Page 1 of About Love and Revenge

Odin

PROLOGUE

At twelve years Old

SOMEWHERE IN SCANDINAVIA

“Doyou know the origin of your name?”

I don’t wanna talk. My whole body hurts.

Today my rescuer said that I have been in treatment for three months now.

It’s been three months since they all went away.

I don’t have much of a sense of time.

Whether it’s day or night.

I don’t care.

I wish he would leave the room, but my father taught me that you should never forget those who help us in difficult times, and although I want to ask him to give me the medicine that will make me sleep again, I keep my eyes open.

“It’s a Scandinavian name. My mother told me that in Norse mythology, he was the greatest of the gods.” I try to remember when she told me that, though I don’t like remembering her anymore. “She wasborn in Norway, and all the male children in her grandfather's family were named after some Norse god.”

“And what else?”

I don’t want to remember.

I don’t want to hear her voice in my head, but I can’t let him down.

“He was a warlord.”

“Yeah. You must never forget that. Odin was also the lord of death. He roamed the world in search of knowledge, believing that knowledge was worth any price and that sometimes sacrifices had to be made for it.”

Now I’m starting to pay attention to what he’s saying.

For the first time since everything happened, I’m interested in conversation. Until now, all I wanted was for the pain to go away.

Almost every day, I’ve felt like crying because of the memories I have of the fire that killed my relatives, but I’m ashamed to do so in front of a stranger.

“He also didn’t care if what he did to achieve his goals was considered right by his people.” He pauses and looks at me in silence for a moment. After a while, he continues, “Do you remember who hurt you and your family?”

I nod my head. I will never forget that man’s voice. I also remember what he said to my mother before he set fire to our house.

“You’re still afraid of him, aren’t you?”

I don’t answer because I don’t want to admit it out loud.

“You have two choices, Odin. You can hide for the rest of your life and live like a scared twelve-year-old, or you can plan.”

Now I’ve completely forgotten about the pain. “Plan?”

“Yes. Plan how to make him pay for killing your family. No matter how scared you are, never forget what he did. Make hate your religion. He’s your enemy, and enemies deserve no mercy. Your memories will give you the strength to focus on punishing him.”

“Should I kill him, too?

“In the end, yes, but first you’ll destroy him. You’ll make him struggle in life. You’ll even take away the bread from his table."

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