Page 56 of Thorulf
No sooner did she think it than Maya shot out of the clouds with Thorulf right behind her. He had done it. He had made it past Thor’s defenses and got her back safely...almost.
“Now you’re just being a show-off,” she cursed, standing when he put his great body between the godly fire roaring out of the clouds and Maya. Anxiety turned to anger. “Damn it, Thorulf!”
“Get to the Fortress,”Maya roared into their minds.“Get to safety!”
“Don’t even think about it,” she began when Dagr came at her, but it was too late. He tossed her over his shoulder, and she went on the same ride her sister had taken on her adventure. Unfortunately, that made keeping an eye on Thorulf next to impossible.
“You do realize I’m the athletic sister, right, Dagr?” she muttered. “And that I can probably run faster than you?”
“Perhaps,” he conceded. “But Maya and Thorulf would never forgive me if you couldn’t.”
“Probably not,” she started only to trail off when he flew past the back gate and set her down. For a moment, it almost felt surreal being here. One of a hundred spots she’d stared at longingly. She blinked back tears at the overwhelming sensation.
It didn’t last long, though.
Not when Maya landed and shifted, followed swiftly by Thorulf.
While relieved her sister was safe, she took one look at Thorulf’s singed hair, and the godly burns on the side of his neck and sentiment turned to rage. Anger born of fear that was so intense, she strode right up to him and shoved him. “Asshole!” Then shoved him again. “You could’ve killed yourself!”
“But I didn’t.” He stopped her before she could hit him again and pulled her against him. She tried to push him away, but he held fast, pressing her cheek against his chest. His voice was as soothing as Dagr’s had just been. “I’m okay, Jade. Everyone’s okay.”
She was mortified to discover she was crying because thatsowasn’t her thing. Yet, she couldn’t seem to stop as emotion after emotion bubbled up. Emotions that her little dragon echoed when another memory manifested nearby. One that, again, seemed to mimic what they were currently going through.
She and little Thorulf had sat just outside the gate.
“Don’t cry, Jade,” he said. “I’m okay.” He lifted his wings this way and that to show her. “See? I’m not hurt at all.”
Yet, it didn’t seem to matter. Her younger self was inconsolable. She hung her head and sobbed. He had just been zapped by scary magic when he tried to pull her into the Fortress. And just like now, he had singed himself.
“That was the final straw,” she murmured, remembering how defeated she had felt. “It all just came out at once. The years of wanting to be here. Of feeling like I was on the outside looking in.”
“But you’re not anymore,” came a familiar voice. “We knew about you through Thorulf, cared about you, then magically forgot you like everyone else.”
Her heart leapt into her throat when she spied the couple waiting patiently nearby.
“King Soren,” she said softly to Thorulf’s father before she looked at his stepmother. “Queen Ava.”
How many times had she wished she could talk to them? That they could see her? Hear her? Too many times to count.
“We’re so glad to finally meet you, Jade.” Ava closed the distance and embraced her when Thorulf stepped back. “More than that, we’re so glad you two remember each other.” She glanced from Jade to Thorulf and smiled. “Found each other.”
His father nodded and smiled hello. “Very glad to meet you, Jade.”
“You as well,” she managed, happy to finally be here but sad for her little dragon as she sighed and headed back up the mountain before the memory faded.
“It looks like Thor and Loki have things under control at the moment.” Ava frowned at Thorulf. “Are you all right?” She eyed the burns on his neck with concern. “You need to see those healed.”
“I will,” he assured, glancing at the mountainside. “Have you heard from Vicar or Revna? They were coming down on foot.”
“Ja.” Yet another handsome-as-sin guy appeared. Clearly a Sigdir based on his build and chiseled looks, he struck her as extra-Viking with his thick dark hair and beard. His eyes were a magnetic light blue, and his tattoos more numerous than his kin. He nodded hello to Jade, introduced himself as Tor, Son of King Sven and Queen Emily, then looked to the mountainside as well, his anticipation obvious. “They draw close.”
She had heard about Tor. He’d been haunted by a girl before Leviathan and Destiny came together. One born of powerful fire from both the past and future. Fire that would rile the gods, who would then wreak havoc on their people. Because of her, he prophesized he and his fellow Sigdirs were destined for women from the future.
He was also the only guy destined for one of her sisters who possessed no godliness. Rather, from what she’d heard, his strengths lay in his level nature and knack at leading as well as his abilities as a healer and medium. As to his weaknesses, that was most definitely Revna, who he claimed to be in love with.
“Glad to hear they’re almost here.” Ava sighed with relief and took Jade’s hand. “Come inside out of the rain and meet everyone at last.”
It was hard to believe she was finally here. Finally walking past thatch-covered buildings she had only ever stared at from afar. Seeing people she’d wished she could meet. At last, standing beside Thorulf when far too many women checked him out. She tried not to focus on that too much. On how many of them he’d likely slept with because he had forgotten about her.
