Fate Undone (The Mythean Arcana Series Book 5) (12 page)

“Are you all right?” Logan strode to the couch and dropped to his knees before her. His worried gaze raced over her face and he swept her hair back.

Blood trickled from the deep gash in his cheek. There was a larger wound on his arm, no doubt from flying shards of stone. He’d adopted his original face again. She preferred it. It comforted her.

The worry in her chest loosened. He was fine, thank gods.
 

Shit. She was worried for him?

Of course you are, you idiot.
She cared for him. She always had and she always would. But she was being smarter in this life, because she couldn’t forget the pain of their past and his rejection.
 

“Sylvi. Are you all right?”
 

She snapped back to attention. “Yes. Of course.”
 

The staff in her hand still vibrated slightly with the knowledge that had been trapped inside of it. Right after she’d taken it from the architect, it had shook so hard she’d nearly dropped it. Now safe at the university, she returned it to the aether.

“We need to go check on Fiona.” She surged to her feet, away from him and the low humming that he’d set off in her belly with his mere proximity.

“Yes.” He stood and started after her.

She pulled to a halt and turned. “Hang on. You’re a god. You shouldn’t even be on the campus. I don’t want to have to explain you to anyone we come across.”

“I’ll take a different form.”

“No. Stay here. I’ll go to the infirmary and check on Fiona.” Fiona had a Mythean’s advanced healing ability, but if her injury was as bad as it’d looked—and it’d looked like her bottom half was crushed—she’d still need some kind of medical attention to deal with the pain and heal faster.

“They’ll have no idea who I am. I’m coming with you.”
 

“Stay
here.
Can’t you just listen to me for once? I want to be in and out without trouble or questions.” Since she had the architect’s knowledge in her staff, she didn’t have to worry about him running off and wreaking havoc.

“The university thinks Ian broke out of their prison less than two days ago. If he’s still in the infirmary with Fiona—and I doubt he’d leave her—I need to get his ass out of there before someone recognizes him.” He strode toward the door.

Her objections were futile. With a disgusted huff, she hurried after him. “You’ve got to change your face.”

He nodded. She blinked and was suddenly looking at a different person. He had the same tall build, but he once again looked like his alter ego, Logan. No matter the shape of his face, he looked at her the same way.

With heat. Like he still wanted her.
 

She shivered, then thrust the thought away.

It didn’t take them long to make their way across campus. Dusk creeping over the hills to the east lent the place a gloomy feel. It changed with the weather, from fairy tale setting to haunted house creepy. A foggy night at dusk like this one was more along the lines of the latter.

They didn’t speak as they walked across the grounds, but she couldn’t help glancing at him. He had a confident stride, like he expected others to move out of his way.

They probably would. He was used to controlling the situations around him. If he didn’t like something—like the behavior of the other gods—he changed it.

The halls of the building that housed the infirmary were quiet and she breathed a sigh of relief. Less people to see them. And normally, she’d have no reason to be near the infirmary and she didn’t want to answer any questions.
 

The commotion that was lacking from the hallways was made up for in the main infirmary room. Three healers rushed around, all dressed in white. Vivienne stood in the corner hyperventilating. Stretched out on one of the narrow beds that lined the walls was the reason for the panic—Fiona. Ian was standing over her bedside.

Shit. The healers might not recognize him since he’d been locked away so long, but eventually someone from the Praesidium or prison department might stumble by and then shit would hit the fan.

Logan went straight to his friend’s side. Sylvi snagged a healer who was rushing past and asked, “How is she?”

“Rough.” The harried-looking woman scraped her hair back from her face. “But she’ll make it fine. A few days, maybe a week, in bed and those legs will start working again.”

Sylvi shuddered. Even temporary paralysis sounded terrible. “Thank you.”

She made her way to the bed and grimaced at the sight of Fiona. Her legs were a bloody, flattened mess. Two healers stood over her, their hands lightly resting on her thighs, channeling their healing energy into her. She was passed out. Ian stood over her, his face pale and his eyes stark.

Logan was next to him, speaking in a low voice. “We need to get you out of here, mate.”

“I’m not leaving her.” His eyes were locked on Fiona.

Logan grabbed Ian’s arm and dragged him to the corner of the room where they could have some privacy away from the keen ears of the healers. Sylvi followed.

“The university thinks you just escaped their prison. If they find you here, they’ll throw you back in there.”

His tortured gaze drifted back to Fiona and he strained at Logan’s grip on his arm.

“You can’t do anything for her right now,” Logan said. “Only the healers can. But she’s going to need you when she wakes up, and I sure as hell don’t want to be the one to tell her you’re back in jail.”

The resistance went out of him. “Gods damn it, you’re right. Can you aetherwalk me out of here?”

Sylvi nodded.

“Let me say goodbye to Fiona first.” He strode over to her and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
 

“I’m going to take him to the hotel near Petra,” Sylvi said. “You go back to my place. I’ll meet you there in a few.”

Sylvi could tell he wanted to argue, to take control of the situation, but he didn’t. It would take her only moments to transport Ian and she didn’t need the help.

“Fine. I’ll see you back at your cottage.” He turned and left.

When Ian returned to Sylvi, his eyes were overly damp, but he didn’t say anything. She wrapped her arms around him and zapped him back to her hotel room in Musa Wadi.

“Here?” he asked. “Gods, this is far away from Fiona.”

“Good as any place and I needed to pick up my bag. I don’t think you should stay in the UK for now—not with the university’s reach. I’ll give you my number and you can call me. I can come get you in a heartbeat. And I’ll keep you apprised of Fiona’s status. As soon as she can leave the infirmary, Vivienne will bring her to you.” She volunteered her new friend, but knew she could count on her.

“This is a fucking nightmare.” He dragged his hand down his face, leaving a weary expression behind. “I helped Logan with this because he got me out of prison. And because he’s my friend. But at what price?”

“Nothing permanent. Fiona will be out soon and back to normal. Just be thankful she’s not mortal.”

“Aye. I am. Keep me updated or I’ll go mad here.”

“I will.” He looked so damned miserable that she felt awful for him. But there was nothing else she could do for him.
 

Sylvi grabbed her bag and they went down to the front desk together to book the room for several more nights for Ian.
 

They exchanged cell numbers and Sylvi said, “All right. I’ll give you an update soon.”

“Thanks,” he said, though he still looked anguished and worried out of his mind.

“Of course. I’ll be in touch soon.” She nodded and aetherwalked back to the university infirmary.
 

“Thank gods,” Vivienne said as soon as she saw her. She appeared to have composed herself some. “That was insane. I’ve seen some pretty crazy things while I’ve been at the university, but I thought that whole mountain was going to fall on us.”

“I think you were right. It would have. I’ve taken Ian to the hotel in Musa Wadi. How’s Fiona?”

“Good. The healers say she’s improving. And thanks for getting Ian out of here. I panicked and brought them both here when we left the architect’s library but forgot that Ian was a wanted man. You saved my butt.”

“Any time. We need to get Fiona out of here as soon as possible, too.”

“Definitely. She filed for a leave of absence when she went after Ian. I don’t think they know she went to join him, but I can’t be sure.”

“Shit.” Fiona getting in trouble for aiding and abetting an escapee would be bad. Fortunately, the healers weren’t super involved in the other departments, so they likely wouldn’t know something was strange.

“I think it will be okay. She should be well enough to leave the infirmary by tomorrow morning. She won’t be completely healed, but a lot closer. You’ve got other stuff on your plate right now, so I’ll take her to Ian tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you. Keep me updated.”

They said their goodbyes and Sylvi made her way back to her cottage. Logan would be there. She shivered. If she could put him elsewhere, she would, but her house was the place least likely for him to be discovered. No one would question her loyalty.
 

The thought sent a pang of guilt through her as a little voice whispered that with Logan’s shapeshifting ability, he’d easily stay hidden from the university. Especially since the university thought they were looking for Ian MacKenzie instead of Logan Laufeyson.
 

She wanted him to stay at her place even though she knew it was an awful idea. No matter how his rejection in the past had hurt her, she hated to focus on the bad. She’d always been that way. She’d rather remember the good, and with Logan, they’d had a lot.

CHAPTER NINE

Asgard, Home of the Norse Gods

Mid-Autumn, 1213 AD

After hours of searching, Loki found Sigyn in the forest to the north of the great hall. They’d agreed to meet this evening, but he couldn’t make himself wait, so he’d set out to find her. The more he’d learned about her over the past two months, the more he wanted to see her.

“Sigyn!” he called.

She stood from her crouched position near some lingonberry bushes. The shade of the forest trees tried to dim the golden glory of her hair, but it failed. The cool autumn day made her cheeks glow.

“Loki!” The pleasure in her voice sent a streak of warmth through him. It was something he’d never sought—another’s pleasure in his company—but now that he had it, he didn’t want to let it go.

He increased his pace to a trot and stood before her in seconds. She set her berry basket on the ground and threw her arms around him, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.
 

He groaned low in his throat, the heat of her soft touch streaking through him until his shaft hardened. He wanted to plunge his hands into her hair and hold her steady while he ravaged her mouth. More, he wanted to lay her down upon the soft bed of the forest floor and taste every inch of her.

But he held himself back, drinking up the pleasure of her chaste kiss. He didn’t have much experience in this, but she had less. Though he’d been a god for hundreds of years, he’d been so driven by his compulsion to wreak havoc on the other gods that the pursuit of women had been pushed aside.

Until he’d met her. The last two months had been surreal. He’d spent every moment that he could with her, learning that he loved everything about her. She was clever and funny and dedicated to her goals, even though he didn’t agree with them. Godhood didn’t impress him, but if she wanted it, then she should have it.

Every second of every day, he’d wanted to kiss her and touch her. But they had eternity if they wanted it, so he took it slow for her, even though there were times when he wanted to push it hard and fast until they both forgot themselves in the pleasure of the other’s touch.

She pulled away from the kiss and he silenced a sound of disappointment.
 

The smile she gave him stifled the feeling. “You’ve come to me early.”

“I couldn’t wait.”

“Good. That’s how I like it.”

Pleasure and surprise pulsed through him. Did that have a double meaning? He swallowed hard and shoved the thought away.

“Do you like lingonberries?” He nodded to her basket.

“Well enough. But these are for Baldr.”

Jealousy streaked through him. “For Baldr?”

She nodded. “He’s been even worse than usual. Ever since I stepped on his cloak. To regain his favor—if I ever had it—I’ve shot an elk and the kitchen will turn the berries into sauce. It’s his favorite.”

The idea of her pandering to Baldr nearly made him growl. “You don’t hate this? Having to kiss their arses?” He could never do it.

“Of
course
I do. I despise it.” Her tone was sharp. “But I don’t have your freedom. You’re already a god. If I’m ever going to ascend to godhood, I must have the other gods’ favor so that they’ll approve my ascension when Freya deems my magic worthy. It doesn’t matter what I really feel—only what he thinks I feel. And it’s clear that Baldr wants everyone to think he walks on the clouds.”

He shoved his hand through his hair, hating that she had to do this. If only he could make it better…