Heroes (Eirik Book 2) by Ednah Walters Read Free Book Online

like windows to my skin. Despite the treaded soles of my boots, I would have kissed the snow several times if it weren’t for Echo.
    Eirik had better be on his deathbed. That became a litany as I shivered. This was the fault of that damn dragon kiss. I should hate his dragon. But how could I hate something that had saved me? Not to mention, he was so beautiful and my family’s familiar.
    Echo suffered through our trek in silence. It took some serious dedication to deal with this kind of weather without bitching because this must be how they escorted souls every day. He wore fingerless gloves, the runes on his face and arms connecting with those on the handle of his scythe.
    We passed a covered bridge with a roof of gold. Or fool’s gold. It gleamed under the runic glow. Below us, the river rushed by, heading north. That was something I’d learned about rivers here. While most rivers on Earth flowed south, the rivers in the other realms, including Hel, flowed north. I thought I saw a boat moored down in the ravine, but I didn’t have time to confirm it because the moment we stepped off the bridge, something came out of the darkness and launched itself at me.
    I screamed, lost my balance, and would have landed smack facedown in the ground if Echo hadn’t grabbed us both.
    “Trudy,” I yelled.
    “I can’t believe you are here.” She squeezed me tight and then pinched me.
    “Ouch! What’s that for?” I was actually surprised I felt the pain. My skin should be numb with cold.
    “Four months, Celestia! Couldn’t you even send a note to tell me you were okay?”
    “I couldn’t because I wasn’t supposed to admit I knew about this place, you overgrown Jötun. That hurt.” I pinched her back, and she squealed in outrage. She was such a baby. “I’m happy to see you too, but I’m freezing my butt off out here. Let’s just go.”
    Trudy slipped an arm around mine. “So, what have you been doing? Did you miss me? I missed you. You won’t believe the number of people—”
    “Let’s talk inside. My lips are n-numb,” I said through shattering teeth. I wanted to know what was wrong with Eirik, but the cold hurt my chest and talking was too much effort.
    Trudy’s sister, Modgud, or Modgie to everyone in Hel’s Hall, appeared with a giant torch raised high. The giantess guarded the gates of Hel with Garm, Hel’s hound.
    “Nice to have you back, Mortal Witch,” Modgie said. She wasn’t a talker, and took her duties seriously. No one crossed the bridge to Hel’s Hall without her permission.
    “It’s just for an hour, Modgie.”
    She chuckled. “Sure it is.”
    I didn’t like the way she said that. We followed her with Echo taking the rear. The ground shook as we got closer to the gates. Then the six-eyed giant hound appeared from the mist. His fangs dripped and his breath steamed the air. I froze. The hound slowed down and sniffed. Garm was so huge I could walk under him without my head touching his stomach.
    “Come here, boy,” Modgie called out, but the dog moved closer to me. Hot breath fanned my face. Then he sat and slapped his tail on the snow.
    “Pat him,” Trudy said.
    Was she serious? I was an icicle that needed thawing, too cold to play nice with Hel’s pet. “Why?”
    “Because he remembers you from the day Eirik asked him to guard you.”
    “Seriously? After all this time?”
    “Just pat him and let’s go,” Echo grumbled from behind me, and Garm growled.
    “You know that dog doesn’t like you very much, Grimnir,” Modgie said, and I could hear the smile in her voice. “You may want to stay back and keep quiet.”
    “I don’t get it,” Echo said. “For centuries he was perfectly fine with me, but the last six months, he won’t come near me without trying to bite my head off.”
    I ignored Echo, wiggled my left hand out of the glove, and reached out. “Don’t eat me, boy. You put a scratch on me and Eirik will get you.”
    Modgie chuckled. “Eirik would never harm him.