War of the Realms

  Terror clutched Freya’s heart. “They’re heading to the farm!”

  Freya grabbed Archie and leaped off the side of the mountain. Flapping her wings with all her might, she drove toward the valley. Even before she got close, the sound of gunfire echoed in the mountains.

  “It sounds like a war down there!” Archie cried. “Faster, Gee. Fly faster!”

  When they cleared the trees and flew over the lake, Freya saw a long line of military trucks tearing down the dirt road toward the farm. As they flew closer, they saw even more were already at the farm. Soldiers were pouring out with their weapons raised. Some were firing into the barn. Helicopters landed in the paddocks as more soldiers arrived.

  They could hear Thor shouting and the sound of his hammer smashing the ground. The sides of the barn rattled and soldiers were knocked off their feet.

  Freya touched down on the closest shore, and she and Archie raced into the trees. But before they made it into the clearing of the farm, something attacked Freya from behind and tackled her to the ground.

  A hand slammed against her mouth. The grip of her attacker was terrifyingly strong as she squealed and struggled in the viselike arms. No matter how hard she fought, or how much she flapped her wings to cast him off, she could not break free.

  “Freya, stop fighting me!” Loki hushed. “Soldiers are everywhere. Stay quiet or they’ll hear you.”

  “Let her go!” Archie cried.

  “Not until she promises to stay quiet and not go charging in there.”

  Freya squealed again and tried to break free of Loki’s grip, but he was much stronger than she ever imagined.

  “I told you to keep quiet!” he ordered. “I’ll release my hand if you do. Will you stay quiet?”

  Defeated, Freya nodded reluctantly. When Loki removed his hand, she looked up into his blazing eyes. “Get off me. They’re taking my family!”

  “That’s my family in there too!” Loki challenged, still holding her fast. “Brundi, Vonni, Sarah, and the kids may not be my blood, but they’re family just the same. But if you go charging in there, they’ll capture you, too.”

  “Not if you change into a dragon or even a full frost giant and we attack them.”

  “Then what?” Loki demanded. “More will come. This is not the time to engage the Midgard military. We have a plan and this is all part of it!”

  “What plan?” Archie demanded.

  “If you promise not to go flying in there, I’ll tell you,” Loki said. “Do we have an agreement?”

  Freya stared into Loki’s eyes and couldn’t decide if he was telling the truth. Finally she relaxed in his grip. “All right, I’ll listen. But if you’re lying to me . . .”

  “I’m not.” Loki let her go and rose to his feet. He offered her his hand.

  Freya swatted it away. “I can do it myself.”

  When she was on her feet, Loki scanned the area, checking that they were still alone. “Follow me. We’ll get closer so you can see what’s happening. But if you try anything, I’ll stop you—and we both know I can.”

  Loki led them through the trees. Keeping low and hidden, they moved toward the farm. Freya gasped when the large red barn came into view. It was surrounded by rows of armed soldiers.

  “Look how many are here!” Archie cried.

  Ahead of them, the soldiers pressed forward. They shouted orders into the barn, threatening to open fire and demanding that everyone surrender.

  “Thor will never surrender,” Freya said softly.

  “He’ll die before he does,” Orus added.

  “Just watch,” Loki said. “I told you, it’s all part of the plan.”

  No sooner were the words out of his mouth than they heard Thor’s booming voice. “Hold your fire—there are innocent humans in here. We are coming out!”

  Thor and Balder appeared at the entrance. Both had their hands in the air—though Thor still clutched his hammer. Directly behind him were the Dark Searchers. They were back in their full armor and helmets, though their swords were stowed away in their sheaths. With their hands up and large black wings open, they surrendered.

  Freya sought out her brother among them and saw him advancing with the others, though he kept his white wings closed.

  Behind them were the Valkyries. Freya’s mother and sisters were also in their battle armor, but without their helmets, their wings open and arms raised in surrender.

  “Why are they allowing themselves to be seen?” Freya asked. “If they wore their helmets, they’d be invisible and safe.”

  “Keep watching,” Loki whispered.

  Soldiers rushed forward and tried to put restraints on the Dark Searchers. Even though they lowered their hands, they refused to allow themselves to be chained.

  When a soldier approached Freya’s mother, she pulled her hands away. “We’re Valkyries. If you touch us, you’ll die. We will do as you ask and go with you, but no one must ever lay a hand on us.”

  “Eir, don’t do it,” Orus cawed.

  Freya watched helplessly as her family, Thor, Balder, and the Dark Searchers were captured by army soldiers and loaded into the military trucks.

  “Now do you understand?” Loki asked. “You know they could easily fight off the soldiers, but they’ve let themselves be captured. It’s the only way.”

  “Why?” Freya asked.

  “We know we can’t fight the giants here on Earth alone,” Loki whispered. “We need help. But simply asking the military would not work. They have to feel they are in command. After all the sightings of you on Earth, and with the noisy arrival of Thor, Balder, and the Dark Searchers last night, they had to know about us and track us here. So Vonni had a plan. It took some doing to convince the others to go along with it, but they finally agreed to let themselves be captured. Then they’ll tell the military command what’s coming.”

  “You don’t actually think they’ll believe them?” Archie cried.

  “They will the moment the first frost or fire giant steps foot on Earth.”

  “Then what?” Orus demanded.

  “Then, hopefully, they will work with us to stop the invasion.”

  “And if they don’t?” Archie asked.

  “If they don’t, Thor and the others will simply break free and go after the giants themselves.”

  Archie stepped away from them and walked closer to the trees. “I don’t like it, and I don’t trust you! Why are you here and not there with the others?”

  “You don’t have to trust me, ghost!” Loki spat. “And I’m not here for you. My job is to stop Freya from doing something stupid like getting herself captured along with the others. . . .”

  “Why?” Freya demanded.

  Loki sighed and combed his fingers through his long dark hair. “Because we have our own mission.”

  “What mission? What are you talking about?” Orus cawed.

  Loki grinned. “We’re going to cause the trouble between the giant kings and stop this war!”

  “What?” Freya cried.

  Loki slammed his hand across her mouth and shoved Freya up against a tree. “Shut up! Are you trying to get caught with the others?”

  “I’m warning you, let her go!” Archie charged at him.

  “Or what?” Loki challenged. His eyes burned red with fury as he turned on Archie. “What will you do, ghost?”

  The tension between Archie and Loki was quickly getting out of hand. Freya reached up and pulled Loki’s hand away from her mouth. “Stop it, both of you!” she said. “All right, I’m listening.”

  Loki glared at Archie a moment longer. He stepped away from Freya and reached for a package hidden behind a tree. “Not here. Let’s go somewhere we can talk without fear of you doing something stupid!”

  Freya looked back toward the barn to see her mother and sisters climbing up into the back of a large truck. Mims was among them, looking frightened. The worst thing, though, was seeing Vonni, Sarah, and the baby being separated from the rest. They were taken to a car and
put in the backseat. Even before the trucks moved, the car pulled away from the farm, taking her uncle, aunt, and infant cousin to an uncertain future.

  Every nerve in her body screamed for her to do something. Anything. That was her family being taken away. Even though it was part of a greater plan, it was still tearing at her heart to watch.

  “All right,” she finally said. “It’s almost dark out. I know where we can go.” She faced Loki. “But if you’re lying to me, I swear I’ll kill you.”

  4

  BY THE TIME NIGHT FELL, Freya, Archie, and Loki were back at the top of the mountain.

  “So this is where you hang out,” Loki said, putting his large bundle down.

  “I don’t hang out,” Freya countered. “But we do come here to think.” She turned on the troublemaker. “All right, you wanted to talk—so talk.”

  Loki paused, and then something strange happened. His air of self-confidence slipped away. His shoulders slumped and his expression became unreadable. He wouldn’t look up to meet her eyes. “I know what you and everyone else thinks of me,” he started. “I’ve known all my life and usually I don’t care. But I do now.”

  Freya knew him too well to be completely fooled. But still, there was something in his expression that seemed genuine. “What changed?”

  “This—the war.”

  “You mean because everyone thinks you’re behind it?” Archie said.

  Loki’s eyes darkened for a fraction of a second, but then he nodded. “I’m not. But I can’t convince the others.”

  “Everyone is suspicious of you because of your behavior,” Freya said. “You constantly cause trouble, and Ragnarök would be your ultimate trick.”

  “Ragnarök is the end of everything! What would I stand to gain? Thor, Odin, and everyone else, including me, would die! There’s no point in causing trouble if, ultimately, I’m not around to enjoy the fruits of my labor.”

  In a strange kind of way, it made a lot of sense. There would be nothing for him if war destroyed everything. “But why cause trouble at all?” Freya asked.

  Loki sighed, and it made Freya uncomfortable. She was used to his arrogance, his bravado. Not this new, almost defeated, Loki. “Because it’s fun,” he finally said. “And because it keeps people sharp. Look at what I did for you.”

  “Are you serious?” Archie cried. He started to count off on his fingers. “You nearly got her de-winged, blinded, and banished! She was almost killed by Dark Searchers, and then nearly died being squashed by frost giants—”

  “No, no, no! Those were side effects,” Loki said. “Because of me you are braver and more independent. Odin knows you now; so do Thor and the other senior Asgardians. They know your name, who you are, and what you are capable of, and they respect you for it. You can claim the head Angel of Death as a personal friend! Tell me, what other Valkyrie has ever achieved that—and at such a young age?”

  Freya hated to admit it, but part of what he said was true. Because of Loki, she had accomplished things she never dreamed possible, including having Archie, her brother, and Azrael in her life.

  “Did you tell this to the others?” Freya asked.

  “They don’t trust me. Nothing I say will ever change their minds. They think I’m behind all this trouble and won’t consider anything else.”

  “If they think that, why did Thor send you on this secret mission?”

  Loki turned his back and walked up to the cliff edge.

  “Loki?” Freya asked.

  “He didn’t!” Orus cawed. “There is no mission—you ran away from the barn so you wouldn’t be captured by the soldiers!”

  “What a liar!” Archie cried. “You’re here to save your own skin!”

  “All right, it’s true. I lied!” Loki admitted. “There isn’t a mission for us. But there should be. I have an idea that I know will work, but they wouldn’t listen to me. They thought I was just trying to escape capture. But not this time—this time I’m fighting for all of us. I’m fighting to stop Ragnarök.”

  “So my mother and Thor don’t know you’re with me?” Freya asked.

  Loki shook his head. “No. They think I fled in fear. But they must be relieved that you haven’t been captured with them.”

  “Gee, if we leave now, maybe we can follow the convoy. We can get them out of wherever they are taken!”

  “You stupid ghost,” Loki cried. “They can break free anytime they want. No human prison could ever hold them—especially Thor! It’s all part of the plan to engage the human military. But that strategy will only slow down the giants. It won’t stop them. My plan will!”

  “What plan?” Freya asked. “You keep talking about a plan. What is it?”

  “It is a plan that will only succeed with your help.”

  “You’re stalling,” Orus cawed.

  “Just tell us,” Freya demanded.

  Loki looked at her. “How good is your memory?”

  That surprised her. “It’s all right. Why?”

  “Think back to your early history lessons. Do you remember the stories about the Aesir-Vanir War?”

  Freya frowned, trying to remember. “We of Asgard were the Aesir, and the people of the lower realm, Vanaheim, were the Vanir. I don’t remember why they were fighting, but the war went on so long, they finally called a truce. We sent two hostages to their realm and they sent two to Asgard. There’s been peace ever since.”

  “So? What is your point?” Archie asked. “We don’t have all night, you know.”

  Loki shot him a withering look, but continued. “The Aesir-Vanir War started because Odin and his people were jealous of the magic of the Vanir. They wanted that power to help rule the realms, but the Vanir didn’t see it that way and rebelled. The war ended only because each side grew tired of fighting. The Aesir used brute force, swords, and steel, whereas the Vanir used magic as their weapon. If I’m honest, the realms would be completely different—and maybe better off—if the Vanir had won.”

  “They didn’t and we’re all peaceful now,” Orus said.

  “But we aren’t, are we?” Loki said. “Obviously there has been some resentment of Odin for some time. Otherwise Dirian couldn’t have compelled the other Dark Searchers to join him—and he wouldn’t have been able to convince the giant kings, who are notorious for hating each other, to work together against Asgard.”

  “What does this have to do with the Vanir?” Freya asked.

  “Everything!” Loki said. “Don’t you see? The moment the giants start moving through the realms to reach Asgard, the Vanir will be drawn in. We can’t be sure whose side they’ll take. They’ve been a silent mystery for millennia, never leaving their realm, even to join in the Ten Realms Challenge. As far as I know, no one from Asgard has ventured to Vanaheim in many generations. We don’t know how strong their magic has become, or what their feelings are toward Odin or Asgard. But I believe it’s there that we will find the solution to the war.”

  “You want us to go to Vanaheim?” Freya cried. “Are you crazy? We can’t—it’s forbidden for anyone to go there!”

  “When has that ever stopped you?” Loki said. “You went to Utgard knowing full well that the Valkyries weren’t allowed there. You even entered the Keep of the Dark Searchers. Suddenly you care about rules?”

  “Utgard is one thing, and I was looking for my brother. Vanaheim is another! It’s wild and savage. Magic rules there, not logic—”

  “Exactly!” Loki said. “And it’s going to take a lot of Vanir magic to get the giants to stop.” Loki bent closer and his intense eyes bored into her. “Freya, we are fighting for all the realms. If we fail, those who survive will wish they’d died. Giants will overrun the Earth, maybe even destroy it. They will capture Asgard and enslave those they don’t kill. You’ve experienced them up close. Would you want to see that happen?”

  Freya looked down into the dark forest beneath them. Her Valkyrie vision let her see everything—the beauty and wonder of the world around her. The thought of frost o
r fire giants here was too terrible to consider.

  “What’s in it for you, Loki?” Archie asked. “You don’t do anything without a reason.”

  Loki’s hand flashed out to strike Archie across the face, but since Archie had no substance on Earth, Loki’s hand passed right through him.

  “You missed!”

  “Archie, stop, please,” Freya said. “This is too serious for you two to keep bickering.”

  “That’s the point—it’s deadly serious!” Loki turned on Archie. “Nothing’s in it for me! Nothing but the protection of my family and those I care about.” He focused his whole attention back on Freya. “I have burned a lot of bridges in my life. I know it. No one trusts me, especially you. But I am not lying—not about this. The Vanir can help end this war before it goes too far.”

  “Why do you need our help?”

  Once again Loki’s shoulders slumped. “Because I can’t do it alone. As one of Odin’s Battle-Maidens, you might be able to convince the Vanir Elders to take our side in the war. I imagine they’ll trust you more than me. I’m sure the giants are expecting them to remain neutral, if they’ve even considered them at all. But their involvement could mean the difference between peace or Ragnarök.”

  “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?”

  “Yes!” Loki cried. “I’m not trouble all the time, you know! Occasionally I try to do something good. This is one of those times. We can’t win this war without the Vanir on our side. It’s as simple as that.”

  Freya felt conflicted. She didn’t trust Loki—they’d been through a lot together, and he’d always been deceitful, always had his own agenda. But at the same time, what he said made sense. She looked up at the raven on her shoulder. “Orus, you’ve lived in Asgard just as long as me. You’ve seen everything and know the history. What do you think we should do?”

  “Why are you asking me?” Orus cried.

  “Because whatever I do, you have to do too. This is too big a decision for me alone. You know I trust your advice.”

  “You’re going to listen to a bird?” Loki cried.

  “Orus is more than a bird, and you know it,” Freya said.