Page 73 of Elf Shot

With a sound of pure fury, Vili raised his sword high and charged her. Layla pulled one of Arne's swords free from the holster on his back. She whirled to meet him, blade for blade.

Magic exploded around them, an invisible force detonating between them and throwing them backward. Layla managed to stay upright on one knee, Arne's sword digging into the dirt to stop her slide.

Lighting struck the ground in thunderous cracks, and from a cloud of screaming ravens, stepped the gods of Asgard.

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Layla struggled to breathe as Havi appeared on the field, his shining spear in hand. Power and light exploded around them, and a goddess with golden braids and a god with one hand and dark hair pinned a thrashing Vili to the ground.

The All-Father hadn't just kept his promise to come if Vili stepped foot on Midgard. He had brought his war gods with him.

Layla got back to her feet, her hand gripping Arne's sword. Vili's enchantment had broken, and all around her, groans echoed as warriors regained their reality. She hurried to Arne's side.

"Are you okay? Talk to me," she begged, clutching at his face.

"You're alive," he sobbed.

"I'm alive. On your feet, love, this isn't over." Layla helped him up. Bayn and Kian were already up and staring wide-eyed at the gods in front of them. Layla froze as Havi held out a hand and assisted Alruna back to her feet.

"Havi, I…" Alruna stammered before finally settling on, "It's good to see you."

"And you. Are you hurt?"

Alruna shook her head. "No, I'm fine. What are you going to do with him?" she asked, looking over at where Vili was hogtied with shimmering ropes. They were unlike anything Layla had ever seen.

"I will take him back to Asgard and put him where he will cause no more trouble," Havi replied.

"You think binding me in these dwarf fetters will hold me?" Vili shouted in fury.

Tyr dragged him to his knees, and Freya took up a position behind him, the tip of her sword resting on the back of his neck.

"You may speak to him if you wish to," Havi said, placing a hand on Alruna's shoulder.

Vili saw the touch and pure hate clouded his features. "Don't you fucking dare touch my mate, Havi!"

Layla held her breath as she watched Alruna move to stand in front of Vili. His expression cracked under the weight of her gaze, the anger and energy that had been animating seeping away.

"Don't do this, Runa. Please," he begged.

Alruna placed her hands on his cheeks, tears rolling down her face. "You brought this on yourself because you were never satisfied with all that you had. You lost everything because I was never enough."

"It was never about you. I loved you in all the ways I knew how," Vili replied. He smiled sadly at her. "Come and visit me in my new prison?"

"Perhaps." Alruna placed a soft kiss to the rune mark on his brow and went to stand by Arne. She looked like her soul had been ripped out of her body, but she still kept her head up high.

Havi raised a brow at Layla. "Niece, I trust you can clean up this rabble?"

"With pleasure, Havi. Thanks for keeping your word," Layla replied.

Havi shook his head, but she still caught his grin. "Keep an eye on your mate, Arne. She's a dangerous one."

"I will?" Arne replied, his brows knotting in confusion. "Layla?"

"Shh, I'll tell you later," she said.

Havi walked back towards where the gods waited for him. Vili started to laugh, a sad, broken thing. "You think you can stop Ragnarök by binding me? Even now the world conspires to awaken the Great Wolf! Nothing will stop him, and in the end, you will release me, begging for my help."

Layla didn't hear Havi's reply. There was a bright strike of lightning, a roar of wind, and the gods were gone, leaving nothing behind but raven feathers.

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