Dead Silence (29 page)

"Sorry, Brody," I hissed, covering my mouth so he wouldn't see my amusement.

I must have failed because he glared at me and said, "Not funny, Bryn." Then he glowered and folded his arms, falling back onto his heels as we ducked behind the bush.

Chuckling softly, I said, "Consider it payback for the bugs, you miscreant."

He frowned for a few seconds then laughed softly. "So we're even then?"

I nodded as Suri asked, "What bugs? Miscreant? What's going on?"

Even as I moved I felt the pull of fatigue, accompanied by a hint of nauseas. I swallowed hard, trying to push the feelings away.

Forcing myself to pay attention to what I'd come here to do, I glanced back at the house and front verandah where the Jotunn stood like a statue in front of the door. From here he looked like an FBI agent, complete with dark sunglasses worn at night. I wondered if he was watching us right now, but we'd been very quiet so I didn't think so.

"Long story. Tell you later." I pointed at the house. "Where are the women, Brody?"

He tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen. From where we stood at the corner of the house we could see along both the front and the back walls. The light in the kitchen was on, throwing long shadows on the ground, elongated dark reflections of the two women as they moved around the table.

"There's a Jotunn guarding the back door and also one that lurks inside the house doing general sweeps every ten minutes."

Nodding slowly I frowned, as I worked through my plan. "Right, I can't take the two of you with me. Stay here and cover me in case I'm discovered. I'm going straight in and transporting them to Asgard immediately. You two head for the Bridge the moment you see me leave with them."

I got two nods and two thumbs up. Then I tapped Gungnir onto the ground and disappeared.

As I materialized in the warm kitchen, I had to suck in a breath to push away the webs of dizziness that seemed to want to drop me on my ass. Breathing through it, I turned to see my mother at the sink with her back to me, the curdled moon throwing sickly light onto her pale skin. The tap was running, splashing water giving cover to any sound my arrival would have caused. Ms Custer had her head inside the fridge with her ample behind sticking out. I grinned and waited as Ms Custer straightened and closed the fridge door.

I remained still as she placed a block of butter and a jug of milk on the table, waiting until I could get her attention without making her die of fright. She started when she saw me at last, her eyes going wide, and I put my finger to my lips.

She smiled so wide, her white teeth shone, assuring me that she was happy to see me. Then she gave me a tiny nod before moving slowly to my mother who'd remained oblivious that an additional person had entered the room.

Ms Custer whispered something to my mother, and I watched at her back stiffened. After a short moment, she glanced immediately over her shoulder at me. The slight turn caused her to hit a mug off the draining board with her elbow.

It crashed to the floor, the sound incredibly loud as I gasped and lunged toward them.

"We have to go. Don't let go of me." I heard the stamping of one of the frost giants as he raced to the kitchen to investigate the noise. At the outside door, the guard was already turning the handle.

Neither of the women moved to hold onto me and I grabbed Ms Custer's hand and said, "Hold her." She reached for my mother's fingers and held tight as I stamped the spear onto the floor of the kitchen.

We disappeared before either of the Jotunn reached the kitchen.

***

We arrived outside Ms Custer's house in Craven, Brody jerked away from us and almost face-planting in the dirt beside the bush.

"Sorry, Brody," I hissed, covering my mouth so he wouldn't see my amusement.

I must have failed because he glared at me and said, "Not funny, Bryn." Then he glowered and folded his arms, falling back onto his heels as we ducked behind the bush.

Chuckling softly, I said, "Consider it payback for the bugs, you miscreant."

He frowned for a few seconds then laughed softly. "So we're even then?"

I nodded as Suri asked, "What bugs? Miscreant? What's going on?"

Even as I moved I felt the pull of fatigue, accompanied by a hint of nausea. I swallowed hard, trying to push the feelings away.

Forcing myself to pay attention to what I'd come here to do, I glanced back at the house and front verandah where the Jotunn stood like a statue in front of the door. From here he looked like an FBI agent, complete with dark sunglasses worn at night. I wondered if he was watching us right now, but we'd been very quiet so I didn't think so.

"Long story. Tell you later." I pointed at the house. "Where are the women, Brody?"

He tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen. From where we stood at the corner of the house we could see along both the front and the back walls. The light in the kitchen was on, throwing long shadows on the ground, elongated dark reflections of the two women as they moved around the table.

"There's a Jotunn guarding the back door and also one that lurks inside the house doing general sweeps every ten minutes."

Nodding slowly I frowned, as I worked through my plan. "Right, I can't take the two of you with me. Stay here and cover me in case I'm discovered. I'm going straight in and transporting them to Asgard immediately. You two head for the Bridge the moment you see me leave with them."

I got two nods and two thumbs up. Then I tapped Gungnir onto the ground and disappeared.

As I materialized in the warm kitchen, I had to suck in a breath to push away the webs of dizziness that seemed to want to drop me on my ass. Breathing through it, I turned to see my mother at the sink with her back to me, the curdled moon throwing sickly light onto her pale skin. The tap was running, splashing water giving cover to any sound my arrival would have caused. Ms Custer had her head inside the fridge with her ample behind sticking out. I grinned and waited as Ms Custer straightened and closed the fridge door.

I remained still as she placed a block of butter and a jug of milk on the table, waiting until I could get her attention without making her die of fright. She started when she saw me at last, her eyes going wide, and I put my finger to my lips.

She smiled so wide, her white teeth shone, assuring me that she was happy to see me. Then she gave me a tiny nod before moving slowly to my mother who'd remained oblivious that an additional person had entered the room.

Ms Custer whispered something to my mother, and I watched at her back stiffened. After a short moment, she glanced immediately over her shoulder at me. The slight turn caused her to hit a mug off the draining board with her elbow.

It crashed to the floor, the sound incredibly loud as I gasped and lunged toward them.

"We have to go. Don't let go of me." I heard the stamping of one of the frost giants as he raced to the kitchen to investigate the noise. At the outside door, the guard was already turning the handle.

Neither of the women moved to hold onto me and I grabbed Ms Custer's hand and said, "Hold her." She reached for my mother's fingers and held tight as I stamped the spear onto the floor of the kitchen.

We disappeared before either of the Jotunn reached the kitchen.

***

We arrived inside my room and I swayed from fatigue. The more I moved around, jumping from plane to plane, the weaker I seemed to be getting.

I tilted, releasing Gungnir and would have hit the floor hard if Ms Custer hadn't reached for me. She helped me to the bed and sat me down, clicking her tongue as she picked up the spear and set it in the corner before sinking beside me to test my forehead with her fingers.

"Bryn, you're burning up." She spoke the words as if they were an admonition and I smiled at her and grabbed her hand in mine.

"I'm fine. I'm just glad you're safe. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" The questions were all directed at Ms Custer, more so because I didn't dare to meet my mother's eyes.

Strangely, I felt guilty, but I wasn't entirely sure why. She'd left me, not the other way around.

I shifted to face her and found she was standing in front of me, so very still as she stared. "We're both fine," she said softly. "They didn't hurt us."

Although she spoke the words I wanted to hear, I was still afraid. And Ms Custer could tell. She enveloped me in a warm hug and patted my back. Only then did I find I was shivering.

"We are both fine. Promise."

And suddenly my tears fell. The great warrior Valkyrie was crying, big fat tears dripping from my eyes. "I was so afraid," I said to my foster mother, hiccupping as I spoke. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"Now you don't worry about anything. That man wanted us alive as leverage. He wouldn't have hurt us, even if he'd wanted to."

I sniffed. "He told you that?"

She nodded, "He didn't seem to be able to shut up."

Laughing, I said, "That sounds like Loki alright."

"Loki?" asked my mother. She remained a foot away, watching me in the arms of Ms Custer and I wondered how she felt. Seeing her own child being comforted by another woman.

Sniffing again, I got to my feet. I had things to do. "Both of you have to stay here for now. Nobody must find you here. Can you do that?" I looked at Ms Custer but the question was meant more for my mother that anyone else.

Ms Custer nodded and my mother said, "We'll wait here, Bryn. You go do what you have to do."

I wanted to talk to her, to find out if she still hated me, to ask her if she'd ever regretted leaving me. But I did none of those things.

Instead, I grabbed Gungnir and stowed it in the sheath on my back, then left the room with a quick wave at the two worried women. I hurried to Fen's Hall, tucking my red hair out of sight and pulling the hood of my cloak low over my face.

No-one knew it was me as I stopped at the door and hovered for a moment. I entered silently, weaving through the crowded room. Pausing at Fen's side, I whispered in his ear. He nodded and I stepped away to stand with the light of the fire at my back. All I wanted to do was to sink to floor and fall asleep with that heat soaking into my bones, but I stiffened my resolve and watched as Fen sent everyone out on various errands.

At last, with the room empty, he turned to me. "Nita is on the way."

I nodded but all he would have seen was the bobbing of my head. Shifting to one of the chairs closest to the fire, I sighed in relief as I got off my feet.

And Fen left me to it. He didn't ask me any questions, just let me rest until a knock on the door announced Nita's arrival.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

As I pushed the hood off she stiffened for a moment, her eyes darkening. "Hello, Bryn," she said with a frown. She barely gave Fen a greeting as she focused on me. "Are you feeling okay? You look ill."

"I am," I said softly, basking in the warmth of the fire as it soaked deep into my ice-filled bones. "I'm not sure how much time I have left, but there is one thing I mean to do before I die."

The elf's face whitened and it took her a few seconds before she was able to respond. "What is it, Bryn? Do you need my help for anything?" Her gaze went from my face back to Fen's, and I found it really hard to believe that she had betrayed us.

"You can tell us where Loki is holding your son," I said, so softly that I wasn't sure she heard me the first time.

I took a breath to repeat my request when she said, "How do you know about that?" Her voice was a whisper as she stared at me, fear tightening the skin on her face.

"Loki told me. He paid me a visit and insisted I butt out of his affairs. Said he has my mother and won't set her free unless I obey his demands. He also said that he has your son."

Nita's eyes filled with tears and suddenly the elf didn't look ancient or regal any longer. She just looked broken.

She sat slowly in the chair beside her, and stared at her hands. They were shaking so hard she had to squeeze them to stop the shivers.

"Where is your son, Nita? I know you know where he is. You have the power to find him."

"Why do you want to know?" she asked softly, as if afraid someone would overhear her.

Fen cleared his throat, shifting his eyes to look at Nita. "Since Bryn is not allowed to help us in our cause, I will find your son and bring him safely to Asgard. All you need to do is tell us where he is."

Nita looked up and met my eyes, revealing her tear-stained face. She shook her head and bit her lip for moment. "I don't think I can. What if he hurts my boy?"

"As long as you tell him nothing, he won't know we're going to save your child. Loki is secure in the knowledge that you will do nothing, and the knowledge that you will give him whatever information he requires on our progress."

Nita whitened and I reached out to her, taking her hand in mine. "Don't be afraid. We know why you did it. And none of us blame you. We would all have done the same thing given the circumstances."

Nita nodded then wiped the tears from her cheeks, although she didn't look entirely convinced. "What do you want me to tell him?" she asked, fiddling with the ties of her long cloak.

"Tell him that we are proceeding as planned, that the teams are all heading to the Vigrid plains, preparing for the battle. Maybe tell him that Freyr has arrived too and will go to the battlefield soon. Make him think that everything here is going to plan."

"You want me to tell him your real plans?" she asked, shocked.

Fen nodded, his eyes hidden within shadows caused by the flickering firelight. "Yes, but only because I am sure he has other spies who will tell him the same thing. The only difference is we know about you. The other mole, if there is one, is still unknown. But none of that matters. Tell us where your son is and we will save him."