Page 31 of Rune

“No. Take me home, or I kill you.”

He let out a slow hiss of breath between his bared teeth. “Do you remember how Odin threatened anyone who touched a hair on your head?” he asked. “Nice haircut by the way.”

I frowned. “I thought you left before that.”

“Balder relayed the message. Seems he thought I might be a danger to you.” His smile told me he didn’t appreciate the irony there. “Not only would I be in trouble, but if you disappear now, the gods will tear through the Earth to find you. Starting with your old family. By the time you got to them, they’d be nothing but bones.”

Blood drained from my face. The desperation gave me new courage. I allowed the blade to sink deep enough that he’d have a noticeable cut.

A fleck of fear raced through his eyes, then his jaw locked. “What a wonderful life you must have had to be so determined to get back to it. Tell me, did they treat you like a queen?” A new emotion crossed his face now, and it looked like victory. “No, that was your sister, wasn’t it? I know of Tova. I know how she is marked by Odin as a favorite. You’d rather go back to her shadow instead of staying here, where you are not only a favorite of Odin but his actual blood?”

“I do not need others to worship me,” I said. “And I do not need to explain myself to you when I’m holding the dagger. So, will you help me, or do I have to kill you?”

The fear was gone, and he had the nerve to smile. “You couldn’t kill me.”

“I’ve killed for less.”

His knee came up hard against my gut, and I lost my footing. I slashed with my blade and felt the satisfying connection against the skin of his arm, but it tore down his sleeve with little impact. Ve shoved away from the cave at his back and drove his fist into my chest.

I flew back, bashing my head on rocks, and skidding down the hill.

The breath was knocked from my lungs, and I struggled to get it back. I pulled myself to my hands and knees, ears ringing and head made of stone. It took all my strength to lift it and crawl to the edge of the stream. My dagger was lost somewhere, but I had others. I ignored the pain in my chest as I reached for my boot.

“I mean, you literally couldn’t kill me. Not before I kill you.”

I whipped out my blade and used all my energy to turn, lunging at him. He caught me by the arms with an amused grin before flinging me backward. This time, I landed in the stream. The icy water sank straight to the bone.

I dug deep to find the energy to drag myself to the shore, toes still dipped in the clear water, as Ve watched with arms crossed at the water’s edge. Behind him, the horses pulling the chariot were grazing on grass like this was a common occurrence they witnessed.

I reached to a slit in my pants for another blade.

In a flash, Ve was at my side. “I think you’re done,” he said, gripping my arm. “I’d feel much better if you handed all your knives over.”

“I thought you said I couldn’t kill you.” I struggled to catch my breath or find my footing. Dizziness clouded my head so much that I had to grip Ve’s arm for strength. “Afraid you might be wrong?”

He laughed. “Not a chance. I’m afraid the next person you try to use them on won’t be as forgiving as I am.”

“Forgiving?” I reached a hand to the back of my head, where my hair stuck with blood. “I’m bleeding.”

He lifted his chin so I got a proper look at his neck, where a long red cut ran. “I’ve no sympathy.” He turned and marched back up the hill to the horses.

I would not be returning with him. “It’s best for you if I leave,” I shouted after him. He whirled around.

“You’ve no idea what’s best for me.”

“I know you can’t want to marry me.”

“No,” he said. “I don’t.” The words shouldn’t have stung, but they did. He marched back until he was right in front of me. “I don’t want to marry anyone. However…” A faraway look entered his eyes. Then he dropped his head to see me, with a glint in his eye. “Do I need to put a dagger to your throat to ask for a deal, or am I allowed to simply ask?”

I studied him. “What would you want from me?”

“Two months,” he replied. “Two months of pleasantries as you pretend to be my fiancée who is madly in love with me, and after we’ve properly convinced everyone, we leave, together.”

I frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t want to live in Asgard anymore. I want to see your world.” He raked his gaze over me. “And I finally have a way to do that.”

I shifted, removing my hand from the hilt of my next knife. He was a fully grown god. If he wanted to leave, he could. If I couldn’t get myself out, I failed to see how I could free us both. But victory gleamed in his eye like I’d already said yes, and it was his greatest heart’s desire. “Explain.”

---