Dead Silence (26 page)

"Great," said Aimee. "He's definitely looking for that sword."

"He knows how important it could be to winning the battle," I said feeling fatigue begin to take me over.

Thor snorted. "If he thinks the sword will respond to him he is soft in the head."

"What do you mean?" asked Fen.

"The wielder must be wise. And that is not a word I would use to describe my trickster brother." Thor's words had us all laughing softly for a few seconds. My eyes scanned the area around us but the shoreline was deserted. And yet I still wondered if Loki was lurking around here somewhere, pretending to be a rock or something.

I cleared my throat and spoke softly to Joshua. "Can you bring the plans for the museums to my room? I want to go over them." He nodded, then hurried off, a deep frown furrowing his brow. I tugged on his arm, moving toward the pathway. "I don't think I can walk very fast right now." I spoke in Aimee's ear only because I couldn't summon the energy to speak any louder.

"You just relax and we'll take it slow. Neither of us are in any kind of hurry."

A Suri closed in on the other side of me, I said, "Sure we are. We have a museum to find, and more digging to do to find where that sword got to."

"Bryn, can't you just take it slow for one freaking minute?" Suri asked, shaking her head at me.

"Nope. There isn't enough time. The world is coming to an end, and that is no exaggeration," I said dryly.

Aimee gave a soft laugh and squeezed my arm. We walked along in silence and the further we went, the more I leaned against her.

She glanced over at me and the movement made me turn to her. "Bryn, I know you're going to push yourself, and I know you won't listen even if we ask you nicely to stop. But can you do me one favor?"

"Ask, and I shall consider it. No promises." I winked at her and she narrowed her eyes.

"Will you tell us if you need our help? Don't try to be a hero. Will you just tell us? It's what we're here for. And don't give me some stupid excuse about endangering us because we're all in this for the same reasons."

I patted her hand. "I will. I promise. At this point, I can't do anything just because I want to, so don't worry. I'll have no choice but to tell you guys."

Aimee rolled her eyes, while Suri snorted softly. "Thanks," they both said dryly. I stared at them in turn, and sighed. To say we'd become friends was an understatement.

And for that I was very grateful.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

A couple hours later, Turi roused me from my nap and just in time too. A knock on the door sounded loudly, almost too loud for my ears and I winced as Turi hurried to the door, her skirts and tail swaying as she moved.

She swung the door open and the squeak of the iron hinge scraped against my eardrums. I'd had headaches before but this was ridiculous.

Fen and Joshua entered the room and Turi provided a stool which Fen took and placed beside my bed. The Huldra left the room with a wave as Joshua sat at the bottom of the bed, curling a hand around my foot while Fen spread out three different maps.

I studied the names. Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre and the British Museum of History. Three places that had the best security in the world, and three that kept their art under lock and key. Make that many locks and many more keys.

Shaking my head, I said, "Getting into any one of these museums would be an exercise in itself and we don't have the time." I looked at Fen, then at Joshua. "We need a plan."

Joshua rubbed his forehead. "We can't hit all three museums without knowing if the sword is there. It'll take far too long."

"Is there a way to obtain lists of what each of these museums hold?" asked Fen.

Then, despite my weakness, I grinned. "That is a brilliant idea."

"It is?" he asked a little confused.

"Yes. And I have a plan." I looked at Joshua. "Get Suri to come. I need her fire."

"What are you thinking?" asked Joshua, already leaning forward as if he was about to insist I remain in bed.

"There's someone I can speak to who will help us get the information we need. But I'll need to see her myself."

Fen shifted in his seat, but he didn't look happy. "Joshua should be enough backup for that visit," he said reluctantly, his gaze going from Joshua's face back to mine. When I nodded he said, "But, I do think you need to take your whole team with you, even if you have to bench them while you speak to your contact. I think it's best you say no more about your intentions. Go to your contact and find out where the sword is, then take your team directly to the museum in question. Don't delay, and tell no one except your chosen team members, and then do that only at the last moment."

My eyes widened at Fen's warnings. I'd known I should be careful but hearing it from Fen's mouth made the danger all the more real.

"Bryn, this is not a game." Fen gripped his knees as he leaned toward me. "Loki has already gotten to you. He's already weakened you, rendered you almost useless in a fight. Slowly, he is removing the strongest pieces from the board. First Odin, then you. I can't guess who he has in mind to remove next because I have no idea how he thinks, but I want us all to be prepared just in case."

"I agree." I nodded and reached for his shoulder. "I'll be careful. I know you're all worried but you will all give your lives to preserve the world as we know it, so I think I should be allowed to offer mine up too. If that be the case." I smiled at the two men who both stared at me as if they couldn't bear the thought of losing me.

Poor Fen. He'd lost Sigrun just when they'd begun making their plans to marry. I myself hadn't yet gotten over how unfair it was that he had to lose her the moment he'd finally decided to take the plunge. Even if she was a Shade, he'd still lost her. And now he could see the possibility of my death too.

Fen got to his feet and put his hands on his hips. "I'd better get on with it. I'll be sending teams out to Midgard on various missions. The delegates are safe, but for all we know that was just part of Loki's plan to keep us distracted."

"What did you do about Vanya and Nita?" I asked.

"Nothing," said Joshua. "We agreed that the best course of action was to let the both of them think everything was as normal. The only action we've taken is to ensure they're kept busy and remain ignorant of our plans."

I shook my head. "No. I want to speak to Nita before I leave. I have to find out where he's keeping the boy."

Fen straightened, his face growing dark. "No. That would be too dangerous, Bryn. What if he kills you? Or the boy?"

"He won't harm the boy as long as he thinks he has Nita and Vanya under his control. Nita will know where her son is. The elves have powers beyond our imagination." I gave Fen a weak smile. "Don't worry, Fen. I won't do anything stupid. And if I do, my babysitter over there will have something to say about it."

Joshua just shook his head and scowled.

Fen rose to his feet, his features strained and tight. "I shall leave you to rest. And remember, do not tell anyone of your plans, even me. Until you return with the sword nobody besides your team needs to know what you are doing."

I nodded and Fen turned to leave. At the door, he paused to glance back at me, as if he wanted to say something else. I gave him a soft smile and waved at him. It seemed the right thing to do as his tight features relaxed a little and his mouth curved into a smile.

"Take care, Brynhildr. May Odin be with you." Then he was gone and Joshua and I were staring at each other in silence.

Throwing the furs off, I sat still for a moment. It wasn't easy for me to ask for help and feeling like a useless invalid did nothing to make the situation better.

I cleared my throat. "Can you help me get ready?"

Joshua nodded and went to dig inside my trunk for my armor and special garments.

I would have preferred a shower but with so few bathing facilities I didn't want to waste time waiting for water to be brought up to the room.

Still sitting, I changed into a fresh shift, and slipped my feet into my pants legs. Joshua helped me dress, and eventually tied the straps to all the sheaths for my weapons for me.

When he was done, he turned to drag the bag he'd left on the floor onto the bed. I watched him unzip the back and tears welled to my eyes. I stared at his face, at the high cheekbones, the straight nose, the glint of green in his soft gaze. And no matter how good he looked he had a heart that was a million times better.

While he changed, I gathered changes of clothing and stuffed a few things into a shoulder bag, including my additional weapons.

When Joshua came to stand at my side I looked up at him. The expression on his face was enough for me. I wasn't sure how it happened but I straightened and he moved, and our lips met. The kiss was fiery and passionate, tinged with sadness and a little desperation.

I reveled in the smell of him, the taste of him, and I wished desperately that the kiss wouldn't end. But soon, we pulled apart and caught our breath but not before Joshua planted a tender kiss on my forehead.

Then he headed out to gather the team. I'd asked for Suri, Aimee and Brody. Suri, I needed for her heat skills.

And Brody? Was he an intelligent choice? He too had a bone to pick with the trickster god after Loki abducted him and imprisoned him in a cell in Jotunnheim, all just to get back at me. He too wanted Loki's head, to use Brody's own words.

And I'd accepted it wasn't fair to keep him in the dark about Ms Custer for so long.

Hopefully, he wouldn't be too mad.

The group arrived and as they entered the room I found myself looking for Myst, watching the door and expecting her to enter. I blinked and frowned. Aimee and Suri saw my searching gaze and I caught them sharing a worried glance.

"Myst?" asked Aimee, a sad look on her face.

I smiled. "I guess I'll be doing that for a while."

Neither knew what to say and all they did was nod sadly. Seems sometimes words were not appropriate. Myst, despite her short time with the team, had been a good friend, one who everyone had grown to like and trust.

Now, I stared around me at the small team of warriors crowded into my tiny room and I worried that I'd be putting them in danger, that I was playing with their lives.

For a moment I stiffened with fear and then I remembered Myst's words.

Every one of these people were here because they wanted to be. And that was something I respected.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Before we left the room I'd rummaged inside my weapons trunk and found a ragged piece of paper at the bottom, beneath the dinner-plate sized scale I'd taken from Steinn the first time I'd fought the dragon.

We used the Bifrost after Derek gave us the go-ahead and arrived at the blue dumpster in the alley in New York, making sure we checked for any warnings in case the location was compromised.

We hurried out of the putrid alley as fast as we could, no real need for glamor. Shaking off the odor of the alley, I wondered again why we kept that entrance open considering the total lack of hygiene. I'd been shot in that alley, been far to close to infection from rotting garbage and urine, along with who knew what else.

I suppressed a shudder as I went straight to the nearest pay phone, retrieving the paper from my pocket. Now, I tapped the number into the pay-phone after Aimee dropped in the requisite amount of coins, then waited for a ring-tone. Part of me expected to hear her voice-mail claiming her absence, but she answered on the third ring.

"Elisabeth Wayne." Her tone was cool and brief, inviting little chitchat and even less time-wasting.

"Professor Wayne? It's Bryn." I fell silent as I waited for her response, tension gripping me in a fervent fist.

"My dear Bryn. I had hoped to hear from you before this." There was a clear note of admonition in her a voice, enough to tell me she was annoyed I hadn't caught up with her before. "How have you been? And how is Aidan?"

I didn't want to talk to her about Aidan right now, not on the phone on a sidewalk, in a city that was about to be obliterated by war.

"Professor, I really need to speak to you in person. Somewhere safe and secure." Nothing I could do about the urgency in my voice, or the fatigue either.

"Very well, Bryn." Her voice was edge with concern, so she'd read my tone very clearly. She rattled off an address in the Hamptons and I was glad we had the Bifrost as transport.

"We'll be there soon," I said before I cut the call. Then I made three more calls, the airport, a cab company and the Greyhound bus station.

I'd done it all instinctively and hoped that if anyone had tapped the phone that the calls would confuse them long enough to give us a head start.

"Right, let's go." I headed back to the Bifrost and the team followed closely. Nobody asked any questions as I called up the Bridge of the Gods again and headed for the Hamptons. We were fortunate the bridge touched down only a block from the Professor's house. And unfortunate too, because anyone else using the bridge to target Professor Wayne wouldn't have far to travel either.

We hurried through the streets hoping our glamors of jeans and tees would make an onlooker think we were a bunch of kids cutting school.

I headed straight past the Professor's house and went around the block and into the narrow road that ran all the way along the back of the long row of houses.

The back gate was flanked by two large rubbish bins and I flicked the catch open and hurried up the back stairs to what looked like a kitchen door.

I knocked and waited less than a minute before the door opened to reveal the Professor's worried expression.

"What's with the cloak-and-dagger routine, Bryn? Is something wrong?" As she spoke her attention was waylaid by the rest of the team as they gathered behind me on the back porch. "And pray tell, who are all these people?"