Page 67 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings (Love X Magic #3)

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

THE ENDS OF EVERY WORLD

Rune

I caught my reflection in the mirror as I grabbed my dagger off the bathing chamber counter. My white hair was pulled back into intricate braids, the rest of it falling loosely down my back. I smiled at the little gold pieces Kari had pinched into it, then adjusted the wing-shaped cuff on my ear.

“Rune! Let’s go! We’re going to be late,” I smiled, life finally feeling like it was back on course.

While I loved living in the House of Wings with my new sisters, I was glad it was only temporary.

At first, moving in across the hall from Rayna had felt just like old times, but having Kari with me made me crave a place of our own.

“Coming!” I called out, sliding my dagger into the hidden place within my armor.

The new golden set Nori had made for me had less metallic coverage because I no longer needed something so heavy and protective during my day to day.

She was still working on something on par with what I had in Valhalla, but I knew a piece of art such as that would take time to perfect.

I left the mirror behind, hustling out of our room and down the hall after Rayna.

Kari and I were staying in the House of Wings, as was traditional for valkyries; because we were committed to being domestic partners, Freyja made an exception.

Council members lived in houses in the meadow, and Kari and I couldn’t wait to move into one soon.

We’d been staying up late, staring at the ceiling, talking about how we wanted to decorate and what we planned to grow in our garden.

I tried to tell Kari I could summon anything she could ever need, but she insisted it wasn’t the same.

She wanted to grow her ingredients and get her hands dirty, though she never seemed to complain when I summoned her favorite dishes after a long day in one of the incantation chambers.

“There you are!” Rayna said with a satisfied grin as she pushed off the main entrance to the sect. “Just in time.”

“What can I say? I’m head trainer.” I smirked, walking through the doorway and stepping out into the late fall day. “I can’t keep my girls waiting, now can I?”

I descended the pale stone steps, and looked out to the field filled with gold and emerald valkyries.

“Alright, listen up!” I called out to the group of women.

“I know you all have souls to collect, but I called this meeting not for combat training, but to discuss soul plucking. You’ve all been taught to leave the most glorious warriors for the Valhalla sect, but we appease Odin no more. Do you understand?”

My sisters all began murmuring and looking amongst themselves, and then one of them, Meya, put her hands around her mouth and screamed, “HEL YEAH!” The other sisters joined in, clapping their hands or tapping weapons against their breastplates.

“And to let you in on a little secret, the best warriors aren’t always the ones you expect.

When you’re watching their final moments, pay attention to their ‘why’.

Why were they in that battle? Who were they fighting for?

And I don’t mean the jarl or king who sent them out onto the battlefield.

I mean who were they thinking of when they realized this wasn’t a fight they were going to win,” I said.

My sisters all quieted as they listened to me with eager eyes and open hearts, no matter how much white shone in their hair.

“The warriors I brought Odin who fueled him the most weren’t often the ones who went out searching for blood and glory.

They weren’t the ones with the most kills or brutal attacks.

They were the mothers and fathers who protected their families.

They were the brothers and sisters who fought to the end for the good of their people.

Remember this as you fly to Midgard. Think about who you want to fill Freyja’s great hall.

Do you want to dine with the viking who slaughtered a thousand men?

Or the elderly man who saved the women in his life from raiders? ”

As I let my words sink in, I thought about one of the last souls I’d collected, the man with the yellow flowers.

I hoped Bohil was treating him well and keeping his goblet full, as she’d been the one to take his soul to Odin.

Kari’s life for seven bottled souls. I’d do it all over again if given the chance.

“Alright, get out there,” I finished. “Rayna, they’re all yours.”

Rayna nodded and whistled for Gunhild. While I was head trainer and ran the show in Fólkvangr, Rayna was the one who took charge on the battlefield. She flew down to Midgard with the sect almost every day, and I’d never seen her happier.

I usually didn’t go with them, but today was different.

My pointer and thumb found my lips, and I let out a loud whistle.

Within moments, Apple swooped down to collect me.

I tossed an apple in the air for her, and I vowed to never take that skill for granted again.

I hadn’t waited for her to ask. For once, I beat her to it.

As we flew down to Midgard, we didn’t head to the same battlefield as my sisters.

I had matters of my own to attend to. There was a small village on the edge of a forest, once filled with ravens and bloodflies.

There was an abandoned longhouse with a broomstick on the door, and inside, each reflective surface was mysteriously covered.

I entered the longhouse, realizing Kari’s scent was long gone.

I began pulling the coverings off mirrors and using them to wrap up wobbly clay mugs and bowls.

We would soon have a house to fill, after all, and my seeress would need her creations to make teas from the herbs she’d grow in our many gardens.

I hummed as I filled up sacks with her clothes and other belongings, including things for her to bring back to her family when she visited Helheim in the upcoming lunar cycle.

Just because I wasn’t able to return to the Valhalla sect to gather my belongings didn’t mean Kari should be without her history too.

When I was done, I took one last good look around the place. I was about to call Apple once more when I heard a rhythmic thud, followed by the sound of coughing. I walked outside to see an older woman beating her dusty tapestry with a stick.

I smiled and waved before asking her if there was anything I could do to help. When she responded, I had to take a step back.

“You can tell me what you’ve done with Kari. Don’t think I didn’t see you take her on the back of that fancy horse you’ve got there,” the woman said, waving her stick at me.

I cleared my throat. “I did take her. She’s with the gods now, serving the Goddess of Fertility and Love. She did tell you she’s a talented seeress, did she not?”

“Kari?” the woman laughed. “I loved the girl like she was my own, but she couldn’t cast a spell if a seidr scroll hit her in the face.”

“I think you’d be surprised,” I said with a smile of my own, thinking about Kari trying, and failing, to use Midgardian seidr. How hadn't I realized she was never meant for this place sooner?

After a bit of convincing, I beat the rest of the tapestry for the woman and then was on my way once more. I didn’t know if I’d ever come back to Stormheim, but I was thankful for the place that made Kari who she was.

I flew away as the sun began to set, grateful I was on my way home to the woman I loved instead of to some field full of death.

There was no feast every night, no same routine every day.

We had picnics in the different meadows, went for strolls along the fjord, and had sunrise flights on Apple. We were free.

When I walked through the door to our room, I was greeted by the familiar sound of a broomstick rattling against wood.

Kari was standing by the bed, slipping out of her council robes and into a nightdress.

I greeted her with a kiss before she flopped on the bed and began telling me all about her day learning about illusions from a man named áki.

He’d apparently been the one who’d given me the chalice during my test of loyalty, and he’d quickly become Kari’s closest ally on the council.

Eventually, Kari sat up and motioned to the door, hemp sacks were propped up against it. “What are those?”

“I brought them back from Midgard. Are you sure you want to know?” I asked with a smirk, rising from where I sat on the corner of the bed.

“As long as there are no bodies in there, yes,” Kari said, scooching closer to the foot of the bed.

“No, no bodies. I usually leave those down there,” I chuckled as I stooped down and began untying the first sack.

“This one is full of clay pottery and clothing. This next one has a bunch of random objects, like a basket with a shredded piece of fabric in it.” I placed the basket on the floor, and Tove immediately dove inside.

Kari let out a small, distorted noise, but I kept going. “And a wooden box full of?—”

“Dried flower bracelets,” Kari said, her words strained.

She ran over to me, eyes misty, and I handed her the box with a nod of my head.

As she unclasped it, running her fingertips over the fragile pieces of jewelry, my heart swelled.

I hated to see her cry, but I knew these tears spoke of loss, change, and growth.

They spoke of happiness, and sadness too, for the sister who’d stopped growing and never would again.

“Rune,” she said, throwing her arms around my neck. “You went back to get this for me?”

I wrapped my arms around her back and pulled her in tighter. She was warm in my hands and felt like a life fulfilled.

“I wanted you to have a piece of your home while we build a new one for the both of us,” I started.

“I thought it was about time the people of Stormheim knew you were safe, but also that you were never coming back. I didn’t want them worrying over your disappearance.

After all the raids, it didn’t feel right not to?—”

Kari silenced me with a kiss, and it didn’t take me long to kiss her back, deep and desperate. She was tender, fierce, and everything in between. She was curious with a dash of violence, and I couldn’t have loved her more.

She may have once been a beautiful girl in a forest, whose grief I’d held onto like it was my own. I may have thought I knew her then, but I hadn't a clue. I hadn’t known that the best kind of love is earned, and I would go to the ends of every world to earn hers.