61 My Arwyn

JörmungandrI stand at the edge of my pool and look at my daughter. She looks so much like her mother. I resist the urge to reach out and touch her cheek. Confusion fills her hazel eyes as she looks at me. The poor child has never had a moment of peace in her entire life. These two men better change that.“Come,” I tell them as I grab Björn by the hair and pull him to his feet. “My Arwyn will want to meet you.”I push him away from me, not really caring if he lands in the pool again. The bond has set between the men and my daughter, even if Björn does not wish to admit it. Because of the bond, I know that the other half of my sweet daughter would go after him again. Sighing, I wonder how many times she has crossed the realms to save them already.Motioning for them to follow, I head towards the thrones on the dais. Then beyond the two thrones and through the large dragon mouth. There is a fog that fills the space separating the great hall and where we live. Crossing through it causes

62 Wanted

IslaThere is no doubt in my mind that the woman standing in front of me is my mother. She looked much like my grandmother did when I was little. But where Grandmother had been harsh and cold, this woman, Arwyn, appeared kind and warm.I moved towards her, as if I was being pulled to her. Just out of arms reach, I stopped, uncertain if I should go any closer. Björn and Magnús followed me, standing so close that I could feel their body heat behind me. As usual, Björn was hotter than Magnús, this was how I was always able to tell them apart.Arwyn moved closer to me and lifted her hands to cup my cheeks. “My sweet baby girl. Are you really here? Finally, here with me?”Unable to trust my voice, I simply nod. She smiles brightly at me and her thumbs smear liquid across my cheeks. I was not even aware that I was crying. With a soft sob of her own, she pulls me into a hug. Giving in to my own sobs, I lay my head on her shoulder and wrapped my arms around her.A feeling that I have spent my

63 Answers

MagnúsWe eventually get up and make our way down to the main floor of the hall. The smell of roasted meat and vegetables greets us as we descend the wide stairs. Björn walks on the opposite side of me, and we both hold Isla’s hands. This is where she should have been the entire time. Where she should remain until we take our last breaths.Jörmungandr and Arwyn sit on a wooden bench with plush cushions on the seat and back. A boy of about ten is telling them a story that he was acting out, complete with wooden sword. The boy spun in a circle, dropping the sword before running to wrap his arms around Isla’s waist.“I’m so glad that you came home! Móðir said that now that you’ve connected to your beast, you can come here and go see me at Fr&ael

64 Helheim

BjörnWe follow Garmr across the golden bridge Gjallarbrú which spans the River Gjöll. The bridge is wide and arches high, preventing us from seeing what is on the other side of the great expanse. Looking up, we can see the roots of Yggdrasil, the world tree that links the nine realms together.The roots of the tree are nothing of what I had ever anticipated. They are a combination of the white and black trees that I have seen from Isla’s trees. Smooth roots with cold spikes are intertwined with rough and gnarled ones. It is then that I understand what she has tried to explain to me.Each depends on the other. The smooth roots do not go as deep as the gnarled ones. It is as if they balance each other; one going deep for stability, and the other staying shallow for the water they need to survive.Magnús stops and I look up at where his eyes focus. The large dragon, Níðhöggr, gnaws on the roots. He pauses as Ratatoskr, the biggest squirrel that I have ever seen, stops so that he can chi

65 Hall of Misery

IslaI fight with myself not to gasp at the ugliness that is meeting the beauty on her face. I have heard stories of Hel my whole life. I anticipated meeting her, but not while I was still alive.The ouroboros falls again, breaks, mends itself and returns to where it belongs. The goddess in front of us pays no attention to it. As if this is normal and occurs often. Not even the two skin and bone servants that remained flinch as the silver lands next to them. However, I doubt that much makes them move.“I am no death bringer.”Her voice is overwhelmingly powerful and somehow soothing at the same time as it moves around us. I feel it in my chest, down to my bones and it touches my soul. It is like an icy finger reaches into my heart and brings me comfort.“You, child of my brother, do you wish to remain with the one who nearly killed you?”“He would never kill me,” I assure her as I glance up at my mate.“Do not be so certain, child.” Her gaze moves from me to Magnús, and I also look at

All Chapters of Unwanted Mate: Chapter 61 - Chapter 65

61 My Arwyn

62 Wanted

63 Answers

64 Helheim

65 Hall of Misery