Tro (Elsker Saga Book 3) by S.T. Bende Page B

Idunn had developed a special hybrid to provide the gods with immortality. I’d have run to Asgard that moment if I’d thought it would help, but my gut said differently.
    “She dropped off a fresh batch three days ago. I am fully stocked.”
    “Have you told anyone what you are feeling?”
    “With all that is happening in Asgard, my body should be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.”
    “Don’t say that Olaug. How could we not worry about you, especially now? That creep I’ve been dreaming about made it very clear that he was going to do everything he could to stop us from interfering with ‘his plan,’ and right now someone very evil is executing a very dark plot against our family. And Elfie gave you some magical disease. I think it’s all related.”
    “I had not thought of it that way.”
    “If it’s the same guy I’ve been seeing, the only way to get you better is to defeat him.” I locked my jaw. “So help me, if he does anything to you we can’t undo I’ll knock him halfway to next Tuesday.”
    “Kristia. I am certain I will be fine.”
    “You will be. Because I am going to find his sorry hide and rip it limb from limb.” Nobody was going to hurt my granny. Not if I had anything to say about it.
    “Kristia.” Olaug pursed her lips, but there was a smile in her cheeks.
    “I mean it. I love you, and this is just not acceptable to me.” I stood. “Are you well enough to work tonight? If you need to lie down…” I paused. What could we do? The fate of Asgard rested on our shoulders. If Olaug and I couldn’t manage to locate whoever was doing this to us and identify their plan of attack, we’d have a lot more to worry about than Olaug’s illness.
    “I am well enough. Thank you for the tea.” Olaug stood on shaky legs. “You know Ull is going to be very angry with us when he finds out what we are doing.”
    “If Ull’s angry, it means Ull’s alive. That’s all we’re trying to do; preserve our worlds. He’ll be upset, but he’ll understand.” I carried Olaug’s teacup to the kitchenette, and came back with a frown. “Where’s Elsker? Isn’t she coming?” When Ull had talked to her yesterday, she’d promised to be at Ýdalir to help.
    “She was called away.”
    “By Odin?”
    “He wants the Norns working together. In case…” Olaug looked down.
    “I see.” It didn’t take a great visionary to piece that one together. In case I failed. Or was kidnapped. Or killed. Odin needed a backup plan in case I couldn’t finish my job. But I needed a teacher: someone to guide me through a journey this enormous. How was I supposed to go to the darkest part of the tenth realm without Elsker? What if I screwed this up?
    “You can instruct me just as well from that chair.” I pointed. “Sit back down, Olaug. You’re going to need your strength—I have a feeling we’re in for a long night.”

 
     
     
Chapter Nine
     
     
    I HAD NO IDEA how right I’d been when I’d predicted a long night. Seven hours into our trial, it hit me that there was a very high probability I could fail.
    “Again,” Olaug instructed. I closed my eyes tight. This was excruciating. We’d worked through the night and made only marginal progress. Olaug was unrelenting in her guidance, pushing me to take the visions again and again. Thankfully, I hadn’t physically transported anywhere, so in that way things were going well. Now that I was a goddess, I could tap into Asgard’s magic, and I hadn’t revealed myself to any giants or dark elves.
    Yet .
    But every journey to the tenth realm left me weak and more exhausted. And though I described everything as I saw it, Olaug’s transcriptions left us little to go off. I wasn’t sure where to find Asgard’s enemies, and though the whole purpose of this alternate plane was to provide information, it sure wasn’t coughing any up for me. Everything I saw was hazy, and the places I went weren’t familiar at all.
    It didn’t take long to figure out