Endre (Elsker Saga Book 2) (23 page)

And they were inky blue.

Ull pulled me into his chest and kissed me so soundly I forgot the people around us. Forgot the sanctity of this holy ground. Forgot that my new in-laws were watching. The only thought in my mind was this man—my husband—kissing me, claiming me, and loving me absolutely beyond reason. It was the best feeling I’d ever had, and I wanted to hold onto it forever.

“Come, my love.” Ull pulled me toward the side door of the church. The ceremony was over and our guests had retreated to the hall for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. We’d just signed our marriage certificate and it was time to join the party.

“Where are we going?”

“You shall see.” He tugged at my hand and opened the door. A blast of cold air hit me in the face. Ull took off his coat and wrapped it around my shoulders as he led me to the courtyard. The roses and ivy were swathed in twinkle lights, and hurricane glasses held ivory pillar candles that shimmered in the twilight.

As I stared, I realized I could hear the gentle flicker of the lit candles. The soft popping of the burning wick hummed lightly in my ears.

Whoa. That was new.

I exhaled slowly as I looked around the courtyard. “What is all of this?”

“I thought I could put Inga’s exuberance to good use. I asked her to recreate Ýdalir for us.”

“That’s really sweet. But why?”

“So I could give you a romantic dance under the stars at our wedding.” He’d remembered.

“Ull.” My cheeks felt warm. This was too much.

“Mrs. Myhr.” He held out a hand. “May I have this dance?”

“Of course.” My voice was barely more than a whisper. Ull put his hand on my waist and gently guided me around the courtyard. I rested my head on his chest as we moved slowly in the square, not caring for once whether I tripped over my own feet. I knew Ull would catch me if I fell.

“Thank you, Kristia,” he murmured.

“For what?”

“For choosing me. For agreeing to take on everything that comes with being my wife. For giving up your own life to be a part of mine.” He pulled back to look at me. “For letting me see that I do not have to be alone anymore.”

I stretched my neck as high as I could, still a foot from his face even in heels. He met me halfway, bending to kiss me fiercely. I knew people were wondering where we were. I knew it was rude to keep our guests waiting. But I easily could have stood in that freezing courtyard kissing my brand-spankin’-new husband for the rest of the evening.

Ull pulled back to examine me closely.

“What?” I was suddenly self-conscious.

“I am just wondering how you feel. Did it hurt? You were so composed.”

“You mean when Odin changed me?” He didn’t know what Idunn had done this morning, and I wasn’t about to tell him now. I took a mental inventory. “I feel fine.”

“Are you certain?”

“Well I do feel a little warm, or I did when we were inside anyway. And kind of tingly, like all of my nerves are bouncing off each other. Like those awful computer diagrams of the atom from junior high science class, you know?” He probably didn’t know. The school in Asgard had bigger fish to fry than teaching its teenagers about the particle.

“And I’m a little lightheaded. But that’s probably not related to my changing.” I reached up to twirl a lock of his hair.

“So you really feel all right?”

“I feel much better than all right.” I stretched up to kiss him again. When I pulled back he was beaming.

“I thought I was meant to live alone. And today… I have more than I ever could have imagined.”

“You’re stuck with me now,” I teased. “No take-backs.”

“No take-backs,” he agreed solemnly. He fingered my curls. “Your hair.” He smiled. “It is glowing.”

“What?” I grabbed a strand in alarm. That couldn’t be good. How was I supposed to be incognito with glowing hair?

Ull laughed. “It is not actually glowing. But look at it.”

Staring at the strands around his finger I could see what he meant. My normally dark-blonde hair had a sort of luminescence to it. It wasn’t lit up like I’d feared, but it was definitely different. Almost like the midday sun was catching it and reflecting back a golden hue much brighter than my natural color, though the only lights out here were candle and twinkle.

Ull unwrapped the strand from his finger and held it up. “It is beautiful.”

“Come on.” I grabbed his hand, not wanting to be distracted by any other changes I hadn’t yet discovered. “Our guests are waiting.”

“Let them wait,” he growled, and twirled me around the courtyard. I was amazed that I stayed upright—he really was a good leader. Or was it possible that now that I was immortal, I really was less clumsy? I’d hoped for as much during my little procedure.
Oh please, please
. It would be so fantastic if I not only got the world’s most perfect husband today, but I also got just a teensy bit of grace. Just a little bit—I didn’t need to be greedy.

“Now this night only needs one more thing to make it perfect.” Ull curled his fingers into a fist. He opened his hand, and a small cloud hovered just above his palm.

“What the…”

He blew lightly on his palm and the cloud floated overhead. It grew as it moved, until half the courtyard was covered with a billowy white foam. Ull tapped his finger against the air and the cloud let loose with a light flurry of perfectly-formed snowflakes that dusted the cobblestones in a light layer of white. My head swiveled up, and I closed my eyes as the flakes brushed my cheeks. When I opened them, Ull looked down at me with a soft smile.

“I thought it was time I showed you what we can do.”

“We?” It took me a moment to register the words. I was too busy staring at my own personal Norse god framed by his homemade flurry. “You mean I can do that too?”

“I am not sure. You will be able to do it, yes. Whether you are able to control it at this moment, I do not know. Would you like to try?”

“Lord, yes.” My fingers twitched. I didn’t
feel
any differently, but I definitely wanted to give it a go. “What do I do?”

“Focus on the quadrant of your brain where you most felt the transformation. Was there a particular spot that felt it the strongest when Odin triggered the change?”

No. But there sure as Sherlock was a spot Idunn had made particularly sore. I assumed Ull was referring to that place.

“What do I tell that spot to do?” I avoided the question.

“Channel the weather pattern you wish to effect, and draw it to your fingertips.”

I pictured Ull’s snowstorm and visualized it traveling from the still-tender spot in my brain down my neck, through my arm and to my hands. My fingertips immediately felt chilled.

“Whoa.”

“Exactly. Now bring them into a fist, starting with your pinky, and open your hand.”

I did as I was told. But instead of a fluffy white cloud hovering obediently, a sharp icicle shot from my palm like a bolt of lightning. It wrapped itself around a tiny critter scampering up the tree, freezing it in place.

“Oh my God I killed a squirrel!” My hands fell to my side as my jaw fell open. I threw my head into Ull’s chest and moaned. “I am the worst goddess ever.”

Ull’s throaty chuckle made me look up.

“It’s not funny. I. Killed. A. Squirrel.”

“He is not dead, Kristia. Watch.” Ull pointed a finger and an orange stream floated toward the animal. It thawed the frost, and the squirrel continued his ascent up the tree as if nothing had happened.

“You can make heat too?”

“Of course. We need to be able to make corrections as needed. Sometimes we will not get a weather pattern right on the first try. This is Odin’s way of making sure we can control the elements—
all
the elements.” Ull touched the side of my neck. I could still feel the heat on his fingertips.

“That’s amazing.” I shivered. “But I’m not doing it again until we’re somewhere no woodland critters can be harmed. I can’t have squirrel blood on my conscience.”

“Fair enough.” Ull smiled. “We can practice on our honeymoon. No squirrels where we are going.”

“Is that a clue? Somewhere with no squirrels… are we going to a desert?”

“Guess all you want, Mrs. Myhr. I will never tell. But I will dance.” Ull pulled me close and began to move. My head settled comfortably against him as he led me in a small circle beneath the twinkling lights.

I didn’t know how long we’d been outside before I heard the impatient click of heels on the courtyard. We were swaying slowly, my cheek pressed firmly against Ull’s chest, when Inga cleared her throat.

“Are you two planning to come to your own party?”

Ull laughed.

“We were enjoying your creation.” He gestured with one hand to the lights, the other wrapped firmly around my waist.

“I see you added your own touch.” Inga stared at the cloud, still emitting gentle puffs of snow.

“Just to show Kristia what she can look forward to. Everything you set up was perfect.”

“Yes, yes. I’m a visionary. Well if you don’t come inside soon, Thor is going to eat all of your wedding cake. And there’s a lot of cake.” She tapped her foot.

“Inga, we said simple!”

“Four tiers
is
simple. What? I could have gone for seven like I saw in last month’s
Modern Country Wedding
magazine. That one required a special infrastructure. At least your cake stands on its own. Mostly.”

“What do you say, my love?” Ull looked at me. “Are you ready to join the party?”

“Well…” I gave him a wink. “I do like cake.”

OUR RECEPTION WAS A
wonderful blending of our friends and family. We had traditional Norwegian and contemporary American food. The Asgardians particularly liked the mini-sliders; the small burgers disappeared as Thor guiltily licked his lips. My roommates loved the Norwegian waffles we served after our meal, and everyone enjoyed the enormous chocolate cake we cut, playfully smearing the icing. When it was time to end the celebration, my friends and I ducked into the small bride’s room at the end of the church. Ardis and Inga helped me change out of my grandmother’s gown and into the sassy, ivory going-away dress Victoria had designed. It was a sleeveless lace number that hugged my curves and ended three inches above my knees. This dress had a higher neckline than my wedding gown, but dipped in a low
V
in the back. And its lace formed a bolder pattern, with beads generously embroidered throughout the needlework. As I stepped into the sky-high heels Victoria had chosen, I reached reflexively for something to hold before I realized I could balance on my own. Victoria zipped me into the dress and fastened the pearl clasp as she gave me one last hug.

“I need to borrow the bride for a minute.” Elsker pulled me into the hallway, leaving my girlfriends giggling in the bride’s room. “Are you ready for this?”

“I hope you’re not asking about what I think you’re asking about, because I got your wedding gift and I have to say—”

“Oh, that.” Elsker waved her hand. “Yes, Olaug and I want great-grandbabies.”

“Elsker!”

“I meant your new life, silly. Are you ready for everything to change?”

“Do I have a choice?” I was about to leave on my honeymoon. I really didn’t want to think about the whole
Seer
thing right now.

“No. And things are going to change big time. You’ll see things more clearly: past, present, and future. We will have a lot of training to squeeze in when you get home from your trip, but now that you are an Asgardian, you are eligible to fulfill your prophecy.”

My prophecy was hardly the first thing on my mind as Ull strode down the hall. I locked eyes with my new husband. He ran his eyes up and down the contours of my
very
fitted dress as he approached, and winked. My stomach flipped.

“Kristia. Pay attention.” Elsker swatted at me.

“Sorry.”

“Now that your powers are realized, you must be more careful than ever. Every enemy of Asgard will be after your gift. Do not leave Ull’s side while you are away.”

“Do not worry.” Ull slid up beside me and wrapped his arm around me. “I will keep her next to me the entire time.”

My cheeks got hot. Why did he have to look at me like that in front of Elsker?

“And her new security detail will be waiting when we get home.” Oh, great. The bodyguard. Well, at least I got to enjoy my honeymoon in peace.

“If you see anything unusual, anything at all, call me through your necklace. I will find you immediately.” Elsker hugged me fiercely.

“Thank you, Elsker. For everything.” I hugged her back.

Ull kissed Elsker on the cheek. “Come, Kristia. It is time.” He poked his head into the small room. “Goodbye, ladies.”

My friends rushed to the door and wrapped us in a group hug.

“Have a wonderful trip,” Emma bubbled.

“Have
fun
,” Victoria teased.

Inga cuffed Ull on the shoulder. “I expect you to be significantly less grumpy when you get home.”

Ull laughed. “Shove off, Inga.”

“You two trying to sneak off without saying goodbye?” Gunnar’s voice came from the end of the hallway. When he reached us, he slapped Ull on the back. “You kids behave yourselves while you’re away.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Or don’t.”