Seven Times A Charm

Everyone in the palace knew how Lexander had lost his eye.

It was no secret that he had received a wound to his left eye, damaged with old magic.

No loose stone.

No unfortunate construction mishap.

No enemy soldier.

Loki had done it.

It had happened back in the First Grave, when the truth about Lexander's past had still been buried beneath years of forgotten memories.

Lexander had once been Odin.

The knowledge had changed everything.

But remembering had not come easily.

The First Grave had forced the past to the surface in a way that had nearly broken him.

And Loki, knowing what had to be done, had injured Lexander's eye in order to trigger the memories.

It had worked.

Perhaps too well.

Lexander remembered now.

The ancient kingdoms.

The gods.

The wars.

Ragnarök.

The people he had loved.

The people he had lost.

The mistakes he had made.

And the weight of being Odin.

The scarred eye remained as a permanent reminder.

So when Lexander walked into breakfast wearing a new eye patch, nobody questioned it.

They already knew.

They simply stared at the new patch.

It was black leather, edged in silver, with a small golden rune worked into the center.

Loki looked up from his breakfast.

"New patch."

Lexander nodded.

"New patch."

Thor leaned over the table.

"I like it."

Lisbeth smiled.

"It suits you."

Io looked at Lexander for several seconds.

"It makes you look more like Odin."

The room became quiet.

Lexander touched the patch.

"I suppose it does."

Loki grinned.

"That's probably because Odin also had one eye."

Thor looked between them.

"Technically, you caused that."

Loki raised both hands.

"Lexander’s eye, yes. The well of Mimir took Odin’s eye. And Technically, I helped our king remember who he was."

Lexander pointed at him.

"You still stabbed me in the eye."

"Yes."

"With a dagger."

"Yes."

"Very painful."

"Extremely."

Loki smiled.

"But you're welcome."

Lexander laughed.

"I still haven't decided whether to thank you or hit you."

Loki nodded.

"Take your time."

Io laughed.

"I still can't believe you two are able to joke about that."

Loki shrugged.

"What else are we supposed to do?"

Lexander nodded.

"It was a terrible moment."

He looked at Loki.

"But it gave me my life back."

Loki's expression softened.

"That's all that mattered."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Thor ruined the moment.

"Still stabbed him."

Loki laughed.

"Yes."

Lexander shook his head.

"I regret telling you that story."

The new eye patch quickly became a subject of discussion throughout Concordia.

Servants complimented it.

Soldiers thought it made Lexander look more intimidating.

Lysandra thought it looked "very kingly."

Margaret, one of her friends, thought the rune was fascinating.

Corin wanted to know whether it was magical.

Elara simply declared that Lexander looked "extremely heroic."

Lexander had to admit he enjoyed that last comment.

Lisbeth, however, had a different opinion.

"You should have bought two."

Lexander looked at her.

"Why?"

"So you have a spare."

"I have another one."

"Where?"

"In my room."

"Why?"

"Because you told me to buy one."

Lisbeth smiled.

"Good."

Thor nodded.

"He's learning."

Lexander looked at both of them.

"I've survived gods, monsters, ancient wars, Ragnarök, political conspiracies, and Loki."

Loki raised a hand.

"Technically you didn’t survive Ragnarök."

"And somehow," Lexander continued, "you two are the most terrifying."

Io smiled.

"We're keeping you alive."

The Watch had little time for jokes.

Atreyu had ordered another expedition.

The discovery of the First Flame had raised more questions than it had answered.

Surtr was still active.

His spies remained scattered throughout the kingdoms.

And now the Watch knew that Surtr's search for the First Flame had begun centuries before the current conflict.

Atreyu stood over a table covered with maps.

Mara stood opposite him.

Loki leaned against a wall.

Several members of the Watch waited nearby.

"We know Surtr wanted the First Flame."

Atreyu pointed to several marked locations.

"We know he knew where it was."

Mara nodded.

"And we know someone helped him."

"Exactly."

Loki stepped forward.

"The question is who."

Atreyu looked at him.

"You found the original records."

"Fragments."

"Can you read them?"

"Most."

Loki placed several pieces of parchment on the table.

"These names appear repeatedly."

Mara leaned over them.

"Three families."

"Three families that survived."

Atreyu frowned.

"Survived what?"

"Ragnarök."

The room became quiet.

Loki continued.

"That's what bothers me."

"Why?"

"Because most of the people who served Surtr during Ragnarök died."

"But these families didn't."

Mara looked at the documents.

"You're suggesting they helped him escape?"

"I'm suggesting they may have been preparing for his return."

Atreyu stared at the names.

"Then our spies may be older than we thought."

Loki nodded.

"And so may the conspiracy."

Meanwhile, Io was discovering that twins were considerably more difficult to carry than one baby.

She had reached the point where movement required careful consideration.

Standing was manageable.

Walking was manageable.

Turning around was becoming an adventure.

Getting out of bed was practically military strategy.

She had developed a routine.

Wake up.

Sit up.

Wait.

Stand.

Wait.

Walk.

Rest.

Repeat.

Lexander had developed his own routine.

Wake up.

Check Io.

Check the babies.

Check Io again.

Ask if she needs anything.

Get told no.

Bring something anyway.

Thor had developed a similar routine.

Except hers involved weapons.

And Aurethar's routine involved flying around the palace three times before breakfast.

Io was beginning to suspect that she had accidentally become the most protected person in the world.

One morning, she proved it.

She attempted to walk into the garden.

Lexander immediately appeared beside her.

"Where are you going?"

"The garden."

"I'll come with you."

Thor appeared.

"I'll come too."

Aurethar landed outside.

"I will accompany you."

Io stared at all three.

"I'm going twenty yards."

Lexander nodded.

"Still."

Thor nodded.

"Exactly."

Aurethar nodded.

"Twenty yards can contain many dangers."

Io looked toward the sky.

"I hate all of you."

The black-and-white cat, now officially named Shadow, meowed from Thor's shoulder.

Thor nodded.

"Shadow agrees."

Io laughed.

"You don't even know what she's saying."

Thor looked at the cat.

"Yes, I do."

Shadow purred.

Shadow had officially abandoned her former habit of following Io everywhere.

Instead, she had decided that Thor's shoulder was his permanent home.

Nobody knew why.

Nobody knew how she had chosen Thor.

But the arrangement had become so normal that people no longer questioned it.

Thor would walk through the palace with Shadow sitting proudly on her shoulder.

She accompanied her during patrols.

She sat there during council meetings.

She even attended training sessions.

Aurethar seemed particularly amused by him.

One afternoon, the dragon lowered his enormous head beside Thor.

Shadow looked at him.

Aurethar looked at Shadow.

The cat reached out one paw.

Aurethar gently touched it with the tip of one claw.

Thor smiled.

"I think she likes you."

Aurethar nodded.

"She has good judgment."

Thor laughed.

"You sound like me."

"Perhaps that is why we get along."

Shadow curled up against Thor's neck.

The dragon smiled.

"We make an excellent team."

Thor nodded.

"Overprotective guardians."

"Exactly."

Io called from across the garden.

"I can hear you!"

Thor called back.

"Good!"

Io sighed.

Lysandra, meanwhile, was enjoying school more than ever.

Her three closest friends had become nearly inseparable.

Margaret Bellweather, remained the energetic inventor of the group.

She was constantly building things, taking apart things, or asking questions nobody else had thought to ask.

Corin Vale was quiet and thoughtful.

He remembered almost everything he read and had become fascinated with the history of the ancient kingdoms.

Elara Dawn was the social heart of the group.

She talked constantly, knew everyone, and seemed capable of learning rumors faster than the palace intelligence service.

Together, the four were becoming known around the school.

Lysandra was the princess.

Margaret, maggie for short, was the inventor.

Corin was the historian.

Elara was the diplomat.

Or, as Maggie had put it:

"You're the one who stops us from doing stupid things."

Lysandra smiled.

"Someone has to."

Elara shook her head.

"No. We need someone to tell us when the stupid thing is actually a good idea."

Corin nodded.

"That's also important."

The three friends had been nervous when Lysandra invited them to the palace again.

Their first meeting with Lexander and Io had left them star-struck.

They had expected it to fade.

It hadn't.

Maggie was fascinated by Lexander's knowledge of ancient history.

Corin was fascinated by the fact that Lexander had memories of being Odin.

Elara was fascinated by everything.

When they entered the garden and saw Lexander wearing the new eye patch, all three stopped.

Maggie whispered:

"He looks even more like Odin."

Corin nodded.

"Definitely."

Elara stared.

"I think he looks amazing."

Lysandra rolled her eyes.

"He's my brother."

Elara looked at her.

"He's the king."

"He's still my brother."

"Your brother is a legendary god."

"Yes. So is his wife, along with Loki and Thor. Lots of gods around."

"That's amazing."

Lysandra sighed.

"You three are hopeless."

Lexander noticed them.

"Lysandra."

She approached.

"Hi, Brother."

He smiled.

"And these must be your friends."

Maggie bowed.

"Your Majesty."

Corin bowed as well.

"Your Majesty."

Elara attempted a curtsy.

She almost lost her balance.

Lexander pretended not to notice.

"Welcome back."

Io smiled.

"It's good to see you again."

Maggie looked at the eye patch.

"Did you really get that because of the First Grave?"

Lysandra looked horrified.

"Maggie!"

Lexander laughed.

"It's all right."

Maggie immediately looked embarrassed.

"Sorry."

"No need."

Lexander touched the patch.

"Yes. This is because of the First Grave."

Corin asked carefully:

"Because Loki injured you?"

Loki, who had just entered the garden, raised a hand.

"That would be me."

Elara stared at him.

"You actually stabbed the king?"

Loki nodded.

"Yes."

"On purpose?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To make him remember being Odin."

Elara stared at Lexander.

"Did it work?"

Lexander nodded.

"Very much."

Maggie looked fascinated.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Sometimes."

Corin frowned.

"Do you regret it?"

Lexander looked at Loki.

Then back at Corin.

"No."

The answer surprised them.

Lexander continued.

"I remember who I was because of what happened there."

He glanced at Loki.

"And because I remembered, I was able to become who I am now."

Loki smiled.

"That's the important part."

Aurethar suddenly landed behind them.

The three friends froze.

Maggie stared.

Corin stared.

Elara stared.

Lysandra sighed.

"Guys."

Elara whispered:

"There's a dragon."

"Yes."

"A real dragon."

"Yes."

"He talks."

"Yes."

Aurethar lowered his head.

"Hello."

Elara nearly jumped backward.

"Hello!"

Aurethar looked at Lysandra.

"Your friends are very excitable."

Lysandra nodded.

"They're still getting used to Concordia."

Maggie immediately stepped forward.

"Can I ask you questions?"

Aurethar sighed.

"Sure."

Corin smiled.

"I have some too."

Aurethar looked at him.

"Of course you do."

Elara raised her hand.

"I don't have a question."

Aurethar nodded.

"That is refreshing."

Elara smiled.

"I just wanted to say you're enormous."

The dragon blinked.

"Thank you."

Thor laughed.

"She means it as a compliment."

"I understood."

Shadow meowed from Thor's shoulder.

Aurethar looked at her.

"Yes."

Thor glanced at the cat.

"What?"

"She agrees."

Thor smiled.

"I knew it."

Io watched them all from her chair.

She couldn't help laughing.

The palace had become a strange place.

A former god with an eye patch.

A trickster who had once stabbed that eye to restore his reincarnated, adopted father’s memories.

A princess attending school.

Three star-struck teenagers.

A Thunder goddess who treated pregnancy protection like a military campaign.

An ancient dragon guarding a kingdom.

And a black-and-white cat who had somehow become one of the most important members of the security detail.

It was ridiculous.

But it was also home.

That evening, Lexander stood beside Io on the balcony.

The city stretched below them.

Concordia was nearly complete.

The final towers were being finished.

The last streets were being paved.

The great central plaza was almost ready.

People were beginning to move into the new districts.

The kingdom they had imagined was becoming real.

Io leaned against Lexander.

"Your new patch is growing on me."

He smiled.

"I like it."

"It makes you look mysterious."

"I was hoping for intimidating."

"You already have a dragon."

Aurethar roared from the western wall.

Lexander laughed.

"Fair."

Io placed a hand over her stomach.

The twins moved.

Lexander put his hand beside hers.

Another movement answered.

Then another.

He smiled.

"Still active."

"They've been active all day."

"I think they know something."

Io looked at him.

"Like what?"

Lexander looked toward the city.

"I don't know."

He looked at the eye patch.

For a moment, memories of Odin's ancient life flashed through his mind.

Old fires.

Old wars.

Old prophecies.

And an ancient voice speaking of a future that had not yet arrived.

Lexander shook his head.

Io noticed.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

She smiled.

"That's what I always say."

He laughed.

Then Aurethar's voice echoed across the city.

"Something approaches."

Thor immediately appeared on the balcony.

Shadow sat upright on her shoulder.

"What?"

Aurethar looked toward the northern road.

"Movement."

Lexander's expression changed.

The peaceful evening disappeared.

Io remained seated.

Thor moved in front of her.

Lexander reached for his sword.

Loki appeared behind them.

Atreyu and Mara were already running toward the courtyard.

Aurethar spread his wings.

The Watch had found another clue.

And whatever was approaching Concordia had arrived at precisely the wrong time.

Because the city was no longer undefended.

The First Flame was hidden within its walls.

An ancient dragon guarded its borders.

The Watch hunted the conspirators.

Thor guarded the queen.

Shadow guarded Thor.

And Lexander, once Odin, stood ready to defend the kingdom he had chosen to build rather than inherit.

Whatever came next would have to face all of them.

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