Tro (Elsker Saga Book 3)

by S. T. Bende

  “No,” Ull whispered. “It has been missing for decades.”

  “It’s been missing since Kjell defected.” Inga gave Ull a pointed look. “You know what this means.”

  My hand shot into the air. “I don’t know what this means.”

  Ull plucked the ring out of the air. With a gentle touch to the small of my back, he guided me to the couch. “Inga, would you get her some water?”

  Inga nodded, and flew into the kitchen. She came back seconds later, with three glasses and a plate of scones.

  “How’d you know I was hungry?” I took a pastry.

  “You’re pregnant.” Inga shrugged.

  Ull rubbed my leg softly as I bit into the scone. While I chewed, he took the note out of my hand. “Hmm. I did not see that coming.”

  “Me neither. But we should have known the Three Sisters wouldn’t have cast the Seer from a pure mortal. No offense.” Inga shot me a look.

  “What is going on?” I was trying to be patient, but this was getting weird. And in this crowd, that said a lot.

  “Kristia.” Ull set the note down and turned his attention to me. He held both of my hands in his. “That letter says the ring is a family heirloom. That it was a gift to your maternal ancestor from her husband, Kjell.”

  “So why is my family heirloom floating? And why is Inga acting so weird?”

  “Because it is not a family heirloom from your mortal side. It is an heirloom from your Asgardian side.” Ull didn’t break eye contact.

  “I don’t have an Asgardian side. I mean, I do now, obviously. But I didn’t six months ago. And I didn’t two years ago, or whenever Mormor left this ring with Mr. Behrman.”

  “Yes you did.” Ull gently rubbed the tops of my hands with his thumbs. “When we were dating and I wanted to become a human so we could be together, I told you about a god who had left Asgard to marry a mortal. Do you remember?”

  “Vaguely.” Ull’s threat to give up his immortality was something I tried not to think about anymore.

  “His name was Kjell. He was a warrior, and he fell in love with a mortal on a routine peacekeeping mission to Midgard. He approached Odin and asked that she be granted admission to Asgard, but Odin refused to create an immoral. He said it went against the laws of the realms.

  “Kjell left Asgard, and never returned. He relinquished his immortality, married the mortal, and eventually died a Midgardian. He got to spend his life with the woman he loved, and by all accounts he got the life he wanted. But Odin was furious. He never believed Kjell would really leave. He was one of Odin’s finest warriors—captained the Elite Team for twenty cycles, and held a kill record that was only recently topped. Losing him was the impetus Odin needed to create the test that allowed you to join our family.”

  “So Kjell moved to Earth and married the mortal? What happened to them?” I asked.

  Ull’s eyes twinkled. “Jens watched them for a few years. Kjell found work as a fisherman, and set up a home with his bride not far from where you used to live, in Oregon. After a few years, he and the mortal had a baby. Jens watched for a bit more, to see if the baby displayed any supernatural gifts. It appeared she was as human as her mother, and so it was decided the happy family could live out their days without Asgardian supervision.”

  “So you don’t know what happened to Kjell’s family after that?”

  “We did not. Until now.” Ull tapped the note. “Your grandmother was in possession of a ring that belonged to Kjell. The note said it was a family heirloom, a gift from your great-great-great-great-great grandfather to his bride.”

  “Which means…” My stomach fluttered.

  Ull held my gaze. “It means you were never fully human. The Asgardian genes were depleted by a few generations of mortal pairings, not to mention Kjell’s relinquishment of his immortality, but the reason you had visions all your life; the reason you felt so drawn to our world; the reason Elsker chose you for me…it is because you are Kjell’s descendant.”

  It was a full minute before I was able to blink.

  “I was never fully human.”

  “No.”

  “And this ring…”

  “It’s the Healing Stone,” Inga offered helpfully. “Kjell won it from a fire giant in battle, and he took it with him when he left Asgard.”

  “The Healing Stone. It’s the lost artifact that can help Olaug.” My voice broke.

  “It can. But it can only be activated by its rightful owner.” Ull squeezed my hands.

  “But I’m not its owner: Kjell is. Was. Whatever. Why does it float for me and not for you guys? You’re more Asgardian than I am. Was. Arugh.” I shook my head.

  “Because the ring does not belong to us. Magic dictates that an object is loyal to whomever creates or captures it, so long as the transfer is final. Kjell won the stone from the giant, thereby winning its fealty. And he put that fealty to good use. Your great-great-great grandfather knew that once he relinquished his immortality, he would be vulnerable to all sorts of attacks. Asgard’s enemies would track him down and kill both him and his bride on sight. Taking down a god, even a retired one, would be a great prize. And while he was not concerned for his own fate, he wanted to protect the woman he loved. So Kjell asked the light elves to make the stone into a ring for his bride. It would not be able to stave off death by natural causes, but it would protect against supernatural elements—enchanted weapons, curses, crushing spells.” Ull raised an eyebrow. “When Kjell reached Midgard, he gifted the ring to his wife and its fealty transferred to her. She must have passed it to her child in her will. And she to hers. And so on. Until it became your grandmother’s. And now, yours.”

  I stared at the ring as it lay on the coffee table. It twinkled at me.

  “So, not only am I the Seer, but I have a magic healing ring, too?”

  “Yes.” Inga clapped her hands. “You know what this means?”

  I let out a breath. “Olaug’s going to be okay.”

  “Exactly.” Ull nodded. “When you put on the ring, you will be able to imbue anything you touch with therapeutic properties.”

  “So our baby…” I rubbed my stomach.

  “Will be healthy as a Pegasus.” Ull kissed the top of my head.

  “A doctor for a father and a healer for a mother. Plus you can see what he’s going to do before he does it? Poor kid’s going to have no fun in high school.” Inga giggled.

  “Sweetheart, are you all right? Your forehead feels warm.” Ull held the back of his hand to my face.

  “It’s never ending, is it? Just when I think I have a grip on this life, there’s a whole new twist. It’s kind of crazy.”

  “There is definitely something new every day,” Ull agreed.

  “So I’ll be able to protect our baby from Loki, and dark elves, and jotuns, and…well, all the things,” I mused. “And I’ll be able to protect you guys if, Odin forbid, we’re ever cursed. But first we need to take care of Olaug.”

  “Already on it.” Inga typed into phone. When it beeped, she nodded. “She’s on her way upstairs.”

  My stomach churned. “How do I know what to do? This ring didn’t exactly arrive with a manual.”

  “It will just come to you,” Olaug’s voice came from the doorway. She tottered into the living area and sat beside me on the couch. “Put the ring on.”

  The ring rose from the table and floated to my right hand. It hovered, waiting for me to unclench my fist. I gulped. “Okay.”

  The minute the ring was on, I felt a surge of energy. It pulsed from my hand to my heart, and back again. Cool air hit the whites of my eyes as my brows shot up. “It feels…weird,” I whispered.

  “Bet you’ve felt weirder,” Inga pointed out.

  I shuddered. There was no need to revisit Idunn’s little procedure.

  “Now place your hand over my heart,” Olaug instructed.

  My fingers shook as I rested my palm against Olaug’s heart. The energy pushed away from me now, from my heart, down my arm, and out
through the ring. The blue stone glowed, and nine beams emitted from its center. I jumped at the ring’s sudden outburst. It was brighter than the midday sun on Asgard Cay, and the way it moved energy through my body left me feeling like I’d just downed an entire case of energy drinks. I took a deep breath and kept my hand against Olaug’s chest. My palm vibrated against Olaug’s ribcage, filling her body with light. When the light dimmed, I pulled my hand back.

  Holy mother of pearl. This life was crazy.

  “Did it work? How do you feel?” I held my breath.

  Olaug flexed her hands experimentally. Then she stood, and turned in a slow circle. “I feel…wonderful. The pain is gone.”

  “Are you certain?” Ull stared at Olaug.

  “I am certain.” She nodded. “Well done, Kristia.”

  My voice shook. “I’m not entirely sure what I did, but I’m glad it worked.”

  Ull turned to me. He rested his large hand on my belly. “How are the two of you?”

  “We’re fine.” I stroked his jaw. “And thanks to Kjell’s ring, it looks like we’re going to be fine for a long time.”

  Ull drew me to him, wrapping strong arms around my shoulders. “If any of this is too much for you, just say the word and I will take you and the baby away. It is wonderful that you have this gift, but if it interferes with you or our child’s happiness, I will make all of this disappear.”

  “I can handle it.” I lay my cheek against Ull’s chest. “Do you honestly think I’d back away from something like this?”

  “I wish I could say yes.” Ull shook his head. “But if there is one thing I know about you, it is that you love a challenge.”

  “Not half as much as I love you.”

  “I can see we’re not needed here any more. Olaug? Walk me home?” I heard Inga and Olaug’s laughter as they closed the door behind them, but I didn’t see them leave. My eyes were locked on Ull’s perfect face: the strong line of his jaw, the sparkling orbs of his eyes, and the pale pink lips that lowered themselves onto mine. Ull kissed a trail from my mouth down the side of my neck and I melted.

  “It seems we have an evening of celebrating ahead of us.”

  “Mmm. What did you have in mind?”

  “How about dinner in the garden? Grilled steaks, twice-baked potatoes, and fresh green beans, courtesy of your doting husband.” He nibbled his way up to my chin.

  “I like the sound of that.”

  “And for dessert, fresh apple cobbler. You will need your strength for phase two of our celebration.” He breathed on my ear and I shivered.

  “I can’t wait,” I whispered. I brushed my lips against Ull’s, kissing him soundly. He was only too happy to give in as he picked me up, and started running. I couldn’t help but laugh as he raced down the hallway. And once again I marveled at the amazing turns my life had taken since Ull Myhr dropped into it.

  “You know something?” I gazed up at him and twirled a lock of his hair around one finger. “Jeg elsker deg.”

  “I love you too, darling.” Ull beamed down at me, and closed the bedroom door behind us.

  I let out a soft sigh and traced the line of his jaw with one finger. This god, this life: it was everything I had ever wanted. I was absolutely overwhelmed with gratitude.

  “Jeg elsker deg,” I whispered again. “Forever.”

  He winked, then kissed me softly. “Forever.”

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Before finding domestic bliss in suburbia, ST Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly fond of Peet’s Coffee) and Europe…where she became overly fond of McVitie’s cookies. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired the books of The Elsker Saga. She hopes her characters make you smile and that, one day, pastries will be considered a health food.

  Find ST on Twitter @stbende or her blog. While you’re at it, introduce yourself to @UllMyhr—when he’s not saving the cosmos from dark elves, he loves meeting new friends. Especially the human kind.

  CONNECT WITH ST BENDE ONLINE

  Ull and I love to connect with readers! Find us online at

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  E-mail: stbende@gmail.com

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  WANT MORE OF THE ELSKER SAGA?

  Find out what happens to our favorite Norse gods in…

  THE ELSKER SAGA: TUR (a 10,000 word novella)

  THE ELSKER SAGA: ELSKER

  THE ELSKER SAGA: ENDRE

  THE ELSKER SAGA: TRO

  And meet a whole new Norse crew soon in ÆRE

  See how Ull and Kristia’s love story began in

  THE ELSKER SAGA: TUR

  (A 10,000 word novella)

  Inga Andersson is the envy of every girl in Asgard. On the surface she has it all -- great friends, a job as Odin’s personal fight choreographer, and a happy ever after with her realm’s hottest assassin. But when evil invades Asgard, her perfect world comes crashing down. Someone is planning to kill off the gods, and Inga’s best friend Ull is first on their list. With the Norse apocalypse a nanosecond away, Inga has to decide how she’ll spend her final moments of freedom. Because from the moment this battle begins, Inga’s happily ever after will be nothing more than a memory.

  Some things are worth fighting for.

  And now, a sneak peek at the beginning of Kristia and Ull’s story:

  THE ELSKER SAGA: TUR

  BREATHE, INGA. YOU’VE got this.

  An angry god was coming at me from across the clearing, legs pumping with decent speed. He was a blur of red hair and clenched fists, the visible embodiment of rage. Thick, blue veins pulsed beneath muscular forearms, and I could feel the fury seething from every pore. I managed to avoid the first series of punches, but the livid deity landed a fast uppercut that sent me flying. My ears rang as I shook my head, evicting the stars behind my eyes. It wasn’t like me to miss a sucker-punch.

  I jumped to my feet just in time. The god charged at me like a Celtic dancer -- head down, arms at his sides. Interesting approach. I sidestepped him, but he circled around, hooking my neck with one arm and forcing me down. He pounced with outstretched hands, clearly aiming for my throat. I tucked my knees over my head so he landed face first in the dirt. He came up, spitting bark and angrier than ever.

  “Good,” I murmured as the god started circling. “Now I’ve gotcha.” When he lunged again, I caught his fist between two hands. His eyes widened as I squeezed. Hard. When I heard his knuckles crack, I bent my knees and pushed off the balls of my feet. I threw my arms across my chest, hurtling my opponent off the ground. He landed on his back, the air leaving his lungs in a painful sound. I left him clutching a complete set of broken fingers.

  “Nice effort, Christian.” I tilted my head and offered a hand to help him up. “You nearly got me a few times there. Do you know where you went wrong?”

  My student glared as he hoisted himself up with his good arm. “Nei. But Odin knows you’re going to spell it out for me.”

  “It’s not my idea of a good time to teach you basic combat skills on Sunday morning. You’re the one who almost got himself killed in Jotunheim last week. Not me.”

  “That wasn’t my fault, the--”

  “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t care if they shoved
starkweed root under your fingernails and used voodoo to make you sprout a second head. Your commander asked me to get you up to speed so you don’t get anyone else in your unit killed. And it’s my day off. So hurry up and tell me what you did wrong.”

  “The guys were right about you. You’re a nightmare.” My charge cradled his broken hand. What a baby. While I normally enjoyed my job as Fight Choreographer and Chief Tactical Advisor for Asgard’s warriors, some days, it could be a royal pain. Since Christian had neither stopped whining nor improved his attack in the past ninety minutes, this morning garnered a royal pain checkmark.

  “Thank you. Now, tell me where you went wrong.”

  “Uh…” Christian glared at me. He was probably wondering how a girl just beat him at hand to hand. They were all like that the first time we worked together. Seasoned warriors cherished private sessions with me. Greenhorns loathed them.

  “Where was your head two minutes ago?” I probed.

  “I wanted to kill you.”

  “That’s good. But you were coming from an emotional place. Combat’s all about strategy. If you’ve got too much going on here,” I tapped his chest, “Then you can’t focus on what should be going on here.” He ducked before I could tap his head. Touchy little bugger.

  “Fine. Let’s go again.”

  “Can you stay in your head this time, or do you need to cool it for a few minutes? If you’re going to last more than a week at this job, you better learn to shut down your emotions. Find a little switch inside and just--” I flicked my finger in the air. “Turn it off. You have to want to kill me for the right reasons. And those reasons aren’t here.” I tapped his heart. Christian grimaced.