Page 13 of Valkyrie Restored

The scent lifted. My head cleared. Elin began to stir.

“Ow. Shit. My leg,” she cried out as she attempted to roll onto her side while the lower half of her body remained pinned by the weight of the branch.

“Sh Elin. Stay still. Let me get this branch off you then I can assess your leg.” I pushed a few strands of hair off her face.

“H-Huritt? What happened? Why are you here?” She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her unfocused gaze.

“I heard you scream before finding you like this. I think you were hit by a falling tree limb. Do you remember anything? Did it hit your head?” I cradled her cheek in my hand.

She winced as she lifted her arm. “I-I didn’t think so, but moving this arm pulls on muscles in my neck.”

“Then stop moving your arm.” The words came out grumpy and a little snippy, but she chuckled, relaxing the tight band that constricted my chest. “Let me get this branch off you.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead before sliding down her body.

The branch was huge, full of leaves. Something that should never have fallen naturally. It was too healthy to have fallen from rot and the end showed no markings of having been cut. I leaned over the end and with the smell of the flowers gone, was able to clearly scent the magic.

Anger rolled through me, increasing my strength as I heaved the branch off her. Whomever this god was, I couldn’t wait to meet them. I planned on giving them a piece of my mind. Elin was too precious, too sweet to be used as a plaything by them.

The moment it was clear, my hands roamed over her body, checking for injuries. She tried to sit, but I pushed her down onto her back. “Stop moving, baby. Let me make sure nothing else hurts.”

She rolled her eyes and blew air out of her pursed lips. “I’m fine, Hurrit. There’s nothing wrong with me. Help me up.”

“Not until I’m done checking you over.” I pushed her hands away and went back to assessing her body. “You’ve got a couple of muscle knots in your neck and shoulder, but other than you leg, you seem fine.”

“See. I told you.” She grinned. “And if you help me up, I can prove to you that it’s not that bad either.”

“Elin, baby. You’re not standing up. I’m carrying you.”

“No.” She held up her hands to keep me away. Going against my natural instincts, I sat back on my heels, instead of stopping her. Arran kept admonishing me about how overbearing I was and how it would push Elin away if I didn’t give her some independence. This seemed like a good time to try his advice since she’d end up in my arms anyway. There was no way she would be able to stand on her injured leg.

With a groan and the help of the tree trunk, she pushed herself to her feet. “See. I’m fine.” Her last word came out with a squeal as she collapsed towards the ground. I sprang forward, catching her in my arms.

“I saw. And now I’m carrying you home.”

She wrapped her arms around my neck as I carried her bridal style in my arms. Each breath she took brushed her chest across mine and despite my worry over her injuries, my body reacted, sending blood south until I was as stiff and big as the branch, I’d pulled off her.

I marched towards my house where I’d be able to keep an eye on her and clean her up from her accident. Not that I believed it happened by chance. Not with such a strong smell of magic in the clearing and the completely clean cut to the end of the healthy branch.

It took her longer than I would have thought—something that worried me—before Elin realized we weren’t headed to her house and began to put up a fuss. “Why are we going to yours? My house is closer.”

I could hear the pout in her voice and if she wasn’t in my arms, I was sure she would have crossed her arms over her chest as she tapped her foot and glared at me. Just the visual made me chuckle.

“It’s not funny. I need a shower or a hot bath. And my house is right there.” She lifted one of her hands and pointed towards the path that led to her house on the other side of the few trees.

“I know where your house is, but you’re coming to mine.” She opened her mouth, but I cocked an eyebrow and stared at her until she shut it. “No one is at yours while someone will always be at mine. You’re not going to be left alone. Not with a potential head injury. Besides, you can’t even move around.”

“I’ll be fine on my own. You and Arran don’t need to look after me.”

Why did she have to be so independent? Why couldn’t she just give in and let me take care of her? It’s what I wanted. What made me happy. Taking her a meal, making sure she ate made my heart sing. The same way taking care of Arran did.

My knees stumbled, but I continued. When she gave me a look, asking what happened, I made up some story about sliding off a rock, but I knew the real reason.

How could I have been so stupid? How could I have not seen it?

Or maybe I had. Maybe that’s why I’d pushed her away, why I hadn’t wanted to be too close to her.

She was my mate like Arran.

But more than that she was my fated mate. The one who could carry my young.

---