by Sumida, Amy
They cawed and lifted themselves up in the air to circle me.
“Now don't be like that,” I started to say but then I realized why they'd flown. The wolves had arrived. “Geri, Freki,” I knelt and they surrounded me, mewling and whimpering their sorrow. “I know, I hurt too.”
I shifted into a seated position and they piled on me, looking at me like I was the only one who could help them. It was hard to see, as the sadness of animals always is. At least these were magical creatures who could understand most of what I said to them. They weren't completely confused over what had happened to Odin.
Then I had a strange thought. If love magic could work on healing my heart, could it work for them? I asked it to come forth and heal the hearts of Odin's beloved pets and it rose without pause and shot from me like it was excited to be trying something new.
It went into the wolves first and I saw them twitch, their pelts shiver, and then they seemed to relax, letting out a long huff and laying their heads in my lap. I stroked their fur and felt Love inside them, pulsing with joy. It had worked even better than I'd hoped. Animals were more receptive to giving up sadness than humans were, their hearts were much more open and Love wanted more of that. It leapt from the wolves and surged over to the ravens.
Hugin and Munin both fluttered in surprise, cawing once before settling down to the ground. They hopped over to us, at peace with the presence of Geri and Freki for the very first time. They flew up onto the backs of the wolves and we all sat together in a sweet calm. The butterflies flew back into me, letting me know that all four of the animals had taken the healing well and were now at peace. I sighed and thanked it, feeling like it was somehow momentous, at the very least it was wonderful.
“He saved my life,” I said softly as I stroked their fur and feathers. “Demeter tried to kill me and Odin stepped between us. He saved me. Again. And I'm going to try my best to save him too. I found some information that might help but I can't promise anything yet, only that I'll try my best.”
“Mom, what are you talking about?” I'd forgotten all about Vidar, standing right behind me.
“I've been doing some research,” I sighed. “I've found some reference to a place where the souls went before there were gods and I'm going to keep searching. Maybe I can bring him back, maybe I can't. Maybe all I can do is find out that he's okay, that he's somewhere I could possibly go someday. Either way, I need to know, Vidar.”
“I want to know too,” he sat beside me and reached a hand out to Freki, who pulled away and looked at him suspiciously.
“Hey now,” I chided and Freki looked up at me with big wolf eyes. “You know Vidar.”
Freki just glanced at Vidar and then went back to staring at me.
“I told you,” Vidar shrugged. “It was always just the two of you who could reach them. “I'll start checking Dad's books, maybe he has some information too.”
“Okay,” I nodded. “I don't want to tell anyone else though. Well maybe Vali if you want but I don't want to be hampered by people's views and negativity, you know?”
“Why do you think I'm so quiet?” He grinned.
“Because the better part of valor is shuttin' the hell up?” I laughed.
“That was pretty funny,” he looked off toward the forest. “He went out there last night, after we got back from the party. I'll tell him when he comes back in. Then he can help too. We all miss Dad, all of Asgard is feeling his lack.”
“How are things going for you?” I continued to stroke the wolves and as I did, the ravens flew back to perch on my shoulders again. “Are you handling the responsibilities alright?”
“I'm good,” he nodded. “I like having something to do, things to focus on. It helps me forget for awhile.”
“Yeah, I know.” Then Munin let out a caw. “I guess you don't like the sound of forgetting, huh?” I looked up at the bird and he focused one black eye on me.
The name Munin meant memory and that was what flashed into my head when the bird fastened his eye on me but the memory wasn't mine, it was Odin's. He was standing before a huge man, Mimir- I pulled the name from the memory, and Mimir was handing him a book. The book was bound in midnight blue leather and had a silver star on its cover. I frowned as I realized it was the same symbol formed from my triple aspects; the nine-pointed star. Then the memory faded away.
“Do you know of a book that has a blue leather binding with a silver nine-pointed star on its cover?” I asked Vidar.
“No,” he frowned. “Is it one of Dad's?”
“Yes, I think so,” I looked at Munin and he nodded, a jerky bird nod. “Munin thinks it's important. I think it's the book Mimir gave Odin when he traded his eye for the knowledge to bring me from the well.”
“Oh,” Vidar's face went slack. “That book.”
“Do you know where it is?”
“Not exactly,” he shrugged, “but it must be in the library. I'll look for it and bring it over to Pride Palace when I find it.”
“Okay,” I rubbed at my chest distractedly, “that would be great.”
What did the symbol mean? I knew the number nine was about completion and I'd assumed that was what the star represented but what if there was more to it? What if the symbol had a deeper meaning, one associated with life and death? It looked like I was going to have to add one more item to my research.
“Vidar,” I took his hand, realizing that I'd healed the animals before I'd helped my own son. “You know how much I love you, right?”
I sent the Love into him, it seemed to have been just hovering in my chest, waiting to be called again. His hand twitched in mine and then his eyes widened. I felt the huge ball of pain inside his heart and knew the exact moment that the butterflies flew into it and tore it apart. It burst inside him and he shuddered, took a deep breath, and looked up at me with new eyes, eyes finally free of pain.
“I didn't know you could do anything like that,” he said softly.
“I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner,” I shrugged. “I'll come visit Vali and help him too, let him know, okay?”
“Okay,” his shoulders were straighter and he actually gave me a genuine smile. “Thanks, Mom. It really helped. I think I can function better now. I'm not drowning under the weight of it all.”
“Good,” I gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I'm glad.” Then I looked down at the animals. “Do you guys want to come home with me for a little while? You can run through the grasslands and hunt with the Intare.”
The wolves sat up and yipped happily and the ravens just settled more securely onto my shoulders.
“I think that's a yes,” Vidar grinned and helped me up. “I'll start looking for that book, you go ahead and take these guys to Pride Palace with you. You'll need their carriers.”
“Carriers?”
“Whenever Odin took them through the Aether, he'd put them in these leather carriers so they wouldn't be lost,” Vidar gestured to the Hall. “I know where they are, I'll only be a minute.”
I followed him into the dining hall and then waited there while he went up the stairs on the left. When he came back down, he was carrying three leather boxes. Two were large with thick handles and one was much smaller with a long strap. He put the large ones on the floor and opened a door in the front of each. Geri and Freki trotted in and settled down without prompting. Then he opened the final carrier and I saw a rod running through it. The ravens flew in and settled on the perch. He closed it and secured the lock.
“You have to carry the birds around your neck,” he put the strap over my head so that the birds hung in front of me like a camera. “The wolves can be carried as they are.”
“Can they?” I looked over the huge leather boxes as Vidar secured the latches on the doors.
“Mom, you're a dragon remember? I think you can handle carrying a couple of wolves.”
“Those are really big wolves,” I laughed. “Okay, okay, I get your point.”
I took Freki and Vidar carried Geri to the tracing room for m
e. Once there, we said our goodbyes and I took Geri from him. Then we were tracing the Aether, me and my dead husband's wild animals. I just hoped they got along with Nick.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
The wolves and ravens settled in nicely. They were wild animals and preferred to live outside rather than in the palace. So there wasn't any issue with Nick, my gray tabby. They never even saw each other, though Nick did spend a lot of time sniffing the hallways after they'd arrived.
The wolves enjoyed hunting with the Intare and would often help bring down game to get a portion of the kill for payment. At night they usually slept on the veranda or out near the lake. My lions loved them and surprisingly, the wolves seemed pretty comfortable with the Intare as well. Maybe they recognized that the Intare were magical animals too.
The ravens flew over my territory everyday and every night they'd come back to make their reports. They'd sit on my shoulder and lean their heads to mine so they could transfer images of what they'd seen to me. I remembered Odin sitting with them every night in a similar fashion and now I knew why. They were his little spies.
I really didn't need to spy on my own men. My territory wasn't like Asgard which was shared by all of the Norse Pantheon. I was alone with my lions and didn't have to worry about a bunch of gods turning traitor on me. But the ravens seemed to need the structure and I let them do what they needed to do to feel normal.
The real news however, came via the Internet one evening. There was a fire raging in Yosemite and I watched in open-mouthed horror as I realized it was in the area we'd found the fey. Had it been me? Had I set that fire when I lit the burrow the fey had been hiding in?
“It wasn't you,” Trevor laid a hand on my shoulder. “I was there, I saw how controlled your flame was and nothing caught.”
“What if I ignited an ember that merely smoldered until it burst into flames?” I stood up, knowing I was on the verge of hysterics.
The news said that the fire was threatening the giant sequoias. That the sequoias normally had an immunity for fire, they had thick bark with a chemical in them that helped protect them from fire but this fire was called a crown fire, it had risen to the tree tops and was spreading from above.
“It wasn't you,” Trevor got up and took my hands.
“I'm going,” I turned and started for the tracing wall.
“What do you mean you're going?” He chased after me, Kirill padding along behind us silently.
“I can control fire,” I shot a duh glance back at them. “Even if I didn't start it, I'm going to help finish it. Those trees are a National Treasure and there are animals there who are in danger too. I'm going.”
“Fine,” Trevor threw up his hands. “Then we'll all go. Should I pack a picnic? We can roast marshmallows.”
“Hell no,” I turned and put my finger in his face. “I'm immune to fire, you guys are not. You're going to stay here.”
“Fuck no,” Trevor growled. “I'm going along or you're not going at all.”
“Trevor, I'm going to kick your furry ass.”
“You can fucking try it!”
“Enough,” Kirill stepped between us. “Ve vill go vith you and if fire comes too close, ve trace home. Okay?”
“Okay,” I deflated and turned to the wall. “Let's go then, we're wasting time as Yosemite burns.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
We traced into the place we'd found the fey and amazingly enough, it was unburned. The fire raged just off to our right though and I knew it was too close to be a coincidence.
“See,” Trevor waved his hand toward the blaze. “It wasn't you, now do what you've got to do and let's go.”
“Aren't you even the least bit suspicious?” I pointed at the raging fire. “That's awfully close to the fey's tree. This was a message, I can feel it.”
“Vat message?” Kirill frowned at the creepy hole which still had bones hanging in it, waiting for something to hit them and make them go clickity clack.
“I don't know,” I looked around, seeing if there was maybe an actual note just pinned to the tree or something.
I got down in front of the fey's burrow and did something I've been afraid of doing ever since watching Flash Gordon as a child, I put my hand in a dark hole. I felt around but there was nothing beyond dirt and bones in the hole. No letter lying there addressed to me. No hate mail stuffed in a tree.
I got up with a huff and started to search the area around the tree. That's when I finally noticed it. I'd been so distracted by the scent of fire on the breeze that I hadn't realized that the whole area surrounding the fey's den was empty of scent. The Darkness had been there.
“Andrasta,” I hissed. Trevor and Kirill exchanged grim expressions as they picked up on it too.
“Da,” Kirill nodded. “I smell ze nozing, it's bare here.”
“And she was working with the fey, who knew I was the Queen of Fire,” I growled. “This was a message, a taunt. She's trying to destroy something with my element. Kirill, can you go home and get Tlaloc's goggles while I rein in this fire?”
“Yes, Tima,” he nodded and traced away.
“What are you doing?” Trevor eyed me.
“I'm going to pull back the fire as much as I can and help those firefighters,” I pointed in the direction of the flames. “And then when Kirill gets back, I'm going to look for Andrasta.”
“We need to tell Dad.”
“I told Fenrir I was going to handle Andrasta in Faerie,” I shook my head. “The fey said no weapon made of man or god could hurt her, so that means I gotta get the fey to make one and I think I've finally worked out what needs to be done.”
“So you're going back to Faerie?”
“After I verify with Tlaloc's goggles that she's gone there,” I nodded. “But let me deal with this first, Trevor,” I waved off anymore questions because we were wasting precious time talking while the fire raged behind me.
I ran off toward the fire, casting a spell of invisibility around myself as I went. The edge of it was bordered by firefighters and park rangers working towards containment but I kept running past them. The hollow roar of the flames surrounded me, the scent of ash and embers stinging my nostrils for a second before they adjusted and the scent became sweet. The dress I had on caught fire and burned away within moments but the heat felt good on my skin, my dragon rising to roll against it. Scales beneath the surface seeking heat like a flower seeks the sun.
It was like being in a warm bath while drinking coffee, soothing and exhilarating all at once. My body felt renewed, recharged, like the fire was energy I could claim if I wanted to or encourage to rage for my delight. I calmed the urge to let the flames rage wild, to let them consume and burn. Instead I breathed in deep and took the fire within me. It filled my nose and throat, tingling all the way down into my belly and curling my toes with the ecstasy of it, much as Arach's fire did to me. I pulled and pulled and pulled of it until I felt near to bursting with energy, my skin crawling with the feeling of power.
When I thought I could hold no more, I automatically sought for a way to release the energy and my magic took it, soaked it up until it was overflowing and then sent it down the bonds we shared with others. First my lovers received a dose, I felt them start with surprise and then exult in the rush of it. Even Arach got a small jolt of fire and I saw him in my mind, lifting his face as if he could see me.
Then the Intare came to life around me, roars filling my head as I let the energy of fire fill them, recharge the magic that gave them life. All of my lions were filled and still the flames rushed into me. Trees creaked around me, sap cracking like gunshots as it exploded within the wood, and the smoke was thick on my tongue. It was all home to me; the heat, the smoke, the vivid colors. I reveled in it, throwing my hands out and twirling in the flames as they swirled into my skin, like a top being wound.
I pulled and pushed that ripe energy, letting it flow over my Intare an onward, finally finding an outlet down the connection I held with Fenrir. As often ha
ppens with magic, things done in haste or necessity often reveal themselves to be happy accidents. The bond I'd accidentally formed with Fenrir in the midst of our fight, the bond formed out of love magic to tame the wild wolf and save my life, would now save the Froekn. I released the energy of fire down my bond with the Wolf God and I felt him instantly grab onto it and pull. Fenrir was a survivor and survivors didn't need explanations, they took help when it was offered.
I laughed and gave him what they needed, the wild energy of the flames around me, enough to sustain the Froekn for another thousand years. I felt him laughing with me on the other end of our bond, distributing the energy out to the rest of his children, who started howling in delight. The joy and gratitude of the Froekn rebounded through Fenrir and into me. I basked in it, needing that happiness as much as I needed to know they would be fine now, the threat of infertility gone. Fenrir smiled in my head, in my heart, and then let go of the energy.
Finally, after what felt like hours, I pulled enough fire from the blaze to reduce it to something more manageable, maybe twenty percent of it was left. It was enough, the sequoias were safe and so were the animals. I was sure the humans could handle the rest and I didn't want to scare them more by having the fire suddenly just put itself out, so I walked away, back to my waiting men and left the problem in human hands.
Kirill was there when I got back, smiling at me with a grin that almost looked pharmaceutically enhanced. Trevor was smiling in a much softer manner but it was clear that they both knew how momentous my actions had been. Now I not only had the power of earth to call on, I had fire. Although my affinity for fire had come first, I never would have known to use its energy like that if earth hadn't shown me the way. Was I now a faerie with two elements? I blinked, no, my earth affinity was different. Wasn't it? Yes it was, I couldn't control earth, couldn't create it.
“Minn Elska,” Trevor whispered and pulled me into an embrace and firmly out of my crazy thoughts. “That was amazing. You realize you've saved the Froekn?”