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He isn’t dead
.

Dainn started. The rain broke overhead, each drop like a Jotunn icicle.

Part of him is still alive, Dainn. Inside me
.

Her thoughts made no sense to him. But still the blade did not swing, and Dainn felt suspended in time, caught in the very instant between life and death.

Papa?

Danny’s voice, so faint that it hardly seemed to exist at all.

Because it did
not
exist. Mist imagined it, and
he
—

A deafening crack of thunder shook the asphalt under his knees.

Take him!
Mist said.

No conscious thought guided Dainn then, only some impulse born of gut and instinct and faith. He opened himself. Agony roared through him, as if Mist’s blade had plunged into his belly and twisted up into his heart, inch by inch, disemboweling him with excruciating and deliberate calculation.

When the lightning struck, it knocked the Einherjar from their feet. Dainn howled, blinded by the spear of light striking the tip of Mist’s blade.

When he returned to consciousness, he was in the street in front of Loki’s headquarters. Mortal pedestrians, still going about their business in spite of the horrors that had afflicted their city, escaped the onslaught of the storm by rushing under recessed doorways and dashing into buildings. Traffic had ground to a halt.

Disoriented by the teleportation, Dainn made his way to the sidewalk. He sat in the rain for several long minutes as understanding came to him, and he knew that Mist had been telling the truth.

She had saved his life, and given his son back to him.

Danny was
inside
him. And now Dainn was where he had never expected to be again, carried here by the hidden power within. Knowing what had to be done.

You have to be together
.

Scrambling to his feet, Dainn made his way to Loki’s door. The Jotunn guards stared at him in astonishment.

“You’re alive,” one of them said.

“I would speak to Loki,” Dainn said.

“
Speak
to him?” the Jotunar said with an ugly laugh. “I think he’ll want to do more than talk.”

Dainn lifted his hand. He hardly had to envision the Runes, let alone sing them. The Jotunn gulped once and was silent.

“I will meet Laufeyson in his office,” Dainn said.

Two of the Jotunar scrambled to open the door. The silenced one and his companion only stared. The second finally dared to speak.

“What are you?” he whispered.

*   *   *

St. Elmo’s fire raced up and down Mist’s blade as her hand and arm became a conduit for the storm’s unleashed fury. Her tattoo burned, but she hardly noticed the pain. Lightning struck again and again, forcing the Einherjar, the mortals, and even Odin himself to take cover.

Mist swung the sword down with all her strength. The concrete cracked open at the point of impact. Light exploded with the intensity of a nuclear blast, and the shockwave knocked the remaining guards off their feet.

Dainn vanished. She dropped Kettlingr and held the storm in the palm of her hand, her skin shivering with unspent electricity. Ecstasy swept over her, and she directed the lightning at Odin’s “hall,” destroying his throne in a single strike.

It wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy her. The clouds grew so heavy that the city was plunged into the dark of a moonless, starless night, and wind beat against the nylon tents that sheltered the recruits displaced from their bunks in the warehouses.

Mist laughed. She glanced at the Einherji who lay gasping and drenched on the ground, and aimed the lightning at them.

The dark Eitr
. She pulled it back just in time, and the lightning retreated behind the clouds. The rain fell to a steady downpour. She remembered where she was.

All that remained of Dainn was a pile of ash. Just as she had intended.

Odin strode up to her, eerily calm, and stared down at the blackened concrete. “The traitor is dead?” he asked.

She crouched to grab Kettlingr, rose, and pushed at the ash with the tip of her sword. “There is nothing left of him, All-father.”

“The storm was of your making,” Odin said. There was more than anger in his voice. She heard what she could have sworn was spite … and jealousy. “How dare you turn your abilities against me?”

Dangerous ground,
Mist thought. She still hadn’t told him about her use of the Eitr, and now …

“I didn’t intend to,” she said carefully. “You never asked me how I defeated Freya, but you knew I had—”

“Silence,” he said, cutting her off. She became aware that an audience had gathered around them, and Odin clearly didn’t want his warriors to hear his Valkyrie questioning him.

Insecure in his power,
she thought.

Afraid. Of me
.

But why? Did he recognize the Eitr within her, as Dainn had that day in his cell? And even if he did, could he believe that she would turn it against
him
?

Wouldn’t you?

“We will speak of this later,” he said, jerking his arm in a gesture of dismissal.

And how much would she tell him? Mist thought as she crossed the street to the loft. There had been so many omissions now, so many lies in such a short time. She wondered if it was possible that he doubted Dainn’s death.

If he did, Mist was reasonably sure he’d have killed her on the spot.

She lay on her bed, numb and exhausted, and rested her hands on her empty belly. If Odin was worried about how she might use her abilities—if he had the notion that she might turn them against him—what would he do? Keep her locked up and under powerful binding spells until he needed her? Hector her until she had no choice but to tell him about her use of the ancient magic?

She couldn’t let that happen. She’d made a decision without really realizing what she’d done, and she wasn’t going back on it.

Sheer exhaustion finally got the better of her, and she drifted off into a fitful sleep. She had her knife at Ryan’s throat before she was fully aware that he was in the room.

“It’s me,” he said in a strangled whisper.

She withdrew the knife and laid it on the bedside table. “I could have killed you,” she said.

“Yeah, I know.” Ryan rubbed his throat. “I didn’t like it much the first time.”

Mist winced, remembering the drug lab. “I’m sorry,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She met his gaze, and he looked away quickly, retreating to stand by the door.

Gods. Of course he thought she’d killed Dainn. And she couldn’t tell him that Dainn was alive, not when he’d joined Odin’s team.

How he must hate her. And himself, for serving the god who had ordered the execution of someone he loved.

“It’s all right,” he said, as if he were answering her thoughts. “I would have told you that I was going to Odin, but you were gone, and I saw the ghosts killing people. I couldn’t just let it happen.”

“Of course you couldn’t,” Mist said.

“But people died anyway,” he said, his lips stretching in a bitter grimace.

“You couldn’t help that.”

“I know there’s always a risk when I share my visions,” he said. “I learned that Odin was responsible for innocent people getting killed. Then I found out about Danny, and what Odin planned to do to Dainn.” He pressed his lips together. “I didn’t believe what they said about him.”

“Ryan—” Mist began.

“But once I proved that first vision was right,” Ryan went on, “Odin believed the next one.”

Mist stiffened. “And what was it, Ryan?”

“That Dainn would die.”

“Ryan,” Mist said, “you have to believe … I never wanted to—”

“I
knew
it was a lie.”

Exhaling sharply, Mist got to her feet and locked her hands behind her back. “You lied about a vision?”

“I knew you had to have some kind of plan to save him. I just didn’t see how it would happen.” He almost smiled. “That was fantastic.”

“Odin didn’t think so,” she said. “But you’re right. Dainn is alive.” She squeezed her fingers together so tightly that they ached. “He really doesn’t know?”

Ryan shook his head. “I’m sure Odin was fooled. But he believes you’re dangerous.”

“He told you that?”

“It’s obvious. I don’t know why. You’re powerful, but so is he. Why he’d be so scared…”

“Did you tell him anything else?”

“That you had to be with him if he was going to win.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Please don’t ask me if that was a lie, too.”

She didn’t. “What did he say?” she asked.

“He at least pretended to believe me,” Ryan said. “But I think he’s going to watch you carefully during the next attack, and try to kill you if he doesn’t like what he sees.” He looked away. “I’m sorry, Mist.”

“I wish I could say I’m shocked,” Mist said, her body going numb, “but I’m not.”

“I think the fight’ll be a pretty big one,” Ryan said, “since he keeps trying to find out if I can tell him anything specific. I just go blank and pretend I’m in some kind of trance.”

“Do you remember saying something about trees and grass growing where cities now stand?”

“No,” Ryan said, blinking. “Did I say that?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt,” Mist said. “Be very careful. If Odin ever finds out that you’ve deceived him…”

“He doesn’t scare me,” Ryan said, jerking up his chin. “I’ll stay with him as long as I think I might be able to do some good.”

“Promise me that you’ll get away from Odin if you feel any danger at all,” she said.

“I will.”

She took his face between her hands and kissed his forehead. He flushed to the roots of his hair.

“I’d better go, before Odin notices I’m gone.” He hesitated. “I haven’t found any sign of Gabi. She was never the same after Eir died. Do you know what happened to her, Mist?”

“I know she can take care of herself,” Mist said, hoping she wasn’t lying to him. “You’re still her best friend, and she wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. She’ll come back when she’s ready.”

Cupping his hand over the back of his neck, Ryan nodded slowly. “There’s just one more thing,” he said. “You need to believe that what Dainn is doing is right.”

He slipped out before she could ask for clarification. She sat on the bed and touched her stomach again, remembering the pain. And the joy.

“
What Dainn is doing,
” Ryan had said. Present tense. She didn’t know where Dainn had gone, or what he had planned to do. She only hoped he’d lay low, protect himself and the burden he carried.

But if Ryan had to
warn
her …

No
,
Dainn,
she thought.
Don’t do it
.

She knew it was already too late.

*   *   *

“You’re alive,” Loki said. “How can you still be alive when our son is dead?”

The Jotunar burst into the room on Dainn’s heels, and Loki tossed them back with a blast of ice-wind. He spun to face Dainn, a killing spell already on his lips.

“Calm yourself,” Dainn said. He stood in the center of the well-furnished office, unmoving and unmoved, as if he had nothing of which to be ashamed, nothing to regret, nothing to grieve. “Danny is not dead.”

Carefully containing his emotions, Loki felt his way to the nearest armchair and fell into it, quickly pouring himself a glass of whatever alcoholic beverage stood on the side table. Dainn didn’t sit. His eyes were cold in a way Loki had never seen before.

“You drink too much,” Dainn said. The old, almost comforting words, but dangerously flat. Loki decided that provoking Dainn now might be a very bad idea. He put the glass down.

“You say Danny is alive,” he said. “
They
said you killed him.”

“They?” Dainn asked. “Your spies? Vali, perhaps?”

Loki bounced out of his seat. “Do not push me too far, my Dainn.”

Dainn inclined his head, all elvish dignity. Of the beast there was no sign. “I thought I killed him,” he said. “It was what Odin wished.”

“Odin,” Loki breathed. Exactly as he’d suspected.

But Dainn had admitted his own guilt.

“Where is he?” Loki demanded. “Where is my son?”

“Odin intended to make it appear as if you had some part in his death.”

The strength went out of Loki’s legs, and he fell back into the chair. “How?”

“I was with Danny and Sleipnir in his stable, convincing Sleipnir to surrender to Odin. Odin made very clear what he would do if I failed. But then a second Danny appeared, speaking with your voice, and the real Danny fell unconscious. I had just urged you to take Danny away when Odin appeared and cursed me again.”

“But
I
was never—”

“I did not realize then that Odin himself had posed as you in Danny’s form, while maintaining an independent simulacrum of his own shape.”

Loki banged his fist on the chair arm. “Odin hadn’t used that trick in Asgard for years before the Last Battle, but he posed as a parrot and raven for decades in Midgard. I shouldn’t be surprised that he’d use that magic again.”

“He depended upon the ignorance of his followers. No one else witnessed what occurred. I—” Dainn’s voice caught. “When his simulacrum cursed me, the beast … I attacked what I believed to be you. I tried to kill you.”

“I am amazed,” Loki said faintly, envisioning the scene with growing outrage.

“I thought you were dead until your body vanished, and I found Danny alone.” He turned his face away. “I attacked the simulacrum, and he disappeared. He had intended for me to kill Danny once Sleipnir was released to him. I believed I had succeeded.”

“Without injuring him?”

“I thought…” Dainn jerked up his head. “I thought my magic had killed him. But the situation was not what I believed.”

“Your magic?” Loki stalked toward him. “
Where is Danny?
”

Dainn met Loki’s gaze, his face neither cold nor warm, cruel nor gentle, but something precisely balanced between the two extremes.

“Danny is here,” Dainn said, touching his own chest. “He sojourned with Mist for a short while, but she returned him to me, and he showed me the truth.”