Geela guided Skidbladnir to Valhalla, her hands sure and confident on the wheel. They flew through puffy white clouds, emerging into blue sky and an unfamiliar range of mountains rimmed with snow. A rainbow arched high in the sky, ending in a glittering gold city built on top of a cloud.
The Bifrost bridge.
The ship settled down to glide over the rainbow surface until it reached a set of golden gates that blocked their way. A man stood in front of the gate dressed in leather leggings and a heavy golden vest. On his head he wore a helmet that came down over his face, leaving only a slit for his eyes. In his hand he held a sharp pointed lance.
Geela shouted, “Hemidall, in the name of Frigga, open the gates!”
When the guard didn’t move fast enough, Geela drew her sword in a blaze of golden light. “I am Geela of the Valkyrie, and I will not be ignored. Open the gates, or face my blade!”
That got Hemidall moving. He turned and slid the lever to the side, pushing the gate slowly open.
Inside, the city lay before them at the bottom of a gentle green hill. Valhalla was a golden city. Every building was gilded with the precious metal, the spired tops glittering in the sunlight. Even the streets were paved in the golden color.
Skidbladnir floated to a stop in front of the largest edifice. They descended onto the pavement. As Mavery hopped down, Skidbladnir shimmered and groaned, and then, in a twinkle of light, it shrunk down to its pocket size, landing at Sam’s feet.
He swept it into his pocket. An imposing set of double doors made of golden metal and inlaid with silver panels opened on silent hinges as Geela led them up the steps. They entered into a large circular room lined with thrones around the edge. The seats were filled with men and women of all ages and sizes.
Odin sat on the highest throne. He was laughing at something the woman on his left said. Sam recognized Frigga from the day she had threatened him with death if he didn’t bring Odin back. She looked at him disapprovingly and then softened her face into a smile as she gave him a nod.
They were led into the center of the room by Geela. They stood in a line facing the gods. Howie was on the end, then Leo, Keely, Sam, Perrin, and, of course, the little imp, Mavery.
Odin clapped his hands, and the room grew silent.
“Thank you all for coming today. Things have been a little . . . chaotic recently. I suppose it’s time I explain what I did.”
Before he could go on, Loki walked in, followed by a tall, black-haired woman with pale skin the color of ice. There were gasps of outrage. But Sam had a bigger problem. He’d gotten one look from the ice queen, and he had lost the ability to breathe. His hand went to his throat as invisible fingers locked around it.
“I have come to punish the boy,” Angerboda announced. “He killed my son Jormungand, and his meddling ruined my daughter’s beauty.”
“How dare you come into my home,” Frigga hissed, rising.
Sam tried to drag in a breath, but he had no will over his own body.
“Give me the boy, or not even the strength of the gods will stop my wrath,” Angerboda said.
“Please, Angerboda,” Odin said, “It was not the boy’s fault, but mine. Let me explain. And then, if you still wish revenge, I will pay the price. Just hear me out.”
Angerboda hesitated. For that moment, another ten years were peeled from Sam’s life before she sat down and released her grip on him. Sam gasped as breath flowed into his lungs again.
Odin spread his hands wide as he began. “A long time ago, a great wrong was done. Arrogance and pride led to tragic events. My dear son, Baldur, was lost forever when Loki found his weakness and tricked him into being pierced by the thorn of the mistletoe bush.”
All eyes turned on the God of Mischief. Loki flushed, squirming in his seat. Angerboda elbowed him. Finally, he stood up. “I . . . er . . . I am . . . ahem,” he cleared his throat before blurting out, “I’m sorry, Frigga. I was not thinking, as I am prone to doing. I thought it would be fun to see Baldur lose. I did not mean to harm him so greatly. I paid a great price for it,” he added, with a pointed look at Odin.
“Yes, Loki paid the price,” Odin said. “Without giving him a chance to explain himself, I chained him in a hole for a thousand years.” He moved to stop in front of Loki. He hesitated and then put a hand on the mischief-maker’s shoulder. “My brother. It is long past time things between us were settled. You acted rashly, and I punished you greatly. I am sorry.”
Loki scowled, wiping his chin with his hand, even as tears brightened his eyes. Finally he sniffed and nodded. “You, too, brother. I’m sorry I took your son. I have missed you.”
Odin grasped him by the back of his neck and kissed his forehead before he moved on. “But for all the time that passed, I never got over the loss of Baldur, and, I feared, neither did you.” He looked at Frigga. His queen wiped away a tear, nodding her head in agreement.
“When circumstances arose to provide me with an opportunity to fix matters, forgive an old goat for trying to surprise you.”
Frigga lowered her handkerchief, looking perplexed. “Of what do you speak?”
“From the moment I met Sam, my last offspring, I knew I had one final chance to make things right. I brought these children here because each had a role to play. One only I could see.”
The god stopped in front of Howie. “Howie, the great Protector. How many laughed at you when I gave you this title?”
Howie had the grace to shrug. “A couple dozen or so.” He grinned. “Okay, maybe everyone.”
“You were so full of fear when I first saw you.” Odin tapped Howie on the chest. “But I knew you had great things in you. You haven’t disappointed me yet. You wielded the Sword of Tyrfing bravely against those Balfin monsters, and you saved Skara Brae once again with nothing but piles of rusted armor. Well done.”
Howie’s face beamed with pride. “Thanks, Big O. If you ever have another mission for me, just call.” Howie saluted the god.
Odin smiled and moved on to Keely. Her white hair fell to her shoulders. She looked at Odin with shining eyes.
“Young Keely. When I first saw you, your heart was locked in grief and guilt over the loss of your mother. I wanted you to be able to feel magic, to believe in the goodness of life. You, young lady, have made me very proud. That trick with the water?” Odin bent forward and winked. “Very cool, as you kids say.”
Keely smiled. “Thanks, Odin.” She flung her arms around his waist and hugged the god tightly before stepping back.
Odin moved on to Leo. Leo’s jaw was locked, and he avoided Odin’s gaze. Odin’s eyes narrowed as he studied him. “Young Leo, you still think you failed me, don’t you?”
Leo gave a shrug. Pain was etched into his brow. “I was chosen as the Sacrifice. And yet I lived. I let Loki out, and then I freed Angerboda, all to save my own skin.”
Odin clasped his shoulder. “My boy, your task was the hardest of them all. I trusted you alone to see it through. You were willing to give everything to save your friends, even if it meant losing your life.”
Leo’s face brightened. “So I didn’t fail you?”
“No. In fact, I had a feeling you would run into Loki down in Sinmara’s underworld, and, knowing Loki, I guessed he would trick you into releasing him. Of course, I did not realize he would use his newfound freedom to start a war.”
Odin turned to give Loki a pointed glance.
The God of Mischief shrugged guilty. “Brother, you should have known me better than that. I act first, think second. But it’s all behind us now; Surt is dead and gone forever. Those beastly fire giants will never threaten Orkney again.”
Odin glared at him a moment longer and then relented. “Yes, the fire giants were always in the wings as a threat. Perhaps it was time they were dealt with. And having my heroes here to oversee it was provident.”
Odin turned back to Leo, gripping his arm. “You have done well, Leo Pate-Wa. Your father would be proud, as you should be.”
Odin smiled at a glowing Leo and then moved on to Sam.
Sam was humming with a hundred different questions about why Odin had done what he had done, but he kept silent as Odin looked intently into his eyes. “And you, the last Son of Odin. When we first met, you were bursting with so much anger, I thought you might explode with it. I knew if you continued down that path, it would consume you. You were being pulled in two directions by your own blood-lines. I had to do something to make you face who you were, to decide once and for all what path you would take.”
Sam blurted out, “You pushed me into killing you!”
Odin nodded gravely. “I didn’t force your hand, but I certainly gave you reason to. I hoped that by doing so, you would learn from it, that it would purge that anger from you. You would either learn to forgive yourself, or forever hate yourself.” A smile lightened his features as he tapped Sam on the chest. “You chose forgiveness.”
But Sam wasn’t ready to forgive himself so easily. “How could you know I wouldn’t go to the witches’ side?” he asked, his voice thick with emotion. “I was so lost.”
Odin put a hand on his shoulder. “I didn’t know, Samuel, but I hoped. I had faith. Though I didn’t expect you to slice off my ear,” he added wryly, rubbing at the gnarled scar on the side of his head. “But look where you are now.” His eyes twinkled at Sam. “The best of both bloodlines. A Son of Catriona who fights for good. Besides, your wrong path gave me a chance to pay a visit to Helheim, where I hoped to find my son Baldur.”
Frigga rose shakily from her throne. “You did all this just to bring back our son? You are a dear old goat for trying, but it was a fool’s journey. Baldur has been gone too long. I have accepted that he is lost to us.”
Odin pulled a small pouch from the folds of his robe and held it out, and then he opened it and dumped the contents onto his palm. A large thorn rested there.
“I didn’t say I failed. The mistletoe thorn enabled Helva to keep him there. I stole it back.” Then he blew on the thorn. It caught fire, there was a flash of orange light, and then it disintegrated into a small pile of ash.
Behind them, through the archway, a young man appeared, dressed in battle regalia and standing tall. His rugged blond features broke into a smile at the sight of his mother.
“Baldur, is it really you?” Frigga cried, running to him and throwing her arms around him.
Odin moved on and stopped before the ice maiden. “And so, Angerboda, will you forgive me?” he said.
She rose to her feet, surveying all of them before her. Slowly she nodded her head. “It is time to put the past where it belongs. I wish to go home. To my people.”
Odin’s eyes flared. “You’re sure?”
“I am old. Inside this body, I am dying. I need to be with my own kind to be at peace.”
“But, my love, leaving so soon?” Loki quipped. The God of Mischief’s lips wobbled like he wanted to cry.
Angerboda looked down at him with fond eyes. “Come with me, mischief-maker. You amuse me like no other. You will find a place at my side for as long as I have left. It could be another century or two.”
Loki hesitated, then nodded, patting her hand. “Where you go, I go, my love. Besides, no one here is going to miss me.”
“Where is she going?” Sam whispered to Geela.
“She is from a world of ice. Her people are the Dokkalfar, the Dark Elves. They live in an ice realm far from here.”
Odin grasped Loki by the shoulder. “Be well, brother. We will meet again someday.”
Loki clasped him back. “Don’t die on me before I get back to kill you myself.”
Then Loki stepped back and took Angerboda’s hand. Odin passed his hand over them, and they both shimmered brightly and then burst into a shower of ice crystals before they vanished.
Keely tugged on Sam’s arm. “What about us?” she whispered. “I really need to go home!”
“Um, Odin?” Sam asked, stepping forward. “We need a favor.”
The god smiled down at him. “Anything you want; you’ve earned it.”
“It’s not for me. My friends, they want to go home.” Odin looked at the trio behind him. “Back to Midgard? Oregon, you call it?”
“Yes.”
Odin nodded. “It will be done. What about you?”
Sam cast a look at Perrin and Mavery. “Oh, I think I’ll stay awhile. See how things work out.”
“Say your goodbyes, then.”
Sam gulped, looking at Keely, Howie, and Leo. They made a small circle, putting their arms around each other’s shoulders.
“I’m going to miss you guys.”
“You sure you don’t want to come back?” Howie said. “Eighth grade’s going to be a blast.”
“Hey, at least you don’t have any more algebra tests,” Keely added.
Tears blurred Sam’s eyes. “I’m not going to say goodbye. Someday you’ll be back.”
Leo nodded at him and then threw his arms around Sam and hugged him tightly. “Be well, Samuel. When you look at the stars, know that we see the same sky.”
“Say goodbye to the captain, and Rego, and your mom, and Speria and Heppner.” Howie rambled on down the list. “Oh, and take care of Lingas for me. She loves to eat fresh squirrels.” He turned to Perrin. “And give Damarius a rub behind his ears.” His eyes began watering as he realized he wasn’t going to see his pets anymore.
Keely pulled off Nehalannia’s pendant and put it in Sam’s hands. “This belongs to the Eifalians. Give it to Gael. Tell him to give it to his queen.”
The trio stood in the center of the room. Sam stood to the side, next to Perrin. Mavery leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist as Odin raised his staff and rammed it into the floor.
“See ya when I see ya,” Howie said, and then Sam’s friends were gone.
Sam looked at the spot where his friends had stood, missing them already.
“Time to go home, witch-boy,” Geela said with a wink. She prepared to lead them out when Odin called out to Sam.
“I think you have something that belongs to Frey,” he said.
“Of course.” Sam pulled out the little wooden carving. “Frey’s probably missing it.”
The god pocketed it and then rested his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “You didn’t ask for anything in return for all your help, but I got you something.”
Odin opened his palm, revealing a green emerald the size and shape of a walnut.
“What is it?” Sam asked.
“Take it and see what happens.”
Sam picked up the emerald. As he gripped it in his palm, the stone turned into dust.
Odin blew on it, sending the green dust into Sam’s face. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. His skin tingled as blood zinged to his fingertips. Energy bubbled up inside of him, and then everything felt alive.
“I’ve got my magic back,” he whispered, looking at Odin with awe as he stretched out his fingers, feeling it course through his veins. “I have my magic!” He spun around and thrust out his palms, unleashing a blast of green witchfire at the ceiling and earning a glare from Frigga. “I’m a witch again.” He hugged Perrin and whirled her around as Mavery squealed with joy.
Odin pointed a finger at him. “Don’t forget that you are also my son. There will always be two parts of you.” He left to join Frigga and Baldur, embracing the son who had been lost to him forever.
Vor came over, patting Sam on the arm. “So, Samuel, your path has been chosen, I see.”
Impulsively, Sam hugged the Goddess of Wisdom. “Thank you for all your help, Vor. You have no idea how many times I’ve remembered your words.”
She nodded gracefully. “There will always be more challenges ahead, but I’m sure you will be ready to face them.”
Sam smiled confidently. “I’ll be just fine.”