"Cole, oh my god, I'm sorry, I had no idea. Honestly I didn't do it to make your life a misery. I told Harry because I thought he could have a quiet word with you about her. You would never have listened to me. Kate is trouble, a first class bitch. I know you like her but so do half the boys in school. You could do so much better than her. What about Chloe? She's always looking at you in the canteen," asked Becca, sitting opposite him on the sofa.
"Didn't you hear me? I can't go back. They're all laughing at me. It's all over Facebook and Twitter. I'm the joke of the school," he shouted.
"Oh Cole, you're reading too much into this. Yes it must have been embarrassing for a while but I bet they are onto someone else by now. That seems to be how it works. Pick on one guy or girl and make them feel bad for a week and when the pack get bored they move onto someone else. It's in the past, just be the bigger man and get over it and get on with your life. Yes they poked fun at you. Rise above it and ignore it. You're fuelling their fire by reacting to it, just ignore them and they'll go away. If they carry on then they're bullies and you report them and it'll soon stop. Honestly Cole, you really don't have anything to worry about and I'm truly sorry for hurting you. It wasn't intentional at all, I was trying to help. Look you can sit with Alex and me at lunch when you go back. No one will dare say anything bad to you with him around."
"That's the most you've said to me in ages Becca," he said with tears in his eyes. "You just ignore me these days, like I'm a pest."
"Cole, you're my brother, I love you. Half the time you mope around the house like you want to be on your own. I'm just giving you space. Come here stupid." She held out her arms for a hug.
"No way. The apology was enough thanks," he grinned and wiped the back of his hand across his eyes quickly.
"Ok, how about I make you my special hot chocolate and we can watch a movie together instead?" she asked smiling at him.
"Ok but I get to choose," he said grinning. "So does Chloe really look at me a lot then?" he asked as he kneeled on the floor in front of the DVD selection. "She's quite cute I guess. Don't you dare say anything though," he warned, looking at her sternly.
"I won't don't worry," she laughed, going into the kitchen.
When she opened the door she stepped through into the dusty realm of Helheim.
*
Matt had already decided he would go next; he pushed past Alex and crossed over the force field boundary boldly. When he reached the other side he looked around confused. He was standing in the park he used to play in when he was a child. It was completely empty except for a man who was sitting on a swing. The man had messy brown hair and was wearing jeans and a black jacket. Matt recognised him immediately and screwed up his face in confusion.
“Dad? Is that you?” he asked, walking over towards the swings.
“Hey Matt, yes it’s me,” the man said, waving him over.
“What’s going on? You’re not meant to be here. I have to face someone I’ve wronged and seek their forgiveness. There is no way I have wronged you. You wronged me and it’s you who should be apologising.”
Matt rubbed his hands through his hair in annoyance.
“I used to bring you here when you were small. I pushed you on the swings; you loved it. We played football over there. Do you remember?” he asked, looking around the park sadly.
“Yeah, I remember. I also remember coming down to breakfast one morning and you had gone. You didn’t even say goodbye,” said Matt bitterly.
Matt, I’ve apologised to you hundreds of times. You’ve never listened to me though.”
“I’ve listened, I just chose not to forgive you. You can’t go running off like that and leaving us and expect everything to be the ok,” snarled Matt, angrily. “You really hurt mum, you know. She’s never been the same since you left. She still cries herself to sleep and it’s been five years. You left her with two kids, no money and no future, all because you had to go and find yourself.”
“Matt, I know, I admit it, I was a jerk. It was all getting too much for me. I just felt like I had no life. All I did was work, work and work. I came home and she would argue with me for working so late. I had to though, the payments on the mortgage were crippling us, I had to do the overtime or we wouldn’t have had a roof over our heads. It just got to the point where I couldn’t take it anymore so I left.”
“Yeah, you left us in debt. She had to sell the house and we moved to a dump.”
“I know son and I’m sorry. I tried to make it up to you all though. Once I got my head around everything I got a different job. One I loved this time and I’m happy now. I’ve tried to explain it to you but you won’t talk to me. In fact this is the longest conversation we’ve had in years. You didn’t have to shut me out Matt, it’s not fair. I’m still your dad and I love you.”
“Really? If you loved me you wouldn’t have gone in the first place. Why couldn’t you have just quit your job back then when you were so miserable and found something else?”
“It’s hard to explain. I know I shouldn’t have done it, but I did and I’m sorry. I’ve been trying to make it up to you for years but you’ve shut me out and you turned your brother against me. He’s just a kid Matt, he doesn’t understand. It’s not fair that you paint me out to be a big monster. The last time I saw him he screamed and hid under the stairs as if I were going to hurt him.”
“Well you did hurt him, when you abandoned us.”
“Matt, he didn’t even know me, he was just a baby. It was you who turned him against me. Every time your mum asks if he wants to see me he says no as he’s scared of me. What did you tell him about me Matt?”
“Oh, I dunno, I can’t remember.” Matt blushed and looked away quickly.
He was always telling his brother that their dad was horrible and that they just needed to stick together. He even made his brother send back the presents their dad had sent them from time to time.
“Look, I can still be part of your life even if I’m not living with your mum. Please Matt, give me a chance and please talk to Charlie for me. It really isn’t fair what you have done, keeping him away from me.”
Matt’s stomach tightened into a thick knot with guilt. He realised why he was here now. He had wronged his dad, even though his dad had wronged his family. He shouldn’t have turned Charlie against him; it wasn’t fair. Charlie could make up his own mind.
“Ok, look I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything to Charlie. When I get back I’ll have a chat with him, set things right.”
His dad sighed with relief and smiled sadly.
“Thanks Matt, you’re a great kid and I’m so sorry for hurting you. I would love to get to know you better, if you’ll give me a chance.”
“We’ll see ok. There’s a lot going on at the moment. Let’s just see how it goes with Charlie first eh?”
His dad nodded in agreement and held out his hand. Matt shook it and blinked as a wave of dizziness came over him. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again he saw he was back in Helheim.
“Matt, are you ok?” asked Becca.
“Yeah, I’m good. That wasn’t quite what I expected,” he said, shrugging.
“Want to talk about it?”
“Maybe later. I just need to think this through for a moment.”
Matt sat down on a large boulder and stared into the distance, lost in thought.
*
Alex persuaded Ellewen to go next. He was pretty sure she would fly straight through. She was a petite little witch, who was fearless, she couldn't have wronged someone surely, he thought to himself.
Ellewen took a deep breath and crossed over. As she expected she found herself in her dorm room and Tom, her boyfriend for the last year was sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Hey," she said lamely. "You ok?"
"Yeah, I was until I read this," he said, holding up her diary.
"Tom, that's personal, you shouldn't have read that," she said horrified, grabbing it out of his hand and holding it tightl
y to her chest.
"So, were you ever going to tell me?" he asked, his face a picture of fury.
"Yes...no, oh I don't know. It's all going so well. I love you, you know that. I only did it because I adore you," she pleaded helplessly.
"But you forced me to love you back. None of this is real is it?" he shouted at her pointing to both of them.
"Tom, please, I know you love me. I just gave you a gentle prod in the right direction."
"Ellewen, you put a spell on me to love you. Who knows if I love you or not? You forced it. Who's to say I wouldn't have fallen for you anyway, on my own, with no magic involved? We'll never know though will we? You couldn't wait. Here I memorised some of that," he spat, nodding at the diary, clasped between her white knuckles.
"I quote, 'Tom, stared at me in the library today. I'm pretty sure he fancies me. I'll slip the potion into his drink at lunch and he should ask me out tomorrow. I can't wait, he'll be mine soon.' I would rather not go on, it gets a bit graphic from there about what you'll get me to do. Ellewen, how could you?"
Ellewen's cheeks were flaming red and tears were running down her face.
"Tom, I'm so sorry, please, you have to believe me. I'm just impatient, you know me."
"Do I? Do I know you Ellewen? What else is a lie eh? I just can't trust you anymore. Now take this spell off me before I report you."
"Report me? To whom,Tom? No one would believe your girlfriend put a spell on you to love her back as much as she loves you. They'll think you're crazy. There's no spell left on you anyway. It wore off in the first week. It's been a year now Tom. You must love me, there's no spell. This is real," she cried dropping the diary, she fell to her knees in front of him and held his hands between hers.
"Please believe me. I'm sorry. I'll never do it again I promise. Please just forgive me," she sobbed, looking into his eyes pleadingly.
"No Ellewen, the damage is done and I feel violated. It's over. I can forgive you for putting the spell on me but it's over. I won't be able to trust you ever again," he said, shaking off her hands.
He stood up and moved over to the door.
"You should've just waited Ellewen. I'm sure I would have asked you out but we'll never know now will we?" he said shaking his head sadly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, covering her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, me too Ellewen, me too," he sighed, opened the door and left her kneeling on the floor sobbing her heart out.
She felt a change in the atmosphere and looked up to see Becca and Matt looking at her with worried expressions on their faces.
"You ok?" asked Matt gently.
"No, I'm not, just leave me alone, both of you," she snapped.
She got up off the dusty ground and sat on a rock facing away from them. She just wanted to be alone right now to deal with the biggest mistake she had made in her life.
*
Sasha turned to Alex and Dvalin. "Ok guys, I'm going next, wish me luck," she smiled wistfully.
She walked through the force field filled with trepidation. She was really struggling to think of anyone she had wronged.
When she looked around she could see she was in the school cafeteria. It was empty except for one boy who was seated in the corner. He had short black, cropped hair and bright blue eyes, which were staring at her icily.
"Conor? What's going on? Why are you here?" she asked confused.
She hadn't done anything wrong to this boy to her knowledge.
"The great Sasha Piper. How typical that you have no awareness whatsoever about what you have done to me. You're the most self centred, vain girl I have ever had the misfortune to meet," he sneered at her.
"You what? What have I ever done to you Conor?"
"Unbelievable, you really have no idea do you?" he asked incredulous.
"No I don't. If you could enlighten me, I'll say sorry and get the hell out of here," she snapped at him.
"You led me on for months Sasha. Batting those blue eyes at me. Giving me looks in geography class, getting closer to me. Letting me believe that you liked me. Then you go out with Chris, my best friend. You used me to get your claws into him. He's not in any of your classes so you needed a way in. Sucker that I am I fell for it. You're a user Sasha who has no regard for anyone's feelings," he said glaring at her.
"Conor, seriously, that's all in your head. Yes I went out with Chris but I didn't need you to get to him. I'm perfectly capable of talking to guys who aren't in my classes. I really don't remember even talking to you, let alone make eyes at you," she retorted indignantly.
"Oh just twist the knife in a bit more won't you. I can't possibly hurt more can I? I'm surprised you even know my name," he said bitterly.
"Conor, I'm sorry, really I am. Honestly I wasn't leading you on. I was treating you like any other guy in my classes."
"Oh so you bat your eyes at all the guys then?"
"I'm not aware if I do. Yes I flirt a bit, it's fun. It doesn't mean I want to date every guy I chat to. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression," she said sitting opposite him. "You're a nice guy, but I'm sorry, you're just not my type."
"Whatever Sasha. I don't want to go out with a tart anyway."
"Conor! I'm not a tart, that's so unfair. Look I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but you don't have to throw names at me. There's a girl out there for you. It's just not me. If I led you to think otherwise then I'm sorry. As I said I didn't mean it."
"Just be careful next time Sasha. There are guys in this school who would give their right arm to go out with you. Think about how you are around them next time, then someone won't get hurt like I was. You made me feel a complete fool Sasha. It wasn't nice."
"I will, I'm sorry Conor. I've been through some crazy stuff lately and it's really made me think. Can we at least be friends?"
"Yeah sure I guess. So are you still going out with Chris?"
"No, that ended a while ago."
"Oh, right, I don't suppose...?"
"No Conor. Let's leave it there eh?"
Suddenly she felt dizzy and when she shook her head she saw Becca, Matt and Ellewen staring at her.
"Well that was awkward," she said shrugging.
"Tell us about it," said Matt, coming over to give her a reassuring hug.
*
Dvalin scratched his black beard thoughtfully, trying to think of all the people he had wronged over his long life. There were quite a lot and he was wondering which one it would be, sincerely hoping it would not be all of them or this could take a long time. He hunched his shoulders and crossed through the shimmering mass, squirming as it enveloped him. When he looked around he was standing next to a dark cliff face with huge grey boulders piled up against the base. He saw a tall man with long red hair and a bushy beard standing near the boulders. He was wearing a red tunic, which reached below his knees, leather breeches and a blue cloak, which swirled around him in the wind.
"Svafrlami," Dvalin whispered under his breath.
"Dvalin, you devil, we have a score to settle," the man snarled, as he drew his sword from its scabbard with a rasp.
"Svafrlami, I settled my score with you years ago," Dvalin replied calmly.
"You cursed me, you scoundrel. You were the cause of my death. I should have ruled the world with the Tyrfing sword."
He was so incensed with rage spittle flew from his mouth.
"I cursed the sword, not you and even now I am suffering the consequences of my actions. You forced me to create that sword, you kidnapped my brother and me and tortured us until we forged a sword so powerful it could slice through rock. We couldn't let you get away with that. The wielder of such a sword would be too powerful. The only way to stop you was to curse the sword so that whoever wielded it would die every time it was drawn."
"My whole family died," growled Svafrlami.
"Your sons were greedy for power, it was their fault. If they had left the sword alone they would have lived."
"Where is it now dwarf? I w
ant it back, it's mine."
"Svafrlami, you're dead. You are a mere shadow in the Underworld. The sword is of no use to you now," said Dvalin confused.
"I will return to Midgard and claim my rightful place. I will slay all of my enemies and wipe out every dwarf in Svartalfheim," he said with malice shining in his eyes.
"You're crazy, accept it, you're dead, your enemies are all dead. There is nothing in Midgard for you now," laughed Dvalin.
This infuriated Svafrlami and he lashed out at Dvalin with his drawn sword. Dvalin skipped nimbly to the side, thanking Iduna for the golden apple. A few days ago he wouldn't have had the energy.
"Look I have met you here as I have to apologise to someone I have wronged in order to move on through Helheim. So I'll be the bigger man and I'll say sorry if my actions harmed you. In defence, it was your fault and frankly you deserved it."
Svafrlami sliced the sword at his head again and Dvalin quickly rolled out of the way.
"Apology not accepted dwarf," he snarled through gritted teeth. "I'll ask again, where is my sword?"
"Thor's son has it. He stole it from Niddhogg's lair and sealed the portal to Helheim once and for all. No one is getting out of there unless Hel herself wishes it. Somehow I don't think she will make any exceptions for you." Dvalin backed away until his legs hit the boulders. He was trapped.
"Thor's son has my sword? I heard about him. All of the spirits are talking about him. Travelling through Helheim to rescue a dwarf. How noble," he sneered, looking down his long nose at Dvalin. "I'm going to enjoy taking my sword off him," he grinned sadistically.
Suddenly a strong wind whipped up around Svafrlami. His cloak swirled around him and he disappeared in front of Dvalin's eyes.
"What?" shouted Dvalin. "Come back here. You need to accept my apology or I'll be stuck here forever,"
"Never," came the reply through the wind.
Helheim (The Nine Worlds Trilogy Book 2) Page 6