Page 15 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings (Love X Magic #3)
CHAPTER TEN
INTO THE MIST
Rune
K ari screaming into the mirror was the last straw.
The second to last straw was Bodil admitting I couldn’t return the seeress to Midgard without being responsible for her death.
That was when I knew there was no point asking Odin for his blessing to send Tove’s spirit back to Midgard, even if it was an incentive to lure Kari back to where she belonged.
It didn’t matter now if she couldn’t return without twisted consequences.
I wouldn’t put her on the Allfather’s radar, nor would I admit to my mistakes—my broken oaths—if there was a risk he’d send her away despite the outcome.
Had I made a horrible mistake flying away with her that night?
No regret plagued me for slaying the mortal raiders, but maybe, just maybe, if I’d left Kari there, she would’ve been found by people in her village.
Maybe she would’ve been saved. These were all “ifs” hinging on even more invisible circumstances.
There was no point lamenting them, but what I could do was ensure my mistakes didn’t cost the mortal her life now.
I rushed over to the pounding sound and swung open the door to my apartments just as Asta’s fist came slamming through the air once more.
She glowered at me with unmatched distaste as she held herself back from smashing her knuckles into my undeserving cheek.
I cared little for the frown twitching upon her un-aging face, but all I had to do was distract her long enough for Kari to get away unnoticed.
Apple was the fastest in her herd, so I assumed my task had already been completed. She would make it to the mountains, and it wouldn’t be long before Apple was back for me.
Asta had many questions for me about the screams, why I wasn’t at the feast, where Rayna was, and who knew what else.
My ears grew weary after she’d asked her third question without leaving room for me to speak.
At a certain point, I sighed, leaned into the doorframe, and asked her if she was done.
It wasn’t long after that I shut the door on her and went barreling back toward my bedchamber.
I stuffed a bag full of items for both Kari and me, including that scroll she’d asked for. I wasn’t sure how much it would help her now, but I was willing to give anything a try.
A tingle under my skin told me Apple had almost arrived.
Looking around the room I’d given forty years to, I patted the window pane as I leaned upon it.
There was a chance I’d never see this place again, and I wish I could say that didn’t sting.
I wish I could say leaving behind every gift Odin had given me for my service didn’t feel like I was erasing hundreds of years of hard work, all for one wild decision made on a drunken night.
Saving Kari’s life can’t end mine.
As I jumped out the window, trusting Apple would come swooping by, I swallowed my indecision. I would live with my actions, and Hel, I’d make the most of it.
I hit Apple’s back with a light ‘thud’, and as she darted away, I saw the glint of a tipped over bottle on the balcony below.
Since Kari had arrived, I hadn’t been tempted to let mead wash away my bitterness.
Since she’d arrived, I hadn’t stared at myself in a mirror, wondering who I’d become.
Those two facts fueled me as I flew away from the only home I’d known since Odin brought me to his hall.
We flew and flew, and I could sense we were getting close when the air on my face grew sticky and thick.
The mist had a warning barrier, an uncomfortable ring in its first few layers that warded off anyone who’d unintentionally wandered too close.
For a moment, the humidity was so heavy on my lungs, the air felt as if it could drown me.
The knowledge of what awaited us on the other side kept me going, and I wondered how Kari had fared.
Apple wouldn’t have let her turn around regardless. She knew better than to fear the mist.
The air lightened until it felt crisp and clear once more, the mist parting to allow our entry. On the other side, I noticed several flickering fires in the distance that warned pegasuses of the impending mountain. They would collide with it if they didn’t make a swift turn to dive through it.
Torches lined the entrance to the gap in the mountain we soared through, and Apple took the tight quarters as a challenge as she maneuvered through rock and vines on moonlight and memory alone.
When the rock opened to a clearing, the moon cast glittering rays through rushing water cascading down from the mountain top. Apple and I flew under the waterfall, just for the fun of it, before taking a nosedive to a ledge along the mountainside.
Light emanated from the cliffside, illuminating a stone building made of mountain rock.
It was covered in red ivy and had not-so-modest windows that gave us glimpses into the cozy structure.
A fire roared from the hearth within, and I saw two figures lurking inside before the curtains were drawn shut by the smaller of the two.
Apple landed upon a patch of grass planted purely for pegasuses so they didn’t crack a hoof as they came down.
Once dismounted, I tossed an apple into the air.
Epli let out an excited whinny and caught it between her pink and black lips.
I patted her on her rear before straightening my bags and heading for the front entrance.
My knuckles didn’t rap on the door; I simply walked in and headed for the two figures sitting by the hearth.
Kari’s head swung to me, and her eyes lit up when they landed on mine.
An intense flutter in my stomach had my hand instinctively moving over the skin above it to quiet the excitable flurries.
Those intriguing little buggers hadn’t visited me once during my long stay in Valhalla.
I’d remember them as a girl, a teen, and a young woman, gifted to me by various people over the years—men and women alike—but how long ago had that been?
“Look who finally decided to join us,” a gruff voice followed by a hearty chuckle brought my attention to the person behind Kari. My reason for being here almost slipped my heavy mind. “Grab yourself a cup of tea and come on over, girl.”
áma.
I offered the hag a wry smile before making my way to the kitchen on the far side of the room.
As I pulled a mug from the wooden cupboards and began filling it with the still steaming water from the kettle on the stove, I heard soft mummers from the women by the fire.
I set my tea to brew and hung back for a moment as I watched the old woman across from Kari grab the seeress’ hands.
There weren’t many places shielded from Odin’s vision or influence.
Asgard was his realm, and as the Allfather, he had eyes almost everywhere, thanks to his ravens, but even he couldn’t see beyond the mist. The seidr of the wand-wed here was too strong, and war would break out in his realm if he ever tried to take this place back.
He’d accepted long ago that the valley was off limits to even him.
When I first arrived in Valhalla, I’d been young, stupid, and confused.
In my mortal life, I never aimed to be a valkyrie, and there was certainly no way to plan for such a fate, but I’d found myself in golden halls with dozens of new sisters all the same.
Even then, I didn’t like the feeling of being watched, of having his eyes prying into my life no matter where I was or what I was doing.
It had taken me years to find the valley beyond the mist, but eventually, my efforts of searching for a place beyond Odin had been successful.
“Come join us,” áma croaked, removing her hand from Kari’s long enough to wave me over.
Grabbing my tea, I maneuvered through the fire-lit space and joined them in the sitting room.
I claimed the high back chair next to the padded bench the two of them sat upon, noticing Kari had already had time for an outfit change.
She no longer wore the white and gold dress stained with blood.
She wore a modest gown with a robe overtop.
I didn’t miss the bandages peeking out from under the light fabric, and relief washed over me, knowing áma had brought her in without question and wasted no time taking care of her.
“Hello, áma,” I said, meeting the gaze of the crone. “It’s nice to see you.”
“You stupid girl.” She clicked her tongue, not caring as wiry grey hair fell into her left eye. “You should have brought her here right away. What were you thinking, taking her to the House of Wings—to Valhalla?”
Kari’s arms were crossed, also waiting for an answer I couldn't give—that I didn’t want to. I lifted my hand and motioned to the two of them, “I’m not liking the two of you teaming up. And thank you for such a warm greeting, by the way.”
“I’m sure you don’t,” áma said with a huff. “You don’t want to admit you were wrong. You never do. I’m still waiting for an apology regarding Apple taking a chunk out of my roof.”
“I didn’t bring her here so you could debate the will of the valkyrie.
” I straightened my spine and cast my gaze down upon both women, as if I had some secret plan they weren’t privy to—like I hadn’t screwed up.
“And Apple does what she pleases. Let’s not pretend I have any control over her.
It was your fault for leaving a basket of fruit up there. ”
áma shook her head with a roll of her eyes. “Don’t act like this is part of Odin’s plan, girl. You wouldn’t have run if it were.”
“I didn’t run?—”