Page 118 of Fallen Gods

“Bathroom?” I ask.

Reeve points down the hall, then jabs a finger in my direction. “If you’re not back here in five, I’m sending a search party. Or a firing squad. And you.” He points that same finger at Aric. “Dibs on chasing this one away if she so much as thinks about giving herself a tour. You shouldn’t get to have all the fun.”

“To think I’d need to even chase to catch her,” Aric says in a dark voice.

Chills run down my spine.

Reeve’s eyes narrow, but there’s a teasing glint there. “Enough with the innuendos, assholes. Just get out of my house and down to the beach. The sun’s setting, there’s music, food, and plenty of other people who also can’t decide if they want to kill or fuck each other.”

I feel my entire body heat. “Why choose?” I ask Arik.

“Couldn’t agree more,” he says, leaning in, his eyes falling to my mouth. He licks his lips. A warning or a promise? A shiver runs down my spine.

Reeve looks between us and curses. “Bathroom. You. Get the fuck out.”

“Right.” I nod. “Yes.” I was going to try to steal Aric away toput in motion our plan for the party. My eyes fly to his, but he’s looking back at Reeve, who’s already gotten distracted by a freshman who wandered into the kitchen looking for the keg.

“Reeve!”Ziva’s voice sounds from outside. “Get your ass out here now! You have a pet snake!”

Reeve pales, the freshman already forgotten. “Leave Jory alone! He doesn’t like loud people, he bites, he’s a rescue!” And then he’s running off to save his snake, leaving Aric and me laughing out loud at the ridiculousness of his brother.

And then I realize this is how it should be.

This reality right here.

Laughing. Enjoying life.

I decide however short-lived, I’m going to do that—enjoy this moment—because who knows when I’ll have anything close to it ever again?

I turn and head in the direction Reeve indicated. Loud footsteps follow, causing me to smile. I know Aric’s walk now. This isn’t good. I cannot catch feelings.Willnot.

Already have.

Damn it! Ever since the heart-to-heart by the lake, things feel different, no matter how many times I try to push him away or draw a line.

Could it be fate, then? Our journey? Mjölnir calling to me through him? Or is it something more? What’s causing this shift inmetoward him?

I’ll just add those to the list of questions I’ll probably never get answers to.

“It’s that door,” Aric says from behind me. I stop and turn to say thank you, but I pause. In the hallway next to the bathroom are three paintings.

Familiar paintings. “Seems like I’m not the only one who grew up with the happy part of the story,” I say.

Aric snorts. “He collects art, and these are interpretations ofthem.”

“Nightfrost,” I breathe. “They’re stunning.”

One shows a beautiful woman with hair down to her feet staring at her hand, where a blue diamond rests. The next is of Thor holding his hammer toward the sky. They’re alone, though. Separated.

The other rendition is of the two of them being broken apart by Odin, a ring falling out of her hand the same way Mjölnir falls out of Thor’s. I wince. So maybe in the end, they both lost, or maybe it’s just a story of forbidden love, betrayal, and all the sad things I shouldn’t be focused on when I’m so close to getting Mjölnir.

“It would be nice, though,” I whisper. “If love stories like that were real.”

Aric leans over until his breath is on my neck. “Too bad they aren’t.”

“Right.” I nod and point at the bathroom. “Well, you should probably get down there so Reeve doesn’t flip. We’ll just keep up the act until we can safely slip away.”

“Don’t get lost.” He looks like he wants to say more, but instead he turns on his heel and walks back down the hall.