AllFreeNovel
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"Gods, Fen, this place is beautiful," he said, looking down at the ocean and villages beneath them.
"My country is that way," she said, pointing in the distance. She was trying to keep her voice steady, even if her stomach was churning at the thought of him leaving her. She cleared her throat. "Its mountains and forests have a wild beauty so unlike Aaru. I have wondered what it would be like to go back…"
Fen was startled when Khan lowered himself to his knees in front of her. "Fen, don't go. I'm begging you. I know I promised I would bring you home, and you are free to do as you wish. But please, please don't leave. I will respect your choice, but—"
"Khan, stop." Fen's knees were weak with relief. She tilted his head up so she could look deep into his eyes. "You were the one that just brought me back here. I thought you wanted me to go."
"What? No! I had to give you a choice, Fen. I can't be so selfish," he said, a touch of desperation still in his voice.
"Do you really think I love this place more than I love you?" Fen pulled out her bond braid. "This means where you are, I am, Khan. The only person who could ever change that is you."
"I want you to stay with me always. Never let me go, Fen."
"I won't." Khan pulled her close and kissed her. Relief washed through her, and she teased his lips open so she could deepen the embrace until they were both breathless. Honey golden magic washed over her, and she pulled away from him.
"What is it?" Khan asked, rising back to his feet.
"Freya," Fen growled. She searched the crowd until she saw the golden-haired goddess on the other side of the hill. "Stay here, Khan. I'll be right back."
"I'm not going anywhere, love." Khan pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "Be careful."
"Tell that to her," Fen muttered and went to join the waiting goddess. She had one of the flyers in her hands, and she was smirking.
"Fenrys Rune-Tongue, what a journey you have been on," Freya purred.
Fen crossed her arms. "Thanks to you. What do you want, goddess of war?"
"I thought you would want to know that I won the bet." Freya pointed to where two black ravens had landed on a large stone nearby.
"Good for you," Fen replied, staring at the birds. She felt the All-Father's presence for the first time since the raid. It was cold steel, winter snow, and blood on her tongue.
Freya's lips lifted in a smirk. "You look so much like your father when you're glaring."
"Are you even going to tell me what the bet was about?" Fen demanded, dragging her attention back to the goddess. She could feel the wolf inside of her scratching to get out.
"The bet was about what would happen if Havi took his leash off you. Would you choose the chaos inside of you? Would you choose to wage war and destruction? Would you choose to bring back that power to Midgard to rule? Or would you use what you learned to help your people?" Freya laughed softly and wrapped an arm around Fen's waist. "Havi believed you would return a lone hero and use your new power to rule these lands."
Fen snorted. "How very much like a man to think that you need to be alone to be a hero."
"Say what you are choosing, Lokisdottir," Freya urged and pointed to the ravens. "Havi is listening."
Fen looked over to where Khan stood by the monoliths. She thought about Kash, Kemes, and Sargon waiting for them, about flying chimera and libraries full of knowledge, mechanical horses, and Nousha's almond pastries. She touched the bond braid at her ear and felt Khan's cool magic, and her heart burned with longing.
"I'm choosing to be with those that I love. They make me powerful, not the magic you gods see fit to grant me when the mood takes you. I choose to help open trade between our people again so that all may benefit from it. I have power, and I'm going to share it." Fen stared up at the ravens. "And I'm going to be the one to walk away from you, All-Father, and never look back." Her fangs dropped, and she snarled at the ravens, sending them squawking in fright.
"So you're choosing to be heroine instead. I must say I approve. Now, Trickster, my debt to you is repaid," Freya said.
"A pleasure as always, Mardøll," a deep voice replied behind Fen. Freya blew a kiss and vanished.
Fen's mouth was bone dry as she turned to face her father. Flame-haired Loki stared down at her. Fen looked into eyes the same golden amber as her own. When her lips lifted in a smile, they matched the faintly scarred ones in front of her.
"Why?" Fen said, refusing to look away.
Loki huffed out a laugh. "Because Havi has enough of my children chained. I didn't want you to suffer the same fate. By the time I learned of your existence, the Gallows God already had his noose around your neck. This was the only way I could get you free."
"Bit late to give a fuck about me now," Fen said, trying to hold onto her anger.
"It's never too late to give a fuck. Just like it's never too late to say well done for outsmarting the All-Father. He's going to be sulking for centuries that he lost you."
