Chapter 26
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
Rolf and Odin walked into Valhalla, where warriors feasted and others brawled, hand to hand, during the hours of early evening. No weapons inside. Valkyries and nymphs served ale and food while others sat around, laughing and eating as well. Nothing but camaraderie among fellow warriors.
The entire hall teemed with magic, no doubt due to the new World Tree wood. Rolf wondered how Odin had managed to get wood from Yggdrasil without damaging the cosmos. The World Tree linked several worlds together, after all.
A boisterous crowd grew louder spotting their All-Father. Odin was a pretty popular guy around his people. Much loved because he appreciated the finer things in life. Fighting, drinking, and fucking.
Rolf grinned up at him. “You got a good thing here.”
“Don’t I know it.” The god winked. “Come with me to a quiet space where we can talk.”
“Quiet space” translated to a pocket dimension of privacy as they walked straight through a wall and outside to a large table and benches spread under the massive red leaves of Glasir, a majestic tree with golden bark.
Unlike the mundane world that subscribed to physics and realms of realistic possibility, in divine lands, anything was possible. Odin’s hall housed an untold number of fallen warriors. Yet it looked no more crowded than a packed showing of Rolf’s favorite horror movie at a theater in Seattle.
A breeze blew, nothing but calm settling over the table as the moon beamed overhead and a valkyrie appeared to settle a large platter of food and mead in front of them before vanishing once more.
The sound of running water, from a small waterfall nearby, rumbled.
White noise for the god who lived among so many warmongers.
Personally, all that quiet gave Rolf the ick, but gods were known to be weak creatures. Odin’s party, Odin’s rules.
His ravens arrived to sit at the edge of the table and picked at scraps of something dead.
“My apologies. Would you care for a warm blood ale? Or would you prefer something tastier?” Odin’s eye twinkled. “I can call the valkyrie back for you if you want something with spice.”
“I don’t think Syl would go for that.” Rolf accepted the goblet of warm—what smelled like berserker—blood.
Odin took a large swallow of his tankard, draining it completely, and set it down with a frown. The valkyrie appeared and refilled it then vanished quietly. “Yes, about that one.”
“Sylvara?” My dearest sugarpants, oh she of the electrifying body and breasts to die for? He didn’t think Odin would appreciate his description.
“I realize you’re being forced to work with her.
Loki likes to think he’s the cleverest guy in the room, so I let him.
But I’m fully aware you’re working to get the last Bloode Stone so that your clan can control the vampires against an invading army.
I was planning to let my people have some fun training when your battle comes.
But telling Hecate ahead of time is like setting an alarm that never quits. That woman can nag.”
Rolf sighed. “Gods. What can you do?”
Odin peered closer at him but apparently decided to ignore the intended insult. “Yes, well. I’m not sure why Loki chose Sylvara, of all the valkyries, but he’s never done things the easy way.”
“What’s wrong with Syl?” Rolf sipped his blood, appreciating the freshness. They must have just tapped the warrior who provided it. Tasted fruity, with a bite.
“So many, many things,” Odin muttered. He ripped into a length of spareribs and chewed thoughtfully through the bone. “She’s a hell of a fighter. Trained under Hlokk, who really took her under her wing. But she’s not a true valkyrie. Just filling in, biding her time, until she leaves us.”
Rolf did his best not to show any reaction, but his heart sped up at the thought of his female leaving anytime soon. “Oh?”
“The girl has never really belonged. Oh, she’s got her friends who think she shits gold daggers. But she’s a handful who doesn’t like to follow the rules. My rules in particular.” He frowned.
So far, Rolf heard nothing that would make him love her any less.
“She’s dangerous in a way few are.”
That was…odd. “I realize she’s gifted with her lightning, more so than any valkyrie I’ve ever met. Her fighting is topnotch but nowhere near the frenzy of a true berserker.” Not an insult at all, but the truth Syl would acknowledge, he knew.
“That’s not the point.” Odin wiped a hand over his face. “Loki selected her of all the valkyries he might have requested to take care of this for us.”
“Us? Because Loki’s been acting like he’s the one who came up with the idea to help Hecate.”
Odin snorted. “That asshole? Please. He’s concerned because his little terrors are coming closer to ending us all. We know it. He knows it. But he can’t get them in line.” Odin grinned. “Apparently, all his children are hard to handle. Just like him.”
“Karma, ha.” Rolf toasted the god.
“Sylvara, though, she’s got a different destiny ahead of her.”
“About that.” Rolf paused. “If her aunt is Skuld, are we talking Skuld, Tomorrow’s Daughter? One of the Wyrd sisters? Or another of the warriors in Asgard?”
“Yes, that one.” Odin sighed. “The Norns love Sylvara, which also puts me in an awkward position. I’m supposed to look out for her, but I also need to look out for my people.”
Curiouser and curiouser.
“If you need to sacrifice her to get the Bloode Stone, you have my blessing to do so.”
Rolf nodded, inwardly feeling a strange rage.
Normally, he only felt concerned about himself.
His kin on a good day. But this possessive need to care for and comfort Syl cemented the fact he’d found himself a real mating.
Anger on her behalf? He wasn’t that kind of guy.
Rolf drank people to death. He didn’t stir himself for anyone else unless it amused him.
Hmm. Perhaps that was why he liked her so much. Syl made him laugh. “Would you call Sylvara a source of chaos, Odin?”
“Yes. That. Exactly.” The god drank another tankard then focused on the meats gathered on his plate, flinging some at his ravens. “I have shit to do here. A great battle to ready our people for. When the jotuns come once more, we’ll be ready.”
“And of course, you’ll train them during our battle with the Darkness that Comes, you said.”
Odin nodded. “But none of that will happen if Sylvara fucks things up. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.”
“So tell me.”
Odin scowled. “Not my place.”
Rolf narrowed his eyes. “Then whose place is it? You’re all powerful, all knowing, aren’t you? Isn’t this Valhalla, Odin’s Hall of the Slain?”
“Well, obviously. But even I’m constrained, like all gods, to certain principles.”
“Do tell.” Rolf had no idea where the conversation was going. Or why it involved Sylvara.
“I’m afraid you’ll find out soon enough. Just be careful, Rolf. Don’t let her drag you anywhere you don’t want to go.”
“Ominous, but okay.” Rolf finished off his meal, having needed the sustenance. He’d probably even use the bathroom later because of it. He held back a smirk, needing to share that with Syl.
“And whatever you do, try to be better than the average vampire.”
“I’m offended. I’m nothing so boring as average.”
Odin pointed at him, his eye blazing, stars of light winking on and off inside the blue of his iris.
“Your kind want nothing but the kill. I know you. I also know Loki. He’s counting on that.
When the time comes to think about it or just destroy whatever tries to fuck you over, think on it first. And whatever you do, don’t trust Loki. ”
“As if I would without you telling me not to.”
Odin grunted. “Good. You find that Bloode Stone. Give it to your patriarch, Varujan. Use it to fight. But boy, if you and yours think about world domination, think again. Even with all the vampires under Varujan’s control, my people will still end you before we take on the giants.”
Rolf laughed. “You’ll try.”
Odin stared at him. “Ah, I sense a challenge.” Something the god approved. He smiled. “Want to bet?”
“Oh, a wager. Yes, let’s. And we’ll keep it quiet. Just between you and me.”
“It’s a deal. Now what do we wager, my draugr friend? Something worth a lot to the both of us. What might that be?”