Heroes (A Runes Companion Novel)

By Ednah Walters

Eirik wants nothing more than to show Celestia—the Witch who pulled him out of the darkness—that his feelings for her are real, but his parents expect him to avenge a wrong done to his family. To make matters worse, Celestia is moving on and is already dating another guy. Then Eirik discovers she is the key to accomplishing his goals. Caught between love and duty, Eirik will do whatever it takes, including getting up close and personal with Celestia, to get his way.

Celestia is convinced she is drawn to Eirik because of the bond created by the dragon's kiss, so she pushes him away. But when he comes to her for help, she is once again thrust into his world, where things are never what they seem.

From Earth to the realms of the gods, betrayal follows them and help comes from unexpected sources. But when the time comes for Eirik to choose, will he fulfill his duty or follow his heart? Everything rests on his shoulders as the wrong choice may lead to Celestia's worst fear—the rise of the Harbinger of Death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ednah Walters
• Release date: Mar 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311351609

Ednah Walters

*Ednah Walters is the author of the bestselling YA Paranormal romance series, RUNES and THE GUARDIAN LEGACY-YA fantasy series*Join her mailing list at http://bit.ly/EdnahWNewsletterSignUpor visit her at http://www.ednahwalters.com to stay up to date with her new releases

Book preview

HEROES

A Runes Companion Novel

(Eirik. Book Two)

Ednah Walters

Copyright © 2016 Ednah Walters

Publishished at Smashwords by Firetrail Publishing

Heroes are not born. They rise out of love and duty.

But what if you have to choose?

Eirik wants nothing more than to show Celestia~the Witch who pulled

him out of the darkness~that his feelings for her are real,

but his parentsexpect him to avenge a wrong done to his family.

To make matters worse, Celestia is moving on and is already dating another guy.

Then Eirikdiscovers she is the key to accomplishing his goals.

Caught between loveand duty, Eirik will do whatever it takes,

including getting up close andpersonal with Celestia, to get his way.

Celestia is convinced she is drawn to Eirik because of the bond created

by the dragon's kiss, so she pushes him away. But when he comes to her

for help, she is once again thrust into his world, where things are never

what they seem.

From Earth to the realms of the gods, betrayal follows them and help

comes from unexpected sources. But when the time comes for Eirik to

choose, will he fulfill his duty or follow his heart? Everything rests on

his shoulders as the wrong choice may lead to Celestia's worst fear~

the rise of the Harbinger of Death.

COPYRIGHTS

Reproducing this book without permission

from the author or the publisher is an infringement

of its copyright. This book is a work of fiction. The names

characters, places, and incidents are products of the

author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

Any resemblance to any actual events or persons,

living or dead, actual events, locale or

organizations is entirely coincidental

Copyright © 2016 Ednah Walters

All rights reserved.

e-book ISBN-13: 978-1-943053-22-3

Edited by Kelly Hashway

Cover Design by Cora Graphics. All Rights Reserved.

Proofread by Sara Meadows.

Front Matter Design and Formatting by Carolina Silva. All Rights

Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any

manner whatsoever without permission, except in the case of brief

Quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First Firetrail Publishing publication: March 2016

www.ednahwalters.com

ALSO BY EDNAH WALTERS:

The Runes Series:

Runes (book 1)

Immortals (book 2)

Grimnirs (book 3)

Seeress (book 4)

Souls (book 5)

Witches (book 6)

Demons (Book 7)

Heroes (book 8)

Gods (book 9) June 14th 2016

The Guardian Legacy Series:

Awakened (prequel)

Betrayed (book one)

Hunted (book two)

Forgotten (book three)

WRITING AS E. B. WALTERS:

The Fitzgerald Family series

Slow Burn (book 1)

Mine Until Dawn (book 2)

Kiss Me Crazy (book 3)

Dangerous Love (book 4)

Forever Hers (book 5)

Surrender to Temptation (book 6)

The Infinitus Billionaires series

Impulse (book 1)

Indulge (book 2)

Intrigue (book 3) Coming 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

§

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

TRADEMARK LIST

GLOSSARY

CHAPTER 1. CRAZY GRANNY

CHAPTER 2. ORDERS

CHAPTER 3. IT’S ME AGAIN

CHAPTER 4. DREAM A LITTLE

CHAPTER 5. WITCHES

CHAPTER 6. BLOOD BOND

CHAPTER 7. GRAFITTI ARTISTS

CHAPTER 8. A BORING MORTAL

CHAPTER 9. HELP ME

CHAPTER 10. FROST JÖTNAR

CHAPTER 11. TESTING

CHAPTER 12. THE TRUTH

CHAPTER 13. BITTEN AND ORPHANED

CHAPTER 14. MISSED THEM

CHAPTER 15. WARMTH

CHAPTER 16. TAKEN

CHAPTER 17. THE IMMORTALS

CHAPTER 18. THE CALL

CHAPTER 19. OLD AND NEW WOUNDS

CHAPTER 20. HARBINGER OF DEATH

CHAPTER 21. JÖTUNHEIM

CHAPTER 22. THE MARKET PLACE

CHAPTER 23. CHOICES

EPILOGUE

THE RUNES SERIES READING ORDER

PRE-ORDER THE NEXT IN THE SERIES

GODSBONUS

GODS PROLOGUE

GODS CHAPTER 1

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DEDICATION

To the new friends I’ve made the last year

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank my support team. Without you, ladies,

I wouldn’t wrap up my stories so nicely.

Thanks for finding typos, missing words and discrepancies.

The TEAM: My editor, Kelly Hashway, thanks for always

rising to the challenge and whipping my books into shape.

To my dauntless assistant, Carolina Silva, words cannot express

what you do and mean to me. Thanks for being my pow-wow

buddy, whip-girl, formatting guru, and an amazing listener.

Sarah Meadows PA, you are the best proofreader ever.

I love discovering new expressions with you.

Irina Wolpers & Meghan Johnson, thanks for being my

beta readers. Your keen eyes never miss the pesky mistakes.

Authors Melissa Haag and Karen Lynch, your feedback

on the raw material is priceless. Best author sisters ever.

My Pre-launch team: Tracy Vincent, Ashley Kemp and

Karen Metkalf, you guys rock. Your feedback is amazing.

To my special teams, who make my life easier by

shouldering some of my responsibilities on social media,

keeping my fans happy, and entertained, love you girls:

Meghan Johnson, Candice Parker, Kallie Kennon,

Laura Carter, Claire Monaghan, Jeannie Short Whilhem,

Samantha Bridges, Jaime Lingerfelt, Brittany Richardson

and Hollian Rickman. To my launch team, if I could name

all of you, I would. Actually, I will in Gods. You guys rock!

Thank you for always having my back.

And to my family, love always for your love and support.

TRADEMARK LIST:

Charmed

Coke

Cruella de Vil

Cup Noodles

CWT

Diet Coke

Disney World

Hershey

History Channel

Honda Civic

Marvel

Nikon

Sprite

Supernatural

GLOSSARY

Artavo: Plural of artavus

Artavus: Magical knife or dagger used to etch runes

Asgard: Home of the Aesir gods

Ástin mín: My darling

Dýrr: dear

Eljudnir: Hel’s Hall

Elskr mín: My beloved

Frigg: Odin’s wife, the patron of marriage and motherhood

Freya: The poetry-loving goddess of love and fertility;

the other half of the dead warriors/soldiers/athletes

go to her hall in Falkvang

Garm: Hel’s hound

Grimnirs: Reapers for Hel

Hel: The Goddess Hel in charge of the dead

Hel: Home of Goddess Hel, dead criminals, those dead from

Illness, and those dead from old age

Helheim: The realm where Hel’s Hall is located

Idun: Norse Goddess of Spring

Idun-Grimnir: A wise Grimnir given the power to recruit other Grimnirs

Idun-Valkyrie: A wise Valkyrie given the power to recruit other Valkyries

Immortals: Humans who stop aging and self-heal

Jötnar: Plural of giants in Norse Mythoology

Jötun/Jötunn: A giant in Norse Mythology

Jötunheim: Home of the giants in Norse Mythology

Midgard: Earth in Norse Mythology

Nastraad/Corpse Strand: The island in Hel for criminals

and evil Mortals, where their souls are tortured

Norns: Deities who control destinies of men and gods

Nornsgard: Norns’ Hall

Odin: An Aesir god, the father and ruler of all gods and men; half

of the dead soldiers/warriors/athletes go to live in his hall in Valhalla.

Ragnarok: The end of the world war between the gods and

the fire giants

Seidr: An old Norse term referring to a magical practice by Scandinavians;

It includes act of divination or prophecy performed while in a trance.

Stillo: A type of artavus

Svartelfheim: The realm of the Dwarves

Stjärna mín: my star

Utgard: Famous city in Jötunheim

Valknut: The rune formed by three interlocked triangles

Valkyries: Immortals who collect fallen warriors/soldiers/

fighters/athletes and take them to Valhalla and Falkvang

Völur: A group of Seeresses

Völva: A powerful Seeress

because of the magical runes etched on their skin

Yggdrasil: The tree of life or tree of knowledge that connects

the nine realms of Norse cosmology

CHAPTER 1. CRAZY GRANNY

EIRIK

My grip tightened around the handle of my mace as I eyed the souls of the meanest warriors in my mother’s army of the dead. From the looks of them, they must have been handpicked from biker gangs, mercenaries, and gangbangers. Wicked tattoos covered their faces and arms, and teeth that could turn a dentist into an overnight millionaire flashed from behind knotted beards. Even the women looked like their dental hygiene was limited to chewing tobacco and spitting.

This wasn’t the first time I’d faced this lot. They were the trainers. Usually only one or two of them joined the team that faced me, but not today. Today, I was pissed because I continued to fail my sister. I should have found her by now. Four months had passed and I was still searching for her.

To let out steam, I’d challenged the best fighters, and they’d obliged. Mother’s warriors were not much to look at, but they were fearless, relentless, and Immortal. Exactly what I needed today.

I raised my arm, engaged speed runes, and channeled them until they connected with the runes on Gunnlögi’s handle. The chain and spiked head glowed, giving meaning to the English translation—battle blaze. Badass name. It took me weeks to come up with it.

The group circled me, and my senses went off the charts as my dragon side sprung forward to protect me. It was hard to think of that form as part of me. Whenever I shifted, I felt too alien. Too different. Even a partial change, like now, affected how I thought, felt, and acted.

My eyes became slits, altering my vision until I could see the sweat-filled pores on my opponent’s forehead. My hearing sharpened, picking up on heartbeats, and differentiating between the calm psychopaths and the lunatics. My sense of smell heightened, my ability to lock on emotions increased, and my level of aggression shot up. Scales hadn’t appeared on my skin yet, but they would once my body sensed a weapon coming closer to me.

I walked slowly in a circle, mentally reviewing the warriors’ weaknesses. I’d learned much in the four months I’d been here. Fear paralyzed. Rage made you reckless, which led to mistakes. Most in the group before me had the innate need to show off, which made them act stupid. They were eager to prove themselves to Mother because she demoted trainers she perceived were mediocre. I couldn’t pinpoint her exact location yet, but her scent said she was close. She always used invisibility runes to cloak her presence.

Come get me, I challenged, and the warriors rushed me.

For the next hour, I tried to physically purge my body of the boiling frustration of not finding my sister. Every time I thought of the person responsible, a growl rumbled through my chest, sending the fighters scrambling back and reminding me to stay focused. My grandmother had done some terrible things, but kidnapping my sister topped the list.

I took out the warriors one at a time. They were seasoned fighters, but I had invisibility runes and speed runes to get out of tight spots, strength and endurance runes to ante the attack, dragon scales to block harmful cuts, and Gunnlögi to execute my will.

Two hours later, the warriors peeled themselves from the ice and limped off the arena. I was just as filthy as they were, sweat and blood covering my clothes—most of it not mine—and physically drained, yet restless. My dragon side needed to exercise, and these people didn’t have it in them to give him what he needed. My skin itched and my heart pumped with the need to shift. It was time to fly.

Thanks for the exercise, warriors, I said, eager to leave.

Most grinned with relief. A few nodded grudgingly.

’Til tomorrow? one of the lunatics asked, and I nodded.

Will we face the dragon? an instructor asked, and groans rippled through the group.

Maybe. My dragon side decided to make his presence known and growled. The trainees cringed. Moments like this reminded me that my two forms were not fully in sync, that I wasn’t completely in control of myself. Although I found the warriors’ reactions funny, and I knew the animalistic side of me loved messing with them, I didn’t like my body betraying me like that. One form had to be dominant and that was my normal, human side.

Screeches filled the air, and I looked up. A white dragon and a gray one chased each other above us, their words garbled. Damn visitors. As if failing to find my sister wasn’t enough, I had to deal with other dragons and their families traipsing through my home. They needed to leave.

I headed to the western weapons room, but before I could escape to my shifting room in the eastern side of the hall, Mother entered.

Decided to demote some poor sap today, Mother?

She made a derisive sound. I should. They were pathetic, and you’re only going to get better and continue to trounce them if they don’t shape up. Are you joining our guests for lunch?

It was less misty today, so I’d be on find Granny duty. Nope. I have a new plan for the Norns.

Burn the fields until those old hags reveal themselves, Mother ordered, eyes narrowed.

My mother would wage a war on all the Norns to get her revenge. She was still ticked off that they’d taken me away. Father hadn’t come clean that it was he, not the Norns, who’d orchestrated the whole thing. It might make it easier to tell Mother about Einmyria if he did. She didn’t know that my sister was alive, but she was also unaware of the role her mother—my grandmother—played, or she’d never have set Crazy Granny free and banished her from Helheim. Now I was stuck with trying to find one ornery, dragon-shifting Jötun without revealing the truth to my mother. Using the Norns to cover up my activities often distracted her.

I opened a portal and Mother followed. Bread, cheese, and slices of meat waited. Yes! As I picked up a slice, my stomach growled loudly. Since my first shift, my appetite had grown.

Wash up first, Mother scolded, but the slab of bacon was too inviting. I shoved it in my mouth, then showed her my fingers and grinned.

See? Clean. And, there’s no need to go postal on the entire Norn population, Mother. We only need the two who took me. I’ll find them my way.

Postal?

Kill indescrimnately.

She sighed. Your way isn’t working. You need the soul of a baby to find them. They always appear to the reapers. I would not have given them the right to take children’s souls if I’d known they’d come after my own child. Einmyria would be… Her hand tightened around her scepter and she looked away, but not before I saw the pain in her eyes. Find a soul of a child or a reaper with one and take it. I didn’t want you to resort to this, but there’s no other option now.

This was the first time Mother had used my sister’s name. She rarely talked about Einmyria, and the few times she did, she always referred to her as my sister. If I could, I would confess that Einmyria was still alive and ease her pain, but it would only be temporary. Mother would tear the realms apart to find her.

I closed the gap between us and hugged her, scepter and all. She stiffened, but I pretended not to notice. I had never hugged her in the last four months I’d been here. I grew up receiving hugs from Raine’s mother, and even though I hadn’t appreciated them, I’d learned a hug went a long way in fixing pain and hurt.

What’s the purpose of this? Mother asked in an annoyed voice.

Shh, you’re not supposed to talk. Just feel. This is me telling you that it’s okay, Mom. I’ll take care of the Norns, so chill.

"I don’t understand the use of this word chill, she said, sounding annoyed once more. Argh, you are filthy and you smell."

Clean sweat. I leaned back and smirked. I was filthy. Besides, you missed out on the gym socks. Time you caught up.

So now I have the blood and the stench of the warriors to deal with? She made a face and a sound that was part disgust and part amusement.

Yep. She might complain, but the pink on her pale cheeks said she didn’t mind the hug. She just wasn’t used to it. I planted a kiss on her forehead. Fun times.

She glanced down at the bloody smears I’d left behind on her dress and threw me a censuring glance. I have to get rid of this gown.

Then you’ll need a whole new wardrobe every month. But now, I have places to go, and I need to shift. I removed the bloodied shirt and threw it in the hamper Litr kept in my shifting room.

When will you be back?

I don’t know. I engaged the right runes and got rid of the blood and grime, then rinsed off in the bucket of soapy warm water Litr had left. He’d even left fresh towels.

You cannot run away from your guests, Eirik. She didn’t mask her annoyance.

"Your guests, Mother. Not mine. Besides, I’m flying, not running." My grin only made her scowl.

Clean, I reached for more meat, slapped some between the bread, added cheese, another layer of meat and cheese, and various condiments with names I still hadn’t mastered. I added the vegetables and topped it with another piece of bread. Now that was a sandwich. I picked it up and caught my mother watching me with a weird expression.

Want some?

She looked at the massive sandwich and smiled. Any hint of the dragon lifestyle, including my appetite, always pleased her.

No, thank you. You are the one who said we should be more hospitable to our neighbors.

"Wary travelers who need shelter or your help. Not every Jötun, Elf, and Dwarf with a dragon-shifting daughter looking for a mate. Who told them I needed one?"

You are the most powerful dragon in the realms, therefore the most eligible. You can’t blame them for bringing their daughters to take a look at you.

"You said dragons from the realms would challenge me before they recognized me as their leader. Instead, they were testing me to see if I was a suitable mate."

I took a large chunk of the sandwich and chewed. I’d fought enough dragons the last month to last me a lifetime, yet more kept coming. The challenges didn’t bother me. Seeing them return with their daughters, sisters, and nieces did.

That’s the dragon way. Any one of those girls would be lucky to have you as a mate.

I don’t want them. They should leave.

You haven’t even met them.

I’ve seen them from afar. So not my type. My type wouldn’t allow her family to marry her off. She would boldly face danger to help a total stranger and fight dragons without cowering.

Celestia.

Mine, resounded in my head, followed by a soft purr. I still didn’t understand the connection between my dragon side and Celestia, or the need to shift whenever I thought of her. Although I liked her a lot—okay, more than a lot—but in dragon form, I was obsessed with her.

I missed her. Missed talking to her. Missed her bluntness. I even missed the way she made me so mad one second and then want to kiss her a moment later. Never had a girl’s lips mesmerized me like hers. I didn’t miss too much the way I wanted to kiss her and protect her from me at the same time though. That had screwed with my head. So to stay focused on my objective, I tried not to think about Celestia. Still, nothing filled the void she’d left behind. And now Mother thought I should fill that void with someone else. Find a dragon bride.

A freaking dragon bride. Unbelievable.

I took another bite, caught a piece of meat that would have fallen, and shoved it in my mouth. Thoughts of Celestia were making me more restless. I needed to fly.

Placing the remaining sandwich on the plate, I reached for my pants.

Privacy, please.

Mother gave me a look that said I had nothing to hide from her.

Seriously, Mother. Go. I pointed at the door. She chuckled and glided to the side door. Aside from the whole being-nude-around-my-mother thing, I hated witnesses when I shifted. I considered it personal. Despite the runes, the pain was still there, because I was breaking and reforming bones to shift from human to a dragon. Then there was the mental shift. Something weird happened to me once my dragon side took over. It was like my brain turned stupid.

I disengaged Odin’s rune, engaged pain and endurance runes, and shifted.

Pain shot up my spine as bones snapped and reformed. I grew bigger, until my head touched the ceiling. My tail reached the other side of the room. Modesty and manners receded until they became a faint echo in the back of my mind. I stretched and grinned.

Food. I need more food.

I demolished the rest of the sandwiches, blowing the nasty greens off the plate and wolfing down the remaining meat and cheese. I hated vegetables and the condiments tasted funny. The basket fell to the ground, but I didn’t care. I reached inside for the last loaf of bread. My favorite. It had meat inside it. Maera often saved the best for last. Damn, my jaw was stuck in the basket again. It didn’t stop me from finishing every crumb.

I was happy they’d expanded the room to accommodate my size, but it took some maneuvering before I lifted my front paw and knocked the damn basket off. The result wasn’t pretty. A chuckle from behind told me Mother was watching. She’d already opened the door. I backed out of the room, still chewing on the pastry.

Happy to entertain you, Mother, I said, my words coming out in English. It hadn’t taken me long to master the use of magic in Helheim to make my speech coherent. It was like creating portals. You focused, willed it, and it happened. And no more baskets with handles, please.

Tell Maera, not me, she retorted.

As soon as I cleared the door, she lifted her hand, and I lowered my head. She gently stroked my beautiful scales. They ranged in color from eggshell to gold, so I couldn’t blame her for wanting to touch them. I should have magnificent tattooed on my forehead. I turned my head, so she could stroke under my neck, and purred.

Who knew scales would be so much more sensitive than skin? I let Mother lull me with her touch, knowing she was up to something. It had better not be about the party and choosing a bride crap. No engagement to some girl when I had Celestia. My sweet Celestia. I should go visit her.

Eirik, there’s a party tonight and—

I won’t be back until it’s over, I said quickly as I lifted my head and moved away from her. Mother sighed, and her eyes grew sad. Damn, I was going to rot in Corpse Strand for not being a good son. I could go as a dragon. That should impress the ladies. It was why they were here, wasn’t it?

No, it wouldn’t. It wasn’t the fact that I was a dragon and son of Hel that had drawn these people to my home. The word was out that I would be the future ruler of the gods after Ragnarok. Not me in the dragon form, of course. No one could handle that. Heck, I didn’t even think the gods themselves would ever be ready for the fully grown, most magnificent, and fiercest dragon in all the realms sitting in the golden chair and issuing orders. So yeah, I would wear the crown and be the Alfadir, until there was trouble. Then I’d switch forms and go dragon on their asses.

Unfortunately, every father out there hoped his bloodline would continue into the next world, and that meant marrying me. It didn’t hurt either to know that a dragon was one of the most powerful beings and I would protect my family with everything I had. That meant their daughter and grandchildren would survive Ragnarok and live in the new hall in Idavoll after Asgard got destroyed.

Eirik, Mother said softly. This party is in your honor. To celebrate your glorious return home and defeat of the other dragons.

The urge to tell her yes became overwhelming. It was time to go.

Mother, you should know better than to appeal to me now. I told you before. We are one in the same. If I said no before I shifted, the answer will still be no afterward. Damn, that was hard, and I hated seeing the disappointment in her eyes. I bumped her with my head, causing her to slightly lose her balance, and grinned when she scowled. Give your guests my apologies and try to have fun. I whipped my wings for lift off.

I expect you to be back by tonight, Eirik.

I will. Later, Mother. I took off, the wind created by my wings whipping up the snow around her. She still watched me when I left the hall. Sweet Mother. She was the best.

For four months, she’d focused on training me, pushing me hard physically and mentally, and making sure I could shift seamlessly from one form to the other while in the middle of a fight. Every night, I’d fallen into bed exhausted, only to wake up the next morning and do it all over again. I knew she wanted me to be strong, so I had busted my tail and hadn’t complained.

But a few times a week I had sneaked off and searched for her scent. Granny’s. Not Celestia’s. Hers was always with me, and I knew where to find her. Thinking about her made my scales itch. I hated waiting, but finding my sister was more important for now.

My grandmother, the evil Ironwood Maiden, will not have her.

Now that was one family member I’d like to disown. I searched for her scent, inhaling deeply and turning my head. Instead of moving in a straight line above the mountains, I moved between peaks, rose higher over some, and dove into adjacent canyons, always sniffing and searching.

After an hour, I dipped even lower and landed by a lake. It had a weird name I couldn’t remember. The water was cold and clear, reflecting the snowcapped peaks surrounding it. It was a beautiful day even though a thick layer of clouds hid the sun. Everything was still, as though the entire world held its breath.

I stiffened, turned my head, and sniffed. There were no shadows on the mountains surrounding the lake, yet I knew I wasn’t alone. The scent was familiar. I sniffed again. It wasn’t my grandmother’s.

Please, let it not be a girl dragon.

No matter what my mother said, I suspected she wanted me to choose a female dragon. She equated dragons with strength and a better chance of survival. Maybe I would have chosen a dragon bride if I hadn’t met Celestia first. She was always on my mind. Thinking about her made me restless. All I wanted was to be near her.

I drank from the lake and caught my reflection.

My horns rose majestically from my mane, except for the broken tip of one. I tried to ignore it. Anything that marred the perfection of my reflection wasn’t worth noticing. Even though I was tawny in coloring, the horns were white and my mane was darker at the base and lighter toward the top. Since they weren’t covered with scales, only skin and fuzz, the runes tended to glow more at the tips. The coolest part was that I could control the intensity of the runes along the horns. The effect, combined with my gleaming scales, was awesome. After meeting the other dragons, I knew I was a prime dragon specimen. My eyes were drawn to the chipped horn once more.

It was a constant reminder of the day I’d lost Celestia. I grimaced. I hadn’t really lost her. I’d given her the space she needed to heal. She’d gotten hurt on my watch and had every right to refuse to see me. I had respected her wishes. Sort of.

I wondered what she’d think of Mother’s manipulations and this ridiculous mating ritual. She’d probably laugh and then get insulted on my behalf. She was a contradiction.

With one last look at my mesmerizing reflection, I took off and continued flying east. The scent reached me again. Someone was definitely following me. If this were Earth, I would have been concerned about a stalker. In Helheim, only an idiot would mess with me and expect to win. My reputation had reached all the other realms.

Maybe it was one of the guests. Most of them, I was convinced, used the opportunity to come check out Eljudnir, as Hel’s Hall is often called, in addition to parading their daughters.

There was only one problem. I wasn’t ready to settle down or be engaged to some girl I just met. I’d barely turned eighteen and had plenty of time to decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

Then there was Celestia. My gem. Once a dragon found his gem, there was no taking it from him. Celestia was mine. Sneaking off to see her wasn’t enough. I needed her here with me. Letting go of Cora had been a lot easier.

The scent tickled my nose again, and I glanced over my shoulder and studied the horizon. All I saw were mist and snow-covered mountaintops, yet I knew I wasn’t alone. If only it was my grandmother’s scent I was getting, I’d be celebrating instead of getting irritated. Once again, I tried to place it.

In the last month, I’d flown over these mountains and searched caves and valleys for my grandmother with little success. The ice Jötnar I’d met and talked to all claimed not to have met her. They could have lied, but I had no way of confirming it. I wasn’t a mind reader. However, I could smell fear. They’d been scared.

I reached the longest and tallest mountain ranges in the north, landed, and exhaled. The air was crisp and clean. Behind me lay the misty, frozen nothingness of Helheim. Ahead, the land sloped to the endless valley of Urd, the land of the Norns. Mist hugged the bottom, but smack in the middle, the crystal towers and the white walls of Nornsgard rose majestically and gleamed in the afternoon sun peeking from behind the thick clouds.

This was the fourth time I’d come to this spot. Each time, I’d swooped toward the gleaming walls only to watch them disappear. I’d opened portals so close I saw the crystal walls, only to step through and find myself on a glacier. The last time, I heard voices, female voices, only to fly through the portal and into that damn lake. It was a wonder I’d made it back before the portal closed. Maera hadn’t lied when she’d said portals shifted and opened in weird places in this realm.

A whoosh of powerful wings came from behind me, and I turned. At first, all I saw was a shadow in the mist. It grew closer and bigger.

Please, don’t let it be a dragon girl. I could face trouble of any kind, except a girl dragon. A gray dragon came out of the mist, hovered briefly, and landed a few yards away. I recognized him. I’d fought him a couple of weeks ago. He was a good fighter, but had no stamina. I had a feeling he’d just gone through the motions for the sake of his family. He was here with his father, his sister, and half his village. In fact, I believed he and his sister were the ones making a ruckus across the sky earlier.

He bowed, but I continued to watch him, trying to remember his name. K-something. Could Mother have sent him to follow me? Spy on me?

May I approach, Baldurson? he asked. I knew he probably spoke his language or dragon tongue, which was basically animal language, but used magic so I heard them in English.

Got it! It’s Karle, right?

Yes, Baldurson. The dragon bobbed his head in deference once more. I hope I’m not bothering you.

I hadn’t stopped on an isolated mountaintop to bond with another dragon. I wanted to tell him to get lost, but he didn’t look like a spy. He seemed shy and awed by my presence, naturally.

I came here to be alone. The dragon bowed again. Three times was too much. Don’t do that. Confusion flashed on his face. Bowing. Stop it. I’m not my mother or father. My name is Eirik.

I’m sorry for disturbing you, Bald—Eirik. I will leave.

We were two hours away from Eljudnir. Since he’d followed me all this way, he must have a reason. No, it’s okay. What are you doing here, Karle? And I hope this is not about your sister.

He shuddered. I wouldn’t wish Olea on anyone. She has a big mouth, he added when I frowned.

I chuckled. I know girls like her.

"Jötun?"

No, Mortals.

Is it true you were raised in Mid—? He lowered his head. Pardon my forwardness, Baldurson—Eirik. I hope I didn’t offend you. I’m looking for my sister. She sneaked out of the hall, and knowing her, she’s up to something that will get me in trouble with our father.

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I kept quiet. The mountain was far from Eljudnir. There was no way he’d followed me because of his sister. Unless he’d assumed I had sneaked off to secretly meet her.

Well, uh, I better continue my search, he said.

Karle, I said before he could take off, and he looked my way. How old is your sister?

Thirteen.

Jeez. Why would you want her married at such a young age?

Betrothed, not mated. Olea swore she’d never marry, and Papa would allow her to stay a maiden and join the army. Ironwood is famous for their maiden warriors. I do not want her hanging around forever. She complicates my life as it is.

So you want her to be someone else’s problem?

Exactly.

Sorry, I don’t want the job. We laughed. Then, as though he remembered he was talking to me, he stopped. I pretended not to notice. So have you ever been there?

He followed where I was pointing and chuckled. "The moving hall of the Norns. So many have tried to find its exact location and failed. I’ve flown to the peaks of Nidfjöll, the tallest mountain near home, seen the towers above River Elivagar, and headed straight for it. I crash-landed in the river. Another time, I found myself in a sunny field of flowers. No one is supposed to find Nornsgard unless the Norns want you to find it. That’s what they say."

They who?

Clan elders. They were told by Angrboda, who knew everything.

Who is Angrboda?

He stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

Is he your leader?

He frowned. Angrboda was, uh, your grandmother, Baldurson.

Now I felt like an idiot. Of course, Crazy Granny had a name. No one in Hel’s Hall used her real name. She was the Ironwood Maiden, and Mother avoided mentioning her.

I call her—Crazy Granny, but I doubted he’d appreciate that title—Grandmother.

Karle grinned, dragon teeth bared. We called her Chieftess or Seeress because she was both to all the southern clans. All the other chiefs would report to her. She taught us how to fight, and used her visions to help our people survive. She was selfless, kind, and nice. Our people loved her.

If only she’d extended kindness to her immediate family. I still disliked her. "So you are from Jötunheim?"

"Yes. Wolf Clan. My village is at the edge of Ironwood Forest, the center of magic in all Jötunheim. When your grandmother was alive, she united all the clans. We even sent clansmen and women to the national army in Utgard after she’d trained them. Most of them were orphans she took in and raised. Things haven’t been the same since she left us."

How could someone who’d done all those great things turn evil? What had happened to change her? Do you know what happened to my grandmother?

She disappeared years ago, but my father says she’s alive. He smiled. Would you like to see her hall? Járnvid still stands. No one is allowed inside. The elders made sure the pups didn’t turn it into a pack den in case she comes back. She’s cheated death twice before, so anything is possible.

Of course, she had. She was a Seeress and could manipulate time. Celestia had said she’d warped time in the cave. As for going to another realm, especially my grandmother’s village, my mother would go ballistic. Besides, I wasn’t sure whether to trust this guy. He could be working for Crazy Granny for all I knew.

"How do we get to Jötunheim?" I asked, deciding to play along.

"Through Eastern Gjöll Pass. There’s portals there to all realms. It takes us two hours from Eljudnir to reach it. Three or four from here. If we open a portal here, we could end up anywhere and never find our way home."

Eastern Gjöll Pass was the village where my mother’s workers lived. Some of the Dwarves commuted from Nidavellir, the massive underground city of the Dwarves in Svartalfheim.

What about your sister? I asked.

Karle cursed. I’d forgotten about her. Maybe after I find her we can go.

Maybe.

I better head back and continue searching for her. Thanks.

For what?

For not telling me to go away and leave you alone even though you wanted to. He grinned. I’m good at reading expressions, especially dragons. I guess I’ll see you at the party tonight.

No, you won’t. I wasn’t planning on attending.

I don’t blame you. It’s a meat market. When I marry, I’m going for the rainbow. He sighed. You know, the girl whose smile makes me forget to breathe and her laugh makes me want to kiss her just to share her joy. And her voice… Another long sigh. I could listen to her forever.

Celestia’s smile was breathtaking, but she drove me crazy when she talked a lot. Grinning at my thoughts, I studied Karle. The dragon could be a harmless romantic or a damn good actor, but I was seriously thinking of taking him up on the offer to visit Jötunheim. Maybe Granny would hear that I was in her village and come out of hiding. Finding my sister was worth the stink Mom would cause after she learned I’d gone to another realm.

Okay, Karle. Let’s head back to Eljudnir. I’ll help you find your sister if you tell me more about my grandmother. I saw her a few months ago, but we didn’t have time to talk, I added, watching Karle’s reaction.

His mouth opened and closed several times before he said in a whisper, Chieftess is really alive?

Okay, he was legit. No one could fake that borderline idiotic expression. He looked like he was about to cry. Yes, she is alive.

CHAPTER 2. ORDERS

CELESTIA

The line to Red Barn was so long it wound around the building to the Windfall Fire Station on North Shore Boulevard. Every high school student from the county was wearing something purple—the official color of Street2Platinum—from locks of fake hair, hair scrunchies, shirts, tops, and pants to nylon bracelets. S2P was an up-and-coming boy band with a hit song about tolerance and bullying, which they’d released straight to iTunes. They made purple cool, no matter the shade.

Hayden bumped me with her shoulder. I’m happy you came, she said. You’ve become a recluse.

Busy.

Hiding, she shot back.

I’ve been working on spells. I’ve even added a few in our family grimoire. Ask your mom.

You cannot do any wrong in her eyes. I’m so jealous.

I rolled my eyes. She had no reason to be jealous of me. Her mother doted on her, and she now had Zack. My cousin was crazy about her and didn’t care who knew it. Seeing them together made me wish I had someone, too.

A face I’d tried to forget flashed in my head. Eirik. Four months had passed, and I hadn’t heard a peep from him. After that night, when I’d told him to leave, he’d never come back. The Eirik I’d met in Hel would not have listened to me. He would have pushed and pushed until I gave in.

The worst part was I hadn’t meant it. I’d been hurting and scared, and had lashed out instead of begging him to stay and hold me. Begging just wasn’t me. Grams had taught me to be independent, to depend on my wits and my powers. Being soul-napped and kept in that cave for days had shaken the foundation of everything I believed I was, and poor Eirik had received the brunt of it.

Still, he hadn’t tried to make me change my

Reviews for Heroes (A Runes Companion Novel)

[Charles Bradley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent series! Great journey into another world that's not stop entertainment