House Of Gods 9 - Samantha Snow Page 0,13

now, but things have a tendency to change with time.”

“Nah, I’m pretty sure I will never want to do that,” Tara repeated, this time with greater emphasis.

Norna turned her attention to Cai.

“In the future,” she said, “the nine worlds will be united under joint rulership. Tannin and Tara will preside over all nine realms and will balance each other, like yin and yang.”

“But I don’t—”

“Hush,” Cai said to Tara as he gently put his fingers to his lips and continued to listen to Norna.

“They are such opposing forces,” Norna said. “And they must be able to balance each other out. But they must be kept apart until they are older.”

“Why must they be kept apart?” Celeste asked.

“They need to be raised as the children they are. As immortals, they’re aging will slow once they reach young adulthood. They cannot influence each other until they are in better control of themselves. When they are older, they can be reintroduced, and destiny can unfold. But until then, they must not see each other. The fate of the realms will depend on it.”

“Good,” Tara said as she interrupted. She did not like being hushed, and it was unlike Cai to do so. “I don’t like that baby anyway.”

Celeste giggled at her innocence.

“What will happen if the two children do not join together as adults?” Lopt asked.

“I would rather not divulge that part. I, unlike my sisters, think that focusing on the positive outcome gives it the greatest chance of success. I do not want to plant any seeds of doubt. Simply know that it is imperative that they be kept apart until the time is right. Any small thing could set things into motion in the wrong direction. There is always the chance that free will can come into play and make matters unpredictable.”

“I will take her to Yggdrasil,” Cai said. “I can raise her there alongside Astra.” He turned to Lopt and Celeste. “Will the two of you be okay with taking over the rule of Alfheim now?”

“We will,” Celeste said as Lopt nodded at Cai.

“I have no doubt that Alfheim will be in good hands,” Cai smiled at his sister, and then extended his hand to Lopt.

“When will you leave?” Lopt asked.

“Soon. Before Kemma and Baldur return from Valhalla with the baby.”

“Then let us spend a night all together,” Lopt said.

“Does that mean I get to stay up late?” Tara asked excitedly as she jumped up on Cai’s lap.

“Yes,” he laughed. “It sure does.”

Norna left them to eat and drink and play games as a sort of family together before Cai left the next day with Tara for Yggdrasil. Although it was a sacrifice to commit to at least a decade in the forest raising Tara, away from any potential opportunity to cross paths with Tannin, Cai was excited to be able to be with Astra. Word was sent to her that they would soon be coming.

Norna felt satisfied that she had prepared them for the future as best that she could, and now the only thing that she had left to do was to talk with Leif before she left. She came to sit beside him on the couch and felt his eyes bore into her with a million unasked questions that she was afraid to answer.

“How did it go?” he asked. That was an innocuous question to start off with.

“Fine,” she replied. “Cai will be taking Tara to live in the forest tomorrow.”

“I’m sure he will be happy about that. It has been difficult for him to be without her.”

Norna nodded in understanding.

“It has been difficult for me to be without you,” he said as he sat up straighter in his chair to look at her eyes.

“I know. I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what else to say. Difficult was a drastic understatement for what they had both been feeling; agonizing was more like it.

“Why did you leave?” he asked her.

“I had to leave, to be with my sisters and help bring the balance of fate back in line. If I had not, the world would not have the hope that it does now.”

“But why did you leave like that?”

Norna fell silent. But Leif still had much to say.

“You left without even saying goodbye. Do you have any idea what that did to me?”

“Yes,” she said. “I do. I imagine it did much the same thing that it did to me.”

Leif thought about what she said. He hadn’t considered that she might have been equally as tormented. But still, she