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Chapter Twenty-Eight Baldr

T he next day consisted of mostly walking and peaceful silence. Mist held my hand the entire way until we reached the base of the mountain around noon. The river and the golden thread had led us to the bottom of a giant waterfall that filled a deep pool that fed the river. To our surprise, we found an old switchback path that began at its edge, leading upward toward the teeth of the cavern opening. The closer we got, the more I realized that either the old legends were true and the mountain was actually Fenrir chained down until Ragnarok. Or because of the mountain’s shape, it had been named after Fenrir. Either way, it was of little importance. As long as there was a portal home inside, that was all that mattered.

Mist held tight to my hand as we started to climb the rocky switchback path. At first he seemed fine, but the higher we went, the more I noticed him trembling. Then, when the path finally became too narrow, and he had to let go of me, his pace became agonizingly slow. I did my best to project feelings of safety and support through our bond, but his mind was so full of fear that he could hardly think. I couldn’t blame him either. The path was thin, the drop was deadly, and the mist from the waterfall made everything slick with algae and moss.

“It's okay, Mist,” I called back to him, my voice barely audible over the roar of the waterfall. It was much bigger up close and much more dangerous. “We're almost there. Just a little further.”

He nodded, his eyes fixed on the path beneath his feet. I could see his knuckles turning white as he gripped the rock face beside him. The wind whipped around us, tugging at our clothes and threatening to throw us off balance. Even I was starting to get a little worried that we wouldn’t make it.

As we rounded another switchback, I caught sight of the cavern entrance looming above us. It did indeed look like the gaping maw of a monstrous wolf, jagged stone teeth framing the dark opening. A shiver ran down my spine, but I pushed the feeling aside. We had come too far to turn back now. Besides, it was our only way home.

Suddenly, Mist's foot slipped on a patch of slick moss. He let out a cry of terror as he teetered on the edge, his arms windmilling to keep him in place.

Without thinking, I lunged backward, my hand shooting out to grasp Mist's forearm. The sudden movement nearly threw me off balance as well, but I managed to brace myself against the rock face with my other hand, my fingertips tearing as I gripped the stone. For a heart-stopping moment, we both teetered on the edge, the roar of the waterfall drowning out our panicked gasps. Through it all I could catch the scent of my own blood mixing with the mist.

“I've got you,” I shouted, my voice strained with effort as I called on the wolf inside me. Muscles bulged and tightened as I held onto my mate, willing to do anything to stop him from going over the edge. “Don't let go!”

Mist's eyes were wide with terror, his entire body shaking as he clung to my arm. Slowly, carefully, I pulled him back onto the path, my muscles straining with the effort. He was heavier than he looked. As soon as he was on solid ground, Mist collapsed against me, his breath coming in ragged sobs.

“It's okay,” I murmured, holding him close. “You're safe now. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

We stayed there for a moment, clinging to each other as our hearts raced. The wind howled around us, a chilling reminder of how close we had come to disaster. I could feel Mist's body trembling against mine, his fear palpable through our bond. I held him tight, whispering reassuring words to him over and over again as the water soaked us through.

“We can't stay here,” I said softly, stroking his hair. “We need to keep moving.”

Mist nodded weakly, his face pale and drawn. “I don't know if I can,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the waterfall.

I looked up at the cavern entrance, so close yet still so far. We had come too far to give up now, but there was still a sheer climb before we reached the ledge.

“You can,” I said firmly, cupping his face in my hands as I forced him to meet my gaze. “I believe in you, Mist. We'll do this together.”

“What if I don’t want to?” he said, his voice choked with emotion. “If you let me fall then at least… at least I won’t have to watch you die!”

His outburst caught me off guard, but it really shouldn’t have. Mist was doing everything he could to keep those emotions at bay. I could feel him fighting them back for two days now, our bond being constantly shielded over and over to keep them from slipping through. But they did anyway. And even if they didn’t, I was no fool. I knew exactly how he was feeling because I was feeling it too. It was so unfair that we should be with one another now only for our relationship to have a short shelf life with a definite expiration date. It was going to end all too soon, and I hated it just as much as he did.

“Shh,” I soothed, running a hand through his damp hair. “You're okay. We're okay. And you will be fine without me. I promise.”

“You don’t know that…”

“I may not be able to see that future,” I said, kissing his forehead. “But I know how strong and powerful you are. You’re going to be just fine and you’ll find happiness. And I’ll be right there, watching over you, and cheering you on the entire way.” I kissed him again. “I can promise you that.”

He was silent, unable to speak through the sobs that wracked his body. But, after a few more moments, Mist's breathing steadied, and he pulled back slightly to look up at me. His eyes were still red and his cheeks stained with tears, but there was determination there too.

“We need to keep going,” he said, his voice stronger now. “We can't stay here.”

He seemed like he’d decided something, although what, I had no clue. Instead of questioning him about it, I decided to take this burst of confidence as a blessing. Mist would need it to reach the ledge and the cavern above.

I nodded, relief washing over me. “That's right. We're almost there. Just a little further and we'll be inside the mountain. Then we can go home.”

Slowly, we started moving again. The path grew even narrower as we neared the cavern entrance, forcing us to press our backs against the slick rock face and inch our way forward. The wind howled louder, as if trying to push us back, but we pressed on. Water poured down around us, chilling my fingers to the bone. But I knew we couldn’t stop. Not now when we were so close.

Mist's face was set in grim determination behind me, his eyes fixed on the cavern ahead. I could feel his fear through our bond, but it was overshadowed by a fierce resolve. Whatever decision he'd made down on that ledge, it was driving him forward now with a strength I hadn't seen before. There was nothing he couldn’t do, and I pitied anything or anyone that stood in his way.

As we approached the final stretch, the path disappeared entirely, leaving us with a sheer rock face to climb. I went first, testing each handhold carefully before pulling myself up. Eventually, with no small amount of effort, I pulled myself up and over the ledge, panting. Turning over on my belly, I hung my upper half over the ledge, beckoning for him to follow.

“Just follow my path,” I called. “You can do it!”

Mist nodded, his jaw set with determination. He reached up, grasping the first handhold I had used. His muscles strained as he pulled himself up, searching for the next grip with his foot. I watched intently, ready to grab him if he slipped. But at the moment, he was too far out of reach. I just needed him to be a few feet closer.

Inch by inch, Mist made his way up the rock face. His progress was slow but steady, each movement carefully calculated. I could see the concentration etched on his face, sweat beading on his brow despite the chilly mist surrounding us. He struggled to find his footing more than once, but he never stopped progressing steadily upward.

As he neared the top, I reached out my hand. “You're almost there,” I encouraged. “Just a little further.”

I leaned out as far as I dared as Mist closed in, my hand outstretched. Our fingertips brushed, then clasped, a burst of electricity shooting through my body. With a final burst of strength, I hauled him up and over the edge. We collapsed together on the ledge, our chests heaving with exertion and relief.

For a moment, we simply lay there, catching our breath. The roar of the waterfall seemed distant now, muffled by the cavern walls. Mist’s face was resting on my chest, rising and falling with each heaving breath I took. He wrapped his arms around me as if he were worried that I’d suddenly disappear. I returned the gesture, knowing he needed the support right now. Of course, it was me that was marching toward death, but once I was dead, there was nothing to worry about. Mist was the one staring down a brand new life that would now be full of grief. And for that, I pitied him more than anyone I’d ever met.

As we lay there, I couldn't help but feel a deep stabbing guilt. This was the exact reason I’d tried so hard not to become his mate. I had tried so hard to protect Mist from this pain, but in the end, I had only made it worse. The bond between us was now unbreakable, and I knew that my impending death would leave a void in his life that nothing could fill. I’d given him freedom and then enslaved him with guilt for the rest of his life. It made me feel like I was no better than Tyr.

Slowly, I sat up, pulling Mist with me. His eyes met mine, and I saw a mixture of love, fear, and determination in them. I cupped his face in my hands, my thumbs gently wiping away the tears that had begun to fall.

“I'm so sorry,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I never wanted to hurt you like this.”

Mist shook his head, his hand coming up to cover mine. “Don't apologize,” he said firmly. “I wouldn't trade this for anything. The time I’ve spent with you was better than anything I could’ve ever dreamed of.” He wrapped his arms around me, sobs quaking his body. “I’m gonna miss you so much, Baldr.”

“I know, baby.” It was all I could say because no words would ever make it better. “I know.”

Eventually I had to get to my feet, gently pulling Mist with me. His arms remained locked around my waist, his face buried in my abdomen as he sat there on his knees. I could feel his tears soaking through my shirt, mingling with the mist and sweat that already clung to the fabric.

“Mist,” I said softly, running my fingers through his damp hair as the air buzzed around us. “We need to keep moving. The portal... it's close. I can feel it.”

He didn’t reply, but he allowed me to pull him to his feet. We stood there on the ledge, the cavern entrance looming before us, dark and foreboding. The jagged stone teeth framing the opening seemed to gnash at us, as if warning us away. But we had come too far to turn back now. Besides, I wasn’t afraid of another wolf. Even if Fenrir was real, we were kin and that meant I was welcome here. Mist, as my mate, would be too according to the spirits. It was enough to drive me forward toward my destiny.

I took Mist's hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Together,” I said softly.

He nodded, his eyes still red-rimmed but determined. “Together.”

We stepped into the cavern, leaving the roar of the waterfall behind us. The sudden silence was almost deafening. Our footsteps echoed off the damp stone walls as we made our way deeper into the mountain's belly. A swift river flowed not ten feet to our left, the same one we’d been following since the moment we arrived in Asgard. It seemed it had been our guide all along.

The air grew colder and staler the further we went. I could feel Mist shivering beside me, his hand tightening around mine. I pulled him closer, trying to share what little warmth I had left. Darkness seemed to press in around us and before long I had to shift into my wolf form just to see anything. Mist kept his hand firmly in my fur as I led him into the void.

The darkness seemed to stretch on endlessly, our steps echoing in the vast emptiness. I relied on my enhanced wolf senses to guide us, the faint scent of water and stone our only markers. Mist's grip on my fur tightened with each step, his breath coming in short, nervous gasps. The only thing I could see was the golden thread in front of me, leading me forward toward whatever end it had determined.

Suddenly, a faint glow appeared in the distance. At first, I thought it might be a trick of the light, a reflection off the damp cave walls. But as we drew closer, the glow intensified, pulsing with an otherworldly energy that made my fur stand on end.

“Baldr,” Mist whispered, his voice trembling. “Is that...?”

I shifted back to my human form, wrapping my body in the damp blanket and taking Mist's hand in mine. “The portal,” I confirmed, my own voice barely above a whisper. “We found it.”

The light grew stronger with each step, illuminating the surrounding cavern. The walls were covered in intricate carvings, ancient runes that spoke of the wolfkin that had not only lived with Fenrir, but were created by him. It was the ancient history of my kind, the history that nobody left in my world knew. I stared at it for a long moment, able to read a good portion of it with ease thanks to my mother’s teachings. I just wished I had the time to copy it down and share it with my brothers.

But my end was drawing near and my heart told me we were already taking too much time. Tyr was on the move and if my visions were right, which they always were, my brothers were in grave danger. I had to go home and stop him once and for all. Even if I died, I planned on taking that tyrannical asshole with me.

“Come on,” I said, pulling Mist toward the large stone arch etched with golden runes. “It’s time to put that dickhead down once and for all.”

There was no pang of fear or regret as Mist followed me. Only fierce determination.

“I’m going to kill him myself,” he growled.

I didn’t have time to ask how he planned to do that before we met the portal and with a rush of magic, stepped through into the light.

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