by Leia Stone
Bodie shook his head. “Might as well fly over every country and see if Allie’s armor vibrates? Hope Nott doesn’t see us moving around and send her monsters to take us out? We need a better plan than that.”
“You got any ideas?” Tore folded his arms over his chest. “Because I’m listening.”
Bodie frowned. “I say we keep training and wait for a lead.”
“Midgard will be completely destroyed if we just sit on our butts and wait around for tips,” Tore countered. “I’m not letting that happen.”
“I’m not letting it happen either,” Bodie objected. “But we can’t just—”
A loud knock at the door broke up the argument, and plunged us all into silence.
Mack was the first to breathe. “Don’t worry, our protections are top notch,” he assured us. “I’m sure it’s a neighbor here to welcome us.”
But just in case he was wrong, I fired up the Liv in my chest while he crossed to the door. That way it would only take an extra second to bust out my light whip and debilitate whoever was on our front porch. I didn’t trust anything at this point. The life of a demigod was, apparently, a paranoid one.
But my jaw dropped as Mack pulled open the front door, revealing a figure I most definitely had not expected to pay us a house call. I didn’t know who I’d thought might be on the other side of the door, but it definitely wasn’t the white-haired god wearing an eyepatch. No freaking way.
Mack dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “Alfödr!” he exclaimed. “Velkommen to our huset.”
The rest of the boys took a knee and Greta stood before bowing into a deep curtsy. Not knowing what else to do, I followed her lead and bowed low to the ground. Holy Lord, the father of all the gods was walking into our living room.
I was so not freaking out right now. Yeah, right.
“Velkommen, Alfödr.” Tore rose from his knee to greet the older god. The rest of the boys followed suit, while I folded my hands together and grasped my fingers tightly to stop myself from wringing them. Act cool, Allie. Don’t let the Alfödr see you sweat.
The Alfödr’s wrinkled hand clutched his staff as he nodded at each of my protectors in turn. After he’d studied them with his eagle-eyed stare, he pinned the eye not covered by a patch on my boyfriend.
“Greetings, warriors.” The Alfödr’s deep voice resonated throughout the room. “I apologize for my unannounced visit, but recent events have made it clear that our existing forms of communication are not secure.”
“Has there been any new information on Asgard’s spy?” Tore asked.
“The spy has not been caught, but data suggests the perpetrator is someone close to me.” The Alfödr narrowed his eye, disappointment etching across his wrinkled features. Whoa. I’d expected that kind of news to elicit Vidar-level anger, but instead of fury, the Alfödr radiated sorrow—as if a betrayal from within his inner circle broke his heart. It hit me that Asgard’s ruler looked upon his subjects in an almost paternal way . . . and his priorities were most definitely in the right place. Cool.
“Do you have a lead for us, sir?” Mack asked respectfully.
The Alfödr kept his gaze on Tore as he nodded. “I do. But first, I owe you an apology, Tore. I was unaware of Vidar’s inexcusable actions toward your mother, and that oversight on my part cost both you and her gravely. Your father confessed his dishonorable act an hour ago, and I sentenced him to a month-long stay in Helheim.”
Tore registered zero emotion. He simply held the Alfödr’s gaze and said, “Thank you.”
Double whoa. The Alfödr sent the God of Revenge to Helheim? That took serious guts. My respect for Asgard’s ruler went up another notch.
The Alfödr reached out to squeeze Tore’s shoulder. “I am sorry, son. I took Vidar at his word when he told me of your mother’s death, but I should have known better. She is under my personal protection from today forward.”
“Thank you,” Tore said again, his voice cracking over the words. Oh, Tore.
“Now, regarding Gud Morder.” The Alfödr stepped back. “I have a theory.”
“Yes?” My breath hitched as I waited to hear his next words.
“When Nott destroyed the weapon, she did so in anger,” he said. “This caused the pieces to scatter randomly throughout the realms. Or so we thought.”
In through the nose, out through the mouth.
No one said a word as we stared at the Alfödr. After a seemingly endless pause, he continued. “You located the first piece near the home of Elora and Raul Medisjon, in Alfheim. As you know, the Medisjons are Allie’s godparents.”
“Yes,” I said. Where’s he going with this?
“You located the next piece on Jotunheim, atop the same mountain where Allie’s father proposed to Eir.”
“What? I didn’t know that!” It was nice to know how my parents had gotten engaged, but it was kind of disappointing to learn it happened on top of a frozen lump. Romance fail, Dad. Jeez.
Johann interrupted my proposal pity-party. “We located another piece near my dads’ house in Vanaheim. Hjalmar was one of Eir’s protectors, and both of my dads have known Allie since the day she was born.”
“Precisely.” The Alfödr smiled. “The pieces were scattered, but each landed in a place that either already shared, or would one day share a connection with Allie. Whether you realized it or not, the Norns left you a map.”
A map that led to my untimely death at the hands of the dark goddess, Nott? Thanks, but no thanks, Norns.
“Thank you, sir.” Tore took a more tactical approach. “This will be helpful in searching for the remaining three pieces of the weapon. We need to identify places connected to Allie in Svartalfheim, Midgard, and Helheim.”
If anyone knew of a place that was connected to me in Helheim, I was all ears.
The Alfödr turned to me. “Allie, would you be so kind as to escort me outside?”
My limbs locked down. Did the boss of Asgard just ask me for a one-on-one? Was I supposed to bow, or curtsy, or address him as Your Grace or—
Greta’s light shove to my shoulder had my feet moving.
“Yes, of course,” I mumbled, all the while willing myself to not mess this up.
The Alfödr smiled kindly before turning his attention to my protectors. “Continue the good work. The realms are depending on you.”
With that he pulled open the door and strode onto the porch. My stomach turned somersaults as I followed him. Seriously, don’t mess this up.
After I’d tugged the door closed behind me, I followed the Alfödr down the porch steps. He stopped in the center of our little front garden, his massive form dwarfing the white picket fence that framed the yard. Although the moon was obscured behind a cloud, a definite glow surrounded the Alfödr; whether it came from the smattering of stars or his own illuminating energy, I couldn’t tell.
The Alfödr folded his hands together around his staff. The wrinkles of his face deepened into a gentle smile. “I apologize for not being able to meet with you before now. It is an honor, Allie.” He extended his hand, and I reached out to shake it. At the touch, a warm pulse shot from his palm up to my necklace, sending a wave of peace through my centers. I instantly relaxed into complete, and total trust. Whoa. Whatever energy the Alfödr possessed, it was some seriously powerful stuff.
“The honor is mine,” I said. And I meant it. I might not have grown up revering this man as my ruler, but it was easy to sense that kindness guided his heart. His love for his subjects permeated his essence, and in all likelihood, had fueled every decision he’d made for however long his immortal rule had lasted. Being in his presence was both comforting and awe-inspiring—like spending time with a kindly grandfather and powerful world leader, all wrapped up in one extremely intense being.
The Alfödr studied me closely. “Please, do not be anxious for your future, Allie. I know you worry for your friends, and for your mother.”
“Just a little,” I admitted. Okay, a lot.
“I un
derstand.” The Alfödr smiled kindly. “Our world was kept from you for most of your young life, and now you have tremendous responsibility on your shoulders. It is you alone who has the ultimate power to end Nott’s dark reign.”
A shiver danced along my back. The Alfödr wasn’t much on small talk, was he? This little meet-and-greet had gotten real serious, real fast.
“And because of that, you must understand how Nott came to be so lost. You may, of course, relay this information to your friends after I depart. But I want you to have the opportunity to absorb it without outside influence; experience its resonance independently. Will you indulge an old god in a story?”
“Of course,” I murmured.
The Alfödr tilted his head back to study the stars. When he spoke, his words came slowly, as if he chose them with great care. “Every life has a turning point—a moment in which an obstacle presents itself which will either usher a being to growth, or set that being on a course of entirely different, substantially less forward-moving consequences. In some cases, those consequences are guided by the darkness.”
Yikes.
The Alfödr’s clear gaze zeroed in on me. “For Nott, that turning point came when she lost her dream of having a family. The darkness was poised, ready to offer her the escape from her physical body that she desperately needed. But the escape came with a very heavy price—not only for Nott, but for all of the realms.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. Oh, my God.
The Alfödr continued. “It was no secret that Nott wanted to be a mother. She and her husband tried for years to have a child without success. They sought Eir’s help in rectifying their infertility, but nothing worked. Eventually, Nott’s husband left her for a goddess who could conceive.”
Compassion tugged at my heart, but I pushed it away. I didn’t want to feel sorry for Nott. I just wanted to do what I had to do to get my mother back, and protect my home realm.
“Nott found love with another being—a warrior, by all accounts. By then she was fiercely protective of her privacy, and took great pains to keep her relationship—and her home life—very quiet. When Nott and her new love conceived a child, she became even more guarded. But it was with great joy that she summoned your mother to her side on a warm day in July, when she was ready to deliver her baby.”
“My mother?” I blurted. “Why? Were she and Nott friends?”
“As Goddess of Healing, your mother was expected to be present for the births of all titled gods and demigods—to step in, in the unlikely event of a tragedy.”
“Oh. Oh.” My God. My stomach dropped. Poor Nott.
“Nott’s labor was strenuous. It went on for much longer than was customary. Eir called in her assistants, and it was determined that Nott’s baby could not be born in the traditional way. Eir worked alongside a secondary healer experienced in such matters. Pursuant to protocol, Eir focused her gift on healing Nott’s incision the moment Seriah was delivered, and the Goddess of Night was spared because of Eir’s excellent care. Seriah, however, was not so fortunate. The baby was pronounced dead on delivery.”
A lead balloon settled in my gut. First her husband, and then her child? That was a lot of loss for one lifetime—even an immortal one. Tears pricked at the backs of my lids, but I hastily wiped them away. I didn’t want to feel this for Nott. She didn’t deserve it. Did she?
The Alfödr continued, paying no mind to my begrudging sniffles. Stupid tears. “Nott was out of her mind with grief. Her heartbreak was overwhelming, and despite your mother’s extraordinary abilities, Nott rejected the emotional healing your mother offered. Instead, she chose to leave her body and allow something sinister to enter in her soul’s place.”
“No,” I whispered. She’d chosen to leave her body? Did that mean whatever monster currently resided in Nott wasn’t the real her? Was Nott herself possessed, like my dragon had once been?
Now I had to fight a possessed dark goddess? Jeez, Allie, just when you thought you had a grip on things.
“Seriah’s spirit was not yet ready to join the worlds, but Nott refused to accept what was.” The Alfödr’s voice dropped, and I leaned forward to hear him. “She killed the secondary healer and all of your mother’s assistants, before turning her attention on Eir. She ordered Eir to heal the baby, and though your mother is the most gifted healer our realm has ever known, even she cannot will a spirit to return to a body once it has left. Healers offer choices—they do not control agency.”
His clear, blue eye zeroed in on me again, and I sensed his words carried great weight. I didn’t understand how he wanted me to apply it, but I tucked the lesson into my memory and resolved to over-analyze it later. Probably often. “So, Nott cursed my mom with the Night Sleep?” I whispered, already knowing the answer.
“Correct.” The Alfödr’s mouth tugged down in a frown. “The Nott I knew died that day. In leaving her body, she opened herself up to the entities of the dark realms, and now they run her. If she is not stopped, their darkness will feed on Midgard, destroying all that is light within this realm and enslaving each and every mortal. If Midgard falls, the rest of the light realms will follow until there is nothing left but darkness.”
The lead in my stomach doubled in weight. Those were really high stakes. “What if I can’t do it?” I whispered. “What if I can’t stop Nott?”
The Alfödr placed one hand on my shoulder and said simply, “The Norns do not make mistakes.”
Maybe they didn’t, but I sure as hell did. I made mistakes all the freaking time. What if I couldn’t find the last three pieces, or I couldn’t pull up my light whip fast enough next time, or what if when it came time to kill the night goddess I couldn’t actually do it? She was possessed, for the love of God. Possessed. How was I supposed to overpower that?
But the head of Asgard was looking down on me with his grandfatherly smile, and the only thing I could think to say was, “I won’t let you down, sir.”
Seriously, Allie? Do you actually believe that?
I didn’t, but the possibly delusional god standing in front of me seemed to. The Alfödr released his hands from my shoulders. “You are strong, Allie. I have tremendous faith in you.”
As flattering as his confidence was, the more realistic part of me wanted to advise him that if I was Asgard’s last chance for survival, we were pretty much screwed. But I bit down on my lip, and mumbled a quiet, “Thank you.”
My companion’s cloak fluttered as a light breeze swept across the yard. The temperature had dropped several degrees while we were speaking, and I wrapped my arms around myself to stave off the cold.
“Ah.” The Alfödr smiled. “Please go back to the warmth of your home, Allie. It is time for me to return to Asgard. Your warriors know how to reach me should you require my counsel.”
With a nod, he walked through the gate and into the field that bordered our property. The wind picked up again, stronger this time, whipping my hair across my face. The Alfödr turned back to look at me piercing me with his one magnanimous eye. As the breeze picked up, he called out, “Follow your instincts,” before disappearing into the starry night. He hadn’t summoned a Bifrost or uttered magic words; there had just been a gust of wind and then . . . poof. He was gone.
Good Lord. Did that just happen?
The Alfödr’s story looped through my head as I jogged up to the porch and sat on the swing, hoping the crisp evening air would lend clarity to everything I’d learned. Nott’s crimes against her healers and my mother were inexcusable. And her decision to relinquish her sovereignty to the darkness had resulted in consequences for Midgard we might never be able to rectify. But for the first time, I had a glimmer of understanding. Nott had chosen her path because the alternative was more than she believed she could handle.
And being in over one’s head was something I could most definitely relate to.
CHAPTER THREE
I SAT ON THE porch swing for what felt like hours, just letting the Alfödr’s words tumble around inside my head.
Every life has a turning point—a moment in which an obstacle presents itself which will either usher a being to growth, or . . . I shuddered. No ‘or,’ Allie. There can be no ‘or.’ But what if I wasn’t strong enough to grow as much as I needed to as a warrior, a healer, and a demigod, before I had to face Nott again? She’d already abducted Bodie. We’d been lucky to get him back in one piece, but I doubted she’d be so generous next time. What if—
Don’t go there. Don’t let fear win. You’ll do what you have to in order to end this. You have to. Even if you have no idea how.
With a heavy sigh, I dropped my forehead onto my knees and pushed all thoughts from my mind. By the time Tore poked his head out of the front door to tell me he was going to bed, I was more than ready to turn my brain off for a few hours . . . or possibly a few days, though I knew we didn’t have that kind of time to waste. We had a night goddess to kill, and a cosmos to set right. There would be time enough for relaxing when all of this was over and Nott was no more.
I hope.
The house was mostly quiet as I followed Tore upstairs. Soft snores came from Mack’s room, and I wondered if the light elf was dreaming up new recipes, or sorting through the ways he might feng shui the guest cottage behind our new safe house. The gentle energy coming from his closed door filled my centers with peace, and I continued down the hallway secure in the knowledge that no matter how dire this situation felt, I was blessed to face it alongside some of the kindest, most loyal souls I’d ever known.
When we reached my bedroom door, Tore bent down to kiss me before walking across the hall. “Night, Allie,” he said. “You know where I am if you need to talk.”
“Thanks,” I whispered. Part of me wanted to follow him into his room. But the other more exhausted part was singularly focused on the downy white comforter and plushy pillows decorating my mahogany sleigh-bed. With a sigh, I closed my door and shuffled toward my en suite bathroom. I hadn’t packed much by way of toiletries, but thankfully, Greta had stocked up on her trip into town that afternoon. She’d left shampoo, conditioner, lotion, face cream, and a basic palette of eye makeup beside my toothbrush. After scrubbing my teeth until they were minty clean, I rubbed the thick, lavender lotion from my knuckles all the way up to my elbows. The scent immediately took me back to Gran’s garden, and I slipped into my lacy shorts and tank top with a contented sigh. When she hadn’t been stealthily defending me from dark entities, my warrior granny had distilled her own flower essences from the things she grew in her backyard. Gran’s lavender tea had been my favorite bedtime treat, and tucking into my sheets in Trondheim surrounded by the familiar smell gave me a small amount of comfort.