Page 104 of Rune

“If you don’t start fighting, I’m sending Thor in,” Odin declared.

The plan formed in my mind. It wasn’t perfect, and it only sat half formed, but at this point, I’d take any plan we had.

“That won’t be necessary,” I said to Odin. With one hand, I reached to my back and drew out the sword Odin had crafted specially for me. A sword fit to take on the gods.

I raised it above my head and charged at Tova.

Trig scrambled to stand in front of her, and he drew a dagger out to block my thrust. Our blades collided. Tova flinched behind Trig, both of their eyes going wide with betrayal. Fear lived within them. It lived within me too, pulsing at every thread, hummingbeneath the surface.

“Trust me,” I whispered. “Fight.”

Thankfully, the confusion gave way to acceptance. They were not like the gods, who could so easily believe I would betray them. They knew me, and they trusted me.

I broke first, backing up to allow them a mere moment to compose themselves before charging again. With my first strike, I shoved Trig backward with the blunt end of my sword. He swung with his fist, but the punch was pulled. I reacted as if it was the worst pain in the world, falling to my knees. There, I swung, letting him jump the blade. Tova came for me next, and Trig stepped back to compose himself and allow her room.

It was significantly easier to fake fight with Tova. I knew her style, and she knew mine. It was a dance of twirls and parries and thrusts that looked a lot more real than Trig’s and mine had.

She used a long-tipped dagger, and when our blades met, I stepped close, feigning pressure. “The grate to our right is broken,” I whispered. “When we get close, we escape through there.”

Relief curved across her lips. With her free arm, she wiped her wild hair back from her face and nodded, then shoved me away. She retreated to Trig, and used her hands to gesture as if planning to surround me. I knew the plan was being relayed.

They came at me, forcing me toward the grate. I picked up the axe Tova had thrown earlier, holding a sword in one hand and an axe in the other. Step by step, I slowly backed up, until my back pressed against the wall. My ankle pushed against the grate, and it shifted. This was the perfect time.

Tova and Trig advanced until they were almost upon me.

I looked once more to Ve. He gnawed on his lip with his hands on the railing, but made no move to stop Tova or Trig from running me through. Just before they reached me, a flicker of worry crossed his eyes.

If he’d planned to do something, he was too late.

I took in the other gods. All cheering for my death. Frigg staring blankly at me, as if guarding her heart. Balder still arguing with Odin. When Odin didn’t listen, he left. Meanwhile, Odin watched my every move. We’d have the briefest head start, but I’d take every moment I could get.

Goodbye, Ruin, goddess of determination and wit.

I kicked, sending the grate inwards, and threw myself into the darkness. A blast of shouts echoed through the chamber. They’d follow soon. Blind, my hands fumbled for damp walls, before my sight adjusted. There was hardly room to stand. I focused on the sliver of light from the other end of the vent. Morning would be upon us soon, and it’d be the light that guided us away.

Tova came through the hole next, followed by Trig. We hit the ground running for the other side of the vent. When we neared, I lowered my shoulder and barreled through. The wooden posts cracked. We were freed.

We couldn’t celebrate yet. An army of gods would follow. Already the clatter of footsteps came along with the booming order from Odin to find us.

I hoped they never did.

“Where to?” Tova asked. We ran aimlessly. The only goal wasaway.

I thought fast. “I know a cave.” We couldn’t return to Hitta Haven. That’d be too obvious. But the cave where Astrid’s temple sat was remote enough, we could hide out until we came up with a better plan.

Someone spotted us from outside the arena. Balder. He took in the madness we left behind, then stared at us.

I hadn’t time to speak. I turned and ran.

“Ruin,” he shouted.

It only made me go faster. We sprinted down the hill and into the cover of evergreens, where needles whipped our cheeks and uneven ground tripped at our feet. Wolves howled in the distance. Odin’s I bet. We kept running, even as our breath grew shallow and legs roared.

It wasn’t until we reached the glistening stream where I’d first held a blade against Ve’s throat—the place where my adventure here really began—and we slipped into the cave that we dared to catch our breath.

I dropped to my knees and buried my head in my hands. Tova kept her dagger in a tight fist, standing by the entrance to look around. When she was content, she marched inside. “What was that?”

“The wrath of the gods,” I replied.

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