Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After saying their goodbyes, Val and Loki strolled back to Frigg’s place in silence.
Val was too worried about Elle to talk, and whatever Loki had glimpsed in the future had him more troubled.
He carried her sparkly shoes, allowing her feet to relax for the first time in hours.
She’d never worn high heels before, and though she found herself quite adept at wearing them, they weren’t at all comfortable.
Give her a pair of sneakers or boots any day. Something sturdy and easy to move in.
Val had known Thor would react badly, but she didn’t like the way he’d treated Elle.
If she’d been there, she would have punched him in the throat for making Elle look so small and desperate.
Elle had come so far, and though Val had told her it wouldn’t go over well, she wished she had been wrong.
She would rather have been wrong than see Elle so hurt.
“She’s going to be okay,” Loki finally said. “Thor has a hot temper, but he will calm down and see that he loves her and it doesn’t matter who her father is.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “How do you know? He hasn’t been forgiving in the past.”
Loki touched her cheek, sending warmth through her.
“Because he has to. He’s tried for centuries to move on, and he hasn’t been able to, but this is his chance.
His last chance. He will realize that. He will figure out that if he doesn’t get past this, he will lose her and his one true chance at happiness.
And honestly, I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he looks at her.
In the end, he will forgive her because if he doesn’t, he will hate himself even more than he does now. ”
Loki’s words were heartfelt and sound, but from what Val had seen, Thor and a few others hadn’t truly given up the past. And if they hadn’t moved on after all this time, could they ever?
She paused. She was the same. And if she didn't give up holding on to the past, she would end up angry, bitter, and without Loki.
The time had come. She needed to move on. Move forward. With Loki.
"Are you okay?" Loki asked.
She looked at him. "I think I am."
Loki held the door to the Raven Weaver for her, and they walked inside. A strange chill fell over her shoulders as they entered, and she shivered.
“Why is it so cold in here?” she asked.
“Hmmm…” Loki touched the wall. “Looks like Frigg forgot to renew her protection wards. Her goodness is what gives this place its warm, peaceful feeling, but when she leaves, the darkness of the patrons seeps into the walls, leaving a chill in the air. So she imbues the place with part of her essence to keep it safe while she is away. She must have forgotten in all that’s been going on. ”
Interesting. Val knew Frigg was powerful, but to actually be able to infuse a place with her goodness was power beyond what she’d seen before.
As if hearing them speak, Frigg appeared from the portal and spotted them. She nodded and then moved behind the bar.
Val blew out a breath. From Frigg’s expression, it looked as though Elle was not doing well.
“I need to talk to Heimdall,” Loki said.
Val nodded, and together they walked through the portal.
They stopped at the top of the stairs inside the upper bar, when the door opened, and Heimdall walked in from the Midgardian street.
Interesting. Val had never seen him use the door to Midgard before. He’d only ever used the portal down to Helheim. She wondered where Heimdall lived. From how much he lived in the pub, she wouldn’t be surprised if he lived in the building somewhere.
He walked straight to them. “He’s already done pouting.”
Val glanced at the stairs up to the apartments. She took a step toward them, but Heimdall touched her arm.
“Not yet,” he said. “We need to see how this plays out.”
Plays out? What did he mean by that? The hairs on her arms raised. Something was happening.
Thor rushed down the stairs and looked around wildly.
"Have you seen Elle?" he demanded.
"She's upstairs." Icy chills rushed down Val's spine.
Thor shook his head. "Her apartment looks like there's been a fight."
Dread drenched Val’s gut, making her want to throw up. She raced up the stairs to Elle’s apartment. Loki followed closely behind.
“Elle!” Val yelled. “Elle, answer me, now!” She burst through the door to Elle’s apartment.
The table was overturned, and one of Elle’s shoes lay sideways on the floor. Val stormed into the bathroom and caught a scent that made her stomach churn.
No.
She turned to Loki. “You said we were safe.”
His eyebrows drew together. “You are. I made sure of it. The hunters all gave their word.”
“Then how the hel did Thadren know where Elle was?”
Loki shook his head. “I… I have no idea, but it wasn’t any of Alamax’s siblings.”
Shit. Shit, shit, shit!
“I have to go.” Val brushed past him and headed for her apartment.
“Where?” Loki asked.
“Where do you think? Muspelheim to get Elle.”
“Well, you aren’t going alone.” Loki snapped his fingers, and his royal Asgardian armor morphed onto his body like a blue snakeskin suit. A royal robe draped around his shoulders, and a silver helmet with horns that mimicked his real ones protruded from the front.
Val unzipped her dress and let it drop to the floor as she walked to her closet and yanked a trunk from inside.
She laid her hands on it for a moment, and then she threw it open, revealing her golden armor.
Footsteps raced down the hallway, and she turned to the door. Frigg appeared, out of breath.
“Thor is gone. He took Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr and is already headed to Muspelheim,” she breathed.
Loki nodded. “Where are the others?”
“With Odin. They are on their way.”
“Very good,” said Loki. “We will join you presently. I just need to run an errand first.”
Frigg disappeared out of the doorway.
Loki set his hand on Val’s shoulder. “You dress. I’ll be back before you finish.”
“Where are you going?”
“To get reinforcements.” With a snap of his fingers, Loki disappeared.
“Seriously? He couldn’t snap my armor on, too?” She shook her head. They were definitely going to have to have a conversation about how he used his powers from now on.
Loki returned just as Val finished getting her shoulder pauldrons on, and he wasn’t alone. With no time for introductions, Loki walked to her and threw his arm around her waist.
“Time to go, love.”
Val drew her blade. “I’m ready.”
Loki turned to the woman behind him, and she smiled.
“See you there,” said the beautiful, gothic-looking woman who greatly resembled Loki.
With a snap of her fingers, she disappeared, and then so did Loki and Val.
Val barely had time to grab onto him before everything dissolved, and her stomach jumped into her tonsils. She squeezed her eyes shut when they landed with a flash and a bump.
Damn, Val hated traveling like that. But she would rather be tortured at Surtr’s hands than let any of the gathered group see how queasy it made her.
Val tried to orient herself. They stood in the doorway leading to Surtr’s throne room. In the front stood two enormous goats, protecting Elle and Thor from Surtr and Thadren.
Surtr and Thadren’s men stood on either side of the hall, waiting for a battle.
"I see your ego hasn't diminished over time," said Odin.
"His undeserved ego," Loki added.
Surtr turned his eyes on the group, and Loki took half a step in front of her.
"My ego is nothing compared to yours, Loki, son of a Jotunn. You should be siding with your own kind. Are you here to stab Asgardians in the back again and help me instead?"
Loki pulled his blades from the air, his clothing changed from Asgardian to Jotunn, his frame grew to his true height, and he pulled off his helmet, revealing his own horns.
Loki took a step forward, but Val stuck out her arm to stop him. He turned his diamond-colored eyes on her.
She shook her head. "Not your fight."
Loki looked as if weighing her words.
"Come on, Asgardians," Surtr taunted. "I will take you all on at once. And then I'll go to what is left of Asgard and obliterate the rest of your rainbow bridge. And there is nothing any of you can do about it."
Odin flung his spear at Surtr, but Surtr caught it and flung it back. Odin grabbed Frigg around the waist and hoisted her sideways before she was impaled. Thor's brothers swore and pushed forward, protecting Frigg like a football team.
“Try hurting my mother again, and I’ll rip this entire structure down with you still inside,” yelled Baldur.
Loki disappeared and reappeared behind Surtr. He drove both blades into Surtr's back, but they melted, and the hilts clattered to the ground at Loki's feet.
"Was that meant to hurt?" Surtr swung around and struck Loki, knocking him across the room.
Hel no! Val released her wings and took to the air, grabbing Loki and spiraling sideways. She wrapped her wings around him, and they tumbled across a table, making Surtr’s men back up.
They landed with Loki on top of her, and he smiled. “I thought you said you weren’t in the mood tonight.”
Val rolled her eyes. “I just saved your life, you idiot.”
He raised a dark blue eyebrow. “You do realize I’m half frost giant, right? A little toss across the room won’t hurt me.”
“But landing in that giant fireplace will.”
Loki followed her gaze and nodded. “True.”
Fenrir roared and raced forward. Hermódr went to grab Fen but missed, and Fenrir got several yards closer.
Loki jumped from the table, but Val grabbed his arm.
“Fenrir, no!” Loki shouted.
"Brother!" came a sharp voice from the back of the group.
Fenrir stopped. "I can take him," he roared.
"Sorry, I'm afraid not. But I can." Hel stepped out of the group from where she’d arrived with Val and Loki minutes before.
"You... you can't be here." Surtr’s voice shook. "You aren't allowed."