When Loki's consort and soulmate marries his rival to save their son from a curse, a prophecy leads to consequences even the God of Chaos couldn't predict.
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The Unseelie Goddess of War's revenge against Asgard's Dark Prince puts him in a no-win s...
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The Present (Asgardian Calendar)
I listened to the words of the Sidhe Ambassador, but they failed to penetrate. All I could hear was his claim that Shannon, my Shannon, was married, bound to that gods-be-damned Atlantean. That bloody bastard who'd already lain with my goddess, covering her with his scent and filling her with his seed. Even as she carried my child.
I knew he'd saved them. Saved them both.
If he hadn't, I wouldn't have my beautiful, clever son or my gorgeous, sexy consort. They would have died on that starkly desolate shore in the Winter Realm, starved of energy or victims of the Wild Hunt. The idea of their deaths had haunted my nightmares, and even now, so many months later, there were nights I woke with a scream on my lips from visions I couldn't completely shake.
Still, I wanted to hate that bastard, despite knowing I owed him. I fucking hated that I owed him. I loathed it with every ounce of my soul. It was an annoying drop of water constantly pinging me in the forehead, burrowing into my brain.
And now here he was, trying to claim her from me again.
Fucking bastard.
Shannon's exclamation of shock, with both Odin and Thor roaring in anger, told me I'd missed something. Something important.
Taking note of those around me for the first time since Ambassador Ogma dropped the emotional bomb, I realized he looked uncomfortable even as he tried to maintain his facade of implacability. Aware that it took a lot to get that expression on his experienced politician's face, whatever he'd said must be truly detestable.
"How exactly does Badb think she is able to curse Prince Aidan?" Frigga demanded. Her icy tone would have frozen me in my tracks as a child. Now, her tone, paired with those words, froze my heart.
Curse? Aidan? What? What the bloody hell had I missed?
The Ambassador's eyes flicked to Shannon before looking again at Odin and Frigga, both standing ramrod straight, in front of the throne. A muscle ticked in Odin's jaw.
"She's used the blood connection to Princess Shannon, with her grandparents' and uncle's permission," Ogma replied. Both his tone and manner suggested Ogma knew he was walking on eggshells. We weren't known for shooting the messenger, but Odin had yet to speak.
"Repeat Badb's threat please, Ambassador," I demanded.
Ogma winced slightly but inclined his head. "If Princess Shannon is not returned to her relatives to fulfil the consummation ceremony, finalizing her marriage to Prince Elatha of the Fomorians by Samhain, Badb's curse will kill Prince Aidan on the anniversary of his birth."
Rage surged, thawing the ice and superheating it to the flash point. Blood pounded in my ears like a drumbeat of war. I am going to kill that fucking, evil bitch, whether she is Shannon's aunt or not.
