Page 87 of Soul of Shadow
Abigail was staring at the men with eyes so wide Charlie thought they might pop right out and roll across the sand. She kept glancing down to the numerous enormous weapons strapped to their bodies.
“Why?” Charlie asked. “Do you need something?”
“Are you guys actualVikings?” interrupted Mason, sounding like a child meeting a mall Santa Claus for the first time.
“Yes, we are,” said Bjorn, laying a hand on the hilt of his sword and holding his chin up so that his blond hair, now braided in three places, slid down his back. “We are warriors of Asgard, fallen in battle and taken by—”
“We do need your help, child,” Vidar said, interrupting Bjorn. “To get back into Valhalla.”
Charlie stared at him in disbelief. “You thinkIcan help you with that?”
“We know you can,” said Vidar. “We were visited by a Valkyrie last night. One who looked just like you. She bade us to assist you on your quest to stop the mare of night.”
“If we’re successful,” added Bjorn eagerly, “we’ll be taken back to Valhalla.”
Vidar rolled his eyes. “She made no such promise, Bjorn,as you well know. Though she did imply that helping the girl complete her quest would greatly raise our standing in the eyes of the Allfather.”
“Yes,” Charlie said quickly. “Yes, you may come. We could use all the help we can get.”
Thank you, Sophie, she thought, hoping her sister could somehow hear.
“Excellent.” Bjorn patted his rotund belly. “What first?”
Charlie turned around and pointed at the fence. “First we need to climb this, then—”
Before she could finish her sentence, the Viking warriors had gently shoved her aside and began hacking at the fence with their various weapons. Soon, the fence was bent, sliced, and shoved until a gnarled opening stood before them.
“Or… you could just do that.” Charlie nodded. “Let’s go.”
The six of them—vätte included—tramped through the opening. Abigail was the last to go through, mumbling as she did, “We are so getting arrested for this.”
“Where are we headed?” asked Bjorn, brandishing his sword as if it were a compass needle leading their way forward.
“According to my phone,” Charlie said, squinting at the pin toward which her little blue dot was moving, “the power plant is just around that dune over there.” She pointed to the hump of sand that stretched two stories into the air, covered in tufted beach grass that waved in the night breeze.
As the six of them trekked across the sand, green lights appeared at the tree line. The lights danced through the air, flashing and twinkling out over the sand.
“Whoa,” Mason said, eyes wide as he took in the lights, taking a step toward them. “What are—”
“Don’t.” Charlie caught her brother’s arm. “Those are will-o’-the-wisps. Lost undead spirits that will lead you so deep into the forest you won’t be able to find your way out.”
Mason shook off Charlie’s arm but stayed where he was, staring wistfully after the green lights as they danced back into the trees. He looked as if he desperately wished to follow. Vidar was the one to knock Mason over the back of his head with one meaty palm.
“Don’t be an idiot, son,” the Viking said. “Listen to the girl.”
Mason blinked twice, then stumbled after the group.
The bottom of the dune sat just back from the waterline, leaving a small ledge of flat, wet sand over which they could pass. They followed it around the dune, their shoes leaving shallow footprints that would wash away as soon as a wave rolled onto shore. After a few dozen yards, the dune gave way, and the area where the power plant should have been came into view.
Only, it was empty.
One long stretch of sand, scattered with rocks and beach grass and absolutely nothing else.
Empty.
Charlie’s heart sank.No. Could Elias have been wrong? Could he have left a false clue for her to find, knowing she would search his bedroom and find his body? Or perhaps there was some sort of enchantment around the area, one that made it invisible even to those who have eaten an eyaerberry.
“Dammit!” Charlie yelled, throwing Sophie’s knife into the sand. It wedged in, tip down, and the handle wobbled above it. “Dammit, dammit, dammit.” She stormed forward, searching the ground for any disturbances or signs of magic.
