by S. T. Bende
“Why are you talking about me as if I am not here?” Ull crossed his arms.
“How do you know this?” Olaug ignored the irritated idol behind her.
I tapped my head. “I had another vision.”
“Oh, all right. I will speak with Elsker. If she approves then the three of us shall talk—talk only, Kristia—about your visions when Ull takes his walks.”
“I am not planning to take any walks,” Ull declared.
“You will.”
“This is going to be beyond irritating,” Ull muttered.
“You’re stuck with me now.”
He knew I had him there.
When I stifled my third yawn of the evening, we retreated to the upstairs kitchen for waffles. I was exhausted, as I knew my companions would be too, if not for their super-human abilities. Olaug stayed to eat with us, then began the short walk across the way to her own home. When she had gone, Ull and I sat on the porch swing in the garden, listening to the nightingales. The low, stone path was lined with white roses and lavender, and Ull had left the twinkling lights up in the ancient yew dale. They were a nice touch.
“What a day.” My voice was barely a whisper as Ull rubbed my shoulders. Everything was so peaceful. I didn’t want to break the evening’s spell.
“Is this too much? You do not have to do this. We—”
I silenced him with a finger to his lips. “It is too much.”
A tense line formed between Ull’s eyebrows. “I knew it. Listen, you have another option. There is a safe house in every quadrant of your realm. We can go to one, live out our lives as mortals. Nobody outside Odin’s council knows the safe houses exist, so I can promise you absolute security.”
“Until the wolf and the snake get hungry and Ragnarok kicks off.” I shook my head. “You didn’t let me finish. This is too much—learning about thousands of years of attacks on your realm; hearing all the ways I could, and very likely will, die; finding out I’m going to do some weird soul-splitting exercise that’s going to leave me completely exposed to Elfie… it’s complete and total madness.”
“I will take you away right now.” Ull rose to his feet. He took a step toward the cottage, but I grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. He fell onto the swing with a heavy thud, eyebrows raised and mouth hanging open. “Kristia!”
“Let me finish.” I repeated. “It’s way too much—but I always knew it would be. I walked into this deal with my eyes open. You don’t get engaged to an actual Norse god without expecting some rough patches. For better or worse, right?”
Ull closed his eyes. “My ‘worse’ is not exactly the run-of-the-mill marital problem.”
“I know that.” I twined my fingers through his hair and swung my legs across his lap. He wrapped one arm around me from behind. The slow burn ebbing across my backside traveled down my legs, leaving a tingling sensation from hip to toe. The things this god could do to me…
“I want so much better for you than the life I am able to offer.” Ull brushed his lips against my ear. “I want to give you the universe. Instead, I am asking you to risk your life. It is not fair.”
“Life’s not fair,” I repeated his long-ago words. “And that’s okay with me. You, Ull Myhr, are a god worth risking it all for.”
“I want more for you,” Ull breathed into my ear.
“You are my more.” I turned so our lips were nearly touching. My nose brushed against his as I gazed up into the face that held my confidences, hopes, and fears in one delicious, heart-stopping package. “And I’m more than willing to take this on. I don’t care what happens to me in that tenth realm. Our worlds are on the brink of war, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you and I have a shot at our happy-ever-after. I’m doing this for our family. I’m doing this for us. And when it’s over, you’re going to take me to that safe house, turn off your phone, and ignore Odin, or Heimdall, or Santa Claus, or whoever else you do business with for a very long time.” I kissed his bottom lip, running my tongue over the pale flesh. He tasted like lingonberry jam and waffles: savory. Tart. Amazing.
“Are you certain?” Ull murmured, his tongue moving against mine. For a moment I indulged in the sensations Ull stirred in me. I took his lip between my teeth, tugging gently as I pulled my head back. He let out a groan and hiked me up on his lap, squeezing my behind as he did. My fingers gripped his hair, blond silky strands wrapping around the diamonds in my ring. I pulled his mouth back to mine, warm tongues and soft lips moving together. I could have stayed right there forever.
With a heavy breath, Ull gently lifted me off his lap. He set me down on the bench beside him and cupped my cheek with one hand. “Are you certain?”
My fingers brushed the stubble of his cheek as I fought to remember what exactly I was supposed to be certain of. Oh. Right. Imminent death for the sake of our future. No problem. “I’ve never been more sure of anything. I want to be your equal in every way. And being your partner, helping you… it’s going to be amazing.” I pulled my finger back and kissed him gently, then nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck.
Ull lifted my chin with a finger. “What are you feeling?”
“Happy.” I gazed into his endless eyes.
“I mean, what are you feeling about all of this? Becoming a goddess? Fighting for Asgard?”
“I’m a little nervous,” I answered honestly. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to be of any use to your family. I don’t want to let you down.”
“You could never, my love. You have no idea what it means that you would take all of this on for me. But you must know that you do not have to do this. I do not want you to be afraid.”
“I would do anything for you.”
“And I for you.”
Ull lowered his mouth to mine. I breathed in his woodsy scent and parted my lips, inviting him back in. He reached up to caress my hair. I wrapped my fingers around the collar of his sweater and pulled myself closer. He groaned, and this time the sound was too much. I climbed onto his lap and nestled against him, relishing the feel of his muscles against my torso. He grabbed my head and leaned me back in the swing, supporting me with his arm. He held me at an angle, kissing me with such purpose my brain was quickly devoid of oxygen.
“Ull,” I panted. I wished more than anything I didn’t have to breathe. Ull pulled back, disheveled hair falling to his cheekbones and desire burning in his eyes.
“Kristia Tostenson,” he growled softly. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I am the luckiest god alive.”
He righted me, carefully tucking me under one arm. I brushed my face against his cashmere sweater and smiled. I couldn’t help but feel lucky, too.
“So you really don’t need anything? Anything at all?” My best friend sounded incredulous.
“Honest, Ardis. We’re good.” I sat on the guest bed at Ýdalir with my manicure kit spread before me. I tucked my phone between my ear and my shoulder as I used a cotton swab to remove my nail polish. Since I’d started wearing Ull’s ring, I’d taken a lot more interest in the state of my nails.
“You don’t need me to comb through wedding websites with you? Maybe help pick out flowers? Peonies are huge this season.”
“How do you know that? Are you reading wedding magazines? Because I’m pretty sure that’s what the cover of Emma’s new one said.”
“I might have picked up a few since you got engaged,” Ardis admitted. “What? Those suckers are addictive!”
“Apparently.” I laughed. “Victoria and Emma are still buying them every week from our corner market. They’re not even pretending they’re for me at this point. I hardly ever look at them.”
“Why not? Aren’t you excited about your wedding?”
“Of course I am! I’m excited about our wedding. The simple little ceremony we’re having for our immediate family and best friends. No magazines required.” I could picture Ardis tugging on her lip on the other end of the line.
“Who’s going with you to try on dr
esses?” she demanded.
“I’m wearing my grandmother’s dress,” I reminded her. “Olaug is going to make a bouquet of roses from the garden. And Inga’s taking care of the stuff Ull and I don’t care about, like the cake and the decorations.”
“Who doesn’t care about her own wedding decorations?” Ardis sounded perplexed.
I laughed.
“No, I get it. This is you. You see the big picture and don’t get bogged down by the little things. You’ve always been like that.” Ardis sighed. “I’m so excited for you, Kristia. Life wasn’t easy on you growing up. You deserve a happy ending.”
“I don’t know how much I deserve this. But I’m sure as daylight grateful I get to marry Ull.” I slicked a glossy base coat over my pinky.
“Sounds like he’s one in a million.” I could hear my friend’s smile.
“You have no idea,” I mumbled. “So what about you? Are you seeing anyone new?”
Ardis launched into a story about the three dates she’d been on that week. I settled into the pillows and giggled as I waited for my nails to dry. We might have been different as night and day, but I missed my best friend like crazy. I absolutely couldn’t wait to see her at the wedding.
Cold air pushed past my face as I tumbled through the darkness. It whipped my silk pajama bottoms against my legs, the thin fabric offering little protection against the chill. My fingernails dug into my bare arms in a pointless effort to still the goose pimples. I fell in slow motion, a kind of measured traverse, making my way down a black chasm.
When I accepted I might never stop this unending descent, my body jerked upward. It hovered in the abyss, weightless and waiting. After an interminable moment, I heard a loud snap. It sounded like a clap of thunder, or the slam of a nearby door. Whatever it was, it put an end to the purgatory. I dropped to the ground, landing feet-first in what appeared to be a forest. It had the requisite trees, but everything was a little bit off—like I was seeing things through a looking glass. The trees were taller than I was used to—redwood giants like the ones back home, but instead of green moss growing around their trunks these were cloaked in purplish leaves. They stretched thirty feet upward from the thick roots, forming a checkerboard pattern along the lush bark. The ground was swathed in vegetation, weaving a tapestry from the ground where I stood to a grey stone wall. Over the top of the wall I could see a structure of connected towers and spires—a castle? A cacophony of grunts came from within the castle walls. Whoever was on the other side was engaged in intense physical activity. Something told me it wasn’t lawn bowling.
Where had my mental tic taken me now?
I scanned the area between the trees and the wall. It was empty, save for the peculiar plants and a cluster of oversized rocks. An unnaturally large bird circled overhead; it was easily the size of a small truck. It traced a path across the ginger sky. Was it dawn? Dusk? I’d never seen the sky quite that color before.
My eyes followed the bird as it flew over the castle wall. When it crossed the plane, an arrow shot from somewhere in the courtyard. It arced toward the animal fast as a fiddle, and pierced the bird just as it was about to land on one of the towers. The bird bucked at the impact. With wings still mid-flap, it spiraled down to the ground where it landed with a thud loud as a fallen sequoia.
“Arkeya!” Came the cry from inside the wall. The deafening pounding of feet alerted me to the number of occupants in the courtyard. There must have been a hundred people in there. I crept toward the wall, my head swiveling back and forth to make sure I wasn’t being watched. But save for the bird that didn’t make it, I hadn’t actually seen another living being.
What was this place?
The wall must have been twenty-feet high—scaling it unnoticed would have been a tall order for a girl who’d never been accused of being the most graceful goose in the gaggle. But after a bit of searching I found a stone with a chunk missing. It was at calf level, and I crawled until my eye was even with the small opening. I squinted through the hole, wondering how much falling through the black hole had messed with my head. There was no way what my eyes were seeing was any sort of reality.
Inside the courtyard stood not one hundred, but only two-dozen massive creatures. They looked human enough, except for their unkempt hair, boil-ridden skin, and their absolutely massive size. Each one stood twenty-five-feet tall, maybe higher, with arms that dwarfed the trunks of the redwoods and calves easily twice that girth. They were huddled around the fallen truck-bird, ripping pieces of meat from its body and shoving it in their mouths. The sickening crunch of teeth on bone set my ears on edge. As I watched, one pulled a piece of cartilage from his mouth and threw it over his shoulder. It landed directly in front of my peephole; bloody tendons slapped against the wall, temporarily obscuring my vision.
Ew.
With a flourish, the creature holding a bow plunged his hand into the bird’s chest cavity. There was a gurgling sound as blood rushed out of the animal. Then the creature withdrew his hand, holding aloft the bird’s lifeless heart. He let out another cry, then shoved the heart into his mouth. He bit down, grinning as blood dripped over his lips and onto his enormous hands. He wiped them across the fabric of his strangely fitted robe, streaks of crimson staining the yellowing fabric.
My gut heaved as I doubled over, emptying the contents of my stomach onto the dirt. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end while I prayed my outburst hadn’t outed my location. Whatever those creatures were, they weren’t friendly. They’d taken down a bird that probably out-weighed me by a few hundred pounds. Who knew what they’d do if they found me on the other side of their wall?
I was psyching myself up to make a run for the forest when I heard the voice. Smooth. Low. Simultaneously grating and sexy.
Elfie.
I knew Ull would have wanted me to grip my necklace and get out of Dodge. But curiosity clutched me by the hand and dragged me back to the peephole. I pressed my eye to the space in the stone as the slick voice called from inside the courtyard.
“Friends.”
Elf Man stood in the center of the square, arms out and head high. Unlike the creatures in their strange robes, he wore plain clothes—slim-fitting black jeans, and a loose black shirt. His hair was slicked back, and his calculating eyes shot sparks. He was here on a mission, and he was determined.
“Ara galough.” One of the creatures crouched down. His head lowered as if he were about to charge.
“I come in peace.” Elfie held up his hands. “Can anyone tell me where I might find Surtr? I brought a gift for your king.” He held out a package.
“Here,” a guttural voice barked. Another creature emerged from the castle, but this one wore long purple robes caked in sparkling stones. Light bounced off their mottled green surface, projecting patterns onto the courtyard walls with each step. “Why have you come?”
“Ah, Your Excellency.” Elfie dropped to one knee. He bowed his head, holding the package out with both hands. Surtr crossed the courtyard slowly, one leg dragging slightly behind the other. When he reached Elfie he took the gift. Elfie bowed his head as he drew himself up before the monarch. He clasped his hands in front of his waist. When he looked up, his face bore a terrifying grin. “I’ve come to share the most glorious news.”
“Well?” Surtr didn’t mince words.
“The Norns have seen the fall of Asgard. It is nearly time. But I need the strength of the fire giants to ensure nothing disrupts my little war.”
“You want me to fight your battle for you?” Surtr grunted.
“No, my liege. I want you to fight it with me. You are the last piece of my puzzle—the proverbial checkmate to ensure the fall of our mutual enemy. Will you join my cause?”
“And risk the lives of the few men I have left? Odin’s annihilation following the rebellion was practically genocide. I cannot afford to put my people at risk.” Surtr shook his head. “You are on your own.”
“I see.” Elfie tapped his fingers together. “And
I had so hoped… never mind.”
“Hoped what?” Surtr crossed his arms over his chest.
“You see, Your Highness, I had hoped you would rule Midgard after the battle. With the chaos that will follow, I won’t be able to handle the realms on my own. The female humans could assist in the repopulation of Muspelheim, and your constituents would have two realms at their disposal. But if you prefer to remain here, numbers depleted, food sources dwindling…” Elfie eyed the group of giants at the edge of the courtyard. Those who weren’t crouched defensively toward him were still picking apart the truck-bird. Its meat was long gone; now they were chewing on bones.
“They are starving.” Surtr stared at the scavengers. “Odin stripped the forest after the rebellion. The birds are all that is left.”
“So terrible.” Elfie clucked his tongue. “I don’t know how you’ve managed all these years.”
Surtr’s eyes narrowed. “You are playing a game.”
“I assure you, any game I play will only benefit you. I need brute strength to debilitate the gods. Without it, well… I hope I do not have to think about that possibility.” Elfie held out a hand. “Do we have a deal? Will you help me?”
Surtr thought for a long moment. His eyes darted between the scavenging soldiers in the courtyard, and Elfie’s outstretched palm. After a prolonged hesitation, he tucked the gift behind his back and shook Elfie’s hand. “We have a deal. I will help you bring down the Aesir. And when we do, my people will avail themselves of Midgard and its resources.”
“Precisely.” Elf Man nodded at the gift, and Surtr shifted so he held it between them. “For you. Something for your guards to play with.”
Surtr placed his hand in the box and withdrew a silver rod. He tilted it from side to side. The orange sun bounced an intricate pattern off the shiny surface, but other than that it looked like any ordinary rod. “What is this?”
