by S. T. Bende
“What about the new bows? The mechanized ones?” Derga’s brother, Dagfir asked.
“The crossbows?” Ingrid turned to me. “How many have been produced?”
“A lot,” I said. “Would you feel comfortable firing them?”
“Absolutely.” Dagfir nodded. “I’m a half-decent shot, but with the right training . . .”
“Got it.” I scanned the warriors sitting around me. “How many of you think you could get comfortable with a mechanized bow?”
Every single Viking raised their hand.
“I’ll go get the crossbows,” Ingrid offered.
“Then I’ll set up the targets.” I grinned at my friend. No matter how I felt about Valkyris’ mutton stew and lack of coffee, I could always count on my clansmen to rise to a challenge.
I could only hope that unconquerable spirit would be enough to save our lives.
When the call to arms came, Valkyris was ready.
Our team of destroyers had been fully prepped to take on any threat—including the undead. All twelve of them had mastered the crossbow, and were capable of igniting and firing flaming arrows in a matter of seconds. We still didn’t know what exactly Bjorn would be bringing to battle, but we were fully prepared to stave off attackers susceptible to combustion. If the enemy was fireproof, well, we’d have to resort to plan B—an älva-enchanted flood ball, conceived by Derga and fully capable of flushing out threats via tidal-wave force. The makers were only able to craft two balls, so we’d have to make sure we used them at just the right time.
The time for maximum killing.
The knowledge that we were going to take—and lose—lives weighed heavy on my heart. Before I’d come to Valkyris, I’d never ended a life or been forced to defend someone else’s. It wasn’t something I’d even imagined, much less a reality I’d ever get used to. But here, it was kill or be killed. Lives were going to end, no matter how much I wished it could be otherwise. And I wasn’t about to let anything happen to the people I loved.
Even if it meant living in morality’s grey zone.
Ingrid and I were wiping down our swords after an early-morning destroyer workout when Erik finally gave the command. “Saga. Ingrid. It’s go time.”
I looked up from where I sat cross-legged, sword and cloth in my lap. Erik’s jaw was set, his eyes narrowed in determination. This was it—the hour we’d been training for.
It was time to go to war.
I threw the cloth on the ground, pushed myself to my feet, and pulled a dagger from the wall. With a blade in each hand, I turned to face Erik. “I’m ready.”
“Me too.” Ingrid stood beside me, twin swords in her palms. Over the past week, she’d perfected the art of using two long blades, spinning them simultaneously with enough speed that they amounted to twin death-shields. I was very glad she was on our team.
“Ingrid, tell the destroyers to meet you at the dock,” Erik ordered. “Saga, grab your gear and meet me in the Dragehus. I want everyone headed to Valkyris East within the hour.”
“Got it.” Ingrid jogged toward the door. Just before she reached it she turned around, ran back to me, and dropped her swords before enveloping me in a hug.
“Oof! What’s that for?” I asked.
“For being my friend.” She spoke into my hair. “And for getting me out of Bjorn. Thanks for sending Axel after us . . . even if he is an enormous pain in the butt.”
I laughed. “I love you. You know that?”
“I love you too.” She pulled back, holding me at arm’s length while she stared me down. “Keep yourself alive out there, ja?”
A smile tugged at my lips. “Right back at you.”
Without another word, Ingrid picked up her swords and jogged out of the training room. I gave Erik a tight nod, shoved my blades in my belt and followed her out.
“What about your parents?” I asked him.
“My mother will stay here and run operations from Valkyris. There’s a chance our defenses may be breached, and if that’s the case we’re going to need our general on the ground. My father’s coming to Valkyris East with me.”
“Please be careful,” I urged him.
“I always am. I’d be concerned about you . . .” Erik looked down at me as we jogged across the field. “. . . but I have every confidence you can take care of yourself.”
God, I loved him.
When we parted ways, I wove through the castle’s crowded hallways. I picked up my pace when I reached the stairs, full-out running once I rounded the landing and hit the corridor to my suite. I was so focused on my destination that I nearly crashed into Helene as she darted out of her room.
“Look out!” I swerved, narrowly avoiding my friend. My shoulder collided with a wall, and Helene reached out to steady me.
“Are you okay?”
“Just a bruise.” I shook it off.
“Is it true?” Helene closed her door behind her. “Is Bjorn attacking?”
“They will be.” I glanced at the bag in her hand. “Did you get called out, too?”
“I’ll be in the triage unit on Valkyris East. Odin forbid, but if you get hurt, I’ll be there to take care of you.”
“Thanks.” I pulled Helene in for a hug. “Stay safe.”
“You too. Now go. My cousin’s probably waiting on you.”
“He is.” I raised a hand as Helene darted down the hall. “Good luck!”
“You too!” she called back.
When she’d disappeared, I opened my door and grabbed the travel bag I’d packed the day we got home from our final conversion mission. We hadn’t known when this day would come, but we’d known that when it did, we’d need to act fast.
All of our lives depended on it.
It only took me a minute to do a sweep of my room, making sure I hadn’t left anything vital behind. Then I raced back through the castle, across the field, and to the Dragehus. There, I found Erik, Halvar, Axel, and the rest of the riders preparing for takeoff. Nets were loaded with weapons, rations, and first-aid kits. Riders suited up for flight, while handlers prepped the dragon’s personal supply bags and checked wings for injuries. The entire building buzzed with purposeful activity, but instead of projecting anxiety, my Viking family appeared to be in their element. War may have been upon us, but we were ready.
Nothing would stop us from protecting our home.
The flight to Valkyris East was rough. Wind buffeted us from the west, shifting our dragons off-course and forcing us to land farther out than we’d intended. By the time we hiked the half-mile uphill to the settlement, my legs wobbled, my chest burned, and the few bits of skin I’d left exposed were icy and raw.
It was going to be one of those days.
We regrouped as a unit before setting up camp on the outskirts of the settlement. Our warriors, the destroyers, and the Shieldmaiden Squadron would need a gathering spot once they arrived, and we wanted to give them a safe place to suit up in the event Bjorn arrived before they did.
God willing, they wouldn’t walk straight into battle.
Once we’d established a base, Erik and Halvar headed into the colony to assess their readiness while Axel and I took off with the rest of the riders. We spread out, circling the region and scanning the ground for threats. I steered Deathknell along the northern coastline, but the ocean was eerily vacant. Either our intel had been faulty, or Bjorn hadn’t made any allies in the north. But given everything I’d heard from the fishing clans, I knew that wasn’t possible. Which meant . . .
Oh, God.
I turned my dragon around and raced toward Valkyris East. I had to warn Erik before it was too late.
“Erik!” I screamed as Deathknell swooped low over the colony. “They’re already here! Get your teams into defensive formation and—”
A burst of light shot across the sky, driving Deathknell to the left. I threw myself against her neck and held tight as she spiraled downward. Heat singed my back, and as the sky spun in a dizzying vortex, I knew we’d narrowl
y escaped death.
And I knew we’d have to do it again.
Deathknell pulled up, hanging a sharp right as a second burst of light fired across our path. My dragon leveled off, giving me just enough time to look down. Valkyris East was alive with activity. Regiments of warriors gathered at the border, while remediation teams raced to extinguish the newly set fires. The roofs of two structures were already blazing, and a third had begun to smolder. I pulled Deathknell around, circling until I found the familiar, broad shoulders and wild hair of the Viking who owned my heart. He charged through the main path of the settlement, leading a group to the front lines.
“Erik!” I screamed.
He looked up, but didn’t break his stride.
“The shots came from the east!” I shouted. “I can’t see whether they came from a weapon or a dragon, but they were massive. And really well timed. Bjorn must have been waiting for us!”
“Be careful!” he called up.
“Don’t die,” I yelled back.
And although he was running at full speed, about to fight for his very existence, the corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile as he shouted, “You too!”
God, I loved that Viking.
When another fireball pierced the sky, I swung Deathknell around and headed south. The rest of the riders should have been finishing their scans, which meant it was time to regroup and go on the offensive. As I neared the meeting point, I spotted four dragons already on the ground. Two more were coming from the east, and another handful approached from the south. But Axel’s dragon was conspicuously absent. Which either meant he was still scouting, or—
“Axel’s in trouble.” A green, horned dragon touched down on the rocks, its red-haired rider breathless from her announcement. I grounded Deathknell nearby. “His dragon went down just south of the nearest watch hut. I circled back to retrieve him, but there was fire raining across the sky—it was too dangerous.”
“Fire raining? Flaming arrows, fire, or something bigger?” I asked.
“Something bigger,” the rider said. “Much bigger. I’ve never seen fireballs so large.”
Skit.
I dug my heels into Deathknell’s side. She shifted, readying for launch. “Where exactly did Axel go down?”
“That way.” The rider pointed. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“No. I can take care of Axel. Fire’s already reached Valkyris East, so protecting the settlement should be the priority.” I scanned the riders now circled around me. “Half of you should try to find the source of the flames and take it out—at the moment, it’s causing the greatest amount of damage. The other half should continue scouting for Bjorn’s troops. Let the ground commanders know what they’re dealing with, and where to direct their offenses.”
The red-haired rider nodded. “Okay. But I’ll keep eyes to the south. If you need help, have your dragon send the distress signal.”
“I will.” I nudged Deathknell again, and she charged across the rocks, extending her wings and taking to the sky. While we flew, I reached into my net and withdrew my bow and arrow. Despite what I’d told the riders, the fire rain had me worried. The blaze that had shot at me had been big—far bigger than a flaming arrow, or even a flaming cannon ball. I hadn’t seen whatever fired at me, but the only things I knew to be capable of flaming on that scale were dragons. And I did not want to be caught unprepared if an undead reptile lurked in the skies. Or worse, a magic wielder with ties to the dark side.
God, I hoped we were wrong about Bjorn’s mage.
Without warning, Deathknell angled her head, pulled in her wings, and dove. I pressed my torso against her neck as she lost altitude at a rate that left me completely devoid of breath. With the ground approaching at a terrifying speed, it took everything I had not to scream at her to pull up. If she’d found Axel, I didn’t want my voice to compromise his location.
But I did want my dragon to not kill me.
“Deathknell!” I hissed. “Please!”
She stretched her wings out, flapping twice before easing us to the ground. Her feet stepped silently across the dirt while I rolled out of the saddle and clutched my stomach.
“You’re going to kill me one of these days.”
She chuffed, nudging me with her head. I shifted unsteadily to my feet, and followed her sightline until I spotted the too-still lump lying on the ground, its long neck bent at an unnatural angle. Axel knelt beside the dragon, his forehead atop its unmoving chest.
No.
I ran toward my friend, Deathknell padding softly behind me.
“Axel,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“I can’t leave her here.” His words were muffled against the dragon’s side. “I won’t hand her over to Bjorn to . . .”
A low chuff from behind made me turn. Behind me, Deathknell stood with her head bowed to the ground, as if in mourning.
I reached back to run my palm along her neck, then turned my attention to Axel.
“Hey, it’s okay.” I knelt beside him. “We’ll come back for her. But right now, we need to get you to safety.”
Axel’s shoulders shook. My heart tugged—I’d never seen the assassin cry. But this was no time for emotion. Bjorn’s forces were close—possibly close enough to kill us. We needed to get out of the open.
“I’m sorry, Axel, but we’ve got to move.” The moment my fingertips grazed his shoulder, he pulled back.
“Right.” He wiped his nose on his sleeve. “Where can we hide the body?”
“I’m not sure we have time to—”
“We have to hide the body,” he pressed. “Saga, if they get their hands on another dragon there’s no telling what they’ll be able to do.”
He wasn’t wrong.
I turned to my dragon. “Do you think you can pull her to the ocean? I spotted a cave when we came in. We should be able to keep her hidden there for a while at least.”
Deathknell shifted so her side faced me. Assuming this was a yes, I reached into the net and rifled through until I found what we needed—a harness and a rope.
“Axel, loop this around your dragon and make sure it’s secure. I’ll hook the other end up to Deathknell.”
Axel met my gaze with red-rimmed eyes. “Thank you.”
“Any time,” I said.
And I meant it. I’d go to the ends of the earth for Axel, or Erik, or Ingrid, or any of my friends here. I wouldn’t let them down. Not today. Not ever.
“We need to hurry,” I urged. “There’s a chance whoever took down your dragon knows where you are. And if they find us . . .”
“Done.” Axel stood as he finished tying the rope.
I pointed to the west. “Deathknell, we’ll follow you to the ocean.”
My dragon marched determinedly forward. When she strained beneath the weight of her charge, Axel and I fell back.
“You take the left flank, I’ll take the right,” he offered.
“On it.” I placed my hands on the deceased dragon’s hindquarters and pushed. My throat tightened as my palms pressed against the cold, lifeless scales of the mystical creature. Until recently, I’d thought dragons existed only in storybooks. To have lost something so majestic, even something I’d only known existed for a few short months . . . the pain weighed heavily on my heart.
Progress was slow going, but eventually we reached the ocean. After maneuvering the dragon into the cave, Axel and I climbed on Deathknell’s back and flew toward Valkyris East. On the way, I briefed him on our status.
“Troops from our island should have arrived by now—they were about to dock when I came for you, so hopefully they’re already on the ground and moving on Bjorn’s forces. The riders split into two teams—one to identify and remove whatever’s causing fireballs to rain down on the colony, and the other to locate Bjorn’s forces and alert our warriors as to their whereabouts.”
“What about the undead army?” Axel held tight to my waist.
“I don’t know. And I don’t know if Bj
orn’s dragon is here, either—though my guess is it’s got something to do with the fireballs.” I angled Deathknell slightly inland. “Either way, Ingrid’s team will take care of the problem. They’re well trained, and well prepared, and—”
“Well outnumbered. Look.” Axel pointed to the line of boulders just south of Valkyris East. Row upon row of stiff-moving soldiers marched on the settlement, each carrying a flaming axe in one hand, and a shield in the other.
“What the hell are those?” I whispered.
“Where is Ingrid’s team?” Axel ground out. “That’s who they came here to fight.”
Skit.
I whipped my head around, scanning the ground until I spotted the destroyers. They’d docked at our base camp, but they must not have located the undead—they were running uphill toward Valkyris East.
“Circle around!” I redirected Deathknell so she flew toward the colony. When we were near enough to be heard, I shouted at my friend. “Ingrid! They’re due south—near the boulder line! They have flaming axes and shields, and that’s all we know so far.”
“It’s plenty!” Ingrid called up. She turned to her troops, and began issuing commands. When I glanced over my shoulder, Axel’s eyes gleamed with admiration, and a light smile played along his lips. But before I could tease him, another shout drew my attention.
“The front line is down. We need more troops!”
As if on instinct, Deathknell flew higher. My spine stiffened as I caught my first full look at Valkyris East. Fireballs rained from the sky, one after another, pelting our settlement in a relentless wave of terror. The few buildings that weren’t lit up were surrounded by Valkyris warriors, each of whom battled an axe-wielding foe. Bodies littered the pathways between structures, and the clang of clashing weapons blended with the odor of burning flesh as wave upon wave of Clan Bjorn allies bore down on our people. Our riders fired flaming arrows on the approaching troops, struggling to slow the onslaught. Black smoke filled the air, filtering out the sun and casting the earth in an other-worldly glow.
