Lost Long: The Road to Ragnarök, #1

By Rochelle Wilcox

Some Norse gods will do anything to stop humans from knowing that gods still exist.
They'll kill anyone who discovers their secret.
But the god of love Freyr won't let them have Lia.

 

She doesn't want to go with him.
He doesn't want to take her.
And he definitely doesn't want to fall in love with her.

 

Fate has other plans.

 

When Lia witnesses the impossible in the sky above her on a dark Los Angeles morning, Loki and Thor condemn her to death. To save her life, Freyr, his sister Freyja, and her husband Will must take Lia to the other side of the world, into the realm of giants and dragons far below, and finally to the mythical land of Asgard. Along the way, as Freyr discovers a love he never expected, he's forced to decide how far he will go to protect Lia from the fight his brothers started, and he will end.

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If you love a slow burn romance — with no spice until the very end of the series and a couple of cliffhangers along the way — this "enemies-to-lovers," "chosen one" adventure is for you.
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"It has been such a pleasure to read and review this series and it is definitely going down as one of my favorites. I hope that many more people find this series and enjoy it as much as I have."
Review by Miche Arendse for Reader's Favorite

"Rochelle Wilcox has crafted the storyline carried through all 4 books with a masterful story crossing multiple plots. ¶ I can say that Road to Ragnarök has been a great series to read, with a story that will make me smile (and re-read it) again and again."
Review by Charlayne Elizabeth Denney for Paranormal Romance Guild

5-star reviews for complete series from N. N. Light's Book Heaven, which chose Book IV, Heavy Heart, as the best Romantic Fantasy, and one of the three best Indie Books, in 2022.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rochelle Wilcox
• Release date: Mar 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9798986027302

Book preview

cover.jpgLost Long, The Road to Ragnarok Book 1 by Rochelle L. Wilcox

Lost Long

The Road to RagnarÖk Book I

Copyright © 2022, 2011 by Rochelle L. Wilcox

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

Cover design by 100 Covers

Interior design and formatting by Alt 19 Creative

Dedication

To Al and our boys. Thank you for supporting and encouraging me when I needed it, and never giving me a bit of grief for spending so much time on such an unlikely dream.

Long ago, in a time shrouded in ancient myth, Franco walked the earth as the Norse God of Love Freyr, adored by all who followed him. Now he is a stranger among humanity, bound like all of his kind by an oath to preserve his family’s anonymity no matter the cost, hiding even his true name. But he cannot live in peace. Because of a horrible mistake decades ago a member of his family yearns for vengeance. And during a surprise attack the unforgivable happens — a human, Lia, witnesses Franco’s unusual powers and her life is forfeit. Unwilling to let her be killed, Franco takes this beautiful woman on a journey to Asgard, his ancient home, to bargain for her life there. It’s an adventure fraught with danger but along the way, as Lia’s courage and strength awaken feelings Franco hasn’t known in centuries, he struggles to come to terms with his mythic being and his all too human emotions.

Contents

Luke, Again

To a Quiet Place

A Quiet Place

Some Time Together

A Little Closer

Escape

To Chicago

Hnossa

The Truth

Lia’s Choice

To Stockholm

Stockholm

Jämtland, and Beyond

Flight

A Mother’s Love

Into Jötunheimr

Siggy

Lake Brune

Across Lake Brune

Deeper into Jötunheimr

Gastropnir

The Betrayal

Gerda

Lia

Lost

Magni

The Bargain

The Battle

The End

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Chapter 1

Luke, Again

The heavy rain, rare in the place of glass and stars that Franco called home, drew him deeply into his memories as he walked slowly from his car to the work that filled his days. Lost in a time long ago, remembering a land filled with beings that humanity now dismissed as myth, he barely noticed the tall buildings that surrounded him or the rain that fell all around, casting a soft glow on the city that would vibrate with activity in a few hours but now stood quiet and still.

And so he almost missed the small, quick movement of someone dropping at him from a nearby window. A glimpse of motion, caught in the corner of his eye, snapped him out of his reverie. Jerking his head up, Franco’s sharp blue eyes scanned the dull buildings that surrounded him with a growing urgency. He should have expected this, he thought in disgust. They will never forgive him. They will never let him go.

Suddenly Franco found his enemy. A horde of orange hair, bright as a fire satisfying its hunger with everything in its path, announced Luke’s presence. The wicked grin on Luke’s face revealed his triumph at having caught Franco by surprise.

Launching himself into the air, Franco met Luke high above the ground, kicking at him with a fierce intensity.

Why do you still chase me? Franco demanded as his foot barely missed Luke’s head. When will you let go of this demand for vengeance?

Luke spun deftly to avoid Franco’s kick, throwing his leg up at Franco’s chin, perhaps hoping to stun him and put a quick end to their fight. He sneered, his face dripping with malice, before rasping out his answer.

Never! You took my son from me. I will never forgive you for Váli’s death!

I had no choice! Franco yelled. He swept away from Luke before spinning his legs toward Luke’s bare stomach, the impact propelling both of them even higher. Grasping a thin ledge twenty stories above the ground, Franco stopped his momentum just in time to avoid the sharp toe of Luke’s booted foot.

You had a choice, Luke spit out as he fell, reaching for Franco as he dropped. You chose the life of a human over Váli’s life, he yelled.

Franco spun away from the wall and threw himself at Luke, only to miss again as Luke’s legs twisted to propel him higher into the cobalt sky. Franco’s responding kick, fueled by adrenaline, sent Franco up too high and he sailed past Luke, unable to even touch him.

He attacked Frannie’s mate, Franco screamed, angry he still had to defend himself for his accident on that cursed day. Dropping toward Luke, the windows next to them racing past, Franco tried to grab Luke and pull him to the ground. But Luke moved fast and Franco couldn’t grasp his slippery skin.

Luke kicked at Franco’s face, barely missing before twisting around again to lift himself up higher into the sky. She chose a human for a mate! Luke’s voice shook with his rage at Frannie, unabated after all these years. She’d broken the vow made by their families centuries ago and shared their secrets with her human husband.

Luke lunged at his enemy but Franco kicked up and away, lifting himself almost to the roof of the nearby building. Turning, he tried again to capture Luke and force him to the concrete far below them.

You should have let Frannie have her human, Franco howled in frustration. I had to protect him.

And then Franco heard a woman’s sharp gasp far below them. Luke had been sloppy, Franco realized, angry at his brother’s recklessness. They weren’t allowed to let humans see what they could do, the abilities that marked the biggest difference between them and the rest of Earth’s inhabitants. Both of them looked down as they began to drop to the ground. A few seconds later Luke reached the concrete, glanced around quickly, and raced off at a speed he shouldn’t have used on Earth’s surface. It didn’t matter now.

Franco landed an instant after Luke, took a deep breath and tried to collect his scattered thoughts. Chasing Luke would do no good. He knew where Franco worked and almost certainly where he lived. Luke wouldn’t have attacked without letting the others know that he’d found him. Franco would have to get away quickly, before the others came to get him.

First he had to deal with the girl.

He turned to find her staring at him with wide eyes. He hadn’t seen her before and surely would have remembered if he had. She stood nearly as tall as him, unusual for an Asian woman. Her long, dark hair framed the most perfect features he’d ever seen—not a single blemish, no feature too small or too large. Utterly perfect. He couldn’t remember ever—in his thousands of years—having encountered such a pretty girl.

What was that? she asked loudly, disbelief shining starkly in her dark eyes. Franco almost could see her mind tripping over the rational possibilities and rejecting each, none of them an explanation for what her treacherous eyes had just told her.

Franco didn’t want to take her with him. It would be so much harder to evade Luke and the others if he had to drag her along and take the time to fix the problem created by Luke’s foolish attack. For just a second, Franco wished he could abandon her to Luke, let him protect their family’s secret his own way. But he knew almost before the thought passed through his mind that he wouldn’t do that. Franco had spent too many years protecting humanity from its enemies to stop now.

He had no choice. She had to go with him.

Before she could realize what Franco intended, he crossed the short distance between them and lifted her into his arms to carry her to his car. Her eyes reflected surprise for an instant, then hardened into a defiant glare. Struggling with surprising strength, she fought to free herself of his embrace, squirming and kicking as she tried to find some weakness. She found none.

Where are you taking me? she demanded, her voice tight with anxiety as she twisted and turned, trying to break free. Let me go! But his arms, strong as talons, held her firmly. He would not let her go.

In the few seconds it took them to reach Franco’s car, his mind skimmed through his options for fixing Luke’s mistake. If he had any hope of protecting her from Luke, he needed to find someplace quiet to strip her memories of the morning. One of the others would surely be at his home within a few minutes, if they weren’t there already. He wouldn’t have time to clean her memories there. Still, Franco couldn’t leave LA before trying to get his things. He wouldn’t last long without them. Reluctantly, he realized they needed to go to his house before they could leave LA. He wrenched open the door to his car and threw her in.

What are you doing? Let me out of this car!

You will sit here quietly or you will regret it. He spoke in a low voice, full of steel. Franco didn’t like threatening her. But he needed to control her, at least until they escaped Los Angeles. She had no idea he wouldn’t hurt her, that he had never hurt any human. And so she had no reason to question the sincerity of his threat.

Defiance rose again in her eyes but she didn’t speak. He closed the door firmly and raced around the car to get into the driver’s seat.

They drove quickly through the quiet city to Franco’s nearby home. Although he could tell the woman wanted to shout her anger at him, she sat quietly at first. After a minute she started to say something, but he stopped her with another threat he would never fulfill. He didn’t want to hear anything she had to say.

A dull glow was forming in the sky ahead of them, throwing a soft light on the concrete in their path, which now shone like a dark bright onyx. Not much farther, Franco thought to himself with an urgency that had been building since they got in his car. If the others were at his home already, if he didn’t have the few minutes he needed to gather his things, it would cause so many problems. He didn’t know if he could save her from Luke, much less himself, without the strength he drew from his vital supply. And he didn’t want to turn to his sister or father for help and risk drawing them into his fight. They had to make it to the house in time.

When they pulled up in front of his home, an expansive estate that sat on a broad cliff overlooking the city, it looked as if they’d made it. Franco saw nothing to suggest Luke or any of the others had reached the house and he almost sighed with his deep relief. He turned to glance at the woman, wishing he could leave her in the car. But he had to take her with him. Again, before she could realize what he intended, Franco jumped out of the car and raced around to her side, pulling open her door and drawing her into his arms.

He watched her deep sable eyes grow wide, then narrow dangerously as she realized he intended to carry her into his home and she had lost any chance to escape. Struggling to free herself, she kicked and scratched him anywhere she could. Let me down, she screamed, more urgently than before.

Quiet, he rasped out. I told you to be quiet. I mean it.

Her voice dropped to a low whisper. Please, please don’t take me in there.

I won’t hurt you if you cooperate with me, he told her in a firm voice. Don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Stop talking or I will gag you to shut you up.

They reached his front door in seconds and he yanked it open. Standing in the doorway, he gazed into the apparently empty home while the girl continued to fight. He needed to concentrate and grunted his frustration before dropping her to the ground in front of him and placing a hand on her shoulder. Stay still, he whispered, turning to again look into the entry. Finding nothing amiss, he scooped her into his arms and strode into his house.

They didn’t get far. Vidal stepped out from hiding, grinning his pleasure at finding them there. He filled the hallway, blocking their path with his bulk. Never a handsome man, Vidal’s broad face and wide eyes suited his temper. With dark eyebrows that sat almost like caterpillars on his face, he seemed to be scowling most of the time, regardless of his mood. He rarely smiled and when he did, that expression sat strangely on his face, misplaced and apparently unwelcome, soon replaced with the sneer he usually wore.

His long dark hair flowed down his back, unkempt and neglected. Uncomfortable with humans, Vidal chose long ago to ignore the changes of the centuries. He wore the clothing of their youth, a tunic trapped at the waist by a broad leather belt and leggings tied by twine. He held the long knife that usually hung from his belt. He had found some way to suppress the stench he normally carried with him. Franco had no time to wonder how he might have done that.

Franco dropped the woman and watched from the corner of his eye as she shrank away from them. Hello Vidal, he said in a quiet voice, filled with anger but none of the anxiousness that had knotted in Franco’s stomach when he saw Vidal. I should have expected to see you here, Luke’s handmaiden, as usual.

Vidal sneered and dropped into a fighting stance, ready for whatever Franco might do. He began to approach Franco, slowly, without fear.

Franco spun to his right, barely avoiding the razor-sharp knife Vidal lunged at him, and reached for the antler that hung on the wall, seemingly a decoration and much longer than the knife Vidal held in his hands. Franco turned to swing it but Vidal moved with the speed of their race and danced away from the sharp horns. Spinning around, Vidal struck again and again with his deadly blade. Franco moved just as fast, deflecting every parry of Vidal’s knife, twisting with Vidal as he struggled to find some point of weakness.

Franco’s fight with Vidal seemed to last an eternity, giving the others too much time to reach them and destroy any hope Franco might have had of escaping with the woman. With each thrust Franco struggled to stun Vidal, even for a few seconds, to give them the chance they needed to get away. But Vidal fought viciously, eager for the vengeance demanded by the others for Franco’s sin so many years ago.

At last, as Franco’s breath rasped in his throat and he started to feel his energy wane, Vidal made the mistake Franco needed. Lunging for Franco’s stomach, exposed for a split second, Vidal overextended and stumbled forward. Franco swung the antler and struck Vidal sharply on the back of his head. A loud crack filled the room as Vidal dropped to the ground, knocked senseless.

Franco had no time to savor his victory. He tossed the antler to the side and scooped up the woman. We must leave now, he said quietly, striding toward his garage while the shock on her face gave way to distrust and fear. The others will find us soon and we won’t be so lucky next time.

We? she demanded, struggling to escape him. They’re after you, not me. Let me go.

You are coming with me, he told her in a cold voice. Like it or not, I will protect you from them. Don’t fight me and it will be easier for both of us.

She glared at him, her dark eyes sparking with anger, as she stopped fighting his embrace for a moment. And who will protect me from you? she asked in a voice filled with spite.

I’m the least of your worries, he told her flatly as they reached his garage, the cars stretching out in front of them in a gleaming row of red and blue, gold and silver. But we don’t have time to debate this. We’re lucky they’re not here already.

Choosing the fastest car, a Bugatti Veyron that sat proudly in the midst of Franco’s collection, he threw her into the passenger seat and took his place behind the wheel.

He should have known they wouldn’t get away so easily. Luke dropped onto the roof the moment Franco’s car spun out of the garage.

What was that? the girl asked, her voice throbbing with anxiety.

Luke, Franco told her tightly after sniffing the air to catch the scent of his enemy.

You need to let me go, she demanded in a firm voice, anger replacing the anxiety of a second ago as her emotions swung back and forth between fear and resolve. Why are you taking me with you?

If I let you go now you’re dead. You saw things this morning you shouldn’t have. I’ll take the time to fix the problem and leave you alive. Luke will just kill you. He has little regard for life, other than his own.

Her mouth dropped into a frown as she seemed to consider the possibility that Franco told her the truth. Who are you? she demanded in a tone that betrayed her fear. What are you? Why does it matter what I saw?

You shouldn’t have been there today! You are mine! Luke barked in a harsh voice from above them. Why waste any time on this human? he yelled. She is weak, like all of her race. Maybe you and I can work out our problems and I won’t take your life today. But only if you dispose of the female, now.

You don’t have to do this, Franco bellowed at Luke. I’ll take care of the girl, make sure she forgets what she saw. Franco paused and then cast his voice toward the trickster clinging to his car. You failed, Luke, he whispered. I will not die today. Let me fix this problem my way. She doesn’t need to die. He threw a glance at the woman and told her in a low voice, Luke will kill you if he gets the chance. Like it or not, you are safer with me.

Turning back to the road in front of him, Franco threaded his way through the light traffic that had started to build on the morning streets, the humans in the cars they passed gaping in surprise at his unwelcome passenger. He needed to reach a nearby dirt road—a rare spot in the steel and concrete that typically surrounded Franco—where he could pick up enough speed to get rid of Luke. The mud should keep Luke’s swift feet from gathering the speed he would need to catch the car.

Luke spun himself in a circle, trying unsuccessfully to pry open the roof. Franco’s sharp turns as he raced around the few cars on the road prevented him from forcing his way inside. But he soon would find a way into the car if Franco couldn’t get rid of him.

Finally, they reached the lonely stretch of unpaved road that Franco needed to dislodge Luke. He struggled to keep the car from spinning out of control as the tires found their footing in the slick mud. Franco threw a hasty glance at the woman.

Put on your seat belt, he ordered abruptly.

What?

Seat belt, now. I need to get Luke off the top of the car.

Please just let me go, she asked again, a small tremor in her voice. You don’t need to take me with you.

Don’t argue with me, Franco spat out. I need to get Luke off the car. Put on your seat belt, now.

Reluctantly, she did what he told her. The car would roll twice if he judged correctly, which should be enough. Hold on, he told her. And he flipped the wheel.

As he’d hoped, the car rolled twice and landed upright. Franco accelerated and the car spun away as Luke landed and began to race after them, mud from the quickly spinning wheels splashing onto him in heavy drops. The woman’s face twisted with her surprise but she sat in silence, her eyes inscrutable. Luke stopped chasing them almost as soon as he started, watching with a frustrated, malevolent glare as Franco drove away.

Franco sighed his relief at getting away from Luke and Vidal. Still, he couldn’t control the disappointment that replaced the anxiety he’d felt a few seconds earlier. He’d have to find another way to get his things. But first he needed to find someplace to hide, to solve the problem created by the woman’s presence and rid himself of her.

Chapter 2

To a Quiet Place

The endless road in front of them reached into the vast desert, as if it would pull them along to a happier place. The woman sat in brooding silence as the sun climbed into the sky, floating just over the horizon in front of them. The rain still fell, but without the fury and strength of the morning storm. Eventually, the road grew brighter as the sun broke through the stubborn clouds, bringing a sparkle to the desert that displayed its life in cacti and short, stubby bushes.

Franco didn’t want to go to his sister for help and risk ruining her perfect life. This fight started when Frannie took a human for a husband, but she hadn’t angered them the way Franco had in defending her. Now she lived in obscurity. She stopped being a target years ago and seemed to truly love her husband and their life together. If Franco had any other option, he wouldn’t go to her. But he had none. He didn’t have time to track down his father, and he wouldn’t survive without his family’s help. He knew Frannie would welcome him, so they were on their way to her home. Franco only hoped Luke and the others hadn’t found her too.

The woman’s silence lasted longer than Franco expected. Occasionally, he glanced at her solemn face, wondering what she expected of him and how she could sit quietly when, for all she knew, her life lay in his unknown hands. Probably she was dreaming up some type of escape. He’d decided to drive instead of fly for that reason. It wasn’t too far and he could control her better on the road than in an airport or on an airplane. He still had to figure out a way to change cars to divert Luke’s inevitable pursuit, but that shouldn’t be too hard.

She finally spoke, her voice firm and strong despite her apparent danger. My guess is you’re not going to kill me.

True, he responded in an abrupt tone. If I wanted you dead, I’d have left you for Luke.

Where are you taking me? she demanded.

Someplace safe, I hope, to fix Luke’s stupid mistake.

A private place so you can take care of me? What are you planning to do? No tremor or hesitation betrayed whatever emotion lay behind her question.

I’m going to clean your memories, so you won’t remember anything about this morning.

Right, she declared scornfully. You expect me to believe you’re going to erase my memories? How do you plan to do that? Her hands grasped each other tightly in her lap, as though she needed to prevent them from striking out at him or reaching for the nearby door handle.

It’s too complicated to explain. You wouldn’t understand. Franco spoke in a firm voice, hoping to put an end to her questions.

She refused to be deterred. So you plan to drag me with you somewhere? And you think I’ll just go along with you?

You have no choice. You’ll cooperate if you want to save both our lives. His tone brooked no disagreement and typically silenced even the most stubborn human.

She responded with a determined glare and he wondered what she hid behind her dark eyes. After a moment, her features settled into a calm, calculating look.

Look, she began, what’s your name?

Franco captured the groan that fought to escape, struggling to maintain his cold facade. He glanced at her, holding back a smile he didn’t want to reveal. She should have been terrified or distraught. But he saw no fear in her steady gaze.

I’m Franco, he told her.

Franco, I’m Ailia, Lia.

He nodded his head once in acknowledgment, not trusting himself to speak. His willpower wavered just a bit as her brilliant eyes rested on his face, scrutinizing him, searching for some weakness.

The woman, Lia, watched him for a few seconds before continuing in a persuasive tone. You don’t need to do this. I have no idea what I saw this morning. She held his eyes, her words measured. I won’t tell anyone. Nobody would believe me anyway, she said with a snort and a wave of her arm. You should just take me back to where you found me and let me go.

You will go with me, he told her in a voice of steel. I have no choice. You’ve seen things you shouldn’t have. I must fix that.

Fix that by cleaning my memories? Her expression grew wary, cautious. You need to tell me what’s going on, why it matters what I saw.

Franco watched her for a second as her eyes sparkled with renewed courage, marveling again at her beauty. It had been far too long since he’d enjoyed the company of a woman like her. He didn’t remember the last time he’d met someone quite so striking. He was glad he didn’t have to kill her. But he also didn’t want to talk anymore.

Why doesn’t matter, he said in a cold voice. You have no choice; I will do what I must, regardless of what you want. It will be easier on both of us if you just go along with it.

She didn’t like his answer, but he hadn’t expected that she would. She sat motionless for the next hour, stewing in angry silence, before trying again. She looked up to stare at him, her features again calculating, determined. He wondered what thoughts filled her mind but didn’t ask. He would know soon enough.

Who is this Luke person, and why did he attack you?

Franco thought about ignoring her question but decided against it. Maybe she would cooperate if she knew a little—just a little—about his conflict with Luke and the others. Maybe he could convince her he had kidnapped her for her own good. Luke is family, of sorts.

Family? You must be quite a man to have turned your family against you so thoroughly.

He considered her response, confrontational and defiant despite her apparent danger.

We have a complicated history. We come from two different groups and are not related by blood. But our tribes joined together many years ago and we have been bound together since. Even in this most recent conflict, Luke and his family remain my family. But there are fundamental differences between us. One—the one that is most important to you—is that they do not value human life as we do.

She ignored his last statement. Your most recent conflict? There have been others?

Franco took his time answering. He didn’t want to give her too much information before he was sure they would reach his sister’s home and he’d be able to clean her memories. But if he was careful he could tell her some things.

Yes, he said at last. We’ve had many conflicts over the years. Our relationship began in conflict and a war that lasted a long time. We found peace by exchanging gifts. Our exchange drew both groups together, and we acted as though we were one. But we remained different at our cores. Those differences were more profound than we realized when we began to live apart. This fight has been going on for many years now.

How did it start?

I can’t tell you that.

What does that mean? What are you hiding? She paused before asking, in a tone of frustration tinged with anger, "What are you?"

Franco glanced at her, measuring her mood. He wondered if anything he might say would make a difference. Her hands still lay clenched in her lap, firmly grasping each other. I can’t tell you that either, he told her. You’ll need to trust me. This—all of it, including taking you with me—is for your own good.

Her incredulous look spoke volumes. "You’re asking me to believe this is for my own good? That you’re acting with the best intentions? You’re kidding, right? I’m sure you’ll understand if I