Dead Chaos (A Valkyrie Novel - Book 3)(31)

I gasped. "So that's how I managed to use the weapon to defeat Bal." The words left my lips before I could consciously stop them, but Njall didn't even bat an eyelid.

"So what size was the ball of the weapon when this Bal was using it?"

"I guess you could say he was giant-sized." I grinned. It was a waste of time playing games with Njall.

"Ah, so is it safe to say this weapon was much larger when the giant used it."

I nodded. "Actually, the ball was bigger than my head. And when he threw it at Aidan, I didn't think, just picked it up. I'd expected it to be too heavy but when I picked it up I managed perfectly fine. I just thought being a Valkyrie gave me the strength to carry it. I didn't give it a second thought."

Njall leaned forward to examine more letters and frowned. "The runes say something about fire."

"Oh, yeah. When the giant carried the ball-and-chain, it was on fire."

Njall glanced up at my face, his eyes almost crossed as he scrutinized me. "That is what it says. That the weapon is aflame while it is in use. Did it do that when you wielded it?"

"Not that I recall." I shook my head, frowning, trying to remember. But I never saw the ball-and-chain in flame while I held it. Not the way it had burned with fiery heat when Bal carried it. "No. It didn't. Only when Bal carried it. He also had a sword that burned with flame too."

Njall read a little more, then straightened. "There is much more there that I cannot understand. The runes are ancient. Perhaps there is something that makes the weapon more special to the giant?" Njall spoke, but from the glazed-over look in his eyes, he seemed to be talking to himself.

Yeah, the weapon is special to the fire giant alright. It belongs to him.

I gritted my teeth, more certain now that the ball-and-chain must go with me back to Muspell. Maybe it was important to Bal. Hopefully. If so, then the weapon may give me some leverage and I may be able to bargain with it for Gjallerhorn. It was worth a try.









Chapter 28




Joshua left me at my door with the demand I get some rest. I couldn’t deny I was beginning to feel the fingers of exhaustion filtering through my brain. I smiled as he spared me a hasty kiss before he hurried off to Valhalla. He still had his own duties to perform.

But as tired as I was, I had one stop I hadn’t made. One I'd promised to make. I had to visit Fen and congratulate him on his impending nuptials.

I stepped into my room only long enough to stow the ball-and-chain in the trunk and lock Geri and Freki in. I hadn't minded the wolves following me around so much, but they were becoming a bit tiresome. And I did wonder at the wisdom of taking my wolf guard dogs along to pay a visit to the ultimate wolf-man of Asgard; Fenrir.

It didn't take me too long to make my way to Fen's hall, the most likely place to find him if he wasn't busy throwing Valkyries off cliffs, that is. I smiled as I recalled the plummeting feeling in my gut when Fen had shoved me off the edge of the cliff in his unique way of training me to fly. I'd been spitting mad for a while after that, barely speaking to him, let alone looking at him. All the while, the stubborn Ulfr general had remained unapologetic, which had only served to make me more furious.

I'd forgotten all about being angry with Fen when I lost my wings. I guess in the end there were worse things to hold grudges for. And quite rightly, my desire to rip apart Stephen Lee and Loki definitely overshadowed my petulant anger with Fen.

The double doors to the small hall stood open and a Huldra servant was busy clearing away the two large tables occupying one half of the room. I assumed I'd just missed a meeting; Fen held them all the time to brief and debrief his scout teams.

Fen sat at a smaller table off to the side, head bent over sheets of ancient, brown paper, the corners held flat by a mug of ale, a strange green crystal, a small dagger, and a cell-phone. He looked up as I neared the table and gave me a welcoming grin.

He rose and rounded the table, enveloping me in my second bone-crushing hug within hours. His features darkened as he studied my face. I could tell he was worried. And I knew why.

Odin.

"Now tell me what happened, and how you managed to convince Odin to give you his beloved spear." Fen spoke, his voice edged with emotion. So many people were so invested in my life these days that I was beginning to get used to it. Pushing people away wouldn’t help. Not now. I took a seat on one of the stools in front of his table before launching into a quick retelling of my encounter with Odin.

"We have to find him, Fen." I almost begged as all the emotions I’d felt came rushing back to me. The memory of Odin fading from my sight, the sound of his voice faltering and floating away on the air.

"We will find him. Do not worry." Fen spoke the words but I wasn't convinced he believed them himself.

"He gave me his staff and his wolves. Does that mean he isn’t planning on coming back?" I asked, pleading that it wasn't the case, that Odin hadn't already resigned himself to leaving Asgard forever. "He can't. Loki must pay. I will make Loki pay if it's the last thing I ever do."

"Do not be rash and make it the last thing you do," Fen offered drily.

Very funny.

"Sigrun said the Norns suggested you go to fetch Gjallerhorn immediately."

"Suggested? Don't you mean demanded?" My lips twisted in a wry smile. I didn't really mind taking instruction from the Norns. If it meant saving Heimdall and Odin, I'd readily take instruction from Loki himself.

"When do you leave?"

"As soon as I have a rest?" I answered carefully. Fen was my general, my boss. He wouldn’t be too thrilled to find his Warriors not taking care of themselves.

Sure enough, he nodded. "Good. You have a team in place?"

"Aimee, Joshua and Sigrun, I think." Then I remembered my four-legged friends. "And a couple of wolves."

Fen glanced up sharply. "You have Ulfr going with you?"

"Nope. I have Geri and Freki going with me. Odin kinda gave them to me, so I don't think I should leave them behind."

Fen shook his head. "I just cannot understand the All-Father’s decisions. Not the decisions that he made, just that he made them now. I do wish I knew what was going through his head." He dragged his fingers through his hair, frustration whitening his knuckles.

A change of subject was definitely in order. "So I do believe congratulations are in order."

"And who do I have to thank for that?" Fen glared at me, although his eyes twinkled from below hooded brows.

"Hey, don't blame me. It's your decision. It’s not as if you're being forced into marriage." I frowned. "You aren't being forced, are you?"

"No, Bryn. I am not being forced. I just agree with Sigrun that it is time to make our relationship formal."

"When's the wedding?" I asked, then hesitated. "You are having a proper wedding?"

"Of course we shall. It is just a pity that Odin is not here to bless our union  ."

"He will be, Fen. We will find him. We have to find him." I spoke the words, but a little niggling worry nagged at the back of my mind. What if we didn't? What if we were unable to save Odin? What would happen to Asgard then?

Fen nodded. "We will find a way to return him to Asgard. Loki has his wily ways but so do we."

I almost turned to leave then remembered something else. "How is Mika doing?"

Fen stared at me, a contemplative expression on his face. "Why do you ask?"

"I just worry about her. Have you been to see her?"

"Bryn, why would you care about Mika at all? She betrayed you." Fen growled the question out. What he didn't say was Mika had betrayed him too.

"I know that. Maybe I wasn't her friend, but she was mine, and I cared about her. I just want to know if she’s okay."

"She is in Hel. That is about as okay as she will ever be." Fen shook his head. "I do not understand you. You keep surprising me. We used to think—in fact, we'd become fairly certain the human race was doomed. That Midgardians had finally lost their compassion and care for their fellow men. That war and conflict, hate and strife had taken over, leaving humanity wanting. And then we have you. A perfect example of how wrong we are."

"Er . . . thanks. I think."

Fen smiled. "You have restored our faith in humanity. Not all of them. Just that there still remains a semblance of goodness in the hearts of some Midgardians."

"Yeah, well I'm not entirely sure how human I am. Don't forget I have Brunhilde’s DNA in my makeup."

"But you are still you."

I raised an eyebrow at his statement. He met my eyes as if daring me to deny it.

Fine. Whatever.

His attention returned to his papers and I left Fen, heading back to my room to rest and recuperate until the next day.



The next morning, I snuggled under the furs and happily received the breakfast of coffee, pastries and fruit Turi brought. The wolves lazed by the warmth of the fire, warming their dark fur in the dancing light of the flames. They kept sending me glances I could only interpret as annoyed or even hurt. Apparently, they weren't impressed at being left behind last night.

I ignored them and glanced at Turi. She also had my special armor, reminding me that I hadn't told the rest of the team that we would need to leave as soon as possible.

"Turi, could you deliver a message for me, please?"