𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 ✵ 𝐋𝐎𝐊𝐈

TWENTY SEVEN

TWENTY SEVEN: OATS 'N HONEY

Demi quite possibly had the worst luck in the entire world.

On earth, the young goddess had been having a blast. She ordered takeout like, all the time, caught up on all her shows and started new ones, cleaned and moved around furniture, and was up to date with what was happening around the world. It stressed her out, but it was better than moping around and doing nothing with her life.

But when Demi had heard a knock on her apartment door, she didn't expect Völva on the other end. She didn't expect the ancient witch to tell her to hurry up so they could travel to Vanaheim, and she sure as hell didn't expect anything that was currently happening at that very moment.

In the dungeon of the small Vanir castle was a prison. It was dark, covered in charcoal grey stone, moss, and dim lanterns on the walls. The front of each prison cell was made of thick, indestructible glass surrounded by the same stone, and had two or more beds to each cell. And although it was fascinating to see all the different people and creatures in these cells, Demi didn't not expect her own fucking mother in one of them.

Runa was being kept in a cell by herself, on the east corner of the expansive prison, lying in the small bed and looking up at the ceiling.

Demi rushed to her, her hands planted on the glass as she saw her mom reading a book, almost careless as to whatever was going to happen after this. "Mom!"

Runa perked up at the sound of her daughter's voice, putting the book down and looking to the side. Her smile would have been a lot bigger than it was now, but given the circumstances, she didn't do much. "Demi?"

"What are you doing in here?" she asked, her eyes watering as her mother crouched down to the floor. They met at eye level now, and Demi could spot the bags under Runa's eyes from a mile away. The woman was strong, but she knew she was in danger. "Why did they lock you up?"

"Demi..." Runa trailed off, her hands in her lap as she chewed on her lip. She knew she'd have to say it at some point, but, not so soon. Not after all their family had been through.

"What? Tell me," Demi urged, the frown on her face deepening with anger and sadness.

"I...um," she looked to Völva for a moment, and the older woman nodded at them and left the prison so they could talk alone, "it was me," she whispered after the door shut.

"You, what?"

"I'm the one who killed the royal family," she confessed, searching Demi's eyes for a reaction.

Demi blinked in astonishment, taken aback at her mother's words. This was not what she was expecting at all. "What?"

"I killed Njörd," Runa repeated, this time more confident than before, "and his family, because...I hated them all," she finally said, a small smile on her face, "and I don't regret it."