Odin laughed as if the ridiculousness had just occurred to him. “You're right; of course, you are. That vision just has me unsettled.”
“So, you're okay with me going?”
“No; I'm absolutely not.” Odin went grim. “Vision aside, you are still a pregnant woman who should not be going anywhere near a violent protest.”
“I'm a pregnant, immortal witch,” I corrected him. “I'll be fine, and you know it.”
“All right,” he ground out. “But I'm going with you.”
“The Allfather is going to help the Native Americans?” I asked in surprise.
“The Allfather is going to protect his bride and unborn child,” Odin corrected. “And woe betide any who dare venture too close to her.”
“All right, my sweet raven.” I leaned in to kiss him. “You can come to the protest.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
We got there too late to try for peace; the battle was already raging out of control. It looked as if the security hired by the oil company was actually a band of mercenaries—and yes, there are mercenaries working in America—and those men were firing into the protesters with real guns. The protesters were shooting back with bows and arrows; modern hunting bows and arrows, but still inadequate weapons against guns. Not to make light of their efficiency; the Navajo were doing their fair share of damage.
Thor, Odin, and I stood on a ridge that overlooked the battle. We could see Tsohanoai and Estsanatlehi—Thor's Navajo friends—with their twin sons; supporting their people as best they could. Tsohanoai brought the heat of the Sun down upon his enemies as his wife brought great slashes of rain. Their twins had similar powers—offshoots of their parents' magic—but since Water and Sun were already being utilized, Nayenezgani used his War magic to empower his people while his brother used Darkness to obscure them.
Then I saw something unexpected.
“Is that an angel?” I asked as I stared across the field from the Navajo.
“Gabriel, I think,” Odin said with a scowl. “Is he helping the mercenaries?”
“I knew that it was a fucking angel,” Thor growled as he gathered lightning in his hand. “That bird is going to fry.”
Thor cast his lightning across the battle, but Gabriel saw it coming and dodged. Thor snarled and ran down to face his opponent on even ground.
“Thor!” Odin called after his son. “Son of a seahorse!”
We'd been trying to tone down our cussing; practice for when the baby was born.
“Gabriel can kill with a word,” Odin said as he turned to me urgently. “Stay here; I can't let Thor get within earshot of that angel.”
“But Thor's immortal,” I protested.
“Which means that Gabriel won't be able to kill him outright, but he can still cripple Thor and then go in for the kill,” Odin said quickly before he ran after Thor.
I watched as both men made their way through the battle; uncaring that the humans could see them and any magical actions they took. I snarled in frustration and then ran after them. Flares of sunlight streaked above me and moisture gathered on my arms. God battles were always such a confusing mix of sensations; it messed with my mind a little. But I focused on my family and wound my way through the humans as I tried to come up with a way to help Thor.
“Vervain?” Tobadzistsini grabbed my arm. “What are you doing here?”
“I came with Thor.” I pointed to Thor; he was halfway to Gabriel. “He's going after the angel.”
“No,” Tobadzistsini said. “He can't; he'll be killed.”
“I know,” I said urgently. “Odin's on his way to help, but I don't think he'll make it in time.”
Tobadzistsini gauged the distance between us and Gabriel and then looked back at me. “Do you trust me, Godhunter?” He held his arms out to me.
A shiver surged through my veins, and I suddenly saw Tobadzistsini above me; his hair falling around us in a silken veil. I touched his cheek, and his eyes glowed with the strength of his love for me as he leaned down to kiss me. Then the vision vanished, and I was in Tobadzistsini's embrace for real. I wrapped my arms around his strong shoulders as water collected beneath us and lifted us above the fight. We floated on a wave over the battle; straight to the angel on the opposite side.
“Toby,” I whispered with wonder.
Tobadzistsini faltered, and so did his magic. We went tumbling down the wave; landing several feet away from Gabriel. Toby rolled so that he took the brunt of the fall, and we came to a stop with him above me.
“Vervain?” He frowned down at me. “Why do I feel as if I know you better than I do?”
“I don't know.” I laid my hand to his cheek—just as I had in my vision—but then I jerked it away in shock. “I'm sorry, I...” Then I noticed Gabriel. “He's coming!”
Toby glanced over his shoulder and then cursed as he pulled both of us to our feet. He set me behind him as he surrounded Gabriel with a wall of water. Through the wavering water, I saw Gabriel unfurl his wings; preparing to fly. But Toby domed the water above Gabriel and sealed him in.
“That won't hold him for long,” Toby said. “But, hopefully, it will give us time to stop Thor.”
I looked across the battle and saw that Thor was just a few feet away. I knew that he'd barrel through that water to get to the angel, and I couldn't let that happen. I had to use the only weapon available to me, and kill Gabriel first. I focused within the water dome, found the magic inside Gabriel, and latched onto it.
Gabriel shouted in shock and fury as I began to drain his magic. I
