Chapter Thirty
“NEW HAMPSHIRE,” RAVENsaid in answer to Maya's curiosity about where Cian might be off to. “Maybe not his next stop, but whoever that woman is, she’s from New Hampshire, and she needs some serious help.”
While worried about where life would lead Cian next, Raven also felt elated. Releasing the last of the memories he had kept for Raven and Tor had set him free to love. The idea that his love might come from the future sat well with her. Seemed right somehow. He had plenty of experience with twenty-first-century women, after all.
“Lucky her.” Definitely her Múspellsheimr side, Trinity winked at Vicar. “If Cian were a dragon too, he’d be well worth it. Damn good fighter. Great body.” She nodded once in approval. “Most women would be lucky to have him.”
Nothing about him saving her, but that wasn’t what this Trinity was about.
“Ja,”Vicar agreed, not put off in the least and clearly his Múspellsheimr side too. He yanked her against him. “But he’s not dragon, so will never measure up.”
Raven shook her head and smiled, not surprised their Múspellsheimr sides were out. She knew Trinity’s sweeter half had cried pretty much through the entire Tor-being-resurrected thing. Now they were ready to let loose and be as naughty as they pleased.
“As much as I would rather stay and celebrate,” Loki said, “I, too, must be off.” He looked toward Mt. Galdhøpiggen. “Revna should not be alone.”
Raven looked from the mountain to Loki, alarmed. “Why, what’s going on? Is she okay?” She glanced at Tor, who had kept her close pretty much since the moment he returned to life. “How can we help?” She reached out to the seer telepathically, but all was silent. “I know she was here when Tor returned, but now she’s not. All’s quiet.” She grew more and more concerned. “We’ll go with you.”
“No, little dragon.” Loki cupped her shoulders and met her eyes, remarkably serious for him. But then, she now knew there was a lot more to the god than met the eye. Just look at how much he had kept from everyone. How dumb he had played when he was, for the most part, in control of his Forge from the get-go.
“You have played your part in all this well, Raven,” Loki went on. “You made my Forge into something better than I ever intended. More powerful for the good you lent it. For the noble heart you showed. I controlled much, but you controlled even more, and I’m proud.” He squeezed her shoulders, surprising her with how sentimental he could actually be. “Very proud.” He looked from Tor, and their son, who still made his rounds like these would someday be his people. “Now it’s time to begin the life that should have always been yours.” His gaze returned to her. “The life you deserve.”
Almost like he knew it was coming, he smiled in their son’s direction again when he joined them with, of all things, Loki’s Dagger in his mouth.
“Thank you, brave warrior.” Loki shocked them when he lowered to a knee and bent his head. “You have been everything Loki’s Dagger knew you could be.” He met their son’s eyes and took the blade. “Now go be a child and remember to stay humble when great things come for you someday. When you rise up and be the warrior king you were born to be. A king who will unite all kingdoms.”
Before they had a chance to ask him what that meant, Loki vanished in a wisp of flames.
“I need to follow him,” Raven began, only for Thor to interrupt her.
“No, you need to do as my brother-in-arms asked.” The God of Thunder eyed the mountain with amusement. “Revna simply recovers from years of using intense magic. Loki will help her. It will just take him finding his heart.”
Before they had a chance to ask what that meant, Thor patted her shoulder and addressed the crowd. Though humans and magical creatures alike were already firing up the drums and dancing, all quieted as the God of Thunder spoke to them with their tiny son on his shoulder. A son who puffed out his chest and didn’t look at them condescendingly but with unmistakable love.
“My people,” Thor roared. He held up a horn of ale in toast, ensuring everyone had one in hand too. It didn’t matter how far away they were, all heard him. “You have pleased your gods more than you will ever know.” While Raven, her sisters, and their mates likely heard the regret in his voice, it wasn’t something he could show his worshipers. “You sacrificed greatly but, in the end, overcame all. Rose up. Fought alongside your gods.” He shook his head. “That is something that can never be taken from you. Willnotbe taken from you.”
Where Raven knew Thor wanted to say he wished there had been no war, to begin with, that would have undermined his fellow gods. So he stuck to praising those present. Those who Loki had already thanked before leaving. Praised as his favorites among mortals.
“As my brother-in-arms said, youareour favorites.” Thor kept his horn raised in salute. “And you will not be forgotten but forever protected by us.”
Everyone roared in approval and drank, their faith in the gods renewed. Drums resumed, and celebrations continued as far as the eye could see, then further still to the Stronghold and Keep.
“I’m surprised Loki left this,” came a female voice before a familiar couple joined them. “This amount of worship would have been right up his alley.”
Raven didn’t hesitate but embraced Destiny and held on tight, not uncomfortable in the least when Leviathan embraced them as well. They might look her age, but they weren’t. Nowhere near it.
“It’s okay,” Destiny murmured, her voice emotional when Raven yet again teared up. “You made it. You did it. And as I said before, we’resoincredibly proud. Not just for what you did before being born but everything else since, including helping us on our adventure when you drove my father, Celtic death, from my mind.”
Raven hadn’t been sure that would work across time, so she was grateful it had. Now she knew it was her strong connection with Destiny that had made it possible.
“We are proud of you,” Leviathan echoed, chuckling when her son landed on his shoulder. Recognizing him as head alpha and mightiest of the lot, their little one bowed his head then narrowed his eyes in warning that Leviathan handle his mother gently before he rubbed against him affectionately. After that, he jumped onto Tor’s shoulder and leaned casually against his neck, clearly claiming his perch for the night.
