Exton

I feel awkward and hypocritical as I take Raina up to the roof. How can I offer her comfort now, when she needs it most? Can I lie to her, tell her everything will be fine, that Nick is going to get better? I've seen dead men that looked better than Nick does now, and I don't think he's going to make it. Granted, Nick is already dead, but he's never looked it - until now.

Come to that, Raina herself doesn't look much better herself. Her eyes are red and swollen from crying, and there are dark circles under her eyes that aren't caused by eye shadow.


She's your sister, dammit! Help her!

But how?

"You're a shaman, sis. Can you possibly appeal to the Aesir, ask them to intervene on Nick's behalf?"

"The Aesir don't intervene, Erik, especially in matters of life and death. The only time they did was in Baldur's case, and we both know how that worked out.

As far as the Aesir are concerned, Nick is overdue for Hel's halls, and there's nothing more to be said about it."

She loses it then, crying as though her heart is breaking, and all I can do is hold her and feel like forty different kinds of a fool.