Page 158 of Master of Storms
Something was happening to him.
And then there was a knife to her throat, and the game was over. “Dying, little one,” said a dangerous voice right in her ear. “Your filthy wretch of a king is dying. But you won’t die. I won’t let you. No, you’re going to be the greatest gift of all. I know a certainalfarking who would love to get his hands on you.”
“No!” She had to get to her mate.
“Open the portal,” he told Ishtar, hauling Freyja back against his chest. “Or I will kill her.”
And then his knife slid between the valley of Freyja’s breasts and locked, point- first on her heart.
Freyja clutched at his hand, meeting Ishtar’s gaze. If he took her to Álfheimr, then this war would be won before even a blow had been delivered, for Rurik would tear the world apart before he let her go.
If he survived.
“Don’t do it,” she warned. “Don’t listen to him. Get out of here. Go to Rurik. He’ll protect you.”
“No!” Ishtar blurted, one hand outstretched. “Don’t hurt her.”
“I won’t ask you again,” the elf sneered. “Open the portal to Álfheimr or I’ll kill her.”
“He’s not going to kill me!” she cried desperately. “He wants to gift me to his king!”
“Her head will be a gift, if I cannot give her myself.”
Ishtar drew herself up straight, magic starting to glow in her eyes. “I have your word that neither of us will be harmed?”
Tyndyr laughed again. “I give you my word, Princess. Neither of you shall be harmed within the halls ofÁlfheimr. I will lay my life down on that fact. Now open the portal.”
“Ishtar, don’t believe him!”
But there was a firm resolve in Ishtar’s eyes. “We go to Álfheimr.”
And then her voice whispered in Freyja’s mind, “Trust me, Freyja. I Saw this. It has to happen like this. It’s the only way to beat them.”
Magic streamed past her.
A kaleidoscope of colors.
Freyja tried to scream, but as the portal sprang to life around her, she realized the truth: No one could hear her. No one could see her.
In front of her, a woman who looked like her knelt by Rurik’s side, tears streaming down her face as Sirius tried to heal him.
It was so real, she almost believed it herself.
“Rurik!” she tried to scream, as the portal enveloped the pair of them.
The last thing she saw was her husband suddenly jerk into a sitting position, his eyes locked upon her, before the world collapsed in upon her and everything went dark.
* * *
There had beenno sign of thealfar, but the second the arrow struck the king, shimmering veils rippled everywhere and then dozens of elves—hundreds—suddenly appeared.
Right in their midst.
Solveig fell into a defensive stance, her gaze raking the top of the mountain. Steel clashed nearby, but it was to Marduk that her shocked gaze went.
Freyja screamed, her knees going out from under her.
Sirius caught her, but the king slowly toppled like a felled oak into Marduk’s arms. Their eyes met over the top of the king’s body, and she could almost feel Marduk’s horror.
