Green Tea and Black Death (The Godhunter, Book 5) (13 page)

   “
I think I can explain,” Odin said gently when Fenrir just stared at me hopelessly.

   “
Please,” I waved at Odin, “tell me something, I'm about to strangle Fenrir.”

   “
Hel doesn't leave her realm much,” Odin frowned, “as in, never. Visitors are rare, especially loved ones. Trevor may have gone seeking sanctuary but it's a good probability that he'll end up a pampered prisoner.”

   “
You think his Aunt would hold him captive?” I shot a horrified look at Fenrir, who just nodded.

   “
It's not just that,” Fenrir gave a loud snuffle. “You forget, Odin, what happens to life when it enters Niflheim.”

    “
It stops,” Odin's eye got round. “That's why he went there,” he harumphed loudly as he shook his head. “It's quite brilliant actually, except for the possibility that he may never get a chance to leave.”

   “
What do you mean it stops?” I got off of Fenrir's lap and went to stand in front of Odin. “Life stopping means death and you guys said Hel wouldn't hurt Trevor.”

    “
If you're alive when you enter Niflheim,” Odin took my hand and gently pulled me down into a chair beside him, “you're not one of the bound dead, Hel does not own you, but you cannot remain alive there either. Life is paused once you step past its boundaries, you go into a sort of stasis. You can move, speak, function, but your body's needs stop. You may fulfill them if you choose; eating, sleeping, and such but its unnecessary. You cease to age. Life just stops. Hel doesn't even need to eat the apples of immortality, as long as she doesn't leave Niflheim.”

   “
So Trevor's need for me?” I felt a cold slip over me and the small part of Trevor I carried inside me curled up and whimpered.

   “
He'll have no need for you while he remains,” Odin said gently. “At least not physically. He can't escape his emotions there but he can escape the consequences of being without his bonded mate.”

   “
He wanted to be free of me that badly?” I whispered as I turned away from the men and stared into the flames. There was a cold, gnawing ache starting in my belly. “So badly that he rather live in Hell... with Hel, than with me.”

  
A tear slid down my cheek, the fire blurring before my gaze as more filled my eyes and overflowed. I was numb despite the waterworks, I barely even blinked as I cried. I didn't make a sound besides an occasional sigh. I was just too tired to give Trevor a proper mourning. It felt like I'd been mourning him for weeks already, this was just the apex, hopefully it was all downhill from here.

   “
Vervain,” Fenrir was kneeling on the ground beside me but his head was still above my shoulders. “I know you love him. He's your mate but he's my son. I raised him, helped shape him into the man he is. He's a part of me, my firstborn. I can't lose him to my sister. I need you to be strong, little Frami. I need you to prove to VéulfR how much you love him by going into Hell itself for him and bringing him back.”

   “
Is this a test?” I blinked away my tears and looked over at Fenrir in horror. “Did he go to Niflheim, knowing he may not get out, just to see if I'd come rescue him?”

   “
No,” Fenrir frowned too. “I can't believe he planned that. I don't think he even intended for you to know.”

   “
So he wanted to just leave me here wondering where he was,” my anger was swiftly replacing my pain, “wondering if he was holed up dying someplace out of sheer stubbornness? Because that's what I would have thought if you hadn't come to me. I would have thought he was committing suicide and I would have searched futilely for him.”

   “
He's not thinking straight,” Odin took my hand and tugged gently to get my attention. “Maybe in his heart he hoped you'd come for him but in his head he just wanted to take back a little control over his life. Normal people can run away after a break up, they can avoid their exes and lick their wounds in private. Trevor doesn't have that option. He's forced to see you, touch you monthly, or he dies. Makes it a little hard to get over someone.”

   “
That's because he's not supposed to get over me,” now I was raging, the strength of my voice vibrating through my body. “I'm his god damned mate!”

  
Vidar, Vali, and Kirill came running into the hall, looks of concern etched over their faces. I glared at them as they stopped before us. Kirill braved my wrath, coming to me, much as I had approached Fenrir, taking my face into his hands and searching my eyes.

   “
Tell me,” he said simply.

   “
Trevor is a fool,” I ground out.

   “
Da,” his accent grew thicker with his worry, “ve know zis already.”

   “
Can we stay here a bit?” Faced with Kirill's concern, my anger suddenly left me and I felt completely drained.

  “
Of course, Tima,” he gathered me into a hug, “vatever you vish.”

  
I pulled back and looked over at Fenrir's stricken expression.

   “
I'm sorry, Dad,” I shook my head. “Trevor's gonna have to wait. I got too much on my plate right now to be running after him. Maybe once I've resolved this thing with Xi Wangmu, I can chase after my wayward lover but right now, he's on his own.”

   “
Vervain,” Fenrir's face fell.

   “
He made his decision,” I sighed. “I tried to make up with him. I almost died and then my Grandpa did die but neither of those things were enough to bring him home. Death does not sway him, so maybe he should keep the dead company for awhile. It might do him some good.”

   “
Vat are you talking about?” Kirill took my arm.

   “
Trevor,” I watched Fenrir turn away and leave the hall with hunched shoulders, “he's gone to Hel and my only regret is that I wasn't the one to suggest it.”

Chapter Twenty

   “Vervain,” Odin came into the hall where I was sitting with my sons and Kirill. “You need to come with me.

   “
Alright,” I put my mug of mead down and waved Kirill back when he started to get up. “I'll be fine.”

  
I followed Odin out the door to the right at the end of the hall and then through another door on the right. It opened onto stairs, going up. We followed them for awhile before I realized we must have surpassed the second floor of the hall and that was all the hall had, two floors.

   “
How is it we are still climbing stairs?” I pulled at Odin's tunic. “We've gone up higher than the hall and I've never noticed a tower from outside.”

   “
You wouldn't,” he smiled down at me, “it's hidden from view. I'm taking you to see Hlidskjalf.”

   “
The Santa TV?” I smiled brightly. I had been wanting to see it for awhile and kept forgetting to ask him.

   “
Yes,” he groaned and resumed his climbing, “Santa TV.”

  
Odin had told me once that he had an Atlantean device which allowed him to see anywhere in the realms. It also caught cable. I'd been fascinated and delighted when I realized the similarities between Odin and Santa. So I'd dubbed it Santa TV. I picked up my pace, I couldn't wait to see it.

  
We finally exited into a huge round room with a circular couch in the center of it. The couch faced out, the center hole it formed filled with a platform where two mugs were waiting along with a plate of food. Awesome, entertainment and snacks.

  
The floorboards were covered with thick carpets but other than that, there wasn't any other furniture in the room. Anything else was unnecessary because once you took a look at the walls, you wouldn't need or desire any distractions. I didn't actually know if walls were the proper term for them though. They looked more like windows, the only solid panel being the piece that framed the door we had just come through.

  
Besides the door section, the rest of the room was surrounded by giant arches which framed shimmering, transparent glowing panels that seemed to be moving but nonetheless gave the impression that they were solid. They were like living sheets of glass. I went forward, reaching out a hand to one of them.

   “
Probably best not to disturb it,” Odin caught my hand before I could touch.

   “
What is it?” I peered over the writhing surface and saw Asgard laid out before me, through the mist. Glancing around me, I saw the image continued fully through all panels. It wasn't an image the glass was showing me, simply what lied behind it.

   “
It's magic,” he smiled and led me back to the couch. “Now let me show you what it does. Pride Palace, home of the Intare, common room.”

  
The window before us coalesced, the remaining windows going dark and turning the room into a theater. The glow brightened, little facets forming in it and revolving until they found their proper place and slid back into a solid picture. There were my lions, playing xbox, pool, and just lounging around.

   “
Wow,” I breathed, getting up again and staring at the panel like a three year old does a TV.

   “
Vervain,” Odin laughed, “Come sit down, you'll be able to see better.”

   “
Oh, right,” I went back and sat next to him, taking the piece of fruit he held out to me. I crunched on the apple slice as he gave another order to the magic TV.

   “
Niflheim, Hel's realm, Eljudni.”

  
The panel shifted again as I frowned, facets turning and sliding back into place in a scurry of movement. When they were done, I saw Trevor sitting on a throne next to a scary looking woman in a larger throne. She was terrifying, half black and half white(literally), but it was Trevor's face I was focused on.

  
He looked so miserable. Normally his honey colored eyes shown with the sheen of a wolf's in the dark but they weren't shining anymore. They were dull, focused on some kind of frivolity being played out before him but not really seeing anything at all. His skin looked sallow, his cheeks sunken, and as I watched, he frowned and swallowed hard, turning aside from whatever was before him to rub a hand over his forehead.

   “
Trevor,” I whispered and sat forward.

   “
He doesn't look so good,” Odin patted my back. “You know he's not my favorite person but I know you love him and he's been fair enough in his dealings with me. I'm grateful he let me into your life. So I thought I might repay the favor by showing you this. He needs you, sweetheart. As much as I hate the idea of you going into Niflheim, I think it must be done.”

   “
How?”

   “
I don't know,” he scratched at his beard. “I doubt Hel will approve a request for entrance made by any of us. She's probably guarding her nephew like a dragon with his hoard. I'll look into it though, I owe it to you both.”

   “
Thank you, Odin,” I looked back at the shadow Trevor had become and felt my hope sink.

  
If anyone could find a way, it was Odin but I had a horrible feeling that his magic wouldn't save us this time. If Hel wanted to hold on to Trevor, she could probably do a really good job of it. I knew firsthand how hard it was to escape an Underworld and that was Duat, not an actual realm of the dead. I wasn't sure I'd be able to win this fight.

  
Trevor's eyes seemed to focus on mine for a second and they burned into me like they could sense my fatalistic attitude. He sat in that throne like a wild king, cold expression and shaved head adding another harsh layer to his visage. I sat up straighter, determined to save him, and  knew that image of him would haunt me until I succeeded.

Chapter Twenty-One

  
I don't know what smell was worse, the rancid pork fat coating the pile of dirty dishes in the deep steel sink or the unwashed, dying man covered in black boils of blood and gangrenous skin. I walked through the commercial kitchen of China Sea Noodle House and into the living area of the owner. He was passed out on a white pleather sofa, breathing raggedly, a fine sheen of sweat covering him.

  
Xi Wangmu had come this way no more than ten minutes ago but now she was gone. Looking down at her victim, I suspected she'd been leading me a merry chase the whole time. I obviously hadn't been as covert as I hoped. Somewhere through the dirty back streets of Chinatown, I'd been made, even though me and Kirill had split up and I'd been following her alone, under the god magic of invisibility.