Page 115 of Valkyrie Unknown

Something tickled my senses as we headed toward the library, and made my footsteps falter.

“What’s wrong?” Finn asked.

Was I that obvious in my concern? I looked at Davyn. “Do you smell something?”

He scowled. “Always, when we’re here.”

“This is different. This is—“ My gaze landed on a man sitting outside at the coffee shop a few blocks down. When I tried to look at him directly, my gaze slid off.

I knew that kind of magic, and it was frequently overwritten by wanting to see what was on the other side of it.

“Keep walking, but slow it down,” I muttered. “And keep talking.”

We did. Davyn’s nose twitched, but he didn’t give any other indication of searching the area.

Finn scowled.

Standard for him.

If I gave them my attention, but only turned half of my gaze toward the man at the coffee shop, I could make out details. “He was in Salt Lake after the explosion.” I’d talked to him. He was kind at the time. Made me look after my own wounds. Sent me home.

But his being here, in our path, couldn’t be a coincidence.

“Fuck,” Davyn muttered. “He’s not the only one.”

Details later. Action now. “We’re on an intersecting path.”

“We need to turn around.” Finn’s voice was instantly tight.

“No.” I wanted answers.

Finn pursed his lips.

“You keep walking,” Davyn said. “I’m behind you, watching.”

I nodded, never faltering in my step as Davyn fell away. Finn stayed by my side.

“You’re not leaving?” I was too on alert for playful teasing. I needed answers.

“I’m not letting you talk to him alone, but I am falling back.”

How sweet. I wasn’t as comfortable with the idea of Finn having my back as I was with Davyn, but right now it was better than the unknown.

I closed the last block between me and the curious man, and as I drew closer, he looked up from his phone, and gave me a warm smile.

That feeling was the same familiar warmth and safety I’d felt from him in Salt Lake. I wouldn’t be able to push aside my response if I didn’t expect it.

A glint caught my attention from a window to my right. Second floor. It was a quick flash. I glanced in that direction, and didn’t see anything, but when I looked away, the flash was back.

Casting another look, I danced my view along the entire building front. There it was. A window cracked open maybe two inches where the rest of the windows on the facing were shut.

“Hi.” He took a step toward me. “This may?—”

Thank you, Zeke.

I had a dagger in my hand in a heartbeat, and was backing him up into a wall as Davyn and Finn seemed to bleed from the shadows.

“Who are you?” I’d learned a lot from Zeke about reality versus television when it came to things like snipers, and I wasn’t willing to ignore the instinct that said there was one watching us now.

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