Morgan's Fate

“I was supposed to kill Odin, but I failed. He healed everything I did to him.” Fenris didn’t sound angry, just thoughtful.

“Has the prophecy changed?” Magnus shrugged as everyone turned to him. “Uncle Val could still be right. If a wolf is supposed to kill Odin, then it just means Fenris isn’t the killer. For all we know, it could be a normal, Fate-touched wolf that makes the kill.”

Logan shook his head. “There are other werewolves, ones not descended from Fenris. It could be one of them.”

“Travis told me. We should be looking for them, Pappa.”

“There are more than you might think, scattered all over the world.” Logan’s gaze was glued to his son, but his hand kept moving over Jordan’s stomach. The talk about his children had probably upset him more than he was willing to show, and he responded by making sure the children he and Kir had started with Jordan were safe. “I’m not sure we could find them all no matter what we did.”

Magnus started pacing in front of the window, his quicksilver brother unable to keep still any longer. “It’s possible that the reason Fenris failed was timing. He wasn’t supposed to kill Odin yet, so he couldn’t.”

Skye tilted her head, and spoke.

“Now comes to Hlin yet another hurt,

When Othin fares to fight with the wolf,

And Beli’s fair slayer seeks out Surt,

For there must fall the joy of Frigg.

Then comes Sigfather’s mighty son,

Vithar, to fight with the foaming wolf;

In the giant’s son does he thrust his sword

Full to the heart: his father is avenged.

Hither there comes the son of Hlothyn,

The bright snake gapes to heaven above;

Against the serpent goes Othin’s son.

In anger smites the warder of earth,—

Forth from their homes must all men flee;—

Nine paces fares the son of Fjorgyn,

And, slain by the serpent, fearless he sinks.”

“So Grimm was supposed to die before Dad, but he didn’t.” Jordan grimaced and pushed her glasses up her nose. “Shit. This so is fucked up.”

“The wolf isn’t specifically named.” Morgan pushed gently at Skye’s head until she sagged against him, resting against his shoulder. The tiny, nearly silent sigh of relief she gave was his reward. Skye didn’t realize it, but she needed him, needed to feel safe. He’d give her that, and so much more if she’d allow it. “I do think Uncle Val is right. It’s not Fenris.”

“Or me.” Jeff sighed behind him, but with his arm full of Skye, Morgan couldn’t see his brother. “But that means it could be anyone.” Jeff chuckled. “Okay, any werewolf.”

“They might come if we call, elskede.”

“That could be dangerous, wolfman.”

“Or it could give us our answer.”

There was silence as they waited to see what Jeff replied. That it was his brother, rather than Fenris, making the decision should have surprised Morgan, but it didn’t. Morgan was certain Fenris would swallow the sun if his lover asked it of him.

And Jeff made the decision he’d known his little brother would. “Hey, Logan? Think we can handle an influx of furries?”

Skye suddenly relaxed completely against him, like she’d been holding her breath and now could let it go.

“You were hoping they’d decide that.”

She nodded, her hair tickling his chin. “Yeah, I was. If they’re right, then this might be the only way.” She shrugged. “What was meant to be shall be, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help it along.”

“Why didn’t you remember who you were?” Kir’s question was a good one, a question Morgan had meant to ask.

“I’m no longer the Norn of the Future; another will take my place soon. By changing fate, I defied that which defined me. I can still speak prophecy, and I’m still a Norn, but I will no longer live beneath Yggdrasil, no longer drink from the Well. And because of my interference, I will not be assigned to mortals as other Norns are.” She snuggled closer into Morgan’s embrace. “What I am now, what I have been forced to become? It’s my destiny.”

Morgan would see to it that she didn’t regret one single moment of it.

The silence that followed her pronouncement was absolute, so when her phone rang it startled the hell out of her. Skye reached into her pocket to pull out her cell, wriggling in Morgan’s lap and bringing to her attention exactly how happy he was about that. “Hello?”

“H-hello?”

She frowned. The voice on the phone was unfamiliar, yet something about it tugged at her senses. The voice sounded hesitant, young.

Terrified.

“Who is this?”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re Skuld, right?” It was a masculine voice, light but raspy, as if the speaker had a sore throat.

“Yes.” She darted a glance at Morgan, who was frowning.

Put it on speaker, he mouthed at her.

She nodded and hit the speaker button. “Who is this?”

The caller sighed. “Listen to me. Odin, he’s going to do something to you. Something bad. I don’t know what, but he’s consulting with the Norns and he looks really happy. They’ve mentioned your name several times.”

She held up her hand to make sure no one else spoke. She didn’t want to spook the caller. “How do you know Odin?”

The caller made a frustrated sound. “I just do. Please, I don’t have a lot of time. He’ll be coming for me soon, and when he does we’ll be… Never mind. Just don’t leave the place were you are now, and everything should be fine.”

“Are you safe?”

“Are you?”

“Yes.”

A snort answered her declaration. “You only think you are, but he’s coming for you. He doesn’t want you to tell the others what you know, and he’ll kill you to silence you. He’s done it before.”

The prophecy. “He knows I’ve remembered who I am?”

“He suspects, yes, and that’s all he needs.”

She shivered hard. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because…” The caller sighed wearily. “Because I want to be free, and if the only way to do that is to die for doing the right thing, then so be it.”

The voice was definitely male, youngish sounding and more frightened than any voice she’d ever heard before. She had to help him. “No one has to die. Just tell us who and where you are, and we’ll come help you.”

Logan and Kir nodded even as Morgan’s arms tightened around her.

“No one can help me. I was given away, and now I’m stuck here forever.”

Logan’s breath stuttered in his chest, his eyes going wide with horror. “Sleipnir?”

“Remember. Odin will be coming for you.” The voice was even shakier after Logan’s outburst.

“Sleipnir!” Logan practically leapt off the ottoman. “Tell us where you are. I swear, I will come for you.”