Page 28 of Valkyrie Song

"Ah." Damrion nods in understanding. "And now you know."

"Ja, now I know."

"Would you have let a Fae claim her bond?" he asks after a moment. "If one had felt her call?"

Would I? It's a damn good question.

"Nei," I growl. "I was made for her, made to protect her. There is no other for her, and I won't share her."

Damrion nods, smiling. "I thought not."

"Does that bother you?"

"Nei. The bond between my mates and I are the only one like it to ever exist. Adriel and I were called a millennia ago because the Norns knew Abigail would come eventually, and she'd need both of us. They gave us centuries to figure out how to work together to be what she needs." A shadow passes through his eyes. "Fae couldn't have a mate and defend Valhalla. We aren't built that way. And yet, that's the destiny Adriel and I were given. We almost destroyed it before we ever understood why we were different, before we ever knew about the Prophecy or Abigail. It took us finding her to finally put the pieces together and realize why we are who we are to one another." His gaze drifts back to me. "Our soul split three ways because it's what she needed. Yours—and your mates—only split one. That's how it is for most Fae."

"I'm not Fae."

"Perhaps not, but you're as close as we've ever found to a brother on earth. That's Fae enough, Stephan."

Jesus. I clear my throat, glancing away for a moment as a swell of emotion rolls through me. I never knew the Fae viewed me that way—like one of them. It's humbling.

I watch Ing loping ahead for a long moment. The sharp sting of grief faded to cold rage for him somewhere during the night. It's obvious as he paces ahead, his muscles loose, his eyes perpetually scanning. He wants to run into the varulv, wants a rematch.

But that won't end any better for him than it did his pack, not with Tori back at the village, anyway. She's the only one who can Heal a varulv bite. And whether he bites them or they bite him, the results are the same.

It'll devastate Kara to lose him. I can't let that happen.

"Is it possible for the Forsaken to open portals into Valhalla?" I ask Damrion after a moment.

The ruler of the Fae glances over at me, surprise in his eyes. "You think that's their plan?"

"Nei," I admit. "I considered it before we learned about the varulv. Now, however…"

"Ja," he says quietly, his expression trouble. "Now, they've surprised us again."

"I'm fucking tired of their surprises," I mutter.

He laughs quietly. "You and me both, brother. You and me both."

"Is it possible?" I ask.

Damrion considers the question for a moment and then sighs. "Once, I would have said no. The only portal to Valhalla is the Bifröst…but that was three centuries ago. Things are not so black and white now. They've learned how to open their own portals. Will they deliver them inside the borders of Valhalla? I certainly hope not. But could they? Ja," he says softly. "Perhaps. Perhaps it's how they've gotten the varulv through."

"I think they're opening them into Asgard," I murmur. "They're sending them into Asgard for a reason."

"Perhaps. We've yet to find them in the act, but…" he trails off, letting the comment hang there.

There's no need to finish it, anyway. We don't need to catch them in the act to know if that's what they've done. If we find Ing's packmates, we'll have our answer. And if we don't…well, we'll have our answer then, too.

If the varulv can turn thevargúlfr, the Forsaken won't need a portal into Valhalla to deliver an army to our doorstep. One single varulv could turn every wolf inside Valhalla, creating their army right here, one twice as strong as any varulv army that came before.

It's a grim prospect. Real goddamn grim.

"Ing, no!" Kara cries suddenly.

I drop my hand to myímun-laukr, whipping my head toward Ing, only to see him dart off after a rabbit. The rabbit hauls ass across the forest floor, fleeing for his life with the wolf snapping at his heels.

"Ing, stop!" Kara growls, command ringing in her voice.

---