35. Erik

Iturned to face the angry slayer in the cage next to me with a glare. Magnar had fallen asleep and I was kind of pissed off at how easily he’d managed it considering our current situation.

He finally roused, sucking in a slow breath.

“Have a nice rest?” I shot at him.

His eyes narrowed. “I was hoping Callie would come and Dream Walk with me. And she did.”

My eyebrows lifted with hope and my anger fizzled out. “And?”

“And now they know where we are. So we have to be prepared. She also showed me how she killed Wolfe with Montana.”

A deep kind of satisfaction pounded through me. Montana had gotten her revenge. Wolfe had died at her hands, and I just wished I’d been there to see it.

“They’re amazing,” I breathed.

Magnar nodded as we agreed on something for once. “They are that. But I still don’t know what Callie’s sister sees in you.”

“Well you saw it earlier when you shoved your tongue down my throat,” I pointed out with a snarl.

He scowled darkly. “That was one of the lowest points of my life.”

I snorted a laugh. “What’s the matter? You’re not homophobic are you?”

“Of course not, I’m fucking parasite-o-phobic.”

My laughter grew and I was pretty sure it had more to do with Montana’s victory than anything else. Magnar cracked a smile - though he fought it damn hard - and for a moment I felt like we’d actually bonded.

Doubtful.

I sighed. “Are you ready to take on Valentina?” I asked.

“I’ve been ready since I arrived in this place,” he hissed.

“You didn’t look so prepared earlier.” I gave him a mocking look and his eyes narrowed sharply.

“Which you insist on bringing up again and again. So I suspect it is you who cannot get me out of your head.”

“Hilarious,” I muttered. “I’ve actually been thinking about my wife, thanks. She tends to give me a bit more motivation than a seven foot boar.”

“I have no doubt my love for Callie will help me escape Idun’s hold on my heart, but I can’t imagine a parasite loves anything more than blood. Maybe you should daydream about that for a while.”

I lunged at the bars, trying to grab him through them but he jerked backwards.

“Don’t you dare question my love for Montana,” I snarled.

His eyes slid over me and his face softened ever-so-slightly. “I know how you look at her. But do you really think you’d pick her over blood if a human throat was cut before you?”

“Fuck you,” I spat. “I’d pick her over anything.”

His brow furrowed as he eyed me. “Perhaps.”

I snarled my fury, backing up from the bars and pacing around the space. It was one thing being locked up with this particular slayer, but another entirely for him to be jabbing at me in the only place I was vulnerable. The idea that anyone could question my love for my wife made me lose my mind with anger. The rune on my right palm itched and I was sure it was pumping rage into my veins. Whatever tenuous connection we’d just been forming was already broken.

“She’s back,” Magnar muttered and my head snapped up as Valentina appeared beyond the carriage window.

A satisfied smile dragged up her lips as she walked beside her biter lackeys. She stepped into the train carriage and I noticed a line of ash on her shoulders. I suspected Fabian’s Familiars hadn’t lasted long against her powers. But it didn’t matter if the Familiars hadn’t spotted her; Callie was already giving my family all the information they required to find us.

“Forgive me for leaving you in suspense,” Valentina said as the doors slid closed and we were left alone with her.

“It only gave us time to think of more ways we’d like to murder you,” Magnar said coldly.

Valentina laughed as if he was joking then walked away from us toward the red and gold throne at the end of the carriage. She perched on it with a sigh as if her sitting there somehow meant she owned my entire empire. She was going to find out just how wrong she was when my family came for her.

“So we have a little issue,” Valentina said with a pout and I didn’t think she was talking to us. “They can almost fight off the hold on their hearts. It’s not good enough.”

Idun’s presence washed over me and I shuddered at the caress of her power. She materialised before Valentina, walking toward her on bare feet as shimmering golden smoke coiled up her body, barely concealing her nudity.

The goddess stilled and Valentina bowed her head. “Thank you for coming to me.” She clasped her hands together in a prayer and Idun regarded her with delight.

The goddess turned her gaze on us, her upper lip peeling back. “If you were this pious perhaps you would not be in this mess.”

Magnar clenched the bars between his fists. “You have played with me too long. You swore I could have love and now you have led me into the arms of my betrothed again. Why?”

“You know why,” Idun purred and Valentina lifted her head with a small smile. The goddess ran her fingers through the smoke coiling around her waist. “You betrayed me when you used Andvari’s ring against us, Magnar Elioson. Remember that.” She whipped around to face Valentina again, reaching out to touch her throat. “A gift...” A black lace choker emerged around Valentina’s neck with a large tear-drop emerald hanging from it.

Valentina brushed her fingers over it. “Thank you,” she gasped.

“It is not just beautiful,” Idun whispered. “It is incredibly powerful too, created by the great ruler of the gods. Odin gifted it to me thousands of years ago. It will offer you what you need to control these two adulterers.” She gestured at us and ice crept down my spine. Adulterers? Was she fucking serious?

Idun glanced at us, her achingly beautiful face morphing into a smile. “The necklace is unbreakable. Its power unable to be thwarted. It is designed precisely to wield the hearts of men. And this time, it cannot be fought off.”

Horror pounded through me and I shared a look with Magnar. If what Idun said was true, the moment Valentina used that necklace against us, we were doomed.

“Go ahead, try it,” Idun encouraged with a tinkling laugh.

Valentina rose from her throne, running her fingers over the emerald and sucking in a breath. “Oh... it’s wonderful. I can feel its power.”

“Use it,” Idun urged.

Valentina moved toward us and Magnar tried to bend the bars apart to no avail. I kicked the door to my cage and my boot impacted with a clang. I knew it was pointless, but we had to try.

As Valentina petted the emerald, it glowed a deep green. A green that transfixed me, halting my movements as I was captivated by its glow. I sensed Magnar falling still in his cage too, enraptured by it.

The whole world seemed to fall away and all I could see was that incredible light.

Valentina’s words filled my ears, dripping through my body like melted candle wax. “You love me, no one else. And you will do as I bid. You will fight for me with all your heart. You will adore me, covet me. There is no other love in your life but me.”

Every word she spoke seemed to brand itself on my skin. I was hot and cold at once. I held onto the image of Montana for as long as I could, but she slipped away from me, locked somewhere deep inside my heart. Somewhere I wasn’t sure I’d ever reach her again.

Valentina filled the place of her in all of my memories, standing at my side as my wife. Kissing me, making love to me. She took my memories of Montana hostage and replaced my love’s face with hers. And when the green glow in the room lifted, my rebel was lost to me.

My mouth parted as my gaze fell on Valentina. She was stunning, incredible, and entirely mine. Nothing else existed but her. She was a fierce warrior and the most exquisite woman in the world.

“The twins of dark and light are your mortal enemies. My enemies. You will do whatever it takes to kill them,” Valentina commanded and I nodded eagerly.

Magnar held the bars, releasing a desperate groan. “Let me near you,” he begged.

“You can trust them now,” Idun whispered, then disappeared into the ether.

Valentina produced two keys, her eyes flicking between us hesitantly. She released Magnar first and he lunged toward her, gripping her waist and kissing her fiercely. He tried to claw away her clothes and I released a growl of frustration. Jealousy tore through my chest, ripping at my insides.

Valentina pressed him back with a keen smile. “Patience, my love. We must release Erik. You’re brothers now. And brothers like to share.” She held the other key out to Magnar and he unlocked my cage with envy in his gaze.

I stepped past Magnar and Valentina smiled as I approached. My love. My life. She was everything to me. There was nothing on Earth more important than her.

I reached for her cheek and revelled in the softness of her flesh. She tugged me toward her by my waistband and I released a moan as her mouth met mine. She kissed me deeply, brushing her hands down my bare spine and I shivered under her touch, needing more, desperate to please her.

Valentina pushed me back and I found Magnar beside me, gazing at her with adoration. She skated her fingers down his chest and I eyed her hand with a deep yearning. She placed her other palm on me and I shivered as she petted me.

“We will have time to play together later,” she said with a hungry smile. “But we have something to do first.”

“Anything,” I growled. “Whatever you want, it’s done.”

“I pledge my life to you,” Magnar swore, pressing his hand to his heart.

“Oh Magnar...” She tilted his chin up with a finger. “I’m so glad you’re keeping your promises to me at last.”