Page 80 of Dead Heat

“And Kelby was his test?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Why? What do your other daughters look like?” Alessandro asked.

I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow.

“The gods clearly decided you’re unworthy,” Erika said. “That must be the reason you failed to appear.”

“I’m here now,” Alessandro said.

“Much worse for wear, it seems.”

“He’s dyslexic,” I blurted. “He can’t see the mark the wayyou intended, which is why it didn’t trigger the summoning.” The magic still registered the mark’s presence on his body, however, and his lack of action triggered the ‘consequences’ portion of the magic.

Alessandro looked at me in surprise. “I’ve never told anybody that.”

“I’m sorry you felt the need to hide it,” I said.

“My father used to call me stupid. He was a professor. I think he was ashamed that any son of his couldn’t read properly.”

I touched him lightly on the shoulder. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Alessandro squared his shoulders as he faced Erika. “What did you want me to do?”

“I had hoped you would use your considerable charms to retrieve my beloved Oskar from Helheim.”

“Is he your son?” I asked.

“No. Oskar is the love of my life.”

“Kelby’s father?” Alessandro asked.

Her face hardened. “No. That was Tor. Oskar is more recent. We were only beginning to scratch the surface of our relationship when he was so cruelly taken from me.”

Alessandro appeared enthralled by her story. “What happened?”

“He died defending my honor.” She inhaled deeply. “My Oskar was a true warrior.”

“Then why isn’t he in Valhalla?” I asked.

Her eyes narrowed. “You have impressive knowledge for someone outside the pantheon.”

“It’s basic information on the internet.”

“Not to me,” Alessandro said.

“If you must know, Oskar offended one of the gods. If he were in Valhalla, he would’ve been easier to recover.”

I laughed. “You think it would be easier to break into and escape from an afterlife filled with fallen warriors?”

She gave me a withering look. “The dangers are fewer for precisely that reason. Perhaps the gaps in your knowledge are wider than I thought.”

Alessandro contemplated his chest. “How many have been marked before me?”

“I only choose one hero at a time.”

I examined her closely. “That doesn’t answer his question.”

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