Chapter 34
Abreeze tickled her bare skin, the scent of lilac and pine filling her nostrils, and her eyes fluttered open at the light shining on her face.
Carved wood beams were over her head, the familiar carvings making her mind instantly jolt awake. Her eyes moved to an open window the breeze was coming from and she knew instantly, she was home.
She was covered in fresh silk sheets on her large bed, the sun’s position outside showing it was early afternoon. She sat up, her body sore but could tell her back was mostly healed.
A fresh white nightgown was on her body, the light chiffon material gentle on her skin as she shuffled under the sheets. It had thin straps over her shoulders and a slit down the side of her leg, the top dropping below her collar bone just above her breasts.
She slowly got out of bed, her legs a little wobbly but found her balance after a few seconds on her feet. She was in her old room, the decor just how she had left it and her heart sank.
She was either dead or dreaming, but couldn’t tell which. It was impossible for her to be home, from what she had been told, it had been destroyed.
Walking closer to the window, she gently grazed her hand along the edge of it and it felt real to her. The wind hit her face as she stood looking out into the forest on the back side of her home. It felt so real, but it was utterly impossible.
Voices sounded from the main hall, a low hum and she slowly walked across the room with caution. Would it be her family on the other side as promised in Valhalla, or maybe she was in a nightmare about to turn bad.
She cracked the door open and could see Raine sitting at one of the long tables with Finnley and Xander.
Reality slammed into her, the sight of her friend snapping her out of her train of thought. There was no way Raine was dead, not after she pleaded with Finnley to save her and she rushed through the door.
The room went quiet as she stared at Raine, their eyes meeting and she instantly knew it was all real. She didn’t look to see who else was around, her still shaky legs rushed towards the main door to the right side of the great hall.
As soon as her hand pressed on the door, she threw it open and a breeze blew into her with the sun blinding her for a few seconds. When her eyes adjusted, an overwhelming crash of emotions swelled in her and she fell to her knees.
Green luscious trees blossomed around the valley, knee high grass grew along the foot path and she could see her village just down the hill. It wasn’t a dream and her home was still standing, not a hint of ash in sight.
“Alyra.” Kaden’s voice came from behind her but she didn’t turn to look, tears soaking her face.
She felt him walk closer to her, gesturing like he wanted to touch her but she glared up at him.
“Don’t touch me.” she warned, her flame building in her hands.
He pulled his hand away but didn’t move.
They stayed silent, her mind trying to put any pieces together she could about what she was told and how this was possible.
Lilac pedals blew through the breeze and she took in a deep breath to try and calm herself. She was no longer crying, but her heart was beating fast in her chest.
“Can we talk?” Kaden said quietly.
She glared at him over her shoulder but tried not to make eye contact with him. He had lied to her, maybe not directly but hid a huge part of himself from her that was too big to forgive.
“Are you going to lie to me some more?” she snapped.
“I didn’t lie to you.”
“Sure as hell feels like it.” She looked away from him, her body shaking. She was still kneeling on the stone ground, her night gown ruffling lightly in the breeze along with her loose hair.
He squatted down next to her, his full body facing her and she fought to not look at him.
“I will tell you everything,” he whispered. “Please, just look at me.”
She took a deep breath, his voice making her heart ache and could feel that thread between them pulling. Slowly she turned, her eyes finally meeting him for the first time and she tried not to shatter into a million more pieces.
The look on his face was calming, but he was in obvious distress and part of her felt guilty for it. She wasn’t going to show it, her emotional wall was up and she wasn’t going to let him back in.
“Yes, Mavros is my father,” he stated calmly, “But the story I told you was true and he killed my mother.”
She felt her stomach turn and she struggled to keep her face a blank expression.
“My mother was one of the descendants that Loki granted the Ebony Fire to. It lay dormant for centuries due to Odin’s curse, but when Mavros killed my mother it awoke in me." His voice was calm but she could see his muscles tense. “Please, come inside and we will explain all of it to you.”
He reached a hand out towards her, but she didn’t take it. The thread pulsed again but she ignored it as she stood on her own, her gown framing her body in the breeze.
He stood with her, a hint of disappointment on his face but she tried not to acknowledge it. Whatever had gone on between them was a mistake, one she was not going to let happen again. She didn’t know if her heart could take another break to it.
She followed him back inside and saw the rest of the group looking up toward her with concerned looks. They had gathered at one of the long tables and she sat down next to Xander, leaving space between them.
“How are you feeling?” Raine asked quietly.
“I’m fine,” she whispered, trying not to let her anger for the situation reflect on Raine. She had nothing to do with this, it was the others that deserved her fury.
“So, how mad are you?” Finnley asked with a joking tone, but when she glared back at him, his smile fell. “Oh, that mad huh?”
“Just hear them out.” Raine pleaded.
She stayed silent and rested her hands on the table. She would hear them out, whether she would forgive them or believe them was another story.
“Do you have any questions you want answered first?” Xander said quietly and she glanced at him curiously.
“How the fuck do you all have wings like my people?” she snarled, Xander flinching.
“I gave them the power to summon them.” Kaden started as he sat directly across from her. “They needed to be able to come and go as they pleased from here. As you know, the only way to access Mydalsa is by flight and we need to be able to make them disappear."
She didn’t look at him and kept her gaze on her fidgeting hands. It seemed logical, but she still kept her guard up.
“I was told my home, my people were all slaughtered and Mydalsa was a wasteland after the war,” she mumbled.
“Who told you that?” Finnley questioned.
“Silas.”
“Well, that is what we wanted everyone to think.” Finnley shrugged.
“He said he saw it himself and that he was up here during the war.”
She didn’t understand why Silas would have lied to her, but considering recent events, she didn’t really know what he was thinking anymore.
Kaden growled but still couldn’t bring herself to look at him, it hurt too much.
“Your warriors were slaughtered, that part was true.” Xander said next to her. “However, your people and land were never touched, we made sure of it. He made sure of it and we told everyone it was destroyed to keep them away.” His hand pointed to Kaden and she nodded but didn’t follow his gesture.
“Why do you have Valkyrie looking wings instead of Fae?” she asked, still looking at Xander.
“You are not the only mixed blood.”
Her eyes widened and she looked at the other men sitting at the table, all but Kaden. They had Fae ears and looked more like them than the men of her race.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” she mumbled, her hand going to her stomach.
She had been told all her life she was the only one, and yet she sits with four other men that are products of their races colliding.
“Our mothers were all Fae, except Kaden’s.
Some of your men had traveled around Ambros and fell in love with fae females.
No one recorded our births due to the havoc it would bring to society and we looked like fae, so no one questioned it.
” Xander continued, and she found her eyes trying to study his features.
She could see valkyrie in his face the closer she looked, the thicker skin and strong jaw the men in her village had. Fae tended to have thinner features and looked more regal.
“We found each other early during the war, Kaden had saved my life and I was already friends with the other two. There was a rumor that Mavros was going to attack Mydalsa, so Kaden gave us the means to fly and we made sure our people were protected the best we could.”
Her mind was spinning, the concept that they existed still shocked her, but to know they helped protect her people when she couldn’t made her feel noxious.
“So you saved them when I could not.” she croaked, a sob threatening her chest.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Finnley whispered softly.
“When the war was over, we tried to find you but no one could find where Mavros was keeping you.” Xander continued. “After a decade, we decided to try and figure out who betrayed you and lost hope that you were still alive.”
“Wait, you knew I didn’t die in battle?” Her eyebrow raised.
“We all knew, we could feel it. The rest of the world thought otherwise”
“So Silas lied about seeing Mydalsa, but was correct about the other stuff?” she sighed.
“He probably lied so you wouldn’t go looking for yourself.” Kaden mumbled.
“You think he is involved somehow?” She said in disbelief. “He found me, he nursed me back to health and you think he would hire thugs to kidnap me?”
“Need I remind you of what he did to you? He already betrayed you once, he could do it again.” Kaden spat.
Anger started to rise in her at the reminder, the fact she had played into his lies and lust, anger made her power flicker at her hands. Kaden tried to reach for her but she pulled away. She had been naive, and she would not make that mistake twice.
“What would his role in all of this be?” Finnley questioned. “He couldn’t have been the one to betray you before the war so he must be working with someone.”