When Valkyrie made it to the main floor of the hotel, she found an alcove hidden by a tall plant and collapsed against the wall. As she buried her face in her knees, silent tears wet her cheeks.
“I am sorry Emma. I am sorry I failed you. But Vex is dead. Brant is dead. And soon Barclay will be dead too. I will not rest until you are avenged. May no one else suffer the fate you did.”
A few feet away, the concierge counter had a visitor.
“Is miss black and Alexa ready?”
“I can send a runner to check on them. My I know who is calling?”
“Just let them know Cade is ready to go and the carriage is waiting.”
It was just a few minutes before Alexa joined Cade at the counter.
“Val disappeared a few hours ago. The staff will not tell me anything,” Alexa reported. “Our stuff is packed though. The bellman should be bringing it down now. Did you know they have luggage elevators? Cra
The heartache ripped Valkyrie’s soul as she sat on the floor next to Maggie and the two embraces, tears streaming down their faces. Valkyrie knew that while Maggie had been like a mom to her, she had only lived here for four years before Desmond took her to lorilis. Emma had been here for eleven years, and was more like a daughter to Maggie than she ever would be. “I tried, Maggie. I really did. I just wasn’t fast enough. I misjudged them.” Maggie dried her tears and looked at Val with a serious expression. “Valkyrie Black, the police did nothing. The judges did nothing. You cannot put this on yourself. I don’t know what I expected but I know you and your friends have some skills. You tried. That is more than anyone could ask.” Tears threatened to spill forth from Maggie’s eyes once more so she pushed to her feet and turned to her baking. “She was taken care of? Is she nearby?” “I had an undertaker in midtown see to her. She is at Raphael’s cemetery on the east end of town.” “Good
“Back already?” Lilith called from her place next to her campfire. Val looked around and groaned. “Don’t tell me I fell asleep…” “Well, your consciousness has not been absorbed into the spark, so you are not dead,” Lilith said dryly. Val figured she might as well ask questions and learn while she was here. “Is it common for a Spark Blessed to come to the meadow during dreams?” “Not overly common. In my day there were a few but they had always been bonded for many years. For you, bonding at just six years old, it makes sense that your body has merged more fully at this stage. Most your age now still have not had their family sparks passed down.” Lilith explained, still poking the fire aimlessly. “Why are the starks so rare in the realms and yet from all accounts, Suria has many?” “That has to do with the reason for the war. Azrael was rather tight-lipped about all that. What I did manage to gather is that the Scath are not originally from this planet, let alone this universe. Even
“Miss! We are under attack! Stay in cover,” came a gruff voice of one of the guardsmen who rode outside the carriage.Val came to her senses quickly and looked out the window as the world flashed past. They were at a full gallop and behind them three riders dressed in black capes riding fast chestnut brown horses were gaining on them. One veered to the side and had a blowgun that he fired at the carriage horses.Each was highlighted in red in her vision and she knew them to be deadly.The small dart must have hit one of the horses because it bucked and the carriage jolted. Their progress slowed notably and Val covered her ears as her guards returned fire with short barrel shotguns.The guards were well trained but still evenly matched. They focused on a single rider, spreading their shot so it was impossible for the man to dodge. Blood splattered the road as the attacker flipped backward off his horse. His leg caught in the stirrup and the hor
The ride to the nearest hotel was long and annoying for Valkyrie. Reilynn would not stop talking about ruffians and how the civil discord of the country was falling apart of the seams. Her brother Marcum seemed content to let her rattle on while Rowan kept trying to engage Val in conversation.For her part, Val sat silently next to Reilynn and staired out the window. While her thoughts drifted to Cade and Alexa and Maggie, she was constantly aware of the three unknown people around her. Their presence graded on her senses as she constantly tried to map the interior of the carriage with her mind’s eye.At any moment one of them could turn into another assassin, rival gang member, or some other unknown threat. Val kept her hand on the hilt of a dagger with a white knuckle grip under the dark cloak.When they finally arrived at a small inn around dark, Marcum and his sister got out first, followed by Rowan. Rowan held his hand out to Valkyrie to help her down
“What is going on?” whispered Tarra.“Quiet. Watch and listen, nothing more,” Val admonished.The men found seats at a table near Val and Tarra and began talking boisterously. When Nate served them drinks they seemed merry enough.“Tell us, Innkeep. How is business?”“Well enough, good sirs. We be seeing an increase of folk from Durres, leaving the city.” Nate answered in his southern coastal accent.“And you would be needing a fair bit of fish from the sea, no?”“That be true. Me brother and son try to get us fresh fish every few days, especially when we are between clients.”“I figured as much. Well, I be here to collect your tribute. After all you are fishing on the Sea Devil’s waters.”Nate balked and made to walk away but the man caught his arm and spun him back around. “Now see here, innkeep. I’m captain Talwater, second
Tarra turned terrified eyes towards her father who tried to step forward. Val turned her burning gaze on the man and flicked one of the large gold coins at him. It wasn’t a bribe, payment or otherwise. Val just hoped the man would know the sigil there and trust her enough to keep his daughter safe.She grudgingly admitted to herself that if she was in his shoes, she wouldn’t trust her, but, perhaps he would have the good sense to let this play out. The coin had stayed the hand of the pirate at least.Val figured she could take out the pirates if push came to shove, but she was tired and the odds of there not being collateral damage was too great. Perhaps, if her spark, and by extension Lilith were to be trusted, there might yet be something to gain out of playing along with the pirates.“Follow me, and stay silent if you want to live to see your father again.”Tarra’s eyes filled with unshed tears as she stood and follo
Val turned back to the room to find Tarra slumped against the wall, head buried in her knees as she sobbed.“I just want to go home.”“You are the one who wanted adventure. Not so great when you are the thick of it is it?” Val said dryly. She wasn’t in a mood to coddle this girl.Val checked her person and assessed what she had available. He had her rune dagger, a modified silver flash vial, two smoke bombs, the brass knuckles and a few other small daggers hidden about her person.“Are you going somewhere?” Tarra asked as Val stepped to the door.“If I am not confined to this room, then I am going to explore.”“Don’t leave me here alone!”“Bar the door… look it locks from the inside. When I am gone, move this metal bar into place and no one will be getting in here. I will knock three times when I come back and you can let me in. ok?”Tarr
Talwater gawked, “I have no idea what you were attacking, but my man seems to be unconscious now. Does this mean you killed it?”“Yes, in a manner of speaking.”“I could see flashes of dark, but it just looked like the shadows moved as you struck. It was such an odd thing to witness.” Then Talwater smirked, “I don’t normally take coin from my men, but I have a feeling I will be winning a few bets tonight.”As soon as another sailor passed within earshot, Talwater flagged him down and ordered him to take the unconscious man to the medical bay.“Come, young Reaper. I believe there is coin to be made and pirates to train. Perhaps my men will show you a thing or two but those moves of yours were solid and practiced. We shall see how it holds up to the unarmed combat methods.”As Talwater led Valkyrie back towards the training deck, he asked quietly, “Is this why my men get so viole