“I wish Hromundr had killed me along with Helgi, then,” Kara said quietly, forlorn at the prospect of losing Helgi with such finality.
“Please, Kara, hear me out,” Freya implored and Kara raised her eyes now brimming with tears and gazed at the goddess.
“There is nothing you can say that will alleviate my pain.”
“Ah, but there is,” Freya said with a smile. “Odin has worked his own magic in the matter. You and Helgi may never be reborn again. However, Odin has lifted the normal curse placed on those who enter Valhalla to serve as warriors during the end times. It is not normally done. In fact, it has so infrequently been performed that many do not even realise the magic is even possible.” A small bloom of hope started to grow as Freya continued. “However, occasionally Odin will see fit to perform the magic that frees the warriors of losing their memories. Instead, Helgi will be able to remember his previous life. In particular, he will remember you and all of your lives. Helgi will be able to live with you each night as if he were still alive. And, considering you are a Valkyrie and Helgi is now a sacred Ragnarok warrior, you can go on existing in this manner for as long as you please.”
Kara’s breath hitched in her throat as she processed Freya’s words. Could she be dreaming, she wondered. Perhaps, she was dead and this was some sort of cruel joke her mind had conjured up rather than acknowledge a life without Helgi once more.
She looked around at her sisters, all of them smiled down at her and felt the twinge of her own smile forming. She fought the urge to join in, not truly believing that her happiness could be restored. However, there was no fighting it and the smile erupted on her face. Her sisters clapped their hands and chuckled in response.
Kara sat up quickly as the realisation of her new life sunk in.
“So, where is he now?” she asked excitedly. Helgi was here, in Valhalla, and they could finally be together without any conflict.
“Kara?”
A sob burst from her throat as she heard Helgi’s voice.
“Helgi!” Kara pushed herself upwards, trying to stand, desperate to run to her destiny. However, her body was still weak from its ordeal and she swayed as she stood. Helgi rushed forward and grabbed Kara before she collapsed back onto the bed.
Great tears of joy rolled down her face and, as Helgi kissed Kara, they mingled with his own tears.
Their kisses were fervent and Kara didn’t care who was present, who witnessed their desperate embrace for Helgi was finally hers and there was nothing in all of Valhalla and Midgard that could prevent that.
***
If you enjoyed this book, please make sure to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. A long review is not needed, just by adding a short sentence or two can help other potential readers find this book.
REFERENCES
Have you enjoyed this book and are curious to find out more about the Valkyries and the culture they came from? Below is the list of books I have used in my research into the Vikings.
When one starts to delve into the history of the Vikings, it seems there are only a few major sources. However, myriad resources, as well as various translations and scholarly tomes and articles, delve into various stories involving the Valkyries.
Where possible, I have included links to electronic versions of these resources so you can directly access these resources from your electronic device. Many, being so old, fall outside of copyright, so are freely accessible.
Quite often, I have linked to the scanned copy of the document or book on Archive.org, which will offer various formats to either view or download the item. Archive.org is an online resource where out of copyright books, documents, letters, video, etc. have been scanned, uploaded and, where required, digitalised, by Google so that people can access these resources easily.
Project Gutenberg is another online resource aiming to bring out of copyright manuscripts within the reach of everyone. If you prefer to use this resource, you can simply visit Gutenberg.org and start searching.
Where I have not been able to directly link to online sources of these documents, I have included a link to the item on ISBNsearch.org so readers can find places to purchase copies as required through various reputable outlets. When all else fails, I have linked directly to the publisher.
Anglo Saxon Chronicle. Edited from the translation in Monumenta Historica Britannica and Other Versions by the Late J. A. Giles D C.L. New Edition. (1914). London G. Bell and Sons, Ltd.
Danish History Books I-X, The. Grammaticus, S. (2016). Perennial Press This edition includes the original copy of the Gesta Danorum from the version available free online at the Gutenberg Project that has been translated by Oliver Elton (Norroena Society, New York, 1905) and edited, proofed, and prepared by Douglas B. Killings.
Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson, The. Thorpe, B. (translated) (1906). Norroena Society. This edition has been translated by Paul Murray, Stephen Schulze, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team and is available on the Gutenberg Project.
Icelandic Sagas. These sources are many and varied. The best place to start researching this source is probably the website, Icelandic Saga Database. It must be noted, however, that not all of the sagas listed on this website are available in English.
Norse Mythology. Gaiman, N. (Great Britain, 2017). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings, The. Haywood, J. (1995). Swanston Publishing Limited.
Poetic Edda, The. Bellows, H. (translated) (New York, 1923) The American-Scandinavian Foundation.
Prose Edda, The. Sturluson, S., Gilchrist, A. (1916). Brodeur.
Saga of the Volsungs, The. Bylock, J. (translated). (United States, 1990). Penguin Classics.
Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok, The. Waggoner, B. (Connecticut, 2009). The Troth.
Viking Poetry of Love and War. Jesch, J. (2013). The British Museum Press.
Women in Old Norse Society. Jochens, J. (1995). Cornell University Press.
Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson. Blackwell, I.A. (translated) (1906). Norroena Society. This edition has been translated by Paul Murray, Stephen Schulze, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team and is available on the Gutenberg Project.
OTHER BOOKS BY RACHEL TSOUMBAKOS
Curse of the Valkyries (Valkyrie Secrets #2)
The Unnamed Warrior (Valkyrie Secrets # 1)
Vikings: The Truth about Thora and Ragnar (Viking Secrets #5)
Vikings: The Trouble with Ubbe’s Mother (Viking Secrets #4)
Vikings: The Truth about Aslaug and Ragnar (Viking Secrets #3)
Vikings: The Truth about Lagertha and Ragnar (Viking Secrets #2)
Ragnar and the Women Who Loved Him (Viking Secrets #1)
Emeline and the Mutants
The Ring of Lost Souls
Metanoia
Unremembered Things
Zombie Apocalypse Now!
COMING SOON
War of the Valkyries (Valkyrie Secrets #4)
Make sure you sign up for my newsletter to find out when the next book in this series is due for release. You can do so here: bit.ly/RachelNL. By joining my newsletter, you can also download for free Book #1 in the Viking Secrets series, Ragnar and the Women Who Loved Him.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel Tsoumbakos has had several articles published through mainstream magazines and currently writes extensively for The Inquisitr.
Over the years, Rachel has been interested in many aspects of history. When studying a Library Studies diploma, she discovered just how much she enjoyed researching and has since used these skills in several of her novels. However, it was her work with The Inquisitr that brought her into the world of the Vikings and she has spent several years delving into the sagas of this culture as well as the history of the Viking Age.
Rachel lives with her husband, two kids, three cats and a flock of chickens in the idyllic Yarra Ranges located near Melbourne, Australia. When she isn’t writing, she is working on her cardio as she trains for the zombie apocalyp
se.
Find Rachel online:
Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Rachel-Tsoumbakos/e/B004Q2IRR6
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/rtsoumbakos
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/#!/mrszoomby
Blog:
www.racheltsoumbakos.wordpress.com
The Breaker of Curses (Valkyrie Secrets Book 3) Page 7
