The Hanged Maiden: A Reverse Harem Romance (Rise of the Ash Gods Book 1)

by Cara Wylde

  “She’s going to be fine,” the god said as they settled in their first-class seats. “Magny is a good guardian.”

  Valentina nodded. As the plane took off, she turned her back to Loki, closed her eyes, and tried to sleep. It was the only way to forget about how wrong the past few days had gone. How very, very wrong... What was she supposed to do now? It was just her and Loki, and soon the god would enter his card, and she’d be on her own. The Keeper of the Spades with only her tarot deck to guide her and keep her company. Would it be enough? Could she make it? Could she spend her days and travel the world with a bunch of holograms? They were real, sure, but she wouldn’t be able to touch them. She’d have to summon them, and they would help her and comfort her because she’d ask. It wouldn’t be the same. Piper knew her. They’d been inseparable since childhood, and they shared such a deep connection that they could almost read each other’s thoughts. Piper could always sense when there was something wrong, even when Valentina herself was oblivious.

  “I messed up,” she whispered.

  Loki heard her but didn’t say anything. He reached out and rubbed her shoulder, which answered Valentina’s unspoken question. Yes, she’d messed up. Big time. Even the God of Mischief himself agreed.

  They landed in Lyon, from where they took a bus to Grenoble. Valentina didn’t feel like driving, and she doubted it was a good idea to let Loki drive, so they didn’t rent a car. As she looked out the window, mountains and deep forests flashing before her eyes, she felt lost. In a strange place, among strange people... She didn’t speak French and couldn’t understand a word of what the other passengers were jabbering about. She hated it here. She hated it more than she’d hated London. She missed her old life so much that it hurt. The only thing that she didn’t miss was Ravenna, so at least there was that.

  They got off the bus, took a cab, and found the hotel where they’d booked two rooms. It was close to the river Isère, and Valentina’s room overlooked the river and mountainside beyond it. On top of the highest hill, she could see La Bastille. But something didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel right at all. They skipped lunch and went to explore. While Loki wanted to stop at every corner, Valentina didn’t have time to be a tourist. She had one thing in mind, and if they didn’t hurry, they would miss the cable cars that connected their bank of the river to the fortress on the other side. The French called them Les Bulles, which meant the Bubbles, because they were egg-shaped and transparent. In other circumstances, as the cable car she and Loki had managed to jump in along with a bunch of tourists crossed the river, Valentina would have thought it a nice, romantic ride. But this wasn’t the right time, and she wasn’t with the right person, either. She wished Piper were there.

  As they got out of the Bubble and followed the other tourists down a flight of stairs and into a large courtyard, Valentina’s unease grew.

  “Well, we’re here,” Loki said. It was a nice, sunny day, the sky was clear, and the wind was blowing gently. He looked in the distance, at the city below. “Lead the way, love.”

  Val shook her head. She looked around at the thick, fortified walls, at the lush green forest beyond them, but mostly, at the small crowd of people that had gathered at the entrance of the gift shop. Across from it, there were two others stores that sold ice-cream, French pancakes, and waffles. Following her instinct, she started walking along the stone wall, away from the people. Loki shrugged and followed her. Might as well. They found more stairs carved inside the rocky mountain, climbed down, and reached a dusty road that went up, toward an unknown destination.

  “You seem lost.”

  “I’m not. This is the place. But it’s not right.”

  “It can’t be right and wrong at the same time. Make up your mind.”

  She wrapped her arms around herself. They were already at high altitude, and they were climbing higher. It was getting chilly. She regretted not taking a jacket with her. She threw Loki a quick glance from the corner of her eye, but he didn’t seem to notice. He was still wearing that long coat of his, with a black, tight fitting T-shirt underneath, and an equally tight pair of leather pants. In his world, colors didn’t exist. It was either black, or blacker than black. He looked like a bad boy rock star from the ‘80s. With better hair.

  They reached a crossroad, and Valentina went left. They were getting closer to another side of the fortress, which seemed to have been carved into the side of the mountain. A few more steps, and they could distinguish exactly what it was: a structure of tunnels, with the main one lined by natural windows that offered a beautiful view of the valley, the fortress tower, and the road Loki and Valentina were on.

  “Is this it?” he asked.

  “Yes, but... it doesn’t make any sense. There are too many people. It was completely abandoned when I came here first, and it all looked much, much older than this.”

  “So... it’s not the place.”

  “It is. And at the same time, it’s not.” She turned to him, confusion in her big, blue eyes. “It doesn’t look the same.” She pointed at one of the stone windows. “That side should have been collapsed. Why is it standing? Do you think they repaired it?”

  “Nope. I think it never collapsed in the first place.”

  Val groaned. “You’re not helping.”

  “Come on. Let’s see what’s inside.”

  She followed him, even though she was pretty sure there was nothing to see inside. And she was right. Just a few tourists here and there, exploring the tunnels, the small rooms and hidden crevices, taking pictures, and debating whether they should go further inside what looked like a deep, dark cave. Most of them turned back around.

  Valentina caught up with Loki. “I don’t get it.”

  “I do.”

  She felt like screaming. Or like strangling him. Or both.

  “Do tell, oh mighty god that knows all.”

  “Let’s go inside the cave, first. Lead the way.”

  She rolled her eyes but went ahead anyway. It seemed to her like this trip was a waste of time. It was even colder in there. Just as she was thinking she should probably ditch her silly pride and ask Loki for his coat, she felt him step closer and place it over her shaking shoulders. She mumbled a “thanks” and kept walking, hiding the smile on her lips. So, the Trickster could be a gentleman when he wanted to. Interesting. They reached the large, tall cave where she’d seen the dragon sleep so many times. Well, maybe just three times, but Valentina felt like she’d known him forever. She felt like she’d been here before, and not only in her dreams. The place felt real and familiar, like a childhood memory she held so dear that she’d never told anyone about it. Yet, it felt empty, too. Because it was empty. The sun was pouring its warm rays through the open roof, and small insects were scurrying along the walls, alarmed by the two intruders.

  “He’s not here,” she said, her voice cracking.

  Loki paced slowly, lost in his own thoughts. He kicked a rock, and it bounced off a wall, the sharp sound echoing through the six or seven tunnels opening from the main cave. They probably all led to the surface, but who knew on what side of the mountain? Maybe some of them went deep under the city. Anything was possible.

  “I think we should go,” Val said after a few long moments. “There’s nothing here. No one. It was a waste of time. I got it wrong. He’s somewhere else, and I got it all wrong.”

  “No, you didn’t. This is the right place, but not the right dimension.”

  “What are you saying?”

  He sighed, ran his hands through his long brown hair, and pulled at the band holding it in his signature low ponytail. He let his hair fall around his face and shoulders. With a flick of his fingers, he threw the band somewhere in the dark. He rubbed his temples, then his forehead, and finally pushed his hair away from his face, looking Valentina in the eyes.

  Goddess, he was handsome! Valentina thought he should definitely wear his hair like that more often. She’d never been attracted to long-h
aired guys who dressed like gothic male models, but she was ready to reconsider everything she thought she liked about men in general. She knew he was about to tell her something, – something important, since he looked like he was gathering his courage to do it, – but in that moment, Valentina was content just watching him. He was far more agreeable when he was silent. She cringed at her own thought. Wasn’t that what men always said about women? Here she was! Valentina De Rossi, acting all sexist. This journey had already changed her too much, and not for the better.

  “Take out your painting. And the brush Sia gave you.”

  His words snapped her out of her fantasy. His voice sounded weird. So grave and serious... like the end of the world was coming, and it was important for him to say the right things before the dead rose.

  “What? Now?”

  “Yes. There’s only one way you can cross dimensions in the flesh: if I cross and I take you with me. With all your witchy powers, you’re still only human. You can travel by dreaming and projecting, but to actually wake up the dragon and bring him with you to the third dimension, you need me. And I need my full godly powers. This limiting human form won’t do. So, take out your painting and your brush. I’ll go into your damn card and be your Hanged Man.”

  Instead of doing as he asked, Valentina covered her mouth with both hands, eyes so wide that her blue irises caught all the light in the cave.

  “What’s wrong? Isn’t this what you wanted to hear all along?”

  She shook her head. “Not when you say it like that.”

  He laughed bitterly. “Like what?”

  “Like... like you’re going to be trapped forever and you accept it just to help me. Like we’re never going to see each other again.”

  He laughed louder. “That’s just silly, love. On the contrary, now I’m going to be with you forever. Inside that pouch you keep your deck in, attached to your belt. You can summon me anytime you want, and I will oblige, like a nice, well-behaved hologram.”

  “No. There has to be another way.”

  Loki’s laughter died. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her like she was the eighth wonder of the world.

  “You’re being ridiculous,” he said, and he didn’t sound amused. “You’ve been pestering me since we met, and now you’re the one who doesn’t want to do it? Why?”

  She shook her head and blinked away tears. She couldn’t believe she was actually about to cry.

  “Are you...?”

  “Do you want to know why?” She took one step toward him, two, and then she ran to him, stopping when they were only inches apart, her palms resting on his chest, her eyes fixed on his. “Because I’m not ready. I’m not ready to lose you. I’ve just found you, and if you go inside that card, I won’t be able to be with you anymore. Like... really be with you. Touch you...”

  He held her gaze for a long minute. He could have said so many things, but none seemed appropriate. Once again, Valentina De Rossi surprised him. Every time he thought he’d figured her out, she did something like this, something unexpected and out of the ordinary, and he was back to square one. She was a mystery. He opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind. Sarcasm was out of the question. He couldn’t joke about what she’d just confessed to him. Then, what was the other option? Truth? Vulnerability? Loki, the God of Mischief, could never afford to be vulnerable. He had a reputation to protect. Still. For her...

  He wrapped his arms around her waist, under the coat that was too big for her, and pulled her closer. Her head was resting on his chest, as her trembling hands found their way up his shoulders and around his neck.

  “Shh... It’s okay. You won’t lose me. You will never lose me. I won’t allow it. You’re stuck with me, love. Forever. Don’t you worry about it.”

  She sniffed loudly. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, slowly soaking Loki’s T-shirt.

  “I’m scared,” she whispered. “Piper is gone. Magnus is gone. And now you... I don’t want you to go. Don’t leave me. I can’t be on my own.”

  “You’re not. As I said, you’ll have me right here,” he pulled playfully at her belt.

  “No. I won’t be able to touch you. Feel you. I need... I need to feel you like this. You make me feel safe.”

  His chest rumbled with a sound Valentina had never heard him make before. Something between a growl and a moan. Her own body caught the vibration, and her knees turned to putty at the idea that she’d just made him feel that way, that she was the object of his lust and desire. A god... A god wanted her, a mortal.

  “I’ll make you a deal,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll let you trap me into your card in exchange for two things.”

  “What things?”

  “First, you’re going to promise me that you’ll learn how to summon the Tarot in flesh and bone. The age of the hologram is over. It’s time to learn new tricks.”

  She pulled away and looked up into his green eyes. “But... I can’t. Only a High Keeper or High Sorceress can do that.”

  “Do you see any High Keeper around?”

  “N-no...”

  “Do you think there are any High Keepers left in the world? We already know we don’t have a High Sorceress anymore.”

  “I... I don’t know. There might be.”

  “Love, you have to stop waiting for someone to come and save you. You don’t need a High Keeper. You can be one.”

  “I need to be trained by one...”

  “No. You need to train yourself. Find the right books, find the right knowledge, and take it. Don’t wait for someone to spoon feed it to you, or you’ll be waiting for a long time.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, Valentina nodded. “Okay. I can do it. I’ll find the books. I’ll learn. I’ll train hard. What is the second thing?”

  A small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. He licked his lips in anticipation.

  To her surprise, Valentina could almost feel what he was going to ask next. She could feel it in her belly. She could feel it between her legs. Her own anticipation was throbbing within her very core.

  “A kiss,” he said. “One kiss, Keeper of the Spades, and I will serve you forever.”

  “It will be the first, but it won’t be the last,” she said in a low, sensual voice. “Because I will learn how to grab you out of your card and kiss you to my heart’s content.”

  “That sounds like the best plan you’ve come up with since I met you.”

  “Shut up and...”

  She didn’t get to finish her sentence. He leaned in and captured her lips in a long, passionate kiss. Sucking, licking, probing... He was like a starved man who’d fasted for too long, and now he could finally indulge in the juiciest, most delicious morsel he’d saved for this specific occasion. Valentina was shy at first. Unsure of how to move and what to do, she let him take the lead. She could barely stand upright. She dug her fingers into his soft hair, and pushed her body up against his, unintentionally or intentionally rubbing her belly against the hardness in his leather pants. She didn’t know... Couldn’t say for sure... What she wanted, how she wanted it... How much of him she wanted to feel, touch, taste, possess. Soon, her lips learned the dance of his lips, but when he pushed his tongue into her mouth, she was once again caught by surprise and rendered helpless. He explored, sucked at her tongue, bit it, until she couldn’t take it anymore. Her panties were wet, and her brow was sweaty. There was a fire inside her that was growing and growing, the flames fed by his breath, and she was suddenly afraid that she would spontaneously combust. A part of her found the thought silly, but then again, spontaneous combustion did exist. Anything was possible. Especially when a god and a witch came together.

  Loki fought the urge to explore more than her mouth. His hands turned into fists. He was holding onto the back of her blouse for dear life, afraid that if he allowed himself to sneak under her shirt and touch the soft skin of her lower back, ribs, maybe her belly, he wouldn’t be able to hold
anything back. He’d probably pin her against a wall and rip off her clothes. He wanted to do it so badly... But no! She wasn’t his to take and ravish as he pleased. He wouldn’t be her first. As much as it tore him inside, not even he could oppose what had been written by fate itself. For now, he could only have a kiss. This kiss. And then, maybe, who knew? If he was patient.

  Too much, too intense, to soon... Loki pulled away, released her blouse, and took a few steps back. Valentina still had her eyes closed and her lips parted, as if she was waiting for him to do it again. Kiss her again, and this time, never stop. She was adorable, but what she wanted was not possible. Not now.

  “It’s time,” he said.

  She opened her eyes. The spell was broken, and she had no choice but to come back to reality. This was happening. It was happening now, and it was for the good of all. She shrugged her backpack of her shoulders, took out Sia’s folder, found the painting of the Hanged Man, and pulled out the brush, too.

  “How do you want to do this?”

  “Well, it looks like those pants could use more red.”

  He was referring to the Hanged Man’s bright red trousers. He snapped is fingers, and a small knife appeared out of thin air. He made a superficial cut on the side of his hand, and the wound stayed open just long enough for Valentina to dip the tip of the brush in Loki’s blood. It healed almost instantly. Gently and carefully, she proceeded to add a new, fresh coat of red to the painting, insisting until there was no more blood left on the brush.

  “This is it. I think.” She turned to him. “Do you feel any... different?”

  He shrugged. “No.”

  “What if it doesn’t work?”

  He took a silent moment to look at the painting, then took a deep breath and released it slowly.

  “It worked.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Can’t explain it... I’ll try. It’s like now I belong here, but I belong in there, too.”

  “Are you ready?”

  He laughed. “Are you?”