Page 85 of Rune

His grin twisted. “I know how much you like your blades.” He traced a finger along the two stems of leaves. “The two colors represent two lives, tied together. To hold each other, support one another, and care for each other through life.” He lifted it above my head, and set the laurel down upon my hair. Then he stared at me as if seeing me for the first time. Slowly, he smiled. “You continue to take my breath away, every single day, until my heart beats for nothing but you.”

The words tookmybreath away, and I stared back at him. “Without you at my side, I wouldn’t have survived a day here,” I whispered. “Thank you.”

In reply, he tilted my chin up and kissed me, in the presence of the gods, until I’d managed to forget every other insane part of what today had brought and think only of the perfect person in my arms.

When we separated, I spotted hismóðir, Ase, watching from behind him.

Ve’s eyes were trained on something behind me. “My friends just arrived,” he said. “We can greet them, then the rest of my time is yours.”

“You go,” I said, releasing his hand. “I think I should stay.”

He followed my gaze to hismóðir, and let out a low whistle. “You sure?”

“I’ve got this,” I said softly, and let him go.

As he walked away, Ase approached. She was dressed in blue and silver, with silk sashes tangled with light armor, and leather bands around her arms to show a strength I hadn’t realized before. A slow shiver spread through me as she approached, and she grinned as if she saw it.

I held my ground. She was not my enemy.

As she neared, she reached a hand to touch the laurel on my head. “Did he tell you what it means?”

I replied in a gentle tone, so she would know that I sought a friendship with her, not ill wishes. “Unity.”

“Unity beyond death,” Ase corrected. “It means he’d give up his life for you, and marks his intent that upon death, he be joined in Valhalla at your side, bonded forever. That whatever his fate is, it forever be tied to yours.” She brushed a finger along the laurel leaves, then trailed her finger down to stroke through my hair, looking at me as if seeing me for the first time. A hint of warmth spread through her expression. “The laurel leaves are not given lightly.”

She wore some, given by Erik. Frigg wore one as well. As I looked around, only a few others wore the laurel, marking our heads like crowns. Now I knew how proudly I should wear this. I owned only a few possessions, but now counted this as most prized amongst them all. I’d keep it forever. It explained why he’d been nervous when presenting it to me, and my heart warmed at the gesture.

“I don’t accept this lightly,” I told her. When she had asked me before if I cared for Ve, I told her the truth. That was yesterday, and though a day had passed, it felt as if everything had changed. She had to have known Ve hadn’t returned last night, and while nothing illicit occurred, the night had changed our entire relationship.

It was true now. It was sacred. It was everything to me.

She smiled, and it was the first true smile I’d gotten from her. “I owe you an apology,” she said. Her thumb traced a line along her glass, but her eyes were firmly on me. I saw much of Ve in them. “I have not welcomed you in as yourmóðirwould have wanted me to. Come, let us walk.” She held an arm, and I placed my hand through it, allowing her to lead me over paths lined with dainty flowers, the action clearly showing anyone who watched that I had her approval. I wondered if that’s why she did it. “Yourmóðirbroke many hearts before binding herself to yourfaðir, did you know that?”

I shook my head. I didn’t know many things about Rava, other than she was close with Ase and had planned my engagement with her. Or, planned Astrid’s engagement. My stomach coiled.

“Well, she did,” Ase went on. “Rava was a force to be reckoned with, and not many could. She kept her heart close, but never men, breaking hearts like they were nothing.”

Each time someone mentioned Rava, I felt as if I was stealing something from Astrid by hearing about hermóðiras if she were mine. But this was the first time someone had said something unkind. Yet with the next beat, Ase placed a hand over mine. “She was my best friend, and I loved her, but when you showed up that night…” she sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. “You look just like Rava. And I feared you’d break my son’s heart without looking back.”

We passed another row of tables and turned in time to go up another, letting the breeze cool my forehead and, in turn, ease my worries. Ase’s mind was changing about me. She was letting me in.

“I have no intention of hurting Ve,” I told her. Though I’d said it yesterday, she seemed to truly believe me now. “I will guard his heart with my life.”

She faced me fully, holding our hands between us. “Even if you don’t, I was still wrong. You had no one here, and I should have welcomed you into the family.” She stopped. Over her shoulder, I saw Ve watching us with tentative joy on his face. “You have my son’s heart,” Ase said, drawing my eye back to hers. “And now you have mine. Welcome to the family, Ruin.”

The wrong name was a bitter reminder that none of this was real. I could never join her family because I was mortal, but I allowed her to hug me anyway and pretended it was all I wanted.

Because, right now, it was all I wanted.

“Thank you,” I breathed, holding tight until she let go. Her eye went right to Ve, already coming our way.

“He’ll never leave you alone for too long,” she said with a laugh. “But to have his full attention is a special thing.”

I knew the love of Viking parents, but suspected the love of Asgardian parents was something else entirely. For we spent our lives afraid of losing those around us, while they spent theirs in peace. It bred something else—an unhindered warmth—and now that warmth was shared with me.

She passed my hand to Ve. “Enjoy your feast.”

Ve watched as she walked away, moving his hand to wrap around my waist. “What was that?”

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