Gods

by Ednah Walters

  “Good. You might have to do that a lot here.”

  We stepped into the empty bathroom, and Trudy paused to admire her outfit. The blue dress showed some serious skin, but she looked amazing. I wore my new dress and boots and felt like a million bucks. Like Hayden, I’d accessorized with necklaces and charm bracelets. Trudy only wore a choker with Goddess Hel’s rune.

  I peered outside, stepped back, and closed the door. “There’re more students in the hallway. Let’s go with a spell so teachers don’t see us, and only use your mind control thing if anyone stares at us, and on the attendance lady.”

  Hayden recited the camouflage spell then we entered the hallway and followed the students to the stairs. No one stared at us, which meant the spell was working. We followed the directions Eirik had given Trudy, until we reached the attendance office.

  A hawk-nosed woman eyed us from above the rim of her glasses. “Yes, may I help you?”

  “We are here for Cora Jemison,” I said. “She has a dental appointment.” The woman studied us, then wrote on a form and gave me the pink copy. She got on the school intercom system and paged Cora.

  “Nervous?” Hayden asked.

  I was. “Why should I be?”

  “You are about to meet Eirik’s first crush for the first time.”

  Me and my big mouth. I should never have told her that. From Cora’s pictures, she was gorgeous. Was I envious? No. First, they never went past flirting. Second, I had the dragon, the god, and the most awesome guy in the world rolled in one. She had the chance to be with him and blew it. Her loss was my gain. Third, and most important of all, he adored me.

  Yet I was worried, and it had everything to do with her, and being Eirik’s first crush had nothing to do with it. He had entrusted me with this and I had to deliver. The problem was it depended on Cora cooperating. I’d make sure she left with us even if I had to put a whammy on her.

  “She was Eirik’s first love?” Trudy asked.

  “Crush, not love,” Hayden corrected.

  “Do we hate her?” she asked.

  I chuckled. “No.”

  Then a gorgeous blonde entered the wide hallway, and I recognized her as Cora from her pictures. Who dressed liked that to school except girls in fictitious high schools on TV? She wore white reaped jeans and a hot pink crop top with layered necklaces, a cute little leather jacket and edgy ankle boots. Wavy blond hair cascaded down her back and bounced with each step she took. I swear the only thing missing was the slow motion shot and that ‘Oh yeah’ song from the 80s in the background. She walked like a runway model, and students turned to watch her—girls with envy and the guys… That was a no brainer. She smiled and waved at some, her smile genuine and sweet.

  “We are so hating her,” Trudy said.

  “No, we’re not. We are here to convince her to come with us, so play nice,” I warned.

  “How can you not hate her? She’s everything I hate about high school. Popular and has the hottest boyfriend, the envy of every girl, and the object of desire for every hormone-driven guy. Dresses like a model and hangs out with the cool kids.”

  We turned to look at Trudy.

  “What do you know about high school, Trudy?” Hayden asked, laughing. “You’ve never attended one.”

  “I’ve watched all your high school drama programs, smarty pants. Of course, you wouldn’t understand because you’re just like her. Makes me want to mess your hair, throw mud at your clothes, and kiss your boyfriend.”

  “Come near Zack, and I’ll gut you.”

  Trudy laughed. “We’ll see.”

  “Trudy, behave.” On gorgeousness scale, Cora and Hayden were on the same level. “She’s noticed us, girls. Smile.”

  Cora slowed down, her eyes sweeping our faces. We were blocking the window to the attendance office, so she must have guessed we were the reason the attendance office had paged her.

  I gave her a tiny wave. “Hi, Cora.”

  Panic flashed in her eyes. “Norns. What do you want?”

  “Okay, now I’m with Trudy,” Hayden said. “Hating starts now because no one confuses me for an ugly, bitter hag.”

  I ignored Hayden. “My name is Celestia Deveraux, a friend of Eirik’s. He sent us to come get you.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” Her hand reached inside her jacket, and I saw the glow of an artavus.

  “If you are going to create a portal, don’t bother. We just left Eljudnir and Echo was still there,” Trudy said. “We are not Norns.”

  “Prove it,” Cora retorted.

  “Can I just rune her?” Hayden asked.

  “No runing her.” Cora looked ready to use her artavus as a weapon. The students walking past still ignored us, which meant Cora was inside the sphere the spell covered. “You, Eirik, and Raine have been friends since elementary school when your parents, who used to homeschool you, decided to enroll you in a public school.”

  Cora gave a derisive laugh. “Norns would know that.”

  “Eirik had a crush on you, but while he was in Asgard, you met and fell in love with Echo, a Druid Grimnir.”

  Regret and sadness flashed in her gray eyes and her cheeks grew pink. “Yeah, well, uh Norns would know that, too.” From her expression, she hadn’t meant to hurt Eirik, and it still bothered her. Whatever issues I might have had with her disappeared.

  “Okay. This is the deal, and we are running late. Raine is getting married, and she wants you there, except she can’t ask you or even mention it because the Norns are watching her like a hawk and might eavesdrop on her thoughts. If they find out she’s about to be bonded to Torin, they’ll stop the ceremony. Eirik sent us to get you. You can either believe me or—”

  “I do.” Cora said and gripped my hand, her eyes growing teary. “She’s been behaving strangely the last two days. She’s getting married. I must go to her. I need to change and—”

  “No, you can’t just go to her and there’s no time to change,” I said.

  Her eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

  “Because the Norns have left you alone since you started dating Echo. If they learn that you knew about the wedding and got involved, they might target you. If that happens, Echo would go ballistic,” I said. “I’ve dealt with that man of yours, and he’s crazy when it comes to you.”

  Cora blinked. “You really know Echo?”

  “Oh yes, we do,” Trudy butted in. “Since I was a baby. I’m from Eljudnir, Goddess Hel’s hall. I know most of the Grimnirs. And if Echo takes it out on Celestia, Eirik will go ballistic. When it comes to her”—she jerked her thumb in my direction—“he doesn’t play nice or fair. He will lock your man up in Corpse Strand or burn him to a crisp.”

  Cora stared at Trudy, clearly not understanding, and it wasn’t because of her accent. Grimnirs were not supposed to discuss anything that happened in Hel and Echo, obviously, hadn’t told Cora about Eirik’s dragon.

  “Listen, Eirik wants you there because he knows you need to be there for Raine.”

  Cora nodded. “I do. But won’t she see me once we get there?”

  “Not if you wear this.” I pulled out the cloak from my bag. The gray material shimmered and shifted as though alive, the runes appearing and disappearing. “It is an invisibility cloak from Eirik’s mother. No one can see you when you wear it. Not Immortals, Grimnirs, Valkyries, or even the gods. Heck, I might not even see you, yet it’s mine.”

  Cora touched the cloak and frowned.

  “We don’t have much time. We are using the upstairs bathroom. Eirik said you guys use it often to move between home and school.”

  Cora nodded, but she didn’t complain anymore. We started for the stairs.

  “So how do you know Eirik?” she asked.

  “We are friends,” I said and Hayden and Trudy laughed. “Shut up, guys.” I gave them a menacing look but they just chuckled. “Hayden is my best friend even though she’s an Immortal and I’m a Witch. Our relationship is like yours and Raine’s. We’ve known each other fo
r a long time and have been through a lot together. Trudy is new to our group but is just as important a friend.”

  “She really lives in Goddess Hel’s Hall with the Grimnirs?”

  “I do. This is my second, no, third time in Midgard. Celestia visits all the time.”

  Cora’s eyes widened. “I love your accent.”

  “Thank you,” Trudy said.

  “What is it like in Hel?” Cora asked, looking at me.

  I didn’t want to talk about the other realm, but Trudy was being Chatty Cathy. “Cold. Beautiful. Magical. Echo should bring you to visit.”

  From the way Cora cringed, Hel was not on her bucket list. “Once we get to the chapel, we can’t let Raine or Torin see you,” I said. “In fact, no one can know you were there. Eirik insisted.”

  Cora smiled. “He’s something else, isn’t he? Most guys wouldn’t even think of doing something like this.”

  “He’s very intuitive about those he cares about, and he cares about you and Raine.” We continued upstairs. Students continued to skirt around us without slowing down. They were also no longer staring at Cora. There was just one thing I had to know.

  “Do you think the two of you would have ended up together if Echo hadn’t come along?”

  Cora’s cheeks grew pink again. “I don’t think so. We had a very interesting friendship. He hated it when I flirted with other guys, yet when he had a chance to date me, he didn’t take it. I mean, it wasn’t with me, really. Maliina was mimicking me at the time but still… When Raine told me, I knew his interest in me had waned. The three of us hung out together a lot, but he always paid Raine more attention, and I hated that. When someone is really into you, you become their first priority.”

  “Priority,” I said at the same time and we exchanged a grin.

  We arrived at the bathroom on the third floor, and I realized how quiet the other two had become. I glanced over my shoulder and searched their faces.

  “You two alright?”

  “Yeah,” they said in unison, which meant they weren’t. The magnitude of what we were doing was finally hitting them. We were attempting to fool the Norns.

  Inside the bathroom, I waved a hand and stall doors flew open, confirming they were empty. I locked the door and handed Cora the cloak. Hayden and Trudy’s sober expressions were beginning to worry me.

  “Can I see Raine?” Cora asked.

  I looked at my watch. It was ten to noon. “I have no idea where she is. Trudy is the one who went with Eirik and knows the place. We just skipped a class back at home to help him get you there.”

  “I saw the chapel and the foyer. That’s it. She’s supposed to walk downstairs.”

  “Then can we go to the foyer? I want to see her.” Cora smiled, yet her eyes welled with tears.

  “What is it?” I asked

  “I can’t believe Raine’s getting married. Thank you for getting me. And sorry you had to skip a class to help.”

  Trudy and Hayden winced, and I finally understood why they looked so solemn. They knew what was going to happen after the wedding. What they’d have to do. I wondered if they were nervous or scared they’d screw up.

  “Don’t thank us,” I said. “Thank Eirik.” I adjusted the cloak around her, but left the hood down. She went invisible the second I covered her head up. “Yikes. Even I can’t see you when you have the hood up. That means I can’t hear you. Keep it down and cover up once we get there. Okay. Your turn again, Trudy.”

  She opened a portal and we stepped through it into a foyer with a carving ivory and ebony staircase. The soaring columns with gold accents and decorations at the top reminded me of the ones in Eljudnir.

  “Where is this place?” Cora asked.

  “Torin’s castle in England,” Trudy said. “Can we go sit in the chapel? Eirik reserved for us front seats.”

  “You two go ahead,” I whispered. “We’ll find you.”

  They left us hiding behind an alcove by a suit of armor. To our left was a column that also partially hid us from the staircase.

  “I had no idea Torin had a castle. Raine never mentioned…” Cora’s voice trailed off, her eyes going to an emaciated man at the base of the stairs. He must have been handsome once. “Mr. Cooper’s not going to make it,” she whispered. “I can feel his soul struggling to stay in his body.”

  I wondered if I’d stabilize him with my healing abilities. Even thinking about it left me jittery. Eirik appeared in a door to the right of the foyer and Cora’s attention shifted. Even though we were hiding, he found us, lifted his camera and took pictures. Cora was still staring at Mr. Cooper and didn’t even notice him.

  Then Eirik’s attention shifted to an exotic-looking woman with black, straight hair and green eyes, walking down the stairs. The second she reached the bottom she went to Mr. Cooper and started fussing over him. She must be Raine’s mother. I didn’t think she saw Eirik either.

  “Here she comes,” Cora whispered. “Omg, she looks amazing. Her hair is perfect, and her makeup flawless. I would not have done anything differently.”

  I agreed with Cora. Raine dazzled. As she drew closer to her Dad, he said, “Pumpkin.”

  “I told you your wish would come true,” she whispered back.

  “What wish was that?” Eirik asked and raised his camera to take more pictures.

  “To walk her down the aisle and give her to Torin,” Cora said, as though she and Raine had discussed it. She looked at me. “Mr. Cooper is not going to make it. His body is frail and he’s growing weak fast.”

  “Uh, there’s really nothing we can do.” There was, but I’d have to borrow the cloak to help the man and leave Cora exposed. She still had her hood down. “Put your hood up.”

  “I don’t care what the Norns do to me. I know someone who can help Mr. Cooper. If you let me use him.”

  “Who?”

  “Dev. He’s a soul I’m trying to help. An old friend of Echo’s.”

  “The one he and Rhys fought over?”

  Cora shook her head. “I don’t know anything about a fight, but I’m not surprised they fought about him. There’s a history there that goes way back and too much pain between them. Dev is in my phone right now. He could enter Mr. Cooper and trap his soul until the ceremony.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous?”

  “No. That’s how he helps people. Please, let me use him. You said having me here is important to Raine. Well, having her father walk her down the aisle is even more important to her. If I don’t let Dev out, Mr. Cooper’s soul might leave his body. Just imagine what it would do to Raine to have her father die at her wedding.”

  I couldn’t think up a counter argument to that. And the fact that Cora was asking my permission meant a lot. She could have easily ignored me and went to ask Eirik.

  “Okay. Do it.”

  Cora pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. “Come out, Dev.”

  Nothing happened.

  “Dev, get your butt out my phone and help Mr. Cooper or I swear, I’m not going to lift a finger to help you.” Black runes appeared on her face and arms, but they didn’t glow. I stared at her in shock. The only other person I’d seen with black runes was the goddess. The runes disappeared.

  “Sheesh, doll face,” a voice said from her phone. “Why do you have to blind me with those runes? I was planning to play nice. Give a soul some time to gather himself, will you?”

  The soul had a sexy Irish accent, but I smothered a scream when a black, shapeless thing floated from Cora’s cellphone.

  “Don’t let anyone see you,” Cora warned him, and his head bobbed. One second he was hiding with us, the next, he’d disappeared. Across the room, Mr. Cooper suddenly straightened his shoulder and color returned to his cheeks.

  “Go join them,” I urged Cora.

  “No.” She pulled her hood up and disappeared.

  “I’m going to grab one camera from Eirik and snap a few pictures. All you have to do is move the hood for a fraction of a second and you’ll be vi
sible. I can take a few pictures.”

  She didn’t respond. Sighing, I left my hiding place and went to Eirik. “Give me one of the cameras and join them.”

  “Nah,” he said. “This is their moment.”

  “I insist. This may be Raine’s moment, but you are part of it. A very big part, so go. You’ve taught me how to use this, so I can take a few of you with them. Cora is there too.” I hoped she was there. “I told her to drop the hood for a second. The others won’t notice.”

  “You come up with the craziest ideas. No wonder I’m crazy about you,” he whispered; then put one camera in my hands, cupped my chin and planted a kiss on my lips. It was too brief and left me wanting more, but I could wait.

  “More pictures?” Eirik called out as he joined the Coopers.

  “Just a second, Eirik,” Svana said. She was busy dabbing Raine’s cheek with a handkerchief while scolding her about crying, yet her voice shook too. She stopped fussing over Raine, and for one brief moment, their poses were perfect—Raine between her parents, and Eirik beside Raine’s mother. Cora lowered her hood. She was by Mr. Cooper. Grinning, I pressed the button, taking multiple shots. The moment passed and Eirik came back to my side.

  “Did you get any?”

  “Yes.” I gave him back his camera. “I’ll join the others.” I had no idea where Cora was. She could be walking beside Raine for all I knew.

  I went to the chapel to join Hayden and Trudy. I saw so many familiar faces. Daiku, Ranger, Kainani, and Bree, Witches from my Guild, including Doctor B. The other Witches were not familiar, but they’d come because Eirik has asked them to. No one would ever again doubt the power of the Witches Guild and the influence he had with them.

  The second I sat, Trudy leaned closer and whispered, “I think I just found my future husband.” She was staring at the two men under the arch decorated with lace and flowers. I recognized them from the pictures Eirik had shown me.

  Torin was the groom, so she meant, “Andris?”

  “If he’s the one with silver hair,” Hayden said. “She’s been staring at him since we sat. When he finally noticed, she winked at him. Shameless.”