I turned the car off, stepping out of it and scanning the area for my rogue Valkyrie. Not seeing her anywhere or the remains of the truck I crashed hours before, I saw a small stuff animal on the ground in front of a trail making me narrow my eyes and walk towards it.
Where the fuck is she?
Was she hiding now?
I noticed the small stuffed animal was one of Rialta's animals. Kneeling down, I grasped the stuffed bear and glanced around the area.
My senses weren't as good as they normally were since I shifted twice in the last three days. The more I shift the weaker I got, but eventually, I would be powerful enough to shift all the time.
The only reason I wasn't strong enough was due to the fact that I never shifted and that it takes to much power. I am a busy woman and I need to keep my strength up twenty-four seven making it hard for me to practice and build my stamina.
"Hiding now, Valrun?" I call out, knowing she was somewhere around here before following the trail that the bear was on. "Who's the selfish bitch?" I question forcefully, gripping the bear in one hand.
The trail was dense but the sunlight that peeked through the trees was enough for me to see in the dark woods beside me. I kept my eyes in front of me, but I branched out my hearing and listened to anything that sounded out of the ordinary.
Unsure of what I was looking for, I noticed an open field with someone in the center. With a grin and laugh, I started running towards Valrun and pulled my hair out of the bun.
"Valrun! You son of a bitch for making me... run?" I stopped, seeing it wasn't Valrun but Proximo... and he was tied up in a chair.
What the hell was happening?
Slowly, I walked up cautiously seeing him watching me with a painful gaze. I could see how hard it was for him to remain sitting there, but I could feel the determination rolling off him.
Thankfully, his mouth was gagged making me gnaw on my bottom lip in wonder. His dark eyes continued watching me as I noticed a small box along with a small note on top of it.
I knelt down and snatched the note, setting the animal down to take several steps away. With his burning gaze on me, I opened the small note with Valrun's handwriting.
Hello Hrudra,
I know this isn't what you were expecting, but I had to lure you out of that place. Claus may be a Satyr, which are known to be peaceful, but that man is dangerously clever! He had the highest security after you went to him and there was no way to get you out here. So I called and said something rather untrue things. I'll let you kick my ass another day.
But... I left a little present tied up for you. He came to me once out of his fit and asked me what he could do to make you forgive you. Of course, I didn't tell him you had no intention of forgiving him... but why not let you vent your out on him?! I left a box of tools for you to do at your heart's content and he voluntarily let me tie him up.
I wish I could give you all the time you wished for, but I can not. I've given you roughly four days to get to the demon kingdom so we can discuss what our next steps are.
Sincerely, your partner in crime, Valrun.
P.s. I killed Mira for you so it'll take her up to a week to revive. You're welcome.
Well, this was very unexpected, but at least I knew she didn't mean those horrible things about me now. Though this felt a little too good to be true.
I looked at him over the paper before closing it and stuffing it in my pocket. Narrowing my eyes at him, I reached for the box she left me and quickly retreated a few feet away from him.
Taking a few more steps away, I kneeled down and opened the box curious on what they left me. I rummaged through the box of tools seeing hammers, wrenches, pliers, and... was that a pornographic magazine of mermaids?
Glancing at him in confusion, I opened the magazine and saw Valrun's handwriting again. She had written to tell me that this was Getha's idea making me nearly laugh but I held it in and set it aside.
Finding nothing that interested me, I closed the box and stood up. He watched my movements as I scratched my head, almost tempted to leave but I wanted answers.
"Did you have sex with Millie-Mae?" I ask him in a cold voice when he recoiled as if I hit him. He shook his head quickly and scrunched his nose up.
His answer pleased me, but how did I know he was lying or not?
"Ok... If I asked Sevetha this would she answer the same way?" I interrogate him, knowing Millie-Mae and Sevetha were very close and had told each other everything.
Once again, he nodded and claimed he had not been with her making me tilt my head slightly hurt that he said we were nothing. At least, if I knew he was with Millie-Mae then there'd be a reason. But he wasn't... so why did he say that to me?
I walked up to him, pulling his gag away and letting him work his jaw out as I stepped away quickly. He went to say something but closed his mouth as if he just remembered something.
Good.
He better remain quiet.
"You know I won't forgive you," I admit to him, turning away from him and sitting down on the ground. My eyes stared down at my claws when I cleaned underneath them in boredom.
"I don't expect you too." He says in a gruff voice making me nod, slightly upset that he isn't fighting with my words.
"Good." I simply said, wanting to look at him but not to bend to his will.
Unable to not look at him for more than two minutes, I spun around and stared at him causing him to look up from staring at the ground a moment before. His black eyes seemed to have softened as I watched him, his face still looking like his parents just died.
Then I remembered Valrun's words from before.
"Tell me something about your parents," I said when he blinked and nodded.
"My mother was a demon from the rich background while my father came from the more poorer neighborhoods. They met at a costume party, for some reason both were dressed like demons. I'm not really sure why, but I guess it doesn't matter.
"The had me a year after meeting and raised me to fight. They were the power couple of the city and had helped everyone with whatever they needed." He told me with a small smile on his lips.
"Where are they now?" I ask, genuinely curious now.
"They passed away a few centuries ago. Harpies tore them apart." He admits to me as I felt pain for him and tilted my head.
"My condolences," I mumble when he smiled softly and nodded to me.
"You've told me of your horrible father. What of your mother?" He questions while I brought my legs up to my chest and cradled myself a little.
"My mother was one of his slaves. He told her that she was special and she believed him. They conceived me but then he told her that he lied and merely was bored with his rich life. The day I was born, she killed herself and attempted to kill me but failed. A maid had stopped her from killing me, but not her." I told him before parting my hair and showing him the scar. "She hit me with a rock and left me with the mark. As if it was her way of saying goodbye." I shrug, letting my hair back down.
"I'm so sorry. I'm glad you're alive still." He tells me.
"I understood why she attempted to kill me," I admit to him, leaning on my knee and watching him.
"It still doesn't explain her actions." He growled out when I nodded.
"I agree, but I still understand why she did this. She probably thought not living in this world was better than being a slave. For example, Margaret Garner. She killed her children so they wouldn't have to live the life of being captive and being a slave. If I could have, I would have made that woman a Valkyrie for her values and ways." I inform him, not having any ill feeling towards the woman or my mother.
If I was in her position, I would have done the same thing.
"Doesn't mean I agree with her." He grumbles making me chuckle under my breath and shake my head.
"Not everyone sees the same ways," I assure him before brushing my eyes over him. "Do you pity me now that you know about what I've been through?" I ask him when he shook his head quickly.
"Of course not. I would never pity you. I admire your strength." He simply tells me while I sigh and let my legs fall back down on the ground.
"You sweet talking me won't get you out of those." I nod to the ropes binding his hands as he shook his head and glanced down at them.
"I could break from these any moment. I chose to sit here." Proximo admits making me frown and lean back in the grass. The prickle of grass poked at my back and face, but the warmth of the sun gave me a tenderness for the man.
Though it didn't make me feel any better about what he did or said.
We remained that way for many long moments, just soaking up the sun and enjoying the forced company between us even though I could leave at any moment. But I was too proud and angry to simply walk away with tempting and torturing him.
I was just willing myself to stand and do my handy work on the demon, but I couldn't do that to him making me feel incredibly weak.
"Could you tell me what you, Freya and Odin's relationship is like?" He asks curiously before I jumped up on my feet with a large grin on my face.
"I thought you'd never ask!" I blurt out, immediately feeling embarrassed while coughing into my hand. "Of course. Do you want the long story or the summarized one?" I question the smile on his face causing me to look away.
"I want the long one." He says interested when I smiled again and took in a deep breath.
"Freya and Odin had worked together, trying to figure out what it was they would do and how they could gain more heroes and good guys in the world. I was one of the first Valkyrie created since the world stared many many millenniums ago. I am very old though I look good for my age, I am well over two millenniums old.
"Anyway. Freya and Odin continued creating these Valkyries with the help of me and many others. That was until roughly two and a half centuries later that vampires started attacking us. Many Valkyries passed away and the vampires took over Folkvanger.
"Acting on impulse, me, Freya, and Odin strode into Folkvanger and slaughtered all those bloody vamps!" I said with a jump and grinning at him before pointing to the sky. "We rode on Pegasus' and boy, was I so scared to be so high. That night was the first time I ever shifted into my beast and the first time I grieved ever since being changed. Many of our kin died that say.
"But. Since I was fighting alongside with Freya and Odin, they appointed me as their successor! Isn't that crazy?! Your mate- I mean. I was to be a god." I puffed my chest out in a manly way causing him to chuckle at me softly.
"You're so cute." He compliments making me look away. "Why aren't you a god now?" His words reminded me of the decision I made and one that I would never regret.
"I saved Sevetha," I tell him, glancing over at him with a saddened smile. "Odin had sent me to save and change Getha into a Valkyrie. Of course, at the time I would never think to betray her, but when I had found her on the battlefield. She was clinging onto Sevetha barely alive herself.
"She was so heartbroken and refused my help. So I went against my orders and turned both of them into a Valkyrie. Once Odin and Freya found out, they stripped me of my powers and had imprisoned me for a very long time." I tell him with a prideful smile. "I wouldn't change what I did. It's one of the reasons why the twins are on my team." With a small shrug, I sat back down on the ground.
"I never knew." He says when I looked down at the ground.
"You don't know many things about me," I admit.