Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 187(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 187(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Abigail's eyes widen as the weight of realization hits her. "If we have her, they don't. They never did. Unless they drew blood the night they attacked her family, they're still one Valkyrie short of the full five they need to gain control of the portal!"
"Exactly," I whisper, hopeful for the first time since this entire nightmare started. "But we aren't. We have everything we need. We can reopen the portal to Valhalla."
Kara glances between us, her brows crinkled. "I clearly need to catch up," she mutters. "Because I only understood about half of that."
Abigail laughs quietly, looping her arm through our sister's. "We'll catch you up," she promises. "Just as soon as we figure out how we're getting back to Eitr."
We troop outside to where the portal spit us out, looking for a way back, but don't find one. If there's a way to reopen it from this side, we don't know it.
"Maybe we just should just call our Light and hope for the best," Abigail finally suggests. "If Tori and Rissa are doing the same on their side, maybe it'll make a difference."
I glance at the sun sinking beneath the horizon and nod. Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it quickly. Because if it doesn't work, we're stuck here until morning.
Abigail looks at Kara. "Do you know how to…" She trails off, smiling as a golden glow envelopes Kara. "Guess you do."
"I know how," Kara whispers, her gaze flickering in my direction almost guiltily. "I've been doing it most of my life by accident, but Rand taught me how to do it on purpose."
I'm not upset. If this is my mother's gift to us, I'm grateful. We need all the help we can get.
Abigail and I both reach for our Light. The field around us glows white as it fills us, brighter than the sun sinking into its cradle. We stare at the spot where the portal spit us out, but nothing happens.
"Uh, now what?" Kara asks.
"Think about our sisters," Abigail suggests. "Imagine a hole in reality, leading us to them."
Kara's lips purse as she concentrates.
I close my eyes, trying to imagine the portal opening. I think about Rissa and Tori on the other side, waiting for us. But mostly, I think about Malachi and how worried he must be right now. He's probably losing his mind, desperate to find me.
My heart aches at the thought of him afraid for me, worried he's lost me. I can't ever let that happen. Not to him…not when it means he'll die too. He hasn't told me that part yet. I worked it out for myself after Adriel said a Fae doesn't survive the death of his Valkyrie. If I die, Malachi dies too.
I can't—won't—allow that to happen. No matter what truths I have to face, no matter what Darkness I have to fight, I'll do it. Whatever it takes to keep him breathing.
A blood-curdling howl rips through the air, and my eyes fly open. My veins freeze, my soul shriveling.
"No," Abigail gasps beside me, horror in her voice as she sees the same thing I do.
Dozens of thick shadows slip from beneath the trees, one right after another. Varulv.
"W-what are those?" Kara asks, her voice shaking.
"Varulv," Abigail whispers. "They were shapeshifters once, half man, half wolf. Now, they're something else altogether. Soulless. Twisted." She shivers. "Their bite is deadly."
"We should run," Kara says.
"We can't outrun them." I've seen how fast they move. We'll never make it back to the cabin before they're on top of us. We'll be lucky if we make it even half the distance. "All we can do is fight."
"She's right," Abigail agrees, slipping her arm through mine. I feel her Light bleeding into mine, amplifying mine. "Link arms with us, Kara. We'll be okay."
Kara exhales a shaking breath, grasping Abigail's other arm. As soon as they touch, her power surges into me, hot and wild. I draw as much as I can, pulling it into me until my skin feels like it's going to crack and split from the weight of the energy humming through my veins.
It's not even half of what I held when the Fae were under attack yesterday. But it's as if whatever stores I had have been depleted. Trying to hold it is like trying to hold electricity with my bare hands. It fights me, burning like a brand.
I gasp, fighting desperately not to lose control of it, trying not to draw more. What I've pulled has to be enough or I'll burn out. I already feel the Light plucking at the very fabric of my being as if it's melting through me, trying to unmake me at my foundations.
Gods. Please, let it be enough.
The varulv charge forward, racing across the meadow toward us. I don't waste energy picking them off. I let them come. They can crash against the wall of our Light, burn themselves to ash. And then we'll pick off the rest.