Weaving Fate - Nora Ash Page 0,23

inclined, but I couldn’t exactly fault him. The way the brothers acted around each other, it was obvious any current truce was tentative.

When we got to the tower, Modi stopped by the closed port. “Heimdall!” he called, voice booming.

“Heimdall?” I asked.

“The guardian of Bifrost,” Bjarni rumbled. “And a real prick.”

Modi grunted, and I arched both eyebrows. If these two agreed…

We waited several minutes before the clanking of a deadbolt opening sounded from behind the port and it swung open, revealing a pale-skinned alpha with a tumble of golden curls falling over his broad shoulders.

He looked at our small party, lip curling in disgust at the sight of Bjarni. “What is this, Thorsson? A human omega and the spawn of the betrayer? Am I to take it you have brought me a sacrifice?”

“Not exactly. We require passage to Midgard. It is an urgent matter. Please step aside,” Modi said, voice calm but full of command.

Heimdall didn’t move. “I, and only I, am responsible for alerting Asgard of the Jotunns’ coming, and therefore I decide who gets to pass. I am not letting that half-blood use Bifrost on the word of a godling who still lives in his father’s shadow. Now get your daddy to come vouch for you, or go home. Get!”

From the clench of Modi’s hands and the splotches forming on his cheeks, Heimdall had apparently hit a sore spot, and I grimaced, instinctively reaching for Modi's arm to calm him down. He didn’t so much as look in my direction when my fingers brushed against him, choosing instead to glare daggers at the guardian.

“Step. Aside,” Modi repeated, this time with an unmistakable threat rumbling through each syllable. “Now.”

“You’re guarding Asgard from an invasion of Jotunns, but refuse to let us out of Asgard because I’m half-Jotunn? Excellent logic. Best do as the kid says,” Bjarni said, touching his hand to the blade at his side. “We’re in a rush.”

Heimdall narrowed his eyes. “Don’t give me a reason, Lokisson. I’d love nothing more than present your despicable father with your head on a pike.”

Great. Fucking alphas. Muscles? Check. Conflict resolution skills? Zero.

I smothered an eyeroll and stepped forward, sidestepping Bjarni’s attempt at pulling me back in line. With my best smile, I stopped in front of Heimdall.

“I’m so sorry for my companions. They’re stressed with the importance of our task. Odin has requested that we bring him Loki, and with Ragnarök looming, it’s a matter of some urgency,” I said, smoothly placing my hand on his forearm. “But that doesn’t excuse our rudeness—you’re the guardian of Bifrost, and you deserve our utmost respect. I, for one, appreciate you not letting just anybody through to my world.”

Heimdall looked at my hand on his arm, and for a moment I thought he’d take offense to a mere human having the audacity to touch him. But then the set of his shoulders softened ever so slightly, and when he looked at my face, his nostrils twitched—scenting for any promise of heat, probably. So damn predictable.

“Odin ordered this… quest? A godling, a human, and a Jotunn, tasked with bringing back the Betrayer?”

I forced my smile to stay in place and scooted in a little closer, ignoring Bjarni’s low growl.

“Shut up,” Modi murmured behind me, silencing Bjarni, and I thanked the stars at least one of them had enough brain cells left to catch on to my plan.

“He did. I don’t know how we’re going to…” I trailed off, lip quivering for emphasis before I looked up at him with wide eyes, making myself seem as small as vulnerable as I could—the picture of a weak little omega. “We have to find him. Somehow we have to, or innocents will die for his crimes. Please, sir, can you help us? We must get to Midgard tonight. We don’t have much time, and only you can help us get there. Please.”

The golden-haired god hesitated for a moment, his pale eyes falling from my eyes to my lips, then rising to the two alphas behind me.

“Does the omega speak the truth?” he asked, voice still curt, but his scent was no longer rife with aggression.

“She does,” Modi said, and I imagined it had taken quite a bit for him to swallow his anger. “On my father’s honor, her words are true.”

Heimdall breathed in a deep sigh, eyes darting to me once more before he nodded. “Then this one time, I shall let you pass. But do not bring this half-blood to my door again, Thor’s son.”

“Thank you,”