“What is it?” Geirolf asked, coming to stand next to me.
“Hildisvini has sounded the trumpet,” I said. I pointed to Thor. “He’s gathering troops. War approaches.” One of the nine suns erupted, spraying the skies with fire. “Odin is calling reinforcements,” I said, but Geirolf was already suited for battle and flashing out.
I snapped and Theta came to my shoulder just as my helmet appeared on my head. I summoned my spear and shield and followed.
***Maxwell
I did three trial runs and they each went smoothly. I could pass into the fields of Bifrost without difficulty. Nothing in the sacred web pages I’d been given had told me this. All I learned was what the informant allowed and that was the nature of the veil and that I’d been given an ingress. The horn of a unicorn was a weapon and an ingress, allowing me to travel into the nine worlds without an immortal. At first, I didn’t understand why an elf would gift me with such a treasure, but once I discovered what really went on within the veil, it made sense. Why else would immortals seek me out other than the fact that I was needed in some way to aid their worlds? In the absence of Oria, I discovered my calling. It was when her voice was dim that I was led to this path, this endeavor that only I could accomplish. Only I could free the creatures within the veil. No immortal could overturn the judgments of the gods, but I wasn’t an immortal. Once a creature or being was freed from the veil by a mortal, they could not be returned. All my life, I’d spoken against the injustices of the world, and now I could do something about it. This would be the biggest prison break in all Norse history. It’s what I was created to do. I hid my intentions from Oria. Nothing would stop me.
Chapter 20
The gods of nine worlds joined together at the helm of the entrance of the veil. I appeared next to my fellow Imperium reapers who were stationed behind Freya and her chariot driven by the cats. Elven and dwarf armies were here, too, along with the giants. All had heard the call of Odin and stood ready for battle in guarding the veil.
“Why was the alarm sounded?” I asked the reaper closest to me.
“There’s been a breach in the veil. A mortal, perhaps.”
I froze, my eyes searching the realm for Geirolf. He was next to Odin, ready to charge if given the command. The first of the creatures broke free. A great woolly mammoth charged from the veil, its tusks angled downward for attack. No one moved. The great beast ran the length of the field and then darted into the surrounding forest.
“Here we stand,” Freya said through clenched teeth. “Impotent to protect our worlds.” The Imperium army growled. “Who among you will go into the veil and stop the intruder?”
I flew up out of the crowd. “I’ll go.”
“You?” Freya laughed. “The rebel reaper? Why should I trust you?”
“Because I having nothing left to lose,” I sneered.
Freya returned my sneer and motioned with her scepter. “Orum, follow your sister. Let’s be sure she loses all if she fails.”
Orum rose next to me, and I could feel his unease. We flew past Odin’s army and entered the veil, skipping over more creatures buckling the gates into freedom. We landed in the thick jungle of the veil, listening to the chaos around us.
“Is it Maxwell?” Orum asked.
My steps slowed, my sword poised. “I can’t feel or hear him,” I admitted. I glanced at him. “How did you know?”
“Since when can Geirolf keep a secret?” he asked.
“I could say the same about you,” Geirolf smirked as he touched down next to us. His white robes billowed as he landed. He looked at me with a pointed expression. “Got anything up that sleeve of yours? Because I’m all out of heroic suggestions.”
“Oof,” Orum fell to the ground when he was struck by a wild man in tattered clothes.
Geirolf reached down and grabbed the man by the scruff, allowing Orum to rise.
“Jasper!” I cried, disengaging Geirolf’s sword from his neck. “What is going on?” I checked him for wounds, running my hands over his torso and arms. “We could’ve killed you. Why are you so far from the camp?”
“I have to get to the entrance to stop them,” he panted, fighting against Geirolf’s hold. “Some crazed vigilante is freeing everyone. It will cause an imbalance in the worlds if we don’t stop him. Do you know what happens to inhabitants who escape this realm?”
“Did you see him?” I asked.
“Clean chap,” he said looking wildly about. “Dark hair. Tall. Mostly mortal.”
I wanted to hug my brother. Even sentenced to slavery, he wanted to do the right thing. Another reminder what an awful person I was.
“It’s Maxwell,” Geirolf cursed letting Jasper go. Jasper fell to the ground, heaving great breaths. “How did he get into the veil without you?” he sneered in my direction.
“He has an ingress,” Jasper said, rising to his feet. “The horn of a unicorn.”
“What?” Orum chimed in. He leered in my direction.
“I didn’t give it to him,” I said.
“It can only be gifted by an elf,” Geirolf said. He looked at Orum. “It couldn’t be Oria.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jasper said, breaking into a run. “We have to get to the entrance.”
Wham! A bolt of Odin’s lightning struck the ground and pushed us off our feet. The blinding light stayed for a breath before dissipating. I scrambled around, searching for the others and safety. When the light evaporated, I saw a legion of Divine Reapers fighting creatures, pushing them back into the jungle.
“We need to find Maxwell,” Geirolf called to me. He was pressed against a tree by a centaur. I shot fire from my palms and sent the centaur reeling. “Go! I’ll hold them off.”
I caught up with Orum and Jasper. We ran past a group of elves warding off a pack of wolves that were heading to the entrance.
“Odin and Freya have released the armies into the veil,” Orum said. He pulled me up as he leaped over an upturned tree. “We have to find Maxwell before they do.”
A ring of fire shot through the jungle and we all ducked into the mud before being struck. The flames burned my backside and singed my wings. I looked about to see that Orum had covered Jasper. His wings smoldered.
“Oria?”
“Maxwell,” I breathed as I struggled to my feet. The jungle around us hissed with fire and smoke. “You have to give me the horn. I have to get you out of here.”
Maxwell shook his head. “This is what I’m meant to do; don’t you see? You bonded with me so I could free these souls from pain. It’s a gift. I’m a gift.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “I bonded with you so you could see your sister. If you don’t stop this, that will never happen.”
“Sandy was the key,” he said. “The key to discovering my destiny.”
“Give me the horn.” Orum stepped between us, his hand outstretched. He’d given his sword to Jasper, who stood poised and ready. “Just the horn, and Oria will take you from here. It isn’t safe for you.”
“You’re the one sent to stop me,” Maxwell said, gripping the horn. “I was warned about you.”
“Maxwell,” I said. “He’s fine...one of us. Give him the horn and I can lead you home.”
“I’m meant to do this,” Maxwell chanted. “I am meant to liberate those whose justice was thwarted.”
Orum lunged for the horn.
For all of eternity, I would play this over and over in my mind. Maxwell thrust the horn into my brother’s chest. Surely, the hand of a mortal couldn’t kill an immortal and yet, I watched as the light left Orum’s eyes and he grew still, staring lifelessly into the sky.
“No!” Jasper shouted and ran forward to catch Orum’s body as it fell to the ground.
Maxwell dropped the horn into the mud, panting from exertion.
Slowly, I stumbled toward my brothers. “Jasper...Orum…”
“Oria,” Maxwell said breathlessly.
I closed my eyes until I felt them glow red. In this
moment, it didn’t matter what Maxwell was—he’d just shattered my world. I didn’t care if he could take out the nine worlds; all I cared about was Orum and my life that had been ripped asunder. I nodded to Jasper, giving him a look of knowing, and he immediately took cover under the roots of a nearby tree. One brother was safe at least. With all the power given to me by Folkvangr, I sent a cataclysmic eruption into the worlds, pushing the armies out of the veil. And only then after, did I silence words I did not want to hear.
We didn’t know the fire we played with when we first started. Freya and Odin asked no questions, but there would be retribution; of that, I was certain. I’d gotten Maxwell out of the veil before anyone had seen him. The nature of the mortal was still under investigation, but I’d put a silencing charm over his mouth when I’d blasted him back to Midgard, just in case. It wasn’t that I was protecting him any longer. No. He’d lost that part of me, but our bond held. I still felt his confusion over Orum’s death, and I knew he believed that it had been his destiny to free the prisoners of the veil. Someone had tricked him and that wasn’t his fault, but he’d killed my brother and I couldn’t forget that. So, for now, I tampered down our connection and refused to listen to his lamentations. Let him grieve for his sister; I didn’t care. Let him feel the guilt of murder, I’d never give him solace.
I held Geirolf’s hand as we walked among the fields of Bifrost safely. Safe to be together and be ourselves for just a while longer while he walked under the protection of the Valkyrie’s tooth. I found comfort in our mutual love for my brother. It couldn’t always be this way, but for a time, I needed him. Unspoken between us was the vast question as to how we’d go on from here. Maxwell had killed an immortal. The ancients would call him a god-killer. It was how we referred to him now when we were alone, as we were now.
I turned to Geirolf as I felt the first tears slip from my eyes. At once, he sheltered me under his wings, folding them around me and into his arms. I gripped his robe with fists and held him tightly, not wanting the comfort of him to end. To most historians, they’d say a reaper would be planning vengeance on those who wronged them.
I’d say the same, for no one knew what we had in store for those who betrayed us.
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About the Author
J.A. Culican is a USA Today Bestselling author of the middle grade fantasy series Keeper of Dragons. Her first novel in the fictional series catapulted a trajectory of titles and awards, including top selling author on the USA Today bestsellers list and Amazon, and a rightfully earned spot as an international best seller. Additional accolades include Best Fantasy Book of 2016, Runner-up in Reality Bites Book Awards, and 1st place for Best Coming of Age Book from the Indie book Awards.
J.A. Culican holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from Niagara University, in which she has been teaching special education for over 14 years. She is also the president of the autism awareness non-profit Puzzle Peace United. J.A. Culican resides in Southern New Jersey with her husband and four young children.
About the Author
Elizabetta Holcomb is a YA Urban Fantasy/Romance/Time Travel Author who lives in South Louisiana with her children and English Cocker Spaniel aptly named Duchess. When she isn't working nights as a nurse, she is in her writing room creating more adventures surrounding Dover Castle. The best part of becoming a published author is connecting with readers and sharing the amazing world that all starts with a medieval duke and a small town modern girl. Elizabetta loves to travel and spend time with her family. Mother to 5. Marmee to 1. Connect with Elizabetta on social media by clicking the icons on this web site!
Note from the author: The Chronicles of Dover's Amalgam beginning was a group of stories I wrote for my daughter, Jillian. Her love for reading inspired me to pick up my pen again and the result was our very first hero, Sir Jareth Tremaine. When Jillian and the rest of her siblings became obsessed with Smallville on the CW, enter the superhero factor. Jeremy came into the family of Dover's Amalgam, giving the series a twist of paranormal with host and the dangerous lives they are forced to live. I hope you become immersed in the lives of my charcters as did my children. Each one, from Jareth to his youngest daughter, Honor, will warm your heart and make you wish Dover's Amalgam was nearer to your door. To quote Sir Jareth in the final page of The Guardian: May I be the first to welcome to you the age of Dover's Amalgam!
Acknowledgments
Typography: Christian Bentulan
Formatting: Dragon Realm Press
Editor: Cassidy Taylor
Cover: Andreea Elena Vraciu
Fallen Mortal Page 18
