Heroes (Eirik Book 2) (38 page)

Trudy gripped my hand under the table and gave me a thumbs-up. Then she went back to listening to Hayden’s conversation. Our host was innocent, which was a relief. I liked his exuberance. I pressed on Eirik’s arm to get his attention. Instead of looking at me, he lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on my knuckles.

“I know,” he whispered, his focus on the elderly woman to his immediate right. I tried to take my hand back, but he refused to let it go. Instead of fighting him, I gave up and decided to enjoy the moment. Especially when he interlaced our fingers and gently stroked my hand. I wanted to close my eyes and rest my head on his shoulder. Instead, I sighed, soaked in his warmth and the sensations, and watched the door for the return of the Grimnirs.

“She was a sweet, sweet girl who didn’t speak much,” the woman said, and my attention shifted to her. She had the same color eyes as the one talking to Hayden, except she was much older with white hair and wrinkles everywhere. Maybe they were related.

“Your grandmother is a great leader and a powerful Seeress,” she continued.

Ew, they were discussing Angrboda. Man, I loathed that woman. I was surprised Eirik didn’t growl or tell her to shut up. They were shoving her greatness down his throat when we knew what a snake she was.

“But she’s more comfortable talking to generals and training young pups than taking care of a young, awkward girl. We’d stop by to play with Hela sometimes, but she was shy and not very comfortable around people.”

Hela? They were discussing the goddess now. This woman looked old enough to be the goddess’ great grandmother, yet they’d played together. I shamelessly eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Why?” Eirik asked.

“Because she was born in a permanent partial shift. We have people in our clan who can take any form. You met the Patrol Pack. And my son and grandchildren are dragon shifters. But most of us can shift from grandmothers like me to your Celestia over here.” She indicated me with a smile, and I wondered when Eirik had told her I was his. “A crone today can look like a young girl tomorrow. They might not take that form for long, but shifting has helped us win some battles. Your mother was born half crone and half girl, and no magic could change it. It is very tragic.”

So the stories were true. Online, they always drew her with half the face of an old woman.

“You shouldn’t pity her,” he said. “We’ve seen her like that, and it doesn’t change how my father and I feel about her.”

“I should hope not,” the old lady said. “You love her, but children can be very cruel. They made fun of her when your grandmother wasn’t around, and so she’d hide and play inside the mansion alone.”

Eirik growled, and I wanted to growl too. What kind of crappy childhood was that? Who in the hall had made fun of her? From the way he glanced around, I knew Eirik was with me. I squeezed his hand.

“Where in Hel’s Mist were my uncles?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“Out training with the pups and your grandmother. They helped protect the clan.”

“Instead of my mother?” he practically snarled.

Stupid brothers.
Zack was only my cousin, and he’d bloodied noses on my behalf when we were growing up. Eirik’s hand tightened, crushing my fingers. I gently stroked his hand. Slowly, tension left him and his grip eased.

“Oh, they protected her whenever they were around, but they couldn’t be with her all the time. And whenever she came to town…” Her voice trailed off and her eyes welled. From her expression, the torment Goddess Hel had endured must have been horrible. No wonder she was so cold. Her life had been nothing but crap.

Scales appeared on Eirik’s arms, and his nails elongated. I wrapped my arms around his and pressed my cheek on his shoulder.

“It’s okay,” I whispered while slowly stroking the scales. “It was a long time ago.”

When he spoke, he was calmer. “Where was my grandfather?”

“Loki was only Angrboda’s consort. Consorts come and go. That was how she wanted it. Your grandmother has always been fiercely independent and doesn’t believe in depending on anyone. She didn’t want him hanging around her mansion and often sent him back to Asgard. But that didn’t stop him from coming back to check on his children, especially Hela. Every few months, he’d come to check on her.” The old woman smiled. “Whenever he came home, your mother would sparkle. She’d stop caring about how she looked because he didn’t care that she couldn’t shift or that she was different. He loved her. He would take her places and teach her things. They rode, fished, trained, and played games. We’d hide and watch her from behind the bushes with envy. Your grandfather was gifted with magic, and he shared that gift with her. He’d take different forms and fly with her over the rivers and up the mountains. Járnvid is at the top of the hill, and you could hear her laughter from miles away.”

“Tell him about the runes, Mama,” the woman who’d been talking to Hayden said.

“Oh, that’s the day he nearly burned down the forest in rage,” the older woman said and chuckled.

“What happened?” I asked, forgetting I wasn’t part of their conversation.

“The chieftess came back with a runic blade after fighting Asgardians and etched runes all over Hela. Some people said she had a premonition. Others weren’t so kind in their judgment and said she wanted to hide Hela’s face. Yes, the runes, once she learned to work them, did hide her crone side, but she was young and it wasn’t easy for her to keep it like now. Loki came home and saw what your grandmother had done. In a fit of rage, he set out to destroy the very place she spent most of her time, the source of our magic.”

“The forest would have been burned to the ground if it weren’t for its magic,” the other woman said. “It healed itself, but it was never the same.”

Despite the bad rap of being a trickster, Loki had been a loving father. Now that was one Jötun I would have loved to meet.

“But our Chieftess’ premonitions came true,” Skavnir said from the other end of the table, and silence spread across the hall. “The gods took her children when she was out fighting and hid them in Asgard. But what did our Hela do when life in Asgard became unbearable?” He exchanged a smile with the people at the table. “She looked Odin in the eye and demanded a realm to rule. And just like in the chieftess’ premonitions, our Hela was given a realm to rule, and the souls she cares about find comfort in the runes on her body.”

She also used runes to record every soul’s resting place. Her childhood, though painful, had prepared her for her role. No wonder she hated weakness. Her strength came from facing challenge after challenge and overcoming each one. And it hadn’t hurt to have a father who loved her and taught her it was okay to accept who she was. Just like mine. A tear rolled down my cheek.

Trudy gripped me and sniffled. She was crying, too.

“And what did she do when Odin gave her this realm to rule?” Skevnir asked, and the whole hall answered. Since they were so loud, I didn’t get it.

“What?” I asked, and Eirik chuckled.

“She gave Odin Huginn and Munnin,” he said.

“She came back to Ironwood and asked her mother for the wisest ravens to offer the Alfadir for granting her a wish,” the old woman said. “And that was the last time we saw Hela, until we came to meet you, Eirik son of Baldur.”

My respect for the goddess just went up a notch. According to what I’d read online, Odin owned two magical ravens, which he often dispatched at dawn to roam Earth and bring him news at dusk. Who knew they had come from the goddess? Eirik drained his drink and reached for the bread. Echo chose that moment to come back inside the hall. The look in his eyes had us all rushing to our feet.

CELESTIA

Echo walked to Eirik’s side and whispered, “They’re gone. All of them.”

“What’s going on?” Chief Skavnir asked, standing.

“We came looking for my grandmother and the orphans, but they are no longer in Járnvid,” Eirik said. “I must join the Grimnirs and search for them, Chief Skavnir. Like I told you, some of the children are gravely ill and won’t last the night. They’re not used to this land, and if not reaped, their souls will be lost forever.”

“This is preposterous. The chieftess said the children needed to rest because they were still getting used to the magic here and she was going to join us as soon as they were in bed. No, sit down.” He turned, called out names, and barked orders. Several men and women left the hall. “The guards will find out what’s going on. I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”

“I know where they went.”

We turned at the familiar voice. Olea stood in the middle of the hall.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Chief Skavnir. I’ll come again to visit and enjoy your mead.” Eirik shook his hand, and then we hurried out of the hall. The faces of the clan members said they were completely taken by surprise by the turn of events. “Show us,” Eirik barked at Olea.

Syn, Rhys, and Nara were in the courtyard. We all started toward the gate. Behind us, the townsmen poured out of the hall. We didn’t slow down.

“Where’s Karle?” Rhys asked Olea.

“He’s waiting for us in the cavern. I know a shortcut.” Olea ducked between homes, and we followed. Rhys moved closer to Eirik. 

“Her hall is protected by powerful magic,” Rhys explained. “That’s why we were gone for so long. It took us a while to break inside.”

Eirik didn’t respond. I could tell he was pissed.

“They left the moment you arrived here,” Olea said. “I was hiding in the bushes when I saw them head to the cave. I followed them, but by the time I got there, the portal was closing.”

“Did you see where they went?”

“Nidavellir,” Olea said.

“Why would Dwarves help her?” Trudy asked. “They are nice.”

“Dwarves are merchants,” Eirik retorted. “They’d buy and sell anything to the highest bidder.” Trudy made a face. Eirik was being mean. He should know by now how proud Trudy was of her Dwarven heritage.

“She probably bit a few, Trudy,” I said.

“It might explain why the staff in Eljudnir never liked her. Mom grew up in Nidavellir,” Trudy said. “I have an uncle who is a merchant at the market.”

“Thanks, Trudy,” Eirik said. “We might need friends once we get there.”

We used a side gate and headed toward the mountains, the moon lighting the way. There were no trees, just rocks and shrubs, and the ground was cracked. It was as though two types of climates forged the land, creating lush forest on one side and the desert-like topography on the other. From the width of the road, it was used often.

I picked up her energy like a string someone had left behind. The closer we got to the mountains, the stronger it grew. I glanced at Hayden, but she stayed close to Zack and stared straight ahead. She’d completely shut me out and it hurt. Why couldn’t she see we were in this together? If her mother really betrayed me, I’d never blame her.

Eirik slipped his hand through mine. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Liar.”

I smiled. “You?”

“I’m pissed.”

“I know, but we’re close.”

“Close is not good enough.” The path sloped as we entered a ravine with a strange rock formation. It was as though a Jötun had drilled a hole through an oval geode, creating a surface for portals. Karle waited with his artavo.

“They went to the market in Nidavellir. I confirmed it.”

He opened a portal. Through it, we could see people ambling past—Elves, Dwarves, Vanirs going by the white cloaks, and Jötuns. I wondered if Asgardians came to the market too. I even saw a few Grimnirs. Everyone was going to blend in perfectly, except people from Earth in our winter boots and snow coats.

“Can you feel her?” Eirik asked.

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

“I can,” Hayden said and went through the portal. Syn cursed and followed, sticking by her side. I’d noticed he’d been hovering near her since we’d left the store or staring at her when no one was looking. We followed, forcing the throng of buyers walking by to either break their stride or speed up.

“What is this place?” Eirik asked.

“The largest market in all the nine realms,” Olea said.

We stayed by the wall and got our bearings. The place was packed and more people kept appearing and disappearing through air and wall portals. Others came down the steps from what appeared to be a regular entrance. The market was underground, the roof way up. Vendors with carts were spread out to our right and left as far as the eye could see. Steps and bridges led to levels below us, where more vendors hawked their wares. So far, all I could see were weapons. Big and small. Some with runic writings and others without.

“Fresh and hot food, dried and fresh fruit, vegetables, and smoked meats are traded above us,” Karle explained like a salesman. “Household stuff like rugs, furniture, and utensils are to the left. Clothes and blankets to the right. Weapons are on all levels, but mainly here and below us.”

Hayden groaned. “How are we going to find them in this place?”

“We don’t have to.
They
have found us,” Echo said. “Six o’clock.”

About five men, two of them
Dökkálfar
going by visible grayish skin, stood directly ahead with their weapons drawn. Echo pulled out his swords in one smooth movement and adjusted his stance. My eyes flew to Eirik, but
Gunnlögi
already dangled in his hand and scales were visible on his knuckles. My stomach hollowed out, but I wasn’t scared. Not yet. It didn’t matter that we were in a strange realm about to be attacked by creatures I’d only seen from afar. We had three dragon shifters and reapers from Hel.

I looked up and my confidence slipped a notch.

“More on the upper level,” I said, my voice coming out barely above a whisper, but Eirik heard me and looked up. Six women had crossbows trained on us. They were all dressed in black like ninja warriors. The only visible parts of their bodies were their eyes and the skin around them. One of the women could be Angrboda for all we knew.

I tried to find her energy, but all I got were traces from the bitten. All our attackers were bonded to her. More threads of energy came all around us, which meant some were in the crowd.

“Three o’clock,” Rhys said, unsheathing daggers from his back. He had them lined up like steak knives along his lower back. These weren’t the regular artavo I’d seen them use to etch runes. They were like the weapons some of the vendors were selling. Iron blades with nasty-looking pommels.

Nara rotated her neck and smirked, her eyes gleaming as though fighting in the market place was her favorite pastime. The daggers twirled in a blur under her grip, the
whoosh
sounds cutting the air. She pointed them at the men directly ahead of her as though to say, “You are mine, bitches.”

“Nine o’clock too,” Ranger chimed in as more appeared to our left. I hadn’t paid him much attention since we’d gone back to the store from my house. He had a knife belt hanging low on his hips, but his duster had hidden a hip sword. Daiku didn’t even have his katana out yet, but I’d seen him fight outside my house. He moved like a monkey and was faster than I’d seen any Grimnir move.

Yep, we should be good. Why then were my palms sweating and my heart pounding so hard?

“This is a trap,” Echo said, not sounding amused.

“But they are the ones going down,” Eirik said.

His confidence was reassuring. I glanced at Hayden. She was holding her artavo as though ready to kick ass. Someone had given Zack a dagger. I doubted he knew how to use it, but it was better to be prepared than play the helpless victim. Trudy had her scepter out, and the dragon siblings were covered with scales. They
were
weapons. I could snap necks using telekinesis, but I didn’t want to kill anyone. I wanted to throw up.

Eirik and the Grimnirs spread out, creating an island around the rest of us. The market people realized something was going down and hurried past or shuffled backward to stop and stare. More of the ambush team became visible as the crowd moved back. Vendors pushed their weapon-laden carts out of the way while others created portals and disappeared. We were outnumbered four to one as more crossbow-wielding archers appeared on the upper level. Dwarves lined up in front of their taller comrades.

Eirik turned, furious eyes connecting with mine briefly before focusing on Olea and Karle. “This is not your battle. Open a portal and go home. Take Zack, Celestia, and Hayden with you.”

“No,” Hayden and I said.

“We can’t,” Karle and Olea said at the same time.

“You don’t abandon friends at their time of need,” Karle said.

“That’s our clan motto. She created it.” Olea didn’t need to explain who “she” was. Angrboda.

Eirik seemed ready to argue, glanced over his shoulder, and cursed. “Fine. Then stay and guard them. Anyone tries to take them, bring them down. If you decide to go home, take them with you.” They nodded. “How many heads can you manipulate at a time, Trudy?”

“I don’t know. I’ve only done a few at a time.”

“Today, go for more. Focus on the ones on the right and neutralize them. Hayden?”

“I haven’t used mass manipulation either, but I’ll try. I also have my artavo.”

“No close combat unless absolutely necessary. You are not trained for it. Focus on the ones on the left.” Eirik handed me a dagger. “A present from Echo. No close combat for you either, but better safe than sorry. Use your telekinesis to disarm the archers and throw them down to us.”

I put the knife in the pocket of my coat. I needed my hands free to channel my magic. “There are more in the crowd. I found threads of their energies.”

“It’s hard to tell if she’s close by,” Hayden chimed in. “Her energy keeps surging and fading.”

Eirik nodded. “I’ll tell the others. When I lift my mace, you go on the offensive.” He glanced at Zack. “I don’t know what you can do yet, but try to stay alive.”

Zack threw him a mean look, but my cousin didn’t get a chance to say anything because a bellow resounded inside the market.

“Son of Bladur!”

We looked up. A
Dökkálfar
female had broken ranks among the archers, stepped forward, and lowered the cloth covering her face. Her skin was the color of charcoal.

“We’ve come for the Midgard girls,” she continued, and the buzz from the crowd disappeared. “Hand them over, and we’ll let you live.”

Marguerite’s words came back to haunt me.
The monster will go to war for you and more deaths will follow… Your lives will be in danger because of her.
It was all coming true.

Eirik walked past the Grimnirs to the clearing. Instead of lifting his head and addressing the woman, he spoke to the warriors facing us, turning and making eye contact with them.

“She got it wrong,” he said, the arrogant smirk I was coming to love on his lips. “Give us the orphans and we’ll spare a few of you. Either way, most of you are going to die right here and right now.”

“We have an army on the surface,” the woman called down. “You can’t possibly win.”

“Ah, but we will. I have thirteen of the fiercest fighters from all the realms, and they never lose. Your statement reveals you are ignorant to what I can do, so the odds are in our favor.”

The woman laughed, and a buzz rippled through the gathered crowd. The onlookers must have thought this was a staged show.

“Her warriors are getting worried,” Trudy said. That meant Eirik’s bluff was working. Nothing was scarier than an enemy who acted invincible.

Their leader raised her hand, and Eirik lifted his mace. By the time she yelled, “Take them down,” I had already locked on several crossbows. Chaos broke out as the men charged and our team met them. The leader of the archers jumped down and joined the fighters just as the spectators realized this was real. Death screams, thuds, and the clang of metal against metal filled the air.

I curled my fingers and yanked, but the weapons were strapped to their shoulders and two of them came crashing down. The archers got up, and the Grimnirs cut them down. I became creative, changing the trajectory of the next ones and sending them flying across the market. Still, arrows rained on Eirik and the Grimnirs. The attack didn’t seem to slow them down. Their swords whipped through the air and stopped some. Others found their marks.

I couldn’t afford to see who got hit. I went after more archers and managed to hold on to two necks and twisted. They dropped. Their people kicked them out of the way and replaced them. They hadn’t joked about having an army. At this rate, they’d just wear us out. My powers weren’t infinite. I was bound to get exhausted. I was sure I wasn’t the only one.

One let out her arrow, which curved toward me. It moved so fast I saw it leave the holder one second and the next it was inches from my chest. A scaly arm blocked it, and I found myself looking at a grinning Karle. Then he was gone.