And just like that, the conversation shifted to my father, and I learned something interesting—this was the first time my grandparents had visited Helheim and their first glimpse of Father since he’d arrived here.
Instead of answering Grandmother, Father urged me to mingle with the guests. “Let them know you. Echo, you stay here and keep watch. As you can see, you won’t miss a thing from up here.”
My father had a cruel streak, and I had a feeling he meant to make Echo prove himself in more ways than what he’d said. I wasn’t worried. From Echo’s expression and the smile he gave me, he didn’t seem bothered by our temporary separation. He knew he had me.
He escorted me to the foot of the steps and paused to say, “I love you.”
“Love you more.”
He chuckled.
“Rescue me if you see me drowning,” I said.
“No, you’re going to shine like you’ve been doing since you got here. I’m so proud of you.”
He knew exactly what to say to make me feel good. Still smiling, I joined the men stuffing their faces and drinking Mother’s wine and mead. Sure they’d ignore me now that they knew I was unavailable, I was surprised when they flocked around me and tried to outdo each other.
“May I send you an invitation to visit my realm?” someone asked, followed by a description of his realm.
“Yes, I’d love to visit sometime.” More invitations followed, and I gave the same answer. Someone must have told them Echo had a year to prove he was worthy of my love, and I knew the culprit. My eyes met my father’s and caught his grin. He was going to make Echo sweat. I just knew it. I was tempted to tell Mother. No, what Echo and I had was strong enough to weather any storm.
Once again, I had to answer questions about where I’d been all these years. I gave them a shorter version of what I’d told my grandparents. Some wanted to know about life on Earth. They found things we did on Earth peculiar and were laughing at something I’d said when Goddess Eir returned to the hall with members of the ásynjur Court. I’d wondered where they’d disappeared to. I excused myself.
“How is Celestia?”
“She is up and will join us shortly,” the Asgardian healer said. She introduced members of Frigg’s court, but not a single name stuck. They were all goddesses in their own right and unmarried. They regaled me with stories of their work until silence filled the room, and I saw why.
Mother was back with Eirik and Celestia, who wore a gorgeous hunter-green gown with a Victorian collar and trumpet sleeves. A sheer shawl with lace around the edges completed the outfit. It was Boho and elegant, and it was the same dress she’d worn in my vision when Echo fought the J?tun.
Damn!
Echo was still by the throne, a half smile on his lips. He didn’t seem ready to kill anyone. In fact, he’d worn a benign expression ever since I joined the disappointed suitors on the floor. Raine had said I could alter a vision if I told those in it, and I assumed I’d done just that. Where was she?
The rest of the evening was a blur. I ate and talked, but the worry that I might not have prevented the scene in my visions ate at me. Our grandparents left first, and the hall cleared soon after.
“Are you really okay?” I asked Celestia as we left the hall. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her since she’d joined us, except for the brief hug.
“Oh, yes. Eir helped a lot by speeding up my energy production. I hope one day I can be as good as she is. I even met the cute little girl responsible for my coma.”
“Baby Hannah,” I said.
She chuckled. “Baby Hannah. She is so adorable and powerful for one so young. I remember hearing baby giggles while in the AP, just before the dark energy reached me.”
“The day you went looking for whoever stole my blanket?”
She gave me a sheepish grin and nodded. “Yes. I think they were chasing her.”
“You knew it was Mother who took my blanket, didn’t you?”
“Yup. I was with her outside your school several times, but she came to the farm on her own to confirm you were the one. Sorry I couldn’t tell you the truth at the time. Even Eirik didn’t know we’d sneaked out to see you. And I’m sorry I messed up your homecoming.”
I chuckled. “You made it memorable. Because of you, our grandparents finally visited Helheim. Because of you, I had to tell would-be suitors not to bother because I’m already taken.”
“I’ll accept the suitor thing, but Alfadir didn’t come to see me.” She stifled a yawn. “Have you seen the guys? I’m a bit tired, but I’m scared of going to bed alone. I know it’s stupid, but I want Eirik around when I do.”
“No, that makes perfect sense, especially with Baby Hannah still around. The last time I saw them, they were with the Asgardian group.”
“Can we ask the parents?” We stopped and looked behind us. My parents were coming toward us, but they didn’t seem to be in a hurry. I caught the knowing gleam in Celestia’s eyes. “What?”
“I love that you’ve embraced them. Eirik was worried you might not because your parents back at home are awesome. His were lacking, so it was easy for him to open his heart to the goddess and Baldur.”
I guessed Mom and Dad would always be my first parents, but I didn’t see why I couldn’t have two sets of them. “They aren’t perfect, my Kayville parents, but they are loving. And the ones here are pretty awesome, too, and also imperfect. It’s easy to love them.”
“Who is easy to love?” Baldur asked, having heard the last sentence.
“You and Mother.” Surprise flickered across their faces. “This evening would have been a disaster if it weren’t for you two. Thanks for making sure everything went smoothly and for accepting Echo.”
Father shook his head. “We haven’t—”
Mother backhanded his chest and cut him off. “Echo is an honorable man, and you two are perfect together.”
Father chuckled, placing one arm around my shoulder and the other around Celestia. “The success of this evening rests solely on your shoulders, beloved daughter. You accepted invitations from every single suitor on the floor and made them feel like they still have a chance with you.”
“Oh no.” I covered my face. “I was trying to be polite.”
“Next time, tell them you’ll discuss it with me,” Mother said. “That should stop them cold. Otherwise, the evening wasn’t bad.”
“They finally came,” Father reminded her.
“Doesn’t change a thing,” she retorted.
I knew they were talking about the Asgardians.
We reached the rotunda, and Father dropped a kiss on my temple and Celestia’s. “Are you two waiting up for your boys?”
“Yes. Where did they go?”
“They escorted your grandparents home,” he said. “They used a different portal, not the one at Gj?ll Pass.”
“We’ll wait for them.” I hugged him. “Goodnight, Father. Don’t give Echo a hard time, or we’ll elope.”
The look on his face was priceless. I could have threatened him with moving back to Earth and never coming back, but I couldn’t be that cruel. Besides, I knew I could never walk away from them. They were my parents as much as Mom and Dad back in Kayville.
“I’m just messing with him,” I whispered to Mother. “When I marry, I want your support one hundred percent, my two dads walking me down the aisle and giving me away, and my two moms playing matrons of honor.”
“I will?” she asked, pink tinging her normal cheek, and the runes on the other sped up.
“Absolutely. Matron of honor is reserved for mother of the bride. That means you will manage everything. Echo doesn’t have parents, so you’ll have to make sure he and the gentlemen are dressed and ready. You have to make sure everything goes smoothly, flowers done perfectly, the correct music selected, food for all the guests done to perfection, seating arrangements, and, above all, take the stress off me. You will be the second most important person at the wedding.”
“I think you should elope,” she said with a deadpan expression. Celestia and I laughed. She had a dry sense of humor, but this time, I wasn’t sure whether she was serious or not. I wanted a wedding. The bigger the better.
“Are you serious?” I asked.
She chuckled. “No, Daughter. I’m joking.”