Odin's Prize

The Moon's Lies

Blood.

The world smells of my blood and the stink of decaying soil.

"Look at me, Charlie. Please just look at me." Odin's voice hurts.

I hurt.

Blood drips in the back of my throat bloating my stomach.

"I can't." Bruised words come out of a throat that feels unable to breathe.

Odin stumbles.

Sage smoke clings to the air, but it does nothing to hide the rot I smell from Odin's skin.

The drums beat.

Odin faulters, I slip in his grip causing me to cry out in pain.

Odin cries out with me.

He trembles.

"Please, just look at me. I need to see your eyes." When he tries to have me look at him, I turn my head. Squeezing my eyes shut, but the tears still can slip out, one by one to fall on his chest to mix with the blood of my nose.

"Charlie,-"

"Take me home, Odin." He steps in the direction of the house.

"No Odin, take me to my home. I need my mother." It's hard to breathe and get the words out at the same time.

I feel full of shame.

Odin screams out spreading the current of smoke in all directions.

The world spins again, and I sink into his grip.

Colors of the sharpest kinds shift around the smoke capturing my attention.

The drums beat.

"I trusted you."

"You can still trust me." He shifts me in his arms, my ear against his bare chest.

His heart labors, more than the hands of the wolves beating on the drums. 

"Look at me, Charlie."

"I can't." Staring out into the wisp of shapes that follow the path we are on.

"Odin, give me my cousin." The bristle within Shamus's voice has Odin's stance straighten.

The drums beat.

"Shamus, step aside." Odin's voice remains level, but the threat is there.

"No, not till you give me my cousin. Look at her, look at what you've done to her." His voice reflects the disgust his face is showing.

"I will never give her up." Odin's voice abuses my ears.

Odin gags.

I gag on my blood, heaving it out of my stomach that can't hold anymore.

Red sprays on Odin's feet. Around the vines that seem like shackles that are tattooed around his ankles.

"This has nothing to do with you." Odin takes a step forward. Shamus does not give ground up. He prepares himself, rooting his feet in. He shows Odin the War within him.

Grey eyes shift to dilated black.

Shamus looks so much like Uncle Grey and my father it's startling.

"What has been done is wrong. This is between you, her family and me. I'm going to tell them what I saw and let the Moon try to protect you because we will all come for you, Odin." With clear intent, Shamus points a clawed finger to Odin's throat of life.