Heroes (Eirik Book 2) (9 page)

“What if your grandmother teaches you evil stuff?”

“I’m sure I can decide what information is useful and what’s not. Karle told me a lot about her this afternoon. She’s cheated death twice by returning from the dead and was a respected chieftess of the southern clans of Jötunheim for centuries. The chiefs from the other clans deferred to her. Utgard generals listened to her sage advice on battle strategies because she was more than a powerful Seeress. She was a warrioress and a strategist.” I slipped on the tabard, a sleeveless overcoat that came to the middle of my thighs. “When she was in charge, the clans were at peace. She took in orphans and raised them as her own, trained them to guard the clan, and even sent some to join the army in Utgard. Imagine what I could learn from her as a leader.” I lifted the cloak from its hanger and swung it over my shoulders. “The Wolf Clan of Ironwood was the strongest clan for centuries because of her. She left a vacuum when she came to live here, and the clans dissolved into chaos. Now, they are barely surviving. They need her.” I walked to the entrance of the closet. “I’ll make sure she apologizes and makes amends for what she did to you, my sister, and my parents.”

“But she’s changed, Eirik. She’s no longer their leader. She’s evil and mean, and you are letting the fact that she’s your grandmother blind you to what she’s capable of and what she’s done.”

I could feel the hurt in her voice. “I’m not blind. I’m very much aware of what she’s capable of.”

She turned around. “And FYI, I don’t need…” Her voice trailed off when she saw me. “Holy crap!”

CELESTIA

“I assume that means I look okay,” Eirik said. “And no, I’m not letting the fact that she’s my grandmother blind me. I know exactly what she is capable of, so I’m going in with my eyes wide open. That’s why I want her where I can monitor her. I want to know where she is and what she’s doing.”

I’d gone into selective listening after the first sentence. He thought he looked okay?
Okay
? Even in sweatpants and a tank top, Eirik could never look just okay. Hot? Yes. Gorgeous? Absolutely. Tonight, he looked dashing. Princely. Godly.

The black pants were tailor-made for him. The black and emerald-green, silk-velvet tabard had golden embroidered trim with runic designs along the shoulders, lapels, and neck. The same embroidery was on the cuffs and neckline of his wine-red shirt. Green jewels on the leather belt around his waist caught the light and sparkled. An emerald cloak with a silk lining the same color as his shirt fell from his shoulders to the floor. The gold buttons holding it in place gleamed.

I was drooling. Four months ago, he’d had the lean body of a swimmer with washboard abs, which had made him hotter than most boys I knew at my school. He’d started to change before I left. But now he was this… drool-worthy man who made me wish for things I’d rather not deal with right now.

“You look…”

“Amazing,” he said.

And he thought his dragon was a show-off? He was worse. “Good.”

He laughed. “Ouch. You are bad for my ego. Earlier, before I distracted you, you started to say something. You don’t need…?”

I didn’t want to go anywhere near that giantess in case she’d bitten me first. “I don’t need an apology from your grandmother, Eirik.”

“Well, that’s too bad because you are getting one and it will be from the heart.” Eirik walked to the door and opened it. Two guards and Litr were waiting.

How he could see the good in someone like his grandmother amazed me. On the other hand, he’d forgiven his mother after everything she’d put him through. Maybe I could learn something from him. I held on to grudges, and I hated my mother.

Litr led the way to the private room where I’d left Baldur. The god looked up and paused in the process of sipping a drink from a chalice. He was dressed just like Eirik, except his shirt and the cloak were white. His tabard was green and gold. He put his drink down. The goddess was seated, so all I could see was part of her emerald gown and a dainty foot in a gold sandal.

“I guess my work is done here,” I said, and Eirik paused in the doorway, a strange expression on his face. I would have liked to say it was longing, but that might have been wishful thinking.

“Stay,” he whispered.

“I can’t.” He might listen to me, but I didn’t belong in his world. “I gotta head home before my cousin realizes I’m not even in the club.”

His father joined us. “You are not staying,
dýrr mín
?”

“No, sir.”

“Next time then.” Baldur said it like it was a given, then clasped my shoulder and kissed my cheeks. “Thank you.”

“She doesn’t want to share me with all the other girls,” Eirik teased.

“Don’t flatter yourself.” My eyes met the goddess. She’d gotten up, but didn’t join us. She watched and waited. “Go. Choose a bride and slip a ring on her scaly finger.”
See if I care.

Eirik laughed. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

“No, I’m okay. I’m going to Trudy’s before leaving.”

“Then I’ll walk you to her place.”

His mother’s expression grew impatient. I pushed him toward her.

“Just go, Eirik. I know my way around here. Remember?” I saw the worry in his eyes and realized why he was insisting. “No one is going to kidnap me,” I whispered. “Echo is taking me home and from what I hear, nothing stands in his way when he’s been given a task.”

Annoyance flashed on his face, and I sighed. I didn’t understand his mercurial moods. I did something I was sure would throw him off. I braced myself on his arm, went up to my toes, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Good luck tonight.” While he stared at me in shock, I stepped back.

His father clasped his shoulder and nudged him through the door. Eirik kept glancing back until he reached his mother’s side. He kissed her cheek and said something that made her smile. I was sure it was a compliment because she looked at her gown. The emerald-green gown had gold runic accents on the hem and neckline. It was demure and stately. Her cloak was black with green lining, but the runic trim was the same. Green must be their family color.

Baldur gave me a bow, but the goddess was busy focusing on Eirik. Somehow, I hadn’t expected her to thank me. That was okay. This was a one-time deal because I didn’t plan on being their go-to girl every time Eirik was being difficult. I had a life, and it didn’t include trips to other realms.

The three of them looked like the perfect family now. Whatever the goddess had done to Eirik was in the past. Would I ever forgive my mother? I guess it depended on whether she came back and wanted to have anything to do with me.

Just before I turned to leave, Eirik looked up and mouthed, “Tomorrow.”

“What?” I mouthed back, but he smirked. I swear the guy liked to yank my chain for giggles. Now, I was going to stress about what he meant. I hope he wasn’t planning on coming to see me. I didn’t want him in my town. I had plans that didn’t include him.

“That’s a shame,” Litr mumbled, and I glanced down. I’d forgotten he was still here.

“What is?”

“You leaving instead of attending the ball.” He led the way to the rotunda. “The Golden One would have loved to introduce you around. Every realm will be represented tonight, except Midgard.”

Watching Eirik being introduced to possible future mates was not my idea of fun. “Sorry, Litr. Midgard will just have to miss out on this one. I’m going home after I talk to Trudy.”

“Will you come back again?”

I didn’t think so, but I waved to the guards in the rotunda and avoided answering his question.

“Could you find Echo and tell him I’ll be ready soon?”

Litr sighed and left.

I opened a portal to the giantess’ living room. The lights were on, but there was no one at home. I called out and checked Trudy’s bedroom. Everything there was huge, making me feel even punier. Not sure what to do, I focused on Trudy and created another portal.

A flute tune reached my ears before the portal fully formed. With the sounds came pulses of magical energies. This time, I recognized various forms mingling with the one I’d felt outside. Some were strong while others were weak. Some felt threatening and dark, while others were seductive and light.

The portal finished forming and the room came into view. It had to be a special occasion room because I hadn’t seen it during my first visit. There were portraits on gilded frames and vintage settees along the walls and between white marble statues, but the source of the energies wasn’t the room. It was the occupants.

Elves, Dwarves, and Jötnar stood in groups, sipping drinks and chatting. There were girls of various ages and one Jötun glowering from a corner. Her energy was angry, not evil. She didn’t bother to shift, and from the look on her face, she didn’t intend to or want to be at the party. She wore a red and gold cloak like some of the guests as though they came from the same region.

Just like on Earth, these people had different levels of magical energies. During my visits to the French Quarter, I could always tell good Witches from evil ones, weak from strong ones, and angry from happy ones even though I couldn’t see people’s auras. Grams might have been an amazing Witch, but there were things she couldn’t teach me. Tammy was the one who’d taught me how to find a thread of energy and follow it to a person and how to read energies.

Another angry pulse came from a pale man with white hair and pointed ears at the other end of the room. He was dressed in black, including his cloak. He had markings on his face and multiple piercings in his ears. Beside him stood a girl with a similar complexion and markings on her face. Like the man, she was dressed in black, or maybe dark blue. Her hair was clean-shaven on the sides, leaving a Mohawk of white hair in the center. The shaved parts had black tattoos. She was androgynously gorgeous. She stood very still and stared straight ahead even though the man was talking to her. Her energy was similar to the one I’d felt outside.

As though she realized I was looking at her, she turned and our eyes met. A weird expression crossed her face. I’d say she smiled, but I could be mistaken. When someone blocked her, she moved to continue studying me.

I grinned and wiggled my fingers. She scowled.
Yeah, I know, a strange girl in strange clothes is waving at you.

Ignoring her, I followed a tendril of the same energy to another woman, then a female Dwarf with hair so long she looped it over her shoulders, and finally an old man with a silver cane. He was dressed in black pants and shirt, but wore a bright red and gold cloak like the glowering Jötun girl. His salt and pepper beard and long, wavy gray hair made him look like someone’s eccentric grandfather. He must be a Jötun.

He stared at me as though surprised by my appearance and then broke into a grin. I smiled back. I’d known I’d attract attention and stares, maybe a few pointed fingers, just not the smiles. Maybe I looked like a clown to them.

When the old man pulled one of the women with him around and pointed at me, I knew it was time to find Trudy. It was only a matter of time before the other guests saw me too and started pointing, or worse, laughing. I wasn’t entertainment.

It wasn’t hard to find Trudy’s flaming red hair in the sea of blacks, browns, grays, and blonds. She’d changed into a sleeveless light green gown and wore gold armlets and a necklace with an emerald pendant. Matching earrings dangled on her ears. Her hair had had been wet and windblown earlier. Now, it fell in gentle waves on her shoulder and framed her face. She’d even put on makeup.

She was talking to two girls around our age. From their pointed ears and long, straight hair, they were Elves. One had pitch-black hair and skin that made me think of my favorite chocolate—smooth, dark brown, and flawless. Her golden dress added a warm glow to her skin and brown eyes. The other girl was pale with silver hair that matched her dress. They were strikingly gorgeous, and their flimsy white gowns made them seem ethereal. Their energies were light and seductive. I wondered which one Eirik might like.

Elves were minor gods. I hadn’t considered them important enough to research until now. The one in gold saw me first, and her eyes widened. She whispered to her friend, and they both turned to stare and giggle.

Enough with the staring.

I pointed at Trudy, then my chest, but they continued to stare, whisper, and giggle behind their hands, studying my jeans and leather jacket with morbid fascination. Their focus moved to my boots, which were unlike their ultra-feminine, flat, wrap-around-the-calf sandals.

Yeah, this is how we Midgardian Witches roll.

I pointed at Trudy again, but I guess the gesture was lost on them. Thankfully, Trudy realized they were distracted and followed their gazes to me. She waved me over.

Yeah, right.
As if I’d join her. I shook my head and stepped back. For some reason, my eyes found the old man in the red and gold cloak. He waved me over to join them. Maybe it was the gesture or the way he carried himself, but he looked like someone important. I curtsied and once I straightened, I waved just before the portal closed.

I didn’t wait long before Trudy joined me.

“Those were the worst thirty minutes of my life. Boring. Scheming. You’d think with names like Ostara and Framsynn, they’d be poised and strong. Nope. They giggled and asked stupid questions. What does the young god like for breakfast? What does he eat for lunch? What’s his favorite snack? Does he eat before or after he flies? I’ve never met women so obsessed with food.”

“Eirik loves food, so I guess they’d be a perfect match.” The thought bugged the crap out of me. “You look amazing,” I added quickly, changing the subject.

“Thank you. It’s my favorite dress.” She eyed my outfit and shook her head. “I don’t understand your pants.”

“You don’t have to. It’s the rage.”

“Hmm. I like the jacket and your shoes, but like the goddess said, your outfit won’t do. You need to change.” She grabbed my arm and tried to pull me toward her bedroom, but I dug my feet in.

“No, I don’t need to, Trudy. Eirik’s already changed and is with his parents. He’s coming to the ball.”

She blinked. “You did it.”

“You doubted me?”

“Honestly? Yes.” She moved back when I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t even think about pinching me, Witch. Eirik’s been training hard the last several months without complaining. Then the visitors started arriving and challenging him. Again, he didn’t complain. But the last few days, with guests
staying
instead of leaving, he’s taken off to get away from them. They’re everywhere. Needing food. Asking questions. Peering at him when he trains. He was bound to snap. We even opened halls that have been closed for centuries because of them. Do you want to see the gown you would have worn?” She grabbed my hand. “Mama worked on it after the goddess told us she’d sent Echo to get you. The goddess wasn’t sure you’d have a suitable dress.”