Oathbreaker (8 page)

“
No, it's fine, Rain,” I sighed. “I don't know. I guess I never thought I'd have the chance. This isn't exactly the kind of life I'd want to bring a child into.”

“
If that weren't a problem?”

“
You mean, if I was someone else?” I said in a cynical tone. Then I caught the first glimpse I'd ever had of Rain being surprised. I narrowed my eyes at him. “What?”

“
No, it's just,” he gave a short huff of a laugh and hung his head a second. “Yes, that's exactly what I meant. What if you were someone else when you had this child?”

“
I guess I'd be happy then,” I shrugged. “Happy not hunting, not being hunted, not knowing anything about what gods really are.”

“
Not knowing Trevor,” he rose an eyebrow at me.

“
I'm not saying I'm
un
happy,” I shook my head. “I just wonder sometimes what normal would feel like.”

“
It's boring and uneventful.”

“
Isn't that the same thing?”

“
Not really,” he chuckled, “a boring life can have some major events in it but never mind about that. I'm glad you'd be happy in this other life, even if you're not happy in this one,” he smiled and I didn't like the way it looked on him, like he knew something I didn't. “That's very good.”

“
I didn't say I wasn't happy,” I growled. “What the hell is this really about, Rain?”

“
Your wolf is waiting,” he stepped back and faded into the fake foliage.

“
Rain,” I grumbled but Trevor had already come up to meet me. Evidently word traveled fast when everyone had superhuman hearing.

“
You’re going
where
with
who
?” Trevor was on the verge of going furry.

“
It’s only for a couple of days. A week at the most,” I took his hand but he pulled away.

“
I’m going with you,” he said firmly.

“
Honey-eyes, you can’t,” I sighed. “You need to be here to take care of the club and Nicholas.”

“
Nicholas has an automatic feeder, a self-cleaning litter box, a fountain water dispenser, and a kitty door; he’ll be fine for a few days. You used to leave him alone all the time before I moved in. Besides, Kirill is there now.”

“
This is work,” I spread my hands in supplication, “I'm not going to drag my boyfriend with me.”

“
I can trace in and out everyday,” he crossed his arms over his chest.

“
Odin will think you don't trust me,” I frowned at him. “Didn't we just go through this?”

He exhaled heavily and then dropped his arms. “Fine, but I’m coming to visit.”

“I’d like that,” I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned into him. He finally smiled a little at me. “You wanna take me home for a quickie while I pack?” He smiled bigger.

Chapter Six

Valhalla was massive.

Odin gave me a tour after we traced in and I was surprised at how big the place really was. I hadn’t been able to see all of it when I’d stayed across the lake in Thor’s Hall and I’d only been in Valhalla three other times before; once for Yule when I’d only seen the main hall, once when I’d snuck in to do some Godhunter reconnaissance and I’d only saw one room and a long hallway as I ran through it… away from Thor, and once for the training episode that I'd like to forget all about. Having actually seen the main hall where all the feasting was done, I knew that the myths about it being so big that eight-hundred warriors could walk through it side by side(that's almost a mile, in case you were wondering) were true. So I’d suspected its overall size was huge but I really had no idea.

It was palatial, it was immense, it was not something that should be referred to as a hall. The main hall had rooms and offices around it where the fallen Viking warriors lived. Believing that they went to Valhalla upon death, the Viking spirits didn’t move on as they should have but stayed in limbo, bound to Odin. They fought mock battles on the surrounding plains all day then partied at Valhalla all night but they also served Odin as waiters, chefs, and stewards to his vast estate… not exactly the afterlife they imagined I'm sure but they seemed happy enough. Maybe it had something to do with the Valkyries.

“
So where’s my room?” I was pretty sure the tour was over, since we were back in the main hall, but Odin had yet to show me where I’d be bunking.

“
I don’t live in Valhalla,” he gave me the half confused, half amused look of someone who thought that either you were playing a joke on them or you were completely ignorant.

“
What do you mean you don’t live in Valhalla?” I glared at him. His expression was pissing me off. “This is your hall, isn’t it?”

“
Sweet apples of life, you don’t know much about me do you?” His lips twisted down and I could’ve sworn it was in disappointment.

“
I know enough, one-eye,” I felt my hand fist up and make a home on my hip. “I know you can’t be trusted, so where exactly do you think you’re taking me? It's not to that place with your giant Santa TV is it?”

“
Taking you? Santa TV?” Odin shook his head as his mouth fell open. “I don’t live here, Vervain. Valhalla is only one of three Halls I own. This is where the warriors live, where I make plans for war, and where I hold large celebrations, but Valaskjάlf is where I live. I also own Gladsheim but that’s where I preside over the Diar I appointed to regulate the affairs of Asgard, so I only go there when necessary.”

“
Yes but where's the Santa TV?”

“
In Valaskjάlf, you may see it if you wish.”

“
Oh, okay,” I may have felt just a little bit silly. “sorry ‘bout that.”

“
You’re forgiven, Godhunter,” Odin offered me his arm. “Would you like to see my home now?”

Fifteen minutes later, we were riding two exceptionally beautiful horses along the shoreline of the Asgard lake. I kept casting glances at Sleipnir, Odin’s magnificent, overly large stallion who, to my great disappointment, only had four legs.

“There are a lot of myths that are just plain myth,” Odin smiled knowingly.

“
Excuse me?” I really hated looking like an idiot in front of him but it seemed like I was doomed for a jester hat.

“
Sleipnir obviously doesn’t have the eight legs humans wrote about,” he leaned over to pat the horse’s neck affectionately. “He’s just so fast, sometimes it appears so.”

“
Oh,” I looked around me like I wasn’t that interested. Everything was cool, just another leisurely ride through Asgard, nothing to see here folks, just move it along. “Holy cannolis!” With supreme effort, I stayed in the saddle.

“
Do you like it?” Odin’s face was shiny with pride and just a sparkle of… nervousness? Nah.

Nestled in a clearing before us, was a two story palace made entirely of silver. It was almost blinding when the sun hit it, lighting up the surrounding trees with bright shimmers. Jutting from its middle was an entryway adorned with an arch of two crossed beams with carved dragon heads at each end. Double doors stood open beneath it, awaiting the god’s return eagerly, and through them I glimpsed the welcome relief of polished wood and lush carpets.

Windows were open everywhere, even though there was a slight chill in the air, and smoke drifted up from numerous chimneys. Ancient designs curved and danced over almost every inch, helping tone the brightness down a tad but adding so much visual stimulation, the hall seemed to be moving… or breathing.

“
It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” my eyes were finally able to pull back a bit and notice the surrounding area. Stables, an open clearing for training, a large vegetable garden, an assortment of fruit trees, and what I assumed were storage buildings, gathered around the silver palace like bums around a steel barrel fire, looking dull next to its gleam.

“
I’m so happy you like it,” he gathered the reins of my horse so I could dismount.

“
Who wouldn’t?” I was still gaping as I got down. “Is it solid silver?”

“
Yes, though most rooms are paneled with wood,” there was a strange note to his voice and when I turned to look at him, he was studying me closely… too closely.

“
So, you sure you're going to be able to spare a room for me?”

His quick laughter broke the spell and I breathed a sigh of relief as he led me into the most literally brilliant place I’d ever seen. We went through a small entryway. It opened up into the dining hall which was a much smaller, silver version of Valhalla’s. There was a long table running along each side wall, almost the entire length of the room, and then a raised dais with the head table at the end. The walls were done in the same carved silver as the outer ones, with silver shields hanging in a line down the sides. On the right was a gigantic fireplace and at the back corners, behind the head table, there were doorways. Odin led me straight to the one on the left and into the corridor beyond.

Up a narrow stairway we went and then into a wide hallway. The hallway was eerily quiet, as if it was waiting for approval before going back to its everyday business of being a god’s home. I took a quick glance down it before Odin ushered me along, hoping for some kind of sound; creaking floorboards, settling beams, voices, something, but the only sound was the creak of a door as Odin opened it.

I was thankful he gave me a room on the forest side of the Hall as opposed to the lake side, where I’d be able to see Bilskinir, high up on the cliff where it perched like an angry thunder god. I didn’t need a reminder that Thor was right across the lake from me. Mr. Protector of the Realm of Asgard. Mr. I'm so great, I have a Hall up on a cliff and a shiny hammer. He also had a piece of rock in his head. I'm not kidding, he said he got it in a bar brawl. Now he can sharpen his sword with his forehead. Heh, I'd actually like to see that.

At least I’m not bitter.

“
I’ll leave you to look around while I fetch us some refreshment,” Odin put my small suitcase down and gave me a quick smile before he left.

“
Thank you,” I hardly noticed his departure, I was too busy gawking at the room.

It was spacious. After seeing the sumptuousness of Valaskjάlf, I would’ve been surprised if it hadn’t been. Dark wood shone everywhere, from the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves taking up the walls on either side of me, to the heavy bed that was more of a separate suite than a piece of furniture. It smelled like Christmas, pine with a hint of apples lying beneath it.

The bed was snug in a corner of the room, with a row of steps leading up to the overstuffed mattress. At the foot of it, was a large cabinet that appeared wide enough to hold my entire wardrobe… and that’s a hell of a feat. Vibrant tapestry panels hung from the bed's sturdy beams and thick furs were tossed across a fluffy comforter.

A calming breeze blew in through the large windows that dominated the wall across from me, teasing the tree branches into song and playing along my skin in a gentle welcome. The trees pressed in so close, I could almost imagine the room was built right into those generous branches. It was very Swiss Family Robinson…or maybe Ewok, I’m not sure.

Just beyond the trees, I could see the well maintained vegetable garden and the source of the apple scent, trees filled with the bright red fruit. Behind those, the mammoth forest took over but it looked barely held in check, like at any second, it could spring its bounds and lunge for the Hall.

Giving my attention back to the room itself, I found myself a little surprised that Odin hadn’t given me a more feminine suite, but I was also glad. I loved the space immediately. There was an almost tangible feeling of acceptance in the room, a warmth that seeped into my skin and lured me into lingering. I started to worry that magic was afoot but then I concentrated my little witchy senses and discovered that the only magic in the room was a spell of protection and preservation, probably for all the books.

I kicked my shoes off and padded through the thick silk carpets so I could scrunch my toes up in them, sighing as the softness wrapped around my tired feet. The room was perfect.

Off to the right and near the windows was a round table and chairs, out of the same dark wood the walls were paneled in. A well loved desk stood near one of the bookshelves on the left, like a wooden librarian guarding her wards, and in the exact center of the room was a sunken, circular, sitting area with a round hearth in the middle of it. A chimney hovered above the hearth, paneled again in the polished wood, and disappeared into the ceiling. There was a fire already crackling happily, and the round couch built into the sunken walls that circled the hearth, had thick furs and blankets strewn about it invitingly. I couldn’t resist their siren’s call. Odin found me curled up there when he returned with mugs of hot mead.