“Of course not,” I whispered. “Thank you for not trying to...”
“To break apart your marriage?” Odin asked with lifted brows. “Having lost you once myself, I would never wish that upon my son. A parent will sacrifice anything for their child; even their own happiness.”
“The things I saw, Odin,” I drew closer to him. “Is Vidar...?” I swallowed as Odin's eyes went large. “Is he our son?”
“Yes,” Odin whispered. “But I don't see how we can tell him.”
“How can we not? His mother is alive.”
I started to cry again, although I wasn't sure who it was for. I still had the image of a blue-eyed boy in my head, but I was certain he was not Vidar. So, who was he?
“Easy now, sweetheart,” Odin cooed as he hugged me. “We'll figure this out. You can never have too much love; it's the lack of it that kills you. Trust me; I know. I've been slowly dying from the moment I lost you.”
“The lack of it,” I whispered as I looked up into his peacock colored eye
The greens shifted into blue and then purple. It was so comforting; staring into those colors. I felt as if I were home.
“I've missed you, my sweet raven,” I whispered.
“Oh, Gods; Sabine,” Odin said brokenly before he kissed me.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in tighter. Odin's mouth slashed across mine with trembling intensity; salty tears mixing with a passion that had been denied for centuries. I groaned as he lifted me and set me on the counter; shoving my thighs apart so he could get closer to me. My hands roamed the muscles in his back as if they'd done so thousands of times before, and memories surfaced, except this time, they were of him and me—this me. Odin was lying beneath me; looking up at me with two eyes. Was this our future? Did Odin regain his other eye? It was enough to jar me out of my passion and bring me back to reality.
I gasped and pushed away from him. Odin went easily enough but his hands stayed on me, as did his intense stare. He was breathing hard, and his gaze had gone shaky.
“I know,” he whispered. “That can't happen again. But thank you for the kiss, Vervain. Thank you for giving me one last embrace with my Sabine.”
“I'm so sorry, Odin,” I said brokenly. “I love Thor, but I feel as if...”
“I know.” He nodded. “But what's done is done; you married my son, and I will not come between you.” He eased away from me determinedly. “The past cannot be changed.”
I frowned at his words and a shiver went through me.
Can it not? An amused male voice asked in my head,
I jerked around; looking for the interloper.
I'm not there, Vervain, the voice said. You don't remember me, but my name is Alaric.
Can I call you Al? I automatically quipped inside my head.
The voice laughed. I knew they couldn't erase all of you; that's my girl!
“Vervain?” Odin looked concerned.
I blinked and hopped off the counter. “I'm fine; we'd better get some food out to them, or they're going to come in after us.”
“Oh, right.” Odin took a deep, steadying breath and headed for the fridge.
Now, listen up; your past has been changed. This is not the life you're meant to have.
“What?” I hissed.
“Excuse me?” Odin asked.
“Oh... I think we're out of Spam,” I said.
“Spam?” Odin made a face. “Thank goodness for that.”
He went back to rifling through the fridge.
You are meant to marry Odin, not Thor, Al went on. And don't interrupt. Make some coffee or something.
I glanced at Odin as a tingle of rightness flowed through me. I felt the truth in what this person was saying.
Consciousness, not person, he corrected. I'm the Consciousness of the Void, but never mind that for now. You're lucky you have me and Faerie, or this would have been way more confusing for you.
Faerie? I asked as I began chopping vegetables for an omelet.
Never mind her either, he said. There's not much we can do right now. Faerie and I are trying to figure out a way to get you back. Just know that this—all of this confusing crap that you're feeling—is your real life trying to remind you of who you are. Let it, Vervain. You must remember on your own; it will keep your true path alive. Forget, and it will be lost forever.
I don't like the sound of that.
Neither do I, V, Al said grimly. Neither do I.
Chapter Eight
After breakfast, we contacted the rest of the God Squad and met them in Hell. Well, not Hell exactly; the Greek Underworld, aka Hades. I've always thought that was odd; the whole place and man being called by the same name. But then, I've probably mentioned that before.
I was still reeling from Odin's kiss and the revelations of the disembodied voice calling himself Alaric. I wasn't living my real life? How was that even possible? He had tried to explain it to me; something about vengeance and a god of time, but I couldn't understand how a life already lived could just be taken away and replaced by another.
But I didn't have the time to worry about it, and there was nothing I could do either way. Alaric said that I could try to hunt down
