The Valkyrie Novels Box Set, page 21
part #1 of Valkyrie Series
Any doubts that it had been Astrid whom I had seen the previous night dissolved. I swallowed my fear, refusing to let her see me emotionally weak. I just knew she was talking about Aidan. And she confirmed it when she whispered, “You should have chosen a better spot to get cozy with your lover. Hopefully you have said your goodbyes.”
She left me as soon as Sigrun arrived. Left me gulping for air as fear drowned all thought and feeling in me. Sigrun gave me a worried look but said nothing. I paid little attention to my friend. I closed my eyes and saw again my embrace with Aidan in the shadow of the carved pillar. And saw the flash of light hair. What bad luck to run into Astrid, of all people. What had she been doing in Valhalla? It was just as forbidden for her to enter the hall as it was for me.
And what did she mean? I wanted to run after her and beat the information out of her. But common sense prevailed. She’d never give in to me, even if I did beat her to a pulp.
But something didn’t sit right. Why was Astrid so desperate to get rid of me, to demean me? Could it all be just her own anger and envy toward Brunhilde? Or was there more than just Astrid’s personal vendetta working against me?
Whatever she had planned for me right now had everything to do with Aidan.
With my mind stuck on Astrid and her intentions, I missed most of the procession. It had been unimpressive to begin with. Nothing like Mardi Gras or the Fourth of July. Just a bunch of Warriors in polished armor leading the procession, with Freya on her mount bringing up the rear. Her dark hair and smoky eyes swept over everyone.
The most impressive thing in the entire procession wasn’t Freya’s blinding beauty but that of her incredibly beautiful dress, made of finely meshed golden chain armor. I found myself trying hard not to stare, in case she caught me and thought my attention was for her and not the garment she wore. The entire battalion of Valkyries filed in and marched behind Freya. By some fortunate turn of events, I was positioned just to the right of the Sleipnir she rode, the best place to admire her golden robes.
We reached the castle where the new Warriors were led into Odin’s Hall along with the Valkyries. Sigrun and I exchanged looks of surprise. The Warriors we’d retrieved just days before were also gathered within the hall. I was relieved to see that, though they looked tired, they were in good health. From the looks of it, they would commence their training soon.
Freya walked up to the dais where another throne now sat beside Frigga’s. She seated herself with sheer grace, her expression so serene and demure it was hard to imagine she was capable of being the passionate Warrior that she was.
“This seems to be all wrong,” Sigrun hissed beside me.
“What’s wrong?’
“Firstly, Freya is never late. Secondly, the untrained Warriors are never presented to her. She only ever wants to see the trained einherjar.”
Sigrun’s discomfort put me on edge. I scanned the hall for Astrid. She was easy to spot. I glimpsed familiar wings and armor, and her position at Freya’s side didn’t surprise me. I hadn’t yet met the goddess Freya in person, but already I wasn’t entirely sure I’d be a fan. Not when she gave privileges to the likes of Astrid.
I waited with the rest of the audience, though not with the same bated breath as the rest of them.
“Goddess Freya, your people are gathered here to welcome you home for the Choosing.” Odin’s voice boomed around the Hall. He inclined his head to his wife. “The goddess Frigga is ready to aid your choice.”
The two women conferred, and so began the Choosing. The gathered Warriors were inspected and discussed, with Frigga frequently leaning over to comment. Soon Freya had amassed her half of the Warriors, who stood ready and proud before the dais.
Then Freya rose and walked off the dais toward her regiment. In a well-orchestrated move, the Warriors lowered themselves onto their left knees and awaited their leader’s blessing. Once done, she moved toward the Valkyries assembled on the other side, giving us the once over.
When she paused before me, the amber pendent at my neck grew warm. So warm that it burned a cold fire against my skin. Freya stared, her eyes drawn to pendant. When her gaze rose to meet mine, I shivered. Her eyes were now the same amber shade as the gem around my neck.
“What is your name, child?” Her voice was soft and gentle, with no trace of menace or anger behind it.
“Bryn Halbrook.” I felt slightly off balance, unsure if I should curse or bow or refer to her as Majesty or ma’am.
“Well, Brynhildr, it seems you possess something that belongs to me.” Freya’s eyes sparkled, glimmerings of gold gathered at the corners.
“I’m not sure what you mean.” I was more shocked than defensive.
“We will discuss this later, my dear. I will call for you.” I met her cold eyes and tamped down a shudder. Somewhere within the depths of her eyes lay a frigid soul. Those glowing golden teardrops in her eyes were nothing but cold gold. With those words, she swept away, back to the dais.
She remained standing, clearly not done with her speech.
“It would be remiss of me not to thank those who have helped to care for and train my Warriors,” she said. “To the Valkyries, my strong women warriors. And to Fenrir and his remarkable team, for honing them into powerful and strong soldiers who can help defend the House of Odin.” A resounding cheer went up, from Warriors old and new, Freya’s and Odin’s. And from the Valkyries too.
“And this brings me to a decision that I have made just this morning. I usually only make the Choosing from the trained Warriors. But sometimes, I see a Warrior who is so worthy that it really does not matter if he is not fully healed or fully trained. It does not happen often, but today there is one Warrior whom I want. With the All-Father’s blessing, of course.”
Odin nodded, forehead creased, no doubt curious about what Freya was up to. He didn’t seem to think anything untoward was going on as he granted her request. Freya turned to the audience, silencing the whispered questions buzzing around like a little swarm of curious bees. “The Warrior I have chosen is so new to Valhalla that he is still recovering, so I will go to him.”
Sigrun shuffled beside me. Was this another one of Freya’s departures? I met Sigrun’s eyes and raised a questioning brow. She gave a slight shrug, but her eyes held concern. Sigrun suspected something was amiss. And I couldn’t deny that my own heart was slamming against my breastbone.
Freya didn’t walk. She glided. The trailing ends of her long gilded dress glittered in the torchlight. Her cheeks shimmered where golden dust covered the skin, and her face remained regal, untouched. She paused before the small rank of Warriors, looking straight at Joshua, who didn’t flinch. He just held his ground with his chin confidently forward. But the little vein at his temple, hidden by a curl of his hair, told me he would not be fainting from excitement if she chose him.
She didn’t. Freya moved on to Aimee. I hadn’t realized until then how tall Aimee actually was. In fact, she was taller than Joshua, standing upright and strong. Stronger than I’d ever known her to be. Aimee had been sick since before I arrived in Craven. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever seen Aimee’s complexion as anything but a pale and pasty white, or her eyes anything besides huge and almost popping out of her head.
She’d always been weak and incredibly thin, the cancer virtually eating her from inside out. But now she stood strong, her eyes like a smoldering fire, her stance saying don’t-mess-with-me. She too remained calm during Freya’s inspection, no indication at all of how she felt about being taken so soon. When Freya nodded and moved on, Aimee released a pent up breath. So she had been stressing after all.
When Freya stopped before Aidan, a familiar creeping sensation trailed down my back. I turned to Astrid, still standing beside Freya’s empty seat in mute silence. Just in time to catch a venomous, yet triumphant, sneer from her before she masked her emotions.
I stopped breathing and the thumping in my chest threatened to break a rib. Freya smiled at Aidan and raised her hand. Which he took and bowed over to kiss. Great, where did he learn gallantry? Freya smiled at his tousled head bowed over her hand.
When he rose, she grasped his arm and said, “You, Aidan Lee, are my chosen Warrior.”
Chapter 30
I wanted to faint and cry and scream all at the same time. I didn’t understand exactly what Freya’s Warriors did, where they went or what interaction they would have with their fellows in Asgard. But the moment she stood before him and smiled that smile of pure seduction, I knew Aidan was doomed.
The ceremony drew to a close as Freya and her Warriors, including Aidan, left the Hall in what should have been a pretty upbeat procession. To me it was nothing more than a death march.
“Well, at least he didn’t much look like he was disturbed by her choice. In fact, he looked pretty entranced by her,” I said to Sigrun, unable to hide my bitterness.
She patted my shoulder. “That is the power of Freya. She entrances men with her eyes, seduces them with their own dreams.”
“Take it you don’t have much love for her?”
“Well, she is my boss, as you say. But she always has her own agenda.”
“So what’s her agenda now? Why’d she take Aidan?”
“From the looks of it Aidan has nothing that Freya needs. Except you.”
I looked up from nervously picking at a cuticle. “Me? She’s using Aidan against me?”
“So it appears.” Sigrun frowned. “But how would she even have known there was any connection between you two?”
“Er . . . I should have told you, but I didn’t want to worry you. Don’t look so suspicious. When you left me with Aidan in Valhalla, he kissed me.”
“He kissed you? So what? Did you kiss him back?” She leaned closer. I couldn’t believe she wanted details at a time like this.
“Of course I did,” I said. “It’s not like we haven’t kissed before. He’s my boyfriend. Was. My boyfriend. Sort of. I mean, we were together, in love. Anyway, I think someone saw us?”
“What? But we were so careful. Who saw you?”
“I can’t be entirely certain, but it looked like Astrid. Or rather, my gut tells me it was her. It was just a suspicion until Freya chose Aidan. That’s just way too coincidental.” Not to mention the look of supreme satisfaction on Astrid’s face.
“So that is what she meant on the field this morning.”
“You heard that?”
“Yes, I heard, but I did not understand. You know what it is like to only hear part of the conversation.”
“Yup.” I sure did; I sighed inwardly, thinking of the time I’d eavesdropped on Aidan and Ms. Custer. “So, what now? What are we supposed to do?”
Worry crept into Sigrun’s eyes. “Freya told you she wanted to talk to you. She will call you to her before she leaves.”
“So I’m just supposed to sit around and wait?”
“Yes. You can try to order a goddess around if you wish. Personally I would look out for my own neck first. Then my heart.”
I didn’t have too long to wait. Just a night of tossing and turning. When Turi brought breakfast the next morning, it came with a little message. A small scroll lay next to a goblet of Mead. At my questioning look Turi said, “The Mead is for your injuries from your training yesterday, and the message is from the goddess Freya.”
“But I wasn’t hurt. . . .” Turi was bustling about pretending not to hear me at all.
I downed the Mead. Not only for its rejuvenating sweetness, but for the little rush of peace that came with each swallow. Who would have thought of peace and tranquility as a drug? Just imagine what would happen if some Earthly genius figured out how to make Mead. Instant euphoria. All medical cures would be incidental and gratis. Sure.
I stared at the roll of paper. Did I truly want to read her message? I wasn’t sure what Freya was up to. At last, I steeled myself and grasped the scroll with two fingers, my blood thrumming in my head. I smoothed the paper open and read a request for my attendance, after breakfast, in Odin’s Hall. That was it. Not even a signature. Only the golden edges of the paper implied that Freya might be the sender.
Right. Still no idea what Her Haughtiness wanted. Guess I’d find out soon enough. I finished breakfast and dressed alone. Turi had snuck out quietly before I’d opened the note. Perhaps it was better I was alone anyway. I wasn’t the best company right now. Filled with anger and frustration. I wasn’t sure what I’d do or say.
I’d thought, for a short while, that I’d begun to make my own choices, to live my life the way I wanted to. Being a Valkyrie meant the ability to help people. Even if I was just a nicer looking, living version of Charon, the boatman of the river Styx.
But had I really ever had control of my choices, swept along on the tide of this unbelievable fantastical world? I wished it were all a dream. Here again, I was hooked; Freya was just reeling in her catch. What would she want from me?
I charged into the Hall, my eyes darting around for my summoner.
“If you are looking for your lover, my dear, he is not here.” Freya’s voice was a silken thread, weaving around me.
I walked to the dais, bristling. “He is not my lover!”
“Mere semantics, my dear.” Freya smiled and beckoned me toward the dais. “Come closer, child. I will not bite.”
Well, I’m not so sure about that.
I moved forward and met the eyes of the goddess. Well, I would have looked her in the eye if her attention hadn’t been on my neck. The pendant glimmered brightly. Strange. That was the second time it had done that. The first time was only yesterday, when Freya came to speak to the Valkyries.
Now, with her eyes trained on the jewel, I steeled myself against a shiver. She dragged her gaze away and said, “I think my choice of Aidan as one of my Chosen does not make you very happy.”
I shrugged, not wanting to let her know how unhappy I truly was.
“Well, perhaps then we have nothing to discuss.” Her eyes darkened. My nonchalance had angered her. Or maybe she’d thought she had more power to manipulate me with Aidan in her possession.
I wasn’t too sure what to say. Should I beg for his freedom? Or just leave? What was the worst that could happen anyway? Aidan would just be out of my life forever. Again. Not something I wasn’t used to. He’d betrayed me, lied to me. I shouldn’t really give a damn what happened to him.
My silence filled the hall. All I heard was my hushed breathing and the nervous flutter of the wings at my back. Freya glared, and I felt an enormous pressure to speak. “What do you want? In return for Aidan?” My voice rang out, each syllable echoing around the hall like little explosions.
She smiled, satisfied. I knew I’d given in. Even gritted my teeth for backing down. But I didn’t care. She wanted something and I was damned if I couldn’t figure out what it was.
“Well, Brunhilde. You still have the same spirit.” She nodded to herself.
“My name is Bryn. I’m not Brunhilde.” The words spewed out before I could stop them, but it only amused the goddess. She laughed and the eerie peal of distant bells echoed.
“Ah, my child. Whether you accept the truth now or later in life, it shall not change who and what you are.” Her eyes narrowed. “Are the dreams not enough confirmation?”
She saw the shock in my face and smiled, satisfied she was right.
“Never mind that,” she said. “What is important is what you can do to obtain your lover’s freedom.” She walked to me so smoothly, as if she floated just above the ground. “I believe you do not know this, but you have something that belongs to me.”
She towered over me again, and this time she reached for the pendant and grasped the amber orb, closing her eyes. Pure bliss radiated from her face. When she opened her eyes, both orbs glowed an amber that mirrored the pendant.
“Brisingamen!” She sang the word, a sweet joy emanating from her voice.
Although startled, recalling my earlier conversation with Sigrun, I kept my silence. I wanted to know more.
“If it is true you cannot remember the first time you lived, Brynhildr, then I will have to tell you something.” Her voice deepened, intensified. “A long, long time ago, I lost a precious treasure. Something so close to my heart that I withstood the terrible things spoken about me, just to keep it safe. It was Brisingamen. The Circle of Suns. Called this because of the amber gems set in gold. The most beautiful treasure in all the world.”
She began to pace as she told the story. “I chose the best Valkyrie I could find, the bravest, the most courageous. Brunhilde.” Her eyes bored into mine. “I asked that she find Brisingamen for me,” Freya continued, “and she took that vow, pledging to search the ends of the earth to find it. But she never came back. It was much later that we discovered she had been killed. Now, do you not think it is a strange coincidence to find this pendant on your neck?”
“This pendant?” I was flustered. The words came out shaky and confused.
“This pendant you are wearing is the main jewel of the Brisingamen. Where did you find it? Who gave this to you?” I couldn’t understand the pent up emotion I sensed within her words. Was it a furious rage that she held at bay?
“It was sent to me by father’s trustees,” I said.
“Trustees?”
“My father died in an . . . accident when I was thirteen. The lawyers were instructed to send this to me when I turned sixteen, but I moved around a lot and I only received it just before I came to Asgard.”
“Where did your father . . . ah, I see. He no doubt found Brisingamen where he found Brunhilde’s body. I have heard the tale of Brunhilde’s remains being unearthed, and how that discovery resulted in you.” She turned on her heel, triumphant in her deduction and seemingly more confident now. “That must mean he knew where to find my precious Brisingamen. And that means you will find it for me.”
