Free Dead Stars - Part One (The Emaneska Series) by Ben Galley

lie.’
    ‘We are more than capable of it.’
    ‘This partnership between gods and men is supposed to be an honest and beneficial one. How is that going to work if you are already lying to us?’ demanded Durnus.
    ‘It is for your own good.’
    ‘I have heard that before.’ Durnus looked angry. ‘You know where Farden is, don’t you?’
    Heimdall took a moment to answer. ‘I do.’
    Durnus slapped his hands on the stone. ‘Then where? We need him.’
    ‘And that is exactly why he will not return.’
    ‘Excuse me?’
    There was a quiet click as the balcony door shut behind them. Durnus and Heimdall fell silent. Tyrfing stood beside the door. He was still wearing his blacksmith’s apron, a smoky-white affair, made entirely from salamander wool. ‘Farden doesn’t want to be needed, he wants to be left alone. Trust me, I know the feeling. He doesn’t want to be found, any more than I wanted to be,’ he said, his voice tinged with sadness.
    Heimdall nodded. Durnus sighed. The god turned to face Tyrfing. ‘Although I do not regret lying, I believe an explanation should be offered.’
    ‘Please, offer away,’ Tyrfing grunted. He folded his arms.
    ‘It is as you say. If I tell you where he is, you will go there and you will root him out. You will tell him that the fate of the world rests on him aiding us in our fight. He will be dragged back, kicking and screaming, and will not be of use to any of us.’
    Tyrfing scowled. ‘Verix said that she may be hunting him.’
    Heimdall nodded. ‘She probably is. And if he isn’t dead already, then we need him here with us, to draw her to the city, and then to fight against her.’
    ‘You want to use him as bait? Are we and a city of mages not enough?’
    ‘Do you think this woman that journeys with her has been truthful? Do you think she told this girl that Farden was her father? Verix believes, as I do, that she has told her that Vice was her father. She seeks revenge. We all know how powerful a vehicle that can be.’
    Tyrfing threw his hands in the air. ‘Bait. My nephew is bait.’
    Heimdall half-closed his eyes. ‘If you say so. He, and all of us. We are all bait to her, in the end. But Farden is a fighter too, if he is willing. And that is the crux of it. He needs to make this journey willingly .’
    Tyrfing opened his mouth to speak but Durnus beat him to it. ‘What then? We wait for him to change his mind? It has been fifteen years since he disappeared, Heimdall, what makes you think he will change it now?’ he asked.
    ‘One of us needs to go,’ added Tyrfing.
    Heimdall nodded. ‘Indeed, one must, but not you, nor you, Durnus.’
    ‘Who then?’
    ‘Loki,’ replied Heimdall, simply and quickly.
    Durnus pulled a face, confused. ‘Loki?’
    Tyrfing looked equally bewildered. ‘Why him?’
    ‘Because Farden has never met him before. And despite him being a young god, and a petulant one at that, Loki has a certain, way , if you will,’ said Heimdall. ‘It is why I brought him.’ That, and the god’s insistent pleas, but he chose not to mention that.
    Tyrfing remained unconvinced. While they stood in silence, deep in dark thought, a woman bustled into view behind the windows of the balcony; a woman with curly brown hair that reached all the way to her hips, a woman in a simple maid’s outfit, a woman who was busy cleaning up the empty wine glasses and tutting to herself. A woman called Elessi. As she cleaned, the door behind her opened, and in walked Modren, fresh from duty and more than a little tired, dark rings circling his eyes. He quietly closed the door behind him and walked over to the maid. She smiled at him. There was a muffled mumble as the Undermage said something incoherent to all but Heimdall, something that made her laugh. The Arkmages and Heimdall watched them through the dusty glass, a pleasant and momentary distraction from their conversation. Modren and Elessi were unaware they were being observed; inside the room, the glare from