Page 46 of Daddy's Justice

Chapter Fourteen

Forseti

I left Morrigan sleeping soundly in bed and after dressing, went to seek out my grandfather. I needed to try and talk him out of erasing Morrigan from her family’s memories. I knew it was important to her and if it was important to her, it was important to me. If nothing else, I wanted her to know, when the time came, that I had tried. I had fought for her.

“You know I don’t like to leave traces of Asgard behind on Midgard, grandson.”

“I am aware, grandfather. But, Morrigan loves her family deeply, and I am afraid of the pain this would cause her.”

“I understand your concerns, but the decision is final. I have already wiped the others from history. It is as if they had never existed. Morrigan will be fine. She will be better than fine. She has you to nurse her broken heart and heal her. Once she is safe in Asgard, she will find that she is loved deeply by her parents, siblings and family here. She has already made a great impression upon Kara and Edda. They call her friend. Her life here will be vibrant. I have seen how well she fights; she will be a member of my guard soon enough. This decision is final.”

I knew when I had lost and when to take a step back. There would be no changing his mind.

“Yes, Lord Odin.” I used his formal title, showing my respect to the position and my deference to his decision. I didn’t like it. I didn’t agree with it. But there was nothing I could do to change it.

“She will make a fine member of the guard,” I confirmed.

“I am sure you will want your wife on your team.”

“My wife?” I tried to hide my shock from my tone at his statement. Apparently, it wasn’t just Frigg who saw the connection between us.

“Your wife.”

“It will be, then?” Part of me wanted the reassurance from my grandfather, part of me didn’t care. She would be mine.

“It is so decreed. As soon as you gain her consent, of course.”

“Of course, grandfather.”

“You can’t ascertain her consent from Asgard while she resides in Midgard, now can you?” Odin closed his eyes, when he opened them, there was an urgency in his tone. “Go, now. Morrigan is in danger.” The words hadn’t finished falling from his lips and my hand was on my sword.

“Take me to Morrigan.”

* * *

Morrigan

I was in the middle of a storm, the biggest I had ever felt in my life. The conflict raged inside of me. Did I stay with Forseti and risk losing my family forever? Did I leave and find them, possibly putting them at risk? Would Loki accept my surrender and terms for peace? What if the dark elves found me? Could I defend myself? The turbulence around me was frightening, I had to rein in my emotions and fight for my life. What had I done?

Sneaking out of the house hadn’t been difficult at all. I raced across the field to Winter and was astride his back and flying within minutes. Once in the air, I looked down and tried to place where we were. I recognized nothing. We would have to find a place to land where I could get directions home to Chicago.

I held on to Winter’s neck for dear life as we soared through the sky. “Please don’t drop me, boy!” I begged him for the fiftieth time since we had left the ground. Once I spotted lights below, I commanded him to land. I left him off to the side of a large cluster of trees, although Forseti said that humans couldn’t see him, I still worried. Going into the gas station, I looked around trying to get my bearings.

“Good evening. Can I help you find something?” The clerk behind the counter seemed friendly enough.

“I am lost, I’m afraid. Silly me. I tend to do this a lot, get lost. Can you help me?”

“Sure! Where are you headed?”

“To the airport.” I thought quickly, the name of the nearest airport would tell me at least the state I was in. The clerk whistled.

“You really are lost. Denver International Airport is rather far away, hours even. Well, here is what you will want to do. You are going to take Route 70,” she continued her directions and I pretended to listen. Denver. Denver wasn’t too far from Chicago, not by air anyway.

“One more thing, is there a phone I could use? I broke mine.” She looked at me suspiciously, and I realized how I must look. I had found some clothes in the closet, but they were already wrinkled and dirty from my ride, and my hair had tangled from the wind. I had a mind to grab my sword and my spear, but left them on Winter, knowing they would be hard to explain. “I dropped it in the lake. I was fishing with my boyfriend and we got into a big fight and I had to leave suddenly. I’d like to call my mother and let her know that I am okay.”

She seemed relieved; the explanation made sense to her. I called my mother, begging her in my head to pick up. By the fourth ring, I knew I would be getting her voicemail.

“Mama, it’s me. I’ll explain everything when I get home. I’ve missed you, Mom. I love you, dearly. Let Dad know that I am okay, I’m making my way home now. See you soon.” My voice started to crack, and I knew I had to hang up before I burst into tears.

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