"The All-Father has been engaged. But I do believe Dr. Lee is his very next priority. Perhaps we should go to him and ask him now. I think he is free now."
I rose and turned to leave the little seating area when Thor called out my name. "Bryn." I stopped and faced him, taking in the sadness in his eyes. "I am so sorry about your wings."
"That's okay. They're gone and I just need to get used to them being gone." I was trying to be as strong as possible and his sympathy was not helping.
"I understand how you feel. But you must also allow us to mourn your loss with you," said Thor. "You have become so much a part of Asgard. My father dotes on you. He has grown to care for you, much the same as the rest of us. Your strength is inspiring, and your courage also gives us strength when we need it."
"But you are gods." I was tempted to scoff but controlled the urge.
"The gods are losing power. Over the ages, we have been steadily losing strength. Modernity changes belief systems. The realms have always been interconnected, but now that our power fades, the balance within the realms will fade as well. Already we can see how easy it has been for the Jotunn to infiltrate Midgard. It is a frightening thought that soon Midgard may be under Loki's control. When everything is out of balance, nature is affected. Balance is very important."
"How will nature be affected?" Thor’s words confused me, but they worried me more.
"Yggdrasil is the tree of life," said Thor.
"Yes," I answered carefully, well aware I didn’t have a very rounded knowledge of the realms.
"Yggdrasil is the very foundation of all the nine realms. The tree keeps everything together. Anything that happens to the tree affects all the realms in different ways."
"Oh? Like how?"
"The rivers of the world rise from the roots of the Yggdrasil. So should the tree be damaged or dying in any way, water will be affected within all nine realms."
"That’s not good." I frowned. "Has Midgard been affected by the tree yet?"
"Yes, I’m afraid it has. Many of your droughts are caused by the tree of life. Sometimes it is a balance that is needed, but over the ages, belief has waned and shaken the tree to its core."
I wasn’t sure what I should say to that and decided not to say anything at all.
Chapter 7
As I walked back toward the Valkyries’ quarters, I thought about Frigga's insistence that I speak to Odin about whatever this mysterious prophecy was. I didn't want to wait to hear what I was beginning to think would be a watered-down version from Odin. Seemed like they wanted to protect me from something. And I didn't intend on letting them. I'd speak to Mimir myself.
And for that I'd need Sigrun's help.
In the time I'd spent in Asgard over the last few months, I'd heard Mimir's name mentioned only a few times and I'd never had the privilege of meeting Odin's talking, fortune-telling head. Only one person was likely to help me in my quest.
But first, I needed to get back to New York and Aidan. I felt a stab of sadness when I thought of Aidan. I already missed him in the strangest way. As if he were drifting away and I couldn’t hold on to him any longer.
He’d hurt me deeply with his lack of consideration and his arrogance, but perhaps they were parts of Aidan I needed to see for myself. And maybe he had his reasons for his odd behavior. I resolved to speak to him about it when I met with him. There were things I needed to say and hear.
I let out a tense breath as I strode right past my room and knocked lightly on my Valkyrie friend's door, hoping she was in. There were too many places she could be and I was in no mood to go searching. Moments later, the door sighed open and Sigrun's grin greeted me.
"Bryn, how are you feeling?"
"I am much better. The Goddess Eir performed her magic and I feel much better." I smiled at Sigrun’s worried face.
"What did they do?" Sigrun guided me inside and led me to the bed to sit.
The questions fell one after another from Sigrun's lips and I laughed, throwing my hands up to ward them off. "Stop with the twenty questions."
Sigrun quieted, frowning. "But I did not ask you twenty questions. I am certain there were not twenty."
I laughed even harder. "I'm sorry. It's a Midgard term. It just means lots of questions." Sigrun sat beside me and I squeezed her into a half hug. "And, I'm feeling much better. The lady Eir removed all the shattered bone, made it all neat and nice, and applied a good salve. I’m in no pain anymore."
Sigrun's face fell and I knew exactly what she was thinking. She was wondering how Eir had removed the remaining bone from my back. But I decided to distract my friend a little.
"Sigrun, I need your help with something."
"Of course. What do you need? Is it food? Have you eaten? Shall I get you some Mead?"
"No, that's not what I meant. I need you to tell me where to find someone."
"Who are you searching for?" she asked as she rose, then brought her breakfast tray laden with fruit, oatmeal and honey and laid it on the bed between us.
I swallowed a few mouthfuls of honeyed oats and my stomach gurgled. I hadn’t even realized I was that hungry. "I need to find Mimir."
Sigrun gasped. "You what?"
"I need to f—"
"I heard you the first time." Sigrun cut me off, her voice grumpy as she frowned at me and crossed her arms. "Now, Bryn. What are you up to?"
"Come on, Sigrun. I need your help. You are my only option."
"Yes, come to me when you want to do something forbidden. Remember when you wanted me to get you into Valhalla? Try to remember how that turned out for you and Aidan." It was a low blow and Sigrun knew it, but she didn't seem in the least concerned.
Sigrun was proving a harder nut to crack than I'd expected. I hadn't intended on telling her anything about the prophecy but it seemed I had no choice. If that didn’t convince her, nothing would. "Look, I overheard Frigga and Eir talking."
"You eavesdropped on the goddesses’ conversation?" Sigrun stared at me, her eyebrows raised almost to her hairline.
"No, I didn't eavesdrop. It wasn’t my fault they spoke freely because they thought I was asleep. I only heard part of the conversation though."
"Very well. What did they say that was so important that you want me to break more rules for you?"
I repeated the goddesses’ conversation to Sigrun and waited in tense silence as she processed my words.
"But, what do they mean 'Will Bryn even have a choice in her destiny no matter how destructive it may be?’ That does not sound very good for you."
"So you see why I need to speak to Mimir myself?"
"Very well, then. I will help. But if you get in trouble, keep my name out of it." Sigrun sighed.
"I will, and thank you," I said, giving her another awkward half hug over the platter of food. I eyed her face as she nibbled on a slice of apple. "So, how is Fen?"
Sigrun's cheeks blossomed at the question and she kept her eyes on the fruit. "He is well. I think he is coping better since Mika left."
"I still feel responsible," I said, my shoulders slumping.
"You should not. None of Mika's betrayal was your fault."
"But if I hadn't driven her so far—"
"Stop being stupid. Why do you have to blame yourself for everything? Mika made her choice when she chose Loki and not Fen, who is her father. When a daughter turns her back on her father, she does not do it lightly. Mika made her choices with her eyes wide open. And now she is in Hel, paying for her crimes."
"And this is when Fen needs you the most, right?" She just nodded. "So tell me how you two are?"
"What are you trying to get at?"
"Stop being deliberately obtuse. You know what I mean. You really should talk to him about where he wants to take your relationship." I stared pointedly at her as her cheeks reddened.
"It is not a simple thing to do."
"How complicated is it? Just ask him what his intentions are. Does he want to marry you or not?"
"Bryn, my relationship with Fen is complicated. He is the one prophesied to kill Odin. How can I think of a relationship or even marriage with Ragnarok on the horizon?"
"Wouldn't you like to be happy with Fen even if it means you are ecstatically happy for five minutes before the world ends?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well, if you put it that way, then yes, I would. But there is the other problem of Valkyries not being allowed to marry."
"Well, didn't I, in my former life as Brunhilde, break that rule?"
"Only for a while, then you left to live a normal life because you couldn’t do both. You couldn’t be a Warrior and a wife and mother."
I nodded but I had no intention of backing down. "You do know that this is probably exactly what Fen needs right now."
"What do you mean?"
"This is the best time to get your relationships stabilized. If I know Fen, he is probably feeling like a failure as a father because he likes taking responsibility for everything."
"Like someone else I know." Sigrun gave me a pointed look.
I glared at her and continued. "All I'm saying is that a solid step in the right direction for your relationship might make him feel more stable, more worthwhile. And more loved."