Page 65 of Valkyrie Unknown

“Friends who give each otherwelcome homekisses.” I wanted thejust friendsto be true almost at least as much as I knew I shouldn’t care. I was leaving when this business transaction was finished.

No.

My own reaction made me mentally wince.

“Not until today.” Zeke’s voice was flat. “It’s not cheating. He fucks around, I’m allowed to do the same. We’re honest about it.”

I believed him, despite not wanting to. Despite this being another bad decision in a string of them today.

“You have a guardian too, don’t you?” Finn asked.

I nodded. “But you’re not a Berserker.”

Finn scoffed. “No. I’m a god. You and him…?”

“What?” Oh. Realization dawned on me. “No. We don’t fuck.”

Finn shrugged. “Your loss.”

“His loss. I promise,” Zeke said.

Heat flooded my cheeks, and I bit back a smirk of pleasure. I didn’t want to go when this was done. Whatever pull I had to Zeke, it didn’t want to be ignored. I wanted to stay with him. Get to know him. Have him inside me again and again…

“I didn’t mean to hide the sword.” I let the sincerity flow into my words. “I didn’t even think about it until I was threatened.”

Zeke picked it up by the hilt, flat of the blade pointed at his arm and pommel extended to me. “We can’t do this over and over if we’re going to stay together.”

“Are we?” I approached and took the sword from him, and held it with the tip pointed at the ground. “Staying together?”

“We have to keep an eye on each other.” Zeke’s logic was non-existent. “Makes sense, doesn’t it?”

Not in any way, under any circumstances. “Maybe?”

“Neither of us wants to do this. If we’re together, we each know what the other is up to. There won’t be any running into each other two months or two years down the line with some sort ofsurprise! Some asshole convinced me to do this.”

That was so simplistic. There were bigger holes in his idea than the double-wide doors on this converted barn. “Deal.” I couldn’t believe I was doing this, but I also couldn’t imagine not doing it. I shifted my sword to my left hand, and raised it enough to press a slice into my palm.

“No, no, no.” Finn shook his head.

Was he going to be a problem? Davyn might be. This would take some explaining when he found me. “I won’t kill you, or try to, to fulfill a prophecy. And I won’t let anyone else do so either.”

Zeke extended his hand, and shot Finn a glare when the god tried to stop him.

I pressed the edge of my blade into Zeke’s palm as well, and he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. I swore I heard the sword hum when our blood mingled on the polished steel.

“Agreed,” Zeke said. “I won’t kill you or try to, to fulfill a prophecy. I won’t let anyone else do so either, and fuck it, I’ll even help you ascend.” He shook my hand.

I’d never done this before. Was I supposed to?—

A faint whistle sang in my head, and an invisible warmth wrapped around us. It started pleasant, but quickly turned sharp, squeezing until the pressure was more than uncomfortable and I thought spikes might penetrate my skin.

Then the sensation vanished.

“I think that’s it.” Zeke dropped his hand.

Both of our wounds were gone. The smears of dark red on our hands were the only indicator of what we’d done. That, and the blood drying on my sword.

Zeke handed me a soft cloth, and I wiped the weapon clean before sheathing it again. The moment it was home and I let go, the blade and scabbard vanished.

---