Fate Undone (The Mythean Arcana Series Book 5)
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Authors: Linsey Hall
FATE UNDONE
Linsey Hall
This is a work of fiction. All reference to events, persons, and locale are used fictitiously, except where documented in historical record. Names, characters, and places are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Copyright 2015 by Linsey Hall
Published by Bonnie Doon Press LLC
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form, except in instances of quotation used in critical articles or book review. Where such permission is sufficient, the author grants the right to strip any DRM which may be applied to this work.
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ISBN 978-1-942085-40-9 (eBook)
ISBN 978-1-942085-41-6 (Paperback)
DEDICATION
For Doug Inglis, my amazing friend who is always there for me and shares his awesomely clever ideas. This book is better because of you.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This story benefited so greatly from the time and effort of many people.
Thank you, Ben, for everything you’ve done to support the creation of this book. Thank you, Doug Inglis, for your help and incredible ideas about the plot. It’s so much fun to talk to you about the story. Thank you, Emily Keane, for reading every story I’ve written and for sharing your great ideas. Thank you Catherine Bowler for reading the first draft and for your insightful comments.
Thank you to Barbara Ankrum, Jena O’Connor, and Simone Seguin for various forms of editing. The story is much better because of your expertise. And thank you Kaye Amis, whose eagle eyes saved the day.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoy my version of the story of Loki and Sigyn. It was a thrill to write and I hope it’s a thrill to read.
Happy reading,
Linsey Hall
GLOSSARY
Aether - The invisible substance that connects the afterworlds and earth. It is both nothing and everything.
Aetherwalking - A method of traveling through the aether to access the afterworlds or different places on earth. Some Mytheans have this power and can bring another person with them.
Afterworld - A heaven or hell created by mortal belief. Mortals can access them only through death. Some Mytheans can aetherwalk to them.
Historious -
Mytheans who have the ability to
locate valuable artwork and artifacts, as well as perform a limited amount of magic
.
Their long-dead ancestors had been disciples of the Celtic god Gwydion, a god of magic and the arts. The skill had passed down through the generations, which were few, as immortals rarely reproduced.
Immortal University - An organization created thousands of years ago to protect Mytheans and keep them secret from mortals.
It was initially founded as a true university, hence the name, but over time it morphed into an institution with greater power and responsibility. The university’s primary goal is to maintain the secrecy of Mytheans and to keep the gods from warring to obtain more followers. They do this primarily through diplomacy. The university also provides services to Mytheans that
they can’t get elsewhere, lest mortals figure out that their clients never die. Things like education, health services, and banking.
Mortals - Humans. They are unaware of the existence of Mytheans or that all heavens and hells truly exist. They are immortal in the sense that their soul will pass on to whatever afterworld in which they believe.
Mythean - Supernatural individuals created by mortal belief. They are gods and goddesses, demons and monsters, witches and other supernatural creatures. They are immortal in the sense that if they live on earth, only beheading or grievous injury from magic can kill them. If they are killed their soul will pass on to an afterworld. Secrecy from mortals is one of their highest priorities. Some Mytheans, particularly species of demons and some gods, are trapped in their afterworlds. Others have access to both earth and the afterworlds.
Mythean Guardians - Powerful mortals made immortal, or other supernatural beings who serve at the Praesidium. They protect those mortals and Mytheans who are important to the fate of humanity.
Praesidium - The protection division of the Immortal University. Mythean Guardians work here. Their job is to protect those important to humanity and maintain law and order by keeping Mytheans secret from humans and keeping the gods from warring.
Seidr - A type of sorcery practiced by the Norse, including Vala.
Sila Jinn - Derived from Arabian mythology, a Jinn is a supernatural spirit in a class below that of angels and devils. A Sila is a female Jinn who can shapeshift, aetherwalk between all afterworlds, and manifest some types of magic.
Soulceresses - Mytheans who fuel their power by draining the immortal power of other Mytheans’ souls. When fueled by the power of others, they can manifest their magic with a thought. They are hated by other Mytheans because of this. They also have the ability to see the evil in a person’s soul.
Sylph - An ancient air spirit from a religion that is lost to memory. Sylphs and their descendents have the ability to attain invisibility by becoming one with the air. They are also able to manipulate the wind.
Vala - A Norse sorceress who uses Seidr magic. Vala use a staff to channel their magic and when they are threatened or fighting, an apparition of a blue cloak appears around their shoulders. The first Vala, Sylvi, was trained by the Norse goddess Freya. All other Vala were trained by Sylvi.
PROLOGUE
Asgard, Afterworld of the Norse Gods
1213 AD
Pain tore through Loki’s chest, burning through every vein in his body. He roared, his muscles straining against the chains that bound him to the rock. Despite his godly strength, he could not break them. Above him, the great snake draped over a tree limb, dripping venom onto his chest. Its yellow eyes gleamed, watching him as the fluid seeped from its fangs.
The venom sizzled when it hit his skin, eating through to the muscle underneath. His heart must be beating against the air now, no longer protected within its cage of flesh.
“You went too far, Loki,” roared Odin, the greatest of the Norse gods.
Loki wanted to yell back at him, at the crowd of gods who stood around him, but words could not form on his tongue.
I’d do it again
, he would shout, if only the pain hadn’t stolen his words.
“You’ll stay here until Ragnarok, when the final battle shall take your life. It is a fitting punishment for your crimes,” Odin said.
The snake’s venom dripped again, shooting pain through Loki’s body until his vision blurred. He could barely see the other gods nodding their heads before they turned in unison and walked out of the clearing in which he was trapped.
Bastards.
But he hadn’t seen Sigyn. His love hadn’t been with them, thank fates.
The venom dripped again, pouring from the snake’s mouth in quantities only magic could create. Loki roared, his voice hoarse, and almost passed out from the pain.
A feminine scream pulled him from the daze.
Suddenly, delicate hands reached out over his chest, attempting to catch the venom before it fell onto him.
Sigyn.
“No!” he roared, fear for her giving him the strength to form words. He was close to blacking out from the pain.
When the venom dripped onto her palm, she screamed and collapsed to her knees. He craned his head to see her, slumped against the stone upon which he was bound, her golden hair concealing her face. She’d passed out from the pain.
Terror for her stole the breath from his lungs. He’d been angry about this punishment, but never afraid. Not until it risked her. She must leave here. Though his vengeance against the gods had been necessary and just, it had caused this nightmare. He didn’t want her to suffer for it. If the other gods knew how he felt about her, they might punish her too. She’d done nothing wrong, but it wouldn’t stop them.
He couldn’t bear to think of her suffering. The thought of her suffering was a pain worse than the venom. He strained against the bonds, attempting to break them so he could drive her away.
She moaned, then sat up. When her gaze landed upon his face, her eyes widened.
“Go,” he rasped. “Go from here.”
She pushed herself up and leaned over him, her tears dripping upon his face.
“Go.” His voice was so rough it was almost gone. He had to make her leave. His pursuit of vengeance put her at risk. She would hate him for that. Would likely never forgive him.
“Never. I’ll get you out of—”
He roared when venom dripped into his wound, the pain finally taking him into the blackness.