She won’t come back for me, but I can’t begrudge her freedom. I wouldn’t come back for me, either.
Jörmungandr slows before I’ve used the last of my air and I prepare myself. We were too far away when we left Vanatia, but he can probably fling me directly to Helheim from here. And he does. The water shifts as he pivots and then my body is flying up at a speed only a powerful monster like Loki’s spawn could achieve. I close my eyes, the pressure on them too much for my broken body and soul to bear.
And then I’m in the air, dripping wet as I soar into whatever cave or world the serpent chose.
I don’t need to open my eyes, though, to know where I am. I feel my mistress’s dark presence the moment my body erupts from the waves. When I collapse to the rock, I accept my fate.
And then her foot is on Wrath’s neck, and her power leashes out.
Before I can take another breath, I’m an elf again, my naked, useless body motionless beneath the heel positioned topierce my throat.
“You’ve failed me again, you worthless cunt,” she spits out, digging deeply enough to draw blood with the sharp spike puncturing my skin. “This time, you’ll pay for it.”
Fuck me. Maybe I do wish the elves had killed me when they had a chance.
Chapter twenty-four
Finaan
He's Gone
He’sgone.Regret,fear,anger barrel through me. And despair?
Part of my soul grieves, a shimmering flame deep in the place where my bond with Panta lives. It’s being stretched thin, a cord that will break if his trip to Helheim traps him there for good this time. I’m not sure if I’d survive without it. And I have no idea what to make of that. How to live with it.
Ruxi needs help. The elves and their mounts surround the dragon, the consolation prize as their drake is whisked away by that serpent who brought us to these caves. Jörmungandr always seems to emerge from nowhere and stir up shit.
He did good this time, though. He may have saved Wregen’s life. And I’m grateful. I’m horrified and a little disgusted with myself—maybe a lot disgusted—but I need Wregen to live. I can’t have him in my life. Our mating bond is too corrupted and broken to ever bring joy to our lives. But his death would break something inside me.
Shaking my head to drag my thoughts out of the chaos they’re descending to, I focus on what’s happening and what I can do. At least three dozen pairs still live, maybe more,including Balin. He’s focused on Ruxi, ignoring me for now, and I can’t figure out why. Wregen and Wrath rejected them. If the elves want to try to get him back—not that Hel will give him up again—I’m their only bargaining chip.
Balin must realize it too. He barks something I can’t hear, and turns toward me, nudging his unicorn into a canter. “You’ll return to Álfheimr with us,” he demands when he’s close enough.
I rise to my full height, projecting Wregen’s disdain for this bastard. “I won’t. My dragon’s trapped in these caves and I’m going to her.”
“I can’t allow that,” he drawls, resting his hand on his bow as one corner of his lips lifts. “It’s treacherous down here. You’re in danger without Wregen and his monster to protect you. You’ll return with us.” He pauses, eyebrows punching together for a moment, before adding with the smallest bow, as if he’s doing me a favor, “I insist.” Turning, he flicks a wrist at one of the other elves, who dismounts from his unicorn and starts digging through a pack for rope, then stalks toward me.
My fingers tingle as I reach for my blades and prepare to fight my way out of this fiasco. Fuck, do I wish I had a sword. I should have stolen one from these bastards when I had a chance. But if knives are what I have, they’ll die by my blade.
“I’ll be your prisoner? Is that it?” I ask, my mind scrambling for some way to get us out of this before I’m bound and carried away.
He shrugs, that smirk turning into a scowl as he crosses his arms. “If that’s what I must do to protect you, it’s what I’ll do.”
“And what will that accomplish?” I push. “Do you think you’ll win my allegiance? That I’ll help you get Wregen back somehow? You’re no better than the monster you accuse him of being. And if you knew Hel the way you claim, you’d realize she’s never letting him go again.”
“Accuse?” he laughs. “Have you seen him? Do you have any grasp of his evil? The vile things he’s done? How the fuck can you defend him? You should want to be with me!” he finishes, swinging his arms wide.
I’m surprised he’s not pounding his chest, the asshole. This thing between him and Wregen is deep and I almost wish I could go with him just to understand what happened between them. But if they take me back to Álfheimr, I’ll be the one trapped this time.
Still, it’s worth asking while we’re both here. Maybe he’ll let his guard down and give me or Ruxi a chance to figure something out.
“What is it with you two?” I ask, dropping my tone so I sound less combative. In the distance, I can see Wregen’s dragon, Svend and Rata on their back, surrounded by elves. They want Ruxi alive too. It’s a weakness we could exploit if we could speak with each other.
And what if we can? I don’t know where Panta is, and I can’t hear her, but dragons are attuned to the bond in a way thatelves often aren’t. If she could hear me and relay my thoughts to Ruxi, we’d have a better chance.
Balin flicks his wrist at the rider approaching me, who draws to a stop. He’s watching my expression, as if he’s trying to decide whether to trust my question or capture me and be done with it.
I’ll play along for now.
