Page 35 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings (Love X Magic #3)

“You’ve got this,” Rune whispered as the doors ground to a stop. Garm directed us inward with his snout, and I offered Rune a weary smile, grateful she’d demanded to be here with me.

“Thanks, Garm,” I said as I passed him, noticing how beautiful his big brown eyes were.

Out under the light of the moon, his eyes looked like nothing but white orbs.

I was once again left wondering what was real and what was a mere fear- inducing hallucination, a warning to turn around and never come back.

Walking through the double doors, Garm stayed behind, but Rune was firmly at my side. Hel was waiting for me on a high backed throne crafted from the same onyx as the floor, as if it had risen from the base of the palace in the shape and size perfect for the goddess.

I didn’t meet her eyes as I approached her, but I kept my shoulders squarely in her direction at all times. When I stood before her throne, I bent the knee, chin pointed to my ribs.

“Rise, Kari Kettlesdotter,” Hel said, and I didn’t wait to follow her command.

The soles of my boots found the floor once more, and I raised my gaze to finally look upon the goddess of death and ultimate ruler of the underworld.

Half of her hair was ash blonde, the other half as black as the stone she sat upon.

On the side of her hair that was black as death, the skin on her face was peeled back to the bone.

She was one of the three monsters born of Loki and the giantess, Angrboda, and because of that, I’d imagined her to be far more frightening.

The skeleton part to her face was not gory, reminding me of finding a beautiful skull in the forest of Stormheim.

Runes were carved into it, but I was too far from her to read what they said.

I realized I was staring at her, and I wasn’t sure if it was my turn to speak, or if I should wait until she told me to. Or maybe she knew exactly why I was here and was about to go on a long tirade about my horrible, curse-worthy ancestors.

“Why have you come to see me, mortal? Why come all this way?” she asked, and that knocked a few theories off my list.

“Greetings, Hel.” I dipped my head again out of respect.

“I have travelled across the realms to ask that the ancestral curse placed upon my family be lifted so I may return to Midgard. And…I would like my companion to come back with me.” I held Tove up, and he went limp in my arms when he came face to face with the goddess.

“You defied all odds to stand before me, and I admire that,” she said. “But what you speak of is not a curse.”

“It… With all respect, it feels like a curse,” I said, trying not to let her words rattle me. This was a curse, and I wasn’t leaving until it was fucking lifted.

Hel sighed, flicking black hair over her shoulder. “What you speak of is my gift. And clearly, it has gone to waste on the ungrateful.”

My fists clenched at my sides, and I bit my tongue before I said something I’d regret. I could sense Rune watching me, and I wondered if she was expecting me to lunge at the goddess any minute now. I wouldn’t.

I won’t, I told myself again so the idea would stick.

“A gift?” I asked, keeping my voice light and pleasant. “How so? Maybe I have misunderstood.”

“I did not curse your ancestors to have rotting eyes, as you seem to believe,” she started, and I suddenly grew very weary of this goddess and the knowledge she held.

“I can’t place curses. I can bestow gifts.

I gifted your ancestor, Norfrid Bosdotter, with eyes of the dead.

With this gift, she was able to see the dead as I do, or similarly enough.

No one will ever truly see them as I do, but it was as close as a mortal could get.

I was kind enough to allow this gift to be passed to each first daughter from thereon.

Norfrid’s daughter was born with the same abilities, though I made a minor revision so only she could see the true nature of her appearance.

Norfrid rejoined me far too quickly due to her… challenges with the village folk.”

“Was she killed because of how she looked?” I held back the fact that Hel made her look that way. She had caused her death.

“It was unfortunate, yes. I rather did like her, but I suppose she’s here now, isn’t she?” Hel gave me a proud smile. “I quite enjoy having your line here with me.”

“Why did you bestow this…gift upon her?”

“She made an offering for it, of course. I believed it could be quite useful to have a witness to the dead on Midgard. Their eyes are my eyes.” Hel’s singular white eye flickered, and for a moment, it looked just like mine.

I stumbled back, and a strangled scream left my lips against my will.

“Don’t fret, child. It is not just your eyes I see from, but all eyes of the gifted ones. ”

“Fuck that!” I yelled, spit flying from my mouth as I did.

Hel’s eye returned to its white, blank slate.

Rune grabbed my arm, muttering something, but I couldn’t hear her over the pounding in my head.

All this time? I’d thought the worst thing about my curse was the superficial look of it, but that was nothing compared to the privacy stolen from me.

Sure, she was a goddess. She had more important things to do than watch my boring life every day, but what had she seen?

What moments had she sat in on without my knowledge or consent?

“Watch yourself, mortal. It’s best you don’t forget where you are. You don’t plan on staying in my realm, do you?”

My jaw ticked as I held it shut. The being I just yelled profanities at was the only one in all of existence who could permanently destroy my soul, and I didn’t know where she drew the line. Maybe all it took was a displaced mortal screaming in her face.

“No, I think I’ve made that pretty clear,” I grunted.

Rune groaned beside me, but she didn’t try to correct me or do damage control.

“So you have,” Hel sneered. “Despite your lack of gratitude for the power I have given you, I will not take back what has been given. My power lives within you now. Separating you from it would surely destroy your soul, and, well, that would be quite the waste.”

“It’s a good thing my line will die out then. You’ll hold nothing over my family anymore,” I said, the bitter, petty words dripping off my tongue like poison. If more cursed spies was what she wanted, I’d be the last person to give them to her.

“It will die out, yes,” Hel said before turning her attention to Rune. “You haven’t told her yet, have you?”

Rune’s mouth parted, and then she looked at me with regret on her face I’d never forget.

“No, I suppose you haven’t.” Hel emitted a smooth laugh that chilled my flesh. “You may not return to Midgard. That is, unless you’d like your life to end. If that’s the case, I will happily host you here.”

I didn’t look at Hel as I asked, “What do you mean?” My eyes were locked solely on the valkyrie who’d been keeping this from me.

If I couldn't return to Midgard, I was as good as dead. I’d never see Hilda again, never see my longhouse, never lay in my horribly uncomfortable bed, prepare a spell for another client, or open the box of wildflower bracelets given to me by Haddy.

“Kari…” Rune said before squeezing her lips together.

“You gave me the illusion of choice. I was never returning to Midgard, was I?” I asked, my hands trembling with the untapped energy within me.

Rune flinched, her hand tightening on the hilt of her sword. When she opened her mouth, her words pierced my very soul. “No, seeress. You weren’t.”