Page 30 of Valkyrie Song

And judging by the trial of bloody pawprints leading away into the trees, they weren't dragged or carried. They walked away.

"The varulv have turned thevargúlfr," Damrion says, his voice soft, almost mournful, as if a great tragedy has struck Valhalla. And I suppose it has. For millennia, the wolves have lived in peace, left alone save when called by Odin. And now, one of the last few touches the God of Gods left on the realms is slowly being eradicated, turned to the Dark without their consent.

That isn't tragic. It's apocalyptic.

"We need to warn every pack left inside Valhalla," Dax says. "They need to know what they're up against."

"Ja," Damrion agrees.

Neither looks particularly hopeful. How can they? Wolves fight with fangs and claws. They are the only weapons thevargúlfrhave to defend themselves. And they're worse than useless against this enemy.

Like so much else, thevargúlfrare dying, hunted by the Forsaken. And there's not a damn thing they can do to help themselves.

"Thevargúlfrcan't fight them off alone," Dax says.

"Nei, they cannot," Damrion says. "As soon as we get back, I'll call the warriors together. We'll have hunting parties set out as soon as possible. We need to find every pack in Asgard, too. If they're turning them here, I imagine they're doing the same on the other side of the Bifröst."

It's a grim thought. War is coming from both sides…and we're sandwiched between with no way out. Until the Valkyrie figure out how to work the Bifröst to move between realms, it leads to exactly one place. Asgard.

And that's the last place we need to be with packs of infectedvargúlfrrunning loose.

The Forsaken don't need their portals to open into Valhalla to destroy us. We're rats in a cage regardless, completely cut off from everything.

"Gods, help the Valkyrie figure out the Bifröst. Help us save their lives," I plead quietly, the first prayer I've sent up in a long time. And, perhaps, the most desperate I've ever voiced.

Chapter Eight

Kara

"Hi," I whisper, craningmy head back to look up at Stephan as he stops in front of me, casting a shadow over the table in the Mess Hall. Damp strands of hair fall across his forehead, and lines of exhaustion cut grooves around his mouth, but he's still the most gorgeous man I've ever seen.

"Hi yourself, princess." He grins at me, reaching out to brush his knuckles along the back of my cheek. "Did you behave yourself today?"

"No," I say, just to see what he says. "I spent the day in the forest, frolicking with ravens and rabbits."

His eyes immediately narrow, scanning across my face. And then he sighs, shaking his head as his lips twitch into a small grin. "I almost believe you, Valkyrie. No one tells you or your sisters what to do. Not even your mates."

"Especially not their mates," Dax mumbles from further down the table, and then grunts, shooting a hard stare at Rissa, who simply blinks innocent eyes at him. "Do you have to kick me in the same spot every time I displease you,elskan-ljós?"

"Ja," she says sweetly.

I bite my lip, fighting a giggle.

"What did you do today?" Stephan asks, falling into the chair beside me with a groan.

"Spent the day in the woods with the rabbits and ravens," I repeat. I didn't actually lie the first time. That is what I did.

He narrows his eyes on me again, grunting.

"She wasn't alone, Stephan," Reaper says quietly. "Adriel and I were with her."

This mollifies Stephan…slightly. We both know he'd have preferred if he were the one out there with me. But he and the Fae spent the day hunting for the varulv, leaving Reaper and Adriel behind to guard me and my sisters.

We spent part of the day at the Bifröst, which was as fruitless as ever. When my sisters gave up for the day and headed back, I headed into the woods. If the Fae are going to risk their lives hunting the varulv, they should have whatever help we can give them. Since we can't go with them and be here to figure out the Portal, the only logical help left is the animals of Valhalla.

"What were you doing with your ravens and the rabbits, princess?" he asks before I can ask if they found anything today.

"They aren't my ravens and rabbits. They're Valhalla's ravens and rabbits, Stephan."

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