Page 42 of Valhalla is Full of Hunks
Which is ironic, considering who I am.
“Oh, thank fuck,” Fen breathed out in a mighty exhale, not even hesitating to pull her into his arms.
This action pulled Jör along with her, causing the shawl covering the girl to fall, revealing skin so smooth, I ached to touch it.
Focus, Surt.
“What did you see?” I demanded, averting my eyes from the temptation. My question came out harsher than I intended, but I recalled how quickly she’d forgotten details after the last vision. “Tell us everything you can remember.”
Iola’s gaze snapped to mine with far more clarity than I was expecting. “Calm down, dude,” she scoffed, doing nothing to hide her nakedness, which only irritated me further. “It was an astral projection this time, so instead of seeing the future, I was elsewhere in the present. I remember everything.” Her haughty expression instantly shuttered, as if what she remembered was unpleasant.
Or something she doesn’t want to tell us.
Before I could launch into a full interrogation, Fen shot me a disapproving look before turning his attention to our seer.
She’s notours.
She’s nothing but an instrument of war.
“Take your time, Iola,” Fen calmly spoke, toying with her long red hair in an almost absent gesture. “Your comfort is our priority.”
Oh, please.
Jör whimpered and nestled closer to both of them, causing irrational anger to sweep through me. “Oh, yes, because we have all the time in the world,” I huffed. “We’ve only been stuck here since Ragnarok. What’s several hundred more years?”
Fen’s eyes flashed yellow, which I hadn’t seen in a while, but before he could bark at me, Iola cut in. “About that…” She smiled so sweetly, I instantly knew I was in trouble. “I just met an old friend ofyours,Surt. You’re apparently not the only ones surprised you survived.”
My blood ran cold. Besides the two men in this room, I didn’t have friends—only allies of convenience. If Iola astral projected to someone who was not only shocked to learn we still lived but powerful enough to have survived as well, it could bring unwanted attention our way before we were ready.
“Tell us who you saw, witch,” I gritted out, tired of waiting. Tired of how she taunted me at every turn. “Before I make you talk.”
Fen opened his mouth to come to her defense, but it was Jör who spun on me.
“HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO MY MATE THAT WAY!”he roared, rows of sharp teeth flashing as he threw himself at me.
I was so shocked by his uncharacteristic fury, I barely had time to block his attack. “Calm yourself!” I snarled, wrestling him to the floor—although it was more difficult than usual. “You barely know the girl. How, in Odin’s name, would she be your mate?”
This is madness!
“I know it like I know my serpent still exists beneath my skin,” he growled, struggling in my hold. “Like I know I survived Ragnarok so I could meet her.”
Nobody breathed. Even when I released Jör and stumbled backward, he remained where he was, panting as if the weight of his confession had caused him pain. I also felt injured—as if I'd been run through with a sword, with no way to stanch the bleeding. No hope of stopping the inevitable from this killing stroke.
“But… how—” I sputtered.
Oddly, it wasn’t that I didn’t believe him. Jör had always been the heart of our group, and he shared his emotions plainly. When we’d first banded together after Ragnarok, it was thanks to him that our shared mission eventually turned into more.
No—something else was bothering me about his statement, and I was horrified to realize it wasn’thimI was feeling possessive of in this situation.
It’s her.
Absolute madness.
“He speaks the truth, Surt,” Fen spoke on Jör’s behalf, sounding as wrecked as I felt. “Leave him be.”
Not you, too…
Iola cleared her throat before laughing almost nervously. “Well, I don’t have much experience being anyone’s mate, but I know better than to argue with a monster who claims I am.”
