The small army of fire giants outside, I suspected. “You have more honor than this. Why so desperate?”

“You will find out. Now, come.” He extended his hand to me.

I couldn’t go with him. I couldn’t not go with him. True, I wasn’t responsible for the actions of my enemies, but…

Right now would be a very good time for backup to show up. I didn’t care what kind of backup.

But if I went with him…

He lifted his hand to show what was happening outside. That they’d grabbed a bunch of people.

Then I realized Clara was one of them. And she was up to something. On her own, though, I doubted she could cast a spell powerful enough to do anything but get herself killed.

Then she flickered. Well, at least she could do that. It didn’t matter. I’d placed an obligation on myself to protect these people.

Help, I thought, hoping it was loud enough for somebody to hear. I was dangerously close to panicking.

I could see the cops showing up. They weren’t sure what was going on. They were more people to get killed.

“I’m not going to give you much longer.”

“If I go with you, then the war will start and all of these people are dead anyway.”

Come on. Somebody had to be aware of what was going on.

“But you will…”

“No. I am not responsible for your foolish choices. A king does not start a war.”

“A king does what he has to to stay…”

“…alive?” So, he was under threat. He thought that in addition to ensuring his victory I could stabilize his position.

It was not my task to kill him. “You think I care about whether you live or die? Because I don’t.”

“And if whoever…”

“I’ll cross the bridge of your replacement being worse than this when I come to it.” Maybe he would back down.

In truth, I knew I was stalling.

One of the fire giants grabbed a girl. She screamed.

How was he…no, he was probably instructing them the same way I was calling for help, desperate.

I felt, then, the sense of raven’s wings.

No.

They waited until the end of finals. At least, I’m pretty sure the pulled fire alarm was just somebody trying to get out of an exam. It happened almost every year.

Last ten minutes of my last test. My last test of high school. Unless I took college classes…

…and the fire alarm went off again. So did all of my instincts. There was a fire exit at the back of the classroom close to my seat. I had it open in what had to have been record time, propping it back as people streamed out.
Except me. I waited for last, sniffing the air. There was an actual fire this time. I could feel it, sense it.

It called to me. It wanted me.

It wasn’t just any fire. I didn’t have my sword, I didn’t risk that when actually on campus and at school.

I had a feeling this time I wouldn’t need it. This wasn’t a battle for that kind of weapon.

He was here.

He was here in person and I wanted to run. Instead, I let everyone else rush out into the parking lot and then walked to the other door. Opened it.

I could sense him. I could follow his aura. He was in the gymnasium.

That was where another exam was taking place. He’d set off the alarms with smoke, now he stood there.

“Ah, you’re here. The rest of you can go now.”

They fled, almost knocking me over as they rushed through the door.

He walked towards me.

“You think this will get me on your side?”

“I can’t play games any more.” He fixed his eyes on me.

“If you take me by force, you will not just deal with me.” That was a promise. I hoped Kanesha was safe.

“Only if you tell them. If you come with me, then nobody dies today. If you don’t…”

I swallowed. I couldn’t fight him. I could sense now…he wasn’t doing anything to conceal his aura.

He couldn’t hurt me physically.

“You intend to start the war now. Over me.”

Could that be what the prophecy really meant? It could, I knew. You could start something without being responsible for it.

“I can’t let you do that.”

But if I didn’t, he would start killing people. On the other hand, he’d let his hostages go.

What supported his threats?

Needless to say? I got drunk.

Not stupid drunk, but drunk enough that I had a not entirely clear memory the next day of singing twisted, heathen-ized Christmas carols with Angrboda in the street. Oh, and a hangover.

“You have a hangover?” Kanesha asked, far too loudly.

“Angrboda…took me…girls night out.”

“In Jotunheim?” I could see her shaking with silent laughter. “I’ll get you some water.”

“Just wait until it’s you,” I grumbled.

“I know better than to drink frost giant beer.”

“I am supposed to be able to take frost giant beer!” I winced as I accidentally raised my own voice too high.

I recovered pretty quickly, of course, but I wasn’t about to do that again. Well, okay. Until next time. I knew there would be a next time.

And Kanesha was going to tease me for the next month.

“Did you do anything stupid?” she asked once I felt well enough to join her for breakfast.

“Singing.”

“Well, you aren’t that bad…when sober.”

“…I think it got kind of bawdy.”

“Of course it did. What was with her anyway?”

“She got dumped and picked me to drown her sorrows with.”

Kanesha laughed. “Why would she pick you?”

“For extra awkward? I didn’t have the heart to say no.” My head was still kind of fuzzy. “At least it’s not a school day.”

“At least.”

“But I do have to study. Grrr. I should have thought of that.”

Her parting comment as she left me to do just that was, “Yes, you should.”

I did manage to focus enough to study, which as finals were about to happen was a good thing.

Literally about to happen. My first one was tomorrow. And I’d let somebody talk me into underage drinking. What had I been thinking?

I’d been thinking that I needed to relax. I’d been right. But I shouldn’t have had quite so much frost giant beer.

And wine. Now I recalled there was also wine involved. Which I hadn’t expected.

Well.

Maybe one day I’d go back there, but for now I had to study. And hope nobody attacked anything in the middle of finals.

That didn’t mean I trusted him. Now the seeds of doubt had been sown, they were very hard to shake.

Which I had a feeling was part of the point. If he was a bad guy, then I had to be careful. If he was not, then the demons had gone a long way out of their way to make me suspect him.

Which meant that things could only get worse if his father showed up. So, I was absolutely certain that would be the next thing that happened.

It wasn’t. Because life could never actually be that predictable for somebody like me. No, the next person to show up was Angrboda.

Who was melting again. I let her in my new place.

“What happened?”

“Somebody burned my old place down.”

“That was rude of them.” She sniffed. “You have better wards.”

“Should have done it before. I know enough witches.”

“Witches,” she pronounced as I found a cold soda for her, “Are very handy to know.”

“You know a bit yourself, as I recall.”

An evil grin. “Just a bit.” When I handed her the soda, ice appeared in the can.

I laughed. “That’s…”

“Easier than pouring it into a glass.” She let it cool a little further, then drank.

I opened a can for myself, but didn’t bother with the ice, deciding it was cool enough without. “So…”

“So. I promise, this is a social call.”

I laughed. “What happened?”

Her lips quirked. “There was this young man…”

“…you got dumped. You really should go to Thruor. She’s allowed to drink.”
Angrboda laughed. “That’s only a law on Midgaard, kid.”

“Point.” Did I want to go chasing off through the Nine Realms with her? Probably…yes. I knew there was something horribly awkward about developing a friendship with your father’s ex.

But I couldn’t help but like her.

“So…” She finished her soda. “Want to come paint a town red? That’s the saying, right?”

I laughed. “It is.” She took my hand and there was a faint rainbow swirl. We emerged in…a frost giant town.

“I’m going to stand out.”

“Oh, everyone knows who you are. Don’t worry. Nobody ever starts a fight in this bar.”

As soon as we stepped inside, I could see why. The bar keep was approximately the size of the bear I’d hunted with the dwarven sisters. Angrboda tugged me to the bar.

“So, what happened…” the bar keep started. Then fell silent as Angrboda glared at him. “Got it. Your usual.”

I decided, bravely, “And one for me too.”

He looked me up and down. “Well, huh. You’re slumming it.”

I snorted. “Not really. You can’t tell me you never see my dad here.”

He laughed. “Not never, no. But not your mother.”

I considered that. “My mother isn’t big on bars.”

He slid a tankard of something across to me. It was beer. Or beer-ish anyway. Very cold, but I expected that.

Very strong, which I also expected.

Apparently it was a good idea to Thruor too, as she ordered a large bowl of chocolate and chocolate mint.

“Having a bad day?”

“Having a frustrating one,” Thruor admitted. “Concluding in that. We haven’t seen the last of that guy. He was too stupid.” She glanced at Derek.

Derek nodded. “But why would he deliberately give me his name?”

“Maybe he’s hoping you’ll accidentally summon him. Or maybe he was trying to make us more suspicious of you.” I let out a breath. “I mean, he could ward against me seeing stuff. Maybe you are on his side.”

To his credit, he only bristled a little.

“I think I can verify that he isn’t,” Thruor said. “No offense, Jane, but I’m quite a bit more experienced at dealing with souls than you are.”

“None taken.” She was a valkyrie, after all. Dealing with souls was her job.

She turned to look at Derek. I couldn’t see what she was doing, so I drifted closer to Kanesha and munched on my ice cream.

“What is she doing?” Kanesha whispered.

“Scanning him.” How else could I put it.

“That’s kind of…”

“Weird? She’s not reading his mind or anything like that.”

I sensed that light presence again. Glanced to the doorway. Sarael was standing just inside, watching, carefully positioned where Derek couldn’t see him.

The angel was up to something. Probably something good. Probably something amusing. The trickster angel, I thought.

But in no danger of falling. Maybe he’d make some changes, something that would…

Or maybe the humorless stuff was all an act anyway.

“You’re clean,” Thruor said, eventually. Then she glanced at the door.

So did Derek, but Sarael was already gone.

“You have a guardian angel for real, I think. He has a sense of humor.”

“You know him?” Derek seemed surprised.

“We’re rivals. We’re not enemies. Anyway. Be careful. That was a full blown demon lord that came after you.”

“And intentionally gave me his name. I’m being set up, aren’t I?”

“Probably. You need to get one step ahead,” Thruor said. “And be very careful. I don’t want to see you in Hell, after all.”

I was very much inclined to agree with her. Now he wasn’t trying to kill me, I rather liked Derek.

The door didn’t break in.

It shattered. The place was apparently every bit as rundown as it appeared. And I was promptly face to face with a war demon.

I swung, and my blade went straight through it. Make that the illusion of a war demon. “Nice one.”

Why not a real war demon? Probably to get me off balance. “I’m here for Derek.”

“Of course you are.” The demon formed out of smoke. “It’s too late.”

“No it isn’t. You’ve been trying for him for months. He’s stronger than you.” I hoped I was right.

I hoped that horrible feeling that he was compromised was just me being paranoid and cynical.

“Want to see for yourself?”

“You just don’t want to fight me.” Keep him talking, I thought. Keep him talking while the others found a back door or whatever Thruor had in mind.

He laughed. “You aren’t worth the effort of fighting.”

Well, that was a better reaction than launching himself at me. I wasn’t confident I could beat him. “Okay. Show me.”

He turned and descended into a basement which, surprise surprise, was done up as a movie summoning zone. Best way to put it.

Derek was sitting there, a sardonic grin on his face. I narrowed my eyes, but still saw no taint on his soul. Then again, this demon had blocked me before.

“I suppose you’re going to tell me you’ve seen the light now?”

“I’ve seen where the real power is, yes.”

But I’d see it. I’d sense it. Instead, I sensed a vague presence of light. I laughed inwardly.

Sarael.

The angel with a sense of humor. The one who liked my dad.

“Well, then, nothing I can do here.” Come on, Thruor, I thought. Come on.

There was a back door into the basement. It was one of those cases where the place was a bit of a slope.

Thruor and Kanesha came through it a moment later. The demon whirled, startled.

“I…”

Derek abruptly said something mostly in Latin. The demon yelped and vanished.

“What…”

Derek laughed. “What a bloody idiot.”

“What did he do?”

“He was so wrapped up in himself he didn’t realize I was lying to him and he…”

“…handed you his true name on a platter. World’s stupidest demon.” I was laughing too.

“You knew.”

“I was paying attention. You had help, though.”

“I did?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Somebody was helping hide your aura from him. Not from me. It was quite amusing, though.”

“Well, then.” Thruor was not quite laughing. “Let’s go get some ice cream.”

That sounded like a very good idea to me, and probably an even better one to the person who had just been kidnapped.

I called Thruor as we moved. Got her voice mail. Left a message, hoping she’d find it before we found them.

I absolutely trusted she could track me with no problems. Of course, I couldn’t quite do the reverse.

Maybe.

I was more focused on finding Derek. I also told Thruor to bring Kanesha’s sword. We needed to put some wards on it so she could hide it.

I’d already asked enough of Clara for one week, though.

The trail led us deeper into the bad part of Northeast. I wasn’t comfortable with being here at all. Mundane people had guns, and guns hurt.
Guns could, if you were mortal, kill. But this was where the trail led us. The dog finally stopped outside a really run down house. Looking down.

“Basement, eh, buddy?”

“Smells like a trap to me,” Kanesha commented.

I nodded. “Yeah. Maybe.” And a horrible feeling came into my mind that it could be a trap, and Derek might be in on it.

We thought we trusted him, but…

I tried to reach out, but the run-down house was warded. Either we waited for Thruor, or we went in blind.

Or…I tried to crash through the wards. I was a goddess, after all. I should be able to deal with wards.

Then again, I was relying on them with the fire giant problem. I closed my eyes and reached out again, this time with force.

It bounced back. Either a powerful coven had set this or…it had a signature. “Demon lord,” I murmured to Kanesha.

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Who knows we’re here at this point.”

But at that point, Thruor came roaring up. She slowed down next to Kanesha and handed her her sword.

“Demon lord,” I told Thruor. “Has the place warded against us.”

“With two of us we should be able to do something about that.”

“Derek’s definitely in there.”

She nodded grimly. “I hope that gets some other attention.”

If she meant Sarael, I entirely agreed. We could really use him right now. “They know I’m here by now. Possibly not you.”

“Then you go charging in.” She glanced at Kanesha. “Come with me.”

Kanesha nodded.

I trusted Thruor’s tactics, drew my blade, and kicked in the front door.

The panicked phone call from Derek came two seconds later.

“I thought you were with Thea.” I used that name, because I might be overheard. Or tapped.

“I was. She sent me home at lunch time. I decided to go for a walk instead. Now I’m hiding in an alleyway.”

I glanced at Kanesha. “Where?”

“Northeast. Uh…” He gave an address I wasn’t convinced was accurate.

Apparently he’d decided to visit some interesting alternative shops on his walk – I couldn’t think of any other reason he’d be in Northeast. I ran for the zoo entrance with Kanesha behind me. There was a bus. It was right there, so I swung onto it. She was a moment later.

“What’s the rush?” the driver asked.

“Friend needs a rescue,” I said, truthfully. I just didn’t specify what from. Let him think it was some teenaged relationship issue or the like.

Something like that would make sense to him. I dropped onto one of the priority seats.

“Close enough to a direct route,” Kanesha murmured. “We got lucky.”

“Or had some subtle assistance.”
Derek might be of interest in several quarters. And Sarael might well have been capable of enough probability manipulation for this. I still wasn’t entirely clear on everything an angel could do. I should ask, except it seemed a very personal question.

Off the bus, we were only a block away. I ran. Found the place where Derek said he was.

There was no sign of him. Only his phone on the ground – whoever had taken him had known enough to drop it.

I cursed profusely in Old Norse.

Kanesha started to reach for the phone. “We’ll find him.”

“Don’t. I don’t want your scent on it.”

She looked at me, then nodded in understanding. I focused on calling a certain fyrhund.

It appeared, running up the street in the shape of a bloodhound, no doubt sensing what job I had for it today. I scratched it behind the floppy ears, then indicated the phone.

“Find the owner for me.”

Only after he’d got a good sniff of the scent did Kanesha pick the phone up and put it in her pocket. “They can’t have gone too far.”

“Unless they took him to Hell.”

They couldn’t take his soul without agreement, but they might be able to drag him with them while still alive.

She shuddered. “In which case…”

“We’ll still find him. One way or another.”

The dog set off at a trot. I jogged after him, hoping I was wrong. It would be much easier to find Derek if he was still on Midgaard.

And much less traumatic for the kid.

Fortunately, my funk only lasted until I got some sleep. The next day was Saturday and Clara, as good as her word, showed up with some friends and quietly put anti-arson wards on the building.

I could kind of feel them myself – they didn’t affect me, though, and I got used to them quickly. As in, by the end of the day quickly. Maybe it was only psychological, because I knew they were there.

But fire was an important part of my being. I’d worked out by now that I couldn’t change that and might as well enjoy it. It might not have been my choice, but it certainly intimidated the bad guys.

Well, except for the fire giants. They, of course, would be more intimidated by cold things.

Thruor was still working with Derek. I elected to leave them to it and head out looking for trouble, as it were.

Or rather, knowing trouble would find me. Armed and dangerous. It was a beautiful summer day, likely too hot for some people, but it didn’t bother me at all.

Fire within me, I thought wryly. The sun beating down, the humidity climbing, and people were starting to flee to the air conditioning.

Kanesha called. We met up at the National Zoo, but the animals were also feeling the heat. The fishing cat was asleep in a sunbeam, just like any house cat. So were the lions.

“Too hot for man or beast,” she said.

I teased, “Says the girl from the tropics.”

“That’s how many generations back. Fire giant,” she teased.

“Can’t exactly help it.”

“You sure about that?” She gave me kind of a sidelong look. “Wasn’t there that thing about parts of the universe choosing how to manifest?”

“I dunno about that. I mean, would that imply that some poor kid born in the worst slum in India as an Untouchable chose to be there?”

“Point.” She shuddered. “I was reading up on that. They still haven’t got into the twentieth century on it in some places, let alone the twenty-first.”

“Give them chance. It takes every society a while to shake feudalism.” About which I probably couldn’t talk. “But if it’s true, I think it only applies to us.”

“Then how am I exactly where I want to be?”

I grinned. “Maybe you did something to earn it.” Maybe past lives were real, at least for some people. Thruor would probably know. She knew more about death and mortality than I did, that was for sure.

“Or maybe you did.” She grinned back at me. “I love you.”

Those words made the humidity lift and the sun become much less unbearable. They also made me worry much less about the future.

“I love you.”