Page 71 of Valkyrie Confused

The power that brought us to this cave is also stopping us from leaving.

“Arnlaug, no,” I scream when he spots us and starts galloping toward us on all fours. “Stop.” I imbue the order with power, but it echoes hollow in my ears.

Odin’s magical barriers are muting my powers. That’s why I can’t blink us away or bring the flashlight in.

If the wards aren’t focused solely on keeping us in here, can we simply walk out if we find an exit?

Digging his claws into the ground, Arnlaug comes to a halt in front of me. Not bulldozing us was mostly his decision. He’s still in there. Still has some control of his bear.

“You don’t want to hurt us,” I say.

His roar makes rocks rattle around us.

Scarlett’s hand on my shoulder startles me. “It kind of seems like he does,” she says.

The bear snaps his jaws, but it’s only a threat. He doesn’t go for the jugular. Instead, he drops his head and sniffs me.

“That’s right,” I purr. “It’s me. You know me.” The next part may not be true, but I’m hoping with everything I am, as I say, “You love me.” It felt true yesterday, but I can’t sense him now.

That’s what snapped. I no longer sense his emotions, even when we’re this close.

That’s why I feel hollow.

He shakes his head. And again. Like he’s shooing away an annoying fly. His roar is lower this time. Less aggressive.

“Good boy,” I say. “Remember me. Remember our times together.” The bear rears on his haunchesand shrinks in size. When Arnlaug’s gorgeous, naked human body replaces that of the white bear, I let out a sigh of relief.

“You’re back.” I take a step closer, before I notice his posture.

He’s dropped his shoulders, his head cocked to one side. He’s not watching us; he’s measuring us. Deciding whom to take on first.

And I still can’t feel what he feels. Is it rage? Or is he panicking under whatever hold Odin has on him?

Perhaps I should focus on not becoming bear chow for now, and figure out Arnlaug’s emotions when we’re safely away from here.

“Arnlaug.” Scarlett sidesteps me, but I snag her around the waist and blink us to the other side of the cave.

“What the fuck are you doing?” She digs her elbow in my side as she frees herself.

I should count myself lucky she didn’t strike me with her sword, the way she’s swinging it from side to side.

I wouldn’t ordinarily fear a blade, but this one was forged with the same ashes that are in the stone. It’s the reason I gave it to her.

“Hey.” I rub my side. “Careful. And athank youmight be nice. I just saved your lovely ass. Twice.” I jibe, but my gaze is on Arnlaug, who strolls our way along the cave wall. If not for the fact that his brows are so tightly knit they may meld into one, I might think he was joining us. But no. “It’s not the bear that wants to kill us.” I wait for my words to sink in, and see the moment horror widens Scarlett’s eyes.

“Hewants to kill us?Fuck.Why?”

“I believe someone”—cough,Odin, cough—“is controlling him, but there’s a slight chance this is his way of atoning for sullying his master’s property.”

I could gag.

“His master’s property?” Scarlett’s confusion melts into shock. “Me?”

I nod.

“He’d better be mind-controlled, or he’s getting ass-whooped.” Delicious anger licks at my consciousness. Good. I’ll take angry-Scarlett over scared-Scarlett any day.

And by the way, the wholesullyingthing was his idea. I more than appreciated it, obviously, but he asked her to join us.

---