“Thank you.”
He bowed, then picked up his magical nuts and shoved them into his cheeks. I stifled a chuckle. They glowed inside, making him look a little bit angelic, despite his gossipy hobby. Face puffy, he crouched low so we could climb onto his back.
Cade and I scrambled up. Ratatoskr’s fur was warm and coarse. Mayhem hovered at our side, and Ratatoskr took off up the tree trunk, scaling the massive ash tree like a pro.
I clung tightly to his fur, muscles burning. My still-healing cuts didn’t help matters, either.
“There’s no way in hell I’m looking down,” I muttered.
“I would advise against it,” Cade said.
“We’re hiiiigh up.” Ratatoskr’s voice was garbled due to the nuts. “If you fall…splat!”
“Thanks, Ratatoskr.” I buried my face in his fur.
Cade chuckled beside me.
This was going to be a long ride.
It felt like hours later that Ratatoskr stopped on a branch. I tumbled off him, aching all over. For a moment, I lay on the bark, staring up at the sky.
Somewhere along the way, Mayhem had disappeared. I hoped that meant we were out of danger.
“This is the level of the realm of the Valkyrie,” Ratatoskr said. “My honor is intact. Now I am off to determine the truth of your words!”
I leaned up to say goodbye, but he was already scampering off, his bushy tail disappearing over the edge of the branch.
I struggled to my feet to join Cade.
“Never thought I’d ride a giant squirrel,” Cade said.
“Life comes at you fast.”
“That it does.” He turned and started toward the trunk of the tree.
I followed.
It quickly became evident that the entrance to the Valkyrie realm wasn’t in the trunk, as the entrance to the Dark Elves world had been. I pulled the compass stone from my pocket and stared at it.
When the needle stopped spinning, it pointed out into thin air, right over the edge of the tree limb.
I dropped my head back and groaned. “You have to be kidding.”
“Over the edge?” Cade asked.
“According to this thing.”
I walked toward the edge of the limb, which took a solid ten minutes since the thing was so big. Carefully, I leaned over.
Below, the air shimmered black.
A portal.
“We have to jump into it.” My stomach turned at the thought.
“And if we’re wrong?”
“Splat.” I shook my head. “Just like Ratatoskr said.”
“That’s bad news.”
I dug into my bag for the scroll, then unfurled it and searched for confirmation that I should jump off the tallest tree in the universe. “Yep, the scroll confirms that we have to jump.”
I shoved it back in my bag, and the stone went into my pocket for easy access.
Cade held out his hand.
I smiled at him, knowing my grin had a slightly worried tinge to it, and gripped his hand. His warmth and strength sent a shot of comfort through me, one that was followed quickly by a shiver.
In the middle of a quest, it’d be a bad idea to think about how attractive Cade was. About how much I wanted him.
But if I had to jump off a giant tree, I was going to take whatever distraction I could get.
“Ready?” Cade asked.
“Oh yeah. Psyched.”
He chuckled. Then stepped forward.
I counted down. On three, we leapt off the tree. My stomach jumped into my throat as I fell, wind whistling in my hair. I barely managed to bite back a scream.
When the portal sucked us in, we slowed abruptly, then crashed to the ground.
Sprawled on soft grass, I shook my head to regain my vision.
“You all right?” Cade asked.
“Yeah.” I sat up next to him.
All around us, mountains soared, their peaks tipped white. The valley was covered in green grass, with a large river roaring nearby. Wildflowers speckled the ground, and the sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky.
“Whoa,” I breathed.
“Looks like Norway in the spring.”
“Never been.” But now I wanted to. I stood, my legs shaking and muscles aching. “I really hope we don’t have to fight anything here. I’m just about out of juice.”
Cade wrapped an arm around my waist, supporting me. I stiffened, not liking the insinuation that I wasn’t tough enough to stand on my own. Then I relaxed.
I actually liked leaning into Cade. And I liked him.
What was the big deal if I accepted a little help?
Especially from him.
I leaned into him and dug the stone from my pocket. The needle spun, finally pointing us down the valley.
“That way.”
We started walking. Every step was pain.
When the sound of hoofbeats broke the quiet, I stiffened and turned.
Two white horses galloped up to us, each without a rider. Silver wings flared off their back, and they wore matching silver leather saddles and bridles. When they stopped in front of us, they whinnied.
I held out a hand, and one snuffled my palm.
“Hi, guys,” I said.
Both horses bent their heads and their front knees, a clear gesture that we should get on.
“Should we?” Cade asked.
“Yes.” I felt it in my chest. We were almost there, and I’d read about the mounts of the Valkyrie. “I’m not much of a horse rider, but these guys will take us where we want to go.”
I climbed onto the nearest horse. It was a bit awkward to get around the wings, but I managed. As soon as I was seated, the horse took off, trotting down the valley. At least it didn’t fly. I didn’t know what to do with the reins or my feet, but as long as we weren’t in the air, this ride couldn’t go too terribly wrong.
The horse seemed to know where it was going, and it carried me in the direction the compass stone had been pointing.
Cade’s mount joined my own, and we trotted down the valley, following the stream. Though I was glad to be going faster, and with an official escort and everything, the bouncing was pretty freaking painful.
Riding sure wasn’t easy.
When the buildings came into view ahead, my heart began to thunder.
This was it.
Answers.
The setting sun gleamed on the long, low buildings. Viking longhouses, built of wood with green turf roofs. They were scattered all over the valley. As we neared, I noticed a training field where Valkyrie fought with various weapons.
The women were everywhere. All of them had wings, and most wore armor. Some rode horses like my own, while others fought with axe or sword.
We were only a hundred yards away when one of them peeled off from the group, directing her mount toward us. The horse’s coat gleamed black, while her wings shined gold. Chainmail protected the Valkyrie to the knees, and a metal helmet concealed most of her blond hair. Her wings were gold like those of her horse.
A huge grin split her face when she was close enough to make out my features.
“Bree Blackwood! Finally. We have waited for you for ages.”
My heart thundered, a thousand emotions battling inside me. Someone as powerful as this Valkyrie had waited for me? It made sense, I supposed, since the gods had given me pieces of their power. But it didn’t feel like I should be that person.
But I was.
Now I just had to earn it.
“Hi.” I waved.