Page 101 of Valkyrie Unknown

It was a horrible weapon capable of horrible things.

“I don’t blame you.” I refused to deride her for clinging to her humanity. It was one of Azzie’s saving graces.

We scanned the rest of the book. I skipped the story of the siren without saying anything. A few weeks ago, when Azzie started talking about taking a siren’s test, I was curious about how Lugh nudged her in that direction.

Knowing that he was working with Enid told me all I needed about the situation. I doubted Azzie had any idea he was the source of that information though, or after today’s encounter with Lugh, she would’ve immediately canceled the upcoming siren’s trial.

Did Enid even know that Lugh was the one who pointed her in that direction?

We checked out a few other books as well, but didn’t find anything Azzie hadn’t already investigated. Unsurprisingly, none of it was anything Zeke was interested in.

We packed up and headed onto the street again. I’d return here alone when I had a lot of time to browse. As we wandered down the sidewalk, everyone was silent. As lost in their thoughts as I was in my own.

Zeke’s expression perked up when we neared the dispensary again. “I need something. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

I exchanged a questioning glance with Azzie, who gave me the same, and we waited while he headed in, and emerged a few moments later with a small paper bag.

“What is it?” Azzie asked.

Zeke held the package tightly. “A surprise.”

I would have fed her the same line she gave me when I asked what she got from Enid, but I was curious too. “You forgot her birthday, didn’t you?” I settled for teasing Zeke instead.

He gave me a withering look, and Azzie snorted.

“We should go home and open presents,” Zeke said, instead of a direct answer.

Whatever he’d gotten was definitely for her, and he didn’t want to keep the secret any longer than he had to.

“We’re opening presents tomorrow night.” Was I really having this conversation with two adults? I didn’t care when they exchanged gifts, but I didn’t have hers yet. I was meeting Lugh later tonight to pick it up.

I still couldn’t believe that fucker showed up at Enid’s.

“There’s no law that says we can’t open some today and some tomorrow.” When Azzie said that, Zeke pointed at her as if it was the most brilliant idea. “They’re our presents. Besides, you’re cutting out on us in a few hours, Finn.”

How did she know that?

Zeke furrowed his brow. “She’s right, isn’t she? You ran into anold friendand that means one of yourI’ll be out for a whilenights that you never explain.”

“Not necessarily.” I couldn’t outright deny the assumption because it would become apparent soon enough that they were correct.

The way Zeke rolled his eyes and let out a tiny huff-sigh cut deeper into me than any harsh retort. “Let’s get a hotel for the night. We’ll be back tomorrow anyway, and it will let you be closer to Enid, Azzie.”

They were writing me out of their plans. Despite the fact that I wasn’t sticking around, the notion gnawed at me. I refused to let her see that, though. “I’ll pick up the tab,” I said. “Pick a place nearby with room service, and you can let someone else do the work.”

Zeke’s frown deepened.

“For your birthday. Let me spoil you a little,” I said before he could argue. Anything I could do to make his life a little better.

“Okay,” Azzie replied before Zeke could, and I swallowed my reaction. Despite the way she clung to rules about equivalent exchange, and never taking something without offering in return, she rarely hesitated to let someone spend money if they offered.

She’d learned for a lot of immortals that human currency held little value. It was ink on paper that couldn’t be used for anything else, and these days it wasn’t even that. It was a vague promise of numbers not attached to anything but a computer.

What would a god do with that when Ragnarök took those systems away?

Zeke twisted his mouth and his nostrils flared.

“Let me do this for you.” I brushed his arm. “Enjoy the night off.”

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