30
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I focused on the courtroom. I pictured every detail I could remember as the vortex tumbled us around, Baldur and Rory holding tightly to me. I had no idea if there was a portal inside the venue, but I was determined to get as close as I could.
The tree slowed down a second before it ejected us. I was ready. We emerged at the back of the courtroom, right behind where the elite sat.
All three of us landed on our feet. It was impressive, although short-lived since chaos erupted as everyone leaped from their seats. The people in the balconies went wild at the interruption. The elite spun in their seats, gaping at us.
I ignored all of it.
The only thing I cared about was Fen. I strode forward, not stopping when I spotted him in the same straight-backed chair he’d been seated in before, his arms bound by chains, his clothes ripped and torn. Blood had dried on his face and body.
He’d put up quite a fight.
Tyr stood next to him, his arms crossed, a grim look on his face. My half brother had been standing up for him, defending him to the court once again. I loved him for it.
“Shieldmaiden, I failed you,” Fen said as I entered the area, Baldur and Rory right behind me.
“You did no such thing,” I replied.
“Look, it’s the god of light!” someone shouted from above.
“She brought him back! She’s a hero!”
“Is that Thor’s son? He died recently. Praise Odin, he is returned safe!”
“She saved them all!”
“All praise Phoebe!”
I locked eyes with Odin. My father was the only one who didn’t look at all surprised that I’d shown up.
Frigg sat to his left. She stood slowly, clearly stunned.
“Hello, Mother,” Baldur called joyfully, waving. “Hello, Father.”
Frigg appeared close to fainting. Her hands gripped the wooden wall as she leaned over, her fingers white with effort. “It can’t be you,” she stammered. “I…I am seeing things. It can’t be you.”
“I assure you it’s me, and I have Phoebe here to thank for it.” He threw his arm around my shoulders. “She bargained with Hel and won my release, as well as Rory’s.” He gestured to the boy who stood next to him, tugging him forward.
It was clear the spotlight was new to Rory.
“Brother, Nephew,” Tyr said, coming to greet the men. “It is good to see you.” Each reached out and grasped Tyr’s good arm. When they were done, he gave me a meaningful look. “You arrived just in time.”
I nodded. “I can see that.”
Movement caught my eye. I watched Loki slowly rise from a chair to my father’s right. I could barely contain my anger. “So, because you couldn’t catch me yourself, you brought your son back here for prosecution?” I raged. “He fought you so you couldn’t hand me over to the Norns.” The balconies erupted at the mention of the three hags. “You almost fulfilled your evil agenda—the one you started before my birth when you impersonated the seer to spread lies about an unborn child bringing harm to Asgard.” My words were hostile, each one directed straight at Loki’s heart. “It must burn to have come so close, only to fail.”
Loki had the nerve to look like he was having a good time. “You must be mistaking me for someone else,” he answered coyly.
“I think not.” I gritted my teeth. “I just saw you a few hours ago in New York, where you confessed your vile deeds to us. If Fen had not protected me and given me a chance to escape, I would be at the mercy of the Norns this minute, and Baldur and Rory would still be rotting in Helheim.” I let the crowd digest that, including Frigg, who seemed to finally be coming around to believing Baldur was real instead of a figment of her imagination. “In return for my capture, they promised to gift you with sight. And with it—in addition to glamour—you would have become undefeatable. Your exact words. You want ultimate control of all the realms and everyone in them.”
The courtroom could barely be contained.
People were shouting and yelling. Many began to chant, “Prosecute, Loki! Prosecute, Loki!”
Odin was the only one who could cut through the melee. “Silence!” His command penetrated my chest, as it likely did everyone else’s, because the room quieted immediately. Odin locked his powerful gaze on Loki. “Is what my daughter says true? Did you just try to capture her in Midgard and deliver her to the Norns?”
Baldur joyfully interjected, “By the way, it was the Norn Verdandi who killed me.” He aimed this admission at his mother.
Odin crossed his arms, his attention laser-focused on Loki.
Loki stood, smiling slyly. “The girl exaggerates. I was only there to warn her.”
“If you were there to warn us, why did you take your son hostage and drag him back here to Asgard to be sentenced and killed?” I challenged, my hand resting on Fen’s shoulder. Before Loki could answer, I continued, “But I know why. You seek power, and you’ll do anything to get it.” I directed my next comments to the balconies. Now that I had the floor, it was important to say my piece so all of Asgard knew what was at stake. “The Norns offered Loki the gift of sight in exchange for his help. They were dwindling in power, and knowing their reign over the realms would be ending soon, they looked for a powerful ally. My birth came at just the right time. If they could convince the good people of Asgard that I was a threat to your well-being, and they eradicated that threat, they would gain power and influence. They would be credited with preventing Ragnarok. My birth had never been a secret to them. They were just waiting patiently for my father to make my presence known, so once they spilled their lies, they would be looked upon as heroes—”
The door to the courtroom burst open, and my mother rushed in. “Phoebe!” She raced into the circle and gathered me in her arms. “You’re okay! They told me they’d sent you to Helheim.” She arched back, her hands resting on the sides of my face. “I’m so glad you’re back. I was so worried.”
“I just returned a few minutes ago,” I said, hugging her back. “Have you been in jail the entire time?”
Before she could respond, Ingrid, Rae, my grandmother, and twenty other Valkyries poured into the room, ignoring everyone, spreading out inside the circle, their weapons drawn.
“What’s this?” Ingrid announced as she glanced around. “Fenrir is being tried? Why weren’t we informed about this?” Ingrid’s gaze landed on me, seeming to notice Baldur and Rory for the first time. She gasped, tossing her arms wide. “You did it, Phoebe! I knew you would!” She walked over and drew me into a big hug, along with my mother. “Job well done. The god of light is back. That was quicker than I even thought possible.” She dropped her arms and glared around the courtroom. “It almost makes me want to forgive what’s going on here. Almost.” She asked Tyr, “Did you know about this?”
“I only found out about it moments ago. There was no time to alert you, as I came as fast as I could,” Tyr answered. “Loki made sure that none of Fenrir’s or Phoebe’s allies knew in advance.”
There was no getting the courtroom under control now.
Everyone had gone crazy at the Valkyries’ entrance.
Odin stood. “Everyone is to vacate this place! Those spectators on the floor, exit immediately. I will not give another warning.” To emphasize the order, a burst of lightning shot out of the end of his spear, crackling all the way to the top of the ceiling in the highest balcony, the resounding noise deafening.
The entire courtroom emptied, except for those of us standing in the circle and the gods sitting above. I noticed now that there were more than a few, along with Frigg, Odin, and Loki, but I had no idea who they were.
Once the very last person was out, Odin focused his attention back on Loki. “I will give you one more chance to speak the truth. Did you or did you not try to take Phoebe from Midgard to give her to the Norns?”
“I did not.” Loki uttered it with absolute conviction.
Had I not been there, maybe I would’ve even doubted it myself.
I drew Gundren, kindling the ends of the swords with energy almost before they were out of the scabbard. I aimed both blades at the trickster god. “You lie.” The Valkyries around me followed suit, aiming their weapons at the god.
My sisters were united behind me, and it felt wonderful.
“You have no proof,” Loki said. “It is my word against yours, and I am a god. You are not.”
Fen slowly stood, chains clanging.
He angled his head up toward his father, his long hair covering one of his eyes. He looked feral. “It is your word against ours.” Fen’s biceps strained against the bindings. “You told this court you found me trying to escape Helheim. You said nothing about encountering Phoebe. You change your story to fit your needs.” Fen’s voice was full of rancor. “How typical of you. Always out for yourself. You will not win this time. You are a coward, and you always have been.”
Loki crossed his arms, unfazed at his son’s powerful words, but before he could reply, Frigg snapped out of her stupor.
The goddess straightened and spoke. “I’ve heard enough of this! We shall call the Norns here and confront them. Loki will answer for his wrongdoing then. Make it so. Our son has returned, and there is much to celebrate.”
Odin seemed to ponder this, but finally nodded, agreeing with Frigg. But I saw the look that passed over his face as his eyes lingered on Loki. The trickster god saw it, too. His demeanor changed only slightly. Loki was likely trying to figure out how to weasel out of this, and knowing his history, he would succeed.
“It is by my decree,” Odin announced, “that my daughter Phoebe and Fenrir the Wolf are fully pardoned. Phoebe has done the impossible. She not only brought back the god of light, but also Thor’s son, my grandson. We will summon the Norns here at once. The trial will be set for tomorrow at sundown.” He picked up a large gavel and banged it, the sound reverberating through the nearly empty arena.
The Valkyries around me let out shrill whistles and catcalls as the gods above us stood and slowly filed out.
Fen and I were free.
Just like that.
I whipped one of my blades down to shear the chains that bound Fen. They fell to the ground with a loud clatter. I sheathed my swords, and in the next moment, I was in his arms. He held me tightly, his face buried in my neck. “I’m sorry, Phoebe,” he murmured. “I was unable to get back to you.”
“I managed pretty nicely on my own,” I teased, my lips finding his neck. “I’m just glad I got back here when I did.” I leaned back and peered into his eyes, my hands tracing his wounds. “You’re covered with blood, and your clothes are torn. You must’ve given your father a run for his money.”
“That I did,” he agreed. “And I would have clawed my way out of jail, if it hadn’t been for Odin.”
“Odin?”
“Yes, the god paid me a visit in the hours before the trial,” Fen confided. “Odin told me that you would arrive and all would be well. Without that, I would’ve gone insane trying to get back to you. I knew if I was tried in court, they would end my life—or try their best. But I couldn’t let you rot in Helheim for an eternity without me.” He leaned down, kissing me, my hands tangling in his hair.
Breathless, I said, “I’m so happy it’s over.”
“How did you do it?” Fen’s expression was one of wonder. “Not only did you bring Baldur back, but Thor’s son as well. Thor will owe you a great favor. He’s a powerful god. You’ve earned a strong ally in him.”
“In a nutshell,” I said, winding a lock of his hair behind his ear, another finger lightly tracing dried blood along his forehead. “I wasn’t sure what to do once we were separated, so I came back to get Vali. Things fell into place from there.” I laughed softly. “Well, other than Hel trying to drown me in her river of death. Vali came to my defense, and it worked out. As far as getting Rory back here, I owed him for helping me get the stone back. I’m pretty sure Odin had a hand in the boy being there in the first place, but likely we’ll never know for certain. The leader of gods works in mysterious ways.”
“I think that’s a fair assessment.” He grinned down at me.
“Okay, enough canoodling, you two,” Ingrid announced. “We’ve left you alone for long enough.”
Reluctantly, I stepped back.
Fen let me go, but kept my hand firmly nestled in his. My mother stood off to the side, a mix of happiness and resolution on her face. Her mother stood next to her, her arm braced around her daughter’s shoulders.
A sense of immediate gratefulness engulfed me.
I was back with my family, and everyone was safe. “Where’s Sam?” I asked as I walked toward them, tugging Fen with me. She was the only one who was missing from this happy reunion.
Tyr answered first. “She is being detained at the Valkyrie compound.” His face was grim. He clearly did not approve.
“Why?” I glanced toward my aunt, looking for an answer.
Ingrid cleared her throat. “We sort of had to lock her up.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, alarmed. “Why in the world would you do something like that?” Sam was about as harmless as you could get.
“When you disappeared out of the courtroom, exiled by Frigg, Sam took up your cause. She paraded around Asgard, openly campaigning for your return. She cited the ill judgment of the goddess for sentencing you and the unfair treatment of the valiant shieldmaiden Phoebe Meadows.” Ingrid chuckled. “She was actually quite effective. ‘Free Phoebe Meadows!’ was bandied about, especially by the younger folks. But then it began to turn sour. We told Sam she had to rein it in so she didn’t get hurt, but she wouldn’t listen. So, for her own good, we locked her in her room when one of us couldn’t accompany her around. Tyr’s not happy with us.” She jabbed a thumb in my brother’s direction. “He thinks we overreacted.” She shrugged. “But before you get angry, Sam isn’t one of us. She’s not immortal, and she could’ve been seriously injured. The threats coming in were serious. When we got the summons that something was up here, we had no choice but to leave her behind.”
Leave it to Sam to become a one-woman activist on my behalf. I couldn’t love her more.
“I understand,” I said. “But we should get back as soon as possible. Sam is going be bummed she missed this.”
Before Ingrid could respond, the door opened, and Frigg walked in. She carried herself like a queen, ignoring everyone else as she headed straight toward her son.
He welcomed her with open arms.