She decided to voice her concerns. Sleipnir had latched onto Magnus, not his father, and had chosen to go home with Morgan’s twin. “Will Magnus be all right?”
Morgan was silent for far longer than Skye had thought he would be. She glanced up, thinking he might have fallen asleep, only to find his gaze on her. He began toying absently with her hair. “I think Kir might have been right.”
“That Magnus will have two people in his life?”
Morgan nodded. “And I think I know who the second one will be.” When she tried to sit up his hold on her tightened. “Don’t worry, Skye.” His grin was full of warmth and mischief. “I know who it is he’s been waiting for, and if she can get her head out of her ass she’ll be perfect for him.”
“As long as she doesn’t hurt Sleipnir.”
Morgan nodded. “Yeah.” He snuggled her closer, and Skye kissed his chest as he sighed wearily. “Yeah.”
Epilogue
Magnus was startled to find Sif pacing outside the condo complex. He pulled Sleipnir tighter to his side, determined to protect the damaged man from her. Sif had clearly sided with their enemies and, as much as it pained Magnus, Sleipnir’s safety had to come first.
Sleipnir still hadn’t completely recovered from the whipping Grimm had given him, but he’d persuaded Magnus to take him on a short walk outside. He’d been locked up for so long, only let out when Grimm allowed it, that he was chafing under the restrictions the others had voluntarily placed upon themselves.
He’d taken well to life away from Grimm. He didn’t smile nearly as often as Magnus would like, but he basked in Logan’s constant hovering. The Jotun was trying desperately to make up for lost time, and Sleipnir was eating it up. He’d even chosen a mortal name that honored Logan: Slade Saeter.
Magnus liked it. Slade just seemed to fit the fragile-seeming man who’d shocked them all with his strength. He’d literally waited centuries to be free, biding his time, hiding in plain sight and taking risks that made Magnus’s hair stand on end.
The knowledge that he’d immediately chosen Magnus as his own? No one had ever chosen Magnus. He was the hot-headed twin, the one the others avoided. To know Sleipnir relied on Magnus to keep him safe made him feel ten feet tall.
But Magnus wasn’t stupid. Logan would tear him a new one if Sleipnir so much as stubbed his toe, so he’d immediately called Logan and Kir to walk with them. No way would Logan allow his injured child out alone. It had taken some fast talking, but they’d agreed to let him out.
It just figured that the first person they saw was a woman Magnus would have once given his left nut for.
He glared at Sif, but it was half-hearted at best. Why did she always look so lost? It tore at him almost as much as Sleipnir’s injuries did. One wore his pain on the outside, while the other bore hers on the inside. “What are you doing here?”
Sif bit her lip, looking so uncertain, so fragile. He’d never understood why his father had chosen to turn away from her. He adored Jeanne, but Sif?
Sif was everything Magnus had dreamed a woman should be. Too bad she’d once been his stepmother.
Sleipnir whimpered, hiding his face against Magnus’s chest. To Magnus’s surprise, Sif blushed beet red at the sight. “I…”
“You?” Kir and Logan stepped in front of Magnus, more than likely preparing to protect Sleipnir. What they thought Sif would do to him, Magnus didn’t know. She’d been fierce and brave when she’d been with his father, but even she wouldn’t dream of challenging Baldur.
She straightened her shoulders as if facing a firing squad. She took one long, odd look at Magnus before turning her attention to Kir. “I want to join with you.”
Logan edged a little in front of Kir. “How do we know you’re not a spy? Frigg could have sent you here to sabotage us.”
Sif shook her head, her expression sad. “I wanted to join you that day at Fred’s house, but I wasn’t certain I would be welcome.” She glanced at Logan, pushing her golden hair behind her ear. “Sigyn wants to come too.”
He could only imagine Logan’s expression. His ex-wife would be an uncomfortable addition to their little family, especially since she still yearned for Logan with all her immortal heart. Where Sif had accepted Thor’s desire to be with the woman he loved, Sigyn had never once given up hope that eventually Loki would return to her.
Logan shook his head. “Jordan won’t—”
Sif held up her hands in a pleading gesture that nearly broke Magnus’s heart. “Please? She’s promised not to try and separate you. She…we just want to be free of Frigg.”
“But you can’t, not without someone strong to protect you.” Magnus stared down at the top of Sleipnir’s head, startled that the small man had caught on so quickly. His raspy voice held a note of compassion.
“You think we should allow it.” Magnus was stunned. She could be a spy for Frederica, or working for Grimm. No way would he allow her near Sleipnir.
Sleipnir looked up at him, his golden-brown eyes brimming with something Magnus couldn’t quite name. When the shifter went on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, Magnus bent so he could hear him better. What he said startled the hell out of Magnus, and gave him hope for the first time in centuries.
Odin carried his lover to the boat, placing her inside with all the gentleness she deserved. Grief, an almost foreign emotion, tightened his chest as he stared down at her pale, beautiful features. He placed her weapons at her sides, then covered her in her favorite white fur coat.
“It’s time.” Adam Grey, aka Frey, clapped Grimm on the shoulder, his gaze hard as it rested on Rina. Adam had sought him out; why, Grimm had no idea. He doubted it was in order to help Frigg, the frigid bitch. For now, Grimm would allow him in Valhalla, but he planned on keeping a close eye on the Vanir who’d fathered Jordan Tate-Saeter.
Odin nodded. Nothing could bring his beloved Rina back. Hel would ensure that. The bitch would see to it that Rina never again saw the light of day.
Ah, Rina. Foolish, beautiful Rina, who’d died for prophecy and would now spend eternity in Helheim, paying for imagined sins. His throat constricted, the pain almost too much to bear.
How had he allowed this to happen? How could he have allowed an emotion so deep to enter his heart? When Heimdall had brought her body he’d roared his rage, knowing she’d died by the Guardian’s hand. Not only had the Guardian killed his beautiful lover, he’d allowed the others to enter Asgard.
For that alone, Grimm would make him pay. And he knew just how to do it. But it would take time to plan properly, to make sure none of the others interfered.
The Guardian would regret taking his love away.
Grimm shoved the boat off the shore, keeping a stoic expression on his face as it set out to sea. Rina would have her lover see her off, would know even in the beyond that he’d remained strong for her.
He pulled an arrow out of his quiver, wrapping the end in a gasoline-soaked rag. He lit it on fire before sending it on its way. He watched the fiery light arc until it alighted on Rina’s pyre, the flames leaping high almost immediately.
When the boat was nothing more than a bright spot at the edge of night, he turned to Adam. “Now. About that alliance…”
About the Author
Dana Marie Bell wrote her first short story when she was thirteen years old. She attended the High School for Creative and Performing Arts for creative writing. When her parents moved out of the city and placed her in a Catholic high school for her senior year she tried desperately to escape, but the nuns held fast. She’s now a USA Today best-selling author.