I stood from the bed, and on unsteady legs, I made my way to the door. I opened it as medical personnel rushed by screaming, telling others to run or lock their doors. I peered out the door, and that’s when I saw them—the hellhounds.
“Looks like we have company,” I said to the others. “Thor, you might want to call on Mjölnir now.”
The hallway was clearing except for the hellhounds, but I ducked back inside so as not to draw attention to us just yet. It looked like they were searching the rooms.
Thor had his arm raised and hand open when I turned around. Mjölnir came crashing through the window, and the handle landed right in his hand.
“Pick up your jaw, Will,” I said as I got down to business. “We got about a dozen hellhounds roaming the halls, most likely looking for us. I say we fight them head-on and keep them far away from Will’s room.”
“I agree,” Thor said. “They might be trying to take your friends back.”
“Exactly, so let’s crush their plans.” I waved for Thor to follow me, but Charlie stopped me.
“I want to help,” she said as she gripped my arm.
“You will,” I said, “by staying with Will and making sure he’s safe.”
Charlie turned to Will and then to me. She knew I was right. He needed to be kept safe, and if any hellhounds bypassed us, I needed her to be here to stop them.
Thor and I ran out of the room, and I pulled the daggers out of my boots. Thor walked ahead of me and lifted his arm up high before dropping it and slamming his hammer on the ground. The tile cracked in a ripple effect, breaking in the middle. The hellhounds that were in the way all dropped like dominoes, and I hopped over each piece of rubble with precision like I were playing a game of hopscotch to get to them, throwing my daggers at the first two hounds. They struck in the middle of their throats. When I got to them, I pulled the daggers out and then threw myself at the next one in my way. I sliced my dagger across his throat and let the blood pour.
Thor swung his hammer, smashing three hellhounds at once like bowling pins. The force of it made an indention in their skulls. Thunder boomed as Thor grabbed another one by the throat and popped his head clean off like a soda cap.
A banshee wail pulled my attention away from him and behind us to Will’s room where Charlie stood just outside the doorway. She shrieked, and a cone of sound covered about five hellhounds that had attempted to enter the room. She pushed forward, and they stumbled back, covering their bleeding ears.
I turned to Thor and saw he could handle the rest and then ran toward Charlie. As I got closer, I drop to my knees and slid across the floor, slashing my daggers behind the ankles of two of the hellhounds. I grimaced as I passed through the sound waves, and it felt like needles piercing my eardrums.
I jumped up and stabbed one of them in the neck before I heard POP, POP, POP!
Charlie stopped her wail, and I dropped to the ground. Three hellhounds collapsed to the floor with bullet holes in their foreheads. I looked behind me to find Will aiming a gun in their direction. Both Charlie and I were stunned.
The sound of someone screaming in pain and thunder and lightning crackling could be heard, as well as the sound of Thor’s hammer, but none of us could move at the moment.
Will was still frail, thin as a rail, and holding on to his IV pole, but his hand was firm and steady as he held that gun. The question was, where the hell did he get it?
The only hellhound left alive groaned as he tried to stand on torn Achilles’ heels. Without looking, I stabbed him in the eye, and he dropped.
“Care to explain?” I asked Will, motioning toward his gun.
“A thank-you will suffice,” he said as he lowered his arm.
“I would have handled it. You didn’t have to risk your life—”
“You can’t expect me to just lie around while all this commotion is going on,” Will said, sounding exasperated. “I’m not a victim.”
My brows furrowed. I wanted to fight him on it, only because I wanted to protect him, but he was right. If I was in his shoes, I wouldn’t be able to sit still either.
“Who gave you the gun?” I asked.
“Detective Jimenez. As a precaution.”
Of course he did.
Thor came down the hallway covered in blood and sweat, his hammer in hand. “The hall is cleared. How’s it going here?”
“William here”—I pointed at him—“decided to go all wild west on them while still hooked up to his IV, so we’re just dandy.”
“Well, I think it’s time we get William out of here.” Thor grimaced as he looked around at all the bodies on the ground. “It’s no longer safe.”
“I concur.” Charlie raised a hand in agreement.
We hurried to help dress Will while Thor fetched him a wheelchair. Luckily, Charlie had packed him a bag with some clean clothes. When we were ready, we rushed out of the hospital before anymore hellhounds appeared and dodged the human police before they started asking anymore questions. We walked a couple blocks away from the hospital before calling an Uber. The first thing Charlie did once getting back to civilization was get a phone. I really needed to follow in her footsteps.
The Uber took us straight to Fen’s apartment, where we texted him we’d meet him. We all arrived at the same time, and I was surprised he brought Lilja and Mia with him.
“You stole the hospital wheelchair?” Fen asked as we wheeled Will inside the apartment.
“We needed it,” I mumbled and looked away a bit ashamed. “We have other things to worry about other than stolen wheelchairs, like how Hel attacked us in a very human and public location.”
“Are you all okay?” Lilja asked as she and Mia sat side by side on the sofa.
“Yes, we’re fine, thankfully,” I said as I went to the kitchen for some water. My mouth was really dry, and I was craving something strong. I cleared my throat. “What’s odd is that the hellhounds seem to attack in their human form, which may be because of the humans, but if they were in their natural form, they could really do some damage.”
“Hellhounds don’t fight well as a group in their natural forms. It’s why I mostly keep mine in their human form,” Fen said by way of explanation.
“If she attacked, that means she’s making her move soon,” Thor said as he leaned against the wall, hammer in hand. “We still haven’t solved the issue with the giants.”
“The giants?” Charlie asked, and I realized I hadn’t explained what was going on. I took a moment to break it all down, and her and Will’s face both morphed to looks of horror. I wasn’t painting a pretty picture.
“I’ll have to go visit my mother,” Fen said as if he were dreading it. “I need a drink,” he muttered and then sucked in a breath. His gaze whipped to mine as if he couldn’t believe what he just said. I smiled reassuringly because gods only knew I sympathized.
“We all can’t go. Thor, do you mind staying behind with Charlie and Will?”
Charlie’s face tightened, and I knew she wanted in on the action, but I needed to keep her safe, as well as Will, and who better than the god of thunder?
“I can do that.” Thor nodded.
“Lilja.” I turned to her. “Can you put together a small team of valkyries? No more than five to come along.”
Her clear blue eyes widened. “You want us to come along?”
“Yeah. We could use the backup, and I think it’s a good idea to work together. I’m sure you’ve also never traveled through realms.” I smirked.
Mia bit her lip to keep from smiling, but I knew she was excited too.
“I’ll put together a team,” Lilja said a little out of breath.
“We should go today,” Fen said as he ran a hand through his hair. “We can’t waste any more time.”
I hurried to shower and change before meeting Fen, Lilja, and Mia downstairs at the car. We were going to the Tualatin Mountains to get a team of valkyries set up and then head through Yggdrasil to get to the world of the giants. I’d never been
before, but Fen had, so we were relying on him to show us the way.
We hiked through the forestry, and when we got closer to Yggdrasil, we spotted tents propped up in the surrounding area. We’d entered the campsite of the valkyries. They were milling around, starting fires, and cooking meals. I’d worried about them being out here on their own, but they really did know how to survive in the wild.
“Selena!” Lilja called out to the dark-haired valkyrie that was around a campfire.
Her head popped up, and she stood, running in our direction. “Yes, ma’am?”
“Gather Lola and Maggie and meet us by the tree. Wear flexible clothing and bring your weapons,” Lilja ordered, and without hesitation, Selena nodded and went to find the others. “We’ll meet you by the Yggdrasil,” Lilja said to us before she and Mia left to get prepared.
Fen and I walked further through the woods to where the entrance to Limbo was located. He hadn’t said much about seeing his mother, and I didn’t want to pry, but …
“So what’s your relationship like with your mom?” I asked him as we walked.
He sighed. “I never really got to spend much time with her. We were taken away so quickly, but she always had a soft spot for me. I don’t know why.”
“Have you visited her?”
“On occasion.” He shrugged. “I think I’m the only one that ever has. She’s not necessarily like us. But she’s not bitter about it—at least I don’t think she is.”
We made it to the Yggdrasil and there was an awkward silence between us.
“You’re playing nice with the valkyries,” he mentioned as he kicked some rubble.
“I like what Lilja has done. Well, technically Valdis, but Lilja runs it now. It’s like their own Valhalla here in Midgard. I want that.” I admitted what I hadn’t even admitted to myself, much less recognized. “I want to be a part of it.”
“You miss having a family,” Fen said with a sad smile. “It’s okay to say it. While I don’t exactly get what you’re feeling, I understand.”
We mulled over our thoughts as we waited for the valkyries to return. After about fifteen minutes, Lilja came back with her team, and they were armed to the teeth. I looked at Fen for a moment, then back at them. I felt a little inadequate with my two daggers in my boots. But they hadn’t failed me yet.
“We’re ready when you are,” Lilja said as she came up to us.
“All right.” I shrugged. “I’m going to stick my hand through the Yggdrasil, opening it up so you can all walk through. Now be careful once you’re in Limbo. You can easily get lost, and there are a lot of trapped souls in there. Don’t talk to anyone but each other, much less look at a stranger. Do I make myself clear?”
The valkyries looked at one another, considering whether this was a good idea or not, but then Lilja nodded, giving the go ahead.
I never realized how dangerous Limbo could be for someone who didn’t know how to travel through it. Just being able to see clearly was hard, add the murmurs of the lost souls crying out, and anyone could go mad in there. I wonder how Odin was doing.
I stuck my hand through the tree. “Okay, Fen, you go first and wait for them on the other side.”
One by one they walked through the Yggdrasil until I was the only one left. I took a deep breath and then walked right on in. The others were waiting for me, and we were all encased in the gray fog, looking into the vast void of Limbo. Doors to the multiple realms were scattered throughout, and we had to make our way and find Jötunheimr.
“This is incredible,” Mia breathed as she looked around.
“We’re not here to sightsee,” Fen cut in to her thoughts. “We have business to take care of. So let’s get a move on.”
He led the way, and the moans of the lost souls grew the deeper we went. Even though we weren’t sightseeing, I pointed out the different realms and was most excited when we passed Valhalla.
“It looks exactly how I imagined it would,” Selena grinned. The other two, Lola and Maggie, agreed, and they started an animated conversation about it.
We traveled for quite some time before we got to Jötunheimr—the world of the giants—and the door was not what I expected it to be. Or maybe it should have been. It was roughly twenty feet tall and made of a dark oak.
“How the hell are we going to push this open?” Mia asked as she craned her neck. “Even if we all push, there’s no way we’re cracking this thing.”
“We don’t need to open it.” Fen smirked. “It’s why it’s best to travel with a valkyrie.” He looked at me and grinned slyly. I remembered when he and his sister double-crossed me to enter the fae realm. We probably weren’t thinking the same thing.
“We can pass through?” Selena raised a brow.
I nodded. “Just like I passed my hand through the Yggdrasil, I can do the same in any of these doors and walk through—any of them besides Valhalla that is.” I winced. “You can as well. Why don’t you try this time?”
Selena shook her head and held up her hands in surrender. “No, no, I couldn’t. Lilja, why don’t you do it?”
The Viking-looking valkyrie stepped up like she was going into battle and held out her hand to me.
“Clear your mind,” I told Lilja. “You have to be completely relaxed. Now I want you to pass through the barrier. But remember, your mind has to be clear.” It was always the hardest part for me because I’m constantly thinking, and when I was under the influence, it was worse.
Lilja’s eyes were laser focused on the wooden door, and I could see the tension in her shoulders. Her mind might be blank, but she was concentrating too hard. When her hand made contact, it bounced off the door.
“Dammit!” she yelled.
I chuckled. “Did you expect to get it on the first try?”
“Probably,” Mia snickered, and the others laughed.
Lilja glared at them, and I waved them off. “Look, it’s not easy. I’ve been doing this for centuries, and I still struggle with it, so don’t beat yourself up. Now try again.”
She tried and tried, but I was full of patience, while Fen was definitely not. I wanted to teach them everything they were capable of doing, but maybe now wasn’t the right time.
Lilja was sweating as she kept trying. Finally, I put a hand on her shoulder. “Maybe we should table this for another time.”
“I can do this!” she yelled. “Just let me keep trying.”
“We don’t have time for you to keep trying,” Fen said none too kindly. “Raven, please let us through.”
I stuck my hand through the door, and it was like an illusion shattered. The filter covering the entrance shimmered and became translucent. Without waiting for me to say anything, Fen walked right on through. The others followed, and Lilja was the last to go before me. I could see the frustration in her face. She was the perfectionist types. Boy was she in for a hard time because these skills were not learned overnight.
When we entered Jötunheimr, it was all valleys and mountains. Where we were it was springtime and sunny, but in the far distance we could see snow-filled mountains covered in darkness. The contrast was mind-boggling.
“This is odd,” Fen murmured as he rubbed at his bottom lip.
“What’s up?” I walked toward him.
“There’s no one here.” He spun around and surveyed the area. “There’s usually at least one person guarding the entrance.”
“Could this be a trap?” Mia asked, her senses on high alert.
“Possibly.” Fen’s eyes were moving a mile a minute. “We need to move. Get out of the open.”
We hustled out of the area as quickly as possible and took cover in the forest. Trees as high as the Yggdrasil covered the land, and when I looked up to see the tops of them, it was overwhelming. The deeper into the forest we went, the more disoriented I got.
“I hope you know where you’re going,” I told Fen because I had no clue.
“We have to get to the river,” he said as he led us through the forest with expertise. “Ther
e should be someone there managing the boats. We’ll take one straight to my mother’s place.”
Quietly, we moved in case someone was following us—not so much a giant because that would be noticeable, but maybe one of Hel’s hellhounds. If she really had infiltrated the lands, then nowhere was safe. It was difficult to walk silently with the needle-covered path, but we made it work. I took in a deep breath, and it must have rained recently because I could still smell it in the air.
It was about two miles from where we had entered Jötunheimr until we saw the pier lined with small rowing boats. There was a run-down shack beside it that was huge, but overall the place was a ghost town beside the thumping sounds of the boats hitting one another against the current. It was quite eerie to be honest.
“Fen, this isn’t looking too good,” I whispered as we waited hidden in the tree lines.
“Just wait here,” he said. “I’ll go see if anyone is around.”
I grabbed his arm before he took another step. “Are you crazy, crazy? It’s obvious no one is here. Something is going on around these parts, and it’s got Hel’s stink all over it.”
“Then what do you want to do? Hide here forever? Someone has to go see.”
I bit my lip and scanned the area. He was right, I knew that, but I just didn’t want him to go. “Look over there.” I pointed to the boat at the end of the pier. “It’s the only one that’s motorized. Let’s just take it and go.”
“Raven,” Fen said my name sternly. “We have to go see who’s inside the shack.”
“I’ll go,” Maggie volunteered and pushed past the others to the front of the tree line. “If we wait for you two to stop bickering, it’ll be nightfall.”
Before I could stop her, she walked out into the open. Hesitantly at first, but when nothing happened, she walked more confidently toward the shack. The massive door was cracked open, so she slipped inside and disappeared. My stomach was in knots wondering what was inside and if she was okay. I rolled my eyes as I thought, when did I start caring so damn much? All of these emotions I suddenly had were always considered a weakness for valkyries. I was angry at first for having them, but since when did I not mind? Having Charlie and Will kidnapped really changed me, that was for sure.
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