Chapter Four
TOR WASN’T SURE whatto make of Midgard’s Rift other than it didn’t look right. Gone was the golden glitter and sharp, pristine edges. In its place, a dark and eerie yet electrifying oasis. There were no words to describe it other than to say it felt familiar in a way Helheim didn’t when he connected with the spirit world.
“This isn’t right,” Raven whispered, drifting past him. “Yet exactly right.” She gazed around in wonder. “It feels so familiar...like I’ve been here before.” Her eyes darted to him. “You feel it too, don’t you? Even though it looks nothing like it should.”
“I do.”Though she was ethereal, he took up a guarded position in front of her as they moved forward.“We should proceed with caution until Revna arrives.”
The mountain was hers, after all.
“Figure the odds I’ll be waiting for her,” Raven muttered sarcastically. “This is my truth to find. Not hers.”
“There will be no finding your truth if you’re actually dead,”he reminded. He disliked being so blunt about Revna, but lying about how he felt wouldn't do either of them any favors.
Not if she’s dead first, Raven thought in response to Revna not being a part of their journey. She hadn't voiced it, but he caught it. He also knew she hated thinking such about a perfect stranger. Hated that she envisioned killing her.
“You dislike her that much, then?”Tor stopped and frowned down at her.“All because I, a perfect stranger, love her?”He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes.“And do you think you could actually kill someone? That you’re truly capable of it?”
“I know I am,” Raven replied, clearly surprising herself. “As to killing her, there isn’t much I can do about my gut response.” She frowned. “Or random thoughts you’re not supposed to catch.” She narrowed her eyes right back. “As to you being a stranger? I think we both know that’s not true, and it’s just a matter of time before it’s confirmed.”
She was right. It was. Still. How was he going to handle the tension already building between the two women? Tension he was solely responsible for. And it was only bound to get worse. Or, more pointedly, revealing, given how close Raven had just come to learning a truth that was his and Revna’s alone.
“Right.” Raven drifted past him. “Something you don’t want me to know....” She paused a moment before murmuring, “Or maybe you do.”
“So what are we to make of this place?”he asked, eager to redirect the conversation. Determined to keep her from figuring out things that were none of her business.“Because it doesn’t look right.”
“What do you mean?”Dagr asked.
He looked around but saw no sign of his kin.“Cousin?”
“Ja.”He heard the frown in Dagr’s internal voice.“I sense you're close but can’t see you.”
“Same here.”Maya sounded equally perplexed.“Where are you guys? Is Raven okay? And again, what do you mean this place doesn’t look right?”
“I’m fine,”Raven replied, obviously following the conversation. She kept gazing at Midgard’s Rift.“As to your creation for the dead, it looks far different than what I saw through your mind’s eye, sis.”She gazed at it in awe. “Better,in my opinion.It’s darker.More magnetic.More mystical somehow.”
“Mystical?”Dagr sounded incredulous.“There’s nothing more mystical created on Midgard than this Rift.”
That, of course, was a matter of opinion, but Tor didn’t argue it. Midgard’s Rift was, in its usual state, quite impressive. Yet he agreed with Raven about the allure it held now. It called to him somehow. Made sense in some unexplainable way.
“We’re standing at the smallest entrance to the Rift,” Raven said aloud, apparently sensing Dagr and Maya would hear her. Because they had already Forged, they could safely be in human form down here now, so wouldn't need to speak telepathically. “Where are you?”
“Standing in the same spot,” Maya replied aloud, sounding confused. “Yet there’s no sign of you.”
“Are Jade and Thorulf with you?” Raven’s brows furrowed. “And what about Aunt Elsie? You didn’t leave her alone, did you?”
“No,” Maya said. “They brought her back to the Keep where she’ll be safe.”
“I would’ve liked to have been there for that.” Raven sighed. “But I’m glad she’s not alone because....”
She trailed off when a tiny sizzle of flames popped in the corner, and she caught sight of something that turned out to be a memory.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, drifting closer to the tiny black ethereal dragon keeping to the shadows. “That’s me, isn’t it?”
As always, her magic was fueled by fire.
