Crown of Crimson (Underworld Gods 2)

Her skin is pale, bordering on a greenish-gray color, her breasts are large and high, creating some impressive cleavage, and she seems to have scales in some places. Her neck is long with a face that rivals Angeline Jolie, with razor-sharp bone structure, cheeks that could cut glass, full lips, and bright, pale green eyes that hold malevolence as she stares at me. Her brows are made of a dark boney growth and she doesn’t have any hair on her head—instead, she has six pairs of black rams horns growing right out of her skull.

If I wasn’t so dehydrated, I would definitely pee my pants.

She’s not alone either. Beside her, kneeling in the snow, is Rasmus.

Rasmus has a collar around his neck, an iron one that looks no different from the one Death used on me. Rasmus’s hands are curled around the metal and he’s staring at me with his old blue eyes, free from demonic possession for now.

A demon that was obviously Louhi. If she was able to get into Rasmus’ head, there’s a chance she might get into mine.

“You know, I’ve heard so much about you, Hanna,” Louhi says, her lips pursing in amusement as she looks me over. “About how selfless you are. Frankly, I didn’t believe it, that you would go through all this shit to get to your father, to take his place at Shadow’s End, but then you went and did it, didn’t you? And now I got to see you in action right here. You nearly risked your life to save that unicorn. But that to me doesn’t scream good or selfless. It just tells me that you’re purely stupid.”

“What are you doing with Rasmus?” I ask her, surprised I’ve found my voice. She’s invoking such fear in me that I don’t think I can function enough to survive. “You know he’s your son, don’t you?”

She laughs, throwing her head back. It’s a cackle. Of course she would cackle.

“Oh. You really are that stupid. To think I wouldn’t know my own son. You’re the one who never clued in that he was your brother.”

I blink at her, going still. “How did you know that?”

She raises her razor-sharp chin. “You think your little mushroom friend’s network is private? That fungus is all over the land. Doesn’t take much magic to learn how to tap in. I knew you were coming. Might have even put the idea in her rotting brain to have you come this way.”

I clench my jaw, giving Rasmus a look of disappointment. From the way he is though, looking scared and weak next to his mother, I know that he feels it. I don’t think he knew that mushy lady was leading us astray.

But hell. Maybe on some level he did.

“And to think you were to become the next Goddess of Death,” she says, slowly pacing back and forth, her black robe gliding over the snow like silken tar, her pale eyes flicking over me. She laughs again. “Wispy little thing, aren’t you?”

I bristle, surprised at my reaction. I spent my teenage years counting calories and exercising so I could be a “wispy little thing” but my height and body would never allow it. Now that I’ve embraced who I am, someone tall, someone strong, I’m taking that as an insult.

“I’m not little and I’m not wispy,” I sneer at her.

“Hmmm. Full of bravado though,” she says, looking down at me. “You would have kept Tuoni on his toes, that’s for sure. You should be glad that Rasmus did us all a favor by taking you when he did.”

My mouth drops as I look to Rasmus. “This was all part of it? You tricked me!”

Rasmus shakes his head violently. “No!” he protests, blue eyes flashing. “I didn’t, I swear I didn’t!”

“Oh, shut up,” Louhi says, and she swiftly yanks the leash, practically snapping Rasmus’ neck in half. He yelps in pain and falls over in the snow, his hands at the collar, gasping for breath. “It’s my fault really,” she goes on with a sigh, showing her son zero concern. “I should have intervened in his life earlier. I waited thirty years to see what he’d become, and it’s almost too late to undo what’s been done to him.” She gives me a sharp look. “What your father has done to him. Made him weak.”

I hate that she’s mentioning my father. A fierce protectiveness comes over me, making me feel feral. “Don’t you dare talk about him. My father—our father—made Rasmus into a good man, a powerful shaman.”

Okay, considering I don’t really trust Rasmus and I don’t know him all that well, I’m talking out of my ass. But still, my father did train him, and it’s obvious that he believed in him. Rasmus has enough power to create a storm and launch an attack on Shadow’s End, which must have not been an easy feat or else all the shamans would do it. And Rasmus cared enough about my father, without even knowing their true relationship, to go to Tuonela to get him…even if I was what was sacrificed.