Sif pointed toward a staircase. “Modi said he would not sleep until you stopped to see him.”
Jord shouldered the pack and headed up the winding steps to the right of the fountain. He pulled Meghan with him. The touch of his hand on hers was gentle, yet firm. Meghan noted the way he held himself, his walk, the total package. He was powerful and confident. Add to that his incredibly sexy looks and magnetic personality. He looked like a god . . . well, he was one, so . . . yeah.
Meghan suddenly realized Jord was not just out of her league, he was a whole different sport. She’d really have to watch herself with this one.
They entered a room where Jord’s brother, Modi, sat up in bed, waiting for them. He seemed much better already, even the scars were starting to fade, but he still looked spent.
Modi smiled up a Jord. “Little brother.”
Jord shook his head. “Modi, you take too many chances.”
Modi chuckled. “Bah, I’m in more danger here, under Mother’s ministrations than I was in the deepest dark elf dungeon.”
“I heard that!” Sif’s voice floated up from down below.
Modi winked at Meghan. “See what I mean. You women and your sixth sense. I’d rather face a pack of wolves any day.”
Jord clapped his brother on the shoulder.
“It’s too bad I’m in such a hurry. Otherwise I would send word to Sigrid you are here recuperating.”
Meghan could see Jord’s concern under the jocular banter the two brothers exchanged.
“Don’t you dare, little brother.” Modi swiped a hand toward Jord, but then got serious. “Go find Dad. Bring him home.”
Jord nodded, his eyes stormy. “I will.”
Meghan hadn’t had any siblings. She wondered what it would be like. Jord and Modi seemed close.
Modi laid back in the bed, his exhaustion evident. “I know you will. But I also wanted you to be aware that Queen Rhunin is planning an assault on Nokkurra. She urged me to wait and go with them, and I should have, but I was in too much of a hurry to find Dad and refused their aid. Stupid, I know.”
Modi closed his eyes. Meghan could see his body relaxing.
Jord moved back from the bed to stand by Meghan. “Brave or stupid, you found him. I didn’t realize the dark elves were involved in this whole mess. They’ve been pretty quiet these past few decades.”
“It was more a hunch, but I had to check it out.” Modi’s voice becoming thick as sleep began to take him. “Don’t go it alone, Jord. The dark elves are amassing and readying for war. Go to the bright elves. Go to Alfheim first. The bright elves will help you free Dad, if he is still there. You know they owe you.”
“I’ll do that, Modi.” Jord’s visage brightened. “In fact, that solves a problem I’ve been having. I was going to try to rally a force to take with me here in Asgaard, but with the invasion coming I doubt many would follow me to Svartalheim.”
Modi forced an eye open. Meghan could tell he was struggling to keep awake. “The bright elves may already be there. I’m not sure what they were planning, but it could be helpful.”
“I’ll go check with Queen Rhunin. Now get some sleep. You’re pale as an Einherjar.” Jord raised his hand in farewell. “You’ll be needed in the coming days, no doubt. With Fenrir free, Grandfather will take some looking after as well.”
“That part of Ragnarok will not come to pass while I have any strength to stand against it. I . . .” Modi mumbled a few untelligable words, but never finished the thought as sleep finally overtook him.
Jord led Meghan out of the room. As they passed down the hall Meghan asked, “What did you mean when you said your grandfather would take some looking after as well? Isn’t Odin like, all powerful?”
Jord shook his head. “A part of the prophecy of Ragnarok is that Fenrir will kill Odin. Grandfather has long prepared for his end and is ready for it. The rest of us . . . are not.”
They came to the stairway that would bring them back down to the courtyard. Alabaster statues lined the marble stairs like soldiers at attention, but Meghan’s thoughts weren’t on the opulence of the mansion.
“Are these prophecies set in stone? How can you be so ruled by them?”
Light streamed into the courtyard from above, but Jord’s mood seemed dark.
“The older gods believe in the prophecy so fully, I’ve often wondered if that alone wouldn’t make it self-fulfilling. It is why Fenrir was trapped and imprisoned instead of being destroyed outright. They have always chosen to stave off the great prophecy of Ragnarok, instead of trying to undo it.”
He was pounding down the steps now. Meghan had to hurry to keep up.
“And what about our prophecy? Do you believe that?”
Jord stopped and turned to face her at the bottom of the steps. He sighed, but his mood seemed to lift as he gazed into her eyes.
“I don’t know. I have been arguing for years that we should not let prophecy rule us. My arguments tend to fall on deaf ears. In any case, prophecy or no, Grandfather is right in that there is no safe place for you here, or anywhere, as long as Megingjörð has its hold on you. And it would be convenient to have the belt on hand when I find father. He may be the only one who can make it release you.”
They crossed the courtyard and went through the great doors. As they stepped outside Meghan saw Sif again, this time standing by a golden chariot. Harnessed to the chariot were two goats. “You’d best take Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr.” Sif indicated the goats. “They’ll speed you along faster than that motorcycle of yours.”
Jord stepped up and began to scratch behind the ear of one of the goats. “Dad is so going to kill me if anything happens to them.”
Sif hugged her son. “Find him, and take care of your selves.”
Jord nodded and hugged his mother. “We will.”
Then Sif released Jord and turned to Meghan. The goddess radiated concern and care.
“Now, I would speak with you, Meghan Larson. Why you are involved in this, I can only speculate, but I would not send you out without some defenses of your own. We did not have much time, but the gods do have some gifts to help you along your way.”
She held up a hooded jacket. “This is Nordge. It appears as an ordinary jacket, but it will resist the cut of a sword, the point of an arrow, or even a bolt of Nornish magic. It will also keep you warm in the icy regions you seem to be heading toward. The god Freyr sent you this and his blessing.”
Meghan tried on the jacket and instantly she felt warm, even down to her toes.
“Tyr dropped off this.” Sif handed Meghan what appeared to be a small flashlight. The object had a handle with a switch, but there didn’t appear to be a light bulb on the end.
Sif smiled. “Click it.”
Meghan clicked the button on the handle and it began to expand into a three foot long club with metal spikes on the end.
Jord took a step back as Meghan gave the club an experimental swing. Sif nodded her approval. “That is Prudr, the justice bringer. Simply tap the end on the ground to change it back again.”
Meghan tapped the ground and again held the small flashlight-like device. What an amazing little thing it was. Even more amazing to her was how easily she’d accepted what it could do. Yesterday she would have questioned her own sanity. She slipped the weapon into her pocket.
“Lastly, from me, I give you this necklace.” Sif held up a beautiful gold chain, a large red stone rested in a gold setting at the end. “Jord can instruct you in how to use it.”
Sif then turned to her son and added, “I hope he will also instruct you in how not to use it.”
Meghan noted Jord turned a bit red under his mothers gaze. Sif smiled smugly.
“We’d better get going.” Jord hurriedly stepped up onto the chariot. “We can talk on the way.”
Chapter 6
Meghan had no problem with flying. She’d flown on a jet airplane and parasailed off the back of a fast moving boat. She’d even tried hang gliding off the Rocky Mountains one summer. Height didn’t bother her in the least, but she found flying in a chariot pulled by two magical goats completely unnerving. There were no aerodynamics, no reason they should do anything but plummet earthward. And yet they flew. The logical side of Meghan’s mind had been under assault all day. Was there anything not possible when dealing with the gods?
She gripped the handrail of the chariot tightly as it glided through the chilly air. Her mind was still reeling with the visions of her visit to Alfheim. The tall slender towers of the elfin city reached into the clouds, trees, and flowers filled the place, and the air was sweet and refreshing. Meghan found herself reveling in the absolute perfection.
Jord was a wonderful travel guide. “It’s always springtime in Alfheim. Never a chill wind or flake of snow. The bright elves live in the sun. They schedule rain for evenings so the sun can shine all day, every day.”
“But even here the shadow now falls. All this will be undone, if Ragnarok comes to pass. At least, that is what is believed.”
Alfheim was beauty incarnate. The bright elves, tall, thin and graceful, seemed so above the cares of the world. From the flawless design of their city as seen from the air, to the small nooks and crannies bursting with greenery and flowers, all was perfection.
At every turn Meghan found herself asking: Could it be any more perfect? Is there anything that could be improved? The answer always came back: No.
The court of Rhunin, Queen of the bright elves, was stunning. The Queen herself was the most beautiful in a race that embodied beauty. Tall and elegant, her golden robes reflected the bright sunlight that filled the great chamber from hundreds of high windows.
The queen had a powerful presence and a flair for the dramatic. “We have been expecting you, son of Thor, and you too, Meghan Larson. A prophecy, whispered on the wind, reached my ears this morning.”
Jord knelt respectfully before the Queen. “Asgaard will fight. Vanaheim will send troops to her aid.”
Meghan followed suit, going to one knee before Queen Rhunin. The Queen smiled and nodded, motioning them to rise.
“As will Alfheim. The bright elves will not quietly slip into the darkness of Ragnarok.”
Meghan felt out of place in the grand throne room of Alfheim, but Jord seemed to fit right in. He was every bit as tall as the elves ringing the chamber, yet broader in the chest and shoulder.
“My brother tells me you are marching on Svartalheim. Can the elves fight on two fronts?”
Jord’s statement hit right to the heart of the matter, but the Queen didn’t falter.
“Forces have been held in reserve for the defense of Asgaard, our trusted ally. The attack on Nokkurra is but a feint, a distraction for our enemies to pull their eye, delay their army, nothing more. But I think, young prince, you can benefit from it.”
Jord nodded. “My father was seen there, not two days ago. A bound captive.”
There was a hush in the room. Thor’s captivity would have come as a surprise to many there.
“And you ride to free him.” It was a statement, not a question, as if the queen already knew why they were there.
“I wish we could have acted faster to support your brother.” The Queen’s eyes darkened. “The might of Thor will be needed in coming war. But now I can offer our complete support and pray it will be enough to return your father to us.”
The Elf Queen removed a ring from her finger and handed it to Jord.
“My troops are encamped, even now, on the cliffs above Nokkurra. Give this to Captain Linden.” She handed the ring to Jord. “It will give the son of Thor complete command of my troops. Use them as you see fit. The God of Thunder must be found in this, our hour of peril.”
Jord bowed before the Queen. “I am in your debt.”
“No, Jord. It is our debt to your father, and to you, that is just a bit eased by this act.” The Queen nodded her dismissal. “The blessing and support of the elves go with you, Jord Thorson.”
When they left the court of the bright elves, everything seemed darker. Meghan felt in her heart she could be eternally happy living in the constant springtime of Alfheim or the opulent majesty of Asgaard. Both places were so breathtaking. Returning to earth seemed mundane compared to what she’d experienced in these fantastic realms.
The unmistakable view of Long Meadow Lake below, told Meghan she was once again in the Twin Cities area. The imposing structure and vast parking lot to the west could only be the Mall of America. She used to think the Mall was a grand and breathtaking structure—never again.
The sky clouded over and snow was falling around them. The ground below was blanketed white. Meghan was surprised at how warm she was in her new jacket. Even the tips of her bare fingers seemed pleasantly warm in the chill air around her.
Jord landed the chariot on the roof of the mall. The landing was so smooth she barely felt the touchdown. At one point they were flying, the next they were not. Even so, as Meghan stepped off the chariot onto the solid roof, she realized her knees were shaking.
“It does take some getting used to.” Jord waved his hand in the direction of the two goats. The whole chariot, goats and all, started to shrink. One of the goats bleated.
“Oh, get over it, Snarler.” Jord admonished the goat. Suddenly the chariot and goats were gone. In its place on the ground was a small, glowing sphere. Jord picked it up and stored it away in the front pocket of his pack, where he’d put the apples. Probably yet another thing mere mortals should not touch.
Meghan shook her head. The wonders just kept on coming. “So how do we get down from here? You grow silver wings, create a magic portal, and summon a giant flying fish?”
Jord smiled. “I thought we’d just take the access stairs.”
He led her down the steps and into the Mall. Meghan had only been here a few times. The Mall of America was huge and sprawling. It was mid November and Christmas shopping was in full swing. The Mall was packed with people.
“Stay close.” Jord kept a firm grip on her arm as they made their way through the crowd of shoppers. “The only thing more vicious than a frost giant on the hunt, is a hockey mom doing her Christmas shopping.”
At the lowest shopping level of the mall, back in an out-of-the-way corner, sat a little shop called the Norski Cook. The display window showed lefse grills, krumkake irons and other specialized Scandinavian cooking implements. Meghan only recognized them because her Grandma Larson, bless her soul, let her help make every last scrumptious Norwegian concoction back when she’d been five years old. She still missed her grandmother, especially at Christmas time.
Meghan’s mouth watered at just the thought. “I haven’t had a sandbakkel in years.”
There were only a few customers in the store, all of them gray-haired women, except for the one old man who appeared to have been dragged in by his wife.
“You wanna eat it,” she heard the wife saying, “you can help me make it.”
“Hi Jord.” A bright voice came from their right. “Meghan.”
Meghan could almost feel the chill as the woman added her name. Behind the counter stood Valerie Halla, Jord’s friend from that morning. Had it only been that morning?
“Hi Valerie.” Meghan tried to sound friendly, but she only got a cold stare. She did note how Valerie’s eyes lit up when she looked back at Jord.
Oh yeah, there was a tinge of green in those eyes. The woman really liked Jord. Well, that wasn’t hard. If he hadn’t been so out of her reach, Meghan could have easily fallen for the hunky god herself. But did Valerie really believe Meghan was competition?
Jord frowned, waggling a finger at the woman. “Lighten up Va
l. There’s a shipment downstairs we need to examine.”
Val lifted one eyebrow and gave Meghan a hard stare. “Both of you?” She seemed a bit shocked.
Jord turned his head to the side. “Approved by Gramps himself. You want to call him and check?”
The woman sniffed. “I’ll just do that. Go on down, but don’t you dare touch anything until I get the okay from upstairs.”
Vallerie lifted the handset on the phone at the counter. Did they really have a phone line to Asgaard?
Jord was chuckling as he led Meghan through a door with a sign that read ‘Employees Only’. Behind the door was a set of concrete steps that Jord led Meghan down.
“So what is she,” Meghan asked, “the Goddess of Anger?”
Jord burst out laughing. “Val is kind of a present from my sister, Thrud. You see, Sis is in charge of the Valkyries. When I was a lot younger, I got into a bit of trouble and she assigned Val the job of looking after me. She takes the job very seriously. I haven’t been able to convince her I don’t need watching anymore.”
Meghan chuckled. “Valerie is a Valkyrie?”
It sounded so absurd when she said it.
“Yup.”
That brought up a whole new set of questions.
“So why does she see me as some kind of threat to you?”
Jord’s mood darkened. “Val sees all my mortal friends as potential threats and has driven quite a few of them away. She doesn’t like me cavorting with mortals—especially female mortals.”
Meghan chuckled. “You cavort with mortal females?”
Jord reddened a bit. “That was over a hundred years ago. You’d think she’d have forgotten about it by now. I mean, who does she think I am, Freyr?”
“Freyr?” Meghan ran her hand over her new jacket. It had been a gift from the god Freyr.
Jord sniffed. “Fertility god. Always on the make, trying to prove something I guess.”
Son of Thunder (Heavenly War Series) Page 5