Tracking the Bear (Blue Ridge Bears Book 1)(23)
She turned back to me, hands on her hips. I kept my mouth shut, hoping she’d continue and would tell me what had possessed the chief goddess of the Norse pantheon to step down from on high and force my change in the middle of the freeway.
“Do you recall the details of the Aesir and Vanir war?” she asked, tapping her foot. I nodded slowly.
“The Aesir tried three times to burn Gullveig alive. The Vanir, offended by the rude treatment of one of their own, prepared for war. The Vanir had magic, but the Aesir had might. Both sides eventually wearied of the war and discussed a peace treaty. They traded hostages. The Aesir adopted Freyr and his twin sister, Freya, into the fold, and the Vanir took in Hoenir and Mimir, killing the latter in the last violent act of the war.”
She nodded. “You know your history. Though you did leave off the part where they sent Mimir’s head to Odin in an act of petty vengeance.”
I shrugged. She hadn’t asked a question, so I didn’t dare reply. She smiled tightly and nodded her approval. “You’re learning. I’m sure you’re wondering why that’s relevant.”
I nodded again. What was the point in dragging me out here to drudge up ancient history? I doubted my oldest were-bear ancestor had even been alive when that particular conflict had occurred.
“It’s happening again,” she muttered, pacing back and forth in front of the desk. “The war has broken out a second time. Freya is dead. Idun is missing, and Freyr is on the warpath.”
My eyes widened as I continued to stare after her. She was agitated, pacing back and forth. Idunn, the keeper of the apples that allowed the Norse Gods to live for eternity, was gone. The Gods were mortal, or soon would be.
“I don’t understand,” I blurted. “How? Why? What does any of this have to do with me?”
Frigg fixed me with an icy stare. “What did I say about speaking out of turn?”
I snapped my wayward mouth shut, swallowing hard. Right. I’d been ordered not to talk or she’d turn me into a bear. After another minute of frosty silence, she resumed pacing.
“We don’t know what possessed Freya to steal Idun away. We don’t know why she tried to damn us all to mortal life. We’d hoped that some time with the dwarves would loosen her tongue, but even after months, she told us nothing. Thor killed her in a fit of anger and here we are, embroiled in a war yet again. The foolish, impulsive boy…”
She trailed off muttering obscenities. When she finally regained her composure, she continued.
“She’s put obstacles in our way. Whatever she was involved in, she had time to prepare for the fallout. I can barely scry, and what images I do get are fragmented, unclear.” She rounded on me again, and I flinched back, sliding a few inches on the wooden desk.
“That is where you come in. Heimdall’s vision was similarly obscured, but he could tell me the details of your mission.”
I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. If I was right, this mission was about to go from bad to worse, thanks to Frigg’s interference.
“You will track him down,” she said putting her hands on either side of the desk I sat on. She leaned her face so close to mine I could have kissed her, if I were so inclined. “And you will kill him.”
“I can’t,” I blurted, and then clapped a hand to my mouth. She gave me a chilly smile.
“You can and you will. Because if you do not, I will be forced to, ah...properly motivate you. Your mate, she is human, yes?”
“Yes,” I ground out. My bear surged forward, even without her interference, and I could feel it pushing just beneath my skin. The urge to take my more powerful shape and attack the goddess was overwhelming. No one threatened Lucy.
“That can be changed,” she purred. “My husband has several Ulfhednar on retainer. I’m sure one could be persuaded to exchange blood with your lady love and where would that leave you? Wolves do not run with bears.”
I couldn’t help it. I lunged for her, a red haze obscuring my vision. Lucy was my mate. Mine. No wolf was ever going to lay a paw on her. Frigg skipped back a step, a bubbling laugh escaping her lips. The force of her will slammed into me once more and I choked. I eventually fell to my knees, too dizzy to do anything more. Then, and only then, did she let me up.
“It does not have to come to that,” she said brightly. “Your directions are simple. Kill Luke Elmsong. Deliver the swift justice that he deserves and return home. We will not trouble you again. In fact, the Aesir will owe you a debt. You may collect it at any time.”
“If I do it, you can repay me by staying the fuck away from Lucy.”
She laughed, a high mirthless sound. “If that is your wish, we will comply.”
“Can I go now?” I growled. “You’ve made your point.”
“Yes,” she said, crossing her arms across her ample chest. “Just keep in mind that if you do not kill Luke Elmsong, I will send Ulfhednar after her. And turning her will be the kindest thing they do to her.”
I whirled around, ready to charge her again, no matter how fruitless it would be. But she was nowhere to be seen. The only evidence she’d been there at all was the name written in impeccable script on the blackboard and the piece of chalk that lay broken on the floor where she’d stood.
I walked out of the schoolhouse and started the long journey back up the hill. The climb was treacherous, and it didn’t help matters that my feet suddenly felt made of lead.