Son of Thunder (Heavenly War Series) (19 page)

“I thought Norn magic was good magic,” Meghan said, as she drove. “Your mother used Norn magic to create the portal when your brothers took Heimdall back. She told me so.”

Jord nodded. “Norn magic isn’t good or evil. It just . . . is. It’s nature magic, pulling its power from the elements of nature around it.”

Meghan thought she understood. “So Loki is killing things to pull power from nature for his spells?”

“Gods can pull power from within themselves, or work with the natural elements so the magic does not damage the world around them. But Loki doesn’t care. He simply pulls the power from the easiest and closest source, probably pulling much more power than he actually needs. Life-force would be the easiest source of power.”

A thought suddenly occurred to Meghan. “Loki turned into a raven just now. There was a raven in the trees over the camp when we were planning the attack on Fenrir’s supply train.”

“That has to be how they knew we were coming.” Jord frowned. “It would have been the perfect way to spy on us.”

Meghan’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment. “I saw the raven other times also. I should have said something.”

Jord shook his head. “How were you to know?”

The road was paved, but old and cracked with numerous potholes. They were way out in the country, somewhere. The tavern stood alone out here, surrounded by fields and light woods. As she drove they passed some farmhouses and barns, but not much else.

Meghan was lost. “Any idea where we are?”

Jord glanced out the window. “No snow, and it’s much too warm to be Minnesota. From the way those guys talked back there I think we’re in America. We must be down south somewhere.”

Jord was still about done in, Meghan could tell, but he didn’t complain.

“We need to find a hotel and get you some rest.”

Jord laid his head back on the seat, and closed his eyes. “I’ll be fine—”

Meghan cut him off. “No you won’t! You need to get rested up and then find a way back to Asgaard. I know they need you, but not in the shape you’re in right now.”

She saw him smile, shake his head and sigh. “You’re right, of course.”

Meghan sighed. “Get some rest. I’ll find us a hotel.”

Ten minutes later she came to a crossroads. An old, weather-beaten sign indicated Greenville was to the right, so she turned right. Jord was gently snoring by that time. She sure hoped Greenville had a place they could stay at and get some rest. Meghan had been up all night herself, and was starting to run out of steam.

Jord never woke when she pulled in and stopped in front of the office of the rundown motel at the edge of town. He kept snoring while she rummaged through his pockets for his wallet. She’d left her purse at the museum. How many days ago had that been? Thank goodness Jord had some cash in his wallet.

“Your boyfriend looks a bit worse for the wear.” The hotel manager pointed to Jord through the front window of the motel office. The place was old and in need of some repair and paint, but at least it was clean.

“Got into a bar fight.” Meghan laughed. “Needs some place to sleep it off.”

“At this time of day?” The sun was high in the sky. Meghan had lost all track of time, but it must have been before noon.

She smiled at the man. “He’s an idiot, but I love ‘im.”

She paid the man with a one-hundred dollar bill, and got over forty dollars back in change. Yeah, this was going to be a high-class establishment.

She pulled the truck around to the front door of room three and got out to check on the room. It was exactly the fleabag she’d expected. At least the bed linens seemed fairly clean. She went back out to the truck to find Jord still asleep.

“Okay, Meggy, one more time.” She grabbed at the belt. It came off quickly and wrapped itself around her waist. She easily hoisted Jord out of the car and placed him gently on the bed then went back out for the hammer. There was no way she was leaving Mjolnir out in the truck.

Meghan sat on the other bed, just staring at him. A god. That still hadn’t really sunk in. He seemed so fragile right then, so mortal.

But he wasn’t. She’d seen the power in him. He was more than just his father’s son, more than just a symbol. Once fully rested, Jord Thorson would wield the power that would save Asgaard, and probably Earth too. Her heart quailed thinking of what the world would be like with Loki on the throne of Asgaard.

She went to him, brushing the hair from his face. His wounds were already on the mend, the purpling that showed on his exposed skin was fading. For just a few hours more she’d be with him, then she’d let him go. She’d buy a bus ticket back north and go home to her mundane life, and let Jord go off to save the world.

She kissed him on the cheek. She’d miss him so much. Then she started to unbutton his shirt. She might as well make him as comfortable as possible, and if she just happened to catch a glimpse of that hot body of his in the process, who was to know?

Jord woke. The warmth, the softness of the bed beneath him threatened to pull him back into slumber, but he forced his eyes open. He’d been fairly comfortable when he’d woken in the enemy camp the last time he’d awakened, and there was no reason to think he was safe now.

The glow from a streetlight outside filtered through the drawn curtains of the room’s one window, casting dim luminance. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he spotted the figure on the bed across from him. Meghan, fully clothed, sleeping on top of the still made bed. She must have fallen asleep watching over him.

The previous day flashed before him. He’d been so drained from calling the storm, he’d seen it through the fog of exhaustion. He could almost believe it a dream, but he remembered clearly Meghan looking down at him, his head in her lap on the barroom floor. Her cool hands on his face, brushing back his hair.

He remembered something about an old, red pickup truck. Sitting in the passenger seat. Meghan driving. He’d just needed to rest his head for a moment. He couldn’t remember anything after that.

He realized then he was naked, under the covers. The thought of her taking his clothes off, her hands on his body, made him harden. How had Meghan managed to wrestle his sleeping form in here? Then he saw Megingjörð laying on the night stand beside him, the gloves beside it. Of course.

“Traitor,” he thought at the belt.

It’s not like you were any help.

He leaned over and saw Mjolnir laying on the floor beside his bed, then laid back and watched Meghan. He saw her breathing, her chest rising and falling, and heard the little whistle she had when she slept. What a wonder she was.

Somehow she’d managed to steal the artifacts from Fenrir’s camp, fight off four brutes, and scare off Loki all by herself.

She is pretty amazing. You should tell her sometime.

“Oh shut up.” Had his father really put up with this thing for over three thousand years? Jord would love to tell Meghan what he really thought about her. How he thought about her all the time. But that certainly wouldn’t help drive her away. Make her not love him. And that was the only way to keep her safe.

“Have you got any better ideas?” he asked the belt.

No.
He could almost hear the belt sigh.
I don’t want to lose her either.

Jord could feel the sadness in Megingjörð’s voice.

“Well it’s your prophecy.”

Hey! I’m just the messenger. In fact, not even the messenger. It came through both Meghan and me.

Where did prophecies come from? Jord had always suspected a higher power, something above even the gods themselves. Something completely unknown, yet felt, its nature a complete mystery to the entire universe. How could he be sure this prophecy wasn’t false?

It’s not likely. Most of it has already come true.

Jord thought about it.

‘The son of thunder and this daughter of Midgaard will venture in the lands of Svartalheim and Jotunheim, to the very bowels of Utgard keep.’

Well that had certainly happened.

‘The power of the three artifacts will be reunited, and the old ways will pass.’

Did that mean his father passing them on to him? Surely his father would want them back. Jord had never considered keeping them. Or were there more ‘old ways’ that were passing? With Ragnarok no longer a threat, so many things were changing.

‘The secret past is the key to the future.’

And what could that mean? What secret from the past? Well, if it was a secret Jord probably wouldn’t know it.

‘A life must be freely given, if the golden city is to be saved.’

That was the part that scared him the most. Why did that life have to be Meghan’s? The prophecy didn’t specifically state it was her. But his dream still haunted him.

“It is her fate to choose death, for love of you.”

It was more than just a dream, Jord knew it, and the Norns had all but confirmed it. He had to make Meghan not love him. Somehow he had to bury his feelings for her, not let them show, drive her away. It was the only way to save her. Then, maybe, he could give his own life for Asgaard. He could gladly do that. It would be an empty life anyway, without Meghan in it.

Fate had thrown them together once again, even in the heart of the enemy camp. How was he to distance himself from her, if she was always around? When he could see the brightness in her beautiful green eyes? Feel the spirit of her soul around him? When his heart wanted her so badly it crushed him each time he hurt her?

Fighting dark elves, slaying giants, and facing down the evil powers of the nine worlds? That was the easy part. Driving away the most precious thing in his life? That was hard.

Jord rose, leaving the warmth of the bed for the cold, stark reality he faced. He needed to get back to Asgaard. He pulled his jeans on and took a quick look outside. With the exception of the old, red pickup, the motel parking lot was deserted. He only saw two cars on the road beyond. Where the hell were they?

Portals that would take them to Asgaard were few and far between, and if they were down south, where the Nordic influence was much smaller than the colder northern parts, it could be days before he found a way back. Heimdall was not responding to his link. The god must be asleep, and Heimdall never slept, so his injuries must have been severe.

Jord finished dressing then slipped outside. Overhead stars glittered in the dark sky. A sliver of a moon rested just above the horizon. That wouldn’t do at all. Jord concentrated. He didn’t need to tap the power of Mjolnir to bring in a light shower. He’d always been able to call the clouds. It was in his genes, a birthright from his father.

A lake, not two miles away, would provide the moisture. Dropping the water level a quarter inch would have no effect on the local wildlife. Jord pulled the moisture, a few drops at a time. Wispy clouds began to build, and blow across the sky in the light evening breeze. In two hours light mist would be in the air, and by morning rain would be falling. Just enough to begin clearing as the sun rose. With luck there’d be a rainbow. With even more luck, he’d be home by lunchtime. But that depended on whether or not Heimdall was in any condition to get his message.

Jord went back into the motel. Meghan was still asleep. She’d turned on her side, her hand cradled her cheek. She looked so small and defenseless. But he knew better. The woman was powerful, with a spirit that never gave up. She deserved a full life, with a man who could protect her, and kids who’d love her because she was wonderful.

In the morning he’d put her on a bus heading north for Minnesota. He’d send her away. Keep her safely away from damned prophecies, evil gods . . . and him. He lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes. He felt the storm gathering in the sky above, and a storm gathering in his heart as well.

Wood splintered, and metal shrieked as the motel room door flew open. The sound reverberated throughout the room and Meghan woke instantly.

“You stole my truck, bitch!” A rough, male voice shouted at her.

As her vision cleared she saw Jord bolting from the other bed, toward the large figure standing in the doorway. His powerful charge took both men outside, into the falling rain.

Meghan hastily dug her fists into her eyes to clear the sleep, then bolted for the doorway to see what was going on. In the early predawn light, rain was falling on the uneven parking lot of the motel, making puddles in the cracked blacktop.

Four burly men surrounded Jord. She could see one of the men wielded a tire iron, and another palmed a wicked looking hunting knife. Though she’d only seen them for a few moments, Meghan recognized the men. They were the four thugs from the bar the previous day who’d beat Jord bloody.

But this was not the Jord they’d faced the day before, bound and helpless. One of them, the man who’d kicked in the door, was already lying on the ground motionless.

Jord faced the other three with fire in his eyes. “Let me guess, Mr. Lukas paid you more money, and you were stupid enough to take it.” He sent a flying kick toward the man to his right, dislodging the hunting knife from the man’s hand.

The thug in front of him brought the tire iron down, toward Jord’s head. The god ducked under it, but it caught his shoulder on the way down.

The man grinned. “Like I said yesterday, nothing personal.”

Jord shook his head, then punched forward, decking the man. He went down hard, dropping the tire iron.

“Oh, I take this very personal.” Jord kicked the tire iron away, but the man didn’t look to be getting up any time soon.

One of the other men got around behind Jord and jumped him, his thick arms around Jord’s neck, trying to strangle him. Jord easily pulled the man off and flung him into the last thug. One of them groaned and rolled on his side, but didn’t get up. The other one never moved.

“Stupid.” Jord glared at the four men at his feet. Then he looked up. Meghan saw his eyes widen.

“Shit!”

Meghan had never heard him swear before.

Jord flew back into the room, throwing Megingjörð around his waist, and grabbing up the gloves, hammer and backpack. He threw a hundred dollar bill on the nightstand then grabbed Meghan’s hand.

“We’ve got to get out of here, now. Give me the truck keys.”

Meghan scooped the keys out of her pants pocket as Jord pulled her out the door. She knew better than to ask what was going on. Jord appeared genuinely frightened. She handed him the keys, and sprinted to the passenger side of the truck. Jord already had the truck started by the time she was able to shut her door.

As they pulled out of the parking lot toward the road, Meghan glanced east, toward the rising sun. A thick cloud of dust filled the air above the road, and to either side. It appeared to be headed straight toward them.

Jord turned west. He pushed the accelerator all the way to the floor, and the truck rattled as it picked up speed. In no time they were flying down the highway, yet when Meghan looked behind she saw the cloud getting closer and closer.

Goose flesh raised on Meghan’s arms. “What is it?”

“You don’t want to know.” There was a quaver in his voice that sent shivers up her spine.

Jord was concentrating on the road ahead, his brows furled, so she didn’t ask him further questions. The rain made the pavement slick, but ahead Meghan could see the clouds starting to part.

“Come on, Heimie.” Jord had to be looking for the rainbow, but Meghan didn’t see any sign of one.

She glanced in the rear view mirror. The dust cloud was catching them. Was it just her imagination, or could she see a face in the cloud?

The truck started to bump and jump, as if the whole road had turned to potholes. Looking forward, Meghan saw the road ahead was covered in the carcasses of dead animals. Talk about road kill! It reminded Meghan of the dead blackbirds in the tavern parking lot the day before.

Jord grunted, concentrating on avoiding the animal corpses on the road. “Loki pulls the life force he needs to fuel his magic with little care for the consequences. He must have been here when he cast his spell.”

The truck veered to miss the carcass of a dead cow.

“How could he know we’d come this way?”

The storm continued to gain on them. Wind buffeted the truck, at times raising one side up to the point they were driving on only two wheels.

“He’s herding us here with the sandstorm.”

Meghan thought about that. Except for empty farm fields and dead animals, there wasn’t much here.

“Do you think Loki is still around here?”

“He may be, but I doubt it. From what I remember my father telling me, Loki rarely does his own dirty work. He just sets things up and moves on to his next piece of mischief.”

The truck was swerving now as Jord attempted to miss the larger carcasses.

“He did this to slow us down.”

Loki used the life-force of all these dead animals just to create that thing behind them? Jord was right, she didn’t want to know what it was.

The devastation lay all around them. In a field on their right, over a hundred dead cattle littered the countryside. Deer, coyote, raccoons, along with hundreds of rodents and birds filled the roadway ahead for as far as she could see.

The truck began to slow, and Meghan could feel a pulling from behind. The cloud was right behind them.

Jord was yelling over the howling of the wind. “Meghan, use the necklace. Go invisible. When the truck stops get out and run. Get as far away from me and it as you can.”

Meghan could hear the fear and concern in Jord’s voice. The dust storm behind them had to be more than it appeared. Jord suddenly hit the brakes and turned the steering wheel sharply to the left. The old truck skidded sideways, Jord’s door turned directly into the sandstorm.

Meghan was just activating the necklace as Jord opened his door and stepped out into the dust.

“Run.” Jord raised Mjolnir and lightning erupted around the hammer.

Meghan yanked on the door handle and flew out of the truck. Jord’s fear seemed so real it lent strength to her legs as she sprinted away, but deep in her heart she was troubled. How could she leave him behind?

She spun around and saw Jord standing in front of the old truck. The dust storm stopped right in front of him, but it seemed to be intensifying, as if the individual particles of sand and dust were pulling together. The wind suddenly stopped and the eerie silence was deafening.

Out of the cloud of dust, a creature began to form. Four massive legs supported the great bulk of its body. A long, sinuous neck took shape with a reptilian, diamond-shaped head. A long snaky tail and two huge bat-like wings completed the picture.

A dragon, black as night, towered over Jord. Rising up on its hind legs, it raked its long front talons toward him. Jord threw Mjolnir and rolled to the side, avoiding the sharp blades. The dragon’s claw swept across the space Jord had just vacated and into the open truck door, pulling the rusty metal door from the vehicle.

A gout of flame shot from the creature’s huge maw, scorching the earth in front of the dragon. Jord dodged and rolled once again to avoid the licking flames, but Meghan noticed his hair smoldering as he bounced back to his feet.

What could she do? She brought out Prudr, but wondered what good the club would be against such a fearsome foe. Did she dare even get close enough to the creature to hit it?

The clouds overhead thickened and the land around grew darker. Lightning flew from Mjolnir and Jord, his sword now in his left hand, sliced at the front leg of the beast.

The dragon reared back in pain, sending another blast of fire toward the god. Suddenly, up above in the darkness, Meghan saw a dark shape take form. A horse, so black it seemed more shadow than substance. On its back two figures.

One of the figures, wielding a great sword, dropped off the horse, falling sword-first onto the head of the dragon. The sword pierced the dragon’s skull, and the great creature reared back, falling on the ground and rolling to disengage the man. Trees and power poles shattered as the dragon rolled on the ground. Despite the thrashing the man was able to pull out the sword and jump off the creature, running to join Jord.

Jord greeted the man with a smile. “Tyr.”

The man was tall, blond, and as broad shouldered as Jord. “We felt your storm. I thought it was your father.”

Jord motioned toward the ebony, flying horse. “You brought Nott?”

The dark horse landed behind the two men. A woman, dark and beautiful, dismounted to join them.

Tyr motioned her forward. “She’s on our side.”

The dragon rolled on the ground, trying to right itself. The dark woman raised her arms and a sphere of darkness surrounded her. “You will have to keep it busy a while longer.” The woman’s voice issued from the blackness. “Undoing my grandfather’s magic will take some time.”

The dragon regained its footing and was charging at them. Jord dodged to the left, throwing Mjolnir again. The hammer struck the dragon in the snout.

At the same time Tyr, charged straight at the creature. The man moved fast, avoiding the slashing claws, and struck at the dragon’s underbelly with his sword. Dark blood began to seep out of the wound, but the monster never slowed.

The creature turned quickly, sweeping its great tail around and catching Jord unprepared for the blow. Jord went flying, and landed hard quite a distance away. Then the creature’s massive head descended on Tyr. Its jaws open, it scooped the man into its immense maw.

“No!” Jord threw Mjolnir once again and charged the beast. The hammer struck the dragon on the side of the head, just as Meghan saw a sword blade stick out of the creature’s long neck. The blade cut down, slicing almost a third of the way around the great dragon’s neck. Out of the wound tumbled Tyr.

He was covered in blood and gore, but otherwise seemed okay. “I hate it when that happens.” Tyr wiped a glop of the creature’s slimy fluids from himself.

The dragon was thrashing, rolling on the ground again. The two men were backing away from it. Meghan couldn’t believe it when the creature managed to regain its footing. She saw its wounds begin to close. What did it take to defeat this thing?

The dark woman stood where she’d landed. The darkness she’d pulled around her was rapidly fading. Her horse had completely disappeared. She was chanting, her arms pulled in close to her sides. In one last exclamation, shouting words Meghan didn’t understand, she flung out her arms toward the dragon. As she did the creature once again became a cloud of dust and sand.

“Let the elements return to their place.” The woman sighed. She suddenly looked weak, drained. Her dark complexion paled. As she started to collapse Meghan ran to her and caught her as she fell.

“My thanks, Mortal.”

Her words startled Meghan. “You can see me?” She was sure she’d activated the necklace.

The woman nodded. “Darkness and illusion can hide nothing from me.” Then the woman’s eyes closed and she passed out in Meghan’s arms.

Suddenly Tyr was there. “Nott?” The big man grabbed up the dark woman, knocking Meghan out of the way. Meghan went down hard, landing with an “Oof.”

Tyr picked up the woman but was looking around. “There’s something here. An invisible presence.”

Jord was suddenly beside him, shouting. “I thought I told you to run and keep running.”

Meghan deactivated the necklace.

“Where was I going to go?” She stood defiantly, gesturing to the barren lands around them. The sun was peeking out among the scattering clouds above. Jord just shook his head.

Tyr interrupted them. “Look, I need to get Nott inside—someplace dark. Do you know if there’s a motel around here close?”

Meghan thought about the condition they’d left their motel room in. The door shattered, four thugs unconscious in the parking lot.

She shook her head. “I sure hope that town back there has another motel.”