Peter was screaming something at me, clutching his stump with a manic look in his eyes.
I paused to stare at him. He grunted, staring back at me. “Nate,” he whispered, eyeing me from head-to-toe. My illusion must have broken.
“Yup.”
Then I drew upon my magic and sent a blade of icy air at his remaining hand, slicing it off at the wrist as well. Blood spurted as he screamed in horror. He pressed the stumps against his thighs, screaming incoherently. I used a tendril of air to round up his hands and let them float at my side where he could see them. One of them still had the bracelet because I’d inadvertently severed it too high on Peter’s wrist.
Whoops.
“It was really nice seeing you again, Peter. We’ll have to do it again some time. Thanks for helping me find her. I don’t know what I would have done without your helping hands.”
Then I stepped through the Gateway, carrying my Valkyrie across the threshold and into my Armory where I knew I could keep her safe.
Her armor, my satchel, and Peter’s severed helping hands followed in my wake.
As did Peter’s desperate pleas.
The Gateway closed. Not open for mercy.
60
I entered the Armory to find Pandora frozen in place, staring at me with a mixture of relief and horror at my cargo. Prometheus leapt to his feet, his fists crackling with fire as he stepped between me and Pandora in a wary stance.
He saw Kára in my arms and reached out for her.
I snarled protectively and blasted him away with a thought, the air suddenly crackling with my raw magic, smelling like burnt ozone. The Titan blew through the solid stone wall and crashed into a distant room with a muttered curse. Dust hovered in the gloomy hole, and the Armory was utterly silent. “Hey, Nipple,” the Titan’s voice grumbled from within the darkness. “Thought you might be Zeus,” he said, coughing. “Congrats on getting rid of your illusion.”
I blinked. My illusion was gone. Right.
Pandora stared at me holding Kára and her composure cracked. “Oh, Nate,” she whispered sadly. Kára whimpered in delirious pain and Pandora let out a sharp sob of relief. I clenched my jaw as Kára’s cry hit me on a molecular level, my knees buckling and almost giving out. But I straightened them and set my shoulders determinedly. “About that hot tub…” I growled.
“Of course,” she whispered. “Follow me.”
I sensed other bodies in the room but I didn’t bother looking at them. “Put the hands on the mantle. Don’t touch the bracelet with your skin,” I added, dropping the hands on the ground with a bloody splat. Then I was carrying Kára after Pandora.
Pandora set a brisk pace—as fast as possible without actually running. My strides soon caught me up to her, urging her to go faster. “You’re covered in blood. Is it yours, or hers?” she asked as the door came into view.
“Yes.”
She tugged open the doors and I slipped into the balmy room, pausing before the hot tub.
Pandora dry-washed her hands anxiously, watching me. “Go on, my host. I’ll stand guard.”
“Her armor,” I rasped.
“It will not be harmed,” Pandora assured me. “Just step in—”
“She will need it when she wakes,” I said, using my magic to hold Kára in midair so I could let go—even though not a single fiber of my being wanted to break contact with her.
I kicked off my shoes and began tearing off my own clothes, staring at Kára’s chest to make sure her breathing did not change. As I kept my eyes on her and undressed myself, I used my magic to unclasp the rest of her armor while dropping the piece with the lighthouse etching. Dozens of tendrils of air lashed out of me like tentacles. The pieces fell from her body under their deft touch, but I caught them all with cushions of air before they struck the ground.
“Mustn’t scratch them,” I murmured as I tugged off my socks and poured more magic tendrils into the mix, carefully unstrapping harnesses, unlatching buckles, and setting them all in an orderly pile without breaking eye contact with Kára’s chest. There had to be a hundred fingers of air blowing about the room, now.
Pandora gawked, her hair whipping around from the frenzy of air stripping Kára down to her skin, until all that remained was her warskirt.
“She won’t want to fight in wet clothes,” I murmured, slipping out of the last of my clothes.
I used tendrils of air to carefully unbraid her hair as dozens more worked in concert to remove the last stitches of fabric from my Valkyrie.
My breath caught to see her hovering in the air like a warrior princess.
My hundred loving fingers of magic held her; she was safer than she had ever been, now, even though her numerous wounds spilled fresh blood onto the ground below her. I scooped her up in my arms, holding her close as I climbed up the steps towards the magical healing waters.
I hastily but cautiously descended through a wall of steam, staring at Kára’s lips and smiling anxiously as I carried her into the water, holding her close to my chest. She sighed as the water touched her toes, but as the water splashed over her wounds, she curled up against me with sharp whimpers and gasps of pain. I clutched her tighter until she stopped flinching and began to relax. Then I held her out to float before me, with only my hands supporting her, as I lowered myself until my eyes were just above water level and only inches from her most severe wound.
The hole in her side.
I stared, transfixed, as the flesh knitted closed. Within moments, it was finished, and I felt her body relax in my hands, floating on the pool’s surface. I drew closer, pressing my lips against the healed flesh of her ribcage and bit back a sob of relief. Her breathing was steadier as I rose up from the water, staring down at her.
My eyes swept over every inch of her body, every rise and valley, searching for wounds and making sure every last one had been healed by the water. Her long blonde hair fanned out behind her, the blood washed away as if it had never been. Her chest rose and fell without pain and her breathing was steady. Her fingers were no longer swollen and broken. Tears fell down my cheeks and I smiled at her.
“My Valkyrie,” I whispered. “You. Are. Mine.”
Kára looked…pure.
Peaceful.
Safe.
I let out a shuddering breath, hanging my head.
“All will be well, my host,” Pandora murmured from behind me. I glanced back to see her leaning her forearms on the lip of the pool, staring at Kára with an adoring smile. “You finally found her,” she whispered happily.
I nodded. “She found me first.”
“Let me put her to bed. You have work to do tonight.” She straightened, holding a thick robe out. “Well, don’t just stand there. Bring her over here,” she chastised in a stern tone.
I grunted. “Yes, ma’am.”
With my magic back under my control, we made short work of drying her off and getting the robe into place. I carried her to one of the Armory’s private bedrooms and tucked her into bed under a pile of furs, smiling as she breathed peacefully, recovering. I didn’t know how long she would sleep, but I knew the first thing she’d want to do would be to fight. No matter what anyone told her. They would be wise not to stand in an angry Valkyrie’s way.
And I agreed with her. I wanted her to fight by my side.
I had no right to ask her to do otherwise. And I knew her loyalty was unparalleled. On the other hand, she wouldn’t put up with any of my idiocy either. The perfect balance.
“I will not be able to slow time, but she will be safe,” Pandora said. I shot her a questioning look and she nodded. “Even with what you have planned, she will be safe,” she repeated in a firmer, resolute tone.
“Can you get my satchel for me? I left it in the hot tub room. And have someone clean off her armor. She will need it,” I repeated. “She didn’t have her trident…” I said, frowning.
Pandora nodded. “She left it here, Nate. Do not worry.” She left the room, and the only sound was Kára’s br
eathing.
I gestured with my hand and the fireplace ignited. I tied it off so that it would burn out once Kára left the room. A piece of me to keep her warm while she slept. Pandora returned and handed me the satchel. I pulled out a pen and paper, jotting down a quick note.
Find me.—Pharos.
I set it down on the side table and then placed one of Hermes’ golden coins on top. She would know what to do.
I had no time to wait for her. A little girl’s life might be on the line.
And my Horsemen would be gathering. It was time for war. And to kill a couple of gods. If I was lucky, I might have already thinned the ranks with my special delivery to Niflheim. But I wasn’t banking on it.
“Before you leave, you need to see Yahn,” Pandora said guardedly. “I will tell him you’re coming,” she said. “Say your goodbyes.”
I nodded, kneeling down beside the bed and resting my chin on the furs. Kára’s face was visible over the edge, burrowing her chin under the blankets with a faint moan. Her lips were slightly parted as she dozed. Some of her hair hung down over her cheek.
I used a light tendril of magic to carefully shift it back, smiling to myself. My magic had returned, and now that I knew Kára was safe, I was only just beginning to comprehend the significance of that, and how it would affect my initial plan. Kára had done that for me.
But she’d done something much more important.
“You gave me my heart back,” I whispered. “Sleep, my dear Valkyrie. When you wake, we will celebrate in a shower of ichor.”
It was a promise I intended to keep.
61
Yahn stood in the hallway, waiting for me. His nose was a shattered ruin and he had two black eyes to match. Being a shifter, I knew they would heal fairly soon.
“She’s okay, Yahn. Just resting,” he sagged, letting out a loud breath of relief. “What happened? Where did you all go?” I asked him, straightening my satchel over my shoulder and gesturing for him to walk with me back to the main area.
“I tried to stop her,” he said, in a stuffy tone, pointing at his broken nose. “Kára returned from the Vaults and freaked out about two seconds later, screaming at me to get everyone to the Armory. I threw down a Tiny Ball and she grabbed the pups by the scruffs of their necks and leapt through the moment the Gateway opened. The rest of us made it through just as someone blew down the door to the bar. Luckily, our Gateway winked shut before they pursued.”
“She came back for me,” I mused, smiling.
Yahn grunted. “After breaking my face for trying to stop her, yes.” I smirked absently, nodding. I spotted a freshly cleaned smear on the floor and cringed. Someone had already cleaned up the trail of Kára’s blood. “Kára knew you’d return to the bar and that you would be helpless without your magic.” He eyed my bare wrists with a smirk. “Prometheus said that was no longer an issue,” he said, dryly.
I winced. “He made a sudden movement,” I muttered. Yahn chuckled. “He was laughing about it. Kára didn’t even have confidence in all of us to defend ourselves, so she knew you’d be taken. She went back to try and intercept you.”
“I’d be dead if she hadn’t.” I looked over at him, dipping my chin. “Thank you for letting my Valkyrie clobber you, Yahn.”
He nodded. “Sure. I just kind of took it, for all intents and purposes. She headbutted Carl when he threatened to go with her. Knocked him out cold,” he said, shaking his head.
My eyebrows almost climbed off my head. “You’re shitting me. She knocked out an Elder?”
Yahn nodded. “Toe-tah-lee,” he said. “I’ve never seen Carl so proud. He’s bragging about it.”
I shook my head. “Of course.”
“Who was it?” he asked curiously. “Who was she so concerned about? Zeus?”
I shook my head. “Ares and Apollo. Hermes was supposedly standing guard, but I never saw him. Peter was there, too, working with them. They were his hands.”
Yahn struggled to process that as we entered the main area to find Prometheus, Pandora, and Carl—in his stupid cowboy hat—waiting for me. No one spoke.
“She’s fine. Resting,” I said.
They let out a collective sigh of relief. I saw Peter’s hands in a flower vase and smiled proudly. It was on a table all by itself, the fingers resembling a bouquet. The bracelet rested safely at the base of the vase. Yahn grimaced at it, now that it had a name.
I scanned the room with a frown. “Where are Calvin and Makayla?” I asked, realizing that the pups were nowhere in sight, and they hadn’t tackled me with puppy kisses upon arrival.
Instead of answering, Yahn pointed at a couch facing away from me—the one I’d slept on with Kára. I frowned and took a few steps closer, unable to see them from my angle. I tensed when I saw that the side table was a pile of splinters. Then I saw two gangly, tow-headed, pre-teen strangers snoring silently, sprawled out on the couch beneath a pile of blankets, their hands and feet poking out like two pairs of starfish. Ryuu knelt before the couch, looking concerned. He met my gaze for a brief moment, nodded, and then resumed his watch of the kids. One boy. One girl.
The hair on the back of my neck rose—and not because the ninja was awake and unrestrained. I slowly turned to Yahn. “What. Happened?”
He swallowed nervously at the edge to my voice. “Calvin and Makayla started playing tug of war with Roofie Ruxpin. They began flickering back and forth into mist like strobe lights, and suddenly two kids crashed to the ground, unconscious.”
I stared at them, imagining Gunnar’s hammer crunching my face bones. “Are they hurt?”
“Not that I can tell. Calvin fell into the table and broke it with his face, but he must be a lot luckier than me because it didn’t break his nose. Didn’t even get a scratch. Crazy, right?”
I nodded jerkily. “Yeah. Crazy,” I said, feeling a little wild-eyed. Because I hadn’t told them about taking the pups to the River Styx. The fewer who knew, the better. The River Styx had worked.
“They are healthy,” Pandora assured me.
I grimaced, wondering what to do with this new wrinkle. Calvin and Makayla were no longer mist wolves. Was that a result of the cursed teddy bear or their dip in the River Styx? And what would happen when they woke? They would, undoubtedly, freak the fuck out to realize they no longer had paws yet still liked to sniff butts.
There was only one man for the job. I turned to Cowboy Carl. “I need you to—” I cut off abruptly, staring at his wrists in disbelief. His Titan Thorns were gone. I pointed. “The hell is that all about?” I demanded.
He stared down at his wrists with a frown. “I was hoping you could explain. They…exploded shortly before you arrived.”
I frowned. “That’s about when mine broke free,” I mused. “Did you fall in love or anything while I was gone?”
He shook his head. “I do not believe so…” he said, eyeing the crew. “Did I accidentally love on any of you?”
Yahn stared at him. “You…don’t love on someone and forget it.”
Carl took off his hat, seeming to frown. “I do not understand how to love.”
Pandora turned to me. “Perhaps your manacles were linked? Elders do not love, per se.”
Rather than take offense, Carl nodded eagerly, looking relieved. “We mate, serve, and protect our spawn.”
I let out a sigh. “Well, that’s great. This is even better now that you have your powers back,” I said, because Elders had mental abilities that were unparalleled. To be blunt, I wasn’t even sure what he was capable of. “I need you to stay here and watch over everyone. Especially them,” I said, pointing at the sleeping kids. “When they wake up, it’s going to be weird. And you are my weird guy.”
He hesitated for only a moment, looking disappointed he wouldn’t participate in the fight on Olympus, but he saw the necessity of someone guarding the Armory and the pups—kids.
If I failed…Zeus and his cronies would come knocking next. With or without me.
“Yes, Master
Temple. If they annoy me, I will put the dogs to sleep.”
Yahn waved his hands dramatically, axing the idea. “You can’t say that, Carl. It means something totally different with dogs.”
He cocked his head. “If they annoy me, I can…make them sleep?” he asked in a slow, questioning tone, watching Yahn’s face for an affirmative nod.
I stepped closer, locking eyes with the Elder. “You have the strongest mind here, and I need to know that they are okay. Physically, they’re safe, but what they’ve gone through…” I said, staring at the two pre-teens. “If anything happened to them, I would die. Before Gunnar and Ashley even had a chance to kill me. I think I might just stop breathing if that happened,” I said.
Prometheus watched me thoughtfully, looking surprised. Pandora elbowed him followed by a stern glare. He grunted, turning to study the Elder.
Carl nodded. “Yes, Master Temple. Of course.”
“It would make sense if he serves you,” Prometheus said, still staring at Carl and his bare wrists. “Elders bond to their masters. If you were cuffed, he would be as well. Locking him up with manacles that require true love to break would not work on an Elder, because they do not love like we do.” I frowned thoughtfully. Prometheus saw my confusion and sighed. “It would be like me making manacles that will not break unless you learn to fly. The magic won’t permit impossible requirements. It’s hopeless, so there is no magic to fuel the spell.”
I stared at him, blinking. “Wow. That actually…makes complete sense,” I said. “You’re not just a pretty face, Prometheus.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
I turned to Ryuu and Yahn. “Carl is in charge.”
“I want to go with you,” they said in unison.
“Carl is in charge until Kára wakes up. After that, it’s up to her. She knows my plans and I trust her judgment. Carl and Kára are the only two who know where I’m fighting, so you have to win one of them over.”
Carnage: Nate Temple Series Book 14 Page 39
