AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ales
I thought Ales would say something—call me out, threaten me, force the Valkyrie forth, try to breach the walls of my mind. Instead, he glanced between me and Logan and said, “Take the short path back tonight. Tomorrow we train alone, Valkyrie.”
The group waited as I shuffled behind them down the mountain in silence. I was too exhausted to imagine all the scenarios of what would happen with Ales tomorrow. The light inside me bubbled with anxiety.
Now you’re nervous? One of us is supposed to be wanting this!
By the time we made it to the village, the suns had set, and Lana was waiting for me when I shuffled my battered body through the front door. She had sliced smoked meat and a mountain of grains that looked like little peas with red and yellow vegetables on top. It smelled peppery and smoky with spices. She had kept it warm over the small fireplace on the far edge of the home.
Lana patiently motioned for me to come and sit beside the fire.
I dragged my feet behind me and kissed the top of her head before I fell to the wooden floor.
Lana looked visibly distressed as I scooped food into my mouth and chugged a pitcher of water.
I was probably performing multiple taboos of her culture, or she was disgusted by my battered body. My hands and forearms cramped from holding the sword for so long. They were shaking. Consequently, food was falling to the floor before making it to my mouth. I slumped my body to the side so I could get my mouth closer to the plate of food without making more of a mess.
Lana watched the entire pitiful show while holding her plate of food silently in her lap. She eventually began eating when I positioned myself on my stomach and shoveled food into my mouth, using my fingers as a spoon. I couldn’t grip any utensils to eat with my hands, they were so stiff.
She diligently brushed the food I dropped on the floor into the fire and then added more meat to my plate. Once I had eaten enough to stop the aches of hunger, I rolled over to face Lana and took a deep breath.
“Ales knows. I mean, I didn’t exactly tell him I’m still partially mortal, but I’m pretty sure he knows.”
Lana waited a moment like she was searching for the words. “Ales not hurt Charlie.”
“He might not hurt me, but he is going to want the Valkyrie. Only the Valkyrie. Which means no more Charlie.”
Lana shook her head. “Ales not hurt Charlie.”
“We’ll see about that. Tomorrow when I come home—if I don’t seem right—be careful. The Valkyrie is powerful and at the core a warrior. If there is nothing tamping down that part of me, I might be dangerous. You need to keep your distance if that happens.”
Lana nodded. She squeezed my shoulder and smiled before she helped me from the floor to my bedroom.
An hour before sunrise, the same loud thunk as the day before sounded on my door. I didn’t have a chance to open my eyes. Ales threw another bag onto the bed, landing on my stomach with a soft thud.
“Ouch! That’s heavy. Watch where you’re aiming next time,” I said, sitting up in bed.
“Strap them to your body tightly and meet me at the southern shore,” Ales nonchalantly demanded before slamming the door behind him.
Good morning to you, too.
He hadn’t been in my dreams. I hadn’t dreamed at all for the second night in a row. Part of me wondered if Ales missed it like I did. Did he share my dreams? My light wanted to reach for him when I slept, but it didn’t. The honor of our promise kept it from seeking him out.
I undid the binds of the satchel. Examining the dark depths, the contents clinked together. Carefully reaching inside, my fingers wrapped around the hilt of a practice sword sheathed in protective leather.
After ten minutes of cursing and dropping very heavy swords on my feet, I successfully secured a sword to my right hip and a dagger to my left, with the second sword over my back. I jerked the door open and ran out of the bedroom.
“Hey, Lana,” I said as I grabbed a piece of fruit from the bowl near the fireplace. “Headed out to meet the slave master. Don’t forget what we talked about last night. Take care of yourself, okay?”
I’m not sure if Lana knew what every word meant, but she frowned and waved, giving me an extra bladder of water before I hit the front door. If it was the last time Charlie saw Lana, then I had done my best to warn her. I didn’t trust what I’d be like when my mortal self was gone.
I jogged along the stone path leading to the south shore we had arrived on. Once my feet hit the sand, I turned to find Ales.
He stood alone with crossed arms as the waves crashed over his boots.
“Where would you like to start?” I asked.
