Chapter Seventeen

ZOEY HAD NEVER been so terrified as she was when she couldn't rouse Magnus from his nightmare. When she felt him being sucked down into a reality that no longer existed because he was convinced she was dead, and he was unwilling to go on without her. This was why she had seen his little dragon lying lifeless in front of the fire in his lodge. It had been warning her of this very moment.

Not surprisingly, Quinn and Rafe were there within minutes, drawn to their lodge as much as they'd been drawn to that of Knud's mate.

"I felt him leaving us," Quinn said, alarmed as she and Rafe joined Zoey at Magnus"s bedside. "Were you in his dream, Zoey? Did you see what was going on?"

"Yes." Zoey blinked back tears and kept touching Magnus here and there. His cheek. Neck. Shoulder. Tried to pull him back via contact. "He relived my nightmare from inside his incarnate, and we saw what actually happened." She swallowed hard. "It was much like Athena had expected, and now he blames himself. I think his guilt over losing me is keeping him there even though he"s got nothing to feel guilty about."

"Something else is keeping him there, too," Rafe murmured. His aura pulsed with Celtic magic when he rested his hand on Magnus's forehead and closed his eyes before cursing under his breath. "It was there...now it's affecting him." He opened his eyes and frowned at Quinn. "Despite me killing him at the stones in our last life, our unseen enemy is affecting Magnus...was affecting him, but it's fading."

"You two can bring him back." Rafe urged them to touch Magnus. "Talk to him now and bring him back."

So they did, urging Magnus back until he finally responded to Zoey, and his eyes snapped open in alarm. He blinked and sat up, clearly startled to see them all there before relief flashed in his eyes, and he pulled Zoey into his arms. "You're alive." He was hoarse with emotion. "Thank the gods you're alive because I do not deserve it." His voice grew especially gruff. "I did not deserve to get you back after what I did."

She held onto him tightly, relieved he was awake. "Yes, you did. All you were guilty of was loving me. Trying to save me." She pulled back, cupped his cheeks, and blinked back tears, knowing full well he didn"t have his facts straight any more than she had in her initial nightmare. "Magnus, I went to the dragon I was promised to. He didn"t steal me away. Not yet, anyway." She shook her head. "And I couldn"t let it get that far. Couldn"t risk the peace we were hoping to achieve or take the chance that he"d eventually harm you."

When Magnus shook his head in denial, she nodded, making things perfectly clear no matter how hard it was for him to hear. "It's true. I went to him." She blinked back more tears. "Even though I should have known better, I never would have guessed you"d try to save me from him. That you'd dare go up against Múspellsheimr dragons like that." She swallowed hard. "The moment I sensed you coming, I tried to stop you and make you turn back, but it was too late."

"Why not just tell me what you intended to do?" He searched her eyes. "Why not be honest with me?"

"Because we both know you would've tried to stop me." She rested her hand on his chest, never more thankful, given what had happened, that they had found one another again. That she could feel his warmth beneath her fingertips once more. "And we both know chances are good that I would have listened to you. That I wouldn"t have found the strength to turn away."

No doubt sensing she was right, he rested his hand over hers and cupped her cheek, his gaze softening. "So it seems, in the end, there was nothing either of us would not do to keep the other safe, no matter how foolish our actions."

"So it seems," she murmured, leaning into his touch.

"Then may we be grateful for our actions in our last life, however difficult they ended up being if they meant coming back together in this one."

Magnus wiped away her tears, kissed her, and pulled her into his arms again, murmuring into her ear how much he loved her. He swore he would always love her before he finally took note of Quinn and Rafe standing by the fire, giving them space.

"Should I assume you saved me, my friends?" he said, clearly glad to see Zoey had the foresight to chant him into pants before their arrival, or all of this might have proven awkward. He stood, yanked on a tunic, grateful for the cup of water left on the table.

"We all did." Quinn urged him to drink and hydrate. "What happened toward the end of your nightmare, Magnus?" She eyed him with concern. "Because we sensed our unknown enemy there. The same presence that's come across as a dragon king and a seer. A presence that shouldn't have been there because Rafe had already ended his life."

"Then we have our answer," Magnus growled, downing the cup of water in two long gulps. "Zane was there." He gave Zoey a pointed look. "After you died, he hovered over my ship and threatened me, so he was clearly this unknown presence."

"Yet you went on to live a life with me," Quinn said gently. "Why is that when I would've thought he'd kill you then and there?" She tilted her head in question. "What did he say?"

"Not what I expected, given how furious he was when I fled him to protect another man," Zoey said, seeing within Magnus"s mind what happened after her dragon died. She gave him a pointed look in return. "Whether Zane is this unseen foe or not, his dragon wanted peace. Wanted things to be different than they were. Wanted you to marry your intended to work toward peace before he left without harming you. If that doesn't make you approach him in a more open-minded, less aggressive way, I don't know what will."

Though Magnus grumbled something under his breath before downing another cup of water, she sensed he knew she wasn't entirely wrong, and that was a step in the right direction. A direction that, surprisingly enough, his father echoed when they joined him and the others in his lodge a short time later.

"I know there is nothing I can do to stop you from confronting Zane at this point, son," Knud said as a table and food were brought into his lodge so they could eat breakfast and talk without too many ears listening. "So we must discuss what that entails. Because your mate is right. This is an opportunity for conversation rather than confrontation. Do I trust Zane? No. But it would be foolish not to see some part of him is trying to work toward a better outcome. If he is this unseen foe, perhaps it's time to see what he wants because, on the whole, from what I've gathered, it is not the death of your Valkyries."

"We agree," Athena said, speaking for Quinn and Zoey. The more they bonded with their mates, the more they, too, became connected, understanding things they hadn't before on a divine level. "It's time to communicate with Zane. Understand why he's done the things he's done."

"You understand that means we could be talking to one personality or another," Rafe said dryly. "And both are more than capable of lying."

"Yet we have to try," Quinn insisted. "Because as tempting as it might be for those of you who dislike and distrust him, it"s generally best to presume someone's innocent until proven guilty rather than the other way around."

Zoey nodded. "I couldn't agree more." She looked at Magnus and squeezed his hand in support. "I know you intend to head his way today. How should we approach him?"

"Good question," Quinn echoed, "considering Rafe and I will be joining you."

"And us." Athena shared a look with Tyr and ?se. "We're by your side too, whether Ulrik ordered us to be or not."

"I, however, will remain behind," Knud said. "My presence would only instigate a battle before anyone has a chance to talk."

"Agreed." Magnus looked at the others. "Are you sure you wish to come? This could turn into a full-out battle with Múspellsheimr and Ancient dragons, who we all know will likely be loyal to Zane, not Ulrik."

"Quinn and I will stand by you, cousin," Rafe said. "As you once stood by us."

"I follow King Ulrik's orders always," Tyr said dutifully, nodding once at Magnus. "And this time, I more than agree with him. It's time to make amends and stand by kin again." He clenched his jaw, biting back emotion as he no doubt reflected on Magnus's little girl. "To come together in friendship once more so we might know one another's children."

"Ja," ?se agreed. The corner of her mouth shot up. "Plus, there is always the chance Zane will battle with us, and nothing would please me more than taking him down."

When Athena frowned at her and shook her head because that wasn't the goal here, ?se merely shrugged and set to sharpening her blade with relish. One of several before they finished eating and readied themselves for travel and perhaps battle.

"Do you think I'll know how to use these weapons like my friends did?" Zoey wondered as she and Magnus stood in his lodge while he strapped several small, sheathed blades onto her.

"Based on what I felt from your dragon in our last life, I believe so." He crouched in front of her and tucked a blade into a slot in her boot she hadn't realized was there. "You were a true shield-maiden determined to protect me despite being meant for another, and I sense that knowledge still resides in you. I also sense what's inside you would much rather use words than blades to achieve your goals."

"I think you're right," she murmured a little breathlessly when he slowly ran his hand up the back of her thigh and inhaled deeply, pulling in the scent of an arousal that never abated around him. "I also think you're starting something you can't finish right now."

"Am I?" he murmured against her hip bone, nipping just enough to spike pleasure through her before he fell to his knees, slid her pants down just enough to give him access, and put his mouth where she needed it most. She gasped when he squeezed her backside and made quick work with a remarkably talented tongue of bringing her to peak in record time.

She cried out and groaned, clenching his shoulders tightly when an orgasm ripped through her so hard it was a good thing he held her up because her legs gave out.

"And just to make sure your little beast is well satisfied before being around Zane's dragons..." he said softly with a wicked look in his eyes.

She wasn't sure what he meant until he hoisted her onto the table, made her lie back, freed himself, and thrust deep inside her. Crying out in pleasure, she clutched the edge of the table and struggled to catch her breath as he again saw her satisfied in no time. Despite having just climaxed when he thrust once, twice, then a third time before pressing deep and letting go inside her, she exploded all over again.

"There," he growled in her ear while they throbbed together. "Now, all male dragons will know I have claimed you. That you are mine."

His raw possessiveness turned her on even more, and another mini round of climaxes rolled through her when he pressed deep one last time and nipped her earlobe. Then, as quickly as he'd taken her, he pulled away and gave her time to adjust herself. No easy task, given her legs were shaky and her body still throbbed with pleasure even as they made their way out of his lodge and joined the others.

"I've updated Ulrik on all that's happening, and he agreed our course of action is good," Tyr informed them. "He wants to join us outside the Realm before we cross onto Zane's land." His expression soured. "Or at least Zane"s land to our cousin"s way of thinking."

Where Zoey knew Magnus would have preferred to do this alone so he might enjoy a one-on-one battle with Zane, he understood Ulrik's reasoning. Knew he likely suspected Magnus's desire things not go as smoothly as everyone hoped, at the very least, because Zane had stolen his daughter's body, and he wanted revenge.

Fortunately, the last of the stormy weather had blown out to sea, and the day was clear, allowing for good visibility—a beneficial thing in a land of warring tribes that typically descended from the sky.

"I wish you the best of luck, son." Knud clasped Magnus's shoulder. "May we make more strides toward peace."

"May we indeed." Astrid gave Magnus a pointed look. "Remember your promise to me, grandson." She glanced knowingly from Zoey to him. "Listen when the time is right." His grandmother went to Zoey, cupped her shoulders, and gazed at her wisely. "And you, my granddaughter, battle well with words and wit and bring change."

"I will," she managed, emotional because she knew how important this was.

Astrid nodded once and looked at her with pride. "Ja, you will." She shook her head. "Never doubt that, beloved Valkyrie."

She drew strength from the way Astrid looked at her and the confidence she had in her before the Viking woman faded, and Zoey stood somewhere else entirely, chanted there by Rafe. She took in her surroundings, stunned by the view beyond the huge cave they'd been transported to.

Within seconds, Ulrik and Keira were there as well.

"Oh my goodness," Quinn whispered reverently as she took in the sweeping valley below, staggered with three lakes at varying heights before her gaze rose to the monstrous golden ash tree overlooking everything. "This is the Realm, and that's Níeh?ggr's Ash."

"It is." Despite keeping a blade at the ready, Rafe slipped his hand into Quinn's and looked at her affectionately. "Once this is all over, I will bring you to every corner of this land created by the Great Serpent. Walk you through its enchanted forests."

Zoey felt the slight vibration coming off the two of them as they fell into sync with all the spectacular nature around them. The endless ancient trees and the great golden Yggdrasil looking down on them. A tree that had been at the heart of so very much.

"Oh my..." Zoey murmured, feeling an eerie sense of déjà vu when she spied the tall, gothic-looking castle in the distance with spires that rose high into the sky. "That could only be the Keep." She blinked and shook her head, unsettled. "I know that place..."

"Perhaps you just feel that way because our Valkyries are bonding, and I saw the Keep in the living room of the Maine chalet?" Quinn theorized, looking from the Keep to Zoey with concern and with good reason. The more Zoey stood there, the more she sensed she'd been here before.

In this very spot, looking at that very castle.

"I don't understand." She shook her head. "Why would I know this place so well?"

Clearly alarmed by something, Magnus withdrew not just his axe but a dagger, ready to defend her. "I do not like this, min lille droning."

It seemed he was right to be alarmed, too, based on what happened next.