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"Talk to her,elskan-ljós," Dax says. "Comfort her."
I kneel on her other side, reaching for her hand. "Abigail," I whisper. "It's Rissa. I'm right here." I run my other hand down her long braid as Damrion and Adriel rush into the room, their steps thunderous.
"Skíta," Damrion growls, assessing the situation in one look. He falls to his knees beside Dax. "What happened?"
"Same as always. She was fine one minute and having a vision the next."
"I was really glad to see you here today," I tell Abigail, tuning Dax and his brothers out. "Um, I was pretty sure that Dax kidnapped me. But I guess he probably didn't if he brought me here. Unless he kidnapped you, too. But you don't strike me as the type who lets herself get kidnapped. You're kind of a bad ass." I glance up to see Adriel watching me, that one black eye focused on me.
He doesn't seem so hostile now. In fact, when our gazes meet, he inclines his head slightly, something curiously like…gratitude in his expression.
I quickly avert my gaze back to Abigail as a keening cry escapes her lips. She's so pale. Her muscles contort as she thrashes, held down by Dax and Damrion. Whatever she's going through can't be easy. It has to hurt.
Is it always like this?
She's been so happy and full of life since I came downstairs. She speaks of the visions as if they're simply a part of who she is, as if they're a gift. She didn't complain about them. Not even about this part.
Her courage helps me find a little of my own. If she can face this and still find reasons to laugh and smile, then I can facewhat's coming my way too. If it means protecting people like her and Dax, I have to face it. I may be a coward at heart, but I'm not heartless. I understand sacrifice. And this secret Fae town hidden deep within the mountains stands in testament to the sacrifices Dax and the Fae have made for a long, long time. Perhaps longer than I'll ever understand.
I'm not convinced I am who they think I am. But so long as I'm here, I'll help. What other choice is there?
Abigail's entire body goes rigid, a scream ripped from deep within her throat.
Tears leak from the corners of my eyes.
Talking to her isn't helping. Holding her down isn't helping either. She's in pain, and that isn't fair to her. Screw fate or destiny or the Gods or whoever decided she should have to carry such a heavy burden.
I squeeze my eyes closed, reaching for…something. I don't know. The same reserve of energy that's gotten me through every hard day in my life. The same one that saved my life the day my father murdered my mom and tried to kill me. I don't know what to call it. Courage? Strength? Determination? Something else? I don't know, but I reach deep, drawing it into me.
It fills me like a dam bursting the gates. Power rushes into me. Rushes through me, sweeping every piece of me along with it.
"Rissa,nei!" Dax shouts. "Nei!"
His startled cry comes too late.
The power flows down my arm to Abigail, lighting her in a nimbus. As soon as it touches her, I feel what she does. Iseewhat she sees. And, oh God, I wish I didn't.
A bloodcurdling scream rips from my lips as the mangled bodies of everyone I know stretch before me in an endless field of death.
Chapter Six
Dax
"You've got to gether off of Abigail," Damrion growls, as if I wasn't already aware of that. Unfortunately, Rissa clings to Abigail's hand as if it's a lifeline, both Valkyrie and Seer screaming as one.
Rissa's emotions beat at me, horror and rage rising in tandem.
They pull an answering rage to the surface in me. It rises hot and fast, ripping through me in a powerful flood. I fight the urgeto graspMagn, desperately trying to gain control of the situation before her heightened emotions send us both into a tailspin we can't recover from.
I've never known of a Valkyrie to burn herself out. But I've never seen one burn as hot and bright as Rissa before, either. She's inexperienced, unaware of the power she holds. Gods only know what harm she's capable of bringing down upon herself.
I don't see what she does as I did in the bar, but I feel enough to know whatever vision she and Abigail are locked in isn't good. They blaze like a golden sun, Rissa's Light shining so bright Damrion shields his eyes against it.
"Rissa,elskan-ljós, please." I gently try to pry her hand loose from Abigail's, trying desperately not to hurt her. "Please, let go before you hurt yourself."
If she hears me, she doesn't react. Neither does Abigail. They don't move or flinch. They don't respond at all. They just keep screaming, their bodies contorted in pain as Rissa's power amplifies Abigail's one thousandfold. The more power she feeds into Abigail, the more tangled in Abigail's vision they become. It's a spiderweb, one they cannot free themselves from without help.
Forgive me, Valkyrie.
