Lyall
Today has been aday like no other.
This afternoon I was overjoyed to see Soren. Only in my wildest fantasies could I have imagined we would sit down and have mead together like we used to. Everything about him is so familiar. It’s easy to slip up and share information about life from my timeline. I have to remind myself to be careful, but it’s hard. I have never kept secrets from Soren. We knew each other so well, as if we were extensions of each other’s souls.
Then I made the mistake of jumping over that obstacle in the subway. It was only later that I remembered Anders had given me this thing called an OMNY card, some magical scroll that would help open those barriers so I could enter the underworld. He’d said that the guards might get angry if I didn’t use the scroll, but I had forgotten—and I’d wanted to impress Soren.
As we’d rushed deeper into the underworld and a giant metal dragon had come charging in from the tunnel toward us, I’d begun to panic. The humans had willinglywalked right into the beast’s belly! Why? It was then I realized… they were human souls, already passed on from this life. This metal beast had been spiriting them away to the Hel’s realm.
It was nothing like the stories Father had told us lads about Helheim.
Soren hadn’t been afraid. No, he was the one who’d comfortedme.Human as he is now, unaware of his past, he’d shown such bravery in the face of an uncertain journey we might never have returned from.
I’d uttered a prayer to the gods when we left the underworld behind and returned to Midgard. Hel would not have our souls this day. Not yet.
My spirits had lifted considerably when Soren and I had sparred. For a glorious moment, the man I knew and loved had shone through. He’d fought with the same skill and ferocity as the warrior I’d proudly called my mate.
But it hadn’t been enough for him to remember me. The disappointment had nearly brought me to my knees, and so I’d escaped outside for some fresh air. I’d taken the portal back down the tower to the city streets below and used the magic box—the phone, I think it’s called—to contact Anders and tell him everything.
“This is a good thing, though!” Jamie’s voice says.
I fail to see the positive in this. “Is it?”
“Pet, are you thinking what I am?”
“You bet your sexy ass I am.”
Anders adds, “Think about it, brother. His memories may be gone, but his body still remembers. The person he used to be still resides within him. Mayhap with more encouragement—”
My heart leaps as understanding hits me. “He’ll remember our history! Yes! That’s brilliant!”
Jamie says, “Keep doing stuff that’s similar to what you used to do together. Maybe it will help.”
“Such as? This timeline is too different.”
“Hang on, let me look something up,” Jamie says. After a short pause, he says, “How about axe throwing? There’s a place on Lafayette that does it. I’ll send you the link.”
We hang up and, true to his word, Jamie sends me directions to the place.
“Hey.” Soren’s voice makes me jump. “You okay?”
“Aye. It was hot up there, that’s all. Do you know how to get here?” I hold up the phone. Soren leans in to read the message, then nods.
“Yeah. It’s not too far. Why, what’s there?”
I shrug. “A surprise.”
Soren lifts his brows, lips curling playfully. “I like surprises.”
To my relief, we don’t go back into the underworld this time. Soren waves, and a yellow car pulls up to the curb. Driving is much more pleasant, especially when I roll down the window and the crisp, cold breeze blows my hair back.
“You’re crazy,” Soren says, laughing. “You’re gonna get frostbite!”
“It will be worth it. This breeze is wonderful!”
Soren mutters something about a golden retriever, whatever that is.
Once we arrive at our destination, we take another one of those portals up. I can’t fight back my nerves as the doors close, confining us in the narrow space. Soren doesn’t even blink, just pushes a button for our floor.
