Orvar's touch made me shiver as he dropped the necklace back onto my collarbone. I was shocked to feel it still felt as alive as it did on the day of the funerals.
"Electra? It's the first dance, c'mon." Orvar whispered in my ear.
I went into the middle of the ballroom with him. I looked up to see my dad in the box above the dance floor, watching Orvar and I. We both agreed that this party was about me. He wanted to make it kind of like a wedding for me since I more than likely will never see mine. No one else would understand but he and I would. The band started playing Canon in D (my favorite wedding song) and Orvar and I started dancing. The crowd sighed and I heard whispers of how cute a couple we were.
I smiled at Orvar as he spun me around the floor. I looked up at my dad to see him smiling at me sadly. Orvar and I went in circles all around the room. The smiling faces passed me in a blur and I honestly felt intoxicated on happiness. The song was coming to an end, though, and I really didn't want it to. I could feel fate pressing in on me, suffocating me almost, and I suddenly felt a blinding passion for Orvar.
"You don't have to hold onto me so hard." He whispered.
I laughed. "I'm sorry. I've just never danced like this with anyone. I'm a little nervous."
"Don't be. You're doing amazing. You look amazing as well."
I could feel the blush creeping up my neck. "Thank you."
The song came to an end and Orvar and I ended up face to face, staring into each other's eyes. I felt like nothing was going on around me even though I was kind of aware of everyone clapping. Orvar's gaze seemed to cut right to my soul and I felt every emotion I've ever had pour out of me and it was confusing and painful but beautiful all at the same time. I started to lean in, completely ready to kiss him, but something distracted me.
Over Orvar's right shoulder, in the middle of the crowd, stood someone in a masquerade mask. He was staring at me intensely, making me uneasy. Other couples had joined us on the dance floor and the band struck up some waltz. I locked eyes with the mystery man and a jolt of electricity made its way down my spine. Goosebumps popped up all over my body and I quickly pushed away from Orvar. I suddenly felt like I was being choked so I reached up to the necklace to find it was actually choking me.
Orvar noticed this and quickly hustled me out of the ballroom, successfully getting me past everyone without them noticing. I tugged on the necklace harder than I meant to and it broke and flew across the foyer and shattered against the front door. Suddenly, I could breathe again. But I had broken the necklace that had been passed down for years. I went over to it and bent down to pick up the dreamcatcher part and suddenly things were rushing at me from thousands of years ago.
"The curse has to be broken in order for Ragnarok to take place."
"It's got to be the girl. She has to stop Fenris."
Odin and Tyr stood in Valhalla's dining hall, alone.
"He'll just keep getting stronger."
"But so will she!" Odin whispered, a smile spreading across his face.
"Is this really how you want to stop him?"
"Of course. I'll treat her as my own daughter."
"You're binding this, are you?"
"I have to, Tyr."
"How will she know how to break the curse if you bind this situation and can't tell her anything?"
"She'll figure it out. It'll take time but think of that as more time to train our warriors."
Tyr sighed. "She's destined to fall in love with one of Fenris' children. Do you realize that?"
"Of course I do. But there is not a thing I can do to stop that."
"So you're going to do nothing?"
Odin held out his hands as if to say he was sorry.
"I have a pity for this girl that will triumph over any pity you will ever have. I curse you for this, almighty Odin."
I dropped the dreamcatcher and fell back on my butt. Orvar was standing above me. His lips were moving but I couldn't hear anything. It took a while, but my hearing came back and I was greeted to Orvar yelling at me.
"Please stop. I have a headache." I said as I let him help me up.
"You scared the Helheim out of me, Electra!"
I didn't even question why I knew what Helheim was. I suddenly felt this strong surge of power and I could tell I knew a lot more about the Nine Worlds. Orvar looked at me and for a second I wondered if he was Fenris' child. He had told me I was fated to love him. But somehow, I knew that he wasn't. He was who he said he was.
Orvar helped me stand up and he quickly picked up the pieces of the necklace and left them on the dining room table. We went back into the ballroom and, thankfully, it didn't seem like anyone had noticed we left. Orvar and I both agreed to pretend like nothing happened and we went back to dancing.
Throughout the night, I did a lot of dancing and talking. But the necklace never left my mind. Orvar was trying so hard to keep me from thinking about it and I'm grateful he did. Towards the end of the night I was actually able to forget about it and just have a good time.
I was dancing with my dad when someone tapped on my shoulder. My dad gracefully spun me around and I came face to face with the mystery man. He held his hand out for me to take. I looked back at my dad and he shrugged but let go of me. So I took the man's hand. He placed his hand on my waist and grasped my other one in his. I closed my eyes as I realized the touch was really familiar.
We danced to a whole song then he abruptly let go of me. He gestured for me to follow him, so I did. It was probably very stupid. I caught Orvar's eye and shrugged a little. He looked like he wanted to follow me, but he stayed where he was.
The man led me outside and as weird as it sounds, I didn't feel the cold of the raging blizzard. I was actually very warm and I honestly think the warmth was radiating off of the guy. I doubted he was going to talk, so I did.
"I don't know if you've came to any of my parties before, but this one wasn't a masquerade one." I said, talking to his back as he stared out across the yard.
I was expecting him to explain why he was wearing a mask, but he didn't. So I continued.
"Well...you can take it off now. It's just us."
He turned towards me and even though I couldn't see his eyes, I could feel them piercing through me. I suddenly had a strong feeling of Deja Vu.
"Do...do I know you?" I stuttered out.
Instead of answering, he reached up and untied his mask. As he brought down his mask, everything inside me seemed to come down as well. I was thrown back in time and I stumbled and slipped in the snow. His arms were right there to catch me, and he sat in the snow with me in his arms for the first time in about two years.
The darkness was rushing towards me as my whole body turned to jelly. Damien's words were the last thing I heard.
"I lived."
