Page 150 of Master of Storms
“Us,” he repeated. “Because no matter how hard you tried to destroy the four of us, we are stronger together. Us. Because no matter what you did to twist our minds, we no longer believe your lies. Us. Because together, the four of us will finally bring an end to you and your bitter, twisted reign. It’s over, Mother.”
“It’s over when I say it’s over!” she hissed. “Do you think you can defeat this?”
A whirlwind of Chaos energy soared into the skies around her.
“No. But they can,” he said.
Haakon and Árdís stepped forward from the left, hand in hand.
“Hello, Mother,” Árdís said quietly, her hair streaming down her spine in loose blonde waves.
Amadea’s eyes locked upon Haakon, and rage smoldered within them as her gaze dropped to where their hands were linked. “Still defiling yourself with thathuman, I see. What will you do if you’ve bred a drekling upon yourself?”
“I will love them regardless, because to be drekling is not a weakness. It is a gift,” Árdís replied fiercely, her other hand caressing her abdomen. “I will do what you never could. I will love this child and protect it, and see that the world’s concept ofdrekiand drekling is forcibly changed forever.”
Andromeda appeared to the right, side by side with Ishtar.
His heart ached when he saw how his twin couldn’t look toward the figure in the circle. Her gaze was lowered, her shoulders hunched.
“I love you,” he sent toward her in a thought-thread. “Be brave. She never deserved you.”
Ishtar found him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.
“She fears you because your magic is stronger,” he told her. “But she couldn’t love you, because she lacks the ability to truly love anyone. She never loved any of us. But we love you. We’re your family. Not her.”
“Oh, look,” Amadea sneered. “We’re all here.” She searched for Rurik. “Where’s my eldest little traitor?”
“Here,” Rurik replied, stepping forth with Freyja. And then he ignored her and turn to look at all of them in turn. “Are we ready to do this?”
“Oh, please do,” Amadea said.
“Can we cross the circle?” Marduk asked Andromeda.
“One way to find out,” Haakon said and stepped across the line.
The second he crossed it, a raw cry of pain echoed in his throat, and his knees buckled. He hit the grass, the lower half of his body spasming where it lay in the circle.
Árdís screamed.
“Goddess’s mercy!” Marduk grabbed the dragon-slayer by the shoulders and hauled him backward until he was free of the circle. “How about we discuss such heroics first? You’re linked to my sister.”
Tormund helped him haul the enormous dragon-slayer out of the way.
“Haakon?” Árdís demanded. “Are you all right?”
Haakon tried to roll onto his side, and couldn’t make it. “Jesus.” His face was pale.
“What happened to him?” Marduk demanded.
Andromeda placed a hand to his forehead. “The queen has created a vortex. Essentially, it’s a trap. Anyone who enters that circle will find their energy sucked from them. He has no Chaos magic of his own, but the spell attacked the link between he and Árdís.”
“You fools. Did you think you would come rushing here to stop me?” The vicious delight in Amadea’s eyes stayed him as she surveyed the army surrounding the top of World’s End. “You’ve brought me exactly what Ineedto open the portal and fulfill my part of my oath to Tyndyr.”
“What do we do?” Solveig demanded.
Her warband circled the skies above them, but she’d chosen to be on the ground with him. Marduk didn’t know what that meant, but he was grateful to have her ruthless sense of practicality at his side.
“Wait her out?” Árdís suggested.
