2
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Nothing could’ve prepared us for the beauty of Asgard. Sam clung to my arm like a buoy helping her stay afloat as wave after wave of newness crashed over us.
“Okay, I take it back,” she whispered. “We may be kick-ass, but this is crazy town. Do you see that castle on the hill? It’s the size of a stadium! And look, do you see that mountain range? It shouldn’t be that close. I wonder if it’s an optical illusion.” Her gaze darted to the next thing. “It’s unnatural to have all this splendor in one place. The street is literally paved in gold, and do you see those waterfalls? It’s like Narnia on steroids! The leaves on those trees shouldn’t be that green. I don’t even think we have that shade of green on Midgard.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle, even though I felt the exact same thing—completely overwhelmed. “I see it all. It’s surreal. We’re definitely not in New York anymore.” Everything was over the top. Behind us, we’d exited from what appeared to be a marina. Beautiful blue water spread out like a blanket of the purest aquamarine, surrounded by craggy mountains with perfect snow-covered caps. There were no gradual endings. Steep slopes collided with smooth surfaces. There was white foam and waterfalls tumbling down vistas everyplace I looked.
Midgard’s idea of opulence surrounded us.
The streets were paved in a gold color that seemed to glitter. I had no idea if it was actual gold, and I was too preoccupied to ask. The castle Sam was talking about was the focal point of the entire city. It sat atop a large knoll in the distance. I counted no less than fifteen turrets, all spiraling up to the flawless cobalt sky. The structure looked to be made of white marble, sparkling brightly in the sun. The green of the trees was luminous, making the landscape pop with vivid color.
“That’s the High House in the distance,” Ingrid told me as we walked. “It’s a castle of vast proportions. Some even say it goes on forever. All the gods and goddesses stay there when they’re in Asgard. It’s also Odin’s home and the place where the Council meets.”
“It’s remarkable,” I said. “In fact, I’ve never seen anything like it in my entire life. The proportions don’t seem quite right, like it’s too big for the space or something. In fact, everything here is bigger, shinier, and more vivid.”
“You got that right,” Ingrid said. “Asgard is nothing like Midgard, so don’t fool yourself. The laws of physics here differ from what you’re used to. I have no idea why, it’s just the way it is. In Asgard, you can have a bridge stretch for hundreds of miles without having to support it, and a building can rise a hundred feet high with very little structure to hold it up.”
“That sounds like a gravity issue to me,” Sam said. “If you have little force pulling downward, you don’t have to shore things up as much.” Sam was demonstrating her smarts. “The only thing is, if that were true, we should be bouncing around.” She gave a little hop. “No bounce. If gravity doesn’t affect the buildings, it shouldn’t affect us. But walking here feels the same as walking in Midgard.”
“Gravity is a designation here,” Tyr answered. “We are able to apply it where we want it.”
Sam gave him an upturned eyebrow. “How in the world does that work? You can’t designate gravity. Gravity just is.”
Tyr shook his head. “Gods and goddesses have the power to manipulate gravity, so they do.”
“Sam, it makes sense if you think about it,” I added. “Magic exists. Therefore, everything we thought was real before has a new interpretation. I’m sure gravity is just one of the things that can be magically influenced around here.”
“I guess,” she said reluctantly. “It just seems like the laws of physics should apply. What about the speed of light? Or sound waves? Can they be manipulated as well?”
My mother answered, “Yes. All physical forces in Asgard, and in many other realms, can be changed. In Midgard, you’re taught that these things are stable, when in actuality they are not. It doesn’t take much to alter such things here.”
“That’s incredible,” Sam said. She glanced around herself wistfully. “I think I’m going to like it here.”
“Oh, you will,” Ingrid agreed. “You’ll be like a kid in a candy shop. So many things to relearn.”
We headed up a small rise. Reggie’s guards had split up, just like the Valkyries, and half had stayed in front, the rest behind. When we arrived at the top, I let out a small gasp. The heart of Asgard was laid out below. Thousands of people had crowded the streets. I could barely take it all in.
“There are so many people down there,” I said. The Valkyries had their weapons drawn, and I clutched my small sword, wishing for the fourth time in less than an hour that I still had Gundren with me. “Surely we can’t be that big of a draw.”
“Nothing exciting happens here,” Ingrid replied. “Things are pretty mundane when you live in the cradle of the gods. Having the renowned Fenrir back, along with Odin’s secret daughter—I wouldn’t be surprised if every single Asgardian is assembled down there to take a gander for themselves.”
Fen made a low sound in the back of his throat. “If they misbehave, they will have me to contend with.”
I couldn’t blame him for being leery, as the people in Asgard had not been kind to him before.
Reggie stood at the head of the guards. He lifted his hand, bringing his arm down in one sharp motion, the red bristles on his helmet vibrating with the movement. The guards in front of us began to march.
We followed, the tone somber.
It should’ve been incredibly joyous.
I’d recently been reunited with my real mother and was on my way to meet my real father, who was the leader of gods. Instead, everything felt heavy. I’d lost my half brother Baldur. His mother, Frigg, was out for revenge. And Fen and I were on our way to be exiled, possibly to an unforgiving realm that we’d have little chance of escaping. The only silver lining was the possibility that we would be able to free Baldur from the confines of Helheim somehow, thus exonerating ourselves.
“This is such a bummer,” Sam murmured as we trudged along the golden road. “We should be on cloud nine, and instead, I feel like we’re heading to your funeral. I mean, honestly, look at this place. It’s beautiful, grand, sparkly, magical”—she spread her arms—“and all I can think about is that you’re on your way someplace spooky where you could die a hundred million different ways.”
“I was just thinking the same thing—though not about the hundred million ways to die thing, but about the we-should-be-happier thing,” I said. “Not long ago, we had no idea any of this existed, and now we’re here, and all I can think about is losing everything I’ve come to hold dear.”
Shouting came from up ahead. The group slowed.
As we edged closer to the crowd on the streets, it erupted into a mix of cheers and boos. Ingrid leaned over. “Don’t get spooked,” she said. “The people here won’t mess with the Valkyries. They don’t want us as enemies, so they’ll eventually remember their manners.”
“I’m not spooked,” I said. “I just wish I had my weapon. How much longer until we arrive at the Cells?”
“It’s on the other side of town. The jail complex sits on the edge of the High House, the castle in the distance. The Cells are impenetrable. They’re fortified with concrete twelve feet thick, walls one hundred and fifty feet high. It has to be that way to keep the clientele in. We host a lot of prisoners from different realms, and they’re a crafty bunch, baddies you wouldn’t want busting out.”
“So you’re telling me it’s going to be a long walk.” We passed a throng of people, all clamoring at the edge of the street, and I received my first real glimpse of Asgardians.
They weren’t dressed in a trendy Midgardian style like I’d half imagined. Instead, they were clad in a mix of contemporary and what I’d call old English. The women wore dresses fashioned in bright colors with high waists. Some wore hats, others headscarves. The men wore short tunics with breeches in whites, grays, and tans.
It looked familiar, yet not at all.
“It’s kind of like a flashback to the Renaissance,” Sam observed. “But the colors are too bright, and the cloth is too silky. In fact, I’m certain that we don’t have those shades of red and yellow at home and certainly not that fabric.”
“Look, it’s the daughter of Odin!” someone yelled.
“The secret wench who will bring us doom!”
“Fenrir the Wolf doesn’t look so fearsome now. Odin will surely bind him again.”
“Best to be rid of them both!”
Even though they were yelling, the people didn’t seem overly threatening. Some wore smiles, most just appeared curious.
Still, I gripped my short sword with a firm hand, just in case, plastering a steely look on my face. Valkyrie energy coiled tightly inside me. It was different here, somehow more vibrant. “My energy feels sharper,” I said. “Like it’s dancing in my veins.”
“That’s because we’re home,” my mother said. “The power calls to you here, more so than in other realms. Odin’s magic is rooted here. It feeds us. I feel it, too.”
My mother had been away for a long time. I couldn’t forget that this was a homecoming for her, too.
As we passed another group of bystanders, someone jeered, “There’s the tramp who started it all! Odin’s mistress. She should pay for her wrongdoings!”
Ingrid pivoted quickly, positioning Betsy right in front of a startled woman’s face. “You’re talking about my sister,” she growled. “I will give you three seconds to take it back.”
“I take it back,” the woman sputtered, lifting her hands in the air. “I meant no harm. I was just repeating what we’ve been told.”
“Told by whom?” Ingrid asked, lowering Betsy.
“Why, the Norns, of course,” the woman answered readily. “They have graced us with their presence all week.” She was clearly excited. “And have told us all the stories about what has transpired.” She peeked around Ingrid’s shoulder and sneered at me. “They told us that the child of Odin will bring about Ragnarok if she is not banished. She is a curse on us all! She must be stopped.”
Ingrid tossed a glance over her shoulder, a look of disgust on her face. “It seems Verdandi and Skuld have had a head start.” Ingrid turned her attention back to the woman. “The Norns spoke lies. Filthy lies. And they will pay for their treachery. Tell your kin and any who will listen that the Norns speak untruths. Phoebe is innocent.”
The woman’s eyes went wide. “You dare to blaspheme the Norns? They see all. They know all. They deserve your reverence!”
“They deserve nothing of the sort,” Ingrid answered indignantly. “They have lied for their own gain and it will be uncovered shortly. Tell all you know. The Norns lie, and that’s final.”
As we began to walk away, the woman shouted, “The Norns are all-knowing! They alone keep us safe! You are a blasphemer!”
Ingrid snorted under her breath. “We have our work cut out for us. Verdandi wasted no time spreading her lies. Now all of Asgard believes them.”
“Have the Norns ever been caught lying before?” I asked.
“No,” Ingrid answered. “But back then, we didn’t know they had reason to. This is a whole new thing altogether.”
“If we don’t know what their motivation is,” I pointed out. “We’re going to have a hard time discrediting them.” Tyr had uncovered some information, but we were waiting for more. It had become abundantly clear that Verdandi, Skuld, and Urd were operating to benefit themselves. We just had to figure out why.
“We’ll find it,” my mother said. “I have no doubt. They are greedy for power. They’ll show their hand in due time.”
Fen was quiet as he walked beside me. Other than a few catcalls, nobody had been brave enough to shout anything to his face. Maybe it was because the god of war walked on his other side. It was hard to know. “Are you okay?” I whispered. “It must be weird to be back after all this time.”
“I’m fine. Time here has remained the same,” he said. “Not much has changed.”
“Aye,” Tyr agreed. “Asgard seems to shun change. I’ve been gone for many years, and it feels as though I left only yesterday.”
“Can someone please tell me why all the women are dressed like maidens from a fairy tale?” Sam asked. “It would be nice to see a pantsuit or two. The only women who look remotely different are the Valkyries, who are in their battle gear. Why is that? I kind of expected people here to be ultramodern and cool. Instead, it’s like we time-traveled to England in the 1400s. But instead of England, it’s Oz.”
“I don’t know that reference,” Leela answered, “but Tyr is right. Asgardians are resistant to change. They always have been. Life here is easy. Almost too easy. To live in the shadow of the gods means you don’t fear much and time goes by at a leisurely pace.”
“When we near the Cells,” Tyr said after a few more blocks, “Phoebe and I will walk Fenrir inside. The rest of you will remain outside. If there is a problem, I will raise an alarm.”
As we got closer to the jail, the people of Asgard became more confident in their jeers, as if the walls of the castle would somehow protect them.
“I hope they kill him this time!”
“We can’t have a mad wolf running loose.”
“You heard what Verdandi said, she will be the end of us!”
“Odin’s bastard will bring about Ragnarok! She must be exiled!”
Ingrid made a move, but my mother caught her arm. “Your efforts will be wasted,” Leela said. “We must focus on getting Phoebe home safely. Mother is waiting. Everything else is secondary.”
In front of us, Rae issued an order, and the Valkyries fanned out, each with their weapon raised. The jail was enormous. It wasn’t constructed out of white marble, like the High House, but it was still regal. The buff-colored stone was luminous under the bright sunshine. Once we were within twenty yards, guards opened the huge, sprawling iron gates that sat at the end of a long, curved drive, and we were all ushered inside.
“Phoebe, Fenrir, and I go alone,” Tyr reiterated. To the Valkyries, he added, “Everyone stay vigilant. I’m not expecting anything out of the ordinary, but this isn’t an ordinary situation.”
“If you’re not out in twenty minutes, we come in and get you,” Rae said.
Tyr nodded once, acknowledging the battle captain’s order. “You understand that our hostility will be of note and may be construed as resistance to the rule of law in this land.”
This time, it was Rae’s turn to nod. “I’m well aware and accept the risks.”
“I knew you would,” he said. “But I must be as transparent as I can as we stand in front of the eyes and ears of Asgard. Our duty is to bring Fenrir in, but I’m not sure how much more compliant I will be, even if ordered.” Tyr flexed his fist, which currently held the double-bladed sword.
“I guess that depends on what they ask,” Rae said, sarcasm ringing through. “I’m not planning on being compliant either.”
Tyr appraised her, a small smile quirking, which was rare. “What we’re doing is unprecedented.”
“I understand,” Rae answered. “We are united with our sisters and our allies. Whatever the cost.”
Fen and I stepped forward together, falling in line behind Tyr. “What happens to him once he’s inside?” I asked.
“Nothing, if I go willingly,” Fen murmured. “They will hold me in a cell until I stand before Odin to receive my sentence.”
“Why can’t you agree to just show up when the trial begins? Why do they have to lock you up?”
“Because the last time they let Fenrir do as he pleased, this happened.” Tyr lifted his arm with the missing hand.
Fair enough.