Shatterproof

by Stein Willard

  Lisa’s beautiful face remained expressionless as she stared back. “I understand and I accept that. My goal is for more people to appreciate the beauty and culture of the country.” Bo wasn’t sure, but she thought she could detect a slight tremble in the woman’s voice. “If the Nepalese people can benefit from this, then it is money well spent.”

  Bo appreciated the selfless remark, but she couldn’t help but think that the woman had a deeper motive. Looking closer, she saw it. Lisa Vaughn’s natural exuberance was missing today. She was trying hard to appear upbeat and unflappable, but there was a bit of melancholy clinging to the woman. The usually sharp blue eyes were shadowed. No matter how hard Bo had found it to get out of bed these past two mornings, she couldn’t ignore the other woman’s distress.

  A lot made sense now that she’d noticed the subtle signs giving away the woman’s misery. Lisa Vaughn embodied poise and refinement. She was born to money and class, and people like her had cultivated long and prosperous friendships. To have the woman show up unannounced at her office, in the middle of the afternoon, trying hard to hide her pain, was a definite cry for help. Bo was stunned by the realization that Lisa had chosen her as her go-to-person, and at the same time relieved for the distraction from her own heartache.

  She leaned back in her chair. “Maybe I should be the one asking whether you’re doing ok.”

  The older woman scoffed. “Turning it back on me, now?” She sipped from her coffee. “What makes you think I’m not fine?”

  “Maybe because you’re sad.”

  Lisa pursued her lips as her eyes turned cold. “You assume much, my dear.”

  Bo wasn’t going to let the woman’s edginess scare her off. Lisa came here for a reason and Bo wasn’t going to let her leave without finding some relief for whatever was ailing her.

  “Maybe, but you sought me out for a reason and not one of your billionaire friends.”

  Bo waited. She knew Lisa Vaughn for all of six years, not long enough to count as one of her closest friends. With all the influence she had in the industry and beyond, it was unwise to find yourself on the other side of the woman’s favour. However, Bo liked living dangerously now. Maybe her association with a Valkyrie and demi-goddess had rubbed off on her— made her reckless.

  A sharp pain pierced her heart at the thought of Hlif. Her eyes closed involuntarily as her mind conjured up the image of Hlif. Cloudy, dark grey eyes swam into focus and Bo swallowed at the tautness in her throat. Her eyes burned with sudden tears and she blinked rapidly to stop the torrent of tears she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop should they come. She tried to hide her brief slip by taking a sip of coffee. She frowned at the slight tremor in her hand and when she looked up, she knew that Lisa had caught it, too.

  “I got news from a friend in Kathmandu earlier today,” Lisa said softly and picked at invisible lint on her immaculate blouse. “My…” She seemed to search for a word. “...friend. My friend perished in a prison fire last night.” When she looked up, her eyes were swimming in tears.

  Bo shot out of her chair and gently pulled Lisa to her feet before she engulfed her in a tight embrace. She didn’t realize when she started crying too, but they were both sobbing softly at their loss.

  Chapter 24

  Considering everything he’d witnessed and experienced over the past weeks, the radiocarbon dating and electroanalytical results were still a cause of excitement for Shawn. Next to him, Hanna sat in mute shock. This was a big discovery for the young woman. She needed more exposure and now that he had fulfilled his dream of finding Gurith and Hlif, he could peacefully retire to full-time teaching. That would leave Hanna to unravel the six hundred year gap between existing historical records and the Warrior Queen’s artefacts.

  He reached for his coffee, realizing that Hanna’s was still left untouched. Shawn used the time to study her closely. She’d developed into the industry professional he’d predicted she would become all those years ago. Meticulous and level-headed. Good traits to have in the business and he could only see her growing in strength after this discovery. Hanna was a great heir to his legacy.

  The sound of a throat being cleared made them both look to the entrance of the tent. Shawn shot to his feet, ignoring the splash of coffee. A huge smile flashed over his face.

  “Hlif!”

  Hlif nodded, her stormy eyes hooded. Shawn noted that her shoulders appeared a little slumped and her hair was slightly longer than usual. Otherwise, she looked cool and composed in the dark pinstriped suit. He placed his coffee cup on the desk and rounded it to greet Hlif. Shawn pushed passed the hand she held out to him and hugged her. Hanna gasped softly behind him.

  Shawn broke the hug and smiled at Hlif.

  “It’s great to see you again. How was your holiday?”

  Hlif looked unsure for a moment, before her gaze slipped over his shoulder to Hanna and she smiled thinly. “Exhausting, but much needed.” She waved at Hanna. “Was I interrupting something?”

  Shawn threw a quick glance at Hanna. She smiled at them both and shook her head. “Not at all. I was hoping to come by the surveillance tent later to see you.”

  “We could do that now, if you have time.”

  “Yes.” He followed her out and into the crisp air. They walked towards the surveillance tent, but stopped a few yards from it. Shawn faced her. This close he noticed the strain around her eyes and mouth. “How are you really?”

  “I’ve been better.”

  “And the others? Do they know that you’re back?”

  “Yes. I went by the apartment before I came here. Your family?”

  “They left a day after we… our visit to…” He had never said it out loud and was scared that if he did, he might sound like a lunatic. “…you know.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye to them.”

  Shawn smiled and squeezed Hlif’s shoulder. As polite as ever! “They’ve asked me to convey their gratitude and extend an invitation to their home on Lesbos.”

  Hlif bowed her head in acceptance. “Please thank them for me.” She looked around the site. “What happened in my absence?”

  “You were sorely missed. Even the students asked after you before their departure last week.”

  The Valkyrie’s eyes darkened as she looked at him. “The rebellion took longer than we anticipated.” She pushed her hands into her pockets. “There were a lot of things that needed to be fixed in Valhalla. Too many things have been left unattended over time and I believe that was what led to the revolt.”

  “Trust me, you don’t have to explain anything to me, Hlif. I simply wanted you to know that you’re a member of the team and your absence didn’t go unnoticed.” He glanced at the tent. “Now, please tell me you have some of that delicious coffee in there.”

  Hlif smiled. “We do.”

  ***

  Bo’s head jerked back as the blow hit her square in the face. She shook her head to clear it and duck to evade the next blow. For the rest of the round, she managed to prevent another face hit but could feel the few blows that hit her midsection. At the sound of the bell, she walked to the corner where Roger was waiting for her with a thunderous look on his face.

  “What the hell was that, Bo?”

  She spat out her mouth guard and accepted the water he sprayed in her mouth. “I lost focus for a moment or two.”

  “A moment or two? That’s all it takes to take you out. Tell me now, if you’d rather I call the match so you can go home, have a glass of wine and daydream about your latest conquest.”

  Bo felt her annoyance rise. “No need for that. I’ll do better in the next round.”

  “You better. Fatti landed some pretty good punches and unless you want to hand her your title, you need to clear your mind and forget about your pretty ...”

  “I said I’ll do better,” she snapped at him.

  Bo knew he meant well, but she’d had a terrible past few weeks and all she wanted was to have a break from it all. Her workload ha
d increased with two more cases crossing her desk. Feedback from Tear regarding Dobrov along with the picture attached to the file was proof that Loki had been closer to his goal of destroying her than she’d been aware of. On top of the new workload, the Vaughn case was still taking up a lot of her time.

  Since Lisa’s last visit to her in her office over a month ago, they had begun to spend more time together. They’ve developed a cautious friendship. It was an unspoken rule that they didn’t discuss what transpired in her office that day, but they met for drinks and lunches regularly.

  If Bo had thought immersing herself in Lisa’s problem would distract her from thoughts of Hlif, she’d been greatly mistaken. If possible, she was haunted even more by memories and visions of the Valkyrie. She didn’t know how many of them were actually induced by Gurith. The Warrior Queen had been suspiciously quiet, but Bo could sense her discontent about the situation she… they… were in.

  The bell rang and Bo rose, reminding herself to clear her mind and focus on her opponent. Geraldine Fatti was the reigning champion of a rival boxing club and Bo’s biggest opponent. As a police detective, the woman got more action on the job than Bo did and that made her tough to beat. Still, Bo had done so two years in a row now but unless she focused her attention on the match, she wouldn’t be making it a third.

  She caught Fatti’s eyes as she approached her, but saw the swing too late and found herself stumbling backwards until she fell against the ropes. The crowd roared and Bo tried to focus her gaze on the woman approaching her. She blocked her head just in time as the other woman threw a powerful punch. Fatti had a good first round and the second seemed to be going that way too. Being battered and with no way to get off the ropes, she prayed for the referee to step in.

  Just as I expected. A loser.

  She blinked. Was that Gurith? She had known the woman wasn’t happy with what had happened, but Bo hadn’t expected such vehemence.

  Did you think you were actually the one who beat her the last two times? Had I not stepped in, you would’ve been beaten to a pulp. Puny human.

  Stunned, Bo dropped her arms and Fatti capitalized on her good fortune. The punch threw Bo sideways and she landed on her knees. The cheering of the crowd was deafening as she tried to fight the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her.

  You’ve never fought for anything in your life. Since the day you were sent here, Hlif made sure you were always protected. When you got a chance to really fight for something worthwhile, you ran like the little coward you are. Love takes courage, Borgny. Unless you realize that, you are destined to end up like your friend, Lisa, because you weren’t brave enough to fight for your beloved.

  The words stung, but the truth in them sliced deeper still. It had taken her longer than necessary to recognise, but she couldn’t deny the truth anymore. She loved Hlif. If she was honest with herself, she had fallen for Hlif that first day already. Hlif’s beautiful eyes swam into focus and Bo felt herself beginning to drown in the tender look.

  Beloved.

  Gurith was right; she didn’t want to end up like Lisa.

  She’ll fight for Hlif.

  Bo came to her feet, light and effortless, almost as if she’d sprouted wings and pushed the referee out of the way. She needed to wrap this up so she could go find Hlif. Fatti turned to face Bo from where she had been celebrating her victory prematurely. She frowned at Bo before she slammed her gloves together and advanced on her. This time, Bo was ready for her. She feigned an unsteady gait as she went to meet Fatti halfway. The other woman’s eyes narrowed as she pulled her right arm back, counting on brute force to fell Bo.

  That was her biggest mistake.

  Moving lightning fast, Bo blocked the punch and aimed for Fatti’s unprotected jaw. She felt the punch land, its power reverberating back through her arm. Bo watched, as if in slow motion, as her opponent’s eyes rolled back. She knew it was game over before the woman even hit the canvas.

  Good job, Borgny!

  Bo pursed her lips. She’d been tricked, but somehow she knew that the words hadn’t been fake at all.

  Gurith meant every word.

  And Bo had needed to hear them.

  She loved Hlif and she needed to tell the Valkyrie as soon as possible. Hlif needed to know that the curse had been broken.

  ***

  Hlif was trying her hardest not stare at the two people walking hand in hand next to her. It would seem that during her seven weeklong absence Harald and Magarethe had grown closer. She’d noticed it the moment she had appeared in her apartment and found them on the couch watching TV together. Despite her sudden appearance startling them both, there were no guilty looks or anything.

  She’d been welcomed back warmly with both of them embracing her fiercely. Hlif had to admit that returning home to such a warm reception felt amazing. A pot of coffee was brewing and the smell of their dinner lingered in the kitchen.

  It felt like home.

  Before she could dwell any longer on the strange picture she’d happened upon, Magarethe ushered Hlif to the main bedroom and into a hot shower. She’d found a bowl of hearty mutton stew waiting for her after her shower and it felt so natural to sit at the table and eat while the two watched over her with obvious concern and affection. They truly were her family.

  Even without Bo.

  She appreciated the fact that after a week back, neither of them had raised the issue of Bo. It terrified Hlif to think of Bo rejecting her once again. She wasn’t giving up on the woman. All she needed was time to come up with a strategy that would appeal to Bo. Something not too invasive, though. Bo was the ultimate modern woman. Confident. Successful. Independent.

  “Three o’clock?” Harald asked.

  “Hmm. Maybe a little too young, don’t you think?” Magarethe added.

  Frowning in confusion, Hlif glanced at her three o’clock and saw a beautiful woman in her early to mid-thirties peering into a shop window.

  “Are you two checking out women?” They both looked somewhat sheepish. That reaction alone confirmed that their newfound closeness was still very platonic. She shrugged. “I thought the two of you were…”

  Both parties protested loudly before she could finish the thought and Hlif chuckled. It felt good to laugh again. They stopped for coffee at a small café and Hlif reluctantly allowed herself to be drawn into their game of people watching. The café was a local favourite and was packed with the Friday night crowd. To her chagrin, Hlif found that none of the women pointed out could ever compare to Bo.

  She’d fled Valhalla when Idunn’s pursuits became so brazen that it bordered on stalking, but being here without Bo was much harder.

  If things didn’t work out with Bo, she would need to find a way to live with the large hole in her heart and maybe find someone else to ease the pain. Someone in Valhalla, perhaps. Maybe even Idunn. The thought made her stomach roil, but it was a reality she would have to consider. The lock of hair from Bo would keep her transforming, but she didn’t know what would happen after the woman’s passing. Things could become bad again.

  “What do you think of your six o’clock, Hlif?”

  She rolled her eyes at Harald and placed her mug on the table. What had she been thinking, letting them talk her into the stupid game? With the stealth of a seasoned warrior, she turned in her chair to glance at her target. The café was small and there was a group of people standing around. Her gaze swept over them and just as she was about to turn back to face Harald with a vague comment, the group parted.

  Hlif froze when she stared into a pair of very familiar pale blue eyes.

  ***

  She was more beautiful than Bo remembered. The delicately sculpted angles of the beloved face so familiar and so intensely missed. She ached to cradle that face and kiss those soft lips. Her heart skipped a beat when, for a moment, it looked as if Hlif was about to come to her table. Instead, the tall woman got up and left the café. She was sure her own surprised look resembled those of her mother and Harald.
The two had been so sure their operation would be successful.

  Not sure what she was supposed to do, Bo reached for her mug with a trembling hand.

  GO AFTER HER!

  The sharp order from Gurith spurred her into action and Bo shot to her feet. It was cold outside and she hastily buttoned up her coat. The café was located on a busy street and she searched for Hlif amongst the crowd. Which way could she have gone? Home, perhaps? She ran in the direction of the apartment, but as the crowd began to thin, she noticed that the street leading to the apartment was deserted. If she hadn’t gone home, then where else could she have gone?

  The boat!

  The marina was quiet, except for a few tourists moving about, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famed Northern Lights. She stopped before the berth that held Hlif’s boat, noticing it was dark and uninhabited. Desperation rose and threatened to smother her as she ran back to the café. She had hoped this would work. Was anxious for it to work. Now that she’d accepted she was desperately in love with Hlif, it was killing her not to be near the woman. Thus, when her mother called with the news that Hlif had returned, she’d made immediate arrangements to return to Iceland. She had predicted that after her treatment of Hlif, it wouldn’t be easy to convince the woman of her feelings, but she hadn’t expected the Valkyrie to summarily dismiss her and leave. She covered her face with her hands to stop the tears that threatened to fall. She was scared, more scared than any other time, including the time she’d feared for her life.

  Losing Hlif terrified her. If the last seven weeks had taught her anything, it was that life without Hlif was unbearable. She looked around her. Hlif was gone, but she wouldn’t give up until she had a chance to talk to the Valkyrie. She turned around and walked in the direction of her hotel.