ENTANGLED (#2 The Valkyries)

Chapter 1 - Anywhere But Here

"It's Prince Aidan's first birthday in a month, and it promises to be a wonderful celebration." At least, I hoped it would be. Please Norns, let Loki, Shannon, and Elatha's quest be successful.

Silence greeted me, and I looked up from my soup. Both my parents held blank expressions.

A slight frown creased Mother's model-smooth forehead, full red lips pursed as she met Father's gaze. "Do we know a Prince Aidan, Triton?"

He cocked a blond eyebrow, then tapped a thick finger on the table. "Prince Thor has a mortal wife and their offspring wouldn't be recognized as Asgardian royals. I presume Prince Loki has had a son?" He paused, frowning. "Wait, didn't we see a media flap over some woman of his going into labour on the red carpet five years ago? With the time difference, that'd be about right for it to be the kid's first birthday on Asgard."

She's one of my fucking best friends, asshole. I gritted my teeth to bite back the words, drawing in a slow breath. I took my time letting it out, delaying my answer. Father or not, I was not going to listen to him denigrate her. "Yes, Loki has a son with his soulmate and consort, Princess Shannon."

In the midst of admiring her own reflection in her wineglass, Mother's mouth dropped open, her eyes meeting mine. "The Norns gave Loki a soulmate? After killing Baldur?"

My pulse began pounding in my temple. Her tone was like the screeching of the damn banshees I'd fought off yesterday on Alfheim. Don't engage. Do not go down that black hole, Mist. Keep it light and get the fuck out of here. Small doses, remember? "Princess Shannon joined the royal family almost two years ago. Aidan is a handful. He's inherited the ability to portal."

Father barked a laugh. "Seems appropriate for a kid of Loki's to keep him on his toes. So our Black Prince playboy has gotten himself shackled again. Well, I'm sure he knows how to get around that when he tires of diapers and the same old piece of ass. Or he could just let her get killed, like his last wife."

Red washed over my vision, the dull thumping in my temple turning to dwarven hammers. The mocking tone and the toothy smile aimed at Mother had me carefully placing my spoon on the table to stifle the impulse to stab my father with it. Sigyn's death at the hands of the Unseelie in the last war still haunted the Valkyrie, still haunted Loki. To joke about it, to blame him—cold, misty air lifted strands of hair from my neck and swirled around my body as I fought for control of my abilities.

Slowly, I pushed my chair back from the table.

Mother tore her glare from him to tilt her head and frown. "Where are you going, dear?"

I met Father's smirk with a deliberately calm facade. "I'm going to go walk off this rich food. Thank you for dinner." Before I smash your fucking face in, you traitorous cheating bastard. Jaw clenched while I tried to not grind my teeth, I inclined my head and left the dining room with its rich furnishings and stone-cold inhabitants. They immediately started sniping at each other, their waspish tones chasing me down the hall.

By the time I'd walked through the house, out the back deck, and climbed down the rocky stairs winding down the cliff face to the beach at the base of their Malibu home, the headache was easing. Already dark, the Pacific Ocean crashed on the rock and sand-carved shore in a moonlit sparkle. Unlike the weighty tension of my parents' dining room, the spray from breaking waves caressed my body with a familiar, comforting tingle. I sat on the damp sand, closed my eyes, inhaled the fresh salt-laden air, and listened to the rhythmic sound, letting it soothe my soul.

Yggdrasil's roots, I hated visiting my parents. Already worried about Shannon, Loki, and Elatha's quest to Helheim, the last thing I'd needed was my father's callous comments. At least I knew they'd made it to Midgard. Heimdall verified the rouse we'd played yesterday to distract the Wild Hunt worked to pave the way for the others to leave Alfheim undetected, but damn it, I wished I knew how they were doing.