Page 12 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings
Rune, you don’t want to fight.I kept telling myself that as I traced the lines of her pinched mouth.
When Bodil’s sharp gaze landed beyond my shoulder on the sleeping seeress, I stood tall, casting a small shadow upon her face. The subtle movement was enough to wipe it clean of any attitude.
I lifted those black strands of hair off her face and twisted them in my fingers before sighing, “Our sister has a name. I dare you to use it next time you offer thinly veiled threats.”
Bodil’s throat bobbed, making me realize I’d been far too lenient with my younger sisters, especially the more…courageous ones, the ones who dared to challenge my command. I may have been a drunkard, but I was Odin’s favorite drunkard, and Bodil would be wise to remember that.
“I’ve given you a gift. Don’t let those souls go to waste.”
When I dropped her hair in her face, she ducked back and made haste toward the door.
“Oh, and Bodil?” I asked, moving slowly in her direction, like one of Freyja’s giant, stalking cats.
“Yes?” Bodil froze just before she made her escape.
“If I catch you uttering a word of my mortal, good or bad, you’ll find yourself collecting souls for Hel.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
JUST A GIRL AND HER CAT
Kari
Ishot up in bed, gripping my wounded shoulder. I’d been struck; I remember it so clearly. I’d seen it coming, unable to do anything about it, as my vision was locked on my reflection in Hilda’s sword. I’d screamed at myself to move, but my body had betrayed me. All I remember after that was a beautiful mix of darkness and light, and then, for the first time in my life, a dreamless slumber.
My fingers found the quilt I laid upon, feeling unfamiliar under my touch, as if my fingertips were healing from a burn, not quite able to recognize familiar textures. I still wore my nightgown, but now, one of my sleeves was gone, and my aching shoulder was wrapped in what felt like damp linen. I could see nothing but vague shapes in the dark and wondered at what point my longhouse had ever shielded so much light.
“Tove?” I called out, not seeing his light blue glow on the pillow next to mine. When there was no response, I slid out from under the covers and stumbled to the crack of light coming from behind thick cloth.
What is this?
Pulling the cloth back revealed a sheet of glass separating me from a view I didn’t recognize. It was then I realized I was very,veryfar from home.
Am I dead?I thought to myself as I stared out at the mountainous view, then to the glass embedded in the beautiful stone wall. Glass inside a wall? I’d never seen anything like it. I pressed my hand against it, then spun around to get a look at the rest of the room.
Gold. There was gold everywhere. The precious metal dripped from the ceiling, drops of crystal at the end. It wrapped itself around the edges of paintings, on the cup that sat upon the nightstand.
I’m dead, surely.
Everything is so…shiny.
I pulled my chin down so my eyes couldn’t lock onto my reflection. Even in death, I feared my curse would stay true. The reflection in that damned sword had gotten me killed, after all. What would happen if I glanced at any of these reflective surfaces now?
A woman appeared in the doorway opposite me, her knuckles rapping on the wooden door as she walked in.
I didn’t give her time to speak before I asked, “Am I dead?” Pressing my palm against my fluttering belly, I waited for a response that took far too long to come. Her hair was white as sun-bleached bone, stripped clean of any color. Her olive skin creased between her brows upon my question, that subtle reaction sending a wave of chills up my arms.
“No,” she finally said with a slow shake of her head. Her grey-blue eyes watched me like I was her prey, and I didn’t find relief in her answer.
“Where am I then?” I was desperate to glance around, wondering how a place could be so full of riches, but fear keptme frozen in place. Instead, I analyzed the tiny fractures in the woman’s calm, stoic demeanor.
“I’ve brought you to Valhalla.”
Everything in me stilled.
It made sense, yes, but she’d explicitly told me I wasn’t dead. How could these truths exist at once?
“And I can only assume you’re a valkyrie?” I spoke slowly, taking in her leathers and the way they molded perfectly to her sculpted body. She nodded in agreement, so I continued. “And you brought me to Valhalla?”
