Heroes (Eirik Book 2) (34 page)

“Now, I know some of you are wondering whether to believe me or not, but you are magical people and you believe the impossible. I’m the impossible.” I studied those seated close by and found a buff guy. “You, could you hand me my mace, please?”

I could hear Celestia’s groan from across the room. She’d say I was showing off, but I had to convince these people I was real so they could help Raine. From what Celestia had overheard, Raine was in trouble. The Immortals killing the Witches were after her, and knowing her, she would refuse help if I offered it. I planned to talk to Torin as soon as the Witches were in Kayville, not before. He was too proud to accept help or admit he couldn’t protect Raine on his own.

From Celestia’s description, Lord Worthington was behind the killings. Whether they used the orphans or a Witch who could talk to the Norns, the end result would be the same—the Immortals would get their chance to talk to the Norns and try to change their destinies. I might hate the Norns and how they operated, but this was one time I wished they’d meet with these Immortals and scramble their brains.

The men tried to lift the mace with little results. Even Zack, who was seated halfway down the aisle, tried to lift it.

“What is it made of?” someone asked.

“A special metal from Asgard,” I said. “But it was forged by Dwarves, and I’m the only one who can lift it.”

“Like Thor’s hammer?” a woman called out.

“Yes, like
Mjornir
and Odin’s spear,
Gungnir
.” I left the mace where it was because I knew every red-blooded male in the audience would want to try to lift it. “I’m the son of Hel, the Norse goddess of the dead and the ruler of Helheim. My father is Baldur, son of Odin.”

Once again, I paused and waited for the Norns. If they were going to make an appearance and stop me, this was the time to do it.

Nothing happened.

“I’ve lived with the gods in Asgard, but now I live with my parents in Helheim. If any of you have gone on a spiritual quest to communicate with the spirit in the realm of the dead, you’ve gone to her realm. You might not have entered Hel’s Hal, but you came close enough to summon your ancestors and talk to them.” A few murmurs rippled across the room. “Now, for my last bit of proof.”

I removed an artavus from the inside pocket of my duster. “The realms of the gods have giants too. Giant men, wolves, snakes, and even hounds. Has anyone seen
The Avengers
?”

Nods and murmurs greeted my question.

“They got it wrong. Yes, we have giants, but they are not all bad. Like humans, we have good and evil giants. My mother owns a giant hound that watches her gates so evil souls would not enter it. I don’t want you to panic, because when Garm is not on duty, he’s just another dog.”

I etched air runes, making sure I covered enough area, but left it open-ended at the top to accommodate the hound’s height. A portal opened, the blast of frigid air blowing across the stage and hitting those seated with Mrs. Mouton and Doctor B. Of course, they couldn’t see the portal. They just felt its presence.

“Sorry, but you can’t see the portal I just opened to Helheim. Don’t worry about the draft. It’s pretty cold there.” I placed my fingers in my mouth and whistled. “Here, boy.”

The stage shook as the hound moved closer. I stepped away from the portal when he entered the cave. Garm stuck his head through it and licked my cheek. No one moved, their eyes wide as they watched the giant dog with six eyes.

“Good boy. Home.” Garm whined. “Go home or no ride tomorrow.” He growled, and the audience gasped. “Stop scaring them. Go. Now.”

Garm backed up and disappeared into the cave. The portal closed. I put the artavus away and studied the crowd.

“Any questions?”

No one spoke.

“Now that we’ve established I’m telling the truth, let’s talk about the Witch who needs your help. Her name is Raine Cooper, and I grew up with her in Kayville, Oregon, before I joined my family. I cannot answer questions about her, but there’s one thing you should know. The Norns desperately want her on their side. I don’t know why. She doesn’t know why, but she’s the only Witch I know of who can stand up to them.” I let that sink in. “Norns, remember that name. They always travel in threes. And they change shape, color, and size. They could be men or women. Look them up online or in books about Norse gods.”

I paused and sipped the water.

“Celestia’s vision was right. Raine is one of you. She is possibly the most powerful Witch on Earth right now, and she needs your protection from the people searching for her. Only you can help her. I don’t know what you can do. Create a spell to protect her town. Use whatever you can to protect her because she’s going to change things for Witches in this world. She will fight the gods for you and you’d never have a more worthy champion. One day, we’ll learn why the gods fear her. Until then, I’ll repeat what Celestia said. Raine needs your help. Seeresses are willing to die to protect her. Let’s show them they are not alone.”

Sounds came from behind, and I turned to find Doctor B and the others talking. I wasn’t sure what they were discussing, but I wasn’t about to let them dismiss Raine’s safety.

“In return, I will find the people killing the Witches and deliver them to you. You can do whatever you want with them when the time comes. Questions?”

“Are there more Immortals like you?”

“How does one become an Immortal?”

“Are the Immortals hurting the Witches, since they disappear into thin air?”

I raised my hand, and silence followed. “You will learn a lot about Immortals and the gods in the coming months. But right now, you just need to know that yes, these killers are Immortals. But they’re not like me. They were Witches like you before they were given the gift of immortality, which they’ve abused by their actions.” That generated a buzz. “How one becomes an Immortal depends on many things I cannot explain right now because we need to focus on Raine. They want her because she can talk to Norns and they feel they’ve earned the right to visit other realms. Not all Immortals feel like this. Most of them are happy and content helping humanity thrive. That’s another thing you can learn in the coming months, too. Thank you for listening, and I hope we can work together to stop these attacks.”

The applause surprised me. I was sure they’d be busy dissecting everything I’d said. I put the mic in its cradle and shook hands with Doctor B and the members of the Guild. Mrs. Mouton apologized for our initial meeting.

“I had no idea who you were,” she said.

“I might have come off a bit strong,” I said, trying to be diplomatic. I was going to need her cooperation if I wanted to change things. On the other hand, I had to make one thing clear. “Celestia is a very special and dear friend, so I take a keen interest in anyone or anything that bothers her.”

“I will personally apologize to her,” she added hastily.

“That would be nice, thank you.”

“I had visions of a better future, and I knew our young Celestia was part of it, but I had no idea how big it was going to be,” Doctor B said. “Thank you for talking to us.”

“So, do you think I can get protection for my friend?”

“It’s already been decided.” He glanced at the council members, and they nodded. “We’re issuing a Call tonight. Witches across the country, and possibly the world, will be sent to Oregon to cast a spell around the town and protect this young lady. Where can I reach you if we need to talk?”

“Celestia is my contact person, but I’ll be back in the coming weeks to meet with the officials of the Guild and answer more questions.”

The present officials bowed and shook my hand. It was obvious they were confused about how to treat me. I had to correct them several times before they stopped calling me “Your Highness” and “my lord.”

I got off the stage, picked up my mace, and bonded with it. The woman in the wheelchair handed me my duster and shook my hand. I had a feeling she wanted to talk, but others also reached out to touch me and shake my hand.

Doctor B tried to intervene and urged them to let me pass, but people were not easy to control, unless you were a Grimnir. Rhys, Nara, Ranger, and Daiku deliberately decloaked in front of the audience and flanked me. The people fell back. I reached Celestia’s seat and saw it was empty. My stomach clenched with panic.

“Where is she?”

“Outside,” Rhys said. “We have a problem.”

“Norns?” I was more than ready for them.

“Norns would be preferable,” he mumbled, and I wondered what could be worse. We entered the foyer, and I saw what they meant.

EIRIK

Karle, son of Chief Skavnir, looked out of place in his circus tent, red and gold cloak. Before I could recover, I noticed Trudy. At least she blended in. She wore white pants and a dress shirt under her cloak. A few feet away were Syn and Echo, the people responsible for bringing them to this realm. They’d better have an explanation.

Then there was Celestia’s father. He was talking and peering at her while she appeared to be trying to calm him down. I had no idea what Karle and Trudy were doing on Earth, but it couldn’t be good. Not when their guide was Echo. Yet I didn’t go to them. I headed toward Celestia and her father. She looked worried, and that was not acceptable in my book.

As I got closer, I overheard part of their conversation.

“Of course, I was worried,” Chief Devereaux snapped. “Davies said you went into a trance and started screaming. But what happened when I got here? The guards told me that I couldn’t see you.
I
couldn’t see my own daughter. Where is that man?”

“That man” meant me. Celestia winced when our eyes met.

“I tranced and witnessed terrible things, Dad, and freaked out. It happens all the time. Ask Hayden. But I got the sketches of the people behind the attacks on Witches.” She rummaged through her bag and pulled out the sketchbook.

Her father took the pad and barely glanced at it. His eyes narrowed on me before moving to the people around the foyer, his eyes lingering on Echo and Syn. The two Grimnirs had that effect on people. Even from across the room they exuded a tangible menace, so I wasn’t surprised the chief had zeroed in on them.

“We need to talk, junior.” He turned to Celestia. “This won’t take long.”

“Daddy.”

“It’s okay, pumpkin. This has nothing to do with you.” He pressed a kiss on her temple and walked away. Celestia shot me an apologetic look and shrugged. I hoped my smile was reassuring even though I was a bit worried. Her father was unpredictable.

He didn’t speak until we were at a fair distance from the others.

“Odin, Asgard, and other realms are a few of the words I heard tonight. Which one are you? The heir to a powerful European Witch family who runs the Witches Guild or the grandson of Odin?”

“Grandson of Odin and the heir to the Asgard throne. Please, don’t be angry with Celestia. We can’t advertise who we are in this realm without serious consequences. Celestia knows that. I can get away with saying things she can never tell anyone. She only replaced Asgard with Europe, but both my paternal and maternal grandparents are Witches.”

The chief stared me down. “You want to tell me that Norse gods are real?”

“They are, sir. Everything else Celestia told you about me is true. I was raised on Earth as Eirik Seville, which you already verified, and I didn’t reunite with my parents until four months ago.” I couldn’t tell whether he believed me or not. The man would make a formidable opponent in a poker game. “How did you hear what I said when you didn’t come inside?”

“I have my ways. More of your people might be arriving, but this is still my town and nothing happens in it without my knowledge. Remember that.”

“Yes, sir.” There was no point in telling him Grimnirs had been here way before the town was his and would be here once he was gone, or that since four months ago, their numbers had doubled in Windfall because of his daughter.

Chief Devereaux studied Celestia, who kept casting glances in our direction while listening to an excited Trudy. After a moment, his gaze swept over the others before returning to me.

“I don’t know if my daughter’s involvement in all this started with you, or if it happened because she is a Witch, but I’d like some straight answers.” His voice was hard and cold. “You promised to hand over the person behind the killings to the Witches. Why?”

“The Witches have many abilities and can deliver a swift justice. From getting inside his head and making him relive the terror and pain his victims experienced to casting spells that render him useless. He is a powerful man, but they can fix that.” They could remove the pure life force protecting him from my berserker powers.

“Sounds like you know this man,” the chief said.

I hoped to. Planned to, actually. “No, I don’t, but I know powerful men and women, and how they think. These acts by this particular Immortal and his followers are simply a rebellion, and we have our way of dealing with them.” Since I was leading one against the Norns, I had no idea what the consequences would be, but he didn’t need to know that.”

“If they are breaking the law, they belong in jail,” the chief said firmly.

“Your jails cannot hold Immortals, sir.”

He studied the Grimnirs, again his eyes lingering on Echo and Syn. “Why not? They look like your average thugs.”

“Those men are my mother’s reapers. They don’t deal with the living. They only appear to collect souls and deliver them to my mother for safekeeping.”

He went a little pale, his eyes narrowing on Echo and Syn.

“We’re talking about Immortals who have been around for centuries, Chief Deveraux. They wear suits, have private jets, and run multi-billion dollar companies, but no one knows them or what they can do. They have people making sure you never see their faces. They can move faster than anything you know, including man-made machines. They are super strong, can become invisible, open a portal, and disappear before you turn the keys to their jail cells. Only our kind of justice works here.”

“So this sketch my daughter gave me...?” He waved the sketchpad.

“Is useless, I’m afraid. I know you are worried about her, but Celestia will be okay. All these men and women would protect her with their lives.”

“Reapers,” he murmured.

“Yes.”

“Because of you?” He sounded less angry now.

“Partly, and partly because of her. She’s earned their loyalty.” Celestia was no longer watching us. She was showing Trudy pictures and trophies in a display case. “It started four months ago, but she’s now part of our world.”

“I assume you’re not just talking about the Witches’ world here.”

“No, sir. I’m talking about a much larger universe.”

“Realms, the gods, and soul reapers,” he murmured and shook his head. “I don’t like it. Not one little bit.”

I didn’t respond, and for one brief moment, he glowered as though blaming me for everything. I was willing to take the blame if he’d accept who and what I was. Celestia was mine whether he liked it or not. His acceptance would be important for her. Me, I’d have no problem keeping her in my realm without his consent if it meant keeping her safe.

“I may not like that she is part of your world, as you call it,” he added, “but I guess I’ll have to accept it. However, she’s still my daughter and she means the world to me. I don’t trust just anyone with her.”

“I understand,” I said.

“Then prove that I can trust you, Eirik Baldurson.”

“I’m trying, sir.”

“Get her out of town and keep her safe while your people sort out this problem. Tonight. I don’t like the idea of her spending another day in this town. Tammy hasn’t returned my calls and that’s enough to know she’s not on some shopping trip. She’s part of what’s going on.” He paused and waited for my response. I nodded. “I thought as much. I cannot protect Celestia when I don’t understand what I’m up against.” He peered into my eyes. “I’m giving you a chance to prove to me that you are trustworthy, Baldurson, and that what you swore this morning still holds.”

“I will protect her with every breath I have, sir.”

“How long does a portal take to form?”

“Seconds.”

“I want her gone as soon as a possible, and do not come back without contacting me first.”

Something was off about the chief’s request. He’d been okay letting her go to Hayden’s this morning, and according to Rhys, he’d had no problem when they’d left this evening. What had happened since then?

“What’s going on, sir?”

Anger flashed in his eyes. “Just get her out of town. You have the means and the manpower should you run into trouble.” His eyes went to the Grimnirs.

Okay, he was definitely hiding something. “Yes, sir.”

“Take Hayden and Zack, too. They’ll make sure you behave.”

It was my turn to be annoyed. “Sir, I would never take advantage of your daughter.”

“I was not born yesterday, young man. I’ve seen the way you look at her. I expect the man who spoke inside that auditorium to treat my daughter with the same courtesy and respect. Just remember to contact me before you bring her back.”

What the hell was going on? The man sounded scared, yet I was sure it had nothing to do with body snatchers or the Immortals killing Witches. I was still mulling over the change in his attitude when we rejoined the others. He pressed a kiss on Celestia’s temple again.

“Have a nice spring break, sweetheart,” was all he said. Then he was striding toward the entrance.

“What was that about?” Celestia asked and looked at me expectantly. She had introduced Hayden and Zack to Karle and Trudy, but the Grimnirs kept their distance and stood apart—Echo and Syn were on one side while the other four were by the windows.

“Your car is still at Hayden’s place?”

“Yes. Ranger parked it in the back. What did Dad tell you?”

“He heard my speech tonight and got spooked. He wants you to come with us to Hel’s Hall until things calms down. Hayden and Zack, too.”

She blinked in shock. “What? Why didn’t he just tell me that? Why all the theatrics?”

“I guess he knew you’d want to know why.”

“You got that right. They agreed to issue a Call, which means all Witches—”

“Your father doesn’t want you involved.”

“He knows I have to help. I’ll call him.” She reached in her back pocket and groaned. “I must have left my phone at home. Hayden’s too.”

“You won’t need them. Can you explain to Hayden and Zack what’s going on while I talk to Echo?” She looked ready to argue. “Please. I think this is your father testing me, again. If I can’t convince you three to come with me, so I can protect you, I’ll fail in his eyes.” She sighed and nodded. Karle wore the confused look of someone out of his element. Rhys and his troop kept their distance while Echo and Syn moved closer.

“I’m finally on Earth,” Trudy said, barely containing her excitement. “It’s awesome.”

Awesome? She was in a small town no one had ever heard of and a school that was only several years old, not exactly the hub of Earthly awesomeness. But I didn’t want to burst her bubble, so I smiled and focused on Karle.

“Nice to see you, buddy.” I punched his arm. “I’ve been waiting for you for four days. I thought you stood me up.”

Instead of responding, Karle frowned and looked more uncomfortable.

“We’re on Earth, Eirik,” Trudy explained. “There’s not enough magic energy to tap in on, channel our will, and bridge the language barrier. He can only speak dragon or Jötun language. That’s why I’m here. After I told The Golden One you’d asked me to go to Jötunheim with you, he said I could act as a translator.”

“We’re going to Jötunheim?” Syn asked.

I ignored him and locked eyes with Echo. Every senior reaper had several junior reapers under them. Since he was Syn’s superior, he had some explaining to do. Applause came from the auditorium, and I knew it was only a matter of time before the meeting ended and people wandered outside. I didn’t want to be mobbed again.

“Let’s get out of here. Hayden, can we use your store?”

“Sure.” She pulled out an artavus, created a portal, and led Zack through it. He chuckled and looked around with interest, asking her details about the portal. Syn watched Hayden with rapt fascination. The Grimnir didn’t stand a chance. From what I’d seen, Hayden and Zack were crazy about each other.

Trudy and Karle followed. Celestia tugged my hand. She looked worried. I hated seeing her worried. I hoped it wasn’t about coming home with me. If I had to carry her through the portal, I was going to do it. Something had spooked her father enough to practically beg me to get her out of town. Once she was safely at home, I planned to come back and find out what was going on. I needed to make sure he was safe too.

“It’s okay,” I reassured her.

“What’s going on? I asked Trudy, but she said Karle insisted on talking to you.”

Hayden turned on the lights inside the store as we entered. While Trudy looked around with the wonder of a kid at the circus, Karle stayed close. He looked tense. Rhys and his team spread out. I was okay with them. I needed to hear from Echo, and I didn’t like the weird negative vibes between him and Rhys.

“What’s going on, Echo?” I asked.

“Why are we going to Jötunheim?” Syn said.

“I’m sure the Jötun girl’s gotten over your betrayal, Syn,” Echo said, but his eyes were focused on me. “The dragon boy arrived half an hour ago and kept saying he wanted to see you. The guards told him you were out, but he insisted on talking to you, so they called your father. After a brief meeting, the Golden One sent Trudy to find us and we got our orders to bring him to you ASAP.”