Michigan in continuous bursts, a dance few knew the steps to.
From the air, Patrick could see the concentric circles of the spell that stretched away from Yggdrasil on the ground. They reached farther than they had in New York last June, the glow of the soul-driven magic broken up by nearby skyscrapers and swaths of icy water that covered them.
The spell was still active, but if they could get Odin out of the line of fire, maybe they had a chance to break it. Except when Patrick reached for the god’s throat, trying to find a pulse, he felt nothing but a cold stillness that made him choke back a panicked laugh.
“Fuck, we are so fucked,” Patrick gasped out. “Odin is still tied to the spell, and we need to break it.”
“Have faith,” Eir shouted.
Patrick’s faith in anything had died a brutal death in Salem years ago until Jono walked into his life. There wasn’t any left to toss to the gods and their machinations that had the power to wreck the world.
Faith, Patrick had learned over the years, was always misplaced in the end.
They were flying over the mouth of the Chicago River where it poured into Lake Michigan when multiple strike spells were blasted their way from a ground position. Töfrandi veered around the shining blasts of magic as best he could, but it was like flying through fireworks going off on the Fourth of July. The Dominion Sect was throwing so many spells at them that one had to hit.
And it did.
The strike spell slammed through Töfrandi’s left wing, and the pegasus threw back his head, screaming in agony as his wing exploded. Feathers and blood turned to a bloody mist as Eir screamed in rage. Patrick held on to her with one arm, the other trying to keep Odin’s body in place as Töfrandi careened toward the water in a death spiral.
Even as they fell, another strike spell shot toward them—only to be incinerated by dragon fire.
Wade’s sinuous shape dove through the wind and snow, his forefeet reaching for them. They were engulfed in sharp talons that cradled them close to a warm red body, carrying them to what safety Navy Pier could provide.
It was outside the spellwork, which could work in their favor. Removing Odin from the physical location of the spellwork wouldn’t break it, but his absence would weaken it.
Wade spat flame the entire flight to the ground, landing with hind legs first before he gently placed Töfrandi and the rest of them onto the ground. The pegasus collapsed to his knees, heaving for air. Patrick got to his feet, struggling to drag Odin away from the wounded pegasus while Eir did what she could for her steed. There was no saving Töfrandi though, not with a critical wound like that. Patrick wasn’t surprised when Eir drove her spear through the pegasus’ ribs, piercing his heart to put him out of his misery.
Odin was deadweight in his arms as Patrick dragged the Allfather beneath the safety of Wade’s body. Patrick stabbed Wade in the foot with the pommel of his dagger to get his attention. “Hey! I need you to keep Odin safe.”
Wade snaked his head down to blink at Patrick, golden eye bright in his wedge-shaped head. He snorted smoke through his nostrils before hissing a warning, fire flickering behind his teeth. Patrick snapped his head around, staring through the snow at whatever had caught Wade’s attention.
The neon lights of Navy Pier hadn’t been turned off despite the snowstorm. The Children’s Museum, Ferris wheel, and other rides provided enough light for Patrick to see the group of Dominion Sect magic users coming their way.
They’d crashed onto the side of the pier, with the buildings to their right and Lake Michigan to their left. The only way out was through the enemy. Ethan was at the forefront of the Dominion Sect mercenaries and the hellhounds flanking them, a mageglobe held in one hand and Loki carrying Gungnir by his side.
Patrick wondered where Thor had gone, if the god of thunder was alive considering the wound Eir had only half healed for him.
“That weapon does not belong to you, Loki,” Eir snarled with enough malevolence in her voice that Patrick flinched.
Or maybe he flinched because of Ethan.
Patrick figured it didn’t matter since no one saw, and if they did, he’d blame it on the cold.
“If Odin wants it back, he can take it from me,” Loki taunted, wind whipping his laughter away.
Eir left Töfrandi’s body