But the one he wanted to get to froze as well, and Magnus was able to push Frigg’s ass out of Jeanne Grimm’s home and onto the sidewalk, where she stumbled in her ridiculous high heels.
Who wore fuck-me pumps to pack up a house in the middle of the night?
“Hey! You can’t do that!” Luther was the first to come to the door, ready to defend his lover. He was followed swiftly by Henry, who looked just as pissed as his brother.
Morgan moved until he blocked the doorway, ready to defend Jeanne’s home. He didn’t want Frigg getting back into the house.
“Watch us.” Magnus’s hands were flexing, clenching and unclenching. If Henry and Luther weren’t careful, Magnus would be on them like the berserker he was. He’d fling them around like the Hulk did Loki in that superhero movie, the one Logan liked to watch so much even while he bitched about how he really wasn’t like that, and what was up with that stupid hat?
Morgan figured Logan had a thing for Captain America. The actor looked a hell of a lot like Kir, but with shorter hair and not nearly as pretty.
Morgan decided he didn’t really want to have to explain to Jeanne why they broke into her house. It would be better if the others left peacefully. He ignored the way Frigg was pounding on his back. If she thought she could hurt him she had a surprise coming. “I think you should all leave before Logan and Kir get here.” He had every intention of calling them and asking Logan to place wards around Jeanne’s home.
Never again would the Aesir take something of hers. Not if Morgan could stop it.
Henry and Luther both took deep breaths, exchanging worried looks. They might not fear Logan, but Kir was another matter altogether. As long as he held Gungnir, he held sway over all of them, whether they liked it or not. He could, and would, enforce his will upon them.
Gungnir had changed Kir in certain ways. He was more confident in his actions, more certain of his power and his place in the world. More like the Baldur Morgan remembered, but…not. Love had softened Baldur’s edges, turned the fun-loving Kir into a leader Morgan was proud to follow.
Luther held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender. “We’re going.”
Henry nodded, following his brother’s lead by putting his own hands in the air. “We don’t want trouble with Baldur.”
Morgan moved just enough to allow Sif to silently move past him.
“Logan is coming?”
He looked at Sigyn, the hope in her expression lighting her up.
Damn. She still loved her ex-husband. “Yes.”
“Let me stay.”
“Sigyn—”
She took a step toward him, her hands folded together almost as if she was praying. “Please.”
Morgan felt for her, he really did, but Logan was married to his stepsister now…and Sigyn had chosen to side with Frigg. “I can’t.”
It was hard, watching her face fall, knowing she still hoped for something that would never be. “I understand.” She smiled sadly. “I just wanted to say hello.”
“Sigyn. Come here, now.”
Sigyn winced at the snap in Frigg’s voice. “Yes, Frigg.”
He let her by, knowing that her request was going to earn her quite the lecture from Frigg. He didn’t think the elder goddess would harm her or he would have tried to stop her.
No, Sigyn would only wish she were dead by the time Frigg was done with her.
“Gina. Sonia. Let’s go. These motherless sons of a Jotun whore have declared we aren’t welcome here.”
Gina and Sonia Grimm, aka Gna and Sjofn, were Frigg’s most dedicated handmaidens. They did anything Frigg asked of them without question. If Magnus went for Frigg, the two women would undoubtedly throw themselves in front of her to protect her, despite the fact that neither was a warrior. Magnus would easily destroy them if it came down to a fight.
Morgan held out his hand to stop Magnus from going for Frigg’s throat. “Enough, Frigg.”
She took a step back as Morgan tried to hide his shock. The rumble of thunder had been in his voice, officially declaring him the successor of his father. Magnus stepped up beside him, lightning crackling around him in a visible display that had him thankful it was the middle of the night.
Scratch that. Declaring both of us Dad’s successors.
Sif closed her eyes and swayed, pale as milk. Even her hair seemed less lustrous as she shook with silent sobs. “Oh, Thor.”
Magnus winced at the sound of his father’s name on Sif’s lips. Morgan hurt for his brother, but there was nothing he could do.
Not even the Gods could force someone to love you.
Morgan allowed the feeling that had overtaken him, the anger and the determination to remove Frigg from his sight, to linger. The thunder remained in his voice, echoing oddly with his words. “You will leave, and you will not return.”
Magnus flicked his hand toward the Aesir gathered in front of Jeanne Grimm’s home, and lightning struck at their feet. Morgan could feel the thunder rumbling through him, sounding from him in a quiet fury.
Skye stepped around the gathered Aesir and Vanir and into the house for all the world like a princess entering her castle, calmly and demurely. She took her place at his side, her hands clasped in front of her as he’d seen her do countless times over the centuries.
She’d made her allegiance known, and he saw that knowledge settle over Frigg like a dark cloak. Morgan wrapped his arm around her waist, making his own point more than clear.
Skuld was under his protection, and anyone who fucked with her would have to deal with him.
Frigg lifted her chin. “Baldur will come home to me. He will see the mistake he’s made in standing by Loki’s side when Ragnarrok begins.” Frigg was vibrating with anger, but at least she was backing away.
“Idiot.” Magnus was shaking his head. “Ragnarrok has already begun.” He stepped backward into the house.
“You’re the idiot. When Ragnarrok comes and Loki dies, who do you think Baldur will turn to?”
Morgan also stepped back into the house and exchanged a glance with his brother. “If that happens, he’ll turn to his family.” He smiled at Frigg. “That would be us.” And he closed Jeanne’s door quietly, having more respect for Thor’s second wife than he would ever have for his grandmother. “Damn. I hate that bitch.”
Morgan took a look at the boxes piled around Jeanne’s home and nodded. “Let’s get started. Thanks to Frigg, this is going to take a lot longer than I thought.”
Magnus groaned, but he opened a box, just the first of many.
Chapter Seven
“It has to be here somewhere.” Skye stood, her hands on her hips, and glared down at the unopened box.
“For all we know, we accidentally buried him with it.”
“Well. That would suck monkey balls.” She sneezed at the dust that rose from the box she’d just opened.
Magnus choked. “Monkey balls?”
She shrugged and turned back to the box, but Morgan could see her cheeks turn red. The way she seemed to switch between Skylar Kincade, American photographer, and Skuld, all-powerful Fate, was endearing as hell.
“That’s what you think. Dad could have stashed it somewhere in Valhalla and we’ll never see it again.” Morgan grimaced as Magnus pulled out yet another box. They’d been at this for hours and still hadn’t found a hint that Mjolnir was anywhere in the house.
“You think Frigg found it?”