As they approached the island, Elfi sensed the same mysterious pull that she’d experienced the previous day.Perhaps Rán is calling me, she wondered, as she followed the mermaids up to the surface and rose above the sea.
Just ahead of where she now swam, the deafening waterfall tumbled from the top of a rocky cliff, down over the mouth of the mysterious cave, emptying into the turbulent sea beneath the crashing cascade. Unlikela Grotte des Sirènes—the cave where Elfi had first met theGallizenaewhen she arrived on theÎle de Sein—therewas no sandy beach or rocky ledge leading into the entrance. The only way to access the cave was through the waterfall and under the sea.
Unnor, who had surfaced next to Elfi, shot her an eager, inviting grin. “Come, follow us throughLes Rochers de la Porte—the underwater portal to the realm of Rán.” With a flick of her mauve mermaid tail, she disappeared into the ocean.
Exhilaration flooded Elfi like the enormous wave which had awakened her magic. A delicious thrill of anticipation surged through her, and she dove down into the turquoise depths.
As they swam further into the cave burrowed into the base of the island, Elfi spotted golden coins and sparkling jewels scattered along the sandy bottom beneath the waves, perhaps treasure salvaged from shipwrecks. Or offerings to the sea goddess for safe passage through the treacherous rocks.
Elfi swam with theGallizenaeinto the seemingly endless undersea cave, past dozens of brightly colorful fish and forests ofgreen and gold kelp floating in the crystalline water. When the mermaids finally surfaced, Elfi realized they were inside a cavernous chamber surrounded by towering, rough stone walls. Within the cracks and fissures of the hard granite, streaks of opalescent, milky white quartz glimmered amidst metallic ribbons of shimmery silver.
Awed by the majestic aura of the sublime aquatic domain, Elfi’s incredulous gaze fixed upon an enormous rock whose flattened top jutted above the surface of the sea. For there—seated upon the magnificent stone covered with lustrous shells and glittering jewels like an altar or a throne—was her immortal grandmother. The Sea Goddess Rán. In mermaid form, like her nine billow maiden daughters and Elfi herself.
Evoking ocean waves churned by an impending storm, the long locks which cascaded to Rán’s narrow waist portrayed all the colors of a tempestuous sea. Midnight blues, marbled with silver, indigo, lavender, and mauve. Like faceted sapphires from the Far East—or lapis lazuli streaked with gold—her enigmatic eyes sparkled and danced with an exotic glow. Her porcelain skin, tinged with a hint of blue, glimmered like moonstones, opals, or pearls. The iridescent scales of her tailfin shimmered with pale turquoise and aquamarine, with a striking contrast of deep emerald and seafoam green. Atop her regal head sat a silver crown, crafted with dips, peaks, and swirls of the sea. Amidst the trio of Nordic runes inscribed among the scrolls—Laguz,for water;Uruz, for the strength; andHagalaz, for destruction—sat the same trinity of gems which pulsed with power at the base of Elfi’s neck.
“Bienvenue, ma petite fille.At long last, I meet the daughter of my precious Dúva.” Her radiant smile glistened on the walls of the cave and reflected on the rolling waves. “You look very much like your beautiful mother. Your jade green hair is just like hers. And your eyes…” Rán’s voice quavered, and she forced a swallow as if to compose herself. She patted the rock at her side. “Come, sit with me. I have a gift for you.”
Heart fluttering wildly, Elfi pulled herself up onto the stone and reclined at the base of theaquatic throne.
“I am pleased to see you are wearing my necklace.” Rán’s pearlescent fingers traced the glistening gems, which responded to her touch, throbbing rhythmically like Elfi’s pounding heart. As if glimpsing the unspoken question in her eyes, Rán told Elfi the tale that she was most anxious to hear. “Like my billow maiden daughters, I enjoyed mating with mortal men. That is, of course, before my marriage to Aegir,” she hastily added with a wry smile. “One of my lovers was King Yazid of Persia, a widower with a lovely daughter of fourteen winters named Ziba. I enchanted the gems in this necklace and presented it to Yazid as a gift for her, to ensure safe passage on the sea.” Rán tenderly caressed long strands of Elfi’s ocean jasper hair. “A virulent sickness decimated the city of Astara, the trading port where they lived in a magnificent castle on the Caspian Sea.” She sighed softly, her voice laced with sorrow. “Yazid and Ziba both perished of the plague. A servant must have sold the necklace, for it disappeared.” Rán flashed an enigmatic smile at Himinglæva. “Until my daughter informed me that you had arrived on theÎle de Sein.Wearing a necklace with three tiers of enchanted blue and green gems, each imbued withsjóvættirmagic. I knew at once that it was mine.” She caressed the gems with reverent fingertips, and again, they pulsed around Elfi’s throat. “How did you acquire it?”
“My betrothed, Njörd Ívarrsson—known as the Wolf of the Nordic Seas—spotted it in a Byzantine marketplace in Constantinople, on the shores of the Black Sea. He was inexplicably drawn to it, and knew at once that it was meant for his mate. Thesiren with the sea goddess eyes.”Elfi searched her grandmother’s exquisite, immortal face, pleased to see approval in her appreciative gaze.
“The perfect name for you,elska minn.” Rán kissed the top of Elfi’s head and hugged her shoulders. “You are indeed a mermaid, with yoursjóvættirmother’s eyes.” Nostalgia softenedher aquiline features. She inhaled deeply and sat up straight, as if there were an important task she had yet to accomplish.
“Now that you have come to theÎle de Sein,yoursjósongrmagic has been awakened.” Rán gestured to the nine mermaids floating amongst the gentle waves inside the undersea cave. “My daughters have taught you how to wield thesong of the sea, to summon the power of the ocean. Withle Chant des Sirènes.the Sirens’ Song, you may call forth theMélusinesea dragons. And now, before you leave this enchanted realm, I shall bestow another gift ofsjósongrmagic. That you may summonme.”
Rán’s slender fingers flitted over the glittering gems in Elfi’s necklace while she murmured a flowing enchantment. As the goddess imbued each stone withsjósongrmagic, the turquoise, emerald, and lapis lazuli gems draped around Elfi’s neck sparkled and shone with a radiant, otherworldly glow. “This necklace—which was once mine and is now yours—will link us together. Like avardlokkurchant of avölva, theRánlokkurgift I bestow in this necklace will enable you to summon me. Touch the sea and say my name. And invoke the destructive power of Rán.”
Energy sizzled from the enchanted gems throughout Elfi’s shaking body. Running reverent fingers over the blue green stones, she thanked her grandmother in Old Norse and Norman French. “Þakka þér, Amma.Merci beaucoup, Grandmère.I shall treasure it always.”
Rán kissed Elfi on both cheeks withla biseof farewell.“Au revoir, chérie. Until we meet again. In the Snæfellsness sea cave of Ísland.”
Elfi’s breath hitched. “Have you foreseen a battle?”
“Wehave.” Himinglæva’s mystical voice echoed in the cave and reverberated into Elfi’s bones. The eldest mermaid swam up to Elfi’s side, her silvery hair glinting in a thin shaft of sunlight which filtered through a fissure in the thick rock above. “Much like a Vikingvölvainterprets otherworldly visions throughseiðrmagic, weGallizenaeuse thesjóvættirpower of the sea, storms, and tides toforesee the future.” Himinglæva’s sky blue eyes reflected the glimmer of quartz glittering in the granite wall. “There will be a battle where theLjósálfarQueen guards the Dwarven sword. You must wield yoursjósongrmagic to aid your mate. For theWolf of the Nordic Seasto fulfill the prophecy.”
“And kill theDökkálfar Blacksmith of Dorestad.” Vehemence laced Elfi’s vengeful voice. She was eager to help Njörd slay theSvartálfarwho had crafted the spear that killed Dag. Elfi remembered hearing tales of how Skårde had also been wounded—and nearly slain—by aDökkálfarsword forged by the very same Dark Elven blacksmith..A malevolent blade brandished by the traitorous Raven Warrior who had betrayed Harald Bluetooth and allied with King Lothaire of West Francia. And the despicable Count of Soissons, the bloody bastard who killed Dag and stoleGaladir.Yes, Elfi would help Njörd fulfill the prophecy to reclaim his father’s sword. And uphold her sacred vow to bury her beloved brother with his own.
“Farewell, Elfi. May the magic of my necklace protect you. And remember, it also provides a direct link between us. With the magic ofRánlokkur,you may summon me. Touch the sea, speak my name, and I shall come. And unleash all the fury of the sea.” Rán swept slender fingers over Elfi’s long green hair, smiled softly, and disappeared into the dark depths of the sea.
“Come, let’s go back to the cottage for a last meal together. You must return to Étretat.” With a wave of her hand, Kólga beckoned Elfi to follow the mermaids as they swam toward the exit of the underwater cave.
****
The sweet flavors of steamed scallops, shrimp, oysters, and crab mingled with the herbal taste of rosemary, sage, and thyme on her tongue. While several of theGallizenae—in human form—washed dishes outside the cottage in the nearby stream, Elfi sat at the table with Kólga, Himinglæva, and Bloðughudda, savoring a cup of chamomiletisane.
“We are more than shape shifting mermaids, sea dragons, and seers.” Kólga’s sapphire eyes sparkled in the sunlight. “TheGallizenaeare also giftedguérisseuses.Healers who can cure theincurable.” She sipped from her ceramic cup, a knowing smile spreading across her exquisite face. “Another facet of yoursjósongrmagic that you will need very soon. When you travel toÁlfheimto heal a gravely wounded wolf.”
Elfi furrowed her brows, perplexed by Kólga’s vision.Álfheim is the realm of the Ljósálfar. Where only those with Light Elven blood or magic may enter. Through the portal in the waterfall cave where Lugh crosses the crystalline bridge.She glanced up at the raven-haired seeress. “I cannot go toÁlfheim. I do not haveLjósálfarblood, nor do I wield Light Elven magic.”
Bloðughudda flared her nostrils with comic exaggeration, sniffed loudly for dramatic effect, and grinned from ear to ear. “You do indeed carryLjósálfarblood—within the child who thrives in your womb.The thrice-blessed daughter of the Wolf of the Nordic Seas. Conceived in the waterfall cave.”
A contradictory wave of panic and joy flooded Elfi.I carry Njörd’s babe! That is why we felt compelled to mate in the cave of the Mermaid Cove. The Norns had woven the threads of our fate. For me to conceive this child.
“Through her lupine father. she is blessed with the Völsung blood of Odin and the Light Elven blood of theLjósálfar.And through you—hersjóvættirmother—she carries the blood of the Sea Goddess Ràn. Your child shall be known as the thrice-blessed daughter of the Wolf of the Nordic Seas.”
A daughter! I wonder if she will inherit my power to shift into a mermaid. Or Njörd’s ability to transform into a wolf. Perhaps both! May the gods whose blood she carries bless my unborn child.Elfi’s mind reeled at the prospect of becoming a mother. And the incredible possibilities of her daughter’s inherited magic.
