Page 1 of Vicar
Chapter One
WinterHarbor,Maine
PresentDay
TRINITY had alwaysknown she was different than her sisters but had no idea how much until Loki’s Forge began. Especially when Leviathan and Destiny Forged in Fire and ignited Loki’s master plan to create dragons powerful enough to go up against Celtic gods.
“I know you have Loki’s Dagger.” Her sister Raven narrowed her silvery turquoise eyes at Trinity. “What I don’t know is why you’re not admitting it.”
By admitting it, she referred to the brief telepathic conversation Aunt Elsie had with Jade across time a few hours ago. Jade claimed a Viking named Vicar swore the dagger had ended up with Trinity after Jade and Thorulf defeated their enemy.
And he was right.
She had the dagger that had been at the heart of forging her sisters and their new mates in fire. What she couldn’t figure out was how Vicar knew that.
Raven had just joined her on the back deck, where she’d come for some much-needed fresh air. After all, it wasn't every day a girl found an ancient-looking dagger lying on her bed when she ran upstairs to get a hoodie. It was almost as if it waited for her to be alone before it showed up.
“I’m not sure why I didn’t admit it initially either,” Trinity confessed, frowning at Raven. “I just...” What exactly? Because she wasn’t entirely sure other than part of her felt possessive of the blade. Like it needed to stay in her hands for safekeeping. “I just get the overwhelming sense I’m supposed to hold onto it for now.” She shook her head. “No one else.”
“No one else being Vicar Sigdir,” Raven surmised. She clipped back her jet-black hair and eyed Trinity in that eerie, sees-all way she had about her sometimes. “What was Jade talking about when she reached out to Aunt Elsie that first time? Why did she ask about you possessing her and Maya?” She cocked her head. “And why did she wonder if you’d already traveled back in time?”
“First off, I don’t know Vicar, so why would I want to keep this dagger from him?” Trinity lied. Well, partially lied. “And I have no idea what Jade’s talking about. I haven’t time traveled.” She rolled her eyes. “And what do I know about possessing someone?”
Following her thoughts far too easily because they were so connected, Raven crossed her arms over her chest and arched a brow. “So, how are you only partially lying? A lie’s a lie, sis.”
She was glad to see her darker-energy sister standing outside safely rather than cowering inside, avoiding negativity. Avoiding anything that might drag her down and push her closer to evil and darkness. Nicer still to see her halfway upbeat, a personality trait that had been rare before the Forge began.
“I guess I’m only partially lying because I might kind of know Vicar.” She sighed, pulled out the dagger, and eyed its charred blade. It wasn’t a beautiful knife by any means but sinister-looking. Intense. “As to traveling through time or possessing our sisters, if I did, I’m not sure how.”
“That sounds a lot like you did then.” Raven considered her. “What makes you think so, though? And how do you only,” she made air quotes, “kind ofknow Vicar.”
“Through dreams on both counts, mostly...strange dreams.” She sheathed the dagger, worried it might drag on Raven’s energy. “It was like I was pulled toward someone at certain times, and my connection with Jade and Maya was the only way I could reach them.”
“Them, orhim, being Vicar,” Raven prompted when Trinity paused, grappling with the oddities that had overcome her lately. Namely, a sense she wasn’t exactly who she was supposed to be. Or that there was more to her than she realized. It was hard to make sense of. Yet, somehow, unfortunately enough, she knew it had something to do with how Jade claimed Trinity came across to Vicar. Dominant in a way that felt unfamiliar.
At least before all this began.
