Page 46 of Valkyrie Unknown

“It’s not too much?”

“It’s definitely too much.”

“Perfect.” She sounded pleased.

If this were a movie, she’d be the chosen one, and I’d be the sarcastic sidekick of a best friend.

A woman in a grungy army coat brushed past us, jarring Sylith with her elbow and knocking the model into me.

Coffee splashed from my cup and spilled all over my shirt.

“Fuck.” I shook my soaked bag of food and tossed both that and the half-empty cup into the closest trash can. A gross shade of brown dripped from me. “Gods damn it.”

Sylith studied me with a frown. “You should head home and change.”

The best thing about her suggestion was that it meant breaking the monotony and doing things differently today. “I’ll be late.” My protest was weak.

But what if that was what made today different?

“I’ll tell them where you are. You’re not going to get in trouble,” she said.

I blew out a noisy sigh. Losing my job was the least of my concerns. They didn’t require me to be in the office anyway, when I wasn’t scheduled. I only did it because my life had become a routine. Should I go home? Was the weird crackle of energy in the air because bad things were about to happen, or because I wanted them to?

An eardrum-shatteringboomshook the ground, and rock rained down around us. Pebbles struck me, and then stones, and instinct pushed me to protect the woman next to me. But Sylith was gone.

As if she’d vanished.

The madness erupting behind me meant it was more likely she ran and got swept up in the crowds.

Smoke filled the air, as did a chorus of terrified screams. People were bumping into each other, and knocking others over. This was bedlam.

Smoke turned the sky an ashen red, and the side of the building across the street had a gaping hole in the brick, where the windows used to be. A small group of running people shoved me, forcing my attention further down the street. To the state capitol, framed by air that looked like flame, despite there being no fire.

I should be doing something. Anything. Fleeing. Helping.

And I was frozen in place, staring at a picture taken straight out of a prophecy.

What was I supposed to do? Fighting one-on-one with a master—even in random settings, the way I did with Davyn—didn’t prepare me for explosions and crowds of people losing their shit.

Act. Now.

How?

Fuck, this wasn’t what I wanted. Focusing inward, I grabbed for the strength and an idea that would let me help. Why couldn’tnowbe the moment I ascended? If I could just do a little more… Grab a little spark of power…

Someone collided with me and yanked me out of my spiral. The force shoved me into a nearby wall, and I slammed into the brick. Fortunately, the holster on my hip absorbed most of the damage, but my shoulder felt raw from the abrasion.

Sirens blared in the background, adding to the noise. If anyone asked me for my ID—if that went into a system somewhere—I’d be found. Was that what I wanted if this was the result?

A few feet away, a woman fell to the sidewalk and caught herself on her hands and knees. No one stopped, and the panicked crowds jostled her.

If this happened because of me, I’d already been found. These people might get hurt because I was here, and even if this had nothing to do with my presence, I couldn’t leave them alone. I didn’t wait to offer help simply because I didn’t have any powers.

“Hey, watch it.” I forced my way against the flow of bodies. “Watch out.” This time my voice was harder, as I neared the fallen woman.

The crowds were too wrapped up in their fear to notice either her or me.

Make them listen.

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