by S. T. Bende
“Skit.” Henrik returned wielding a crossbow as Fenrir climbed unsteadily to his feet. The animal bared his teeth in a furious roar. “Whatever dark magic they’ve laced into Fenrir, it’s counteracting the effects of the accelerator. You two get out of here. I’ll deal with the dog.”
Tyr stepped between the wolf and me. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed, then used his super speed to run us out the back door and into the woods. “Heimdall,” he shouted, “open the Bifrost.”
A multicolored ray shot through the trees, punctuated by a deafening roar. I threw my arms around Tyr’s neck and held on tight, praying the wolf would stay put for just a few more seconds. A wind whipped around us, and I buried my face in Tyr’s chest as we were sucked through an invisible portal. I heard snarling in the distance, and I prayed that Henrik would be able to take care of himself. My stomach churned, my head spun, and before I knew what was happening, I blacked out.
The last thing I remembered was Tyr’s voice. For the first time it betrayed a hint of fear. “Heimdall, take us to the northwest compound.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“COME ON, BABY. COME back to me.”
Everything was black. I had no idea where I was, or what was happening. The only thing I was able to register was the cool hand stroking my forehead, and the soft surface beneath my body. There was a salty tang to the air, and… was that the smell of fish?
I forced my eyelids open. Everything around me looked hazy, but as the seconds ticked by, Tyr’s face came into focus. His brow was furrowed, wrinkles lining his forehead. He knelt on the floor, hovering over me. As I blinked up at him, his shoulders visibly relaxed.
“Thank Odin,” he exhaled.
I tried to sit up but immediately fell back. “Whoa.”
“Stay down. Transports aren’t easy for gods. I can’t imagine what it feels like for a mortal.” He held up a glass while he cradled my head in one hand. “Drink.”
I rolled to one elbow and did as instructed. The water disappeared quickly. Tyr helped me lean back on the couch cushions, and I looked around—I was in a living room. It was big, maybe forty feet deep and twice as many feet wide, with a twenty-foot ceiling that stretched over the staircase leading up to the second-story landing. The room was done in creams and whites, with wainscoting covering the bottom of the walls and climbing the wooden staircase. I was on one of two cream couches positioned in front of a stone fireplace. Large windows let in filtered moonlight, and the sound of lapping waves almost soothed my nerves.
“Where are we?” I stood slowly, testing my equilibrium. When I wobbled, Tyr grabbed my elbow. He guided me to the French doors that led to the backyard.
“This is the northwest compound. We call it the safe house.”
My fingers touched the cool glass of the open door, and I stepped onto the grey planks of the porch. Three steps led to a grassy area, with a longer wooden staircase leading to the ocean. In the moonlight, the sand was a pale silver. “It looks like a beach house.”
“It is.” Tyr hooked an arm around my waist and walked me down the steps, and onto the grass.
We stood beneath the large tree and looked back at the house. The Cape Cod-style structure had grey shingles, white-trimmed windows, and a white-columned porch that stretched the length of the house. It was big but not imposing—a two-story structure with three, maybe four good-sized bedrooms. I turned around to watch the waves gently lap the silver sand. It must have been high tide—there wasn’t much room between the bottom of the staircase and the water. The full moon illuminated the little cove, which hosted a total of four Cape Cod-style houses lined up like sentinels facing the water. The beach stretched about a mile to the right, where a sizable dune marked the delineation between cove and open water. Two miles in the other direction, the water met a mountain—I could barely make out the shapes of the treetops covering the rock. To the right of the mountain a trio of boulders nestled in the water, and from the flashes of light, I gathered one held a lighthouse. Evergreens came right up to the edge of the beach. We had to be somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Tyr’s arm was still around my waist, so I leaned into him. He rested his chin on top of my head and wrapped his other arm around me. I grabbed his hands and held tight.
“What is this place?”
“Asgard’s safe house in this quadrant of Midgard,” Tyr explained.
“Why didn’t you just take Elsa to this safe house earlier?” I pressed.
“We had planned to. Henrik was in the process of increasing the security in this place, which required a quiet period. But Fenrir struck while security here was down, and Freya got on her matchmaking kick, so we ended up taking Elsa to Arcata, intending to move her here when her condition stabilized. Henrik’s only just completed the lockdown on this compound.” Tyr shook his head. “Finally.”
“Do you have other safe houses?” I glanced around. If they all looked like this one, I wouldn’t mind taking the safe house intergalactic tour.
“We do. There are safe houses in every quadrant of every realm, but this is one of my favorites. We’ve got an Aesir permanently stationed here, though, and now that the security increase is complete, it’s probably our safest location.” Tyr pointed to the house closest to the open ocean. “That’s Forse’s residence. He’s a close friend. He’s God of Justice, and he’s one of our primary peacekeepers. Full-time job, these days.” Tyr’s torso hardened against mine. My thumbs stroked his forearms until he relaxed.
“Whose house is next to Forse’s?”
“That’s the medical unit. Elsa’s there, and Henrik will be staying in the guest wing when he gets here in the morning.”
“Did he make it out of Arcata safely? Or did Fenrir…” I cringed at the memory of our terrifying departure.
“Henrik’s just fine. He used an enhanced weapon on Fenrir and the wolf escaped through a portal. Henrik hurt him pretty badly—Fenrir will probably need some time to recover before he goes on the offense again.”
I swallowed down the knot in my throat and pointed to the building directly behind us. “This one’s your house?”
“Yes. I don’t get to come here a lot, but it’s one of my favorite residences. When we’re not on the precipice of war, it’s a peaceful place to be.”
The implication was clear; Fenrir’s attacks were a call to arms. Adrenaline surged through my veins.
“What about that one?” I pointed to the house next to Tyr’s.
“Ah, that’s where Freya’s staying.”
“Freya lives here, too?”
“At the moment, I do.” A musical voice rang out as a willowy figure emerged from the house. The moonlight shone against her long hair and reflected off her sparkling eyes. As always, Freya moved with the poise of a ballerina. Her enviably long legs, slender hips, and impressively toned triceps seemed to float across the grass.
“Freya.” Tyr released his grip on me and crossed the lawn to greet her.
“Tyr.” Freya hugged him back before giving me a warm smile. “Mia, it’s good to see you. Sorry again about locking you in the house. It really did come from a good place; Tyr would have been impossible to live with if you’d gotten hurt. But I hear you’ve been trained on the basic weapons, so I won’t need to do that again.”
“Good to know.” The space gun and crossbow were basic weapons?
Tyr ran his fingers over my arms. That was when I realized I hadn’t cleaned up since my blackout-inducing Bifrost experience. I was wearing the filmy top I’d worn for dinner with my friends, only now it sported multiple wrinkles from my catnap on the couch. My hair was in a messy bun, and I could probably do with a mint. I was in no way fit for company. I ducked my head against Tyr’s chest.
Freya tutted. “Tyr, she has goosebumps. Let’s get you inside, sweetie. I left some things up in Tyr’s room for you. When I saw him show up with one suitcase for the both of you, I had a feeling he might have forgotten some of the girlish essentials.”
“Th
anks.” I stared at Tyr’s bestie, willing myself to have an attitude of gratitude, like Meemaw would say.
Freya beamed down at me, perfect white teeth gleaming against her perfectly tanned skin. She literally could not be any more flawless, bless her heart.
Freya waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s get you all squared away and then we can talk about Elsa. Her vitals were stable when I checked, so her team asked me to let her rest until morning. Though I’m sure you won’t relax until you see her yourself, Tyr.”
“You know me, eh, old girl?” Tyr cuffed Freya on the shoulder.
“Control freak,” Freya agreed.
“Cat lady,” Tyr retorted.
“Watch it. My girls are Norwegian skogkatt.”
“Norwegian what-cats?” I asked as we walked back into Tyr’s house.
“I have Norwegian forest cats. They’re like mountain lions. But fluffier. And cuter.” Freya’s smile was sanguine.
“And a hundred times tougher.” Tyr shook his head. “Don’t let Freya fool you. If someone crosses her, she’ll have her cats bite the guy’s head clean off and serve it to the next troll that comes through the dark forest.”
“Good to know.” I put Don’t tick off Freya or her pets on the top of my list of Things To Remember About Tyr’s Life.
“I’m not that crazy.” Freya rolled her eyes. “Tyr’s just sore because I can kick his sorry behind in hand-to-hand combat.”
“That happened one time. In middle school.” Tyr spoke through gritted teeth, and I giggled. Getting beat by a girl during the most embarrassing adolescent years must have been a major blow for the up-and-coming God of War.
“Whatever. It happened.” Freya made herself comfortable on the couch, and Tyr guided me up the stairs. “I’ll wait down here. There’s a bag on the bed—if you need anything else just let me know; I’ll run next door and bring it over.”
My previous unease surrounding Tyr’s BFF was being trumped by her all-encompassing thoughtfulness.
“Thanks, Freya. This is really nice of you.”
I followed Tyr up the stairs, past the leather couches lining the landing, and into the master suite.
“Do you like it?” he asked, as he switched on the light.
Like didn’t even come close. The suite had an open plan, with an enormous jetted tub sitting opposite a double-headed shower near the entry. A small powder room sat behind a white paneled door, with a vast mirror framing the double sinks and vanity outside. Beyond this area was a plush king-sized bed, swathed in thick white comforters and pillows, and facing two oversized windows. The windows looked out onto the beach below. The whole room was done up in creams and whites, with dark iron fixtures and a cedar dresser. The sand-colored wood floors were warm beneath my bare feet. Were they heated?
“Mia?” Tyr grabbed my hands and whirled me around. “Are you okay? This was the safest place I could think of to take you, but if you don’t feel comfortable here we can—”
He broke off when I touched a finger to his lips. “It’s gorgeous. I love it. You sure Wolfie can’t get us here?”
“I’m sure,” Tyr promised. “It’s invisible to anyone that doesn’t have a residence here, and our bodyguards. And access requires a retinal scan; I overrode that part for you, since you were passed out when we got here. Trust me, this is the safest place in all the realms for you to be.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Okay.”
Tyr drew me in and pressed his lips against my temple. “I promised I’d take care of you, and I will. Always. Now check the bag and let me know what else you need. Freya can bring over more stuff tonight, and Henrik will be here with the rest of your things when the sun comes up.”
“I kind of want to take a shower,” I admitted. My arms still had goosebumps; standing in hot water sounded heavenly.
“We can do that.” Tyr’s face lit up. He started to take off his shirt.
I shoved him out of the room with a laugh. “Not with your friend downstairs. Go visit. I’ll be down in ten.”
“Fine.” Tyr sighed. “Towels are on the foot of the bed.”
“This place has a housekeeper?” I hoped she’d cleared the security check.
“Better. It has me.” Tyr twirled a finger and an extra towel appeared on top of the stack. Oh. My. God. He’d left housekeeping off his list of magical abilities. If I played my cards right, I might never have to scrub another toilet again. “Soaps and shampoos are already in the shower. Blow-dryer’s in one of those drawers. You need anything else, just give me a shout.”
He turned and walked out of the room. I grabbed a towel off the foot of the bed and turned on the faucet. Hot water filled the room with steam, and I hung my towel on the hook next to a plush robe before stripping down and stepping into the shower.
The water smoothed my goosebumps almost instantly. I stood under the stream, washing and conditioning my hair. When I was done I took an extra minute to enjoy the water pressure against my back, then I turned off the shower and toweled off.
The plushy robe felt soft against my skin as I padded across the heated floors. It was still dark outside, so I opened the bag and pulled out a soft pair of silk lavender pajamas. Lacy piping at the wrists and ankles gave a delicate touch to the classic design. I put the pajamas on, then pulled out a hairbrush, toothbrush, face cream, deodorant, and a small makeup kit in colors suited to my fall palate. Freya had even included my favorite lavender perfume. How she’d put this together on a few minutes’ notice was beyond me. Unless…
I froze. Then I crossed to the vanity, put on moisturizer, and blow-dried my hair on autopilot.
Unless Tyr had known something like this was going to happen. Maybe Freya had had this bag packed for weeks, just waiting for my inevitable arrival at the safe house. Tyr said Fenrir went after everyone he loved. And he said he’d do whatever it took to keep me safe. How long had he known we’d end up here? And what was his plan now that we were in the compound? Were we just going to live here forever, or until Tyr figured out how to beat the wolf? Until the wolf was dead? It was immortal, wasn’t it? That could take years—what exactly was going to happen to me? And how was I going to pass any of my classes if I was hiding in a secret safe house invisible to the whole entire cosmos?
The blow-dryer slipped from my hands and hit the counter with a thud. I turned it off. There were so many questions bouncing inside my head, I wanted to find a notebook or four and work them all out. But these weren’t questions I could resolve on my own; I’d need to ask a certain Norse god exactly what his plan was. And I really needed him to have a plan. Because attractive as this compound was, I wasn’t about to sacrifice a lifetime of impeccable academics only to flunk out of college my freshman year. There was no way I could live with that shame, not to mention explain my indefinite absence to my family and friends, even if I could justifiably place the blame on the lords of the underworld.
I caught my reflection in the mirror and sighed. My hair was not yet fit for public viewing. My boyfriend and his bestie might have been waiting for me downstairs, but Mama always said it was better to arrive late than to arrive ugly. I finished drying my hair and brushed it until it shone, brushed my teeth, and padded downstairs in bare feet.
“Oh, good. They fit. I was hoping.” Freya looked up with a smile as I entered the living room.
I smiled back, feeling more generous now that I, too, had sleek, glossy hair. “They’re perfect. And you even packed my favorite perfume. Thanks, Freya.”
She waved a hand. “It’s nothing. I’m glad you’re here. It’s been way too long since I’ve seen this guy. You know, without the weapons drawn.”
“So you guys have been friends for a while. How did you meet?” I sat next to Tyr and tucked my feet underneath me. He threw an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.
“Our moms were best friends, and Freya was born a week after I was adopted. Freya’s been trying to keep up with me since day one.”
&
nbsp; “You wish you were as cool as me.” Freya threw a pillow at him. “Or that you had half my skills.”
“What’s it like being Goddess of Love?” I rested my head lightly on Tyr’s chest as he stroked my hair.
“It has its ups and downs,” Freya admitted. “It’s fun to find the perfect partner for someone and gently nudge them together.”
“Shove them forcefully together, more like it,” Tyr muttered.
“That was just you. And then you nearly blew it with Mia by being your charming self.” Freya stuck out her tongue.
“He’s definitely an acquired taste.” I squeezed Tyr’s arm.
He chuckled. “Oh. Like you could stay away from me.”
Freya smiled. “I’m so the best matchmaker ever.”
“Except according to Brynn, there were four other girls you lined up in case things with us didn’t work out.” Tyr stroked the inside of my wrist. “Not so confident in your skills a few months ago, were you?”
“You know how this works, Tyr. I see compatibility, not soul mates. I brought the five most compatible girls to you, but it was your agency that determined who was the best fit for you. Fenrir’s a monster, but he did one thing right—he brought out your inner caveman at exactly the right moment. You wanted to club Mia over the head and drag her back to your man cave the minute you saw her in danger.” Freya looked inordinately happy. “Don’t you glare at me, Tyr Fredriksen. I saw how you looked at her that day, and I see how you look at her now. You’re welcome.”
Tyr rested his cheek on my head. “Except we’re hiding in a safe house, running from Fenrir. Did you ever think there was a reason I didn’t want you to set me up? Maybe I didn’t want to risk Mia’s life.”
“It’s not my life I’m worried about.” I lifted my head so I could look at Tyr. “It’s my grades.”
“Huh?” Tyr stared at me.
“I don’t know if you guys have a plan for how long we’re going to be on lockdown, but I’ve only got Monday and Tuesday off school for that whole Spirit of the Redwoods deal.” God bless our friendly neighborhood tree huggers, and their insistence the University observe their holiday. “So unless we can wrap things up here by Tuesday evening, latest, I’m going to need a hall pass to go to class.”