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“We can send Axel and Soren to retrieve your mother so we can stay together.”

“I want to be at the temple,” I said. “I have to.”

“Then promise me that every hour we’re apart you’ll project your foresight into me.”

“Drak, it's not like you’ll hear me.”

“No, but after you hunted down my soul, I know that if you think you’ll lose me, you’ll come back to me.”

I smiled. “Are you asking for my protection, King Drakkar?”

“I’m asking for your promise. Don’t let yourself get captured, don’t risk it.”

“I’ll do anything to save my mother.”

“And I’ll do anything to be with you. Anything, Skald. Including, have you killed when I die.”

My heart skipped. That sounded barbaric, sick, and…exactly what I wanted. “Okay,” I breathed. “So we’re doing this. We’re facing my immortality.”

“And my mortality. You won’t die until the prophesied World’s End when Fenrir eats you—the person who took Odin’s place.”

“So how can you have me killed?”

“Soren,” he said. “You won’t die, exactly, but he can guide your soul to the afterlife. His Valkyrie connection to your role as Odin is undeniable. He has no doubt that he can guide you. Without your soul, your body will eventually wither, I suspect, but your soul belongs to me. You will be with me in the end. Do you understand?” My pulse danced again. Drak left me no choice but to agree, and if I dared to be honest, I didn't want to fight it. I wanted to go with him when he died, but the way he commanded it both disturbed me and inspired the heat and slickness dampening between my legs. “I’m not leaving this world without you, and I swore we’d return to our farm here in this life. Don’t let me die. But if you can’t stop it, then I’ll have Soren swear on his shadows to end you.”

I nodded. A strange and sudden tear sprang to my eye. This burning behind my eyes didn’t come from our talk of death. It was the desperation in his voice that broke me—cracking me open like a shell full of despair. The tear fell down my cheek, but he wiped it away with the pad of his thumb before it slipped off my jaw. When a string of tears mirrored it on the other side, he pressed his mouth to the wetness and soaked the salt onto his lips.

“You’re mine in every life, Myrah.” He spoke against my skin. “Say it.”

“I’m yours,” I said in a whimper. His palm found my throat and gripped with just enough force to remind me how hard he’d hold on to me. “But what if Soren can’t fight Freya’s fate?” I whispered. “What if I'm still fated for Folkvangr while you go to Valhalla or the underworld?”

He smirked, his lips spreading against my cheek as his palm brushed down my throat and paused at my collarbone. He pulled back and held my gaze. “Impossible, Lux. You forget you’re in Odin’s role now. Freya has no power over you.” Into my ear, he whispered, “But I do, don’t I?”

I nodded. “You have the power to inspire me to create vampires and damn this entire world.”

“Good,” he said as he released me.

“I am ‌as fucked up and selfish as I always feared,” I said. “Because I’d do it all again if it got us here.” His crooked smile encouraged me. “What does it say about me that I’d let all those people suffer because of vampires?”

“It says that we’re made for each other because I’d do the same.”

I tried to match his smile, but it still felt wrong. Creating vampires disturbed the gods, but it also damned the people of Vylheim. Selfishness followed me across lifetimes, but I planned on saving my mother, which meant something, even if it was still just another selfish act.

“I can’t read your thoughts,” he said. “But I can guess that you’ve slipped back into your old ways.” I straightened. What did that mean? “You’re lying.”

“No—”

“If you were that selfish, you’d stay by my side during this war. I’m that selfish, you’re not.”

Damn, he knew me better than I understood myself. I’d thought just as much, but hearing him say it gave me new clarity. It wasn’t that I was willing to lose him for her, but that as a god, I knew I'd find him again.

And yes, I’d damn all of Midgard to do it.

Footsteps startled me from my thoughts. Drak snapped his gaze behind me, and he greeted Axel.

“Finan brings more news, my king,” he said. When I turned, Axel offered a bow as if we sat on the throne. “My queen. The subjects are armed. People from Myrr and Daganfold moved into Torstad's forest, while the Ravensund citizens snuck into Mara and hid in the local farms. It’s not ‌as much manpower as we wanted, but we’re ready for a siege.”

“Tomorrow at sunrise,” I said. “You’re with Drak and Soren. Take to the castle with our army split. All villagers from Mara will accompany me, you take the rest. I’ll infiltrate the temple with Finan and the other defected executioners.” I pinned Axel with my gaze. “You do not let Silver too close to Drak⁠—”