Page 153 of Master of Storms
“Because you do,” he said firmly. “You do, Solveig. I know you do.”
“You’re so arrogant,” she grumbled, because it was safer than agreeing.
The smile he flashed her felt like it split his face. She hadn’t denied it.
He kissed her again, long, hard, and furiously.
And by the time he drew back, they were both trembling.
“If we survive this,” he whispered, “then we’re both going to return to your court, and deal with this little issue about you making a pledge of vengeance against me to a goddess.”
“Sounds like a lovely little day trip after a war. Why not take on a goddess’s wrath? If we can defeat an army of elves, then we can deal with a puny goddess.”
He winked at her.
“Cover me,” he said before he stepped back and let her go.
Amadea stood within the circle, her palms held down and her face tilted to the sky. Andromeda had been right. The vortex of magic was a foot wider than it had been, stretching almost all the way to the runestones around the clearing. It vibrated, and every time it shivered, it would expand an inch.
“Ishtar?” he called, closing his eyes.
“Here.”
“Are you ready?”
He opened his eyes and suddenly she was staring out through them too. He could feel the press of her in his head, like a drill set between his brows. “Let’s do this.”
The first step through the circle felt like stepping through a whirlwind. Magic tore at him, tearing strips off his clothes and ripping at his hair. But it was the way it ravaged through his body that made him gasp. He staggered, feeling the spell clutch hungrily at his very soul before a firm, hard shield came between him and the magic.
If that was what Haakon had felt, no wonder he’d collapsed.
His mother opened her eyes, triumph darkening her irises. “Oh, you little fool.”
She clenched her fist, and it felt like she’d grabbed one of his arms, while Ishtar held the other.
The suction was immense.
“Ishtar!” he yelled, as his hand lifted—completely out of his control—and waved away a spurt of magic.
“Stop fighting me.Let me in. Let me do this.”
Marduk surrendered.
The drill finally broke through his skull, stabbing deep into his brain. A sound came out of his mouth, somewhat like a low moan, and something hot and wet slid from his nose. Blood, perhaps.
But the spell was no longer tearing at him.
Instead, it felt like he was grabbing hold of one end of the coil, and slowly hauling it back toward him arm-over-arm, like he was looping rope.
“No!” Amadea rasped, jerking her hand up. “No!”
The suction intensified. Step by step, he made his way toward her.
He could taste blood now, his ears ringing and the pain in his sinuses threatening to drive him to his knees.
“I don’t… have much… more… in me.”
“Keep walking,” Ishtar told him. “I almost have it.”
