Tro (Elsker Saga Book 3) (11 page)

“That’s really sweet, but I don’t think a bedtime story’s going to help. Warm milk isn’t going to do much here, either.”

“I think you might want to hear this story.”

I lifted my head. Ull was smirking at me.

“Go ahead.” I rested my cheek on his shoulder while he drew tiny circles on my hip with his thumb. If he was trying to distract me, he was doing a bang-up job.

“A long time ago there was a very young warrior. He was fresh out of the academy, and he thought he knew everything about combat.”

“Was this warrior a devastatingly handsome blond?” I teased.

“Perhaps.” I could hear the smile in Ull’s voice. “Okay, so I was fresh out of the academy and I was arrogant. I was assigned command of a unit, and we were charged with disabling a minefield the mountain giants had set just outside the Dark Forest. It was a rookie job, and I thought I was too good for it. I stormed into HQ and demanded a serious combat assignment. The commander stared me down. ‘Son,’ he said. ‘This
is
a serious combat assignment. You do not disable those bombs, and a lot of gods are going to die.’ He dismissed me with an inane hand flick, and went back to his paperwork.

“I was furious. The two years I had spent studying hand to hand, weapons, tactical, every program the academy had for specialist assassin training: it all seemed like a joke now that I was being sent to do a Level One forensic job.”

“Disabling a minefield doesn’t seem like an entry level test,” I interrupted.

“In Asgard, it is. Believe me, we have far bigger threats lurking in our shadows than explosives.”

I shivered.

“Needless to say, I stormed out of the commander’s office and took it out on my troops. My orders were halfhearted and ill thought-out, and I sent them into the field without adequately briefing them on the realities of the situation. The mountain giants had set twenty bombs laced with poison, some rigged to launch at fifty yards, and my men had no way to see them coming.”

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

“Thankfully, none of them were hurt. Even without proper briefing, they assessed the threats, eliminated them strategically, and completed the mission without issue. Well, mostly without issue.”

I cringed. “What happened?”

“I was so in my own head, I missed an obvious trap. I stepped right onto a hotspot, and triggered a detonation. It should have blown my head clean off, but Gunnar saw the device and acted fast. He pushed me into the forest just as the bomb went off; he took a heavy hit to his arm, saving my sorry back. I would be dead if he had not acted—and it would have been my own doing.”

I let out a slow breath. “I’m glad you were both okay.”

“Back then I was egotistical, overconfident in my abilities, to the point where I lost sight of the real threat. A lot has changed since then. But I want you to hear this so you will understand how very ready you are for whatever it is that lies ahead of you.”

My hair tumbled against my shoulders as I shook my head. “I’m anything but ready. I barely know how to separate my spirit from my body, much less what I’m supposed to look for once I do.”

“But that is just it. You know how much you do not yet know. Your humility combined with your willingness to put in the work, are the very qualities that will force you to succeed. The fact that you wanted to spend our honeymoon learning to fight; that even after months of studying, you worry you will not know what to do when the moment comes; that diligence proves that you have the tools to get through this.

“Ull,” I whispered.

“We never know when our time is going to be up. If Gunnar had not saved my life that day, I never would have come to Midgard. I never would have met you. I never would have known what it feels like to be truly happy, and I never would have let myself experience love.” Ull held my chin between his pointer finger and his thumb. Then he pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “The point is, life, even an immortal life, is unpredictable; messy; heartbreaking; and at times, downright beautiful. All you can do is your best in any situation you are dealt. And then you have to trust that the people around you will have your back. You might not feel like you are ready to take on whatever it is the Fates have asked of you.” He held my gaze. “But I know you. You are smart, determined, and one of the most driven individuals I have ever met. If I thought I could convince you to run away and let me keep you somewhere safe until all of this is over, then believe me, Kristia, I would try. But you do not operate that way. And I know you are not going to back down, no matter what I say. This is not going to be easy; we are fighting for Asgard’s very existence. But I have every confidence that you will do exactly what you set your mind to.” Ull’s lips curved up. “I would hate to be Loki about now. He has no idea what is coming for him.”

My eyes filled with tears as Ull rested his forehead against mine.

“
Tro
, love.”

“What does that mean?” I wiped my cheek.

“It means faith. Sweetheart, when the only thing you have left is faith, just take my hand and believe.”

“Oh, Ull.” I threw my leg across his hip and rolled on top of him. “I love you.”

“I love you more.” His eyes twinkled at me. He cradled my cheeks with both hands and brought my face to his. His lips pressed lightly against mine in a sweet kiss. Then he gently shifted me so I was beside him, tucked securely under one arm. “We should try to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

“I know.” I closed my eyes and willed myself to go back to sleep. But the effort was about as useful as a trapdoor on a canoe. And if the steady tapping of Ull’s finger on his chest was any indication, I wasn’t the only one with insomnia.

Neither of us got much sleep that night. Instead we lay in the darkness, trying not to think about the uncertainties the morning would bring. Soon enough we would be with Olaug and Elsker. If I did my job right, we would all be safe soon. It was time to master my abilities—fast.

When we got to Bibury the next day, dusk was falling on the quiet country town. We made our way up the gravel drive, too somber to appreciate the familiar musicality of the trickling fountain. When we opened the door we were overcome with mouthwatering smells. We entered the kitchen to find Olaug pulling a roast out of the oven while an apple pie cooled on the counter. Her expression was grim.

“Eat,” she instructed. “Ull, your father wants to see you when you finish your meal. Go downstairs and instruct Heimdall to open the Bifrost. Kristia, you are to stay with me.”

Ull squeezed my hand and shot me an anxious glance.

“It is all right, Ull—I will protect her in your absence. I promise,” Olaug finished. I nodded at him, realizing she was giving me the privacy I needed to focus on this, my greatest task. Saving Asgard.

“Fine. But do not get into trouble, either of you.” Ull held out my chair and we sat down to eat. “Kristia, do not do anything brave. Just stay here with Olaug. No heroics. Agreed?”

Olaug caught my eye and gave a small nod. We would have to tell Ull what he needed to hear or he would never leave for Asgard. I didn’t want to worry him any more than absolutely necessary…and I wasn’t entirely sure I’d be able to focus on finding the tenth realm with an anxious god hovering over me. I crossed my fingers underneath the table. What Ull didn’t know wasn’t going to hurt him. Besides, Olaug said she would protect me. How much trouble could we really get into? “Agreed.”

We ate in earnest. We had a long night ahead of us.

But something was off. Olaug wasn’t herself. She was normally a strong, vivacious woman, similar in many ways to my own grandmother. Tonight she was quieter, slower, and much wearier than I’d ever seen. Ull seemed too worried about me to pay attention to much else, so I didn’t bother pointing out that Olaug seemed practically frail. But the moment we saw him safely through the Bifrost I pointed to the leather chair next to the armor with my sternest face.

“Sit,” I commanded.

“Pardon?” Olaug tutted her disapproval. “Kristia, you know we do not have time for pleasantries.”

“I don’t care. Sit down while I fix you a cup of tea.”

“We really cannot—”

“Please, Mormor,” I pleaded. She softened at my nickname.

“Oh, all right. But we have five minutes. That is all.”

“I only need four.” I turned for the small kitchen in the chamber below Ýdalir and quickly assembled a pot of hot water with teabags, lemon, and honey.

Olaug tilted her head when I brought her the tray. “Thank you, Kristia, but I prefer milk.”

“I know you do. But if you’re sick—and don’t try to tell me you’re feeling one hundred percent because it’s obviously not true—then you need lemon and honey.”

“Kristia.” Olaug shook her head. “I am fine. Really.”

“What’s going on?” I knelt beside her and poured the tea. “Does it have anything to do with that dream I had the night before my wedding?”

“Your dream?”

“My
dream
.” I waited, but Olaug just blinked at me. “You know, the one where that monster Elf Man said he gave you a magical disease? That it was going to…really hurt you. And the only way to heal you would be to destroy him?”

“I do not know what you are talking about.”

“Stubborn Asgardians,” I muttered as I squeezed lemon into her cup. “I’ll get it out of you eventually. You may as well tell me so I’m not distracted for the rest of the night. You know I need to focus.”

“Very well.” Olaug took the teacup gratefully. “But I do not want you to tell Ull just yet. He worries enough about things.”

Truer words had never been spoken. “What’s going on with you?”

“I do not know.” Olaug’s forehead wrinkled as she furrowed her brow. “I have never felt ill a day in my life. Gods cannot be sick; you know this.”

“I do.”

“But these past few days have been so different. I feel like I have lost strength. It started two days ago. When I woke up I was tired, and I am never tired when I wake. I have gone to sleep and gotten up at the same time for the past—well, for a long time.”

“I’m sure.” My own grandmother had been a creature of habit after seventy-two years. I could only imagine the kind of routines one could establish after an eternity.

“But I was exhausted from the minute I woke up. I would have gone back to bed if I weren’t so confused. How can a god feel sick?”

“What happened?” I sat across from her and poured a cup of tea for myself.

“I went about my day as usual, but with each hour I felt weaker. It was like something was taking my strength from the inside. At first I could handle the physical rigors of the day: cooking, tidying, my calls to Asgard, but by early afternoon, I had to lie down. I slept through the rest of the night. And of course, by morning, I’d heard about Balder.”

“Did you feel at all rested in the morning?”

“No. I felt worse. My bones ached and I was exhausted.”

“Do you need apples? Do you want me to call Idunn?” Apples seemed to be the answer to everything around here. The goddess Idunn had developed a special hybrid to provide the gods with immortality. I’d have run to Asgard that moment if I’d thought it would help, but my gut said differently.

“She dropped off a fresh batch three days ago. I am fully stocked.”

“Have you told anyone what you are feeling?”

“With all that is happening in Asgard, my body should be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.”

“Don’t say that Olaug. How could we not worry about you, especially now? That creep I’ve been dreaming about made it very clear that he was going to do everything he could to stop us from interfering with ‘his plan,’ and right now someone very evil is executing a very dark plot against our family. And Elfie gave you some magical disease. I think it’s all related.”

“I had not thought of it that way.”

“If it’s the same guy I’ve been seeing, the only way to get you better is to defeat him.” I locked my jaw. “So help me, if he does anything to you we can’t undo I’ll knock him halfway to next Tuesday.”

“Kristia. I am certain I will be fine.”

“You will be. Because I am going to find his sorry hide and rip it limb from limb.” Nobody was going to hurt my granny. Not if I had anything to say about it.

“Kristia.” Olaug pursed her lips, but there was a smile in her cheeks.

“I mean it. I love you, and this is just not acceptable to me.” I stood. “Are you well enough to work tonight? If you need to lie down…” I paused. What could we do? The fate of Asgard rested on our shoulders. If Olaug and I couldn’t manage to locate whoever was doing this to us and identify their plan of attack, we’d have a lot more to worry about than Olaug’s illness.

“I am well enough. Thank you for the tea.” Olaug stood on shaky legs. “You know Ull is going to be very angry with us when he finds out what we are doing.”

“If Ull’s angry, it means Ull’s alive. That’s all we’re trying to do; preserve our worlds. He’ll be upset, but he’ll understand.” I carried Olaug’s teacup to the kitchenette, and came back with a frown. “Where’s Elsker? Isn’t she coming?” When Ull had talked to her yesterday, she’d promised to be at Ýdalir to help.