Heels echoed off the stone floors, and I waited in my position until the lady herself stalked around me. The human half of her face was contorted into annoyance, her skeletal half as indifferent as ever as she glanced back. She was wearing one of her long, black gowns, the train of it following her as she walked away. Hel was taller than me in demon form and would look downright enormous next to a human. Her mere existence exuded power and confidence, and she was not someone I would cross. Though, she was my queen, the reason I existed, so I would be stupid to challenge her anyway. A death wish, and we were already in Helheim, there was no death beyond this.
Her skeletal beast padded just behind her, a loyal pet who was never far from her side. It was the size of a lion which meant it only reached her knees. He was forged from the same bone and fire we were. Unlike us, he was used to dole out her punishments, erasing any demon or soul who crossed her from existence.
Vibrant blue fires lit the torches around the room as she walked past them, a fresh fire roaring to life in the fireplace and the braziers hanging above us, giving a sense of life to the castle I stood in.
Ironic, since we only dealt with the dead.
“Why have you come here?” she demanded. The Lady of Helheim looked fierce, dark hair billowing around her as in icy breeze cut past. I barely noticed the cold anymore, especially since I was created from it. This was her realm now, her portion of the afterlife, and she had created my army and me from its bones. The stone, ice, and cold fire burned within me, connecting me to this realm, and its ruler, forever. I’d have felt trapped by that fact if not for the ability to infiltrate the human realm. Our portal at Dark Haven gave us just enough power to feed there, to exist outside of here, to keep our sanity. The deal we struck with Vane to keep us fed, strong, was the only reason he still lived.
“My lady. I need to speak to the human. Our deal is suffering because of his actions,” I said. That had her pausing for a moment before finally perching on her throne. Her pet, Sköll, looked at me as it passed—as if its annoyance at my interruption mattered—before settling at her side. She stroked his bony face and coarse fur like she was petting a puppy as she studied me.
“And how has he caused harm to our deal?” she asked coldly. She always had a strange way of speaking, slow yet purposeful so you had to concentrate to catch each word. She was beautiful, terrifyingly so, a mix of impeccable human beauty and glittering bones. I could see why she was locked away in this realm, it fit her well.
“He’s touched what’s mine. Dared to claim her body like it was his right.” She let out a cold chuckle.
“The human child?”
“She’s no longer a child,” I said in a snarl that had her laughter filling the room. “He knows not to cross me, yet he touched what is mine. It is myrightto kill him.”
“You won’t.” It wasn’t a challenge but an order.
“My queen,” I argued. “She was gifted tome.”
“Byme. And I make the laws here. Don’t you forget that, Ivar,” she warned me. Her demeanor changed from impartial to angry. I thought she was beautiful before, now she was equally as intimidating. But I wasn’t the type to cower.
“I’ve followed your treaty with him, and you’ve allowed my army a way to feed, but she is not part of that deal,” I reminded her firmly. “You know she’s far too important.”
She sat again at my warning, muttering something until Vane was standing next to me. The sight of him had me rushing forward, but I was quickly bound by bones protruding from the ground, imprisoning my feet before I could maul the man like he really deserved. It was a test of my loyalty, of my ability to heed her warnings, and I’d failed. The bones were sharp and dug into me, but I barely registered the pain, my anger was all-consuming, and I let it fester within me, overwhelming everything else.
“Don’t test me, Ivar,” she warned me.
“My lady,” he said with an exaggerated bow, though his eyes cut nervously to me several times.
Hel said nothing in response, letting him worry over what he was summoned for in the middle of the night. “What can I do for you?”
“We have a problem,” she said simply, sweeping her hand my way. In his haste to please her, he missed me.
I didn’t have to move to flex my power, wrapping the suffocating shadows over him and lifting him in the air. His face turned purple as he clawed at his throat, unable to break the hold.
“Ivar.” Hel’s words were sharp, and I was forced to drop him. We both knew I was testing my boundaries and position with Hel, but she seemed to sense the importance of this and was giving me mercy.
Something I was grateful for. Hel’s fury was swift and cold, and I wanted no part of it.
The human man was shaking in fear as he pushed himself off of the floor, my gesture getting through his severely inflated ego.
Good.
“What have I done to displease you, my lady?” he rasped out, coughing and sputtering for air now that he could breathe again.
“We warned you that Harlow was different,” Hel said. A foreboding filled the air, oppressive and acrid as she stood again, letting the full brunt of her displeasure hit us. Satisfaction burrowed into my chest. “Yet you took liberties with her that were not yours to take. She is mine. And a gift for the commander of my army.” If possible, Vane paled further as he took several steps back. For a man who ran the institute with a twisted, yet confident dominance, he looked nothing but an insect now. Insignificant. Terrified. Small.
Good.
“Let me kill him?” I asked Hel. She considered it for several minutes, going on long enough that Vane’s breathing turned erratic, his fear filling the air until I could easily breathe it in. The creatures in my army needed those high emotions to feed. I didn’t require it to continue living, but I could enjoy it, nonetheless.
“P-p-please, my queen,” he stuttered out. Spit flew from his lips and he fell to his knees, cowering before her.
“No, Ivar. Not yet,” she said finally. “But you need to remember you are easily replaced, Vane. Touch her again and you’ll be signing your warrant. I assure you that my commander is not the only one after your life.”