Page 116 of A Curse Carved in Bone
Flame flipped end over end through the air, and Harald shrieked as one of his tentacles was severed, another nearlyso.
“I hope that part wasn’t important to your man-form,” Bjorn said, axe reappearing in his left hand, right arm dangling limp at his side. “I’m not entirely certain what goes where.”
Harald snarled, and more tentacles exploded from his sides, lashing out wildly. Bjorn sliced and severed, but there were too many. It was only a matter of time until one struck true, Bjorn’s fate determined by that awful black venom at the tips of those talons.
Mine already was.
There was only one way to end this.
Guile. Not force.
Feeling my strength fading, I flung myself on the creature’s back and wrapped my arms around its neck.
“I curse myself,” I whispered, feeling my magic surge. “Hel, take my body from this mortal realm.”
Roots erupted from the earth, wrapping around my body and pulling me back. Harald tried to extricate himself from my grip, but I got my good leg around him and held on. The roots dragged me into the earth, and because his blood was as divine as my own, I took Harald withme.
Dirt pressed in all around and denied me breath, but then we were falling.
I let go of Harald and caught hold of Yggdrasil’s roots, stopping my plunge while he carried on and on. My leg burned, and I could feel his venom stealing my strength. Slowly killingme.
“Freya!”
Bjorn’s voice was distant. So very distant, and yet I still looked up, imagining that I could see him digging. Trying to go after me, though his magic did not give him the power to cross between realms.
I could climb back up to him, and maybe we could get help. Maybe Volund would reach me in time. Maybe I could have the future I dreamed of for myself, a life with the man I loved that wasn’t touched by terror and violence.
I could weave that fate.
Reaching up, I heaved, dragging myself higher. Only to hear motion below.
Peering through the roots, I saw that Harald was alive and back in his human form, though he was bleeding heavily from several wounds, one hand almost entirely missing. Still, he rose to his feet, and I heard him whisper, “Sister, I need your aid.”
And beyond the gates to Helheim, I heard the soft thud of giant feet approaching.
No.
No, I could not let this happen. Could not let Hel aid her mortal half brother and set Harald loose again upon the world. I refused.
“Freya!”
The desperation in Bjorn’s distant scream tore at my heart, and I cast one last look up into the darkness, silently whispering,Please forgiveme.
Then I began to work my way down the tree’s mighty roots, arms and legs trembling as Harald’s venom continued to work its way throughme.
His heavy breathing betrayed his distress, but Harald was walking toward the gates to Hel’s realm beyond which the sound of the goddess approaching was growing.
I had to put an end to him, and time was running short.
Sliding the rest of the way down the roots, I dropped through empty air to land with a thud on the road. My legs buckled, and I fell to my knees. When I lifted my face, Harald was staring at me with a strange mix of fear and rage.
For a heartbeat, I thought he’d move to attack, but instead he stumbled down the road toward the bridge, the gates to Helheim on the far side. My body was weak, each breath a struggle, but Harald was leaving a heavy trail of blood.
The noise of the river grew louder, black waters rippling beneath the bridge, and the hound who guarded the gates rose to its feet and approached, eyes full of interest.
And recognition.
Garmr’s lips curled back at the sight of me, but I ignored the creature and flung myself at Harald’s back. We went down in a heap, grappling and rolling, fists flying. Though we were both too weak to do much damage to each other.
