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"Why do you think I should try and find out about my father or the god's bargain?" she asked when he let go.
"Your blood is a part of who you are. You don't know what potential you or your magic have, Fen. It could be limitless. It could be the very reason they watched you so closely. Although, you could probably answer that question better than I because I don't know your gods," Sargon replied.
Fen drank more of her tea and tried to seriously consider it. Why would they have been watching her so closely?
"It probably comes back to Loki. He has a complicated relationship with the Aesir gods and his blood brother, Odin," she said, and the more she talked, the more it made sense. "Loki has other children. Monstrous children that are a part of a prophecy about Ragnarok, the destruction of my world. Odin had all three of them locked away to try and avoid it."
Sargon's frown deepened. "Perhaps he was watching you to see if he needed to do the same. It would certainly make sense that he would want to keep you loyal to him and under his influence."
"Then why would he agree to turn from me? Why would Freya want it or even propose the bet to begin with?" Fen replied.
"You haven't thought to ask her? Khan said that you still felt her presence in Ankhara."
Fen rubbed at the rune on her thumb. "I did, but I haven't dared to pray to her or ask her anything since Khan told me of his vision. I doubt she will give me any answers."
"You won't know until you try," Sargon said in his usual pragmatic way.
Fen blew out a breath. "I haven't tried to do trance work since I was taken as a slave."
"I'm a magi. I can help you with that," Sargon replied. He took her hand. "I won't force you to do anything, Fen. I just want you to know who you are for your own good. You can't run from fate."
"But you can tell it to go fuck itself," Fen said and was surprised when he laughed.
"Perhaps a trickster godling can. We mere mortals have a harder time of it."
Fen straightened her shoulders. "Okay, you win. I'll try."
Minutes later, Fen was lying on a bed made of cushions. Sargon sat by her head and looked down at her. "Are you ready?"
"Not really. You're right, though. The only way to know the answer to something is to ask, so let's do it."
Sargon smiled affectionately. "Good girl. Now, close your eyes and breathe deeply." He placed his fingertips on the top of her head and began to chant softly in a language her necklace didn't translate. It sounded ancient, with a melody she tried to catch onto and couldn't.
Fen focused on breathing and relaxing her body. She had been trained for trance walking, and as she breathed, the familiar heaviness filled her limbs.
Freya, goddess of sword and heart, Vanir queen, Lady of the Slain, let us talk together, you and I…Fen chanted the prayer and invitation in her mind.
Freya's rune started to burn. Invisible barbs hooked into Fen, and she was gone, leaving her body behind her.
* * *
The midnight sun was a slash of red and orange on the horizon, and the forest was blanketed in snow. The cold air smelled of pine and smoke, and the world was hushed. Fen glanced around, her breath coming in misting plumes as she began to walk.
At the edge of the forest was a clearing that had a small wooden house in its center. Light was burning inside, the smoke rising from the chimney. Fen tried to step into the glade and hit an invisible barrier.
Wards.
Fen was about to break them when the door opened, and Freya stepped outside. It was the goddess; there wasn't any doubt in Fen's mind. She pulsed with the power that Fen had felt since she was left with the seiðr.
"Fenrys Rune-Tongue, finally, you call for me," Freya said in her smoke and honey voice. She made a small sign with her fingers, and the wards dropped to let Fen through. She walked warily to the goddess, unsure of what to say or how to act.
"Come in, child. Havi can't see us here, but you can never be too sure."
Inside, the house was warm and lit with lanterns and candles. Freya reclined on a couch and gestured for her to sit.
"What was the bet you made with Odin?" Fen asked.
Freya raised a golden brow. "Your dream walker was more proficient than I expected him to be if he heard all of that."
