Perfekt Balance (The Ære Saga Book 3)
Page 19
My words faded into silence. I was lost in a grass green vortex as Forse pressed his forehead to mine and let out a low chuckle. “Enough talking. There’s something I need to do.”
And before I could tell him to stop laughing at me, Forse hiked me higher on his waist and brought one hand to the back of my head. He laced his fingers through my hair and pulled my face to his. With a groan, he crushed his mouth against mine in a kiss that obliterated the artfully constructed image he was careful to maintain. To everyone else, he was cautious, rational, calm…the poster god for justice, and all that it represented. But as he moved his lips against mine in a maddening dance, he confirmed what I’d suspected all along: underneath Forse’s calm façade was a passion that burned brighter than all the realms’ suns combined.
And it was about to consume me.
A soft moan escaped my mouth, and Forse didn’t miss the opportunity. He ran his tongue along my bottom lip and nipped softly at the sensitive skin. A warm sensation shot straight through me and I wrapped my legs tighter around him, moving slowly with each gentle sweep of his tongue. He tasted like spearmint and fresh air, and as his fingers tugged at my hair I let my head fall back. Forse’s lips followed the trail along my jaw and down my neck. I arched my back as he neared the deep V of my neckline, but before my fantasy of being ravaged by the god of my dreams could come true, my darling brother intervened.
“Ahem.” Tyr cleared his throat loudly. “We should probably take our prisoner and clear out before anyone else shows up. Also, that’s my little sister. Knock it off.”
Forse had the decency to remove his mouth from my neck. But when he placed his hands on my hips to help me down, I locked my legs in place.
“No way.” I shook my head at Forse. “I’ve waited forever for this moment. Tyr can just deal.”
Forse chuckled. “He’s right. I need to take Runa into custody, and we need to get you back to the compound. After I sort through Runa’s intake, I’ll Bifrost straight to your place in Arcata. No pit stops.”
My eyes narrowed. “Promise?”
Forse dropped his mouth to mine, and delivered a sweet kiss more in line with what I’d expected of the buttoned-up justice god. Then he raked his teeth along my bottom lip and sucked with a force that let me know that, when it suited him, he could be anything but sweet. Oh my gods.
“Promise?” I panted. Again.
Forse pulled back and brought his lips to my ear. “Have I ever broken my word?”
“No,” I whispered, drawing my shoulders back as the shiver traversed my spine.
“Forse!” Tyr complained.
“Right.” Forse gave me a wink and I reluctantly unwrapped my legs from his waist. He set me on the ground, careful to hold my hips as my knees wobbled unsteadily. Whatever intake involved, it better be quick. I wanted to be on the couch at my cottage with the god I adored, not watching a movie.
I wanted that right now.
“Come on.” Brynn yanked Runa by her elbow and dragged her to Tyr’s side. “Let’s get you off to Odin. Oh, the things he will do to you.”
“Brynn, wait.” I laced my fingers through Forse’s and walked to Brynn’s side. Runa glared at me, but behind the anger was sadness. Her father had used her as a pawn before abandoning her—again. And the brother she’d fought to save was about to lock her up forever. As much as I wanted to see her imprisoned so she could never hurt anyone the way she and Fenrir had hurt all of us, a part of me felt for her. She’d been born a good spirit—she’d just been overtaken by a series of unfortunate corporeal circumstances.
Brynn held up a hand. “Don’t get too close, Elsa. Last time—”
“I know,” I said softly. “Just give me a minute.”
Then I closed my eyes and spoke to Runa’s spirit.
You won today. I smiled.
Runa’s spirit nodded in recognition. Today, yes. What if the darkness wins next time?
Keep shining your light in there, I pressed. Runa doesn’t want to hear it, but there’s goodness in her. You’re in her. You’ll bring her around.
Runa let out a high-pitched shriek, muffled by the gag tied tightly across her mouth. A series of wails followed, and garbled though they were, I clearly understood the words. “Get out of my head!”
Keep doing good, Elsa. Your mom would be so proud of you. Runa’s spirit sent a wave of warmth at me. I imagined it was her way of giving me a hug.
I smiled, even as Runa’s shrieking grew louder.
“Okay. I’m done. But there’s one more thing we need to do before you go. Tyr?” I motioned for my brother. He approached cautiously, one hand on the hilt of his sword.
“What are you doing, Elsa?” he asked.
I drew a steady breath. “Tyr, I want to introduce you to your sister.”
“Whatever she used to be, she is not my sister,” he hissed. “She’s as responsible for our parents’ deaths as Fenrir. And she tortured you.”
I held up my hand. “Runa’s made some awful choices. Some horrific choices,” I emphasized. “But once upon a time, she loved you every bit as much as I do. Didn’t you, Runa?”
Runa’s eyes shot veritable fireballs at me.
“Okay, fine. I’ll tell him.” I turned back to Tyr. “Hymir’s been a monster—”
“No kidding,” Tyr muttered.
“Let me finish. Hymir’s been a monster all your life. When you were little, he did terrible things to your birth mother. Truly heinous things you probably would have remembered and been deeply scarred by if Odin hadn’t wiped your memory, and if your sister hadn’t protected you.”
“What do you mean?” Tyr didn’t blink.
“When Hymir went on his rages, Runa kept you hidden away. She made sure Hymir never hurt you, and she tried to keep you from seeing all of the awful things he did to the people around you. But most importantly, she’s the one who brought you to our parents. She risked her own life, and gave up her family, to make sure you had a chance at happiness.”
Forse tightened his hand around mine and Brynn sucked in a breath.
“I know it seems impossible, but Runa gave up everything to save you, Tyr.” I watched as my brother’s gaze shifted to Runa.
“Is this true?” His voice was steady, but I noticed the slight shift of his jaw as he bit the inside of his cheek. I hadn’t seen the nervous tic in years, and Tyr’s sudden vulnerability tugged at my heart.
Runa raised her chin in defiance. The fury radiating from her features made it clear that even if she wasn’t gagged, she wouldn’t be talking any time soon.
Tyr turned his eyes back to me. “This doesn’t make any sense. If Runa brought me to our parents, why didn’t they adopt her, too? And when she showed up in Asgard all those years later, why didn’t she come to live with us? Mom had a heart the size of Vanaheim; there’s no way she’d turn away someone who needed help.”
Runa let out a low growl, and Forse shifted so he stood between her and me.
“Wrap it up, hjärtat,” he murmured softly. I nodded. I was pressing my luck by keeping her here—there was a reason protocol dictated immediate custodial intake. There was no telling what she’d do if she overpowered us this time.
“From what I understand, Mom offered to adopt Runa at the same time she adopted you. Runa turned her down—she was afraid of what Hymir would do to her mom if she left her alone. And by the time she got herself to our realm, well…that’s a longer story. We can talk more about it back in Arcata. Or maybe you and Runa can talk about it while you’re checking her in up in Asgard.”
Runa emitted a series of shrieks that suggested no such conversation would be happening any time soon.
I frowned. Runa’s spirit had its work cut out for it. But I had hope that one day, her seemingly lost goodness would overpower her penchant for cruelty. Without the girl she’d once been, I wouldn’t have my brother. Asgard wouldn’t have its war god. And the tapestry of our unconventional little family would be devastatingly different. No matter what she’
d become, I was grateful for Runa. I only hoped one day she would be open to seeing that.
I took a step back and nodded at my brother’s sister. “Brynn, she’s all yours. Just know I’m here for you if you ever want to make a change, Runa.” I watched her carefully. Runa simply glared, but behind the cold look I sensed a flicker of recognition. And that split second of honesty filled me with joy.
Maybe someday her spirit would have a shot at her own happy ending. There was good in Runa yet.
“Come on, hjärtat. Let’s get you home.” Forse picked up his sword. He tugged my hand and I followed him to an open spot in the clearing. Tyr, Brynn, and our reluctant prisoner followed suit, and we huddled close together as we prepared to leave the dark realm. Although I felt a palpable relief to be going home, I took one final look at the realm where I’d learned I could live up to the gift my mother had given me, where I’d discovered a strength I hadn’t known I possessed…and where I’d truly connected with the god I knew I’d love for all eternity. When my brother summoned the Bifrost, I squeezed Forse’s hand. I left Svartalfheim with a joyful heart, looking forward to a future positively teeming with faith, with hope, and with all the love I’d waited a lifetime to give.
But more importantly, I left with the god who would finally cherish my heart every bit as much as I cherished his.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“OH, SÖTNOS. COME HERE.” Henrik jogged the distance from the porch to the clearing, reaching Brynn’s side before the Bifrost could fully retract. He held out his arm and stroked her back while she bent over, her face scrunched in concentration as she tried not to throw up on his shoes. He didn’t mention her Bifrost sickness as she straightened up; he just pulled her into a hug and told her simply, “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” She rested her head on Henrik’s chest, her eyes closed in blissful surrender as she wrapped her arms around his waist. The color returned to her cheeks, and when she opened her eyes I surmised the nausea had passed.
“Let me take that.” Henrik gently removed Brynn’s backpack and slung it over one shoulder. A quiet smile passed between them, and I couldn’t help but grin. When they weren’t off killing things, they were just so sweet together.
“You’re home!” Mia raced down the porch steps. The early afternoon light filtered through the trees that stood sentinel around the Arcata cabin, bathing the structure in a soft glow. The warm green foliage dusted with white snow was a stark contrast to the practically all-black landscape of Svartalfheim. As I caught a glimpse of the brilliant blue sky peeking down from the treetops, my chest filled with joy. I’d almost forgotten how peaceful our little corner of Midgard was. Even if it was only temporary, I was grateful to call Arcata home.
“Brynn and I are home,” I corrected. Mia’s grin disappeared, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, her nails digging into her sides.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. “No.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.” I reached out and held Mia’s hands in mine. “Tyr’s okay. Better than okay, actually, which is kind of a miracle considering his…we can talk later. He and Forse took Runa back to Asgard to book her into custody. After they check her in, they’ve got to meet with Odin’s council so the big wigs can weigh in before Forse issues her sentence. But they should be home by morning. Lunchtime tomorrow at the latest.”
“Thank god.” Mia practically wilted with relief.
I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed gently. “I’m sorry you have to go through this every time he leaves. I know it’s hard.”
“I keep thinking it’s going to get easier, but it doesn’t. At least this time I had Henrik to distract me with baking wars.” Mia offered Henrik a smile.
Henrik threw his arm around Brynn’s shoulder and guided her back to the house. “May the best cake win. And by best, I mean mine.”
“You wish. Red velvet always comes out on top. It’s a no-brainer.” Mia fell into step beside Henrik and I followed a meter behind, watching the easy banter between our human and the Asgardian assassin. Mia was adjusting so well. By all accounts, she should have run away from all of our craziness screaming. But, somehow, she’d managed to take not only our existence, but our sometimes hellish reality, in her stride, fitting herself into our world as if she’d been a part of it all along.
The Norns had been right about her. She’d already proven herself a tremendous use to Asgard, just keeping my brother grounded. I could only imagine what she could accomplish once I trained her.
The familiar trickle of anxiety nipped at my gut, but I shooed it away. I didn’t have to be afraid anymore. Forse had shown me that unifying could come as naturally to me as healing, and now that I had the tools to access my gift, I was eager to pass it along to Mia. With monsters like Hymir lurking, Asgard needed all the help it could get.
“Are you coming, Elsa?” Brynn held the front door open. I walked up the porch steps and followed Henrik to the living room. Brynn nestled onto the couch and Henrik settled in beside her. I tucked my legs beneath me as I settled into the armchair, and lay my head back on the cushion.
“Where’s Mia?” I asked.
“Here!” She scurried into the living room, depositing a tray laden with snacks on the coffee table. “Sorry it’s not fancier—if you give me a few minutes I can whip up sandwiches. But the tea’s hot, and the cookies are only about twenty minutes out of the oven, so they should still be warm. Eat. Then fill us in.” Mia picked up a teeming mug and sat on the far end of the L-shaped couch. She crossed her legs at the ankle and stared at me expectantly. “Well?”
“You said I could have a cookie!” I protested.
“I’m impatient. Henrik and I have been sitting here for two days with nothing to do but bake.” Mia handed me a cookie, then resumed her anxious pose. “Now?”
“You win.” I laughed. I bit into the treat. “Mmm, this is really good!”
“It’s Meemaw’s red velvet cookie recipe. One point for me.” Mia stuck her tongue out at Henrik.
“Whatever. Brynn, try this one.” Henrik leaned forward and removed a cookie from the plate. He handed it to his girlfriend, who took a bite. She closed her eyes and let out a moan as she chewed.
“Oh, wow. White chocolate macadamia?” she guessed. “Perfekt.”
“Point Henrik,” Henrik taunted.
Mia rolled her eyes. “Obviously this can—and will—go on for days. But before we all agree I’m the superior baker, would somebody please tell me what happened out there? Elsa, you look like you’ve been through the ringer. I can see your skin’s already healing itself, but some of those bruises look pretty bad. Did things not go as easily as you planned?”
I dusted the crumbs from my fingertips and shook my head. “Henrik didn’t tell you? I thought Brynn was keeping him in the loop.”
“I was.” Brynn looked at Henrik quizzically.
“I might have glazed over some of the more…painful details,” Henrik admitted. “I didn’t want worry ruining Mia’s baking game.”
Mia shot Henrik a look. “You guys are going to have to stop protecting me at some point.”
“And that point starts now.” I nodded. “Mia’s going to know everything now that she’s starting her Unifier training.”
Mia let out a small gasp. “You’re going to train me? I thought you weren’t ready. What changed?”
“A lot.” I sighed. “When Runa had me locked in that tower—”
“What?” Mia’s jaw dropped.
“Runa swallowed a piece of the crystal we brought as a trade and locked poor Elsa in a tower and tortured her to find out where we’re hiding Fenrir. Of course she didn’t break.” Brynn shot me a grin. “We’ll debrief you later, Mia.”
“Oh, Elsa,” Mia clucked. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine. It’s over.” I waved my hand.
“But what does Runa want with Fenrir?” Mia looked confused.
“Fenrir’s destined to play a role in the end of th
e world, and Hymir wants to make sure Tyr feels the onus of responsibility for Fenrir’s crime…whenever he commits it. You know, because Tyr saved Fenrir way back when. And he’s keeping him alive now.” Brynn shrugged.
“He’s keeping him locked away,” I corrected. “Even the Norns say the ribbon that binds him is unbreakable.”
“Yeah, well, if Hymir’s this set on using Fenrir to destroy Tyr, maybe we’d be better off if Fenrir was out of the picture,” Brynn mused.
“It’s worth considering.” Henrik ran his fingertips along Brynn’s shoulder. “But we can talk about that tomorrow. You need to heal, Elsa. The cut on your forearm is still raw.”
“I gave it a good dose of restorative energy, but it’s still healing slower than the others,” I agreed. “It came from Runa’s lightning-hand power. Gods, if you two could harness that energy, just think of the arsenal you could build.”
Henrik shook his head. “Too bad you weren’t able to bring any of the crystal she swallowed home.”
Brynn shot him a sly smile. “After we finished our first battle with Tosk—the one where Runa took Elsa—I scoured the soot until I found shards of the broken crystal. It’s in the plastic baggie in the front pocket of my backpack. Looks like someone’s having a hot date in the lab tonight. You. Me. Two pieces of Svartalfheim’s finest crystal, a microscope, and a mini blow torch.”
“Gods, I love it when you talk nerdy to me.” Henrik lowered his head to Brynn’s ear and whispered something that made her cheeks turn red.
“Henrik!” She swatted his arm.
“Okay then, you can wear the—”
“Stop it!” Brynn shrieked.
I laughed. “If you two can hold it together another ten minutes, we can finish giving Mia the overview. And then you can get into all the science geeky hanky-panky you want.”
Henrik let out a long-suffering sigh. “I guess.”
Brynn grinned.
“Your coms worked, by the way.” I tapped my forearm. “Runa never knew I had mine on, and Forse was able to send me pages of my mom’s journals through it. The journals helped us figure out the key to unifying. I had it all wrong. I thought I was supposed to perform energy healings to bring people together, but all I needed to do was communicate directly with their spirits. Apparently spirits are much easier to work with than blocked energy. You’ll see.”