from you!”
He stepped closer, looming right above me. There was such darkness in his eyes, it crushed against my sternum, making it hard to breathe. “No. You will not. We have been here so many times before, Annabel. So many nights. And every time, I win.” With that, he raised a hand. Darkness shot from it, followed by a splintering of wood.
Somewhere off to the side, Mimir cursed.
The boat. Our means of escape. Gone.
I screamed in impotent rage, fighting with what remaining strength I had left against the invisible bonds pinning me down. Only this time, the power constricting my limbs wavered.
I didn’t pause to wonder why. Quicker than should have been possible for my weakened muscles, I kicked up, planting the bridge of my foot right between Grim’s legs with all my strength.
He grunted, the fury etched on his pale face morphing into agony. And then, like timber, he fell to the ground.
An alpha god, conquered by his biology’s greatest weakness.
I’m not going to lie, every part of me relished his pain as I pushed myself up to my knees, the vestiges of his power gone from my body.
The ring.
It was my one chance.
I threw myself forward on hands and knees. When I reached his side, I thrust my hand into my pocket, fumbling for the ring I’d taken from Loki’s finger.
My fingertips brushed against the metal, and I yanked it up and grabbed for Grim’s hand.
His muscles were stiff, resistant, but he was too weakened to fight me. With more force than finesse, I slipped the runed band over his thumb and wedged it down past the joint.
Grim groaned, a pained protest, but it was too late.
I sat back on my heels and looked down on the immobilized alpha.
Slowly he managed to open his eyes, locking his gaze on mine.
“What did you do?” he rasped. There was still anger in his voice, but it was not nearly as terrifying now that he was defenseless.
Perhaps I should have felt pity, but I didn’t. He’d ruined my best chance at returning to my mates. I felt nothing but mild satisfaction that he got to experience what it was like being as helpless as I had been since we came to Hel.
“What did I do? What did you do?” I snarled, looking back over my shoulder toward the sea. Pieces of aged timber lay scattered in a semi-circle where the boat had been moments ago. “You ruined our way back!”
“For the last time, you are not going back!” He managed to roll up on his knees, fury once more overtaking his drawn features. “Never! Get it through your skull, Annabel. You are never leaving this place! No matter how many Nightmares you send at me, no matter how you kick and scream and play foul tricks. Never!”
“Er, the Nightmare may have been my doing,” Mimir interjected, but if Grim heard, he ignored him.
“If you weren’t such a coward, if you’d dared to accept Fates’ plans for you, you would understand that nothing and no one is going to stop me from returning to my mates, Grim Lokisson!” I spat, turning back around to face him. My own temper eased the innate fear at his fury as he glared at me with hatred strong enough it could have made a flower wither and die. “I took away your magic, and I will escape this wretched place. You aren’t nearly strong enough to stop me!”
Grim’s eyes widened at my challenge, then narrowed into slits. Faster than I could follow, he wrapped his icy fingers around my throat, squeezing.
“I don’t need magic to hurt you. Remember that, omega.” He spat the last word out as if it were a curse.
I stared silently up at him, defiantly, willing him to follow through with the threat. After five long seconds, he pulled his lip up in a snarl and shoved me away, releasing my neck.
“You’re not going to hurt me,” I said, suppressing the need to swallow. I kept my eyes locked on his, refusing to submit. “You won’t risk the harm it would cause your brothers.”
“Even if I don’t, others will,” he growled. “You have seen the dangers here. You have drained your own powers. You need my protection—and I need my magic to protect you.” Grim held his hand out toward me. The iron band on his thumb gleamed dully. “Remove it.”
“No.”
“Enough!” he barked. “You are not stupid enough to risk your mates’ lives on this folly! You cannot best me in a game