Come To Me

by Genevieve Ash

  “I know how difficult this is for you and I appreciate it. Odin will be so entranced by your beauty that he will agree to anything.” Lilah smoothed her grandmother’s lustrous hair away from her face.

  Standing up, Freya appeared to be working to regain her composure. “I hope you are right, my dear. Now, please help me find something to wear in this mess.”

  After many moments and several changes, Freya was dressed and ready. The gown she wore had been Odin’s favorite once upon a time. The emerald green velvet matched her eyes and the simple lines clung to her voluptuous figure. Her hair was swept up in the front with loose curls hanging down her back. Lilah thought that she had never seen Freya look lovelier. After clasping the fabled necklace of power that was the Brísingamen, around her grandmother’s neck, she gave Freya a warm embrace. Freya smiled, winked, and disappeared.

  Lilah left right behind Freya, making her way back to Valhalla. Perhaps she could find Brita and have her distract Odin’s wife, Frigga, during Freya’s visit. As she materialized in the training hall, she was immediately struck by the quiet. Normally the place was a bustling hub of activity, but today there was only silence.

  Lilah hurriedly searched the dorms and the baths. Not finding a soul, she called to Brita with her mind. No answer. As she traversed the long hallway to the throne room, Lilah felt the tension thicken in the air. It was almost as though the keep had been evacuated and she was the last to know.

  As she entered the main antechamber, she was astounded to find several hundred people gathered there. Some whispering could be heard, but most dared not speak aloud. Lilah spotted a group of her Valkyrie and went directly to them. They appeared frightened as she approached, quickly turning their backs and pretending not to see her.

  “Ladies!” Lilah’s nervousness showed in her voice. “Would someone care to tell me what’s going on?” Tapping her foot impatiently, she waited silently.

  Catching Helena’s eye, she commanded, “Helena, certainly you’re not shy. Speak up, dear.”

  “Miss Lilah, I, um, am not sure how to say this.” Helena fumbled over her words, while wringing her hands, her normal composure absent.

  “Oh, for the gods’ sakes, spit it out already.” A few of the girls giggled, unaccustomed to Lilah’s crassness.

  “The Great Lady, your grandmother, is in Odin’s chamber as we speak.” Helena lowered her voice to a hushed tone of apprehension.

  “Yes, I know. Word spreads fast around here. Everyone at Valhalla must be in this room.” Lilah’s eyes quickly scanned the assembled crowd.

  “It isn’t often that we get to see the great goddess Freya. Everyone is very excited.” Lilah caught the hesitation in Helena’s voice and knew she was lying. She could have just touched her mind to understand but she thought better of it, deciding to use this as another test of the girl’s mettle.

  Lilah prompted Helena once more, “Is there something else that you would like to tell me?”

  “Yes ma’am. Odin is not with her—Frigga is.” Helena shrank back and lowered her head as though she expected a scolding.

  Lilah clutched at her long, smooth neck in anxiety. This could not possibly bode well for her grandmother.

  “Don’t worry, Miss Lilah,” Helena strove to reassure her. “The sound of breaking glass has ceased. If you could have felt the power coming from that room just a while ago, the door bowed outward and—”

  Lilah was no longer listening. She needed a plan. Somehow she must find Odin and reason with him. Of course, that could be like trying to capture the sea in a paper cup. Even though she had a good working relationship with him, Lilah was wise enough to know that her relation to Freya was all that kept her in Odin’s good graces. After all these years, he still talked about her grandmother’s beauty with longing and regret. The question was, how he would handle the situation when Freya was standing right in front of him?

  Knowing that Freya could hold her own with her one time rival, Lilah did not panic but tried to think clearly. A wrong move at this point could prove disastrous. She had to remember the most important thing: freeing her beloved son from Astrid’s heinous curse. As she turned and walked purposefully to the antechamber door, she realized that everyone’s eyes in the room were upon her. Although Lilah was never one to abuse her power or status in Valhalla, there were times when there simply was no other choice. The gawkers’ faces stared back at her blankly with faces frozen in place until she returned to release them.

  Chapter Eleven

  After a nap and a hot shower, Amanda felt much better about life in general. She also realized that she was very hungry. Lifting the beautiful diaphanous gown from the foot of the bed, she shook her head, wondering what Helena had in store for her. The filmy fabric clung to every curve, making her feel more naked than if she wasn’t wearing clothes at all. The smell of roasted chicken and the rumbling of her stomach were the only enticements needed to get her out the door.

  She let her nose lead her to the dining room. Crystal goblets twinkled in the candlelight and a roaring fire lit the room with warmth. The long mahogany dining table was covered with food and a separate table to the side was laden with sweets of every kind. Helena entered the room with yet another dish. The gingham apron looked out of place over the gown she was wearing on her elegant frame.

  “Helena, the table looks beautiful. There’s so much food! Are you expecting others?” Amanda smiled in delight at her friend.

  “No, I did this just for us. I don’t often get the chance to cook for guests.” Helena beamed with pride as she looked over the expansive repast.

  “You cooked all of this? I didn’t think that immortals ate. This is incredible, thank you.” Her mouth was watering as she looked at the various dishes set out for their meal.

  “Amanda, you look magnificent in that gown. Your beauty rivals that of the goddess herself.” Helena deftly changed the subject.

  “Well, that is kind of you to say but I hardly think—”

  Helena shook her head, “Honey, you think too much. What you need is less thinking and more believing. You are beautiful, but are the only one who does not realize it.”

  Baby red potatoes had been roasted in fresh rosemary and drizzled with pan juices from the chicken. Fresh morels and asparagus were cooked to perfection and a hint of sea salt added a delicate crunch. Amanda ate like a condemned man at his last meal. The wine and conversation flowed freely as they savored the delectable food.

  The talk eventually turned to life in Amanda’s world. She told Helena about the house she was restoring. She talked about her family, especially about her sister, Megan, and her baby nephew, Rufus. When the opportunities arose, she tried to get Helena to open up about herself, with no luck.

  “I’m stuffed. That was delicious, Helena. The crème brulée was to die for! Well, perhaps not.” Amanda laughed nervously at the thought.

  “I am glad you enjoyed it. And I am glad for your company.” Helena smiled warmly at her.

  “I hope I didn’t bore you. I have a tendency to run on when I’ve had a little wine.” She apologized for her relaxed behavior.

  Helena brushed off the notion gracefully, “Not at all. I find earth a fascinating place. I’ve read a lot about your world but I’ve never been. My job keeps me pretty busy. Maybe my next vacation I will come and stay with you.”

  “You’re welcome any time. Now, please let me you help clean this mess up.” She placed her napkin on the table, pushed back her chair, and started to rise.

  Helena shook her head slightly and, suddenly, the table looked as though no one had ever eaten there. The fire was out and the tapers appeared as they were never burned. Amanda was stunned. She just could not get over the strength of the magical powers that surrounded her at every turn. Although her visions and empathy were getting stronger here, she was sure that would end once she returned home. If she ever made it home, that is. Right now she just wanted to curl up with her kitty and sleep in her own bed. Maybe have a cup of tea with
her sister. Perhaps then she would be refreshed enough to tackle the task ahead of her.

  “Come on, I want to show you what I was talking about earlier.” Helena rose from her chair and cocked a finger, motioning for her to follow. Lost in her own thoughts, Amanda did not even notice Helena’s move to leave the room.

  “Amanda—hello? Anyone home in there?”

  Startled, she chuckled and followed Helena. “Not me, that’s for sure.”

  Helena’s brusque tone softened. “Feeling a little homesick?”

  “Yeah, I am and I feel guilty knowing that Cam is a prisoner and powerless. He’s beaten every day and here I am feeling sorry for myself.”

  Helena smiled and took her hand. They walked to the end of the hallway to a solid looking door fitted with a cast iron lock. The yellow light overhead the door was low, casting an ominous glow on the dark wooden entrance. Amanda was truly afraid of what might be on the other side. The lock squealed in protest as Helena heaved the iron bar upward from its cradle. The door was stitched tightly to the jamb, years of disuse thwarting her efforts to open the door.

  “Amanda, a little help here please.” Helena puffed breathlessly with her efforts on the stubborn door.

  “Sorry!” She joined in the effort half-heartedly, not entirely sure she wanted the door to open.

  Helena cast a sidelong glance at Amanda, her tone testy. “Is that all you’ve got? Come on, put some muscle into it.”

  “Why can’t you use magic to open it?” She paused to ask.

  “I am using magic,” Helena retorted impatiently. “My brother, father, and I are the only ones who can open this door. It is protected with a spell to keep the curious out.”

  Finally, the door gave way. As they entered the foyer, the lanterns lining the glittering walls before them began to light, as if on cue. The musty smell was at least something that Amanda was familiar with. She’d worked in enough old basements to recognize the smell anywhere.

  The jeweled walls had been painstakingly created, beautiful stones and gems sparkling on the surface. Carvings arranged in an apparent random manner appeared as they walked along. Accompanied by a strange form of hieroglyphics that Amanda was unfamiliar with, she tried to piece together a story.

  Some of the drawings were of animals, which at first glance appeared familiar, but upon closer inspection were not recognizable at all. Many were half-animal, half-human. Folk tales from millennia past were carefully depicted in the trail of pictures. Deities worshipped by the masses seemed to be a common theme. Amanda stopped suddenly as one of the larger carvings caught her eye. She had to look twice before she realized that Helena and her brother, Fenny, were represented on the ancient wall.

  Helena came up behind her as she studied the drawing. “Not a very flattering likeness is it?”

  “Looks like time hasn’t taken away any of your beauty. Holy smokes! How old are you anyway?” Amanda turned to her, open mouthed.

  “It is not nice to ask a lady her age.” Helena winked but did not answer the question.

  Reaching a rotunda with hallways leading into it from five points, Amanda was awed by the hushed solitude of this magical place; she felt a great sense of peace and reverence. Helena walked toward the center of the room where a large cistern was sunken in the floor. She moved closer as Helena gracefully kneeled on the stone floor near the edge of the clear water.

  She waved her hands rhythmically over the basin as though she was pulling its magic into herself. Helena began to sing in a clear and melodious voice. Although Amanda did not understand the words, she could tell from her tone and posture that it was an offering of some kind. The water began to churn, changing colors as though there was a fountain below it to illuminate the water.

  “Come kneel beside me, Amanda,” Helena invited. “Look into the water and let your mind relax. I am going to show you how the curse came to be.” Helena smiled half-heartedly.

  She knelt beside Helena and bent her head toward the water in the cistern. Not quite ready to open her eyes, she said a silent prayer, hoping that whatever she saw wouldn’t change her mind about Cameron, mindless of the tears that streamed down her face.

  Her tears dropped silently into the pool, creating concentric circles in the still water. As the circles grew, Amanda saw Cameron in the reflection.

  He was a young warrior, ruggedly handsome and stronger than many of the others. He sat astride a magnificent chestnut gelding as he rode bravely into battle. He had been training for this since he was a young boy and his father had been unrelenting in his instruction. Yet, Gavin excelled over him in nearly everything and he felt his father’s disappointment keenly.

  Cam did not want to be a warrior. He hated killing. He especially hated when innocents were slaughtered because they happened to be in the way. Amanda saw him ride into a village with food and blankets for those who had nothing. He went at night, leaving the items in front of their doors because the people in the village feared him and his brother. She saw Lilah weeping at his kindness and compassion. She also saw Freya berating Lilah and Cam for their consideration. What would people say if they saw a proud warrior showing such goodwill? His chivalry and concern for those less fortunate touched Amanda.

  The scene changed again and showed Cameron with a pretty young woman, laughing and running through a meadow, carefree and innocent together. Falling into the long grass, kissing her, they shared the loss of innocence in the sunshine. He had been sweet and tender with her. A wedding was set to take place. Next, she saw him waiting at the altar alone and heard his rage echo around her as she covered her mouth in shock. It hurt her that he had not shared that tragedy with her. In the next scene, she saw him standing dejectedly over a fresh gravesite. His betrothed had succumbed to a fever and died shortly after. Amanda wept piteously for Cam’s loss.

  “Helena, please, I don’t want to see any more tonight. It is too much,” Amanda begged.

  “I am afraid you have no choice. The vision waits for no one. To understand, you must follow this journey to the end,” Helena replied, her voice full of regret.

  Amanda worked to keep her overwhelming despair out of her voice, “I just want Cameron with me and I want to go home.”

  “You must understand him if you are to free him,” Helena explained gently.

  Looking back into the pool once again, she saw another battle. Warriors clashed, violently wielding their razor-sharp swords through the smoke filled air. The dead lay motionless across the muddy field. The injured wished they were dead and begged for release. No matter how long the warriors fought and how many they killed, it seemed as though the enemy forces were multiplying.

  Cameron captured and tortured countless prisoners, working them over mentally and physically until they broke. It was through the information given him by one of these prisoners that he found out Loki was behind the mysteriously replenished squadrons of enemy warriors. He was using his magic to bring the dead back to life to fight again. Cameron’s troops of warriors were losing ground, exhausted by the constant onslaught of fresh opponents. Freya ultimately helped his warriors lure and trap Loki, rendering his magic useless. Gavin showed no mercy to the crafty sorcerer, instructing his troops to beat him daily. Cameron tried to intervene, hoping to use Loki’s powerful magic to their advantage, but Gavin would not hear of it. He told Cameron he had direct orders from their father to inflict great pain on the trickster god.

  Astrid used her powers to find the location of the prison and freed Loki using her own magic. Then Loki plotted his revenge, choosing Cam as the target because he was more sensitive and compassionate of the two brothers. He preyed on the fact that Astrid longed for everything Freya had and Loki decided to use it to pit them against each other.

  Then, Amanda saw Cam in the stable with Brita and heard Brita’s passionate plea—and Cam’s refusal. She saw the raven that she now knew to be Freya, deliver her message to Cameron. She trembled when Astrid came into the stable. Paying careful attention to Astrid’s words, Am
anda listened as the evil sorceress placed the curse on Cameron.

  The rest of the visions that played out in the pond showed bits and pieces from Cam’s life from the times when he was a small tow-headed boy, sitting at Freya’s knee. She watched the various women who had used him for his sexual prowess when he was released temporarily from the mirror. She felt his overwhelming pain and anguish, knowing how badly he had let his family down.

  He and Gavin had been close. She saw them save each other on the battlefield more than once. On one occasion, Cam had been near death when Gavin found him gasping in agony on a muddy battlefield. She watched as Gavin offered his wrist and Cam sank his teeth into his brother’s wrist to drink deeply of Gavin’s blood.

  At that, Amanda lost her balance and almost fell into the pond as she rocked back on her heels, both hands covering her mouth in shock. Her heart was pounding out of her chest and she thought she might be sick.

  “No, no, no!” She crossed her arms and wrapped her hands around her opposite shoulder, rocking back and forth and shaking her head.

  Helena held her close to her chest until she stilled. Whispering soothingly, she smoothed the hair back from Amanda’s tear stained, frightened face.

  “Please don’t tell me that Cameron is a vampire. Those weren’t really fangs that I saw, were they?” She could not believe that she was even asking the question.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. He’s not a vampire. Vampires are evil. You do know that he’s immortal, right?” Helena spoke to her gently.

  “Well, yes, but he never mentioned anything about drinking blood,” Amanda admitted, thinking that there was so much about him she still did not know.

  “Since he is only a demigod, and a half breed at that, his immortality comes from his father’s side—I think. I do not really understand all the details, but I do not think he has to drink blood regularly anymore,” Helena related what she knew matter-of-factly, while still holding Amanda’s hand to calm her.