Indra remembers when Cain first started courting her. It was on her sixteenth birthday and her parents had organized a party in Odin’s great hall, in Asgard. All the Vikings had been invited to celebrated that she had become a woman.During the party, Odin had taken her aside and given her one of the jewelries that hung around his broad neck. It was a gold ring necklace, with beautiful patterns of thousands of tiny gold beads. The ring itself was hammered like braided rope and two small bullets met on each side, forming a perfect, closed circle.Odin told her that the neck ring was called Havorringen, a name she had to promise him to remember. He gave it to her as a gift to protect her from the dangers of both human and demigods. Indra also had to promise to never take it off. It was a promise she kept. Not even Lucifer had tried to take the neck ring off her in the months he'd held her captive and tortured.It was there in Odin’s Hall that Cain had

Lucifer's demon-like form appears in the doorway. He's barefoot and smells like ash and smoke. His arms hang relaxed along his sides, the pale skin reveals all his defined facial features, from the bushy eyebrows and the powerful jawline and squared chin. His whole body radiates power.A warm breeze from the sizzling desert outside makes its way through the room and lifts his cape like black wings. His lifeless eyes bore deep into Rebecca's. She backs away to create more space between them."As beautiful as I remember you," he purrs, but nothing on his face reveals what he's thinking. She can only guess.Seven steps forward and stands in front of her and stares menacingly at his father."Where's our son?" he growls."You can have your son back," Lucifer replies, "but then I insist that you hand the girl over to me."Seven makes a sudden outburst and a flash of silver and gold flickers through the air. Rebecca gasps for air, as Lucifer pushes

"Harald!" shouts King Laurin.The steward appears and bows deeply before his master."He's majesty?""Ask Hilma to pack supplies for a week," he orders.Harald nods and disappears towards the kitchen.On his way to the bathroom, Laurin undresses. He leaves a trail of muddy clothes behind. A warm bath has already been made up for him and he can't help but be impressed by how effective his staff are. He sinks into the bath and feels the tender muscles softened by the warm water. A little sigh eludes him when Harald shows up with a glass of whiskey."Thank you." Laurin waves him away with his hand, brings the glass to his mouth and sips on the golden-brown liquid. He lets the effect of the strong content burn right down to the stomach, tilts his head back onto the edge of the tub and closes his eyes for a moment.Thoughts drift through his resting mind. It'd just been sex, nothing else. Or? He reluctantly admits that his male pride took

"I'm your father," Julien says."What did you say you were?" Indra punches him in the face. The hard blow makes his eyes tear up. He straightens his back and looks calmly at his daughter."Your father," he repeats."You're wrong – you’re your father’s slave. And that's all you are to me too," she replies in an icy voice."Indra! Can't you just forgive me? I know you thought my intention was to kill you, but I swear here and now that it wasn't. I just wanted you to understand the seriousness. I wanted you to understand the full potential of your powers."Indra sneers frustratedly. "But how did you escape the flames of Charot's castle?"Julien looks away, as if he needs to think about whether to answer her question. His shoulders slumps and he exhale deeply."Answer me!" she screams."He let me go. He wanted me to save you from yourself."Indra narrows her eyes. "You're lying. Charot would never go agains

A dull, rumbling sound can be heard from the horizon and Indra looks up at the clear blue sky. She can't see any dark clouds gathering overhead, but she can feel the muggy heat that makes the sweat drip from her scalp and trail down her back.For hours, they have been silently riding through the forest. The aged trunks of the trees are twisted to the east and the autumn foliage various in shades from matured green to garnet red. Some leaves are rolled up and dry. A few of the old tree trunks are distorted and twisted into strange looking portals. It is difficult to see if the trees are growing up or down; the forest has its own pulse like a rhythmic heartbeat traveling up from the ground into their own bodies.The heat rising out of the earth creates a low-lying haze among the trees. The light fog resembles a snake as it twists and caresses the protruding tree roots. This is not a place that wants you any good. Indra can feel it. A new rumbling sound rolls across the s