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Without a second thought, Émilien held on tight to Sophie and hoped Merle would follow as he leaped into the portal. Using his own abilities, he picked up his pace and sprinted, rivaling the wind in speed, toward the other end of the portal. Just as the small entrance snapped shut, he dove through with a tuck and a roll, landing upright with Sophie’s arms wrapped around his neck so tight, he couldn’t breathe.
Patting her back, he wheezed, “Sophie, you’re safe now. Can you loosen your grip?”
“Believe me, child, I’ve wanted to do that very thing for a million years, but right now, we need Émilien breathing, so he can fix whatever’s wrong with my realms.” Hel chuckled and pulled the little ghost from his arms and held her. “It’s okay. You don’t want to scare your little friend. What’s his name?”
“Merle,” she said in a muffled voice, her face pressed against Hel’s neck.
“I’m glad you found your little friend. My name is Hel.”
“I remember.” Sophie inched away from Hel and looked down at her puppy, who sat quietly on his haunches, his sad eyes looking up at her as he whined. She glanced up at Hel and laid her small hand on Hel’s cheek. “Thank you for being so nice,” she whispered before squirming to get down.
Hel smiled and set the ghost girl down beside her dog. “You’re welcome, Sophie.”
Émilien couldn’t take his eyes off his ex-wife and mother of his only child. With a rare smile, even though it wasn’t directed at him, she was ethereally beautiful and reminded him of the Elven queen he had served and who was now long dead. Ailuin and Lamruil’s mother, Nyana, had been as radiant as the sun. When she took her last breath, the Nine Worlds mourned, she was so loved by all.
Without thinking, he stepped closer to Hel. Gently cradling her face in his paw, he kissed her, which was a feat with a wolf’s face. Instead of pulling away, she caressed his furry cheek with her hand then wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. Her lilac scent filled his nostrils, reminding him of a field of flowers on a chilly morning.His Hel.
“Well, I guess that answers my next question.”
Hearing Shalendra’s sarcastic tone, their wide gazes met. They stepped away from each other and turned in unison.
8
For being cold almost every moment of her long life, the flare of heat in her cheeks hurt, like a burning sensation digging into her face. She met her daughter’s gaze and noticed Freyja standing behind her with a smirk on her face.Oh, this was so not good.The infernal goddess would never let her live this down.
Shalendra’s smirk wasn’t quite as evident as Freyja’s, but it was there, nonetheless. She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, I think an explanation is warranted. You haven’t seen each other or talked to each other in years—” Émilien motioned upward with what would have been his thumb, causing Shalendra’s eyebrows to rise. “More? Hmm. Hundreds?” He motioned up again with his thumb. “A thousand?” He shook his head and motioned upward again.
She twisted her head around to Freyja. “Do they have god counselors?” Freyja shook her head. “Well, with all the angst and backstabbing in the Norse pantheon, I think that may need to be changed.”
She faced them again. “You haven’t seen or talked to each other in, at least, a million years and in two seconds, I find the two of you in a compromising position? Really? What kind of example does that set for me?”
Laughter bubbled up Hel’s throat. She wanted nothing more than to let it loose but didn’t want to give Émilien the idea she had forgiven him for staying gone so long or for keeping her daughter from her. Not that it was his fault, but she wasn’t ready to admit total guilt herself for the fateful decision they’d made so long ago. At least, not to him.
Instead, she forced her icy demeanor to return as she hardened her heart, forcing the rush of emotion she felt for Émilien back into the secure place she had stored it once he’d left Helheimr. Not feeling was what had kept her sane, and she needed to draw on that now to focus on figuring out who was taking the death realms’ subjects. And why? What was the purpose of stealing the dead? Outside of all pantheons’ underworlds, they would be nothing more than ghosts, without form or intent.
“I’m sure Hel was just relieved because if something had happened to me, she would have to see me on an almost daily basis instead of every great once in a while,” Émilien said.
Shalendra laughed, the bubbly sound filling the room with a much-needed lightness. “That was horrible. Now, follow me, you two. We have unfinished business to discuss.”
Émilien met Hel’s wary gaze but did as their daughter asked and walked into the cozy room, what she’d learned earlier from Shalendra was the front room. Émilien lowered himself onto a high-backed chair, the thick legs and sturdy body strong enough to hold his weight. Shalendra sat in the chair next to his while Hel and Freyja shared the small sofa, the goddess looking a bit uncomfortable.
“You don’t need to be here, you know,” Hel whispered.
“Knowing yours and Émilien’s history like I do, I must disagree. Think of me as your personal referee in case things become heated, which I’m quite certain they will. You two are like oil and water, and your words a lighted match.”
“We’re notthatbad,” Émilien grumbled.
Freyja’s cool gaze held his. “I beg to differ.” She turned to Shalendra and gave her a subtle nod. “You have the floor, my dear.”
Shalendra smiled. “Thank you.” She looked at Hel for a moment before turning to Émilien, who was quick to squirm under her steady aqua gaze. “I know who you are.” He opened his mouth, but she raised her hand, and he snapped his jaws shut. “While I am very upset you made me think you were my brother and not my father, I do understand why. I also know it wasn’t your idea—an idea you were wholly against.”
She leaned forward, placing her small hand over his large furry one. “You can’t keep blaming Hel for it either. What she did was out of pure love for me and fear of her own father. We know what Loki has done before and dread what he will do again. There is no doubt in my mind Hel was right to keep me hidden.Je t’aime.”
Hearing her daughter’s words to Émilien, Hel’s heart squeezed. Since they had left Helheimr, she had longed to hear her daughter sayI love you, Momma.It was all she had ever wanted. Shalendra turned toward her and laid her warm hand over Hel’s cold one, the heat seeping through her skin.
“And I would love to learn who you are, both as a person and my mother, if you are willing?”
Hel’s vision blurred. All she could do was nod. She cleared her throat and furiously blinked away the tears pooling in her eyes. “I would like that very much.”
