Nordic Fairies (Novella Series, #1) by Saga Berg Page B

regret her decision. Trym told her what he was and what she would become if she agreed to his terms. She hadn’t grasped the whole concept at first, only the simplified version. Nordic fairies divided into light and dark; Liosálfar and Döckálfar. Trym recruited her on behalf of the Liosálfar. Given her honesty and pure heart, he considered her the perfect candidate. She was to help keep the balance in the mortal world; do good and uphold a sense of honesty.
    Her incentive was Viggo. He had gone through the test and agreed to the same deal. His Liosálfar companion was a fairy named Alva.
    From that day, Svala’s life always started at the age of fourteen and continued for as long as it took for her to fulfill her end of the deal. They aged, like any other mortal, but rarely reached old age. When the two of them accomplished their tasks, they could be together. Until then, they were kept apart and forbidden to meet. They had a strong drive to be together, but if they initiated their relationship before they finalized their assignments there would be consequences. Punishment. Only once they had proven themselves worthy, could they be together. When the powers that be decided it was enough, the whole process started over again.
    Their time together usually lasted for years, on rare occasions months, once only a few weeks. They always remembered their past lives and experiences.
    “ Everything needs to be earned and should never be taken for granted,” Trym often said. Like he felt he needed to remind her from time to time.
    She lived with Trym until she fulfilled her assignments. He took orders from the top of the chain, and made sure Svala didn’t connect with Viggo before it was time.
    “ Why would we be punished for our love, and what would happen?”
    “ You must focus on the assignments. That is what’s most important. If we don’t work with making this world a better place, the balance is lost. The Döckálfar might take over,” Trym explained.
    “ And what will happen if we disobey?”
    “ Then you risk losing each other forever.” He must have picked up on her terrified expression because he put a hand on her shoulder and added. “Don’t worry. You’ll soon find the time apart a small price to pay for eternal love.”
    It had been two years since Svala had last seen Viggo. Their previous assignment took over six years to accomplish, yet their union had lasted only three weeks, making the time apart feel closer to eight years than two.
     
    ***
     
    Several months before she stood in line at the mall, Svala zapped through channels while eating chocolate ice cream straight out of the box. She slouched on the living room couch back in Washington D.C. and dug her spoon into the almost empty container when Viggo appeared on the screen. She froze at the sight of him and the ice cream slowly slid off the spoon and back into the box.
    With her gaze fixed on the screen she shouted in a high-pitched, panicked voice, “Trym!”
    Trym emerged from the kitchen moments later. He wore an old apron and clutched two potholders in each hand, his face filled with worry. He opened his mouth to speak, but paused at the sight of Viggo on the screen. The color drained from his face. He turned around and backed up against the couch until he reached it and sat down with a thud.
    Together they watched Viggo in tense silence for over ten minutes.
    “ My God, what is he doing?” Trym asked.
    Svala couldn’t tear her gaze from the screen, and her eyes welled up. “I don’t understand. What does this mean?”
    Trym watched her with concern then turned to the TV where Viggo had taken off his shirt, exposing a tattoo on his left shoulder blade they both recognized.
    “ I don’t know,” Trym said. “There could be a number of reasons. I... I don’t know.”
    “ Shouldn’t we do something?”
    The remains of the ice cream had turned into a slow moving liquid at the bottom of the carton. Svala placed it on the coffee table