ELSKER: THE ELSKER SAGA *complete*

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Chapter Thirteen 

“PARDON?” ULL GENTLY LIFTED my chin with one finger, forcing me to look into his eyes.

“I can see things.” I cringed. “The future. Sometimes the past. Apparently some deranged Elf Man who wants me dead. I see things all the time – it’s like my brain just shuts down and goes into this different world, and sometimes the world looks a whole lot like your world. Last night, this insane elf dragged me to Ýdalir and tried to kill me, but my necklace shot light at him. He just disappeared, and I don’t know what happened to him.

“Another time, I was standing in this field with you, and I was ready to fight these awful monsters that were coming to kill us. Wait,” I added hurriedly when I saw the alarmed expression on Ull’s face. “I don’t just see bad stuff. Sometimes I see good things too – like this really pretty meadow and a pond with swans and a willow tree with silver leaves.” Ull forced a neutral expression, but only after I caught a glimpse of fear. I covered my face. “Do you think I’m crazy?”

I expected him to say something right away, but the room was deafening in its silence. I peeked from between my fingers – Ull was sitting still as a statue, staring into the distance with that forced look of calm. “Oh my God. You’re going to dump me.” I knew I shouldn’t have told him.

Ull shook himself. “Kristia, please. I am not going to dump you.” He gently tugged my hands away from my face and pulled me into his chest. “To answer your question, no. I do not think you are crazy. I think you have a very special gift – in Asgard, sight like yours would qualify you to become a Norn.”

“I don’t want to be a Norn. I just want to be normal. I hate my visions – they’ve kept me outside of everything my whole life, and I just want them to stop.”

“But they make you who you are. And who knows, maybe you were given this gift for a purpose.”

“Yeah, right. So I could never fit in, anywhere?”

“You fit with me.” Ull stroked my back gently. “I want you to tell me when you see these things. I do not like knowing that someone is frightening you, even if it is only in dreams. I am not entirely sure what to make of that...”

“You could write me off as a fruitcake.”

“I happen to like fruitcake.” Ull kissed the top of my head. I tilted my face up hopefully and he laughed. “Kristia, be good.”

“Fine,” I harrumphed. “You’re really not going to dump me because you think I’m crazy?”

“Who said I do not think you are crazy?” Ull ducked as I swatted at him. “No, darling, I am not going anywhere. I am afraid you are stuck with me for as long as you want me.”

“Good. Forever, then.” I snuggled in closer, practically wilting in relief.

“Forever.”

With each flip of my “Water Fowl Of The Week” desk calendar, I grew closer to Inga. I could go to her with just about anything, and she never judged me. Since I couldn’t exactly share Ull’s secret with my human friends, Inga was the only one I could talk to about dating a god. She didn’t completely understand – she’d fallen in love with Gunnar as a goddess in her own right – but she was a good listener. And at least she knew the whole truth.

One afternoon, I showed up at Inga’s house with full hands. Ull planted a light kiss on my cheek before he and Gunnar darted out to the driving range to blow off some midterm-exam steam. As they ran out, I stared at their matching red and blue argyle golf pants.

“Don’t ask.” Inga swept in, gracefully taking my contraband. “They say the pants are patriotic.”

“I think they’re kind of cute.”