Page 38 of Valkyrie Restored

The light dimmed, revealing a woman, a goddess. Her form flickered, changing as she crossed pantheons.

“Danu.” Arran dropped to one knee.

Hurrit matched his moves, calling out in a language I’d never heard before. From research I’d done about the various Indigenous cultures in the area, I assumed he called her Mother Earth.

The goddess ignored them, keeping her gaze locked on me. When I said nothing, nor made a move to bow before her, her eyebrow rose. “Well, child. Do you not acknowledge me?”

I shrugged. “And who am I supposed to acknowledge. The goddess who cursed me?”

The woman stared daggers at me. Her voice thundered loud enough to shake the ground. “I, Gaia, did not curse you. I saved you from your Fate, pulling you from time so that you could be our champion in the upcoming war.”

“Fates, you say.”

“Did you call for us Gaia?”

“Of course she did, sister. We are wanted by all.”

Three elderly women, wearing dark, hooded cloaks, popped into existence next to Gaia/Danu/name I couldn’t pronounce, but thought was Mother Earth.

“Grandmothers,” I cried as I rushed to engulf them in a hug.

They wrapped themselves around me, patting my back as they made shushing sounds. “Dry your tears, sweet girl,” Grandmother 1—Atropos—said as she wiped the tears from my cheek. I hadn’t even known that I was crying, but it made sense. Too many things had happened to me in too short of a time.

“Sweet granddaughter, we’ve missed you.” Grandmother 3—Clotho—patted my cheek.

“We did, but we gave you handsome mates.” Grandmother 2—Lachesis—winked.

“The Moirai. But how… who… you’re not supposed to have children,” Gaia sputtered.

“Oh hush, Gaia. You’ve always had your nose out of joint because you can’t control us.” Atropos stepped back, taking her sisters with her.

“And who says we can’t. I chose who is born and who dies therefore we can have children and grandchildren if we want.” Clotho glowered at Gaia.

“Hurrit and Arran, rise and be with your mate.” Lachesis gave my men a smile. “I think I chose well for you, granddaughter, didn’t I?”

I beamed as my gaze travelled their naked bodies. Their muscles glistened from the water and sparkled under the northern lights. “Yes, you did, Grandmother. You really did.”

Hurrit and Arran blushed as they held out their hands for me. Their touch centred me, clearing all the emotions. While I was happy to have my grandmothers here to help, I still had so many questions. Gaia said she didn’t curse me—a statement I believed to be true—yet she was the one who responded when I asked the deities or whomever had attacked me to show themselves. If she wasn’t the one who cursed me, then who did? And why was Gaia here? What was her role in all this?

But one thing I did know… I wasn’t about to leave until I got the answers I needed.

26

Elin

“Someone explainto me what happened. Why did I wake up in a Greek hospital hundreds of years later?” I heard Arran and Hurrit gasp. “And why was someone trying to kill me?”

My grandmothers turned to look at Gaia.

“Care to explain.” Atropos tapped her foot.

Gaia glared at her before turning her gaze on me. “There is a prophecy.”

“Harrumph. There’s always a prophecy.” Lachesis rolled her eyes.

“Yes, well, this one deals with an upheaval among the gods. One that crosses pantheons and could destabilize everything. But it all starts with the Norse. A Valkyrie, Kirby, was cursed to die and be reborn again and again, to never remember who she was or her mates. I wanted to ease her plight, to help her remember with each life who she was so that we could prevent the coming war between the gods. You, a child of Greece, were chosen to be that Valkyrie, one that would never be suspected due to your heritage. You’d be the one who guided her from life-to-life, but after you were blessed, you disappeared.”

Atropos smirked, sending shivers of unease through me. I loved my grandmothers, they’d cared for me, stopping by to check up on me throughout my early life, but now I wondered if they had an ulterior motive. Were they the reason behind everything? Had the Three Greek Fates as they were more commonly known, interfered in destiny?

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