Page 34 of Valkyrie Unknown

I had to give credit to everyone who helped me, as well. Enid. Rayne.

“Regardless,” Davyn said. “There are gods who have spent a millennium learning about the prophecies surrounding them, and they don’t have this depth of information to show for it.”

“They’re not asking the right questions or people.” The way I understood it, a god’s arrogance could keep them from doing a lot of reasonable things.

When our sandwiches showed up, I put the book away, while Davyn paid for the food. I scooted all the way back on my bed, to use the headboard as support, and he sat across from me on my mattress. For a few minutes, the only sounds in the room were of us eating.

“For the record,” I said when my stomach was full enough to stop complaining, “when this whole thing is done, whatever I become, I won’t ask you to do anything. Not that you would, but… If I had the power, I’d free anyone from their bonds who wanted to be freed.”

“When you defy fate like that, it’s calledaltering reality.” Davyn paused, and creases grew across his forehead. “Though I suspect, if anyone could do so by sheer force of will, it might be you.”

My cheeks heated at the compliment.

“I’ll take you up on your offer,” he said. “If I hadn’t already decided to work with you, I’d do so now, simply to see what happens next.”

I liked that idea far more than I should, given my dedication to staying detached. It wasn’t as if we were dating or friends or even fucking. This was an agreement between two people who just wanted the past—the ancient past, written by ancient beings—to move on, so we could have our lives back.

We finished breakfast as a yawn threatened to split my jaw. “Fuck.I can’t believe I’m still tired.”

“You’ll catch up soon enough,” he said. “Right now, take advantage of the fact that you can rest undisturbed.”

Despite being confident in who I was and things like my sexuality, I wasn’t quite as bold as him when it came to stripping off everything without a care for who was watching me. But I did leave my weapons, jeans, and shoes by the bed and climb under the covers in a T-shirt and panties.

I gave my knives one more glance.

“You have to trust me if we’re going to do this,” Davyn said. “I slept next to you. You already slept next to me.”

“You were driving, and you also sleep with your weapons.”

He nodded. “I don’t have much of a choice when it comes to that.” Given hewashis weapon.

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him. The problem was the opposite. I barely knew him, and I was willing to do this, and that terrified me.

Eleven

Davyn

Azzie slept for a few hours,and then it was time to check out.

I gave her a handful of instructions on driving the car, and cringed every time she ground the gears. Once she got up to speed, she did okay.

I kept us to the highways that didn’t have heavy traffic, and found myself pressing my foot to the floor every time another vehicle approached.

“You’ve got to stop with that,” she finally said.

She noticed? “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Uh-huh. You’re the one who insisted I learn.”

Fair point. “Let’s trade off at the next gas station.”

She huffed and shook her head. “Fine.”

I directed her to the appropriate exit, and she pulled onto the ramp without issue. The moment she reached theStopsign, she hit the brake hard, and the engine sputtered and stalled.

She winced. “I forgot the clutch.”

“You did.” I was already opening my door. “I’ll take it from here.”

---