Circus of The Darned (21 page)
Read Circus of The Darned Online
Authors: Katie Maxwell
- She sighed.
- "Are there any poodles on the island?" I asked Imogen under my breath.
- "Not to mention way too much information." I smiled.
- "I know that. I just hate that he's off doing probably really neat things without me."
- She smiled. "I sense that your feelings for him are becoming deeper than perhaps you realize."
- "Not going there," I said, sighing again. Sometimes life seemed so overwhelming.
- "Yes. You wish to send them toValhalla , correct?"
- "I do?" I got up slowly, not sure what she was getting at.
- "Yes, you do. I shall summon the god Loki, and you will lay your case before him."
- "But… you're not a witch.Or a priestess, for that matter."
- "Shall we?"
- "Have you done this much?" I asked, chewing my lip a little as she consulted her book.
- I shook my head. "She just said it had his power in it."
- "Um… I don't know what invocation to use for him."
- "OK. I'm not very good at this, but anything is worth a shot to get the Vikings on their way."
- "I'll help. How do invocations usually start?"
- "Oh, that's very nice," Imogen said, looking impressed.
- "Thanks. I do sometimes listen to my mother."
- "Oooh,it's glowing! That must meanit's working."
- "I hope. Let's see… 'aidme in my time of need, oh Loki whose power moves the universe.'"
- "Appealing to his vanity—excellent choice," Imogen said, nodding.
- "Um… what next?I'm drawing a blank."
- "Eh… did you say Laufeyiarson?" I asked, wondering if that was a common name.
- "Yes. Loki is the son of Farbauti and Laufrey, if I remember my mythology correct. Why?"
- "Yes. Did it work? I can't see anything."
- "You!"I yelled, gritting my teeth. "I want my horse back!"
- "He is an offspring of mine."
- Chapter Twelve
- He shrugged. "People change with time. So have I."
- He had a point there.
- "Oh, you… gah!"I yelled.
- "A date?"Loki asked, looking from Imogen to me. "You have a date with a Moravian?"
- "Yes, Ben's a Dark One, but that isn't really important—"
- "My brother does not lie!" Imogen said, outraged.
- "You need some serious psychological counseling," Imogen told him with a sniff.
- "I've told you my answer," he said, starting to walk away. "There is nothing left to discuss."
- "No," Loki said, and took another step toward me.
- The look he gave me made the cold in my heart turn to ice.
- "Very well," he growled, his body starting to shimmer. "We shall do things the hard way."
- Imogen moaned.
- "You OK?" I asked her, kneeling next to her. "How do you feel?"
- She rubbed her head. "Like someone struck me. What happened?Ew . I'm lying on seaweed."
- She dumped the water from it and frowned at me. "That's different, and you know it."
- "Actually, I have."
- "Oh, I know that. And I'm not going to do nothing."
- "What are you doing, then?" she asked.
- "No, it's not a war—"
- "Idag dörvi!" Finnvid shouted at the top of his lungs. "Nästa hallpats: Valhall!"
- "Oh, great, just what I… no, no, put down the bow, Isleif."
- "No! No battle!"
- "You can say that again," I muttered under my breath.
- Chapter Thirteen
- "I will cut off his head," Gils said.
- "And I will cut out his spleen." Ljot brandished a hunting knife with great pleasure.
- Isleif's eyes lit up. "I will shoot him full of arrows that will pierce every major organ."
- "The goddess Fran has a point," Finnvid said thoughtfully, looking at Eirik.
- "The who?" I asked.
- Instantly twelve Viking faces turned pouty.
- "The big date," Gils said, pursing his lips. "The goddess should not miss that."
- Isleif nodded. "It is important."
- "No liver cutting!" I yelled.
- "That's just what I'm afraid of."
- "Be on your way, goddess," Eirik said with one last shove. "We havework to do."
- My mother had other ideas.
- What are you doing?
- As good as ever.What were you talking to Tallulah about?
- Fran, you can wake me up if you need me.
- I know that. But we didn't need you. We were in control of everything.
- It was Ben's turn to snort.That's why Imogen was struck with a sleeping spell ?
- She wasn't hurt. I would have called you if she had been hurt.
- You're changing the subject. Irritation seeped into my head with the words.
- Ben was silent for a moment. Iwill see that it is .
- Taking a shower.
- Oh! For some bizarre reason, a little tiny blush warmed my cheeks.Right this second?
- Yes. Why? Don't you believe me?
- Sure. I just… it's kind of odd talking to someone while they're naked and soapy.
- His slow smile stole across my mind.Would you like me to prove it ?
- Prove it? What do you mean?
- Oh man. You're… oooh.
- Is this too much for you?he asked as he soaped himself up.If you want me to, I'll stop .
- My mother entered the trailer, Davide at her heels. "Done already? That didn't take you long."
- Just because I don't want to have sex with you doesn't mean I'm not… um…
- Curious?
- Yeah.
- "Fran?Are you all right? You have an odd expression on your face."
- "Honey?What's wrong?"
- "Yeah.I was just… uh… thinking of something."
- For our date, you mean?
- Yeah. Not anything else. I'm not ready for that yet.
- Thank you.
- Huh?
- I think you're the right person for me, too.
- Stop eavesdropping! I yelled, mortified.
- Oh great, now I'm a radio station. Well, WFRAN is going off the air now. I'll see you in a bit.
- "Fran?What is wrong with you today?"
- Her lips thinned. "It's Ben, isn't it? You were thinking about him."
- I decided whatcould work for Ben could work for me. I said nothing, just looked at my mother.
- "As for your accusation that I don't trust you—" Mompaused a minute and frowned at me.
- So much for not talking about the fight.
- "Fran, it's for your own—"
- Mom just stared.
- Chapter Fourteen
- "How bad is it?"
- An arrow whizzed past us with an odd humming noise.
- Or rather, he tried to.
- "Top of the light poles," I lied, pointing to the nearest tall stand of lights that lit the aisle.
- "Oh, for heaven's sake… what are we going to do?"
- In the distance, a horn sounded.
- Isleif tipped his head to the side as he listened to the fading horn blast."More Vangarians."
- "More? No! We have enough!"
- "Well, OK, you can stab her. But leave the tourists alone!"
- The Viking grinned and dashed off after Desdemona.
- Ben! I yelled, desperate for some support.
- She did that earlier. It's the Viking ghosts! They're running amok!
- I'll talk to Eirik, he said.
- "Francesca!" a familiar female voice tinged with a German accent bellowed. I twitched.
- Too late.Where are you? What are you doing?
- Thanks. We're going to need it.
- "This is Gunn," Imogen said, introducing her friend. "She's a Valkyrie."
- "Oh! Excellent! I was wondering how to get ahold of you guys."
- Five Vikings chased a group of tourists past us.
- "What are they doing?" I asked.
- "Sending them toValhalla ," Gunn answered.
- Except, of course, I wanted Loki in my power so I could force him to give me Tesla.
- Gunn looked down at her chest fondly for a moment.
- "Trap Loki?"Gunn yelled.
- "What can I do to help?" a deep, smooth, velvety soft voice asked behind me.
- He raised a dark eyebrow and looked at his sister. "I didn't know she knew how to call them."
- Ben looked at me, "Aren't you going as well?"
- "It's just what?"
- "I almost hate to see them go. They're nice. And they've tried to help."
- "Oh, blow it out your butt," Gunn said.
- Loki's mouth hung open for a moment.
- Loki roared in anger.
- "Wow. Tough chick," I said in an undertone to Ben.
- "They have to be. They're warriors, too, remember."
- Loki snarled when he saw me."You again?"
- He sneered at them."A handful of long-dead warriors. They are no match for me."
- The Valkyries stepped forward, joining the Viking ring.
- You made him listen to you before, he answered.What did you do ?
- If he wantsit, that means it has some power. Use it, Fran.
- Useit how? I don't know how to do any of thatsort of magic. I'm just a psychometrist !
- "You will have to go through me, first."
- Loki laughed again."As if a Dark One could stop me? Prepare for annihilation."
- I thought you were going to let me do things my own way? I asked, poking him on the shoulder.
- There are limits to my patience. This is one of them.
- I can't make him do what I want if you won't let me try, I pointed out.
- And I cannot allow him to harm you. If you are dead, you won't help Tesla.
- He had a point.OK, how about this —we do it together.
- Deal.
- Loki's hand dropped from smiting position, his eyes narrowing.
- Good girl. Now you have his attention.
- "You don't know how to use it," Loki said, suddenly relaxing.
- "Give me Tesla," I shouted again, getting ready to slam Loki with another jolt of power.
- "Tesla!"I tried to run forward to grab him, but Ben held me back.
- "Wait until Loki is gone," he said softly. "He is the trickster. It might not really be Tesla."
- "I have fulfilled your demand. Give me theVikingahärta ."
- "Häxa!" he screamed, leaping back as I dropped it onto the sand. "You have enchanted it!"
- Do I want to know what he called me?
- Witch.
- "You have done something to it to keep me from taking it."
- "I haven't! I swear!" I held up my hands to show they were empty.
- "No," he said, and for a second, I felt a wave of concern andworry come from him.
- "What's wrong?"
- "Fran!Benedikt! You must come! Something terrible has happened."
- A chill rippled down my back and arms as I grabbed Tesla and urged the horse into a trot.
- "What's wrong? Are there more Vikings? We can call the Valkyries back—"
- "No, it is not them," Soren said, turning as we reached him. "It's the troll."
- I stopped dead in my tracks."Thewhat ?"
- I took a deep breath and shot a glance at Ben.
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