Heroes (Eirik Book 2) (10 page)

“I would have if I’d been given notice,” I retorted, but curiosity had me following her into the bedroom.

“Since the goddess’ color are green and black, so are yours. Why do you have to leave? We could have had so much fun tonight. Did you see some of the clan colors? Atrocious.”

“What clan colors?”

“The cloak colors are for different clans. The Cat Clan has some really hot guys.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “The Wolf Clan…” She fanned herself. “I’ve never met a Wolf Clan Jötun that wasn’t smoking.” Her eyes widened. “And I met
Dökkálfar
. My first. A general and his daughter. She’s gorgeous and so intense. I think she’s a warrioress, which is cooler than fun-loving, food-obsessed, dancing Light Elves. But she’s never left their quarters since she and her family arrived except to jog when people are still asleep, and tonight, she’s keeping to herself. I have a feeling she doesn’t want to be here.” She rolled her eyes. “Who would want to miss a chance to meet Eirik?”

No one, and I didn’t care. “What is
Dökkálfar
?”

“Dark Elves from Svartalfheim. Powerful magic. Their story is so sad and tragic, and they have a right to hate everyone. Anyway, enough about the guests. I’ll visit you this time.”

I grinned. “Really? Will your mother let you?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll find a way. Let me get your dress and cloak.” She walked to the other end of the room and lifted a gown hanging on a closet knob. It was a light-green dress with embroidered details around the waist and cleavage. In it, I would have blended in perfectly with the guests in the Banquet Hall. The only thing that would make me think twice about wearing the outfit was the opening in front. It showed more skin than I was used to, but I wouldn’t care. It was gorgeous. The cloak was like Trudy’s, black with green lining.

“You should try it.”

Yes.
“No, I can’t. I really have to go.”

Her expression grew morose.

“Then take them. You’ll need the cloak to keep you warm anyway.” She unpinned the cloak and draped it around my shoulders. “It’s magical too. How does it feel?”

I ran a hand down the material of the cloak. It felt like a blend of silk and velvet. The material was light, yet it enveloped me with warmth. The delicate clasp at the neck was made of gold with green gems forming the shape of a two-rung ladder. I studied the stones.

“Are these real?”

Trudy laughed. “Of course. Emeralds are common around here. They form the goddess’ rune. See mine.” She showed me the pin holding her cloak.

The design of Trudy’s pin was more intricate, but the jewels formed the same ladder-rune design. My focus shifted to mine. It was beautiful, and I wanted it.

“I can borrow it, right? Just for tonight.”

“You’re not borrowing it, silly.” She snapped the clasp in place, adjusted the high collar, and lifted the hood over my head. “I can wrap up the gown too if you want to take it with you.”

And wear it to where? Senior prom? I hadn’t planned on attending it despite what I’d told Eirik.

“No, that’s okay. I’ll bring this back,” I added, adjusting the hood of the cloak.

“And hurt Mama’s feelings?” She pushed gloves in my hand and hugged me tightly. “Come on. Echo is probably pacing and cursing.”

~*~

CELESTIA

“You want me to carry you again?” Echo asked when we reached him.

“No, thanks.” That indignity was a one-time thing. Besides, I wanted a chance to reconnect with the magic of this place again before I left forever. We walked and talked. I said my goodbyes to Garm and Modgie.

“See you soon, Witch,” the Jötun said.

“I don’t think so, Modgie.”

She laughed. Even Echo chuckled. Annoyed, I ignored them and focused on recapturing the magic, but it wasn’t there. “I can’t feel it.”

“The magic of this place is unpredictable. Why do you think we don’t open portals everywhere?”

Fifteen minutes later, we appeared in the middle of the parking lot across from Red Barn. I looked around to see if anyone had seen us. Echo didn’t seem bothered.

“Do you ever worry about people seeing you when you appear out of nowhere?”

“No. Mortals have a way of explaining things they don’t understand. Sometimes a few get lucky because of their boyfriends.” He threw me a pointed glance.

“What are you talking about?”

“Hold the clasp.” He pointed at the gold and emerald pin holding my cloak.

I closed my hands around it. The stones were cold to the touch, but they grew warmer. Not sure what was going on, I started to release it when I looked up and my eyes met Echo’s. I could see the runes on his face. He removed an artavus and created a portal into a living room with French doors leading to a pool deck. Lights were on, and the voices of women reached us. The portal closed.

“Where was that?”

“My home in Miami.”

Nice. “Trudy said it was magical, but I didn’t believe her.”

“As long as you touch the rune, you will be able to see past the Veil.”

How the heck was I going to explain a magical cloak to Hayden? The cloak pulsed with magical energy. Back in Hel, I hadn’t felt it because the entire realm was filled with magic. Heck, the green lining had glowing runes, each combined with the goddess’. Eirik had called them bind runes.

“What do these do?”

Echo lifted the edge and studied the runes in the lining. “Hmm, interesting.”

“What?” I was starting to panic.

“With the hood up and your arms and legs covered, you might achieve a full cloak. Yep, those are invisibility runes.”

Awesome! I was about to become the coolest Witch this side of the Atlantic. For now, I must hide it. I removed the cloak and folded it.

Echo indicated that I walk ahead of him, and we started for the club entrance. He put his artavus away, and I noticed the handles of several blades. Most clubs didn’t allow weapons, but the metal detectors at the entrance of the club probably hadn’t gone off earlier. He must have used magic or maybe the detectors couldn’t detect magical blades. Maybe they weren’t made of metal even though they looked it. Or maybe the runes on them had something to do with it.

“Are you erasing my friends’ memories tonight?”

“Yes. Like last time, you cannot share tonight’s events with anyone.”

“I know. But FYI, I have a serious problem with this business of erasing memories, so if you guys ever try it on me, I will scream and fight you tooth and nail.” Of course, I would have no chance of winning. Grimnirs were stronger and faster.

“Relax, Little Witch,” Echo said. “The goddess told me not to mess with yours since you and Eirik have this thing going.”

“We don’t have
a thing
,” I retorted. He grinned, and I had to admit once again that he could rival Eirik in hotness factor if he did that more often.

“I think you better get used to being summoned to Eljudnir from now on.”

“What is in it for me?” I shot back even though I doubted I’d ever go back.

“You get us.”

“Meaning?”

“You have inside information on everything supernatural.”

“Until the Norns find out,” I said.

“You’re a quick learner. Stay off the Norns’ radar. We also give you protection against evil Witches, Warlocks, Immortals, dark souls, and any supernatural mayhem.”

“Seriously?”

“You have my word. Anything happens to you, we’ll know and the gang will be there. The goddess’ orders.”

Oh. I liked that. Maybe Hel wasn’t as cold and indifferent as I’d thought. Next time, I wouldn’t complain or get hurt if she looked down her nose at me or forgot to thank me for my help.

We were halfway across the street when Syn and two female Grimnirs left the club. They were the same ones I’d seen with Officer Sullivan—Samoan and Ginger. They appeared to be having a heated discussion.

“Wait here,” Echo ordered, and I actually considered doing it. He looked fierce and scary when he didn’t smile. Too bad I didn’t like being ordered around. I moved closer.

“Five Witches… tragic… Delphine LaRoche in New Orleans… ”

“I know Delphine LaRoche,” I said. “What happened?”

The Grimnirs stared at me in surprise.

“I thought I told you to stay put,” Echo snapped.

“I’ve never been good at obeying orders.” I focused on Syn. “What did you say about Delphine LaRoche? She’s a friend.”

They continued to stare at me without speaking. From their expressions, either they weren’t buying it or they just didn’t want me up in their business. My eyes locked with Echo’s.

“Inside information, you said.” Annoyance flashed in his eyes, but I didn’t back down. “Delphine is a respected Seeress and the head of a powerful coven in New Orleans. If anything happened to her, I have a right to know.”

Echo shook his head. “This doesn’t concern you, Little Witch.”

“Anything that involves Witches is my business.”

“Who is she?” Ginger asked.

Samoan nudged her and whispered, “I think she’s Cora.”

Cora? Did everyone have a freaking girlfriend named Cora? First Eirik, and now Echo. His expression said he wasn’t too thrilled with me, or them for confusing me with his Cora.

“Next time
your goddess
needs me, I will not come willingly,” I said.

Echo scoffed at the idea.

“I’ll cause such a stink the Norns will hear about it.” He still wasn’t impressed. “I took pictures,” I added and patted my cell phone, wishing I’d actually remembered to use it. I’d have a picture of Eirik in his Asgardian outfit. “All it takes is a second and my followers on all my social media accounts will be staring at a scene from a banquet hall in another realm. They’ll see Elves, Dwarves, a sulking Jötun girl, and of course, Eirik in his goldly glory. I got several of those.”

Syn laughed.

Echo cursed under his breath.

“Is she or is she not Cora?” Samoan asked.

“She is not,” Echo snapped. “This is Celestia Deveraux, Baldurson’s girl.”

“I’m no one’s girl.”

Echo smirked. “Whatever you say,
Dimples
.”

I shot him a mean look.

“Aside from being a pain, she happens to be under the protection of the goddess, so when she asks for anything, you give it to her.”

The two girls looked confused.

“I thought his girl was a soul who fought the Ironwood Maiden,” Ginger whispered.

Echo sighed. “Celestia fought the Ironwood Maiden when she astral projected from here.” Ginger and Samoan’s jaws dropped.

“You weren’t dead?” Ginger asked.

Seriously? They were clichés—gorgeous but dumb.

“No, I wasn’t. Now that we are on the same page, what did you say about Delphine LaRoche?”

The female Grimnirs were busy studying me like I was some new creature they’d never seen and didn’t answer. Echo and Syn exchanged a glance.

“Someone killed LaRoche about”—Syn glanced at his watch—“an hour ago.”

Blood drained from my head. “No. How? Did they know the person who did it?”

“Her neck was broken. She’s the fifth Witch to die tonight,” Syn continued. “One was outside Rio, another Lagos, the fourth Copenhagen, and the last Iceland. They all died at exactly the same time. Each one was holding a séance.”

That sounded ritualistic, like the townsfolk with pitchforks again. “You think it’s another Witch hunt?”

“We don’t know, but I’d be careful if I were you,” Syn said.

“I don’t do séances.” But Tammy did.
Crap.
I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. The next second Echo had snatched my phone from my hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Who are you calling?” he shot back.

“A family friend.” I tried to grab my phone back, but he lifted it out of my reach. Being short sucked. I glared at him. “I have to warn her, Echo. She’s doing séances this evening.”

He shook his head.  “How will you explain where you got your information?”

“I tranced and saw it.” The female Grimnirs were still staring and not talking. “What? You’ve been staring since you learned who I am. What do you want to know?”

“Did you fight the Ironwood Maiden with her own wand?” Samoan asked.

I sighed. What had Eirik told the people after I’d left Hel?

“Kind of. I was terrified and did what I could to help, but Eirik did all the fighting.” I didn’t care whether they believed me or not. I extended my hand, and Echo gave me back my phone. “Thank you.”

I gave them my back and dialed Tammy’s number. She picked up after one ring.

“Are you holding a séance?”

“I barely finished one, and my next client is on her way. What’s going on?”

“Don’t do anymore tonight or any other night for awhile, Tammy.”

There was silence. “I can’t do that, sweetie. I scheduled these readings on weekends for a reason. What is it?”