Page 19 of Property of Fire

For some reason, I feel compelled to laugh because all of this is bullshit. Like Freyja is going to be the one to come down here and answer the questions that I have. That I’m sure my look alike, Dexter, is wondering himself.

THIRTEEN

EVELIN

I watch my mother,and I can feel the shift in the air as she calls Freyja’s name. I want to demand answers on Fire’s behalf. I want to know what’s going on and why this is all happening.

Long moments past, and the tension in the air doesn’t abate. The man who looks so much like Fire is staring between my mother and Fire, taking them both in.

He looks so much like Fire, but I can see the slightest differences. Mainly, it’s the way they wear their hair. Other than the different tattoos, they look almost identical. The only way you can tell them apart is that Fire has most of his hair shaved and tattoos on display. Whereas the other guy has a full head of hair.

Fire’s arm tightens further around me, and I lift my gaze to look at him as he lowers his eyes to me. “We’ll talk about what happened this morning when I get all this handled.”

I nod, not worrying about verbalizing my response. He doesn’t need words right now.

The air suddenly stagnates, rife with tension, the wind picks up, and a dust swirl forms in front of us. Just as soon as it starts to pick up, it dies down. Where the wind had picked up stands a beautiful golden-blonde haired woman wearing a white business suit, with gold in all the right places. She’s completely gorgeous.

Her gaze takes in all those around, only to settle on Fire and his twin. A beautiful smile spreads on her lips. “Brandr. Reidun.” Her voice is musical and sweet. This has to be Freyja.

“Goddess,” my mom calls.

Freyja waves a hand and looks between both men. “You were not supposed to ever run into each other. For the sake of the world, you were supposed to be separated. I had no other choice.”

“They’re no longer separated, as you see,” my mother states.

“Yes, and since this has happened. It means the fates have decided.” Her gaze comes to me, and she grants me her beautiful smile. “They’ve given your daughter to my son. The child she will carry will be strong.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Fire demands, showing no respect for the Goddess.

“Fire,” I whisper.

“Brandr,” Freyja whispers, looking at Fire. I knew this was his real name. He never allowed anyone to call him that. Not even Herja. To him, it was just a name he had to put on the legal documents.

“Don’t,” Fire states, voice filled with such hatred. “Just tell me what the hell you’re talking about and why I’m just now finding out my birth was a fuckin’ lie.”

“I had no other choice. I did what I did to protect you both, just as I did to protect your sisters.”

“Sisters?” both men say at the same time.

“You didn’t tell me any of this,” Heat growls, the words directed toward our mother.

Freyja gets this distant look in her eyes as chilling words come from her lips next.

“Upon the Goddess of Love and Beauty, of Fertility and War, of Seiðr, there will be four born. Twins each. Fire and Water. Earth and Wind. Together, they will be powerful. Together, they shall grow strong. Together, they will destroy one another. Fire will burn the Earth. Wind will carry the water. Only through them finding the other halves of what they are will they be able to save themselves from what they will become.

“These four will be unstoppable, but there will be more. Their future is unknown to those closest. No one will see it coming. Not even them. Water will know his gift, unlike the others. Fire only burns upon the other half of his soul. Earth will hide within herself. Wind will cry out to the seas.

“It’s up to the souls of these four to decide whether the time comes for the world to end.

“When I found I was to have you two, then your sisters, to protect you all, I did what I had to. Now that you two have found each other, it’s started.”

“What’s started?” Dexter demands.

Freyja takes a step closer. “The prophecy. You’ll each need to find your sisters. I know not where they are. They’ve been shielded from me since their birth. As you two were. They were placed separately. Fire and Water. Earth and Wind. You are the four that will determine the continuance. In order to do that, you’ll each find one of your sisters. You mustn’t be in the same place for longer than you must.”

“What does that mean?”

“Means,” my mom states, stepping in and looking at Fire, “you and your brother can’t be near each other for long. Same for your sisters. When you find them, Fire, you can only find Wind. While your brother finds Earth. I cannot help you do this, but I can share with you their names. Reidun will find Jordi. You, Fire, will find Kara.”

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