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I was afraid Charlie would be a voyeur in my own mind, feeling Ales and the Valkyrie connect.
“I don’t know Ales…”
“Please, elskan mín.”
I remembered the translation to the words this morning. It meant my love, in Old Norse.
“How do you know that word? It is a Viking term. It’s not Cri’s language or mine.”
“An Einherjar named Sigr taught it to me a few centuries ago. It is what I feel for you. When your aether reached for me in your dreams. Is it not?”
“Wait a second… when I reached for you?”
The dreams were real for him, too? And I had called for him?
“Yes. It is how I found you. You connected to me.”
“The Valkyrie sought you when my mortal self was unconscious.” Tricky little bitch. “But then why did you try to kill me?”
Confusion streaked across Ales’ face. “I never wanted to hurt you. I only wanted to give you what you sought, the pleasure. You showed me how to give you that?”
“I showed you? Oh no… you kissed me first.”
“Only because you connected to me. You showed me what you desired.”
“But why the locations of the creatures? Why the did you turn into the Raiders? Even the Valkyrie doesn’t desire the Raiders.”
“That wasn’t me. That was the connection the Valkyrie has to the Raiders. You drew me to you. I met you in your mind, where the Valkyrie chose. Charlie awoke before I could seek the Valkyrie through the connection. I could only sense you completely once you reached for me in the compound, while you were awake. The words were so clear. It was powerful enough to finally find you.”
It must’ve been because all of me sought him.
I remembered the words. I had begged for anyone to come help me. And Ales had heard me. He had come for me.
Maybe Lana was right. Ales wouldn’t hurt Charlie.
“Okay,” I said.
“Okay?”
“You can go inside my mind… but go slow. Show me how to manipulate the element so it does what I want. But don’t go prowling through every memory. Some are meant just for me.” Jason. His memories were for my heart only. His memories were a guarded, sacred place in my mind that wasn’t corrupted by the Valkyrie. I wanted it to remain untouched.
“There’s no honor in seeing what is not offered to me. I only go where you lead.”
“You promise?”
“My honor is all I have.”
He had a lot more than honor if the others followed him, and trusted him like a brother. Sometime I’d have to explain the premise of friends to Ales.
I squeezed my eyes closed and waited, tensing against what would come next.
“Breathe. It helps,” Ales whispered.
I sucked in a deep breath.
A faint stroke curled around the edge of my mind. My aether swirled and danced, seeking him. I opened the tiniest passage of myself to him. The taste of citrus and nectar poured over my tongue.
Ales was ancient and strong like my light, but he didn’t seek to consume me. He paused, and then sought the water in the crevices of my thoughts.
