Page 88 of Valhalla is Full of Hunks
“Whoa, whoa, WHOA!” Leia shouted, waving her hands—apparently well-versed in stepping into the monstrous fray. “Time out. Isthatthe plan here, Io? Are you… are you actually helping your kidnappers with a fucking doomsday plot?”
When you put it that way…
“No!” Iola hollered back. “I mean, at first I didn’t knowwhatthey were up to because they were keeping shit close to the chest. So, I played nice, figuring I could stick around long enough to—”
“Towhat,seer?” Surt sneered, spinning to face Iola as his skin finished its metamorphosis to molten lava. “To fool us? I knew it! All this time, you’ve beenpretendingto care for Fenrir and Jörmungandr for your own agenda.”
She’s been… pretending?
“What?” Iola was frantically shaking her head. “That’s not…”
“Don’t deny it!” Surt boomed as he rapidly increased in size, dwarfing the woman I’d mistakenlythoughtwas my mate. “You lied to us. You lied tomeabout this being a vision, simply to add me to your conquests. That’s exactly what you’ve been doing. Luring each of us in so you could tempt us away from our true destiny—from the one thing wedeserve.From Valhalla!”
I’ve been such a fool…
The noise I made wasn’t even remotely human. Fen was already shifting into his full-sized wolf as Laevateinn flew from my grasp and into Surt’s—increasing in size to match its master. Herculeia’s monsters vainly attempted to intervene as the wolf and fire giant began trampling the forest on their march toward Yggdrasil, but their efforts were inconsequential.
Like fleas buzzing around a pair of elephants.
Now that my worst nightmare had been confirmed, I took one last look at Iola, then turned my back on her tearful, deceitful face before jumping into the icy sea. My heart was nothing but broken shards, rattling in my chest as my body grew and rearranged, but I welcomed the pain. It reminded me I wasn’t meant for love, because I wasn’t a man.
I’m a monster.
A monster all should fear.
They may not have predicted that the great Jörmungandr would end the worldtwice,but it mattered not. I would show them all exactly how formidable I was—how terrifying. The gods would have no choice but to open the gates of Valhalla and bow as I entered, with the blood of billions on my hands. I may have only just survived the greatest pain I would ever experience, but I would rise again, reeking of death and destruction.
Victorious.
30
IOLA
Tears were streaming down my face—blurring my vision. Surt willfully misinterpretingeverythingbetween us was painful enough, but helplessly watching both Fen and Jör believe his hateful words felt worse than death.
How could they think I deceived them?
There was no time for anyone to listen to me explain. Ladon and Zephyr had already flown after Fen and Surt as they advanced on the World Tree, while Vann and Timyn had leaped into the sea after Jör. Because of their unfathomable size, I could still clearly see my men, but I didn’t know who to go after to stop the inevitable.
Is there anything I can do?!
“Well, shit,” Leia cleared her throat from where she remained on the beach with me. “That’s… not how I saw things going.”
Blind rage descended as I spun on my bestie, decidingshewas going to get the brunt of my wrath. “And howdidyou see it going, Leia? Did you think you’d just swoop in and save me from another one of my many bad decisions? Because there was no way I could have possibly met three guys who would actually be interested in me, right? Or that I’d be busy doinganythingthat didn’t revolve aroundyou!”
I knew I was being cruel, but if anyone could handle me at my worst, it was my ride-or-die. And even though I should have brought up my deeply rooted issues long before now—or maybe looked into actual therapy instead of just dick-therapy—I couldn’t bottle it up any longer.
What better time than the end of the world to get shit off my chest?
Because she was the best, Leia didn’t return my energy. She simply nodded and blew out a slow breath before replying, “Thinking someone had hurt you just made me see red, Io. But yeah… I probably should have asked a few clarifying questions before showing up, ready to throw hands. Especially because Iknowyou wouldn’t suddenly join some doomsday cult. Not unless the dick was top tier, I mean.”
I groaned as the fight went out of me. “Itwastop tier, but…” My voice caught in my throat, and I hesitated, even though Leia was the lastperson I would be embarrassed about getting emotional in front of. “It’s so dumb, but I thoughtIwould be enough for them to no longer want to go to Valhalla.”
But I’m never enough.
Leia sighed, but it was a sigh of loving exasperation. “You’re more than enough, and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.” She squinted in the direction Fen and Surt had stomped off. “But it’s good to know you’re still a size queen.”
And you’re still my number one bish.
