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What if Danny wanted to talk about Logan, or going back? I wouldn’t have an answer for either.
He led the way down a path that curved around to the eastern beach. When we hit the sand, he turned to me. “First, I never thanked you for my life.”
I opened my mouth to interrupt, but he stopped me with a raised palm.
“So, please understand that I’m grateful for this.” He spread his arms out to the beach and the two setting suns on the horizon. “Secondly, I will always be in your debt for saving my brother in the gorge.”
I nodded, clenching my cup of wine. Saving their lives was the best thing I had done with my life. I just wished the mortal part of me could experience life with Logan, even for a few days. But it would be unfair to him. When I went to Ales, it would hurt Logan even more.
I opened my mouth to explain it to Danny, but then decided it was best if no one knew. These men needed the warrior, the Valkyrie, more than Charlie.
“Lastly, I need to give you something.” Danny took something from under the collar of the black leather armor he now wore over his chest. He dangled the silver chain from his hand in front of me.
“I took this from Anderson. He had stripped it from you as a trophy.” Danny’s face was tight, in a grimace. “I can’t take back what happened to you, but I want you to know I am nothing like him. I think you know Logan is nothing like him either.”
My hand went up to grab the silver chain, but instead I put it over Danny’s outstretched hand.
“I know you aren’t. I don’t think I could’ve changed you if you were.” I looked into Danny’s pensive stare. “And I know Logan didn’t want to hurt me… I trust him. I just can’t give him what he wants,” I whispered.
That was all I could say that felt honest without laying a burden on Danny. I took the chain and slipped it over my head, settling it on my chest, where I tucked it under the straps of my top. It was more than just a caring gesture to find this and give it back. Both brothers were compassionate. I wonder if it was Logan or Danny who took it from Anderson, and what else they did to the man while they were at it. I had a feeling Logan didn’t ask for it nicely.
I had lost so much, and soon I’d lose myself entirely.
I had been so selfish thinking about what I was losing. I hadn’t asked them about how they were doing. “I’m sorry you got caught in the middle of this. Logan told me about your parents. I know they are close to you guys…”
“Yeah. Logan and I have always lived dangerous lives. They knew we worked for the Army doing things we couldn’t talk about. Our parents never exactly approved, but they understood. It won’t make it any easier when they think we’re missing, but maybe we can return one day. With you, maybe we can end this war.”
The thought was stunningly optimistic. I wanted just a piece of his heart to fill my dread. I couldn’t imagine we were winning this war anytime soon. I wasn’t delusional enough to hope the light within me could end hundreds of thousands of years of war. We would most likely die in a world far from here, fighting for people we would never know.
So I lied.
“When we return, we are going to have one hell of a story to tell.”
It was everything Danny seemed to need to hear. He smiled before looping an arm around my shoulder. “When we get back, first shot of whiskey is on me.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“Ready for tonight?”
“Not really. I’m hoping to just fade into the background for a bit.” I was only Charlie tonight, not their perfect chosen one. I wanted to be me for the evening, no one else. I tipped back my glass of tart wine, chugging the remainder, as we walked back to the courtyard.
