The trek to the realm of the dead was a long one. We flew most of the way, but we had to walk once we were near. My arms burned from the weight of the box, and I could feel my sisters waver. We were tired and had been tempted to rest in the abyss, but that would have been a grave mistake. Stopping would risk being stuck there forever. Time followed different and odd rules down there. It could either go slowly or speed up.
Two hellhounds stood guard at the gate, their fiery eyes a contradiction to the cold air. They huffed as we neared, steam sizzling out of their nostrils.
My sisters and I set the container on the ground. As the leader of the mission, I stepped forward and addressed the hounds.
“We are here by the orders of Allfather Odin. We request to speak to the ruler of the Underworld.”
One of the hellhounds growled, drool sliding from its mouth before it turned away. With its muzzle, it pushed the gates open and motioned for us to follow. We picked up the steel box and passed the other hound. I could feel its heat. I should have been scared, but valkyries weren’t supposed to feel fear.
We walked between two coal-like mountains before an old man met us halfway. His was hunched over, and his greasy gray hair was thinning. He smiled when we got closer, his teeth rotten. Some were missing altogether. I held back a grimace at his rancid odor.
“I see my package has arrived,” he stated, his voice slightly high-pitched. A muffled sound came from inside the box, its motions making it rattle. “It’s a feisty thing isn’t it?” His eyes gleamed.
My brows furrowed. “You’re the ruler of the Underworld?”
He laughed. “No, I’m only a lowly messenger.” The man approached and handed me a green pouch.
“What is this?”
He grinned. “Perfect spheres of obsidian and gold. It is believed they have been blessed by the Norns. They give you one wish when buried in sacred grounds. Split it amongst one another as payment for your services.”
I attempted to hand it back to the old man. “We cannot—”
“No trickery, valkyrie. This has been approved by your father. Go on. Leave my package there and be on your way.”
I hesitated before accepting his gift. The pouch was heavy as expected, and I pocketed our payment. I’d disperse its contents once we were safely in Valhalla.
As I motioned for my sisters to leave, the old man grabbed my arm. When his eyes met my glare, he released me at once. I was disgusted by the imprints of grime left behind on my golden skin.
“Be wary, valkyrie. Not all are who you believe them to be,” he whispered.
My scowl intensifying, I refused to entertain his games. With one last look, I spun around and left. This soulless creature thought I was going to take his advice? Not a chance.
“What did he say?” Hildr inquired once we were in the air. The rest of our sisters flew behind us. “He was an odd man. And he smelled.” She grimaced.
“He warned me,” I said with a frown. “He said not everyone is who they say they are. I don’t understand.”
She sighed. “Everyone down there is a liar. We trust our sisters and our father and no one else. That is how it’s always been.”
Looking around us, I made sure no one was too close and lowered my voice. “Do you think there is an enemy amongst us?”
She gasped. “How could you even think that?”
“I know,” I said. “It’s foolish of me. Forget I said anything.”
I could feel Hildr’s eyes on me. I’d made her believe I doubted my own family. I didn’t. I just thought I’d ask.
“I mean it, Hildr. I do not believe what he said is true. Believe me, please.”
“I do.” She nodded. “You shocked me. Out of all the valkyries in our class, you have been the strongest, our leader. You embody every attribute we aspire to have. To become the perfect valkyrie—”
“I’m not perfect,” I said. Everyone thought because Odin himself had chosen me to train with the greatest valkyrie to have ever lived, I was suddenly something special. I wasn’t. I liked to think it was pure luck. Possibly nepotism. I was Odin’s favorite after all.
“You are,” she said. “You’re cold, detached, and a fierce warrior—maybe even better than Kara. So, when you said that, it was hard to understand. You’re the most loyal of us all.”
“Do not doubt my loyalty. I stand with my sisters no matter what. That much is true.”
11
Present Day
After getting a few hours of sleep, I knew what I had to do. I didn’t like it, but it was a necessity.
Charlie was sitting on the couch watching a soap opera with a bowl of popcorn on her lap. I was surprised to see her home in the afternoon.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
She shook her head, engrossed with what was on the TV screen. “Day off,” she mumbled.
I sat beside her on the sofa and dug my hand into the bowl, scooping up a handful of popcorn before she smacked my hand away.
I laughed. “Am I going to be fighting for your attention with the TV?”
“Wait for a commercial break.”
I threw my head back and waited none too patiently. Once I heard the advertisement for a cleaning product, I snatched the remote control and put it on mute.
“Yes?” She turned to me.
“I understand I’m an inconvenience for you,” I started. Her face fell and she opened her mouth to speak, but I stopped her. “You took in a complete stranger and I’ve been coming and going as I please as if this were my home. It’s not right.”
“Raven—”
“Listen,” I said, holding up my hand, “Will and I were attacked last night. Whoever is after me knows my every move. I don’t want you in its way. You’ve been very kind, Charlie, but I think it’s time we part ways.”
“Why is it okay to risk Will’s life and not mine? I can take care of myself.”
“Will is a cop. Not to be an asshole, but you’re a librarian. Throwing books isn’t going to do much damage when you have hellhounds coming your way.”
“Hellhounds?” she exclaimed and shook her head. “We’ll get back to that. First, don’t assume that because I’m a librarian I’m absolutely defenseless. I am a banshee; I don’t only predict death. My scream can burst eardrums, knock my enemies to the ground, and even kill. Secondly, when did you encounter hellhounds?”
“Last night when I met with Will. I think I know who the killer is, and I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
“Who is it?” She sat up straight, ignoring the fact her soap opera was back from a commercial break.
“It’s a guy I had a one-night stand with. I didn’t know he was a hellhound.”
Charlie’s cheeks turned rosy, and I wanted to laugh. She really was pure.
“What are you going to do?” she whispered.
“I think you were right. I need to go see the Norns.”
“Good. I’ll get my things and we can go now,” she said as she stood from the couch.
I caught her wrist as she tried to pass me. “Whoa, where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m going with you, Raven. You’re not doing this alone.”
Charlie was going to be hard to shake off. I didn’t know why she insisted on helping me. Well, I knew why, but I’d already told her I couldn’t do what she wanted. If she was hoping I’d one day be able to return to Valhalla, she was going to be sorely disappointed.
“Have you ever seen the Norns?”
She shook her head.
I snorted. “Your funeral.”
After one last effort to get Charlie to stay behind, I relented. We each grabbed meager disguises and drove to see the traveler. He would be the one to give us the location of the Norns. Sunglasses and baseball caps in place, we got out of the car and crossed the street, stopping in front of a marijuana shop.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I chuckled as I looked at the big green leaf on the storefront window. “This is fantastic.”
“I figured you’d like this.” Charlie rolled her eyes.
“You guessed right,” I said, and we walked inside.
Glass countertops lined the walls of the store, showcasing the available items for sale. I was tempted to go shopping.
“Welcome to The Smoke Screen,” a young man behind the counter said. With floppy surfer hair that fell above his eyelashes, he grinned and watched us with barely open eyes. He was so high.
“Hey.” Charlie waved at the man as she walked around me.
“Whoa! Long time no see.” He lifted part of the countertop and walked toward her, pulling her into a tight hug.
She blushed. “It’s been a while.”
My mouth hung open as I wondered if Charlie had once been a pothead. If so, I think it would make me like her even more.
He leaned against the countertop. “What brings you around these parts?”
“Uh,” she jabbed a thumb in my direction, “my friend needs to see the Norns.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Damn, Char. Seems a bit extreme, eh?”
Not having been introduced, I tipped my chin in his direction. “Are you the traveler?”
“That’s me.” He smiled wide. “One of the keepers of the realms for the human world. And you are …?”
“Raven.”
“Right on.” He nodded. “Clever.”
“Huh?”
He shook his head. “The meaning of your name,” he said. “Because you’re a valkyrie.”
Damn, does everyone know?
I kept my face neutral as he observed me and continued, “Kara didn’t tell me one of you stayed behind when I sealed the realm.”
I thought Kara would have gone to the Norns and not a traveler—the only individual in Midgard who could travel between planes—and not one of our own.
I stepped forward with a bit of hopefulness. “Can you open it again?”
“Negatory, my friend. I gave a blood oath to never open the realm of Valhalla again,” he frowned. “Sorry.”
There was an uncomfortable silence as I processed what he said. The one person who had the ability to send me home couldn’t. Without risking his own life, I truly was condemned to Midgard. Asgard was an option, but I was a disgraced valkyrie. I wouldn’t be welcomed anywhere. And with Odin missing, I’d have no protection.
“I might not be able to get you to Valhalla, but I can get you the coordinates to the Norns’ location,” he said as he pulled some receipt paper from the cash register. The traveler scribbled something and handed me the paper. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
The Tualatin Mountains were vast. According to the keeper of the realms, the Norns were hidden in the depths of the West Hills.
The hike from the parking area was no easy feat. The coordinates gave a general location where the tree could be found, but we didn’t have an exact spot. We were looking for a massive tree that had a Norse rune for protection from enemies carved on the trunk. We roamed the forest aimlessly for hours. I was anxious and frustrated that I couldn’t enjoy the clean crisp air and peacefulness compared to the city.
“I give up.” I threw my hands in the air. “Are you sure the traveler can be trusted?”
“Positive,” Charlie said. “You know the Norns like to play tricks. We just have to keep going.”
Charlie was right about that. I needed to prepare for their trickery because their answers weren’t free.
As I conjured up a plan to deal with the sisters, Charlie called me over up ahead. Behind a tree line covered by more bushes was a tree that revealed Yggdrasil—the tree of life and the entrance to the nine realms. It was big as a skyscraper and tall enough to reach the heavens, overshadowing the mid-size rune carved in the center to protect it from evil dwellers.
“Who lurks around my woods?” an old, croaky voice echoed around us. “My, oh my,” she crooned. “Is that a banshee I see?”
A woman emerged from around the tree. Beady eyes took Charlie in as the woman wobbled toward us, her hunchback heavy on her small frame.
“Hello, my name is Charlotte—”
“I know who you are,” the hag interrupted her. “Are you here for what you most desire? To become—”
“No!” Charlie shrieked.
I eyed my new friend warily. Maybe she wasn’t as pure as I’d thought. Charlie had secrets.
“We’re here because I seek your aid,” I said, stepping closer. “Can you help me?”
Digging into her rags, she pulled out a pair of glasses. Pushing them up the bridge of her nose, she squinted to get a better look at me.
“Gods above,” she gasped. “A valkyrie … in Midgard. It cannot be.”
“Well, it is. So can you help?”
Bringing her forefinger and thumb to her wrinkly lips, she let out a whistle that resonated into the forest, its echo traveling for a while. Once it stopped, another woman appeared on the other side of the tree.
“You called?” she said. While the first Norn we saw looked millennia old, this Norn couldn’t have been more than a couple centuries old—around her thirties in human years.
The old lady waved toward us. “Verdandi, look at this special treat the gods have brought us.”
“Fun. A valkyrie!” a third voice above us squealed.
Charlie and I both jumped back as we peered up at the girl with long, wavy, red hair. She was crouched over a thick tree branch, her big green eyes glittering with mischief, and she didn’t look much older than a teenager in human years.
“You seek our help? Valkyries never need help. You’re invincible,” Verdandi mocked.
“If you can’t help me, just say so, but don’t fuck around. I don’t have patience.”
The one above us giggled. “Ohhh, Urd, she said a bad word!”
“Now now, Skuld, why don’t you come down from there?”
The childlike Norn dropped to the ground and ran over to the old woman.
“You seek our aid in what?” Urd waved a fragile hand for me to speak.
I swallowed. “I’m being framed for murder by the humans. I have been living in secret among them for over seven decades, and someone knows what I am.”
“How so?” Urd asked.
“The humans who have been killed have the hagalaz rune carved on their abdomen and a missing eye.”
Verdandi grinned. “Well, aren’t you in a pickle, pretty girl?”
“You will be too if you don’t drop the sarcasm.” I glared at Verdandi.
“Hm … We cannot tell you who is doing this to you, but we can point you in the right direction,” Urd stated.
“For a price!” Skuld giggled.
“What are you willing to give for your life?” Verdandi’s eyes gleamed with mischief.
“What do you want?”
She approached, circling me like a hawk. Her all-knowing eyes made me shudder. The Norns knew who it was and refused to tell me.
I should get the Sword of Souls and drive it through their hearts.
“We cannot be killed,” Urd said.
“Of course you can’t.” I rolled my eyes. “Now, tell me what you want for this information so we can get out of here.”
“It’s not that easy,” Verdandi whispered behind me. “Your heart is frigid, and you care for nothing and no one.”
My eyes found Charlie’s, and the light behind her eyes dimmed.
“Your point?”
“Our point is that we need a sacrifice, and you have nothing to offer us.” Verdandi grimaced.
“Yes, there is!” Skuld clapped excitedly. “I see something shiny!”
My stomach sank.
“Good catch, sister,” Verdandi said. “I see you have possession of the Sword of Souls. Now that is definitely worth some information.”
“It’s worth more than the name of the individual who is trying to frame me. No dice,” I said.
“You came to us, valkyrie,” Urd said. “This part is non-negotiable.”
“Then our dealings here
are done.” I wasn’t going to give away the one thing that could protect me. Nothing was worth that trade.
“Raven,” Charlie whispered, “are you sure?”
“Positive. These hags are full of treachery. No wonder they’re condemned to wander these woods alone with no one but each other.”
“You whore of a valkyrie!” Verdandi screamed, and I stepped in front of Charlie, pulling a knife from the sleeve of my jacket.
“Come on! I’ve been itching to spill some blood,” I goaded.
“Valkyrie,” Urd said, stopping us. “Should you kill one of us, a curse like no other will befall you. Choose your next moves wisely.”
Charlie clutched my upper arm. “It’s not worth it. Let’s go.”
I twirled the knife in my hand before pointing it at the Norn. “I have nothing to lose. Your curses mean nothing to me.”
Charlie dragged me out of the woods before I slaughtered them all. If they thought their threats would make me cower before them, they were wrong. I was no longer a valkyrie, which meant I was nothing.
“You cannot go killing whoever is mean to you,” Charlie said as we walked toward the car. “The Norns are old and powerful. They won’t forget this.”
“Neither will I.” I was about to make an ignorant comment when the cawing of a bird interrupted me. Flying above the car were two ravens.
“I know it’s you,” I said to them. “If my father is here, you must tell me. Is Odin nearby?”
Charlie peered up at Hugin and Munin and clutched her purse a little tighter.
They cawed in return.
“Tell him I need help! I need to see my father!”
They flew away, and I dropped to my knees. It was hopeless. Odin had deserted me. I truly had nothing.
12
Flashback
“Come here.” Odin waved me over. “I have something for you, my dark raven.” Sitting on a bench in the middle of the garden, he plucked flowers in an array of colors.
The Last Valkyrie Series Complete Boxed Set Page 9
