2. Maddy

Chapter 2

Maddy

W e emerge from the cavern entrance and the view makes my steps falter. Valdis curses as Kain's feet slip.

"Keep moving, rook," she grunts.

She's right—I have to keep moving. The walk has sapped Kain's strength alarmingly quickly and increased the flow of blood from his mangled shoulder. It's covering the wood beneath our feet, and he's not taking much of his own weight at all anymore. Truth be told, nor am I—Valdis is right about Kain being heavy.

But the dead Frost Giant lying in the water at the base of the smashed steps up to Odin's High Hall is hard not to stare at. The Giant's foot is embedded in the mess of splintered wood, and I feel a surge of anger that the beautiful entrance to Featherblade has been damaged.

Who did these creatures think they were, coming here and attacking such an incredible, sacred place, and killing rooks in training ?

The reality, and the danger, of the situation washes over me, threatening my control again.

This morning there were twenty-five of us. Now, there are twenty-one. Branka and the rook she killed, and the two rooks killed by Frost Giants, all taken in just a few short hours.

"Harald!" Valdis calls suddenly, and I see him appear far below, in the direction of the Snake Wing, carrying a stack of long timber slats. He drops the wood and his brown wings unfurl quickly. He lands beside us and immediately takes Kain's weight from me.

I step away, flexing my aching arms, then falter as I seethe fire-fae's face. He's even paler now, and his eyes are only partly open.

"Ugly bear," he murmurs to Harald as the shadow-fae hefts him over his shoulder, careful not to make contact with his skin.

"Odin-cursed idiot," Harald mumbles back, and the two Valkyrie lift him off the wooden walkway completely, their wings opening wide.

They glide over the mess of steps, down toward the Snake Wing, and I almost call out after them to wait for me, but the faster they can get Kain to Erik, the better. I force myself to move, hurrying along the walkway to the steps down the east side of the hall—the fastest way on foot to the healing chambers.

I see rooks on the way, some still and wild-eyed, others helping fix the mess of steps. They all stare as I rush past—probably because I'm covered in blood. Nobody stops and asks me if I'm okay, and I'm grateful .

Only earlier today we all saw Kain burn a fae to ash, then were told he was to be punished. I'm not convinced that any of the rooks who saw Branka's bloodlust believe Kain to be the villain, but I'm still not going to tell them that the blood all over me belongs to the outcast Valkyrie. Inga and Orgid already believe I'm involved with him somehow; I don't need to fuel that rumor.

When I get to the bank, I can't help pausing to look at the dead Giant in the water. Shelooks nothing like the one that attacked in the Battleyard. She has real hair rather than ice shards, a deep navy blue that contrasts with her white, frost-sparkled skin. Bright blue streaks of war paint run vertically up high, sculpted cheekbones, and her lips are deep purple. There's anangry expression on her lifeless face, and her red-tinged eyes look like they might have held thoughts beyond just "kill"—unlike the one we fought. I'm sure that creature operated on instinct. I didn't sense much intelligence in the way it attacked.

The pull of the gallery is fierce, the desire to look up and recall everything we have been learning about Frost Giants and how intelligent they are almost getting the better of me. To retreat to my mind, to a safe place, would be bliss.

"How did you get in here?" I mutter as I stare down at the alien face. I almost find her beautiful. Is that possible? Can a monster be beautiful? Deep scars gouge her skin everywhere it is exposed; she was clearly a warrior.They are all long healed, certainly not caused today.

The huge, gaping wound in her chest, right between her large, leather-bound breasts was caused today, though. I can see claw marks, and I wonder if Harald is responsible.

Harald and his bear .

My head swims again as the huge white bear's image fills my mind, the Giant forgotten in an instant. I start moving, forcing my feet along the path to the healing chambers.

A bear.

How can my val-tivar be a bear?

Pressure claws at me, and I shove the questions down. I will work it out when I have the time and space to think properly, but now, I need to get to Kain.

When I reach the healing chambers, Harald is gone, and there is no sign of Erik. Valdis has laid Kain out on one of the pallets, and his blood has already soaked the mattress.

"Wait with him," she says when I move toward them, then hurries from the room.

"Why?" Kain rasps when I get close. His face is paler than I thought his dark skin would allow, and blood is no longer trickling, but flowing from his shoulder, the air rich with its metallic tang.

Please, don't let it be too late to save him, I pray.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you run? "

I don't know how to answer him. I don't know why I didn't run. No conscious thought fed the decision. I just knew I had to try to save him.I shouldn't care about his life—I barely know him. I shouldn't think about him when I'm alone; I shouldn't dream about him at night. I shouldn't be anywhere near him. But here I am. And he's right to ask. Why in the name of Odin's arse did I risk my life to save his?

"You've lost a lot of blood," I say.

"I'd have lost my head without you." He turns to me slowly, wincing as it causes the muscles in his neck to move. His gray eyes pin me in place. Even though they're not blazing, and they're not filled with ash, his gaze still holds the power to mesmerize me. "What the fuck did you do?" he whispers.

When I don't answer, he speaks again."I wasn't conscious for all of it, but… It wasn't you who knocked that thing off me."

I shake my head gently. I can't tell him what happened, not until I've processed it, at least. And even then…"When Erik has healed you, we'll talk," I say.

"You're hiding things, princess." His words are a hiss of pain.

"Stay still. Stop talking. And moving."

"As if a little thing like you could tell me what to do."

I scowl, then shrug. "Fine. Lose more blood behaving like a heimskr . See if I care."

"I think you do care, princess."

He's right. I do care . And I shouldn't. I know how dangerous he is."I told you to stop calling me that. "

"I'll pick something else if you like."

I take a step toward him, and then footsteps sound behind me, making me stop and turn. It's Erik. His wings are tucked tight to his back, and his face is as serious as I've ever seen it. The front of his tunic is splattered with blood, though he appears uninjured. He must have already tended to the wounded rooks.

Without a word, he moves beside Kain. The fire-fae snarls halfheartedly but doesn't resist as the healer examines the gory ruin of his shoulder.

"This will hurt," Erik murmurs as Valdis steps into the room and gently closes the door behind her.

"Just do it," Kain grits out.

Erik places his hands on either side of the wound. He closes his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration.

I see a shimmering light, and then my heart skips a beat as I barely keep from stumbling.

A shimmering serpent, black scales banded with yellow, is winding its way up Erik's arm.

It's Erik's val-tivar . And I can see it.