Page 194 of Dark Haven Omegaverse

Odin was a sight to behold. He wore full battle armor made of polished gold. A large staff was gripped in one giant fist, the other pointing at Loki.

Honestly, Odin was a silver fox to the extreme.

His long, brown hair was braided down his back, giving a full view of his handsome face. He had scars from battle, but they did nothing to take away from his striking features and glowing silver eyes.

The voice that came out of the god was rough and rugged, fitting the rest of him.

He spared Harlow a quick glance, skipping me entirely, before turning back to Loki.

“Where is Hel?”

“Hel is gone,” Loki said as if it were no big deal. “It seems she has chosen a replacement.”

Odin’s gaze traveled from Loki to Harlow and back again. “A human?”

“Not anymore,” Loki said with amusement. “She died and was reborn here thanks to our former queen of Helheim. She even has some of Hel’s powers, it seems.”

“You’re nothing but a fledgling,” he bit out as he studied her. “You couldn’t possibly handle a realm such as this.”

The doubt was clear in his words and he was glaring down at her like she was a bug. His intimidation would never work, my mate was no pushover.

I bit my tongue and watched, waiting to see how she’d react

Anger flashed in Harlow’s eyes, her voice strong as she threw her response back at the god.

“Donotquestion the sacrifices that led me here. Not only did I suffer at the hands of the humans who raised me and the ones who were supposed to save me, but I losteverythingat Dark Haven. Hel took my mates from me without a second thought. She forced me to sacrifice myself willingly for her own gain. I did it, not for her, but forthem. I will spend every second of this afterlife finding them and avenging their suffering as well as mine.”

As she spoke, her anger rose, taking over and forming into a shadow-ridden storm around her, lightning and ice making her look downright deadly. This time, shadows joined the mix, similar to the ones Ivar could wield.

She was magnificent and would be a force to be reckoned with when she came to terms with it.

Odin didn’t speak or interrupt her tirade, he just watched, with a slight glint of acceptance in his eyes when she finished.

“It appears I might have underestimated you. Hold on to that fire, girl, you’ll need it here or you’ll be eaten alive. I suggest you learn the realm and embrace it. This is your only option now. It seems Hel betrayed not only me, but you as well. You’re now tied to Helheim, there’s nothing I can do to fix that.”

Harlow’s face twisted in fear and a promise of retribution. She was not going to let this slide. Nor would I.

“That bitch,” she bit out. “What happens to her now?”

“She’ll be found and stripped of her immortality.” Loki’s low growl had his superior looking at him with no hint of remorse. “She has betrayed the gods. Hel will pay. She’ll be human and live out her life. When she dies, there will be no honor, only nonexistence.”

“That seems drastic,” Loki drawled, his voice feigning calm while his eyes blazed. “For merely wanting out of a death sentence? Oneyougave her.”

“Trading one for another,” Odin corrected him. “We are gods, and are given powers beyond imagination. But with that comes responsibility and she has let go of hers. Therefore, she is no longer among us.”

Loki didn’t say anything, but I saw the look of determination there. He wasn’t letting his daughter fall quite so easily.

What would that mean for Harlow?

“I’ll be back in three months’ time,” Odin told Harlow. “I suggest you prove to the gods that you are deserving of a place among us.”

“I want the ability to travel from here to Earth without losing my powers. All my mates will need the same. We have a duty to close the portal that Hel threw open. The human world issuffering,” Harlow countered. “Hel said she was unable to go back and forth. I want that ability... if possible… please.”

We both knew she was doing it for Dark Haven and those we left behind, not for duty, but Odin didn’t know us well enough.

“Done.” There was no fanfare to his words, he simply nodded and disappeared, leaving the rest of us in confused silence. I expected a flare of power but there was nothing.

“You survived meeting the God of Gods, congratulations,” Loki deadpanned. “Now, remember that favor I did for you?”

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