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“You’re correct that Warriors die bravely in battle,” I acquiesce. “SomeWarriors. The majority of them, though, are regular men who die selflessly protecting others from harm. They aren’t warriors in the conventional sense, in the way you’ve been taught, but they have the heart of a warrior.”
“And where are you getting your information?” she counters hotly.
“It’s pretty common knowledge.”
The expression on her face has me wanting to call the words back as soon as they leave my mouth. I’ve offended her, and that’s not at all what I wanted to do.
But that fucking mission…
“Common knowledge?” she repeats. “I’ve spent my life studying everything there is to learn about Odin and Valhalla, along with other Norse mythology, and nowhere is there anything to support your statement. Besides, with your theory, any man, good or bad, could get into Valhalla based on one act of kindness, essentially. They could be evil their entire lives, but do a good deed that lasts five minutes, and poof, Valhalla bound?” She shakes her head. “I don’t think so.”
“Denying it doesn’t make it less true.”
“And wishing it were true to justify the way you live doesn’t make it so.”
My hackles rise. I don’t want to fight with her, but she’s making it difficult to remain calm.
“The way I live?”
We stare at one another, both of us unrelenting and sure of our claims. Only my information isn’t simply a claim. It’s fact.
Makayla takes a deep breath, then another, and another. “Look, Viking. This has been fun, but I think I should go.”
She hands me her now empty beer bottle and walks away, leaving me speechless as I continue to lean against the wall.
That went downhill fast.
17
Makayla
“Hey, wait up!”
I slow my steps and turn to walk backward. Inferno, who I met at Cherry’s and was reintroduced to earlier, is jogging toward me. I know I’m storming out like a child, but being told that I’m wrong about something I’ve believed my entire life, about something my mother taught me, hurts
I’m a scholar, a student of knowledge, and normally I’m open to conflicting ideas and opinions, but for some reason, I can’t handle it tonight.
“I’m leaving, Inferno.”
“What happened?” he asks when he catches up to me. “You and Viking seemed to be getting along so well.”
“We were,” I admit.
And it’s true. Being around Viking felt right. It felt familiar. I can’t explain it, but for the few hours I spent with him, I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be, like the universe breathed a sigh of relief because we were together.
“Then why are you rushing out of here?”
“I’m just…” Just what? Being an idiot? Angry because Viking has differing thoughts than my own? Just fucking what? “I’m tired, that’s all,” I lie.
“Bullshit. What did he do?”
I can’t stop the huff of laughter. I barely know Inferno, or anyone here for that matter, yet he’s willing to take my side on some perceived slight from his club brother.
“Nothing. He’s just not my type so I figured it was better to cut ties now than to get hurt later.”
“Again, bullshit.”
When I reach my car, I open the door, but I don’t climb in. “Inferno, I appreciate you coming out to check on me, but with all due respect, you don’t know me. Why are you pushing this?”
