Deity obliges. I loved her. She didn’t take crap from anyone. She’d promised to nix this nonsense in the bud, and she just did. The disappointed faces of our guests made me grin.
“Enjoy our hospitality until Celestia is back on her feet,” Mother added, “or feel free to leave whenever you wish. Thank you for coming.” She glanced at Father, who stood and waved Echo closer.
“What I’m about to say is something the rest of the guests don’t need to hear,” Father said. “You have a year to court my daughter.”
“Father,” I protested.
“Humor me, Daughter. I know you are an honorable man, Echo, respected by your peers, and you have the loyalty of your people. What I don’t know is how you treat my daughter. As her father, I have a right to observe you and see if you are worthy of her.” His eyes met mine before he continued. “You must wait until you turn eighteen before you take him as your consort. We will never get back the years we missed out on, but we could build quite a few memories from now on. Your mother and I have a lot to teach you and to learn from you. Should you change your mind during the year, I will throw a ball and invite every eligible bachelor in all the realms for you, including the group here tonight. Is this acceptable to both of you?” The look he gave Echo said he’d better not argue. I didn’t mind waiting because I knew my feelings were real and true.
“Yes, Golden One,” Echo said. “I agree. And thank you for accepting me.”
Baldur looked at me. “Daughter?”
I moved to where he stood and hugged him. “I love him, but I will wait like you suggested. And I like that I can come to you if he is not acting right.”
Eirik snickered. He knew I could take care of myself, but sometimes a father loved to know his daughter still needed him. Mine had missed out on a lot.
“I love you, Father.” I stepped back and looked at the goddess. “Mother?”
“I know you will give him hell if he misbehaves, but you always have us if you need to figure out your next plan of action.”
Laughing, I kissed her on the cheek. “Love you, Mother.”
Pink tinged her normal cheek. She patted my arm. “We have more visitors. Take your rightful place by my side. Echo, take your place, too.” Echo started down the steps, but Mother called him back. “Your place is by my daughter’s side.”
My throat closed. I had the best parents ever. I took my place, and Echo stood beside me, the back of his hand brushing against mine. I hooked my pinky with his just as Torin entered the room. Was Goddess Eir finally here? He made his way to Mother’s side and whispered in her ear.
I glanced toward the entrance, but I didn’t see any new arrivals. Instead, I found Raine with her father. Grinning, she gave me a thumbs-up. Trudy, Baby Hannah, Hayden, and Jess were also around. I wondered if they had witnessed Echo’s dramatic entrance. Dev and Tammy were missing, so I knew they were with Celestia.
The announcer went to the archway separating the Throne Hall from the Waiting Hall and yelled, “Welcome Alfadir, Goddess Frigg, and the ásynjur Court to Eljudnir.”
Six warriors in black uniforms, gold capes, and horned helmets marched into the room. None carried a weapon, and I noticed why. They’d handed them over to Mother’s guards.
One by one, everyone faced the doorway and dropped to one knee. An old man with a patch over one eye entered the room. Dressed like an aging military general, he commanded attention even though he looked frail with his white beard and hair. Beside him was a middle-aged redhead, and trailing behind them were at least a dozen women in flowing gowns and capes. Behind the women were two hound dogs. Two ravens flew around the room and disappeared from view.
Odin and Frigg. My grandparents. They walked past the Grimnirs and the suitors and climbed the stairs, stopping a step below the throne.
Frigg came up the last step, her eyes moving from my parents to Eirik, then back to my parents, her expression apologetic. Mother stood, and they gripped arms in a weird hug.
“I’m very sorry we just heard about Celestia,” Frigg said. “There was a misunderstanding at the gate, but we left the second the young Valkyrie told us what was happening.”
“Then welcome to Eljudnir.” While the woman moved to hug Father, then Eirik, Mother faced the old man. For one brief moment, they had a staring contest, neither one speaking.
“I should have sent an emissary,” Odin said.
“You are here now,” Mother said, her voice neither angry nor welcoming.
“When I learned that Frigg and her court were traveling to your realm because our granddaughter was ill, I bade them a safe journey and wished the child a speedy recovery. Then I heard about another granddaughter, one I didn’t know existed, and I forgot protocol and decided to join Frigg. I hope my presence won’t inconvenience you.”
“I try not to let anyone inconvenience me. This”—she indicated me—“is your granddaughter, Einmyria. Einmyria, these are your grandparents from Asgard and the members of ásynjur Court.” She didn’t give anyone a chance to speak, her focus not shifting from my grandfather. “I’ll give you a moment with Baldur and your grandchildren while I escort Eir to Celestia’s bedchamber.” She didn’t smile, and I noticed she didn’t welcome Alfadir Odin.
“I’ll go with you, Mother,” Eirik said. “Grandpa.” He clasped his right arm with Odin. Then they hugged. “This is a nice surprise.”
“It’s a start.”
“I’ll be back. I want to be there when Celestia wakes up.” Eirik bowed to the women accompanying our grandparents, then cocked his arm to one of them, a woman with wavy gorgeous reddish-blond hair tumbling down her back, clear blue eyes, and pale freckled skin. Wearing a red dress and a blue cloak clasped with a leafy brooch, she reminded me of Aunt Svana. She wore a lot of red jewelry—necklaces and a forehead piece. “I’ll escort you to our chambers.”
As Eirik, Mother, and Eir walked away, my grandmother enveloped me in a perfumed hug. “I want to hear all about you.”
Chapter 17. Stupid Fight
For an hour, I answered questions about my life, starting with what Eirik had told them about my disappearance. Then how he’d found me, which got me talking about my life, locator runes, how they attracted souls, and my decision to help them. They exchanged glances when Father told them I was the third announcer of Ragnarok and what the Norns had told Mother about me taking over Helheim after Ragnarok.
“I want you to meet the man who helped me when I was struggling with my ability to see souls,” I said.
Echo, who’d stood to the side while I talked to my grandparents, once again stepped forward to claim his place by my side. I took his hand.
“He is also my future husband,” I added.
“How wonderful. You must bring him to Asgard, so we can get to know him better,” Grandmother said, eying Echo.
“I know you,” Grandpa added, searching Echo’s face. He’d taken Mother’s chair, and I couldn’t help but wonder how she’d react to that. I had a feeling Mother would never forgive him for the past.
“He was one of the Valkyrie rebels who turned his dying race into Immortals, dyrr mín,” grandmother said. “I never forget a face. And if I remember correctly, your sentence to serve Hel was over centuries ago. Why didn’t you return to us?”
“I chose to stay out of my loyalty to my goddess, Goddess Frigg, but it seems this is where I was meant to belong.” Echo took my hand. “It is my destiny to be with Einmyria, and she is the future of Helheim.”
“So it seems,” Grandfather added. “I guess everything I did led to this moment.”
Grandmother chuckled. “I told you, didn’t I? No matter what we did to reshape the future, we cannot change the threads the Norns have weaved. Is it possible you could travel with our granddaughter and her young man to Asgard, Son?”