael’s face was aimed above my head at Alaric and not at me. I never wanted to see an ancient Viking descended from a god glaring at me like that. Luckily, his expression softened as it dropped back down to my face. “Even if I wanted to let you into my head, I don’t know how. Erykah broke my shields down without my consent. If you are not capable of doing that, then our plan has failed.”

  My head drooped. “Your shields come down in moments of extreme grief,” I explained, avoiding eye contact. “In those moments I’m able to feel what you feel. If you can manage to rebuild that barrier more slowly next time, I might be able to learn how.”

  He gazed off in the direction we’d come. The village was miles away now. The carnage was likely over. He turned back to me. “The death of my people was the first and last grief I ever felt.”

  Alaric’s hands flexed on my arms. “No grief for causing a woman’s death after she helped to cover your tracks?” he snapped.

  Mikael looked past me to Alaric. “I meant what I said,” he stated, then turned and walked away.

  I moved out of Alaric’s grip and slid my hand around his waist. He obliged me by putting his arm around my shoulders. We gave each other a quick glance, then watched Mikael walk away.

  Alaric’s arm tightened around my shoulders. “He’ll pay for his crimes before all this is over.”

  I watched Mikael round a bend in the wooded trail, disappearing from sight. Alaric and I had no choice but to follow. I wasn’t so sure Mikael would be the one to pay. He was a survivor, after all. As we began walking, I could almost feel the noose of fate tightening around my neck.

  “We’re not going back in the direction we came,” Alaric commented sometime later, as we continued to follow behind Mikael.

  The Viking in question was still a good distance ahead of us, but occasional sightings of him let me know we were still heading in the right direction. I knew I should have been feeling a lot of emotions in that moment, but what I felt most was hungry. We had been walking for several hours, and were yet to stop to eat. Given Mikael was the one with a satchel full of supplies, and he didn’t seem to be speaking to us, our prospects were not good.

  “Does it matter?” I asked, narrowing my eyes as the trail straightened and Mikael once again came into view.

  Alaric didn’t seem tired or hungry in the least. In fact, he seemed at full alert, his eyes darting around the trail at the slightest hint of noise.
The rain had subsided, but his dark hair still hung in wet clumps around his shoulders. “I had thought perhaps our way back to our time might lie in the spot we arrived, like a portal or some sort of vortex, but we’ve veered too far south. At this rate we’ll miss that spot by several miles.”

  I shrugged. “Maybe we have to go somewhere else to get back.”

  “Or maybe we’re not going back at all.”

  I stopped walking and faced him, feeling the barest hint of panic in my stomach. “Why would you say that? The whole point of coming here was for me to learn to control the key so we can use it to beat Estus. We can’t beat him in a time where he doesn’t even exist.”

  “Perhaps Estus is not Mikael’s first priority,” Alaric commented, grabbing my arm to guide me forward.

  “B-but Mikael can’t lie to me,” I stammered, trying desperately to think of something that would mean Alaric wasn’t right.

  Alaric snorted. “And what has he told you of us being here? That you would gain information about the charm? Well, you have. He’s told us nothing else.”

  I had the sudden urge to go running up the trail where I would violently shake Mikael until he told us what was going on, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t turn out how I wanted. I thought back to the dance Mikael and I had shared the night before. He’d confided in me, and I’d felt bad for him. Was it all just manipulation? Did he intend to trap us here in a foreign time, where perhaps things were more to his liking?

  I shook my head as I found my conclusion. “We’re going back.”

  Alaric sighed. “And how do you know that?”

  I smiled smugly. “Because Mikael hates to lose. Staying here would be too close to running.”

  Alaric stopped walking. At first I thought he was going to argue with me, but then I saw his expression. He held up a hand to keep me quiet while he tilted his head toward the twisting path in front of us, listening.

  “I hear voices up ahead,” he commented, face deep in concentration.

  “Someone with Mikael?” I questioned, suddenly doubting my assertions of his intentions.

  Instead of answering me, he continued to listen, though I couldn’t hear a thing. I would forever be the feeble kid without any physical powers.

  He straightened and turned to fully face me. “It seems like someone Mikael knows, but you should hide here just in case.”

  “I’m not going to stay here alone!” I rasped, taking a cue from Alaric on keeping my voice down.

  Alaric quirked the corner of his mouth, revealing one of his dainty cat fangs. “Would you miss me?” he teased.

  I glared at him. “I might miss you if a bear attacked me, but only then.”

  He grinned even wider and moved to put an arm around my shoulders. “Walk with me aways,” he whispered, “but do not speak as we near their meeting place. You can hide out of sight before we reach them, far enough to not be seen, but close enough to not become bear food.”

  I nodded, too nervous to remark on the bear food comment. For all we knew, Mikael might be with more friendly people like those who’d perished in the village, but he also might have run into someone he didn’t expect. Someone who might mean him, and by effect us, harm.

  We continued walking. I did my best to be quiet, but my footsteps seemed thunderous next to Alaric’s near-silent gait. Louder still was the groaning of my stomach. Back in the normal world I usually skipped breakfast, but I seemed unable to do that now. I wasn’t sure if it was the pregnancy, or just stress, but my stomach was not happy with the situation.

  Alaric chuckled softly at a particularly loud stomach growl, but didn’t comment.

  After a few more minutes I could finally hear the voices. Alaric stopped walking and gestured for me to hide. I glanced around for a good spot, but nothing jumped out at me. Finally, Alaric pointed to a bramble patch a few feet off the narrow path. I nodded, not liking the look of the plant’s pointy leaves, but I could at least hide behind it and hope no one snuck up on me.

  Alaric gave me a kiss on the cheek as I pulled away from him. With how he’d heard the distant voices, I knew he’d hear me if I screamed, and he ran faster than someone with a humanoid body should, so he’d reach me quickly. Of course, it would only take a few seconds for a bear, or other ancient woodland beast to break my neck. If I gave a bear in this time a hearty human meal, when it otherwise might have killed something else, would I alter the course of history? I shook my head at my thoughts as I crouched behind the brambles. I really needed to eat something.

  I could still hear the voices as I waited in hiding. My clothes had nearly dried, but the ground was damp and loamy, making me not want to lower myself into a full seated position.

  I heard the footsteps a moment too late. Before I could turn around, someone grabbed my arm and yanked upward. I was brought abruptly to my feet by a man roughly my height, wearing dirty wool clothing with leather bracers strapped over his forearms, and a wide, leather belt. His hair was even frizzier than mine, and its bright red color made it look like foamy fire.

  He leaned his bearded face into mine and peered at me with one blue eye. Where the other eye should have been was nothing but a mass of scar tissue. He grinned, said something in Old Norsk that I didn’t understand, then began dragging me toward the path.

  Finally regaining my wits, I struggled against his grasp and yelled for Alaric. Though I was far from powerless, I couldn’t steal the life from someone who wasn’t weakened, and I hadn’t taken the life of someone in a long time, so I had no pent up energy to wield. I cried out for Alaric, and moments later heard running footsteps thundering toward us.

  The man jerked me violently forward, and I tugged back, screaming all the while. Before I knew what was coming, he had thrown back his arm, preparing to hit me.

  Alaric, Mikael, and several other men reached us, just as my captor’s fist was about to collide with my face. Without warning, the key around my neck came to life, and a burst of energy knocked the man backward, leaving me unscathed. I stumbled backward and raised my hand to clutch the little key at my throat without thinking. As soon as I realized what I was doing, I dropped my hand, but felt no less shaken.

  One of the men standing with Mikael and Alaric muttered something under his breath that sounded like völur.

  “She’s not a witch,” Alaric mumbled as he came to stand near me. He took my shaky hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

  I leaned in close to him before I spoke, even though no one there besides Alaric and Mikael would understand me. “I take it they’re not Vaettir?” I questioned, since they seemed somewhat astonished by what had transpired.

  Alaric shook his head. The man I’d knocked down got to his feet and shot me a venomous, if somewhat frightened look, then went to stand with his comrades. One of the other men barked something vehemently at Mikael while pointing to me. All the other men watched me cautiously. I did not like where this was going.

  The man speaking, apparently the leader, judging not only by the way he took command of the situation, but by the style of his clothing, took a step toward me. He swept aside a vibrant blue cloak, held in place by an oval, bronze broach at his shoulder. His golden blond hair was held back from his face, gathered in a bun at the nape of his neck. His beard was neat and well trimmed.

  He said something that sounded scathing while he glared at me with dark gray eyes, his hand on the massive ax at his belt.

  Mikael took a step forward and said something calmly, causing the lead Viking to turn and face him, a look of surprise on his face.

  Alaric leaned in close to my ear. “Mikael revealed that he has sworn a blood oath to you, one that requires vengeance should anyone harm you.”

  I held my breath in surprise, then whispered, “That second part is a lie.”

  Alaric snorted. “And Mikael is the God of Lies.”

  I wasn’t going to argue with Alaric, and I wasn’t going to call Mikael out on his little fib. The men facing us all looked unsure now, including the leader.
It was obvious they held a great deal of respect for Mikael, or at least knew his capabilities.

  The leader gave me a final glare, then turned to Mikael and said something else.

  “He says we will make camp with them tonight,” Alaric explained. “But that the witch must agree to harness her powers.”

  The leader looked at me expectantly. I nodded, hoping the gesture meant the same thing in this time as it did in ours. It seemed to be enough for him, as he turned back in the direction most of the men had come from, expecting everyone to follow.

  Mikael fell back in line beside me, while Alaric walked on my other side.

  “Thank you,” I muttered, hoping his sour mood had come to an end.

  “I would have killed them,” he replied, “but I fear the wrath of Lady Fate. I need you for my plans, so I had to protect you somehow.”

  His tone made it clear he was referring to me like a tool, just like many of the other Vaettir had done. I hated to admit it, but it stung. Until then, Mikael had at least treated me like a person. “And here I thought we were friends,” I replied bitterly, unable to keep my emotions fully to myself.

  “You are a means to an end, Madeline,” he said coldly, then trudged on ahead to walk next to the lead Viking.

  I looked to Alaric, expecting some sort of sarcastic remark, but his expression was serious as he turned his gaze from Mikael’s back to my face. “He is a means to an end for us as well,” he stated. “Let us not forget that.”

  I nodded, then looked down at the ground as we walked. Alaric was right, but I didn’t like it. I wasn’t used to using people like chess pieces. It was only in that moment that I realized how much I missed having friends. Alaric was the closest thing I had to a real friend, though our short history was obviously complicated. I considered Sophie a friend, but wasn’t sure if she viewed me the same. I’d even somehow started to view Mikael as a friend, but he wasn’t. It seemed all Vaettir would always view me as a tool first, and a person second, if at all. It was damn lonely.