“Jotunheim.”
Odin cursed under his breath. “And why did you go to Jotunheim?”
Vali rubbed his face warily. If the power was protected from his all-seeing eye, that meant he didn’t know about Ailsa. Somehow the idea comforted him. “The Tether is bound to a human soul, not an artifact. We were traveling and she fell into the River Irving. I had no choice but to bring her to the closest hall or she would have died, and I would have lost the Tether… again.”
The god stared somewhere beyond where they were sitting, considering his words. “Do the giants know?”
“No, but we risk them finding out every second she is there. They are holding her hostage until I steal Mjolnir for them.”
“What do they want with Thor’s hammer?”
“To bargain with in a marriage proposal to Freya.”
Odin groaned, rubbing his forehead like this conversation was giving him a massive headache. “Forget Ragnarok, Freya is going to kill us all if we agree to such a thing.”
“Then don’t. Find a way out of it as the Aesir always do. It is not my concern how you get the hammer back, only that you let me take it. Otherwise, your power will remain in Jotunheim.”
Odin tapped his long fingers against his chin. “Will you bring her to Alfheim after?”
“I vowed to return the power to my land. Frey can bring her with him when he leaves the fae lands.”
Odin stood and approached the well once more, searching for the answer to his doubts. “I think you should go back to Jotunheim, slay the beasts, and take back what is ours, Vali. That is what any son of mine would do.”
“I am not Thor,” he spat. “I do not have a hammer that can crush a giant’s skull in one blow—”
“You have more power in your pinky finger than Thor has strength in his bicep.” Odin cut him off. “You slaughtered the humans without a second thought, and now you show weakness to giants?”
“I had an army to face the mortals. I am but one man in a realm of monsters who could squash her before I draw my blade. What would you have me do?”
Odin shrugged. “Let them. Let the power tether to something else and then search for it again. But I will not let the giants try to manipulate the Aesir. Especially not for Freya.”
Vali was seething, hot blood burnished his veins. “I’ve never asked you for anything, and the moment I do, you say no.”
“Your request is foolish.”
“Foolish? Yes. I was foolish to come here.” He stood to leave but the god made no move to stop him. Vali laughed a heartless sound before turning back to his father. “She brought me back to life, you know.”
This sparked the god’s interest. He looked at the elfin over his shoulder and Vali continued, “I was hit by lightning in a helstorm, and she brought me to life with Gullveig’s power. You want to keep your beloved son in Helheim? Fine. But the key to his revival is in Jotunheim and you’re about to throw it away for gods know how much longer because you do not want to take away your child’s favorite toy.”
“How dare you speak to me—”
“If you let her die in the hands of giants, I will not search for the Tether again. I will not let you abandon that woman and continue on like it never happened. Kill me for all I care.”
Odin was facing him now with an arched brow, his hands on his hips and snarl across his lip. Everything before this had been an act. How Odin really felt about him was obvious in the here and now, the way he was looking back at him like he was his greatest disappointment.
“Thor is getting drunk with Tyr in his chambers. I will speak with Loki about retrieving the hammer, but you may have to wait until he falls asleep. You may use Njords old chambers, since he demanded to go back to Vanaheim, and meet me here tomorrow morning. I’m sure between the gods, one of us can figure out how to get us out of the mess you’ve made.”
“Thanks for your help,” he said bitterly, turning to leave.
“But Vali?” His steps paused and Odin continued, “I promised your mother I would remove Frey from the fae realms should you succeed. But if you fail, if you think for a moment you can keep Gullveig’s power from me or try to use it against me, so help me, Vali, you will regret the day you defied me.”
“I have no interest in your witch’s power—”
“Then what are you interested in? What is your endgame in all of this?”
Restoring his realm, fulfilling his calling, becoming the man his mother wanted—needed—him to become. All his motivations now seemed superficial and shallow. He was only here because of choices made for him, his life predetermined by a single dream. His immortal life was meaningless, and his father knew it. Men like Vali were easier to control when they had nothing to live for.
He left without giving Odin an answer.