Fury of a Viking (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Book 4)

by Sky Purington

  “No. Absolutely not.” Matthew frowned. “We are deep in enemy territory now, and a Sigdir dragon will be known the minute it shifts.”

  “Deep in enemy territory?” Kodran muttered and eyed the thick, barren forest and endless mountains. “It feels abandoned, Cousin. Desolate.”

  “Yet I know what you saw over these very mountains when Shannon shifted into Helheim. Many dragons,” he murmured. “Was it a war party? Was it of this century or another?” His eyes slid to Kodran. “You should have told me right away. Why didn’t you?”

  “Because it was unsettling,” Kodran said. “Because I wasn’t sure if my mind was playing tricks on me.”

  “Yet you at least saw the same two dragons as Shannon but said nothing,” he said. “You let us stay beneath that tree for half the day and said nothing.” His eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  The look in Kodran’s eyes was different, almost glazed, before he shook his head. “I do not know.” When his eyes met Matthew’s, his cousin spoke from the heart. He absolutely believed his own words. “I just knew you were safe. That both you and Shannon were very safe.”

  Matthew contemplated that as the night wore on. Why would they have been safe considering the enemy was so close, and hundreds of dragons had been passing over? That only made sense if it were a different day and age and not part of their reality at all. Which he supposed was likely considering Shannon felt the female dragon might have been Maeva.

  “How do you know with any certainty, though?” Shannon whispered into his mind, evidently following his thoughts. “What if the enemy was tricking us somehow? What if he was watching us?”

  She was right. Those were important things to consider.

  He realized as she fled his mind as swiftly as she entered it, that she was quickly becoming his voice of reason. Someone right there not only to support him but contradict him. Someone who complimented him.

  Enhanced him.

  As they traveled, the way became steeper and the paths slicker, but it was nothing compared to the southbound side. Even so, he was glad Sven and Kodran took turns carrying Emily on their backs. Shannon traveled well and sometimes even walked alongside him and chatted. He liked the time they spent together.

  “I was born and raised in upstate Vermont,” she said during one of those conversations. She shrugged and shot him a wry grin. “So though this climate’s a bit rougher here it’s nothing my daughter and I can’t handle.” She winked. “At least not yet.”

  “It is good you have a positive way of seeing things.” He softened his voice. “Have you always? Considering what you do…that you help spirits pass on.”

  He had caught glimpses of her thoughts but always did his best to back away. It wasn’t all that hard. If he focused, he could dim her within his mind. Perhaps because he was a repressed dragon or maybe because she hadn’t fully embraced hers.

  “I don’t think I was always as positive as I could have been. Not when I was younger and trying to deal with spirits. Honestly, sometimes I just wanted a break from them.” Her voice stayed low, likely so that Emily didn’t hear. “When mom died, I started to change. Dealing with her spirit forced me to embrace a level of compassion I had lacked before. Not only that but I started to notice how much better ghosts responded to positive energy. They tune in to its frequency well, and it helps them transition better.” She grinned. “It feels better on my end too.”

  “I’m glad you found a better way to handle your ability.” His eyes met hers. “Did you find the same contentment elsewhere?” He knew he should stop, but this had been weighing on his mind. “Were you happy?” Matthew cleared his throat. “Did you find happiness with Anthony considering all you take on?” He tried to put it into words. Something he and Sigrunn had always struggled at. They cared for one another, loved, but true passion had never been theirs. Not like what he had felt earlier with Shannon. “Did you share a satisfying connection?”

  “Yes,” Shannon said quicker than he expected. She nodded at him in thanks as he helped her up a small incline. “We were happy.”

  Yet he got the feeling they weren’t as happy as they could have been based on the silence that followed. Minutes later, she continued speaking but within his mind. “You were there at the chalet when Erica showed up so you know that there might’ve been something going on between her and Anthony. Is that why you asked me that?”

  “No,” he replied, but he supposed he might have been hedging. “I’m sorry, Shannon. I only asked because with your gift you deal with a lot. Hardship. Sadness. A life nobody could imagine, human or dragon.” His eyes met hers again. “I hope that somewhere in all that you found genuine happiness. And I hope you found it with your family.”

  Shannon clenched her jaw and nodded once. Yet again she offered no response, but he was starting to understand that was her way. If she wasn’t helping others, dead or alive, she felt bereft. Having someone concerned about her life wasn’t what she was used to. She cared for others no matter who or what they were. That was her comfort zone, and he respected it.

  They didn’t speak much after that. He did his best to keep his mind off of her, and on what lay ahead. He fingered the dagger at his waist, still curious how Emily had ended up with it. And why both she and Håkon dreamt about it. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that considering what an important role it seemed to be playing in all of this.

  He offered to carry Emily at one point so they could discuss it further and to simply spend time with her but she said no. He understood her rejection, but that didn’t make it any easier. It had done his heart wonders to find her curled up between him and Shannon when they woke. He had forgotten what that felt like. To have a child cuddled against him. The warmth of feeling like he was part of a family again. He flinched and scowled. He was part of a family and could have had Håkon next to him every night for the past two years just like he had before that. He had no one to blame but himself.

  “A storm comes, Uncle,” Sven said, joining him. “Will we continue traveling outside?”

  Matthew shook his head. “No.” He eyed the sky. Dark, soupy clouds were blocking the moon and rolling down the tall mountain bluffs. “I know another way. We will travel within the mountains again.”

  Sven nodded. “Do you wish for me to start hunting?”

  “No, Kadlin will,” he replied. “I want you to stay close to Emily at all times.”

  It was also his way of keeping Sven somewhat out of harm’s way. At least for now.

  Having heard him, Kadlin nodded and veered off the path. She would hunt then track them to wherever they ended up. He would have sent Kodran, but he worried that his cousin might decide to shift after all.

  He was just steering them down a side path when the air grew unnaturally cold, and the world brightened. This time everyone seemed to be in Helheim, but none seemed the wiser besides Shannon and Cameron. Matthew drew his blade as something materialized beside her. At first, it was fuzzy, but soon took the shape of a man. Tall, with dark hair, it was the same man he had seen within her mind.

  Anthony.

  “What is it, Cousin?” Kodran said, drawing his weapon as well.

  “It’s okay,” Shannon whispered into Matthew’s mind. “You don’t need a weapon. Just keep walking, so he doesn’t have too many people focused on him. He’s in one of his confused states so the less attention, the better.”

  When he felt her distress, he reluctantly sheathed his dagger and told Kodran all was well. He explained that he thought he heard something but was mistaken. As they continued, he decided to fall in behind Shannon after giving his cousin instructions about where to go. He needed to keep an eye on things. Mainly, Anthony, to make sure he really was who she said he was.

  At first, the spirit only drifted alongside her. There was no missing its sadness or the heaviness in the air. At least not for him. Everyone else seemed fine. Yet he knew Shannon wasn’t. He could feel it in every part of her. How hard she tried to keep her emotions level and calm for
the benefit of her deceased husband. Not only that but for everyone else, especially Emily.

  He couldn’t imagine living like this. Not with someone he cared so much about haunting him. But then he had been living this very life, hadn’t he? Just in an unknowing way. In an unhealthy, confused way.

  Until now.

  Until Shannon had come into his life and started helping him. Because that was exactly what she was doing. Helping him just like she helped everyone else.

  “Where is Emily now?” Anthony asked Shannon. “I saw her earlier, but now she’s vanished.” He shook his head. “I made sure she was safe, but I can’t remember where that was or who I sent her to.” His worried eyes remained on Shannon. “Do you know who I sent her to? Was it you?”

  “I can’t talk right now,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”

  Matthew knew it was because she was worried about her daughter. If nothing else was clear at the moment, Emily couldn’t see or hear her father. But why? When she could earlier? He imagined it was probably for the best considering Anthony’s confused state.

  He couldn’t help but wonder if the ghost was babbling about coming to Emily when she had been sleeping and telling her it was okay to sleep next to Matthew.

  “And where’s your sister?” Anthony continued. “Where is Erica?” There was no missing the angst in his voice. “I just saw her now I can’t find her.”

  Matthew frowned against the influx of emotions Shannon felt at that. Sadness. Heartache. Loneliness. Betrayal. He wanted to pull her into his arms and take it all away. More than that, he wanted to battle Anthony until the man saw what a fool he’d been.

  “Please put me down, Sven,” Emily suddenly said, cutting into his thoughts.

  Matthew stopped short when Emily headed his way with narrowed eyes. “You better not, Matthew or I swear.”

  When he looked at her with confusion, she pointed a dagger at him and narrowed her eyes even further. “You have no right to think those thoughts about my daddy. Not when he was so nice to you earlier.”

  “How did you manage to get my dagger off me without me knowing?” Sven muttered with amusement as he patted his side then eyed Emily.

  Meanwhile, Matthew took note of how much Emily evidently caught his thoughts now. He would have to be more careful.

  “Emily.” Shannon frowned and headed her way, but it was too late. She already had the point of the dagger against his leg.

  “Put that down, Emily,” Shannon said. “Right this minute.”

  “Well?” Emily asked, as she ignored her mother and glared up at him. “Why do you want to battle and hurt my daddy? Hasn’t he already been hurt enough?”

  Matthew met Shannon’s eyes and shook his head, urging her to stay back. Better to embrace this as another chance to teach the little girl. So he eyed the knife. “You have positioned that blade in a very good spot. I’m impressed,” he conceded as his eyes stayed with hers. “But have you thought through what will happen if you let your emotions take over and use it right now? Have you considered what will happen to me?”

  “I’ll hurt you.” Emily notched her chin. “And you won’t ever want to battle my daddy again.”

  “First off, you should consider what you will feel like after hurting me. It might make you feel worse than you think,” Matthew said. “Secondly, you should consider not only your own safety in this dangerous land but your mother’s and everyone else’s. Only I know the way and where it might be safest. So what good would it really do you to wound me right now?” Then he gave her the cold hard truth despite her young age. “Because the sort of damage you could do would make me bleed slowly until I could no longer travel. Then eventually, I would go to sleep and not wake.”

  Emily considered him, her tone not quite as intense. “Are you pleading for your life then?”

  “Are you threatening it?”

  The little girl mulled it over and eyed him for longer than he expected before she lowered the blade and said, “Why did you think those things about Daddy?”

  He suddenly felt more at dagger-point than he had moments before. While tempted to tell Emily her father was drifting around her mother, lost, confused and worried about where Erica was, he would never do that. She should envision her father how she remembered him. The man he once was. The man he seemed to be when he visited her. So he went with something that he hoped might make sense no matter how uncomfortable it made him.

  “My thoughts were those of a male dragon not used to being around a female dragon,” he managed, clearing his throat. “We can get very…territorial. Even if the person who makes us feel that way is not here at the moment.”

  Emily’s eyes remained narrowed as they went between him and Shannon. “You know I’m one of her soul mates too, right?”

  Surprised by the strange answer, he kept his expression serious and nodded. “I would expect nothing less.”

  Emily cocked her head and again considered him. “I’m a female dragon too. Does that mean you get,” she cleared her throat on purpose to mimic him, “territorial of me as well?”

  Matthew ignored Kodran’s chuckle and nodded. “Yes, I feel very protective of you, Emily.” He narrowed his eyes to match her expression. “But I think you already know that, don’t you?”

  It appeared she appreciated his bluntness because she nodded once, spun on her heel and headed Sven’s way. When his eyes met Shannon’s, she wore a small smile of approval before her eyes saddened and she refocused on Anthony. He remained in a state of confusion that only seemed to be increasing as he continued to ask not about her or Emily but Erica. Where was she? He had just seen her at the apartment. He needed to see her again.

  “It’s okay,” she said into Matthew’s mind. “Please just lead the way. He’ll be fading soon.”

  Matthew nodded, and though he hurt for her and wanted to help, he did as she asked and resumed leading them. As they traveled, the world grew duller, so he knew they were on Midgard again. By the time he glanced back, Anthony was gone. As he looked ahead and kept walking, he spoke within her mind.

  “Are you all right, Shannon?”

  “Yes,” she replied. “Just reminded once again that I didn’t heed my mother’s warning.”

  “You must remain curious why she said that. Why she warned you.”

  “Not really. Not considering my ability and how susceptible I might be to the land of the dead,” Shannon responded. “She was insistent. It was clear she knew something I didn’t. Now, in light of everything happening, I see how right she was.”

  “Perhaps,” he said. “But then if you had not called on the land of the dead then you would not be here now. And while I remain displeased that you and Emily are in harm’s way, I have been enjoying the time spent with both of you.”

  He sensed her pleasure at his words.

  “And I’m glad we’re here to help you find Håkon,” she replied.

  “Yes,” he agreed, still curious why Kjar had said only Emily could find him and then Hel insisted the little girl go on this journey.

  “Dad always said the Lord worked in mysterious ways,” Shannon said, following his thoughts.

  Her father was on her mind often. It was clear they had been close. “Did you help your father pass on too?”

  “Yes...sort of.” He felt her turbulent thoughts. “Like Mom, the way he passed on was different. They didn’t go to a light like other spirits do. They just sort of faded from my sight. Yet I didn’t sense anything bad. Just something larger than myself. Powerful. Maybe something waiting for me too...someday.”

  “Something waiting for you?” He wasn’t so sure he liked the sound of that.

  “Yeah, it was a little odd, but it didn’t frighten me,” she said. “I always assumed it was normal considering I was so much closer to them than any other spirits I helped.”

  “So you were not discomforted by it?”

  “Not at all,” she said. “In fact, after Dad vanished I heard him say, “I’ll see you again someday, little
light.”“

  Her thoughts twirled with his. “Because you had become the light at the end of his tunnel when you helped him cope with your mother’s death.”

  “Exactly,” she confirmed.

  It was a suiting nickname for her. He could attest to that considering how recently he had thought the very same thing about her.

  Soon after, Emily joined Shannon and began chatting, so they discontinued their conversation.

  About half an hour later they arrived at what appeared to be a dead end.

  “There is a certain way to enter this mountain,” Matthew said. “Everyone must pay close attention to the person in front of you because it will get very dark. When it’s time to jump, let go and jump. You will not get hurt.” His eyes met Emily’s. He had a plan that he hoped might help smooth over what had happened between them earlier. “Would you like to go right after me? If you do, it will feel like flying for the first time.”

  “Why is that?” She frowned, but he didn’t miss the spark of excitement in her eyes. “And why can’t Sven go first so I can fly with him?” Before Matthew had a chance to answer, her eyes went wide. “Will I finally become a dragon?”

  “No.” Matthew used a special tone he had with Håkon on occasion. A pitch designed to challenge and make her curious. “But very close.”

  Emily eyed him with uncertainty before she glanced at Sven. “What do you think?”

  Sven shrugged and grinned. “I think you should stay with Uncle Matthew. It sounds like a great adventure, does it not?”

  “It really does,” Emily murmured before she eyed Matthew again then finally nodded. “Okay, lead the way!”

  He expected Shannon to speak within his mind to make sure he wasn’t planning anything too dangerous but she didn’t. Instead, when their eyes met one last time, she offered another small smile. There was no worry in her eyes. She had absolute faith in him. And that meant more than she knew.

  “Come, Emily.” He held out his hand. “Let us go fly.”

  “All right.” She took his hand and glanced at Shannon. “Are you coming, Mama?”

  Shannon nodded. “I’m right behind you.”