Page 97 of Valkyrie Unknown

For the most part, Loki had done his part to quietly keep Zeke safe, but Draugar showing up at the house had me suspicious even months after it happened. Loki’s insistence that it hadn’t been his doing didn’t reassure me.

“Because Finn is stuffy and old and doesn’t recognize how neat the things around us are.” Azzie pointed at one bottle under the counter, and then another, drawing Zeke’s attention.

As if she was any better. “You were raised in it. You don’t know what’s unique and fun either.” Wonderful. I’d just countered withI know you are, but what am I?

Azzie pointed to something else. “That one goes in coffee and makes pretty pictures in the air. And gets Berserkers drunk.” She barely glanced at me. “I had to figure out what was human and what was magic after I lost”— she cleared her throat—“and it pushed me to explore what made the two parts of my world unique.”

“Name one thing that isn’t magic that makes mortals fascinating,” I said.

Zeke dragged his attention from the display cases long enough to fix me with a look of disbelief. “Computers. Television. Donuts.”

“Computers, inspired by a muse. Television? Witch. Donuts…” I trailed off with two fingers up. “Those on the other hand are without a doubt a human thing.”

“Which one was the muse, Jobs or Woz?” Azzie asked.

I wasn’t answering such an obvious question. “Your turn. What’s so great here that’s not magic?”

Azzie twisted her mouth and scanned a rack next to her. After only a few seconds, she grabbed a paper package with a brightly colored logo. “These. I’m kind of surprised they have any in stock.”

“It’s candy.” I wasn’t impressed.

She shrugged. “You asked. Skeptic.”

Zeke wanted to wander and look a little longer, but it didn’t take him long to realize the rest of the offerings were like any supplement shop, magic or not. The goods boasted power or strength or a better sex life withAll Natural Ingredients.

Azzie left us long enough to pay. Her brief exchange with the man at the register was friendly enough, but it was the mention ofworkand the fact that he slipped her a business card as if they’d had this exchange a dozen times before that hinted at how well she knew the people here.

I didn’t have an issue with the work she did, but the way she lied to herself about the reasons was sad. She was lying to herself about a lot of things, but mostly that she didn’t need the world or the people around her.

That was one of contrasts with Zeke, and another reason I adored him—he didn’t hide how he felt behind excuses. It may take him a little time to warm up to someone, but he didn’t ignore his own heart.

It was also one of the reasons I had to protect him. Especially from her.

As the three of us headed outside, Azzie ripped the top off the candy and handed us each something that looked like a sugar-covered licorice twist.

Zeke took his without question. “What’s in it?”

“I’m good.” I held up a hand.

She pressed the candy to my lips. “It’s just candy, not magic. It’s not going to turn you into a frog or anything.”

“Then why does it matter?” I flicked my tongue out and licked the end. Why was I being resistant? I didn’t know.

Azzie rolled her eyes as she grabbed my hand and pressed the now-sticky candy into my palm, before grabbing a piece for herself from the bag.

Zeke ate his, and as he chewed a range of expressions flashed across his face. A wince, then contemplation, a faint smile, and back to thetoo sourface. “Oh my fuck,” he muttered between chewing.

That sounded like a good exclamation rather than disgust.

“Right?” Azzie ate hers too.

It was a sweet. Big deal.

Zeke grabbed the candy from me and pushed it past my lips. “Stop being a dick and at least try it,” he said.

Okay, so it was all right. Fuck me for that being my first thought. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I couldn’t hide my reaction at the burst of sour, and then the shift to actual peach flavor, and then back to sour.

I had no idea if I liked it or not, but I did want more. “What the fuck did I just eat?”

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