Page 78 of The Stolen Bride

Chapter

Twenty-One

Brainstorming Battle Plans: When In Doubt, Berserk Out

–HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BERSERKER

By Elizabeth “Elle” Darcy-Bruce

Ipaced for hours, trying to work out a solution in my mind. Juniper paced, too, walking a path next to mine but always in the opposite direction. Over and over, I ran through Valkara’s cryptic message.

To awaken all, a twin must fall.

Obviously, Valkara expected me to sacrifice Juniper in order to awaken Viktor. An act sure to turn me into a shifter.

This deed you’ll do, if goodness you eschew.

As a shifter, I would attack Viktor, just as Deco did. If Valkara told the truth, Viktor would shift, too. One evil act would lead to another.

But I couldn’t leave him in this, this coma.

But I couldn’t harm my beloved Juniper, the other half of me.

But I wasn’t ready to die.

But. But. But. There must be another way.

“What did we even do?” I asked, indicating to those around us, still deep in slumber. Even the ball goers above us must be asleep because no one had invaded our space. Yet.

Juniper wrung her hands together. “I don’t know, but whatever it was, I feel stronger than ever before.”

Yeah, me too. Power crackled in my veins without a drop of rage. It made me uneasy. How was I supposed to contain all this? “Is it simply because we’re together?” We passed each other.

“Should I leave the fortress, putting distance between us?” she asked.

“No,” we bellowed in unison.

Back and forth, back and forth.

She massaged her nape and cast a glance at our prisoners. “You’re certain you want to rouse everyone? The world will be a better place without the Valkara at the helm.” She gazed down at her hands. “And Deco, too, I suppose.”

“If it means Viktor and Bodi wake up, yes.” I wasn’t leaving without them. “I didn’t mean to, I’m not sure how it happened, but I fell in love with Viktor. Bodi is his brother, and he’s growing on me.”

“He seems…nice,” she said with a wince, and I didn’t know if she referenced the king or the prince.

Hmm. I think I just jumped on Team Jodipur. Buniper? Jundi?

Focus!Back and forth, back and forth.

Again and again, my gaze landed on Viktor, and my insides twisted. What if we never spoke again? What if he’d held me for the last time? “Do you believe Valkara told thetruth? That I’ll one day shift and kill everyone unless Viktor kills me today?”

“No way! Never trust the villain.”

“That’s what I said!” And yet, dismay infected my every thought, and I huffed with frustration. “Maybe a change of scenery will spark an answer.”

As much as I detested traipsing through the catacombs, we relocated to the massive chamber filled with sleeping primordials. We paced. Well, I paced, while Juniper checked the vitals of the ancients. They slept, too.

“What are we going to do with them?” I asked, as she examined a cut on the gargoyle’s wing. Being this close to them did something to me. Agitated my insides, making my nerve endings buzz.

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