Page 18 of Valkyrie Song

"I…don't think that means what you think it means, Stephan," she whispers.

"No?" I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, brushing my lips across her forehead. "I go where you go, Kara. Even to death. If anything happens to you, I follow."

She gasps softly, shock rippling down the tentative bond between us. Her wide, startled eyes meet mine in the dark. My cock throbs at the innocent hope growing there.

"Come, Valkyrie," I murmur, untangling myself from around her before I lose the will to do it at all. "Let's go see your wolf."

"But…"

I cock a brow at her. Whatever protest she was going to utter dies on her lips, quickly swallowed.

I chuckle, lacing our fingers together. Her palm nestles against mine like it's supposed to fit there. I immediately like it. And then I scowl. I can't pull myímun-laukrwith the weapon trapped between us and her hand clasped in mine. It's a painful problem to have…holding her hand or being prepared to defend her life. But protecting her comes first, in all things, in all ways.

I gently shift her around so she's on my opposite side, grunting in satisfaction when her hand is in mine again and my sword-hand is free. She doesn't say a word the entire time. But she peeks up at me, a tiny smile on her lips as if she's amused.

Painful problems require creative solutions. The Fae taught me that.

"Where is Ing, princess?" I ask as we step out into the grass, heading toward the treeline several yards away.

"At the outpost."

The Fae cut the trees back from around the village, ensuring that we'd have clear line of sight if the Forsaken manage to getinto Valhalla. We don't want them having a place to hide, and if they're able to open their foul portals inside the borders of Valhalla, we want them right out in the open where we can see them.

Fuck. Is that why they're wasting so many of their numbers? In a bid to get at least one into Valhalla so they can open their portals? Is it even possible? Until the Valkyrie Healed the Bifröst, the way into Valhalla was closed for three centuries, cut off from the rest of creation. The Bifröst has always been the only way in or out…but what if that's no longer true?

It's a grim thought. But it's not a possibility we can outright reject, either. And I'm not the only one who has considered it. If I were, we wouldn't have the warriors scouring Valhalla as carefully as they scour Asgard on the other side of the portal. They're worried about the same thing.

Back when the Bifröst was the only way in or out, Valhalla had always been closely guarded. There were Fae, Valkyrie, and the warriors bonded to the Valkyrie inside the borders at all times, standing in defense of this haven. But that hasn't been true for three centuries. The Forsaken have had three hundred years to plot and scheme. Three hundred years of a defenseless mecca. And Gods only know what they've learned to do with their twisted portals.

For all we know, if they get one across the border, they'll be able to open dozens of their portals just like they did in Eitr.

I need to talk to Damrion.

I flick a glance down at Kara and notice the way she's staring off into space, her brows pinched together as if she's concentrating. What does she hear? I'd kill to know what's going on in her mind right now.

I squeeze her fingers, silently offering comfort.

She fidgets beside me, shivering, and clings a little tighter to my hand. "Something is wrong, Stephan."

"Another rabbit?"

"No." She quickly shakes her head, causing pieces of hair to dance in the wind. "It's not just him. All of the animals are uneasy. Their thoughts are full of anxiety. None are close enough for me to get a good read, but they're afraid." She turns wide eyes up at me. "I've been feeling it growing among them since the Forsaken started trying to get to the Bifröst. But it's worse now."

A frown tugs at my lips, worry coursing through me.

"You don't think…?"

"I don't know," I murmur as we skirt along the edge of the forest, not venturing into the trees. In the dark, it's too dangerous. Even with her Light guiding us, it's safer to stick to the grass and enter only when necessary.

We fall into silence, a groove between Kara's brows as if her mind is on her worries. I think it's been there for weeks now. Does she ever get a break from them?

Ha. Does anyone anymore?

"You've been avoiding me," I murmur, trying to give her something else to think about, at least for a few minutes.

She turns wide eyes up at me. I expect her to deny it, but she doesn't.

"It seemed like the safe thing to do," she admits.

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