We set off across the tree limb, making our way over uneven ground made of giant bark. The bark was so jagged that it was almost like walking across broken land struck through with crevasses and ditches. I had to hop over those as often as I walked with regular steps.
“This is truly amazing,” Cade said.
“Don’t you go to the world of the Celtic gods?” I asked.
“No, never. Earthwalking gods are reincarnates. My job is here, on earth. Though I probably could access the Celtic godly realm, I’m not sure how.”
“Do you wish you could visit?”
“Aye. I’d like to meet more people like myself.” He looked at me. “But then, you and Ana are similar in power.”
I grinned. “That doesn’t make us like brother and sister, right? I don’t want this thing between us to go the way of Luke and Leia.”
He grimaced slightly. “No. Not you, at least. Ana, perhaps. There is a sibling-like feeling for her. But not you. You’re a Viking.”
“I am, aren’t I?” It was really freaking cool, now that I thought of it. And Ana would be a DragonGod from another mythos. “A Valkyrie. A DragonGod.”
“Exactly. With the potential to be one of the most powerful supernaturals in the world. Have you gained the power of illusion? Because those Ice Giants didn’t melt when they arrived in Muspell. And the timing was just too convenient.”
I nodded. “Yes. I think it’s a power from Loki, the trickster god.”
His brows rose. “Loki?”
“Yeah, crazy, right?”
“Illusion is powerful.”
“I know. But my water power is faltering. And my healing will go soon, too. It seems that with every new power that the gods gift to me, another one gets squashed or driven away. I can’t count on this one sticking around.”
“But you can count on fixing your magic. You can do that, Bree.”
“Thanks.” My heart warmed, but we’d reached the massive trunk of the tree. No more time to talk. I looked down at the arrow. “It’s still pointing to the trunk.”
“There may be an entrance.” He went left, towards a shadowed area on the trunk, which was so big that it didn’t even look like it curved around. It was just a wall made of massive bark, with nooks and crannies. “Here.”
I joined him. There, in the shadows of one of the nooks, the air shimmered darkly. Like the same portal that had led us out of Muspell.
I tucked the compass stone safely in my pocket and stowed the scroll in my backpack. “Let’s go.”
We stepped up to the shimmery dark air that led into the nook between the bark. It was big enough for us to walk in side by side, so I reached for Cade’s hand.
He gripped mine, and counted down.
On one, we stepped through.
Into hell.
The world we entered was dark—almost like it was underground. Or in a giant cave. High above, the air glowed golden, as if the sky were on fire. Though there was no red lava on the ground, the earth was black and jagged. It was like a bomb had exploded on a field of granite, tossing the rocks up into the air and letting them fall down as piles of debris.
There were no paths or roads that I could see, just jagged earth that we’d have to weave our way around.
“I have a feeling that this place will be no more welcoming than Muspell,” Cade said.
“Probably worse.” I looked back up at the orange sky. It cast a warm glow on the ground below, but not in a welcoming way. “The sky looks like a fake tan that’s on fire.”
Cade chuckled.
I dug into my pocket for the compass stone. It spun, then pointed forward. “Let’s go. Hopefully we can make it through this world without being caught.”
“Do you have any idea where we might be?”
“It’s scary enough to be hell, but I think that’s supposed to be under the tree. So maybe it’s Svartálfar, land of the D?kkálfar, the Dark Elves.”
He frowned. “Not good.”
“No, they’re scary bastards, from what I’ve read.” I set off across the uneven ground, weaving my way between the jagged stones that pierced the sky. They rose tall on either side of me, some only six feet tall and others twenty.
We walked in silence, all our effort focused on finding the easiest path through this miserable hellscape.
I strained to hear every little thing, feel every little prick of magic in the air. There was no way this would be as easy as walking. The tension made my heart race and nerves jump.
I hated the waiting. I wanted to jump, fight, go for it.
Something was going to come for us—but what?
When the loud growl sounded, the weirdest sense of relief and terror shot through me. It felt like a relaxing of my muscles combined with a sick surge of adrenaline through my veins.
“Cade,” I whispered.
“I hear it.”
We stopped dead, then pressed our backs against a wall of rock and scanned our surroundings.
The dim orange light cast hundreds of shadows at the bases of the jagged rocks, making it difficult to see what was coming.
But by the time the monster appeared, I was shocked that I’d missed it. The wolf was way too big to slink about in the shadows of the rocks. It was easily six times the size of a normal wolf, with jet black fur and gleaming yellow eyes.
Magic sparked around it, silver bursts of light.
“It must be Sk?ll or Hati, the sons of Fenrir, the great wolf,” I said.
Cade nodded. “At least I stand a chance against this one. Fenrir would do me in.”
“Fenrir is the size of a castle.”
Cade’s magic shimmered around him, and a moment later, he transformed into a giant gray wolf. He was still smaller than the other wolf, but that didn’t stop him from growling low in his throat and charging the bigger beast.
My heart thundered as he ran, powerful legs carrying him around the jagged rocks.
Sk?ll, which seemed like the right name for him, bared his fangs and crouched low, the fur rising at his hackles. Cade rushed him, huge feet eating up the earth as he ran.
Sk?ll leapt for Cade, and the two collided in a clash of fur and fangs. The growling was loud enough to vibrate through my chest, and the fight was fierce. They tore at each other, grappling on the ground.
Fear raced through my veins like acid. I drew my sword and shield from the ether. There was no way I could let Cade take on this giant wolf alone.
He was holding his own, tearing at Sk?ll’s shoulder with his white fangs, but Sk?ll leaned over and got one of Cade’s forelimbs between his teeth.
He chomped down. I winced, feeling the pain as if it were my own.
My mind buzzed and my skin chilled as a desperate desire to do something streaked through me. But what?
I couldn’t throw myself between them. I’d be wolf chow.
Sk?ll used his great weight to roll Cade beneath him. They were almost evenly matched, but I couldn’t rely on that.
A jagged outcropping of rock towered over the two figures. I eyed it briefly, long enough to determine that my plan was only slightly insane but definitely better than throwing myself between two giant wolves, and raced for it.
I scrambled up the side of the jagged rock, struggling to maintain my balance while gripping my sword and shield instead of the ground beneath me. The wolves thrashed on the ground below, growling and tearing at each other.
I ran to the edge of the stone and jumped, sailing through the air. This was nuts!
Chapter Five