She wiped at her own tear-streaked face, and pushed him back. “You’re crying. Don’t cry.” She took a breath, looked down at herself, and then raised her eyes to meet his again. “I’m here. You’re here.” She swallowed. “I can feel I’m not me. Who am I?”
Bannor wiped at his eyes and turned Sarai so she could see the silver clad woman. In the mirror fabric, her reflection was unmistakable.
Sarai gasped and her hand came to her mouth. “Meliandri!”
The silver woman spoke in low voice. “She who once used that body no longer has need of it. She could not be helped. You could.”
“Oh, no,” Sarai breathed, riveted on the reflection she saw in the shiny cloth. “Oh, no. Oh, no.”
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Of course not!” she snapped. “Don’t you see? This was Mother’s best friend. She’s gone. What will Mother—oh gods—what will Father say! That and—I’m—fat.” She looked at herself.
She wasn’t. At least not anywhere that ever would have offended him. “You are alive. That’s what’s important.” He squeezed her shoulder. “You heard what the lady said, she was beyond help.”
“Oh.” She paled. “Fine mess this is. Even when we save the world, it doesn’t come out right.” She stopped and looked up at the lady. “We did save the world, right? The rift was closed?”
He words made a shock of memory ring through him. What had happened? There was never time to execute their plan to shut the gate. He looked up at the woman, to hear her answer.
She frowned. “With my help it was possible. Pulling Hecate’s host body—your old body through the rift was enough to anchor it. The Garmtur was very busy bending rules to make it possible—in that you almost did make yourself a ghost.”
“I did?” The last moments of his confrontation were hazy. It had been strange—fragmented.
The woman nodded. “All is as it was on Titaan.”
It felt as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The world was safe, and he still had Sarai. He stared into her green eyes. “My wish did come true. Everyone is safe.” Despite the different color, the soul that shone in them still belonged to the woman he loved. “I’m happy to have you no matter what body you have.”
She put her arms around him again. He winced and sucked in a breath.
Sarai pushed back. “When are you going to learn to stay out of trouble? Every time I look away, you get yourself hurt.”
He smiled, despite the pain. “Trust me, I don’t plan to do anything except stay close to you for a long time.”
“Good, that’s the way I want it.” She kissed him.
She tasted different, smelled different. He’d have to adjust, and be thankful for the necessity.
Sarai sighed, her face more composed, contemplative. “Feels odd.” She brushed a hand down her chest. “Things keep getting in the way. Guess everything comes with a price.”
“Indeed,” the silver woman said, her tone growing dark. As she spoke, echoes filled the small room. “The favor I have done you two is obvious. Are you willing to repay it?”
“I don’t know what good either of us is like this,” Bannor answered. “We will do whatever we can. What is it?”
A light filled the woman’s eyes. “My daughter and granddaughter. It was their wish that the two of you be reunited. However, that desire has put them at risk.”
Bannor frowned. Daughter? Granddaughter? Risk? He must be missing something. Who was this magnificent lady? What was this place he had glimpsed?
“You’re Idun, aren’t you?” Sarai asked. “Euriel and Wren are your blood.”
The silver lady nodded, and brushed the strands of her golden hair over one shoulder.
A lump formed in Bannor’s throat. His jaw dropped and he cursed inwardly for having been so wrapped up in himself. He tried to swallow, but it wouldn’t go down. “Idun—? The goddess—” he choked. “That … Idun.”
The goddess nodded.
“B-b-b,” he tried. “B-b-bu…” He couldn’t put his mouth around it.
“What can we possibly do that you can’t?” Sarai put in.
“Go into Niflheim, Hel’s domain, and bring them back. They intercepted the Valkyries that carried your spirit and brought it here to me to be joined with this body.” She gestured to Sarai. “Odin punished them for their interference and their participation in Hecate’s slaying. He sent them to the land of the dead. Sarai, your mother and sister are there, too, along with the avatar of Ukko and his wife.” Her eyes narrowed. “The laws of the Aesir prevent me from interfering.” She paused. “That has no bearing on mortals.”
“Majesty,” Sarai said. “How can the two of us possibly fight our way into Hel and back?”
Bannor finally found his voice. “She’s right,” he took a breath. “They’re our family, of course we want them back as much as you. What can we do, we’re only two people?”
Idun frowned. “You are two that have killed a god. That is qualification enough.” She held out her palm to them, and flames danced on her fingers. Lightning flashed in her eyes. “Before this, you fought alone against a goddess. You had only each other, and in the end it won you through.”
Idun’s jaw tightened and room grew cold. “I’ve seen to it that you still have each other. You will have to fight Odin and the Ajeer to win the freedom of my children and your family.” She paused. “This time will be different. This time you will have an immortal on your side.”
The story continues in…
‘Neath Odin’s Eye
The 2nd volume of the Reality’s Plaything Series…
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Table of Contents
The Savants
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Reality's Plaything Page 59