Page 68 of Veil of Blood and Bone

“The troll came for you,” Wren corrects in a manner not even delicate-adjacent. “Not us.”

“Try again,” she replies. “Although I doubt I’ll like your next answer better.”

She hovers near the sister, hands fluttering uselessly over open air. Not touching. Not retreating.

Trapped in a stasis like I am.

The hole in my memory is massive, spanning centuries, I know in my gut. I’m old, easily the oldest creature in the room, yet I’m not the center of any of this.

Are they as confined as we?

Helene is our nexus. She is the link connecting us. Why?

I’ll take responsibility...as soon as my woman starts breathing and not yelling. I might know the men but I’ve got no damn clue what’s happening, and Helene barely pauses to draw air into her delicate form.

She pulls away, pacing the length of the desk and dividing her attention between her sister and her three new problems.

“This was a nice and orderly town before the three of you showed up. Life made sense. It wasn’t great but at least I understood my place in it. We’ve been here the longest, did you know? Out of all the places we moved.” She shakes her head, dried blood cracking. “Now the bookstore is ruined. It might as well be on the receiving end of a wrecking ball because who has the money to preserve it, and there is a wealth of old and first edition books in there that are a travesty to lose. A real fucking travesty, boys.”

She pushes hair out of her face, her braid a long tail along the curve of her spine.

Nicholas opens his mouth to say something, and Helene shuts him up with a well-placed glower. He flashes white teeth at her, his eyes glowing a dull crimson.

“Now there are trolls. There are vampires. Audra almost died, and she would have if you weren’t creeping around like a fucking stalker with your magic blood.” Her laugh turns hysterical. “A vampire stalker. It’s True Blood. Except I’m not getting paid.”

She’s pacing, yowling like a wench, demanding answers and leaving no time for anyone to give them to her.

My gut stirs and heat jets down to my cock. Fuck me if this wildcat isn’t sexy as sin. I want to soothe her by fucking her but I’m fairly certain if I try, I’ll get my dick cut off.

Soon, though.

Very soon.

We’ll pick up right where we left off, in this tomb of lost knowledge and torn books.

Wren pushes off the wall where he’s been holding up the joists and skulking. “Pretty monster. Your sister is safe. As safe as Sigrún can be. An important part of your life and history.”

Shadows dance around him with a mind of their own, and somehow even their movements, the twining serpentine wriggling along his skin, is natural.

“Her name is Audra,” Helene bites out. “Audra Blake. If you’re going to loom around, then at least call her by the right name.”

“My thoughts exactly.” She’s reading my mind.

Sigrún...

Snapshots fill my head, images of a fallen and broken woman with a crushed helmet, her winged horse dead and feathers blackened by decay. Sightless eyes stare into an unfeeling sky where even Valkyrie can die.

The girl who is cursed to break in every lifetime.

And Helene⁠—

I glance between the two of them, like two sides of the same coin. One of them light and fair, the other dusky skinned and exotic, united by features and freckles.

I know their story. Don’t I? I have it memorized, how both of them die, but I’m not sure why Sigrún is important.

No. Audra.

The black hole in my head surrounds her, as well.