Chapter 25 Helayna
HELAYNA
Loki laughed, a bright, charming sound. “How rude. Is this how you welcome your dear father?”
:He’s inside the Ironheart blood circle,: I said to my Blood. :How’s that possible?:
:He’s not physically here,: Heimdallr growled. :Or I’d have cleaved him in two. It’s just one of his tricks. He can see and hear us, but he has no real power here.:
Heart pounding, I concentrated on slowing my breathing.
Images flickered through me. Ugly memories dimmed and tattered by pain.
The small green ball of light Loki had left beside me—so I could look at my prison and realize it was alive.
He’d left me in the dark. Trapped. In so much pain I’d begged him to come back.
Sour bile churned my stomach and my hands trembled. I didn’t want to look at him.
Dorr swept me up against his chest. :Then you don’t. We take you—:
:I must,: I broke in gently, even though fear clawed ribbons through me. :I can’t let him see how much he scares me. I need to know what he wants.:
“I’m surprised to see you on this side of Yggdrasil, brother,” Loki said. “Evidently your honor no longer binds you to uphold oaths made in the golden halls of ásgarer.”
“My honor binds me as ever,” Heimdallr replied. “Unlike you, brother. But that’s no surprise to any who know you. The lady fetched me herself, and who am I to refuse such a charming request for assistance?”
It was silly, but it hadn’t really dawned on me that Heimdallr and Loki were brothers, both descended from Odin.
Technically making Heimdallr my uncle. Appalled amusement spurted through me, pushing back some of the instantaneous anxiety and fear.
Loki wasn’t physically here. He couldn’t lure me away or snatch me from my Blood.
I wasn’t defenseless and powerless this time.
So I needed to remind him of exactly who he was dealing with now.
As soon as I thought it, Dorr gently set me down on my feet before him, but I felt the tension simmering in his dark alfar body.
At least it was dark, so he could shift without becoming stone.
One flinch in my direction he didn’t like, and he’d have me up in his arms and away from any danger or threat.
:Svar, Myrk, take to the air,: he ordered. :Make sure nothing else approaches or catches us unaware. Lokken, Gunnarr, protect our retreat to the vehicles if needed.:
Taking a deep, centering breath, I slowly turned around to face Loki. His lips curled in a smug little smile, his head tipping in a nod of encouragement. Acknowledgement. I wasn’t sure, but it pissed me off.
Which was exactly his goal. He wanted me off balance and reactive, my emotions fully engaged. He probably wanted to shock me with the father comment—hoping I hadn’t already guessed the truth.
Rather than saying anything to him, I matched energy and gave him a similar nod.
“My, how you’ve grown, child.”
Head high, I arched a brow at him. “Am I still a disappointment?”
Giving both gods a wide berth, Clara rushed to my side. “No one proclaims Her Majesty Helayna Ironheart, Daughter of Lady Hel, a disappointment.”
Loki huffed with amusement. “Does your human bite like your little pet fox?”
I reached out and wrapped my hand around Clara’s, pulling her closer to me so I could protect her. Though I couldn’t resist checking in with Gunnarr to make sure Bj?rg was still unharmed.
:I have the little scamp by the scruff, my queen,: Gunnarr assured me. :She may never forgive me but she’s safe.:
Relieved, I allowed a small smile to curve my lips. “Everything in House Ironheart bites.”
“So I see.” His gaze lingered on my throat where Heimdallr had bitten me.
I didn’t feel fresh blood dripping but the toothmarks might still be visible.
I wasn’t sure if Loki could tell it was his brother’s bite or not.
“I’ve sired so many interesting progenies over the millennia but you’re my first vampire queen.
I’m pleased you’ve at last come into your power.
That’s why I took you to Hvergelmir, else you never would have been able to take your Ironheart throne. Did your precious mother not tell you?”
I tried to keep my face schooled but a sly, knowing sparkle glinted in his eyes. I debated on what to say. I barely knew my mother. Was that her magic destroying my memories—or holes from being trapped inside Jormungandr?
I burned to know the truth of my heritage. I wanted to know why she’d sent me away. Why did she hide the truth from me for so long? Did Loki know? Or would he only tell me lies?
:Tell him nothing,: Heimdallr said in our bond. :Don’t give him any weapons to use against you in the future. He will dangle partial truths laced with barbs and poisons only to wound you, so he can smile as he grinds the blade deeper in your heart.:
“We had a bargain, you see. I would give her what she wanted more than anything in this world. A daughter, but not just any queen of her blood would do. Helle wanted the greatest Ironheart queen to have ever been born. A mighty queen to shake the roots of Yggdrasil itself. Of course I could easily oblige such a request. I eagerly poured magics and blessings into you, Helayna Ironheart, daughter of Loki and Helle. I gave you every power at my fingertips.”
Dread clawed at my ribcage, but I kept my face as smooth as possible. I didn’t want his power. Powers of mischief? Chaos? Lies? I wanted no part of such heritage. “What did you ask for in exchange?”
“All she needed to do was allow you to enter Hvergelmir when you came of age and were ready to step into your power. She wouldn’t have even had to send you.
Even as a child, you were already strong enough to find your human companion on the shores of Nástrond and fetch her back from death’s maw.
You could have easily found your way to Hvergelmir.
If—” His eyes flared, spinning emerald fire into the night.
“She’d allowed it. Instead, she clipped your wings and bound your magic to live a mundane life in Miegarer.
Too afraid to unleash what we had wrought. ”
“Why Hvergelmir?” I asked softly. I knew. But I wanted to see if he’d admit it. He’d wanted Jormungandr to awaken, so Ragnarok would begin.
“To water Yggdrasil once more, not just with the wellspring but with your blood. Our blood. To bring magic back to the mighty tree. Even my brother with his shining golden teeth will admit Yggdrasil was dying. Our fated end at Ragnarok was closer than ever, until you watered the tree. You alone have the power to reshape the end of the worlds as we know them.”
“Then why did you put me inside Jormungandr?”
He pulled a lacy handkerchief from an inside pocket and lightly dabbed the corner of his right eye.
“An unfortunate consequence, dearheart. Because your power had been bound by your mother for so long, it was stunted. Trapped inside you. The only way I could help you bring forth your full majesty was through pain. The risk was great, I will admit. I was terribly afraid you might die in vain. But of course my daughter found a way to embrace your power. You called out in a voice strong enough to wake dark alfar from eternal slumber. Though I wonder what Thor might destroy with his rage when his trusty hammer goes missing.”
My dark alfar had told me Mjolnir was one of their kind, but I hadn’t Called any but the three who’d rescued me from inside Jormungandr. Dorr said he was like a child compared to how old—and large—Mjolnir would be. We certainly hadn’t found any of their kind outside of Hel.
I forced out a brittle laugh. “Wait, wait, so you want me to believe you killed my fox, stole me from my foster house, and imprisoned me inside Jormungandr where he started to literally devour me—to help me?”
“Exactly.” Loki grinned, flashing perfect white teeth. “And what a formidable queen you are becoming.”
A ripple of magic hit the ground and billowed up around me like a horde of fireflies.
I’d forgotten about the fresh bite on my wrist. My blood burned in the protective circle now.
This house—and the land inside it—was mine.
It recognized me. It hungered for more. More blood. More power. “No thanks to you.”
He took a step toward me and Dorr bristled with a metallic rattle as if swords clanged together. Heimdallr also glided to the side, putting himself between us and Loki, though not so much that I couldn’t still see the god’s malevolent green eyes glittering like eerie lamps in the darkness.
“All thanks to me, dearheart. You wouldn’t even exist without me.
You wouldn’t have called such interesting Blood to your side if I had not intervened.
You would still be trundling back and forth from an insignificant Scandinavian house to a tiny Minnesotan cabin to have your memories wiped, your power muzzled, and your wings clipped.
Perhaps I should focus my efforts on your wolf brother instead.
At least he’s not too scared to bare his teeth and claws. ”
“That’s very interesting,” I said lightly. Allowing my lips to quirk ever so slightly, I willed my blood to pour from the bite marks on my wrist.
Blood fountained from my arm, cascading across the steps.
“By the magic flowing in my blood, I call upon Lady Hel and all powers of Her Infinite Darkness to lock Loki out of my blood circles. Never again allow his power to reach inside House Ironheart. I cast you out, father. Out of my life. Out of my house. Out of Miegarer entirely.”
“As you wish.” His eyes slitted. Green pulsed around him, cocooning him in a glowing emerald sphere. “I will burn the world for you when you call upon me in your darkest moment of need. Only I will be able to save you. Though you are appropriately named, daughter with the iron heart.”