Her gaze turned to the small pup, asleep in the crook of his father’s arm. “They do. I give you permission to enter my home. For your safety and that of Drakk, go as soon as you can.”
The demon brothers bowed their heads. “You do us a great honor, my lady. One we will treasure.” Brig raised his gaze to hers. “We pledge our loyalty and service to you and those you love, my lady.”
Hel smiled, and a bittersweet pain settled in Émilien’s heart. Whether she loved him or not, he would love her for eternity. Damn the Norns for the part they played in ruining his life. Urd, the goddess of fate, would pay one day. He’d make sure of that.
“Thank you,” Hel whispered. “Don’t delay.” Her gaze shifted to Fer-Diorich before returning to the brothers, giving them a pointed stare. Émilien stared at his wife, proud of her for picking up on the fact that the Fae would capture them as soon as he’d sent the two of them on their way home.
A familiar red glow appeared in the corner of his eyes, and he turned to see the three disappear through a small portal. Hearing the curse behind them, Émilien smiled down at Hel.That’s my girl.Getting one up on one of the most evil beings in the Multiverse was impressive. His lighter mood darkened as her words replayed in his mind, but he knew he would always think of her as his, no matter what came out of her mouth.
He tucked away the tiny smidgen of hope and turned to face the Fae. “Who is this person after me? I know of no one, other than you, who wishes me harm.”
“The only thing I have discovered is a single name. Whufak.”
“Excuse you.” Émilien smirked.
“Oh, shut it. You are just as annoying these many centuries later as you were in your youth. Will you ever grow up?”
He chuckled. “I hope not. It’s strange anyone would be named Whufak, though. In ancient Elvish, it meansthe one.”
Shaking his head, Fer-Diorich rolled his eyes. “Be that as it may, whether or not you like each other, hold tight. You never know what might come at you while traveling ley lines.” Before Émilien could ask what he meant, the Fae said a single word, then clapped his hands.
Grabbing Hel, he pulled her into his embrace as they were sucked from the cave. As if in a vortex, a violent wind whipped at them as they traveled along a glowing white line that zig-zagged through the inky void surrounding them. There was no sound, not even wind as they flew along the ley line. There was neither heat nor cold but a seeming emptiness of everything.
“Is it over yet?” Hel’s muffled voice asked.
He glanced down and smiled. The woman who had just stood up to one of the worst Fae in existence now cowered against him, her face buried in his chest fur. He’d laugh if it wouldn’t piss her off, so he answered instead. “I don’t know. I’ve never traveled by ley line before.”
Reaching down, he gently placed his claw under her chin and lifted her face. Seeing her eyes clenched shut, he chuckled. “Hel, this is an experience you may never get again. Open your eyes. There’s nothing here that will hurt you. Literally. There’snothinghere.”
She cracked open one eyelid and peeked through. Both eyes opened as she glanced around in wonder. “You weren’t joking. Other than the glowing line below us, there’s only emptiness. So strange,” She looked around, even peering around him to see what they’d left behind. “You would thinksomethingwould be here.”
Their speed slowed then jerked to a stop. Before them, a golden line appeared, surrounded by a silvery-white ethereal light. The line widened, then parted at the center and spread open, reminding him of a cat’s eye. Something tugged at him.
“What are you doing?” Hel asked, giving him a strange look.
“I’m not doing anything. Did you feel something too?”
She nodded. “It felt as if something were pulling me away from you.” The force between them increased, and he could see the fear on her face. “Émilien.”
He pulled her close, holding her head against his chest. “Stay strong, izr?.” He kissed the top of her head as she held onto him with a fierce grip as they were sucked through the golden portal and slammed against something hard. Refusing to give her up, he rolled onto his back, still holding Hel.
“Well, isn’t this interesting. Nice entrance, Hel. Impressive until the landing. Very gracefully done. Very graceful, indeed.”
“Shut up, Baldr,” Hel muttered, her face still pressed against Émilien. “You can let me go now. I don’t think anyone in my own throne room is going to hurt me.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” a second gravelly voice muttered on the other side of them.
With a high-pitched squeak, Hel jerked away from Émilien and rushed to her brother. She threw her arms around his wide neck, not even reaching either side. “Please, Fenrir, he didn’t mean anything. He was only helping me.”
“I may be a wolf, sister, but I can also recognize protection when I see it. He took the brunt of the fall, which was impressive and quite disturbing at the same time. You fell through the castle from the sky above. How is that even possible?”
“Ley lines,” Émilien said in a scratchy voice. “Damn, but I never want to do that again. I think my back’s broken.”
Baldr chuckled and held out a hand, which Émilien took as the god helped him upright. “With what we just witnessed, I’m surprised that’s the only thing broken. You know, the necessary things for males and all.”
Émilien gave him a droll glare. “Seriously?” He leaned forward, giving the ornery god a hug and slapping him on the back. “It’s good to see you again, Baldr. Believe it or not, I’ve actually missed your strange sense of humor.”
Baldr patted his back a couple of times before stepping away. “It’s good to see you too, wolfman, although the last time, you looked a bit healthier. Did you stop eating meat?”