sudden fear. "Loki is too wily. He'll never make it easy to kill him. You should leave the gods to fight each other."
Her words were a relief. "How can I do that when Odin is counting on me?" I asked, suddenly afraid that she may yet win me over with her sensible talk.
"Odin is counting on you to lead the charge, to command the warriors, not to kill the gods. Whatever they do or have already done, they are still gods. Aesir or Vanir, it makes no difference. Do you want your destiny to be forever known as a god-killer?" Suri tilted her head and stared at my face. "Tell me you will think about this. Please."
I shook my head. "I thought you were in this war to fight for Odin?" I asked, my head filled with emotions I didn't have the energy to untangle.
"Fight for Odin yes. Fight Odin's battles for him, no." She folded her arms and stood stiffly in front of me.
I opened my mouth and was saved from speaking by a great rumbling beneath my feet. The ground tilted and both Suri and I lost our balance.
The moving floor tossed us onto our sides like a couple of tumbleweeds. I reached for Suri with one hand and for Gungnir with the other. My fingers curled around the staff of the spear and within seconds we reappeared in the training fields outside of the palace, far away from crumbling buildings.
We watched as one half of the palace tumbled to the stone floor of the valley. Rocky turrets and stone walls simply came loose and fell like bricks tossed aside by a sullen child.
The only thing I could think was that, thankfully, the Valkyries were the only warriors with quarters in the palace as they were able to transport themselves out to safety.
The destruction of the palace, unlike the chasm beneath Valhalla, may not have taken many lives. But it did manage to break our hearts.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Someone came up beside me and I looked up at Thor. His expression was inscrutable as he stared at the remains of Odin's home.
"I'm sorry," I said, unsure what else to say.
Thor grunted. "We have more important things to talk about than broken down old palaces." Thor turned to me, his blue eyes so dark they looked inky. "It has begun. We are needed in Midgard immediately."
Heimdall came up behind him. Giving me a small smile, he looked at Thor, then back at me. No words were necessary, but I did feel the tug of tears. If the oracles had truly predicted fate, and if everything today happens according to fate's decree, then we will not see Heimdall after today.
He must have sensed my thoughts because he stepped closer and placed a hand on my shoulder. Giving it a squeeze, he said, "Should it be my time then who am I to complain. Destiny is greater than the gods." I struggled to smile and managed a weak nod. "When I am gone, Tyra will need comfort. I believe she thinks highly of you.
This time my nod was stronger though I valiantly blinked back tears.
"She will take it hard. Not an easy woman to break but when broken she takes a long time to heal." He gave my shoulder a small shake. "Take care of her for me.
I opened my mouth to say I would and then it hit me. I would likely not survive either. But I couldn't bring myself to decline his last request, so I nodded and glanced at Suri who snuck past me to give Heimdall and tight squeeze.
Then, we were ready to face this battle. As I put my hand into Thor's outstretched palm, I wondered where my friends were. Had they all gone to Midgard to join the battle or were they somewhere within the walls of that pile of stones that was once my home?
Suri's fingers close around Heimdall's wrist as he and Thor transported us to New York, where we arrived on the northern edge of Central Park. The park was known for its scenic natural beauty. Ponds and ducks, jogging paths and hundreds of trees, lush green grass and wooden benches.
None of that remained.
The place looked like a fire had ravaged every inch of it. The trees were stark black fingers reaching for the dull bloody sky. Burnt grass trailed wisps of smoke, and the ponds were black mirrors filled with soot and dirt.
I gasped at the sight but had to put my shock