Page 135 of Kingdom of Embers and Ruin

“Yes!” Gunnar called as Maude wrapped her fingers around the torch, finishing her arc in the air as she got closer to the ground.

Hakon and Liv whooped as Maude’s feet touched the dirt, and she continued sprinting toward Herrick. He braced himself, arms outstretched to stop her momentum.

Maude collided with him as their friends cheered. Righting her, Herrick looked down to see Maude grinning at her success.

“It’ll work,” she panted, her smile stunning Herrick into silence.

Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, spinning in a circle before dropping her again, surging forward to kiss her on instinct.

He could spend a lifetime kissing Maude. Her lips were the softest shade of blush, the velvet texture of her mouth fitting against his like she was made for him. Surprise flared through her for one moment before she sunk into his embrace, arms wrapping around his neck and curves melting into his hands with ease.

Too soon, he pulled back.

“It’ll work,” he echoed.

Maude breathed heavily but smiled before she ran back toward Eydis and tossed her the torch.

“Again.”

Maude executed the move again and again, perfectly each time after that first success. She was ready. Hope bloomed in Herrick’s chest.

Absolute silence rang in Maude’s ear as she nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Across the cavern, Herrick stood in the doorway that would lead them back to the entrance she had opened with her blood, ready to throw up a solid wall of ice once she was clear.

She wasn't sure how much time they would have once she snatched the dagger from the altar, but she knew that every second would count.

Calming her breathing and going through the exercises Gunnar had taught her, Maude found her peace. Nerves were beginning to creep up on her, the entire weight of the task falling to her shoulders. Eydis and Liv were already scouting ahead with Gunnar in the tunnels to find their way back quickly while Hakon stood with his brother to seal the cavern entrance together.

Before Liv and Eydis had left with Gunnar, Maude had embraced each of them.

“We’ll see you on the other side, wretch,” Liv had said to her, a confident smile chasing away the harsh words.

Maude grinned. “Till Valhalla,asshole.”

“Gods save you both,” Eydis chuckled as she gripped Maude’s forearm, her slender fingers almost translucent in the moonlight cascading through the water. “I’ll see you soon, friend.”

Maude tilted her head at the kind woman’s choice of words, going against the traditional farewell between warriors. She tried to chalk it up to Eydis being unaware of warrior farewell, but something prickled against the back of Maude’s neck as the delicate woman turned from her to head down the pitch-black tunnel with Liv and Gunnar.

Eydis, Gunnar, and Liv left Maude and the Kolbecks behind, but not before saying a small goodbye to each of them. They all tried to avert their eyes when Hakon kissed Eydis so thoroughly that her face flushed when they came up for air. Then they disappeared down the dark alley, vanishing until they would reunite once Maude was successful.

She hoped, anyway.

Shaking the last hour from her mind, Maude tried to focus on her task at hand: retrieving thedalkr Helawithout killing them all.

A series of whistles came from the tunnels, and Maude knew it was time.

Breathe in.

Herrick looked to his brother, who nodded once and took a wide stance.

Breathe out.

Maude flexed her hands at her sides, eyes on the altar and the salvation that lay atop it.

Breathe in.

Maude looked up to see Herrick’s golden eyes staring back at her, his trust in her shining there.

Breathe out.

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