Gods

by Ednah Walters

  Annoyed with myself, I stomped to the kitchen for breakfast. Dad was drinking coffee and reading the paper. He looked up and chuckled.

  “Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?”

  “Something like that.”

  “What time did Eirik leave last night?”

  I stared at him. “I, uh, ten. Rhys came for him. Something about his sister.”

  “Uh-huh. And what is this new gift you have? You two are quite loud when you argue. What’s your new gift? Should I be worried?”

  Oh yes, you should. “No. I can heal things.”

  He choked on his coffee and put the mug down. “Heal?”

  “Like the crow that hit my windscreen. It had a broken wing”—and neck—“and I healed it.” I didn’t think he was ready for bringing things back to life yet.

  Dad scrubbed his face. “Is that why it was on the porch causing that racket?”

  “Yes, until I told it to go home.”

  “You talk bird now?”

  I laughed and he joined me. “No, but it seems that when I healed it, I gave it some of my life force.” He frowned, and I knew I was losing him. “It became attached to me.” He groaned. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to go all over town healing animals and turning our home into a zoo.” He wore a dubious expression. “Okay, I’ll try not to.”

  “That’s good enough for me.” He pressed a kiss on my temple. “A healer, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  “Your grandmother often said you had a bright future ahead of you. She got that right.” He headed toward his bedroom, shaking his head. At least, he didn’t know the rest, which I was still trying to wrap my head around.

  I got milk from the fridge and added it to the cereal, but I couldn’t eat. It wasn’t every day you learned you had the ability to bring the dead back to life. I changed and headed out the door. Daiku and Ranger were waiting with my soy chai. Was this my norm now? I thanked them.

  “Is everything okay in the hall?”

  They nodded. “We didn’t see him, but the instructions were the same,” Ranger added. “Escort you to school and hang around.”

  “What’s up with them?” Daiku asked, pointing at the other side of my car.

  I walked around and smothered a groan. Crows had invaded my home and were feeding on worms on our lawn. Seriously? Of all the lawns in our neighborhood?

  “Ignore them.” As though to thwart me, one of them flew down and landed on the roof of my car just as I opened the door. The crow’s loyalty could get annoying real fast. It moved closer, bobbing its head. “Listen, Merle. Yes, you have a name now. Since I don’t know whether you are male or female, I went with Merle. I’m happy I helped you, Merle, but you can’t keep doing this. Worse, you brought your family. Go and continue being a bird. I have school, okay?”

  It stopped by my hand, reached down, and rubbed its head against my fingers. When it lifted its head, I noticed that only one of its eyes was yellow. The other one was dark brown. I stroked the feathers on its head. Daiku murmured something.

  “What?”

  “Yatagarasu,” he said.

  I had no idea what he meant, but I saw the time. I had to go. “Go, Merle. Be a good birdie and stop stalking me.” The crow flew off and joined the others. When I turned around, Daiku was staring at me as though I’d sprouted two heads.

  “Don’t ask. A very boring story.” I entered the car and Ranger got in the back. Daiku surprised me by sitting beside me.

  “Anything involving crows is never boring,” he said. “Crows are divine. Let me tell you a story about Yatagarasu, the divine crow that guided Emperor Jimmu, the first ruler of Japan, and his army through treacherous regions and battling chieftains, until he won and created an empire.”

  Ranger groaned. “Not another one of your long stories, rōnin.”

  “Ranger, I want to hear this,” I scolded him.

  For the short drive to school, Daiku regaled us with tales of the sacred crow sent by the gods to help humanity. “Kamo people, my clan, are reincarnations of Yatagarasu. Before I became an Immortal, I was a high priest in the shrine of the gods in Kumano Temple and Shrines.”

  I parked in front of the school and turned to face him. “So what are you saying? Merle is Yatagarasu?”

  “No, but you need to respect crows. And if one likes you, treat him with respect. Like he was your familiar.”

  “Yes, sir.” I wasn’t going to explain the healing thing to him. And my familiar was a dragon, which I already had. “And FYI, Merle is a girl.”

  He frowned. “Why?”

  “Because I have enough testosterone around me.”

  They left, but I didn’t wait long before a portal opened and Hayden slid in the backseat. This time, I didn’t see her mother. If what Eirik said was true, she and I were connected now. Weird.

  “Where’s my chai?” Hayden asked, eyeing my cup.

  “Ask Zack to get you one. This is from Eirik.”

  “Where’s he?”

  Yes, where was he? Had he resolved the problem with his sister? Now I was starting to think of Anne Marie as his sister.

  “At home. You know what? I’m starting to wonder if maybe we are wrong about Einmyria,” I added once we left the car. “What if she’s really Eirik’s sister? The goddess is trying to bond with her and Eirik is being her big brother. Baldur and she are already tight. Maybe she’s what their family needs to be complete.”

  “Wow. What happened between Sunday and today to make you change your mind?”

  “Just things Eirik shared with me.” And I had my new powers to worry about. There had to be someone I could talk to about these powers. “What are we doing Friday after school?”

  “The party Ethan and Phil are throwing, why?”

  “I was thinking we could drive to New Orleans to talk to Doctor B, but no, bad idea.” He was still mourning his daughter and it wouldn’t be fair to bother him. “Never mind.”

  “I want to hear about Einmyria.”

  “And I’ll tell you when I hear something.” We entered the foyer, and the energy in the room was depressingly negative. Students stood whispering in groups. I followed their gazes to Giselle, who looked like she’d forgotten to brush her hair. Her eyes were red as though she’d been crying. Phil and Ethan converged on us.

  “What’s wrong with Giselle?” I asked.

  “You tell them. I gotta go.” Ethan took off toward the entrance.

  “He’s got it bad for Luci,” Phil said, smirking.

  I took Phil’s arm and tugged. “What’s going on?”

  “Another attack by Immortals. It’s like they hate us or something,” he said.

  Hayden and I exchanged glances, but I was getting impatient with Phil. He was still staring at Ethan, who was walking Luci to the building. I grabbed his chin and brought his face forward.

  “Okay, short stack. No need to get physical.” He looked around. “Okay, what do you want to know?”

  “The attack,” Hayden snapped, getting impatient.

  “Mrs. Mouton was attacked yesterday afternoon. There was no forced entry and her security system didn’t show anyone entering or leaving her home. Their housekeeper insisted they didn’t have visitors either, but we all know who can move in and out of homes undetected. They broke her ribs, collapsed one lung, and left a nasty bruise on her face.”

  “Has she regained consciousness?” I asked.

  “Did she identify her attacker?” Hayden asked at the same time.

  “She’s regained consciousness, but she didn’t see her attacker. Again, they moved fast.” Phil looked around and lowered his voice. “Baldurson will find those responsible and take care of them, right?”

  Yeah, Eirik was the person Witches turned to when something supernatural happened in their lives. What about his life? He was having a mini-crisis with his sister and he had no one to depend on. His parents, of course, expected him to fix whatever was wrong with Einmyria. If I didn’t see him by the end of the day, I’d check
on him.

  CHAPTER 14. SNAKES AND ONE SICK JÖTUN

  EIRIK

  “Come on,” I snarled. “Show me what you got.”

  Two of the warriors rushed me from either side. I anchored my feet to the ground, leapt in the air while turning, and whipped my legs out in a flying kick. I caught them both on their necks. The crunch of breaking bones filled the air, then they dropped on the snow-covered ground. More converged on me, but I was ready.

  I tapped on the rage and frustration chewing my insides and roared. Flames shot from my mouth and engulfed the unprepared. That was a new a move, but the smart ones dropped and rolled on the snow. I jumped over them and plowed into the second group, catching one with a right hook and crushing her ribs. Wrenching the ax from her hand, I swung it and caught another warrior on the hip.

  Something heavy landed on my back, followed by a yowl. Only an idiot would try to punch me. The dragon scales were impenetrable. I caught him by his neck, lifted him up until his feet cleared the ground. Using speed and strength runes, I slammed the heel of my hand on his back, snapping his spine. I dropped him. It might take a couple of hours, but he would heal. I raised my hand, and Gunnlögi flew straight into my hand.

  “Focus, people,” I yelled. No one moved. Some of the warriors stepped back while others wouldn’t meet my eyes

  “We’ve been at this for hours, Baldurson,” one of the trainers said. “The warriors need a break.”

  “You have an hour,” I barked. “Or get me a fresh group.” I stored the mace and lumbered toward the building.

  Nothing was going to diminish the rage pulsing through me. I’d thought a flight would help, but it hadn’t. Fighting the warriors wasn’t helping. I wasn’t sure who I was more pissed with, Einmyria for lying or Mother for refusing to get inside her head and identify the attacker. The guards hadn’t seen anyone enter my parents’ quarters, except me.

  Trudy was in the hallway, but her expression said she didn’t have good news. “She’s still out.” She followed me. “Can I get inside her head and see her attacker?”

  Part of me wanted her to do it, but I had to respect Mom’s position. “No.”

  “I think she inflicted the wounds on herself, Eirik.”

  The thought had occurred to me, but I refused to believe my sister would do something like that and blame me. That would be sick. My stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. After my ride, I’d gone straight to the training field.

  “Let it go, Trudy.” I headed to Grimnirs Hall. Maera saw me enter and brought me a tray, then sat across from me. The chair adjusted so she could rest her arms on top of the table.

  “How are you doing, Rising Star?”

  “Hungry.” I attacked the food. I didn’t feel like talking, but she stayed and yapped about food. I tuned her out. Tried to, anyway. She left and returned with more food, and continued to linger and talk. I was close to telling her to shut up when she said something so profound I stopped eating and stared at her.

  “What did you say?”

  She looked around then leaned forward and whispered, “Talk to the source and ask her what she did to that poor girl?”

  I wiped my lips on a cloth, leaned forward to grab her face, and planted a kiss on her forehead. “You are brilliant!”

  “I know. Shower first.”

  I laughed. I didn’t wait until I got to the hall before creating a portal. I showered, changed into a flight suit, and raced toward the front entrance. I heard someone call out my name, and I looked back to see Mother. I waved, but didn’t stop. If she knew I planned to visit my grandmother, she’d go ballistic.

  I shifted, the suit, boots, and tabard adjusting, and took off. Instead of heading to Corpse Strand, I flew over the Gjöll, but the boat was not at the docks by the bridge. I headed north, following the river. I shot up, until I broke through the clouds. I knew exactly where the entrance to the underground hall was nestled. For a few minutes, I soared above the tall heads of snow-capped mountains peaking above the clouds. I was deliberately procrastinating, rearranging my thoughts. I never intended to visit Crazy Granny again, but this was important.

  I looped and dove to the valley, where the river meandered past the north-facing entrance to Corpse Strand. The boat was moored right where the river formed a narrow U and left a thin stretch of land, but the giant wasn’t on it, which meant he’d just escorted souls of the damned inside.

  I hated that I had to visit my grandmother to get answers. She was never supposed to see me again. I shifted as I landed. Snakes broke the surface of the river on either side of me, and I understood why they’d chosen that position for the dock. Souls had nowhere to go but the entrance. Any attempt to escape led to the poisoned water and the snakes.

  The path was narrow and sloped toward the banks, the ice compacted and slippery. The souls must walk in single file to and from the boat, or they could slip and land in the river. Oskrud was also responsible for transporting the warriors to and from the hall’s training grounds, so he might have just brought back the last ones I’d fought.

  The door was closed. I raised my hand to knock and paused. Either powerful magic was at play or a giant snake covered the entrance. The scales shimmered and the surface rippled. I took a step back and just let out a roar. The door slid sideways and an opening appeared. The smell of putrid flesh hit me so hard I gagged. I shut off my dragon senses and tried not to breath too deeply as I stepped forward.

  I was right about the live snake. The door was made of a transparent material, but it was part of a snake’s cage that wound around the front hall. The bottom part of the cage was a curved zigzag. When it moved, it either opened or covered the entrance. I looked around with both interest and revulsion.

  What I’d seen was merely a part of a giant snake’s body, because it surrounded the hall. Parts of its body coiled on the transparent ceiling, completely covering it, and I couldn’t see its head. Moans came from somewhere ahead, along with a constant sound of something dragging, which was probably the sound of the snakes rubbing against the surface.

  “Baldurson,” a voice boomed to my left, and I peered into the shadows at a Jötun. “What are you doing here?” It wasn’t Oskrud. His one eye would have been hard to miss.

  “I’m here to see Angrboda.”

  Another giant materialized beside him just as the door slid shut, throwing the room in darkness, except for the torch in the middle of the room. It flickered on the faces of the two guards, making it hard to read their expressions.

  They were dressed in black from head to toe, complete with fingerless gloves, and carried giant scythes that looked even more menacing in the dark. The only visible parts of their bodies were their faces, which were scarred. And their skin was pasty. I was sure those scars came from the snakes. According to my father, the snakes of Corpse Strand had burning venom.

  “Where’s Oskrud?”

  “He’s escorting the souls back to their holes,” Mr. Booming voice said. As though on cue, blood-curdling screams floated upwards.

  Okay, time to do this and get it over with.

  “Lead me to Angrboda.” They looked at each other, unease on their faces.

  “The goddess gave orders that no one was to see Angrboda without her consent.”

  Sounded like something Mother would say. I engaged my dragon senses and tried to sniff Granny out, but the scent of the snakes and putrid flesh was overwhelming. I listened to heartbeats instead. The giants were scared, the souls below terrified, but there were four calm heartbeats I couldn’t identify. Three came from below and one from my left. I wasn’t sure which one was Crazy Granny’s.

  “I’m sure my mother didn’t include me, so let’s go.” I walked to where the burning torch was mounted. Several unlit ones were beside it. I lit one and lifted it up to see if there was a hallway toward the general area of the isolated heartbeat. There was nothing but a wall of smaller snakes. I glanced at the two Jötnar and cocked an eyebrow.

  “Well?”

/>   “We cannot disobey the goddess.”

  “I respect that. I’ll shift and find her on my own.” I blew fire toward the ceiling, and the snake writhed as though seeking its warmth. “The ceiling is high enough to accommodate my size.”

  “No,” the two guards spoke at the same time, the horror in their voices and on their faces comical. I guess a fire-breathing dragon was the last thing they wanted in a den full of snakes.

  “This way,” Booming Voice said and signaled his partner, who lit him a torch. He led the way, heading deeper into the interior of the dark hall, while the second guard stayed behind me. I didn’t like that. If he decided he feared my mother’s wrath more than my dragon’s, he might knock me out. I stopped and insisted he walk ahead.

  Voices reached us from below, mixing with the moans and the screams, before I saw the stairs heading down. I recognized Oskrud’s voice. Trudy’s father wasn’t a talker, but he had a distinct raspy voice.

  “How many guards work here?”

  “Sixteen,” Booming Voice’s partner said. “Four per shift.”

  “Where are the other two?”

  “With Oskrud below.”

  That explained three of the four heartbeats I’d heard. Part of me wanted to see where the damned were kept, but the other didn’t want to know. Certain images stayed with you forever. My guards turned left instead of taking the stairs, and I sighed with relief.

  The hallway was narrower and the walls were no longer hollow cages filled with snakes. Someone had taken care to use what nature had provided and tunneled through a striated red rock. We turned a corner and the first guard stopped to hook the torch on a crevice in the wall. Ahead, yellow crystals lit the rest of the way.

  I left my torch behind too and we entered the brighter hallway. The guards stopped. It was obvious they were reluctant to go any farther. There was only one cell and a giant stone bed dominated it. Her cell was actually better than the dungeon at the hall. She had crystal lights, a decent mattress, and bedding.

  At first, I didn’t see her, except the thin chain imbedded in the rock. The other end was by the bed. I stood near the clear surface and tried to see through her cloaking, then the chain moved and she appeared right in front of me, hands splayed on the glass wall, white hair sticking out, and eyes glowing.