Chapter Three
Kara
I stick tight to Stephan's broad back, my heart in my throat as he leads me through the forest toward the barracks, his booted feet not making a sound in the thick underbrush. I seem to trip over every root, twig, and branch, however. It's an eye-opening reminder that I don't know nearly as much about Stephan as I thought I did.
All this time, I thought he was hiding from me, but as we slip through the shadows, I quickly realize that if he'd truly wanted to stay undetected while following me, I probably never would have known he was there. He moves like a ghost now, silent and deadly.
He wanted me to see him following me. Why?
For the same reason he almost kissed you , that same little voice from earlier whispers.
A shiver of delight courses through me, ruthlessly tamped down before it can take root. I can't think about that right now. I can't think about the fact that I asked him to kiss me, either. If I do, I'll be a quivering mess on the forest floor, and the Forsaken will twist us up in their evil magic before we even know they're on top of us.
I'm not going to let that happen. Rand and Simek didn't work as hard as they did to keep me out of their hands just for me to fall into them now that the Portal is open. If they want to turn my sisters to the Dark, it won't be through me.
I strain for any sound, refusing to be caught off guard by the Forsaken, but after a few initial shouts and the sound of a skirmish from closer to the Bifrost, complete silence reigns. It's almost terrifying, honestly. All this time, we've been waiting for them to launch an attack. Now, they finally have and it's just…over?
I don't trust it.
I call more Light, allowing it to flood through me. Stephan adjusts his grip on his sword, his face set in grim lines, as if he feels the same distrust. Neither of us says a word the entire way back to the barracks. We're too focused on immediate needs—like keeping our eyes out for any hint of the Forsaken. But within a few minutes, we break from the edge of the forest, and the barracks come into view.
Fae warriors are lined up in a deadly wall of Light, standing in defense of my sisters, their lystst?l burning in an unbroken line of intent. Rissa, Abigail, and Marion blaze like an inferno directly behind the line of Fae, a bright ball of Light pulsing around them. Mine bends in that direction, as if eager to join the fiery nimbus.
I'm not sure where Tori is, but she isn't with our sisters. Neither is her mate—Reaper. Did she go to the Bifrost again, too?
Worry whispers through me at the thought.
"Come on, princess," Stephan murmurs, hurrying me toward the Fae.
They break ranks long enough to allow us through, the hole they made for us closing up behind us quickly. We hurry toward my sisters and their mates to find my sisters with their arms linked, their mates standing in front of them with their lystst?l at the ready.
"Kara!" Marion cries as soon as she sees me, relief painted all over her face. She hurries forward a few steps, her red hair wild around her as she throws her arms around me in a fierce hug. "We were worried about you."
I hug her back, guilt whispering through me again.
"She was safe, Valkyrie," Stephan answers for me. "We were in the forest."
Marion's mate, Malachi, glances between the two of us, his umber skin gleaming in the bright Valhalla sunshine. "The forest again, huh?" Something dances through his piercing blue eyes too quickly for me to read. "You spend more time in the forest than the rabbits, Valkyrie."
I feel my cheeks blazing with heat.
Marion notices and jabs Malachi in the side, glowering at him. "Maybe that's because there aren't hundreds of Fae and Blooded warriors annoying her at every turn in the forest, Malachi."
"I like the rabbits," I say quietly. "They're nice to me."
"I meant no offense, Valkyrie," Malachi rumbles.
Damrion, one of Abigail's mates and the ruler of the Fae, steps up beside Malachi, his lips pulled down into a frown. Like Malachi, he's massive. But unlike Malachi, he doesn't tease. He's serious, somber. His gold eyes drift across my face. "Have the warriors been unkind to you, Valkyrie? Tell us which, and we will deal with them."
"I…" I quickly shake my head. "No, no one has been unkind. I didn't mean it like that." This is what I meant. Everything I say to the Fae seems to come out wrong. I'm not like my sisters, able to fit right in. They fit as if they belong—as if they've always belonged. But me? Not so much. I know in my soul that this is my home and these are my people. But I still feel like an outsider.
Maybe it's simply because I've felt that way my entire life. Maybe it's because my sisters have known the Fae longer or because they're all mated. I don't know. But they aren't awkward around the Fae. That's just me.
"The animals are quieter than five hundred Fae and Blooded warriors," Stephan says, stepping closer to me as his deep voice rumbles through me. "It's not easy to constantly have other voices in your head, and five hundred warriors shouting and banging around outside of it."
I quickly glance at him, startled. How does he know that? I never told him. But he isn't wrong. Here, it's…loud. I'm never really able to shut off the chattering of the animals. It's like conversation flowing around me. I'm always getting little snippets whether I want them or not. And with the Fae and Blooded warriors working day and night to restore and fortify Valhalla, there's a wall of noise I can't escape.
Out in the forest, it is quieter. I get to escape a little of the noise, even if it's only for a little while. I don't feel like an outsider with the animals. And I get to try to exorcise the guilt too.
It never really works, but I try anyway.
Damrion nods as if he understands. Perhaps he does. He's wise and patient, one of the strongest Fae. It's not hard to see why he's in charge. I barely know him, but I respect him.
"We heard the Fae shouting that the Forsaken were here," Stephan says, smoothly changing the subject. "What happened?"
"They sent one through the Portal," Adriel growls, his lip curled in disgust. The scar across his missing eye pulls taut, giving him a savage, dangerous look. Then again, he always looks savage and dangerous, save for when he looks at Abigail and Damrion. There's a softness to him then, as if he can't hide the way he feels for them.
They always look at him the same way—like right now. He reaches for Abigail instinctively, pulling her into his arms as Damrion presses up against her side, one arm around both of them.
Before them, I knew that relationships like theirs existed, but I'd never seen one, and I didn't understand how it worked. But they make it look natural, as easy as breathing. They don't simply share Abigail; they're three equal parts, all madly in love with one another.
"Only one?" Stephan's brow rises.
"Ja," Adriel mutters. "Reaper and Tori killed him."
"That doesn't make any sense," Rissa says, stirring uneasily beside Dax, who immediately slips a hand into hers, offering her comfort. The ancient warrior doesn't say a word. He simply squeezes her fingers as if to remind her that he's right there and she's safe.
"They're testing our defenses," Reaper growls as he and Tori join our little group and the warriors close ranks again. Even though the threat is, evidently, gone, they won't relax until their scouts finish checking every inch of Asgard on the other side of the Portal. "Had I not been there with my Valkyrie…"
She immediately places her hand on his cheek, smiling up at him. "Of course you were there, Reaper. You're always with me."
He grabs her hand, placing a kiss to her palm. The move doesn't calm the worried lights in the massive Fae's eyes any. Reaper isn't thrilled about her connection to the Portal. I think he'd prefer if she were right here behind a wall of Fae and their lystst?l all day, every day.
But if Fae are warriors, so are Valkyrie. We were forged for war just like the Fae were. Battle brews in our souls too. As much as they may want to protect us from what's coming, that isn't what any of us were born for. The Fae know that. They may not like it, but they accept it, even if it is begrudgingly.
"We need more time," Rissa says, her blue eyes full of worry. "We aren't ready yet."
Dax pulls her close, bending to brush his lips across her temple. "Ja. We always need more time, but it does not look like we're going to get it this time, elskan-ljós . You and your sisters need to figure out how to free the trapped souls soon."
"Really soon," Abigail whispers, causing Adriel and Damrion to growl as one.
Everyone turns to look at them.
Abigail flinches slightly, leaning into Adriel, who splays a hand across her abdomen and pulls her tighter against the hard wall of his chest.
"Do you know something, Valkyrie?" Dax asks her.
Abigail's gaze shifts toward where me, Marion, and Tori are standing and then away. But not before I see the flash of guilt in her crystalline eyes.
"Tell them, ást-meer ," Damrion murmurs, reaching out to stroke her cheek. "They need to know what you do."
"No sentence that starts that way ever goes anywhere I like," Reaper says bleakly.
Malachi grunts his agreement.
"I've been having…nightmares for the last week. Or visions? I'm not sure," Abigail mumbles. "But the Forsaken wanted us to open the Portal. We all know they did."
No one disagrees. I don't think anyone can. Their goal was always to get us to open it. They just wanted us in their hands first. At least, that's what the Fae assumed. But from the sound of things, maybe that wasn't the case.
"They need us to figure out how to work the Bifrost since they can't travel beyond the Veil like we can. But now that we're here, now that we're working on it, they're trying to…turn me?" Abigail fumbles for an explanation. "They're using my visions against me, trying to make me question what's real and what isn't. It's worse than before." She swallows hard. "Way worse."
For months, they've tormented her with false visions to hide their motives and their movements, ensuring she couldn't trust the gift she was given. They attack her at every opportunity, haunting her mind, toying with her visions. If they've ramped up their abuse of her Power now that the Bifrost is functioning, it isn't good news.
"Abigail," Marion whispers softly, her face falling.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Rissa wants to know.
Abigail shrugs helplessly. "I wanted to be wrong."
"How can you be sure you aren't?" Dax asks gently.
Guilt burns in Abigail's eyes. "I saw the Forsaken in my dreams last night," she mutters. "I saw him in Valhalla. But I didn't…" she trails off, glancing down at the ground.
"You did nothing wrong," Adriel growls, his voice fierce. "You didn't know."
"I knew," she argues softly.
"Hindsight is not the same as knowing," Damrion murmurs, no less fierce in his unfailing defense of their mate than Adriel. "You saw him in your dreams, and now that it's come to pass, you think you knew and said nothing. But you haven't been able to trust your visions for weeks, ást-meer . They ensured you couldn't. Doubting what you see is not the same as silently letting it come to pass."
No one argues with him. He's right. Abigail would never keep that to herself if she thought it was going to happen. But the Forsaken filled her with doubt, so now, she's afraid to trust herself or her visions.
And that's precisely what they wanted. They don't want her to be able to trust what she sees. Because if she can't trust what she sees, neither can we. They want to break her, want her to crack. They need her to stumble because they don't know how any of this ends any more than we do. And they desperately want her and her visions under their control, giving them a road map to success. But Abigail may be the strongest of all of us. She's lived with her visions for most of her life. Even before she realized she was Valkyrie, she had the visions.
Even if she doubts, she won't break easily. They tried once when they kidnapped her. They tortured her, trying to get her to turn. She refused to bend or relent. She may be the youngest of us, but there's a hidden vein of strength in her that runs soul deep.
"The important question is what do we do now?" Malachi rumbles. "We can't stand around waiting for them to attack in force."
"We figure out how to free the souls," Rissa says as if it's simple. It isn't. We've been trying since we got here, and we're still standing on square one, looking at an impossible problem. How do you cross a bridge you can't find? We don't know.
But Rissa thrusts her shoulders back, her gaze flickering to me and then to Abigail before she glances at the Fae. "I need some time alone with my sisters."
The Fae and Stephan all look like they want to argue, but for once, they don't. The Fae grumble quietly as they hug my sisters. Stephan steps up beside me, his gray eyes settling on my face.
"See you later, princess," he says, a smirk playing around his lips. He turns to stride away.
I reach out for him, halting him. "Stephan, I…"
But when his gaze locks with mine again, I lose the nerve to finish that sentence. Instead, I let my hand drop from his arm and step back.
"Thanks for getting me back here," I mumble.
" ég fer tangae sem tú fere ," he says, touching my cheek before he quickly strides away.
I go where you go.
I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself as my heart clenches. When the Fae say that, they mean they'll follow even into death. It's a vow, spoken with one's whole soul. Does he mean it the same way the Fae do when they say it, or are they just words to him?
I don't want him to die for me. I think…I just want him.
I glance up to find Tori watching me, a furrow between her brows. I quickly glance away, not ready to answer the question brewing in her expressive eyes. Not sure I have an answer yet.
I turn toward the house we're all living in together. It still needs work—a lot of work—but it's in better condition than a lot of the other barracks. More importantly, it's surrounded by barbed wire, pikes, and every death trap the Fae have been able to carry through the Portal from our world or create from the remnants of this realm.
"What's going on, Rissa?" Tori asks once we're all seated at the long table we use to discuss war more often than we use it to eat.
"We need to talk without them in the way," Rissa mutters. "Some things should be just between us." Her gaze flickers to me again and then quickly away. "I think I know why we can't figure out how to work together again like we did back in Eitr."
My heart pounds against my ribcage.
"Why?" Marion asks, her brows furrowed.
Rissa's gaze flickers in my direction again.
Crap. She knows.
"It's my fault," Abigail mutters into the tense silence. "I'm afraid I'm going to turn you evil."
"That's part of it," Rissa agrees gently, nodding. "But it's not just you, Abigail. It's all of us. We're all holding onto things we haven't shared or don't want to share."
"What are you holding onto?" Abigail's brows furrow as she looks at Rissa.
"Guilt." Rissa's shoulders slump, a soft sigh escaping her full lips. "I don't regret using my father's soul to open the other portal the way we did but…"
"You feel guilty about it anyway," Tori guesses.
Rissa nods. "If I can do it once, will I do it again?"
"He tried to murder you," Marion reminds her, not pulling any punches. "He murdered your mom. And you spent your whole life alone because of him. He wasn't a good man. But what you did saved the Fae. It saved us."
"And it brought Kara to us before the Forsaken could find her," Abigail reminds her. "If you're guilty, then we all are, Rissa. We all agreed to do what we did. You aren't evil for making the best choice you could."
"I still worry…"
"Well, stop it," Abigail huffs. "You aren't like him."
Rissa flinches, and I realize that's what she's really afraid of—that she's like her father.
"Your soul is pure, Rissa," Tori says. "It'll always be pure because you love so fiercely. Out of all of us, you're the least likely to turn."
Rissa snorts.
"She's not wrong," Marion whispers, chewing on her bottom lip. "I know what power tastes like and I…like it. Maybe too much." She's the most powerful of us, perhaps because she isn't just Valkyrie. She's Fae, too. She can hold more Light than any of us combined. And with her directing us, we're not simply a weapon. We're the most deadly weapon to ever exist.
"Me too," Tori mutters, glancing down at her hands. "There's always this…thread when I reach for my Light. I felt it so strongly when I Healed the Bifrost. And when I Healed Reaper. It's destruction, maybe. Or the opposite of healing. I'm not sure. But when Reaper was in danger when they had me locked in that cabin, it was so easy to reach for it. I liked the way it felt."
"We're Valkyrie," I remind her. "We're not docile. That doesn't make you evil. It just makes you who you were destined to be." I glance at each of my sisters, each battling her own fears, her own worries. "It doesn't make any of us evil. We were born to do the impossible. The instincts that guide us are those meant to help us fulfill our destiny. But failing to trust ourselves is what's going to get us into trouble. That's what the Forsaken will use against us."
Abigail nods, chewing on her bottom lip. "She's right. They will use it. They're already using it against me."
"So we let it go and learn to trust," Tori says as if it's simple. It rarely is, though. "Any ideas how we do that?"
"Like this," Rissa says. "By sharing the burden. We can't carry it alone. We help each other carry it. And we allow our mates to help us carry it. We trust each other with our secrets and our fears, and we make a vow right now that no one fights alone."
"Vowed," Marion says instantly.
"Agreed," Abigail echoes.
They glance at me. My heart sinks into my stomach, anxiety coursing through me.
"I'm sorry," I blurt to Marion, wringing my hands together.
Her brows furrow, confusion written all over her face. "For what?"
"For having time with your parents that you didn't have," I whisper. "I got to know them in a way that was taken from you, and I feel horrible for it."
"Kara." Her face falls. "That isn't your fault."
"I still feel guilty," I admit, my bottom lip quivering. "You deserved to know them the way I did. And I feel bad that I'm the one they decided to hide. It should have been you."
"They hid you for a reason, Kara." Marion reaches across the table for my hand. "And because they hid you, the Forsaken didn't get their hands on you. You're here now instead of dead like Abigail saw in her visions. I'm not sorry about that, and you shouldn't be either. I'm glad they kept you from that fate," she whispers fiercely. "Because now I get to know them through the sister they protected the same way they tried to protect me, and I get to know you, too."
I swallow hard, squeezing her hand. "They were so proud of you, Marion. Even if you didn't see them, they were there, watching over you."
"I know." Tears shine in her eyes as she nods. "For a long time, I thought I was abandoned as a kid, but I used to see her in the shadows. I think she wanted me to see her, wanted me to know that she was still watching over me." Her breath shakes as she exhales. "They never forgot me."
"Of course they didn't," Abigail chimes in, wrapping an arm around Marion's shoulders. "They could never forget you."
I wipe my watery eyes, exhaling as I glance at Rissa. She flashes me a tiny smile and nods as if to say she's proud of me. I'm not really surprised to realize that she knew. Rissa is smart. She's also incredibly perceptive. Marion and Tori weren't wrong when they said she was the least likely of us to be corrupted. She leads with her heart.
"Does anyone else have anything to share?" she asks, glancing at our sisters. "Anything we should know?"
Tori quickly shakes her head, but a flash of…something…goes through her eyes. It's not quite guilt, but almost. She's hiding something. Something she doesn't want us to know.
I open my mouth to call her on it, but she places a hand over her stomach. The words die on my lips, shock rushing through me.
Is she…?
A wave of fierceness rolls through her expression.
Holy crap.
"Then we're all in agreement that there are no secrets between us anymore," Rissa says as I'm still gaping at Tori, my mind reeling. "If we're going to figure this out, we have to be open and honest with each other. We have to rely on each other. It's the only way we're going to find the strength to do what we need to do."
"So…what are we doing?" Abigail asks. "Nothing we've tried so far has worked."
"We're going to try again," Rissa says, crossing her arms. "And we're going to keep trying until we get it right." She glances at Tori. "You've got to figure out how to communicate with the Portal. Take Marion with you as soon as the scouts are finished ensuring there are no more Forsaken hiding in Asgard. Surely with her power and your connection to it, the two of you can get it to tell you something."
Tori slides her hand away from her stomach, nodding.
I watch her for a long moment, worried. If she's pregnant…maybe this is the last thing she should be doing.
But I don't say that.
I wait until Rissa calls an end to our meeting and her, Abigail, and Marion go in search of their mates.
"Tori?" I call quietly before she can slip out with our sisters.
She glances over her shoulder at me, her brows furrowed.
"I found an injured rabbit in the forest," I murmur. It's not entirely a lie. One of the rabbits has an injured paw. "I was wondering…"
Our sisters slip out as Tori reverses course, heading back toward me. "What do you need?" she asks.
I bite my lip, feeling guilty for tricking her. But I don't say anything until the door closes behind Rissa, Abigail, and Marion, and then I exhale a breath. "Don't be mad," I say. "But this isn't really about the rabbit."
"Oh." She frowns, confusion swirling through her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Um…it's not really my business, but…" I huff out a breath. This is harder than I thought. "Are you sure you should be the one trying to work out what the Bifrost knows when you might be…?"
She gasps, her eyes flying wide open. "You know?"
"I saw you," I explain. "At the table, I mean. I didn't say anything because it's not my place, but if you are, then we need to be protecting you too."
"I don't know," she whispers, sinking into a chair. "I mean, I don't know if I am. I think so, but…" She places her palms against her cheeks, staring up at me with wide, worried eyes. "I don't want to hide it, but Reaper will never let me out of his sight again, Kara. And you guys need me."
I sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You're right," I say softly. "We do need you. But we need you to be okay more than we need anything. And if you're pregnant and something happens to your baby because you weren't careful enough, I don't think you'll be okay, Tori."
I'm pretty sure she'd never be able to forgive herself. And Reaper would never forgive himself, either. They don't need to live with that kind of grief and pain on top of everything else we're dealing with. A baby should bring joy. It's a reason to celebrate. Even in the midst of war— especially in the midst of war—life is worth celebrating.
I want that for her. So will our sisters and the Fae. But she has to give us a chance to celebrate with her. She has to let us help her.
"I'm freaking terrified," she whispers. "I want his babies so bad. But I didn't think it'd be in the middle of all of this."
"Are you happy?"
"So happy," she breathes before a shadow of fear passes through her eyes. "And worried. What if…?"
"You know we won't let anything happen to you or your baby," I whisper fiercely, squeezing her tight. "Aside from Marion, it's been what? Centuries since the last Fae child was born? Every Fae out there will die to protect you and your baby if you're pregnant because that baby is hope for them. It's proof that everything they've fought and sacrificed for is real, and that there is a future for the Fae."
"You're right," she whispers, inhaling a deep breath. "I'm just scared, Kara. Really freaking scared." She places a hand over her belly. "I want this so bad."
"Then let us help make sure you get it," I murmur, resting my head against hers. "Tell Reaper. And if you need help telling our sisters, you have me. You know they'll be happy for you, too."
"I just don't want to add to the stress level around here," she admits. "Everyone has so much to deal with already. I don't want this to be one more thing for everyone to worry about."
I arch a brow at her, laughing quietly. "Um, I hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure the Fae were born stressed out and worried. It's like their thing. Make war, argue with Valkyries, and worry."
Tori's body vibrates with laughter. "Yeah, you're probably right about that." She rests her head against mine. "Thanks, Kara." She pauses. "And thanks for not calling me out."
"It's not my news. It's yours. You should be the one to share it." I glance over at her. "Just…please share it?"
She smiles at me, her eyes light with promise. "I will."
I exhale a relieved breath, glad I don't have to carry this secret. Who knows? Maybe this is why the Portal has been flickering. If it senses our emotions and Tori is connected to it…well, it stands to reason that it may very well realize that she's been a ball of anxiety lately. "Hey."
She glances over at me.
"Rhistel mentioned something today," I murmur. "He said the Bifrost has been flickering lately."
Her brows furrow and the nods. "That's why Reaper and I were out there. I thought maybe if it was flickering, it was talking again, but it was as silent as ever." She huffs a sigh. "The Fae think it's because we're stressed out."
"Do you think it's possible?"
She hesitates for a moment and then shrugs. "Maybe? When we were Healing the Bifrost and it was singing to us, it felt almost like it recognized us, didn't it? We're connected to it in some way, maybe forged from the same magic. I'm not entirely sure," she says. "But the connection is there. It's why we're able to use the Bifrost in a way no one else in creation can. So yeah, maybe it does sense and react to our emotions, too."
I nod thoughtfully. Maybe allowing ourselves to lean on one another and trust one another with our secrets will strengthen our connection to the Bifrost, then. It certainly can't hurt anything.
But…for some reason, I just don't think that's the answer to moving beyond the Veil. At least, it's not the entire answer. We need to be united. We need to rely on one another. But there's something we're missing. Something important.
Tori climbs to her feet and then reaches down to hug me while I'm trying to figure it out. "I'm glad we found you," she whispers. "And I'm really glad you're here now."
A lump swells in my throat, choking me. But she doesn't give me a chance to respond before she hurries toward the door to go find Reaper. I sit there for a long moment, just staring at the floor.
I'm glad they found me too.
"You handled that well, princess."
"Jesus Christ!" I squeak, jolting as Stephan's deep voice sounds behind me. I spin around, shooting a dark glare at him. "You scared the crap out of me."
He smirks, his gray eyes light with humor. "I can see that," he murmurs, circling around the table toward me.
"Were you spying on us?"
"No, of course not. But Rissa said you were talking to Tori about an injured rabbit we saw today," he says, his eyes locked on my face. "Since there was no injured rabbit, I got curious."
"That's called spying, Stephan."
"I knocked, princess."
"But you didn't let us know you were here."
"You were busy." He shrugs. "And judging by the nature of the conversation, I figured the best thing for me to do was disappear into the shadows and pretend I didn't hear a goddamn word." He tilts his head to the side. "You handled it well."
"Thanks," I grumble, still glaring at him. And then I sigh. "I don't want anything to happen to her because she's hiding something like this out of fear. That's not good for her, her baby, or anyone else."
"You're right." He takes a step toward me, his head still cocked to the side. His expression soft. God, for someone so big, someone so fierce, the way he's looking at me is anything but. It's…overwhelming, honestly.
Who is he? Why do I feel him so intensely when he touches me? Why does he make my heart ache like it might explode if he doesn't keep looking at me the exact same way?
I think the answer to all three questions is roughly the same. And it's terrifying. Because I think he was right out in the forest…it is an impossibility.
Valkyrie can't bond with humans. Not living ones, anyway. And this man is very much alive. I should be glad for that. Life is never wrong. But some selfish part of me is…sad for me. Because the one thing I want—the one person my heart aches for—I'll lose just like I lost my family.
We're immortal—the Valkyrie and the Fae, I mean. But Stephan isn't. He'll live longer than most humans, sure. The Blooded usually do from what I understand. But like every other human, eventually, he'll die too. And if we ever manage to figure out the Portal, I'll be forced to ferry his soul across the Veil, cut off from him forever.
Maybe it's a good thing the Forsaken interrupted him before he could kiss me today. At least I'll never have to miss the feel of his lips against mine when that day comes.
He takes another step toward me.
I jolt up from my chair so quickly, I knock it into the table.
His brows pull together, a frown overtaking his expression as I quickly slide around him, putting distance between us. It's the safe, sane thing to do. It was foolish to think I could get close to him. Unlike with my sisters, there is no possibility of a happy ending waiting here for me. There's just the certainty of inevitable grief.
I'd rather not add to it.
"You probably have things to do," I mumble. "Logs to carry. Nails to…nail. You should go do that. I'll…just go to my room."
"Kara."
"I'm tired anyway. Long day. Lots happening."
"Princess."
"See you later, Stephan," I squeak, rushing toward the hallway.
I barely make it three steps before I feel his hand on my arm, spinning me around. My back lands against the wall, trapped between it and his hard body. He scowls down at me, molten fire in his gray eyes.
"Why are you running from me, princess?" he growls, sliding his hand up my arm to my throat.
My body catches fire, igniting in a fiery blaze.
"I'm not."
"Little liar. You are."
"I'm not." I lick my lips, desperately trying not to think about his touching them. And yet…that's all I can think about. It's all I want, no matter how bad of an idea it is. "I just realized that you were right in the forest."
"About what?" he asks, his hand firm around my throat. He doesn't hurt me, doesn't squeeze. Just holds me like he wants me to know he's there…wants me to know that he's in charge right now.
"This being impossible," I mumble. "It is. Impossible, I mean."
"Yeah? And why is that?"
"Because it just is."
"Liar. Tell me why."
I clench my jaw, refusing to answer.
"Tell me, Kara. Now."
"Because I'm Valkyrie, and you're human," I whisper. "A Valkyrie can't bond with a human, Stephan."
He eyes me for a long moment before tipping my chin back. I practically sob as he slowly, oh so slowly, lowers his head and then brushes his lips against mine.
Desire engulfs me in a fiery inferno.
"You're right. It is impossible," he rasps. "But it's going to happen anyway, princess. Get used to it."
I whimper, unable to utter a single protest as he peels himself off me, touches his thumb to my bottom lip and then turns and strides out.