Table Of ContentThe Accidental Immortal
An Asgard Adventure Book Two
By
S.G. Rogers
An Imprint of
Musa Publishing
The Accidental Immortal, Copyright © S.G. Rogers, 2012
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Any similarity is coincidental.
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Published by Musa Publishing, June 2012
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isbn: 978-1-61937-178-1
Published in the United States of America
Editor: Jaime-Kristal Lott
Cover Design: Kelly Shorten
Interior Book Design: Coreen Montagna
To my husband, Robert,
who has always been my intentional hero
The Nine Worlds of Norse
Mythology
(by the author of The Asgard Adventure, Emrys Drew)
Asgard: home of A-List immortals and the location of Odin’s hall, Valhalla
Midgard: home of human mortals (i.e. Earth)
Alfheim: shared home of elves (Kingdom of Ljósálfar) and fairies (Kingdom
of Faerie)
Nidavellir: home of dark elves (Svartálfar). Also known as Dark Fields
Helheim: the netherworld (ruled by Hel)
Vanaheim: home of B-List immortals
Jötunheim: home of rock and frost giants
Muspelheim: world of fire
Niflheim: home of icy fog and mist
(Caveat: Emrys Drew cannot be held responsible for any “myth-concep-
tions” about Norse mythology heretofore gleaned from Midgard-bound
sources. It is the responsibility of the reader to do his or her own research.
For more information, please consult the Library of Odin, located in
Asgard City, Asgard).
Chapter One
The Accidental Immortal
D
ani Avery examined her reflection in the bathroom mirror, look-
ing for evidence that she was different somehow. The stains on
her favorite blouse were a pretty good clue. The blood would come
out if she soaked the garment in cold water, but the hole made by the
six-inch steel blade was irreparable. Her skin, however, was another
matter. Underneath the dried brown rivulets was the faintest of scars.
Dani shook her head in disbelief. Being a new immortal was going to
take getting used to. Nevertheless, she was late for work and Sharon
would be having a cow.
When she rushed into Avery Dry Cleaners a short time later, Dani
braced herself for a scolding. To her surprise, her sister gave her a wel-
coming smile from behind the cash register.
“How was the book signing?”
“It was…exciting.” Dani wished she could confide in Sharon, but her
down-to-Midgard sister wouldn’t understand about Dani’s kidnapping
and subsequent events. “Sorry I’m late. There was, um, traffic.” She
stashed her backpack underneath the counter.
“That’s okay. Everything is better than fabulous,” Sharon replied,
twirling around on her stool.
Dani stared. “Why are you acting so giddy?”
“Vince and I are getting married.”
Dani gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me last night?”
S.G. ROgers
“Because I hadn’t given Vince an answer yet. I wasn’t sure how I felt.
This morning, I knew.”
“I’m so happy for you.” Dani gave her sister a hug.
“Vince is taking me to dinner after work tonight. I told him not to
bother unless he shows up with a ring,” Sharon said with a giggle.
“Have you made any plans yet?” Dani asked. “What about the store?”
Sharon shot Dani a furtive look. “Actually, I was thinking about bring-
ing Vince into the business.” She paused. “If you don’t mind, of course.”
A steady stream of customers prevented Dani from responding.
While she worked, however, she was humming a happy tune. Although
Sharon didn’t realize it, she’d just given her younger sister the gift of
freedom. For the first time in her life, Dani’s future would be completely
her own to shape. Her return to Asgard couldn’t come soon enough.
When the store emptied of people at closing time, Dani locked up
and Sharon counted out the cash drawer.
“Vince has an accounting background,” Sharon said, sounding defen-
sive. “And a degree in business. Besides, it’s not like you haven’t been
nagging me about hiring your replacement.”
Preoccupied with a pleasant daydream about Prince Rein’s green
eyes, athletically slender physique, and waist-length flowing hair, Dani
wasn’t listening. Sharon jabbed her sister in the ribs.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“Vince. He’d be a tremendous asset around here.”
“Sharon, you don’t understand. I’m glad Vince likes the dry cleaning
business.”
“Really?”
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. I want to do some extensive
traveling, er, overseas.”
“You want to travel?” Sharon asked, taken aback. “What are you going
to do for money?”
Dani pictured the pile of gold coins Rein had liberated for her from
Friday’s coin-operated viewer on Fensalir. Most of it was stashed in her
underwear drawer at home.
“I have some resources put by,” she replied.
A gleaming black town car pulled up to the curb out front.
“Is that Vince?” Dani asked.
2
THe Accidental ImmOrtal
“I wish it were,” Sharon said. “But a limo’s not exactly his style. He’s
sort of…frugal.”
Two good-looking men emerged from the back of the limo. Sharon’s
ogling prevented her from noticing the stunned expression on her sis-
ter’s face.
“It’s Emrys Drew,” Sharon said. “And he brought a friend.”
Dani unlocked the door to admit the new arrivals. “Rein! You cut
your hair!”
Although still long enough to disguise the tips of his distinct elfin
ears, Rein’s thick, tousled hair had been shorn fashionably short. Instead
of the loose-fitting clothes he’d worn in Asgard, he was now wearing
jeans, a polo shirt, and a lightweight jacket. Except for his green suede
boots, he looked like he’d just stepped off the cover of a casual menswear
catalogue. Rein was so handsome, Dani’s mouth went dry.
“Hello, Dani,” he said, kissing her on the cheek.
“Hi.”
Sharon cleared her throat, and Dani finally remembered her manners.
“Oh…Sharon, this is Rein, um, Prince. Rein, this is my sister, Sharon.”
To Sharon’s delight, Rein bowed. “At your service.”
“Hello,” Sharon said. “And it’s nice to see you again, Emrys.” She
cocked an eyebrow at Dani. “I didn’t realize you had plans this evening.”
“There’s a special program about Valhalla at Crossroads Books,”
Emrys interjected. “It’s kind of required for anyone interested in Norse
mythology.”
Emrys was being cryptic for her sister’s benefit, but Dani could tell
something important was going on. From the somewhat grim expres-
sion on his face, it was very serious.
“You really have to be there,” Rein added.
The prince didn’t look happy either, and Dani began to be alarmed.
“Absolutely,” she replied. “I’ll just get my things.”
As Dani knelt to retrieve her backpack, Sharon grabbed her arm. “I
didn’t know you were into Norse mythology,” she whispered. “But I can
see why the sudden interest.”
“Emrys introduced me to a whole new world with The Asgard Adventure,”
Dani murmured.
“A historical lecture sounds kind of dry, but I can’t fault your taste
in escorts.”
3
S.G. ROgers
Moments later, Dani joined Emrys and Rein on the other side of
the counter.
“Good luck tonight, Sharon. I hope you get a big fat diamond,” Dani
said.
As Dani, Emrys, and Rein left the store, the elf seemed puzzled. “Why
does your sister want a large diamond?”
“She’s getting engaged,” Dani replied. “In Midgard, it’s traditional
for the man to give the woman a ring when they contemplate marriage.”
“If it’s a huge diamond she wants, she should go to Jötunheim,” he
said. “There are fields of them near the City of Giants. They use dia-
monds for lawn bowling.”
The limo driver held the car door open. His oversized ears, long nose,
and receding chin meant he was a bureaucRat from Asgard.
“Thanks, Mr. Agouti,” Emrys said to him.
As the town car merged into traffic, Dani peered at Emrys. “So what’s
going on? You guys are scaring me.”
“Odin sent for us,” Emrys replied. “The Cup of Immortality has dis-
appeared from Fensalir. Odin believes it’s been stolen.”
“I don’t understand. Does he need us to track the thief down or
something?” Dani asked.
Rein chortled with laughter. “It’s so much better than that. Just
wait for it.”
Emrys sighed. “Odin thinks you’re involved, Dani.”
After a short drive, Mr. Agouti deposited Emrys, Rein, and Dani in
front of Crossroads Books in downtown Savannah. The store was closed
up and dark inside, but Emrys didn’t let that stop him from using his
key. The trio walked between the displays and bookshelves, past a red
barrier rope with an EMPLOYEES ONLY sign hanging from it, and into
a storage area. After Emrys pushed open a security door, Dani and Rein
followed him down the long turning flight of stairs leading to the secret
Asgard Embassy. Even though it was nearly six o’clock, several Embassy
personnel were still at work, including the bureaucRat receptionist.
“Isn’t it time to knock off, Rodentia?” Emrys asked her.
4
THe Accidental ImmOrtal
Rodentia wrinkled her thin, pointed nose. “We’re expecting a fairy
tourist contingent from Asgard in an hour,” she said with a sigh. “They’ll
all need to be outfitted with wing containment harnesses before being
driven to their hotel.”
“Should be fun,” Emrys said. “See you later.”
He led the way through the subway entrance, down another flight
of stairs, and onto the deserted platform. Dani glanced around for a
ticket machine, but none were visible.
“How do we buy our tickets, Emrys?”
“When you buy a ticket in Asgard, round-trip passage is included.
Otherwise you’d have to buy a ticket from Rodentia.”
“But if there aren’t any attendants, who keeps track?”
Rein pointed to the camera mounted in the corner. “Heimdallr. He
knows everything.”
Dani marveled at the concept of magical subway trains under
Savannah. Everyone knew there was an old network of tunnels under
the city, possibly carved out by pirates long ago. But she’d had no idea
that some of those tunnels had been repurposed into part of the Rainbow
Bridge subway system.
As they waited for the next train to Asgard, Dani couldn’t keep her
eyes off Rein.
“If you hadn’t been with Emrys, I’m not sure I would have recognized
you right away,” Dani told him. “You look so…Midgard.”
“It’s the Druid’s — I mean Emrys’s fault,” Rein replied. “He said if I
wanted to hang with him, I needed to clean up my act.”
“I don’t think I put it quite that way,” Emrys said.
“Sure you did. You said I resembled a refugee from a Renaissance
Faire, whatever that is.”
Dani laughed. “Well, I think you look great, Rein. Didn’t the hair
stylist say anything about your ears?”
“I took Rein to a barber in the Asgard network,” Emrys said. “There
are a lot of beings from Asgard living in Savannah. Maybe I’ll give a
party when we return to introduce both of you to my friends.”
“I’d like that,” Dani said. “I’m sure we can get this misunderstanding
with Odin cleared up quickly.”
She was hoping Emrys would give her a reassuring smile, but he
didn’t. The train to Asgard City arrived a few minutes later. The car
was empty, so they had their choice of seats. As they settled into the
5
