I sipped the juice and tried not to grimace. It wasn’t that bad. I knew all about the special apple for the gods and how it kept them young. Still, that didn’t stop me from hating the fruit or its products. I’d avoided drinking the juice since I arrived. I focused on the bacon instead.
“I know the person responsible for this fiasco,” the goddess continued. “Eirik’s annoying friend Lavion. He must have said something at the market in Nidavellir. It’s where people from the realms go to trade goods.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Trudy?”
A portal opened, and the redhead peered inside. “I’ve told Mama you want to see her.”
“Then why are you looking guilty?”
“Who? Me?”
The goddess harrumphed. “Do not go outside to look at the tents or the new arrivals.”
Trudy made a face.
“Not without guards,” the goddess added.
Trudy pouted. “Why?”
“It’s not safe.”
Trudy sighed. “Okay.”
The portal closed, and Litr served the goddess. She tasted a piece of bacon and put it back on the plate. “That’s cold. Take the food back to the kitchen and ask Maera to prepare it again. Even my meal is suffering because of them.”
I stared longingly at the remaining bacon on my plate as Astrid whisked it away. It had tasted perfect to me. The goddess didn’t speak until they were gone.
“I don’t like discussing Trudy in front of them. She’s not a servant here just because her mother is my housekeeper. She’s under my care and tutelage because of what she is, and I’d hate for anything to happen to her.”
“What is she? I mean, I know she can manipulate memories.” I had yet to ask her and Hayden to get my memories back. Spending time with my parents had been a priority.
“And she has the power of premonition, but she’s much more than that,” the goddess said. “Remember we were talking about your friend Raine announcing Ragnarok and alerting the gods?”
I nodded.
“Trudy is an announcer, too,” the goddess explained. “She’ll do it from J?tunheim. The prophecy said there would be three of them—one in Asgard warning the gods, a second one here waking my warriors, and a third alerting the J?tnar. I’ve always known Trudy would alert the people in J?tunheim,” she explained. “It annoys the Norns that she is a member of my household.”
“And Eirik will announce from here.”
She chuckled. “Who told you that?”
“Raine. Isn’t that why the Norns were after him?”
“No. I haven’t figured out why the Norns tried so hard to keep him from me. I even thought he might be the third announcer, but he’s not a seer. All the announcers must be able to see into the future. I’d even thought Celestia might be the third one. It would make sense, since she lives here and she has the ability to see into the future, but I don’t think she’s the one.” A thoughtful expression entered her eyes. “Norns can be hypocrites. The Wise Ones weave destinies and their minions seal them, yet they’re doing everything they can to lure your friend, Raine, to their side. At least they haven’t tried to take Trudy because she’s under my care.”
“She’s been to Earth. Weren’t you worried about her going there or other realms?”
“I was, but Eirik promised to take care of her, and my son always keeps his word. As long as she is with him, I never worry.”
What if Trudy fell in love and moved away from Eljudnir? “I had no idea she was that special,” I said.
“She is, which is why I keep her close. Had she been raised in J?tunheim, she’d be dead by now. Possible announcers are born every few centuries, but they never survive to adulthood. All three must survive for Ragnarok to take place. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the Norns weave their destinies with that in mind, deliberately delaying Ragnarok until they have the right announcers. Ones who are also Norns. It might explain why they want your friend, Raine, to join them.”
If Celestia was the third announcer, could the Norns be behind her coma? Maybe the hags wanted all the three announcers to be like Raine, all would-be Norns.
A loud howl reached us, and the goddess sighed. “My poor hound. Modgie had to tie him up the moment he caught the scents of the animals drawing the carriages of our unwanted visitors. You do know why they are here, don’t you?”
I was still thinking about Celestia, so the switch in subject threw me off. “Who?”
“The new arrivals. They are here because of you.”
I blinked. “Me?”
“Yes. A few are here for Celestia because she is a healer, while others came to show Eirik their support because he is the most powerful dragon in all the realms and they are loyal to him. But the majority of the sons of minor gods and kings are shamelessly using the situation to meet you. Their arrival is interrupting the order of things in my hall. The Grimnirs do not need strangers gawking at them while they escort souls.”
I’d already concluded she cared about her reapers, guards, and servants, and this confirmed it. No wonder they were loyal to her. She was protective of them.
“I will throw that annoying Dwarf with the damned on Corpse Strand and let him rot there for a few weeks.”
And she was melodramatic. “Lavion?”
“Yes. He was supposed to bring back a healer. Instead, he’s spread news about your arrival. I will not have them in my hall, not when you don’t have any interest in them.” She gave me a pointed look, and my cheeks warmed.
“You know why,” I whispered.
“Yes. Echo?”
I nodded.
“I saw you together when I returned your blanket. He’s spending a lot more time here than on Earth, and he holds you while you sleep every night. Do you love him?”
“With all my heart. We thought you wouldn’t approve of our relationship.”
“Why wouldn’t I? He is a man of moral convictions and a hard worker. He’s also very handsome. Whether he loves you as deeply as you love him is another story. He’s not done anything to prove himself worthy of you.”
My jaw dropped. “He doesn’t need to prove anything. He is very supportive and loving. Without him, I never would have overcome my fear of souls or started helping them. As far as I’m concerned, he is more than worthy.”
She smiled. “We’ll see.”
Thoroughly annoyed, I glowered. “So refusing to listen to him was a test?”
“I wouldn’t call it that.”
Of course she wouldn’t. She’d been so nice that her attitude now completely blindsided me. This was the mother who’d thrown Eirik in the dungeons to awaken his dragon. I didn’t like this side of her one little bit.
“Mother, I will not have you test Echo. He truly loves me.”
“My dearest daughter, if I wanted to test him, I would have thrown him in the land of the fire J?tnar and let him fight his way home to you. Or I would have had Trudy scramble his memories and see if he could fall in love with you again. No, your father suggested we should wait and see what Echo is willing to do to show he loves you. He suggested…” A frown creased her brow. Actually, half her brow, the normal side, while runes on the other side appeared and disappeared. She made a disgruntled noise and shook her head. “Oh, that impossible man. This entire mess is not Lavion’s doing. This is his doing.”
She was hopping from topic to topic so fast and confusing me. “What mess? Whose fault?”
“The arrival of the young gods and princes from other realms. Your father must have sent Lavion to spread the news of your arrival. Shake the tree a little bit and see what falls off. Very clever and totally unacceptable. I need to have a long conversation with that father of yours.” She stood while I stared at her in confusion.
“What does he hope to gain by inviting them here?”