Page 62 of Baldr's Secret Mate

Baldr's legs trembled, and I tightened my grip around his waist to keep him upright. Tears streamed down his face as he reached out a shaking hand towards the apparition. “Is it really you?” he whispered.

The figure nodded, a sad smile gracing her ethereal features. “Yes, my darling. I'm here, if only for a moment.”

“But how?” he asked, his voice barely audible.

The golden woman turned her gaze to me, and I felt a wave of gratitude and approval wash over me. “Such a powerful young witch,” she said, a single finger reaching out to tip up my chin. “You revoked my son’s destiny and brought him back. Thatis a power only the gods possess.” She gave me a good long look. “It’s no wonder you two ended up in Asgard. The realm gate was trying to take you home.”

I didn’t know what to say. I was struck with awe and fear of this massive creature in front of me. Baldr said she was dead, but she’d touched me. I’d felt the warmth of her skin. Where had she come from?

“Does this mean you’re back?” Baldr asked hopefully.

She turned away from me, facing her son at last. “I’m sorry my love, but I won’t be returning.”

Baldr’s side of the bond darkened instantly, grief welling up inside him once more.

“Don’t fret, sweet child,” she cooed, leaning down and pulling him into her arms. “I’ll always be at your side, even if you can’t see me.”

“But why did you leave?!” Baldr cried. “You just disappeared! I was only a kid, and you left me behind!”

There was an intense melancholy that washed over her. She pulled back, lifting his chin so they were eye to eye.

“It was just my time,” she replied. “I walked the mortal plane for nearly two hundred lifetimes… and I couldn’t stay any longer. I never expected to meet your father so close to the end or to have another child… but I did. And I wouldn’t exchange that time with you for anything even though it was terribly short.” She reached up, wiping his tears away. “I knew the end was coming and I just couldn’t find the heart to tell you. It seemed too cruel to stand in front of you and tell you I was going to pass into another realm, one that you couldn’t follow me to.”

“But why was your time up?” he sobbed. “I don’t understand…”

“All gods come to an end eventually,” she replied softly. “The time of Freya was over long ago, so I journeyed on.” She reached out, pulling Baldr into a tight hug. “Your father came tome sooner than I expected, but I’m just glad my magic remained intact to keep you safe until now.”

Baldr stared up at her. “Until now?”

“This magic and my presence here… they are just shadows of what once was. Long ago I saw every possible facet of your future, the someone or something would come along and try to bring you to an early end, so I made all of them promise not to harm you.” She pulled back, standing up to her full height. “But now you have died and after this final moment, the magic will be spent.”

“But… But I don’t want you to leave!”

“My sweet Baldr,” she cooed, patting his cheek. “You have a mate now and a love deeper than any I’ve ever seen. You have so much to live for and you don’t need me anymore. Of that I am certain. Besides, I need to take care of your father.”

Baldr seemed to understand, but I could tell he didn’t want to let her go. Instead he asked, “Is… Is he alright?”

“We are happily reunited and watching over you, Thor, and Loki. And someday, when the time is right, we’ll all be a family once more.” She pulled her hand back, giving him a soft smile. “Until then, you need to live and live well, okay?”

“Okay…” Baldr whispered, his eyes filling with tears once more. He reached around my waist, pulling me tight against him as he glanced up at me. “I… I will.”

“Good,” she nodded. In an instant her smile faded and she turned back to face Tyr who was still struggling to escape from the golden magic binding him. “Now it’s time to complete this magic once and for all.”

Tyr, though blind, stared up at her, a sneer on his face. “Do your worst you pathetic bitch! I beat your magic once and I’ll do it again!”

“I doubt it,” she replied coolly. “Not when your flesh is stripped from your bones and your soul sent straight to Helheim.”

The golden figure of Freya advanced on Tyr, her luminous eyes now blazing with righteous fury. The air crackled with power as she raised her hand, golden light swirling around her fingers.

“For your crimes against my son, against this young witch, and against the natural order, you will face judgment,” she intoned, her voice echoing with divine authority.

Tyr thrashed against his magical bonds, his face contorted with rage and fear. “You can't do this!” he snarled. “I am the Alpha! I am trying to bring peace back to our clans! I am the rightful ruler of-”

His words were cut off as Freya's hand closed into a fist. Tyr's body went rigid, his mouth open in a silent scream. Golden light began to seep from his eyes, his mouth, even from beneath his skin. It was as if Freya was drawing out his very essence and crushing it beneath her fingers. Tyr let out an agonized scream as the finally light engulfed him, his body writhing in the magical bindings. We watched in stunned silence as his form began to disintegrate, flesh and bone turning to golden dust that scattered on the wind.

In mere seconds, all that remained of the Alpha wolf was a swirling cloud of glittering particles. Freya closed her fist, and the dust compressed into a small, pulsing orb of light. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it hurtling into the sky, where it disappeared in a flash.

A pained cry echoed behind us and I glanced back to see Heimdall collapse to the ground. Loki was right there at his side, holding him tight as the last bits of Heimdall’s father shot into the heavens and disappeared forever.

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