Dragons of Asgard 6 Chapter 1

I gulped hard as I stared directly into Odin’s one pale blue eye. What was he talking about? Why did he seem to know who I was when I didn’t even know that?

The King of Asgard just told me I was the son of Loki.

Could that possibly be true?

I didn’t know much about the God of Mischief, but from what I did know, he wasn’t well liked. If I was his son, why didn’t I know that? And if Odin knew who my father was, did he know my mother, too?

A million questions raced through my mind as I stood before the one and only King of Gods. The great hall was dark with the dead of night, and only a dim lantern lit the small area in a soft orange glow. Odin sat on his white stone throne in a pair of red silk pajamas and a matching robe and stared back at me. His long white beard was in disarray, as was the hair that hung down his back. Large, fluffy white eyebrows pulled together above his one blue eye and the scar where the other had once been, and the way he looked at me made my stomach churn. It was like he was expecting something, or like he was anticipating my every move.

I’d come here to warn Odin he was in danger, but I had yet to warn him of anything. Part of me wanted to push past him saying I was the son of Loki, but I couldn’t.

I had to know what he was talking about.

“You’ve said that twice now.” I took a hesitant step toward the king.

“I’ve said what twice?” he asked, and his one blue eye narrowed on me.

“That I’m the son of Loki.”

“Well, it’s true,” he said matter of factly.

“Allfather, you must have confused me with someone else,” I urged. “I have no family name to speak of, I don’t know who my father is, or my mother. I’m not the son of Loki, I’m not the son of anybody important.”

“You most certainly are,” Odin scoffed. “Young man, do you mean to tell me you don’t believe me?”

“It’s, uh, not that,” I stumbled. “I just…”

“You had no idea, eh?” he chuckled. “I thought you would’ve caught on by now. I gave you a few hints here and there.”

“Gave me hints?” I asked, and my dark eyebrows furrowed together. “What are you talking about?”

“Is he always like this?” Eira, the beautiful redheaded ex warband leader, whispered to Preyna.

“Most times.” Preyna nodded.

The golden-haired castle sorceress had worked closely with Odin for many years, and she knew him better than any of us possibly could simply because she’d been around him for so long.

“Did you know about this?” I turned and asked Preyna.

“No.” Her eyes widened, and she shook her head vigorously. “I have no idea what he’s talking about.”

“Of course she didn’t know,” Odin told me as he stepped down from his throne, and his footsteps echoed through the quiet hall as he slowly made his way toward me. “Only I know. Well, and Freya.”

“What about Loki?” Kas, the strawberry-blonde half Valkyrie, asked from behind me. “Doesn’t he know about his own son?”

“Loki has many sons,” Odin laughed. “You’ve met one already.”

“We have?” I asked.

“Oh, yes.” The king nodded. “Don’t you recall that wolf you came across a while ago? He was after some dragon eggs?”

“Yes,” I said, and my eyebrows pulled together as I thought back to the day he was referring to. I’d been able to communicate with the wolf in my mind somehow, just like I could with the dragons now. “But… how could you know about that?”

“People really don’t seem to fully grasp the concept of all seeing,” he sighed and pointed to his missing eye. “I saw it. I see everything. It’s how I knew who you were and who you were meant to be.”

My head spun from Odin’s incredibly vague explanation of who I was and how he knew me. I still had more questions than I did answers, and with how many new questions I was coming up with every second, I didn’t think that was going to change for a while.

“Allfather,” Preyna said with a sweet bow of her head. “Forgive me, but I believe you are causing Rath some… emotional turmoil.”

“Yes, I can understand how this would be startling.” He nodded and spun around so his robe flared out behind him and hit me in the chest. “Follow me, I’ll explain everything.”

My eyes darted from Eira to Asta, Kas, Preyna, and the dragons. We’d come here to warn Odin about the Elf King’s assassination, I’d never expected this to be the way this conversation went. But it had already begun, so there was no going back now.

And if what he said was true, I wanted to know more.

“Should we follow him?” Asta whispered.

“It would be rude not to,” Preyna answered.

“Yes, bu--” Kas started.

“The King of Gods does not like to be kept waiting,” Odin called as he turned down a hallway to the right of his throne. “I’ve waited long enough, son of Loki. As I said before, we have much to discuss.”

“Yes, Allfather.” I shrugged at my women and followed Odin.

The king held his hand out and maneuvered his fingers somehow so the lock opened, and we stepped into a massive study the likes of which I’d never seen before.

The council members and Ramir all had incredibly nice and well stocked studies, but Odin’s was even more impressive. The ceiling was at least twenty feet high with a large window up at the top that I was sure brought in plenty of natural light during the day, but with it being nighttime, it gave us a perfect view of the stars and moon above. The walls were lined floor to ceiling with volume after volume of old texts and scrolls, and in the far corner of the room was a large stone desk with a beautiful and ornate red and gold chair behind it.

There was a huge white stone fireplace to our left, and next to it were two oversized red velvet sofas with gold trim.

Immediately, the dragons ran over to the sofas and hopped up. Blar sprawled out on his back, and Inger laid next to him while Svass curled up right on his belly. The little yellow dragon lifted up and down with Blar’s breathing, and as embarrassed as I was that they’d made themselves at home in Odin’s study, I had to admit, they were quite adorable.

Uffe and Elding sat on the opposite side of the couch, and the two of them curled up into their own little balls about a foot away from one another. It seemed we finally had another dragon that was as particular about personal space as Uffe was.

“Blar,” I hissed as quietly as I could, but the little dragon turned his head away to purposefully ignore me. “Get down!”

“Oh, he’s alright,” Odin chuckled, and he walked over to the couch where the dragons had made themselves comfortable and sat right between Blar, Inger, Svass, Uffe, and Elding.

Then the king extended his arms and pet Elding with one and Svass with the other.

“Thank you,” I said as I took a seat on the couch opposite of Odin.

Preyna, Kas, Asta, and Eira all sat beside me, and though it was a little bit of a squeeze, the sofa was so large that we made it work.

“Preyna,” Odin said, and he looked at the dragons with a narrowed eye. “Did you put the enchantment on these little creatures?”

“Actually, that was me,” Kas said, and she leaned forward and held her hand up as a way to introduce herself. “I’m Kaspyr. Let me help with that.”

“Kaspyr?” Odin asked, and he eyed Kas curiously before a look of recognition came over his face. “You’re Ramir’s girl.”

“You know my father?” Kas gasped, and her violet eyes widened to saucers.

“Everyone does,” Odin chuckled. “He’s kind of a legend in these parts. So, are you going to show me what you can do here? This is a pretty good spell, but I’d like to see the little things for what they really are in person. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a baby dragon.”

“Oh, of course.” Kas nodded, closed her eyes, and mumbled something in the old language.

A second later, red sparkles floated all around Blar, Inger, Uffe, Svass, and our newest dragon, Elding. The spell was lifted, and while they looked the same to me, Odin’s one eye widened as he glanced from dragon to dragon.

“You’ve had these in Asgard this whole time,” he laughed and shook his head. “And nobody was the wiser.”

“Yes,” I said. “I found Blar in an enemy hut when I was still in Eira’s warband.”

“I thought I recognized you, too,” Odin said with a point in Eira’s direction. “I may be all seeing, but I’m old, too, so forgive me for not realizing sooner. How’s your father?”

“Uh, he’s well,” Eira said, and she raised a perfectly arched red eyebrow at the king. “Do you just know everyone’s father?”

“I think I do.” He nodded, and a strange look came over his face as he glanced at each of us before his gaze landed on me again. “Speaking of that, I think it’s time I tell you about yours.”

“I would appreciate that.” I bowed my head in respect. “I don’t know much about the God of Mischief.”

“Eh, God of Mischief is more of a nickname than a true title,” Odin said, and he reached under the couch and pulled out a little box filled with some kind of rolled brown herbs, which he stuffed into a pipe. “He’s not as bad as people think.”

“No?” Kas asked, and her strawberry-blonde eyebrows pinched together with confusion. “Didn’t he kill one of your sons?”

“He did.” Odin nodded. “But it’s more complicated than that. And that’s ancient history. What happened in ancient times must remain hidden, it is not for the faint of heart.”

“If Loki isn’t as bad as people say he is, then why didn’t he raise Rath?” Asta asked.

“Good point,” Eira said with a small shrug. “At the very least, he’s not a great dad.”

“Well, no,” Odin laughed. “But that’s not quite his fault.”

“What happened to my mother?” I blurted out.

Even if Loki didn’t know who I was, my mother had to. She gave birth to me for fucks sake, so where was she?

“Son, I’m very sorry to tell you this,” Odin said, and his mouth pulled into a frown behind his large white beard. “But your mother died during childbirth.”

“What?” I asked, and my heart sank for the woman I didn’t even know.

“It’s true,” he sighed and closed his eye. “But she loved you very much.”

“That poor woman,” Asta gasped and put her hand over her mouth. “Oh, Rath, I’m so sorry.”

“I…” I started, but I couldn’t think of anything to say.

“What about Loki, then?” Kas asked quietly, and she put her hand on my knee. “If Rath’s mother died during childbirth, why wasn’t Loki there to help her?”

“Yes, couldn’t he have prevented that?” Eira asked. “He’s a god after all.”

“He’s part god,” Odin reminded her. “He’s half Jotun, and that is why he didn’t know of Rath in the first place.”

“I don’t understand.” I shook my head.

“Your mother and father were very much in love,” Odin said. “In fact, I think it may have been the only time Loki was truly in love, but she was Asgardian, and he was, well, who he was.”

“So, they couldn’t be together?” Asta asked, and her yellow eyes shimmered with sadness.

“I’m afraid not.” Odin shook his head and then looked right at me. “Your mother didn’t want to cause him any trouble since he lived in Jotunheim with his people at the time. It was, and still is to this day, forbidden for Aesir and Frost Giants to be with one another. But your mother, her name was Svirna, she wanted to be close to--”

“Svirna,” I repeated almost to myself.

“A beautiful name, isn’t it?” Odin smiled before he leaned back and continued. “She wanted to be close to Loki, so she used her magic to disguise herself as a Frost Giant until after you were born. Then she planned to show you to him and thought the three of you might run away and find someplace totally new to live together.”

“My mother was magical?” I asked incredulously.

“Oh, yes.” The king grinned. “She was quite the sorceress. You didn’t think you got all of your powers from Loki, did you?”

“I had no idea where I got them from.” I shook my head. “I’m not even sure what’s happening now. This is a lot to take in.”

“I understand,” he said. “But I thought you should know.”

“Thank you.” I nodded.

“But, if Rath’s mother died during childbirth, how did he get to Asgard?” Asta asked, and she put her hand on my shoulder.

“That was my doing, of course,” Odin said, as if it were the most normal thing he’d said since we arrived.

“But… why would you do that?” Kas asked.

“Yes, I don’t understand, either,” Preyna said in a soft voice, and she shook her head slightly.

“Because I knew he would be the one to save the dragons, of course,” Odin said, and he lit the pipe in his hand and took a long puff before blowing out a huge cloud of smoke. “Don’t tell Freya about this, she hates when I smoke.”

“Uh, sure.” I nodded.

Did the King of Gods just ask me to keep a secret from his wife? What the fuck was happening around here?

“Preyna.” Odin raised an eyebrow at her.

“I won’t say a word, Allfather,” the sorceress assured him.

“Good,” he said, and he took another puff off the pipe.

“I’m sorry, can we get back to how you just said you knew Rath would be the one to save the dragons?” Kas asked, and her violet eyes darted around with confusion and panic.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Odin said. “That’s why I brought him to Asgard. I kept him safe at the palace for a few days before I placed him at the Orphaned Children Center. Of course, Freya wanted to keep him after what happened with Balder, but I couldn’t allow that. The Elf King and the Vanaheim gods have far too many spies. I couldn’t let any of them figure out who you were, or they would have tried to kill you before your first birthday.”

“You know about the Vanaheim gods, too?” Asta asked, and her jaw fell open with astonishment.

“My dear elf girl, I know quite a lot,” Odin said with an amused smile, and he leaned back and took another puff off his old wooden pipe.

“If you know about the Elf King, then why did you make a treaty with Alfheim?” Preyna asked.

“To keep him close, of course,” Odin explained. “He is a foe, and therefore, he cannot be trusted. However, it is easier to keep an eye on him if he thinks I am on his side. I’ve done the same with the Vanaheim gods for years. ”

“This has all been part of your plan?” Eira’s eyes narrowed on the king. “Did you banish the dragons on purpose, too?”

“Yes, and what about Ove?” Kas asked. “Surely if you are all seeing, you could see he doesn’t deserve to be in Helheim.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Odin sighed, and a cloud of smoke engulfed his face. “But that was all I could do for him at the time. He and Vinrar are… connected, and to banish one meant banishing the other. I sent him with Vinrar to spare him. As far as the rest of the dragons are concerned, the banishment had to be done in order for Rath to fulfill the prophecy and save them all.”

“But… if you knew about the dragons and that all this was going to happen, why didn’t you just not banish them?” Asta asked as she rubbed at her forehead. “If you knew about the dragon trade before it happened, couldn’t you have prevented it?”

“My dear girl, that’s not how it works, though there are many days, I wish it were,” Odin said. “The universe has a set path, and I cannot interfere. I must allow it to run its course. The future is constantly changing, and so are my visions. I am all seeing, but I can only see what is going to happen at the moment. We are but men, and our freedom of choice is a variable I cannot account for. I see what will happen only as the course of events dictates it in real time.”

“Oh.” Asta’s yellow eyes widened, and she leaned back slightly.

“So, you do know about the dragon trade?” Kas asked. “And about the Elf King stealing dragon babies and eggs? About the society to bring Vinrar back? You’ve seen all of this?”

“I wish I hadn’t.” A visible shudder ran through the king. “I didn’t like that arsehole even before he became king. I’m sure his parents were first cousins, maybe closer. There’s always been something wrong with that kid, but now that Rath has uncovered his true powers, he will be able to defeat the sorry sonofabitch.”

“You had this planned for me this whole time,” I said, and my eyes landed on Odin’s one pale blue one.

“Of course.” He smiled. “I’ve kept a watchful eye on you all these years, just waiting for you to understand your powers and discover your true self. You are the chosen one. You have always been the chosen one.”

“Did you know about my powers?” I asked. “You knew what they would be?”

“Not exactly,” he admitted. “But I had an idea. You’ve developed them even faster than I had expected. When you ran into Fenrir, you communicated with him right away. I hadn’t anticipated that, but you two are brothers, so I suppose it makes sense.”

“Rath’s brother is a wolf?” Eira snickered.

“There’s also a serpent,” Odin added with a smile. “And my eight legged horse, of course.”

“Of course,” Eira laughed.

“I understand this is all new and strange,” Odin said, and he looked me dead in the eye. “But you are meant to fulfill the prophecy and save the dragons. It is your fate.”

As much pressure as that was, I knew Odin was right. I felt it in my bones, and I was determined to save the dragons, prophecy or no prophecy. No creature deserved to go through the torment they’d gone through already.

And now that I knew where I’d come from, I didn’t feel as different about it as I thought I would. I’d always felt like knowing who I was would somehow change my entire life, but as I looked around, I wouldn’t want that even if it was possible. I loved my life. I had my women and my dragons, and Kas was pregnant with my first child. The dragon trade was about to be dismantled by myself and my team, and soon all dragons would be free.

And knowing where I came from did nothing to change that. I’d worked for this myself, and I was proud of what I’d done.

I took a deep breath to center myself, and then I looked at Odin.

“I appreciate you telling me all of this,” I said. “But we came here to warn you.”

“About the Elf King coming for my heart?” Odin asked with a sly smile.

“Well… yes.” I nodded and pursed my lips. “But you already knew that.”

“Of course,” he chuckled and took another puff from his pipe. “I expected it of him at some point. He’s working hard to bring Vinrar back.”

“He is,” I agreed. “And we need to stop him.”

“I have total faith in you,” he said.

“Thank you, Allfather.” I frowned. “But we still need to get you somewhere safe. The Elf King has many spies, and he could be sending someone for you as we speak.”

“You misunderstand.” Odin shook his head. “The heart he seeks is not the one in my chest. There is a stone in Muspelheim named Odin’s Heart.”

“I’ve never heard of this stone.” Preyna’s honey colored eyebrows pulled together.

“I’m not surprised,” Odin laughed, and his booming voice filled the large study and echoed off the walls. “It was named Odin’s Heart because long ago in battle, some of my blood was splashed on it, and the stone hence grew abilities that make it very desirable.”

“What kind of abilities?” Kas asked.

“Whoever touches the stone has the ability to bring a loved one back from the dead for twenty four hours,” Odin explained, and his face grew slightly pale and his mouth pulled into a deep frown.

“Oh, no,” Kas gasped and brought her hand up to her mouth. “That must be why the Elf King is after it. That’s exactly what he would need to bring back Vinrar.”

“I still don’t understand how I could have not heard of something this powerful.” Preyna shook her head.

“Well, that is exactly why,” Odin said. “It has been kept a secret for many years because of how powerful it is. Too many men died trying to get to the stone, so it became necessary to lock it away and make sure the lore of it died quickly. If anyone knew about it, then many more would die trying to get it.”

“Does the stone kill them?” Asta asked, and her head cocked to the side slightly.

“The stone itself does not harm them.” He shook his head. “Most of them do not even make it that far.”

“Where’s the stone hidden?” Kas pushed.

“It is in a deep cavern in Muspelheim,” Odin said, and he looked off to the side as if his memories were taking over. “But it is guarded by a fearsome Fire Demon, and anyone who tries to take it will have to do battle with him. Most men are unable to defeat such a formidable foe, and they are henceforth sent to the afterworld where they belong.”

“Why do they belong there?” Asta frowned. “Don’t they just want to see their loved ones again?”

“Perhaps.” Odin nodded. “But their pain and loss has blocked out their ability to care about others. To bring back someone from the dead throws off the balance of the universe and the nine realms, and there are great repercussions for such an act. Anyone selfish enough to put themselves over every single creature in existence deserves the fiery end they receive.”

“Oh.” Asta’s eyes widened slightly at the weight of what Odin just said.

The elf girl clearly couldn’t imagine someone wanting to see a loved one again as a villain, but if what Odin said was true, then there might be more at stake than I thought.

“Would that be the same for Vinrar?” I asked. “Would him being brought back to life cause that kind of shift in the universe?”

“No.” Odin shook his head. “I did not kill him, I simply banished him to Helheim, there’s a big difference. But it is for the best if he is not allowed to come back at all.”

“Yes.” I nodded. “We need to get that stone before the Elf King does. Can you tell us where to find it?”

“I am sure I can find you a map of some sort,” the great king said. “However, I will not be able to accompany you there. After the recent incident with the dragon, I cannot leave the city. My people are counting on me to be here and be present in such a time of need.”

“I understand,” I assured him. “We will handle this ourselves.”

“I know you will.” He smiled and then took another puff off his pipe before he stood up and looked around. “Now, where is that map?”

Odin muttered to himself as he walked along the bookshelves and reached his hand up to touch the volumes. After a moment, he settled on a small scroll and took it to the desk to unroll it.

My team and I walked over to the large marble desk, and I peered over Odin’s shoulder to see the scroll was a map of Muspelheim, and it was more detailed than any map I’d ever seen before. There were illustrations and depictions of landmarks and different creatures who lived near those areas.

“Here,” Odin said, and he pointed to a large volcano looking mountain on the left hand side of the map. “This is where the stone is.”

“And the fire demon is inside the cave?” Kas asked as she narrowed her purple eyes on the illustration.

“He is.” Odin nodded.

“We should go now,” I said. “The Elf King is trying to bring Vinrar back as soon as possible, so he’s probably already after the stone by now.”

“It will be of no use for you to go now,” Odin said with a small shrug.

“Why is that?” Kas asked, and her violet eyes darted to me.

“The stone may only be seen in the light of day,” he explained. “It cannot be retrieved at night.”

“Oh.” Asta frowned.

“I suggest you go home and rest until morning,” Odin said with a point at the tired little dragons on the couch. “They look like they could use some rest.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” I nodded and looked at Odin seriously. “Thank you. For everything.”

“Anything for the son of Loki, tamer of dragons.” He smiled and clapped me on the shoulder. “Once this is all over, I’ll be sure to introduce you to your father. He’ll be happy to know your mother lives on through you, you look so much like her.”

“Thank you,” I said, and I gulped hard.

I never imagined myself meeting anyone important. I’d grown up an orphan with no name to speak of, but here I was in Odin’s study, and he was promising to introduce me to Loki, who apparently, was my father.

My life had taken a strange turn, and my head was spinning from it all.

“You should get going.” Odin smiled. “It is late now. Go rest.”

“Yes, Allfather,” I said, and I walked over to Blar and scratched under his chin. “Wake up, buddy. We need to go home.”

Blar snorted and rolled over, and I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment.

“Blar,” I hissed as I crouched down. “Come on, you’ve got to wake up.”

The little dragon yawned, smacked his lips, and lifted his head just barely. A portal appeared behind me, but then he closed his eyes again and laid his head back down.

“I guess I’m carrying you, then.” I smiled and shook my head.

“We’ll help,” Asta said as she rushed over and picked up Inger.

Eira scooped up Svass, and Kas gathered Uffe in her arms while Preyna pulled Elding up to her chest.

As soon as all the dragons were gathered, I clasped hands with my women and took one last look at Odin. The god stood next to his desk in his red silk pajamas and robe with his pipe in his mouth and his huge white beard billowing with smoke.

The King of Gods nodded to me, and I nodded back. At that moment, I trusted him fully, and I knew he cared for me. Even if he’d only been involved in my life from afar, the way he looked at me told me he was proud of me.

We stepped through the portal into the courtyard of our small cottage home, and immediately, a shiver ran down my spine. It was cold out, and I knew I couldn’t be the only one feeling it.

“Come on,” I told my women. “Let’s go into the cottage.

As I led them to the small home I’d built only for myself, I was reminded of how I would soon need to add onto the stone structure. I had too many women and too many dragons, plus a baby on the way, and there was no way this small home was going to accommodate all of us for much longer.

Once we were inside, I piled some blankets on the floor to extend the bed, and it ended up taking up the majority of the house, but that was alright because it meant we were closer to the fireplace.

“Anyone want some mead before bed?” Eira asked.

“I think I’d like some,” I said as I piled kindling in the fireplace.

“Me, too,” Asta said.

“Yes, please.” Preyna nodded her head, and then her light brown eyes landed on mine. “Rath, how are you feeling?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, and I got the fire lit, blew on it to fan the flames, and leaned back.

Immediately, Blar, Inger, and Svass lazily made their way over to the fireplace and plopped down in front of it. The little dragons promptly fell asleep, but Elding and Uffe stayed in the corner of the bed by themselves and slept a few feet away from each other.

“Odin just told you you’re Loki’s son,” Asta said.

“Yes,” Preyna agreed. “That must be a lot to take in.”

“Not to mention the fact that your mother was a sorceress, too,” Kas added.

“And your brother’s a wolf,” Eira chuckled.

“Honestly, I’m not sure how to feel.” I smiled. “Knowing who they are didn’t change me as much as I thought it would.”

“Well, of course not,” Kas said. “You are you, and you’ve grown up without them. Nothing they can do now would change who you are at your core. Still, I am sorry about your mother.”

“Yes, it’s a shame.” Preyna frowned.

“I am sad I’ll never get to meet her,” I admitted. “But I have a lot of good right here, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

“We love you,” Asta said, and she leaned over and kissed my cheek.

“And I love all of you,” I told them with a smile.

“Sooo.” Eira grinned and turned to Kas. “Now that you know Rath is part Frost Giant with a magical mother, what powers do you think the baby is going to have?”

“I hadn’t thought about it.” The Valkyrie shook her head.

“How could you not?” Preyna asked. “Even I thought about it. If Rath’s mother and father were both magically gifted, and you’re magically inclined as well, your child is bound to be incredibly powerful.”

“They might be the first ever part frost giant, part Asgardian, part Valkyrie baby to be born,” Asta giggled happily.

“You’re right,” Kas agreed, and she instinctively reached down and touched her belly. “He’s going to be very special.”

“He already is,” I said, and I placed my hand on hers.

“I still can’t believe you’re the son of Loki.” Eira shook her head. “I mean, I knew you were powerful, but it makes sense now.”

“Yes,” Preyna agreed. “It is quite astounding.”

“It’s nice to know how I got my abilities, at least.” I shrugged.

“Odin seems to care a great deal about you, too,” Preyna said.

“I got that feeling, as well.” I nodded.

“He does not invite just everyone back to his study, nor does he smile at everyone the way he smiled at you,” the sorceress added. “I haven’t seen him look like he did tonight in a long time.

“He did say he’s been watching you for years,” Asta said. “He probably feels a deeper connection with you. I mean, he knows you, but you don’t know him.”

“I guess I hadn’t thought about that,” I said. “I know I’m part of his plan to save the dragons, but after that, we’ll see how things go.”

“Speaking of,” Eira said, and she turned to Preyna. “Is he always so secretive and ridiculous?”

“Yes, if what he said was true, he’s had this plan since before he even banished the dragons,” Kas said. “That’s a long time to wait, especially if the future is always changing.”

“Yes, that is Odin,” Preyna sighed. “I rarely know what’s going on in that head of his. He is always five steps ahead of everyone else.”

“Poor Freya,” Kas chuckled. “She must put up with a lot being his wife.”

“Oh, she doesn’t put up with much,” Preyna laughed. “Odin is not scared of many things, but he hates to upset Freya. I believe she is the one person he fears most.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Eira said. “I wouldn’t want to anger her, either. She was raised by witches, after all.”

“Mmm, yes.” Preyna nodded. “Sometimes I believe she sees more than Odin does.”

While the girls chatted, I sipped my mead and watched them. Each of them was astonishingly beautiful in their own way, and I felt incredibly lucky to have them in my life.

Kas’s beautiful strawberry-blonde ringlets bounced around her face with each movement, her violet eyes shone with amusement, and her perfectly plump red lips pulled into a sweet smile. She wore a tight fitting black tunic that showed off her ample breasts, thin waist, and full hips. Her belly was flat for now, but I knew it would soon grow large and round, and I couldn’t wait to press my hand against it and feel our son kick.

She was the first woman I’d truly fallen in love with, and the first to join my little family I’d since built. Kas and I had been the first to travel together through a portal, and she was the first to meet Blar and come to my bed, so it felt right that she was the first to bear my child. The sorceress was incredibly impressive in her skills, and even more beautiful.

Asta was the second to join my group, and the short white-haired elf girl was the most stunning creature I’d ever laid eyes on. Something about her sharp, angular features and her delicate frame never failed to make me want to protect her. Her long white hair was pin straight, and it hung down her back to her waist. Her pointed ears protruded outward and drew attention to her incredibly beautiful features, and her large yellow eyes, full pink lips, and small, upturned nose all gave her the appearance of a painting or statue. She was a moving work of art I got to keep for myself.

When she’d first joined the group, she had no fighting skills to speak of, but now she did well with daggers, a short sword, and an axe. Inger was also always by her side, and the two of them worked together even in battle.

Eira, my gorgeous, redhead wife, was the most feisty and ferocious warrior I’d ever met. I’d served under her in her warband, and she’d never failed to impress me then, and she didn’t fail to impress me now. She was taller than the rest of the women, with long red hair that was usually pulled back into a series of braids to keep it out of her face when fighting. Her body was toned from years of battle, and the delicate sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose was an utter contrast to her cocky attitude.

As standoffish as she came across sometimes, she was so deeply caring it only made me love her all the more. She’d quit her position as warband leader to come help me and my team dismantle the dragon trade. It was a position that took her a long time to work up to, and most others would not quit no matter what other opportunity came along. Eira’s father was a famous warband leader, but she’d entered the warband under her own name so she wasn’t associated with him. She told me she wanted to work her way up on her own merits, and I respected the Hel out of her for that.

Preyna was the last to join our group, and unlike the other women, I hadn’t soul bonded with her yet, but I hoped that day would come soon. The bond I had with Kas, Asta, and Eira was incredible. I was able to sense their emotions, if they were in danger, and feel their pleasure when we made love. I wanted all those things with Preyna, as well, and something told me she wanted them, too.

The beautiful honey-haired goddess was Odin’s castle sorceress, and she held a seat on the council of three for a long time. She and the council were the reason I was able to save so many dragons. They helped us along the way by storing eggs and alerting us to any information they had about the ongoings of the dragon trade. It was only recently that Preyna had started to come on quests with us, but having her around certainly helped. She was a powerful sorceress who’d spent years honing her craft, and it showed.

As I watched, she leaned over, put her hand on Kas’s arm, and gave it a little squeeze. Preyna’s light brown eyes were lit a golden orange from the glow of the fire, and her pale skin seemed to shine even more than usual. She wore a long silver dress that was low cut in the front to reveal her full breasts, and they bounced slightly as she threw her head back and laughed.

Blar let out a little snore, and I reached over to scratch under his chin. Svass was curled up in a ball on his stomach, and Inger was sprawled out next to him. Uffe and Elding were curled up behind me, so I reached back and gave them a little pet, too. The dragons were so much a part of me that it was second nature to reach over and give them a pet. Half the time, I didn’t even realize I was doing it.

I smiled when Blar let out another even louder snore, and then I settled against the wall and just watched my women as they chatted and laughed.

Seeing them happy made my stomach flutter with excitement and hope. The dismantling of the dragon trade was so close, I could taste it. Now, all I had to do was make sure Vinrar didn’t come back to life and ruin it all.

After a while, the girls and I settled down to rest, and I fell asleep with their heavy breaths all around me.

Just before dawn, my eyes opened wide, and I glanced out the window to see the very beginning of the sun on the horizon.

Usually, I would wake the girls and get breakfast started for them, but today we didn’t have a moment to spare.

It was time to fight a fire demon.