by Saga Berg
“I know what to do.” Her response came out more annoyed than she intended.
He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “If he is only trying to meet you, you have to be stronger. You have to walk away. You understand that, don’t you?”
“You don’t have to keep telling me. I know.”
Trym stepped back, crossed his arms over his chest and sighed out loud. “I know you do, but I don’t think you know what you’re up against. If he has been compromised by the Döckálfar, and we don’t help him, we might lose him to them.”
“And if I approach him, I might not be strong enough to resist him and then...” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Then you’ll risk losing him too. Especially after what the two of you did.”
There was a light tap on the door. Svala and Trym turned. It was Megan.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.” Her gaze flickered between the two of them.
Trym took a step back. “No problem. She’s all yours.” He reached out and stroked Svala’s arm before he walked out.
Chapter 3
“Try not to think about it. And try to have a good time,” Trym said as Svala and her friends headed out for a day in New York.
After hours of shopping, followed by a stroll down Broadway, they ended up at Dean & DeLuca. Svala ordered a tall Cappuccino and a chocolate-chip cookie, and then took the seat next to Sarah by the window. Outside, people hurried past, missing the whole point of living.
Svala turned away from the window and listened to her friends’ expectations on the upcoming evening.
“I wonder how close we can get to him.” Jen pushed her long brown hair from her face.
Sarah put down her cup and pursed her lips together. “What if...” Her gaze shifted to the ceiling, and a short pause followed. “What if I tripped and fell on him. Then he’d have to catch me.” She met the others’ doubtful faces. “That could happen.”
“How could that happen?” Jen asked with a tone of voice indicating Sarah was an idiot.
Svala sat in silence following the conversation, but her thoughts soon drifted to the last time she had been with Viggo, two years ago.
At the time, she had appeared to be twenty, but was closer to nine hundred. Three weeks earlier they’d finished a six year long assignment and reunited. Usually, their union happened much faster. At one time, it had taken only three months to get back together, though normally it took between one to three years. Six years was a long time to wait to be with the one you loved and three weeks not nearly enough to satisfy their need.
This time, Svala moved to Viggo’s life. He’d been living in Los Angles, finishing his Masters Degree in Economics. His assignment had been connected to the current financial situation, and he’d been involved in the team of Ellinor Ostrom, the 2009 year’s Nobel Prize winner in Economics. Svala spent six years working with environmental issues in the Antarctic, and didn’t mind moving from the cold to sunny Los Angeles to be with the man she loved.
She remembered Viggo stepping out from the large tiled shower in their Hollywood mansion. She stood by the sink, finished brushing her teeth. They lived in an enormous house, surrounded by the rich and famous, and their bathroom resembled a spa more than a bathroom. Everything about the house was a bit over the top.
Viggo reached for a white cotton towel, perfectly folded on a shelf beside the shower. He wrapped it around his waist.
“Do you want to get married this time around?” Viggo asked.
Svala placed her electric toothbrush on the sink, met his reflection in the mirror and smiled. His blue eyes sparkled. Water dripped from his hair onto his shoulder.
“What?” he asked amused.
She kept admiring the view of him, smiling wider. “Nothing.”
Viggo walked up and wrapped his arms around her small frame. The back of her thin silk robe, blue with a Japanese print, clung to his wet chest. Svala closed her eyes and felt his lips against her neck, his hands searching their way underneath her robe.
“I love you,” he whispered and inhaled her scent in one sharp breath.
She turned her head and his unshaven cheek brushed against her smooth skin. He kissed the tip of her nose and placed a hand on her hip. She turned, and circled his neck with both arms. The movement made her robe slide slightly ajar.
Viggo looked down with a shy smile. “I think I’m going to have to stay home today after all.”
She chuckled. His arms around her waist pulled her closer. His body was firm, the hair in the back of his neck still wet, dripping onto her hands.
“You’ve been away from work for almost three weeks. If you don’t go back soon, they might fire you.”
He nodded and rested his forehead against hers. “I know, it’s just... Six years is a long time.” Clasping her face in both hands, he tilted her head back. “I’m terrified you won’t be here when I get back home.”
She reached up and caressed his face, his bristles scraped against her hand. “I’m sure they’ll give us enough time to compensate. We’ve learned our lesson.”
He pulled her into a kiss. Soft yet determined. His tongue found hers. She kissed him back, and allowed him to push her against the sink. She didn’t want him to leave either, but they had to live their lives like normal people now. They had to be responsible.
She placed a hand on his chest and broke the kiss. He eased back and tucked away a blonde string of hair from her face, admiring her. In this life, she had cut her hair in a bob. “Promise you’ll be here when I get back?”
“I promise.” She stood on her toes and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
He lingered there, then pulled away and turned to the sink. Svala tied her robe and walked toward the door leading out to the master bedroom.
“You never answered my question,” Viggo said
She turned and leaned against the door frame. “What question?”
“Will you marry me?”
She chuckled and met his beautiful eyes. “Of course, honey.”
“Aren’t you going to eat that?”
Svala snapped out of her day dreaming as Jen pointed at the chocolate chip cookie on her plate. Svala clasped her Cappuccino in her hands, the cup full, the content lukewarm.
She pushed the cookie toward Jen. “No, go ahead.”
Jen shook her head. “Uh-uh. I need to look gorgeous in my new dress tonight. There is simply no room for dessert.”
Svala reached for the cookie. She had hardly eaten anything all day, and her stomach growled. With the first bite she consulted her watch. Six hours until the premiere. Her heart skipped a beat.
“We should head back to the hotel, get some rest.” Sarah collected her shopping bags under the table.
Jen glanced at the clock on the wall. “Yeah, we should get some sleep. There is only so much make-up can accomplish.” She leaned in under the table for her bags and got up.
Out in the hot summer day a warm wind swept through the street. After a short debate about the direction of their hotel, Jen pulled out a map and settled the argument. Svala lingered at the end of the group. With six hours to spare, she had time to do something she had been itching to do ever since they arrived in New York. The girls walked down Broadway Street and Svala followed behind a couple of blocks then made up her mind, and stopped.
“Listen guys, you go ahead. I have something I need to do.”
The girls turned to her in the middle of the crowded sidewalk. Megan’s brows shot up, and the other two girls mirrored her expression. Svala wanted to kick herself for being so impatient. She should have waited and snuck out when they had fallen asleep.
“What?” Megan asked when Svala didn’t elaborate.
Svala came up with nothing good enough to work as an excuse. She told them the truth.
“I found this shop on the internet. I wanted to check it out.”
“What kind of shop?”
She shrugged. “It’s a shop that sells gemstones. You don’t have to
come with me. Go back. Get your beauty sleep. I don’t mind going on my own.”
“Gemstones?” Sarah frowned.
Svala stayed composed but grew annoyed by the tone in Sarah’s voice.
“Yeah.” She shrugged again, like she realized it was a stupid thing to take an interest in. “But seriously, you don’t have to come with me.”
Jen looked at her wristwatch. “We still have six hours. You shouldn’t have to go alone.” She looked at the others.
“Of course. We’ll come with you.” Sarah agreed.
The small silver bell at the top of the door chimed when the four girls entered the tiny shop. A comforting scent of incense met them inside. Svala’s friends looked around, then turned to Svala with forced smiles. Their discomfort shone through.
Along the shop wall stood a long table with small wooden boxes filled to the brim with different gemstones. In the middle of the room stood a cabinet with similar boxes filled with silver ornaments. Necklaces and earrings hung from tiny wooden constructions on the table. They resembled miniature leafless trees.
The middle-aged woman behind the register read from a book when they came in. At the sight of costumers, she removed a pair of black-framed reading glasses, and closed her book. “Welcome. Please let me know if you need any help.”
Svala nodded a silent thanks, forced herself to look away, and went over to the display by the window. The woman placed her book on the counter, and studied Svala.
Fairies remembered everything from every life they lived, but the people in their lives did not. To them, it was as if they’d never existed. Even so, this woman kept studying Svala, like she was trying to place her.
Svala walked over to the gemstones and focused on breathing normal. Her hands trembled. This had been a bad idea from the start.
Her friends were quiet. They walked over to the table with the silver necklaces, pretending to take an interest. She ignored their silent ridicule as they picked up a pair of earrings and exchanged looks of amusement. In a way, it was a good thing they came along. It prevented her from initiating contact.
A bright amber necklace caught Svala’s eye. The sun outside the window reflected against the necklace’s heart and made it glimmer in a familiar way. Svala reached out and ran her finger over the smooth surface. As a child, she thought amber the prettiest thing in the world. Her mother had a necklace made of this particular gemstone, though much smaller.
She removed the jewelry from the posture and let it weigh in her hand. “How much for this?”
The woman walked out from behind the register. Her heels clicked against the wooden floor and the heavy set of necklaces around her neck clattered to the beat of her heals.
“There is something special about amber, isn’t there?” The woman’s blue eyes lit up. She had been a real looker in her younger days, and still had an elegant charm about her. The lines on her face and the streaks of grey in her blonde hair only emphasized her beauty.
“It’s always been my favorite,” Svala said.
Their eyes met. The woman tilted her head to the side. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but you aren’t one of those teen celebrities, are you?” her smile hesitant.
Svala bit her lower lip. Her friends caught the odd question and turned around to listen.
“No.” Svala shook her head.
The woman kept observing her, obviously not convinced. “It’s so strange, I could have sworn I’d seen you somewhere. Are you from around here?”
“No.”
A moment of silence passed, their eyes met again. Svala looked back at the necklace to focus on something other than the woman’s eyes.
“I’ll take this.” She closed her hand around the amber stone.
The woman studied her a while longer, then turned toward the register. “Good choice,” she said, walking across the room.
Svala’s friends eyed each other as she went over to the register, necklace in hand. The woman reached under the counter and retrieved a small paper box. When she came back up, she paused again and shook her head.
“Don’t you just hate it when you can’t place people? You’re the second one today.”
A chill went through Svala.
“The last one was a boy, a very handsome boy. Must have thought I was checking him out the way I stared at him, trying to place him. He bought an amber necklace too.” She reached for Svala’s hand gripping the necklace.
Svala couldn’t move.
“Your necklace dear.”
Svala reached out and handed her the gemstone.
The woman let the necklace fall into the paper filled box. “That’s why I asked you if you were a celebrity. Turned out, he was some big movie star. I’d probably seen his face on TV. Now, what was his name again?” She gazed up at the ceiling trying to remember, but fell short, and turned toward a door in the back. “Emma, what was the name of the boy who came in before, the movie star?”
A girl appeared in the doorway. “Is he back?” She scanned the shop, eyes large with expectation.
The girl’s black hair contrasted her eyes, an unnatural shade of blue, like the sky on a clear summer day. Svala couldn’t tear her eyes off her.
“No sweetie, he’s not back. What was his name?”
“Mom!” Emma rolled her eyes. “I told you, it was Viggo Storm.”
Chapter 4
“Viggo Storm was here?” Sarah approached the register, the other two girls in tow.
“Yeah, like an hour ago,” Emma beamed.
Svala couldn’t breathe. She shouldn’t be this surprised to find out. After all, she was here too, wasn’t she?
“How was he?” Megan looked around the shop again like she too hoped he would come back.
“Oh, he was so charming,” the woman said. “And very kind. Not at all like I would imagine a big movie star. He seemed so modest. Very interested in the neighborhood and this shop. He knew a lot about gemstones too. About their origins. And he insisted on tipping me a generous amount for the necklace he bought.”
“He told me I was beautiful,” Emma burst with pride. “Didn’t he mom?”
The woman smiled at her daughter, and nodded. Svala had to bite her tongue not to tell the girl she agreed.
“Did he say anything else?” she asked instead.
“Well, he did say something a bit strange. Before he left, he told me to take good care of my loved ones when they needed me and then...” She trailed out like she doubted her own memory. “Then he told me to trust my heart to do the right thing.” She frowned and then smiled. “I thought that a bit odd, don’t you?”
Svala nodded, and swallowed hard.
“He actually said that?” Sarah frowned.
The three girls avoided looking at each other but all pursed their lips together in doubt. Svala met the woman’s blue eyes again and smiled.
***
Later, when the girls prepared for their big night, Trym took Svala aside to talk.
“Look for Alva. If she’s there, she’ll be able to fill you in. I tried to get a hold of her. I don’t understand why she’s not responding.”
Trym and Alva weren’t supposed to stay in contact during Svala and Viggo’s assignments either, but they had ways of contacting each other if needed. The fact that Alva didn’t respond unsettled her.
“What if she’s not there?”
“Then you observe. Read his face, look around to see if he’s being monitored by anyone, but keep your distance. Don’t let him or anyone catch you. If the Döckálfar is involved, you can’t let them see who you are.”
Svala fastened a pin on her black dress and studied herself in the full-length mirror. Her deep-blue eyes against the auburn colored hair was almost as eye catching as the red dress she’d left at home. She reached for her brown contact lenses.
“If you feel tempted to approach him, think of the consequences,” Trym said and watched her put on the contacts.
Svala blinked three times then looked herself over in the mir
ror and straightened out her dress. Her heart pounded.
“If you are the slightest bit unsure, don’t do anything at all. If you feel you can’t control it, leave.”
Adjusting the pin again she inhaled and closed her eyes. She had to be strong, for everyone.
***
The red carpet outside the movie theatre continued onto the street. Beautiful men and women posed in front of the paparazzi. A group of security guards stood in front of a golden fence, meant to keep the public out.
“I feel like a celebrity.” Jen beamed when a guard let them inside.
No one wanted to take their picture though, and the flashes subsided while they strolled down the red carpet toward the entrance.
“Oh, look, is that...?” Sarah grabbed Megan’s arm and pointed at a blond girl in a sparkling short dress.
“Oh my God, I think it is.” Megan gasped and tried to see pass the crowd blocking the woman.
“Seriously.” Jen rolled her eyes, and continued toward the entrance. “Try to act like you’re not complete idiots.” She reached out for Svala. “Come on, let’s go inside and look for Viggo.”
Jen had just finished her sentence when a long white limousine pulled up outside the theater. All the photographers turned to the car, and a sea of flashes filled the night sky. The car stood still a couple of seconds, the flashes subsided, and all the teenage girls waiting outside crowded in for a better view.
The door opened and out stepped Amanda Jones. The flashes from the cameras increased in intensity. Amanda’s long red dress flooded over her perfect body, her black hair tucked up in an impressive knot on the back of her head. She smiled at the cameras as if she loved the attention.
After Amanda, came Viggo, wearing a black tuxedo, looking gorgeous. Svala gasped for air and reached up to grasp the column beside her.
A bright spotlight was directed at the movie stars. Viggo squinted and gazed over the crowd, then turned and reached for his co-star. Their hands intertwined, and the camera flashes intensified yet again. Svala stared at their hands, a stab to her chest. She took a step back to let the shadow from a column disguise her face.