Observing the way her gaze studied the landscape, he explained. “This is a long-forgotten section of the river, not used as much as the one outside of the Haven, but it flows directly from the Well of Selsnar and supplies the land with Light. All life in Alfheim stems from our wells alone, and Selsnar sources the elfin world on the opposite side of the river. The other well, Mirrenal, sources everything on this side. Both are permeated by the sun shining over the Tree.”
She slanted her head in thought. “Your wells source the life in this realm similarly to the wells sourcing the Tree?”
He nodded. “Correct. But we have different wells because the fae require a different life source than the gods and mankind.” It was known all the fae were godless, or once were before Frey was introduced to this realm. Odin was never quite pleased with the idea of the fae realms living outside of his influence.
“What is the Haven?” she asked.
“It is another kingdom on the other side of the river, the one Frey claimed as his temple when he first arrived in Alfheim. The dwarves were its original dwellers. They hand-carved every hall and every room into the mountain. It’s there, just a half a day’s walk that way.” He pointed toward a distant peak hazy with afternoon glare before tugging her hand. “Come with me a little further. I want to show you the other side.”
She followed him over the slick stone forming the bridge and Vali ignored the cracks running rampant throughout the foundation, focusing instead on the solid hand in his own and the desolate world they approached. As soon as her feet stepped off the bridge to the other side, Ailsa slipped a gasp, horrified at what she found.
Death.
The ground was barren of grass, just the ashy remains of fruitless soil. The trees were withered, not a single leaf still clung to the bones of the branches nor a color existed other than black or grey in the decrepit wilderness.
He watched her slowly pace to the edge of the boneyard, reaching a hesitant hand out to feel the product of darkness in a world so once full of beauty. Vali followed her, showing her how nothing came to life beneath his touch now. The Light in this land was gone.
“This is what will become of the entire realm if we do not get Frey and his Vanir magic out of here. Whatever the darkness of sedir effects, the Light will not touch it,” he explained.
Ailsa took in the sobering scene quietly. “Why do they continue to practice sedir if this is what happens to the land?”
“Because they don’t care,” Vali shrugged. “They believe the world will grow back as it does in Vanaheim. But they don’t understand that Light is not just a source, it isthesource. Snuff it out and life will cease to exist here.”
She turned to him, her hand absentmindedly running over the markings hidden behind the neck of her cowl. “And we have the ability to stop it from spreading just by giving me to Odin?”
“Frey leaving is our best chance,” he said. “At least then, my mother and I can retain control of Alfheim and we can ban the practice of dark magic and hopefully one day restore this part of the realm.”
She gave him a solemn nod, her gaze falling somewhere far beyond him. “I just have to live long enough for Odin to take me away,” she mumbled. “We should move up the feast just in case, while I’m feeling well.”
“Ailsa, that’s not,” he trailed. But she cut him off with an affectionate hand on his chest.
“No, Vali. As much as I want to spend each one of my last days with you, we need to fix this. Last week was a close call, and we cannot afford another one.”
He shook his head, unwilling to consider it. “I promised I wouldn’t let him take you. I will think of something else. Just give me time,sváss.”
“That was a vow you should have never made me,” she stepped away, removing the comfort of her touch, the pain in his chest ricocheted against all the empty places inside him. “And one I should have never bound you to. There are forces against us too strong to fight, Vali. We cannot wage war with destiny and win.”
“So this is it.” He gestured widely to himself. “You’re giving up on us—on me!”
“I’m doing thisforyou, Vali! Do you think I want to leave you?”
His fingers raked through his hair, pulling at the roots to externalize his frustration. “I think you are taking the easy way out,” he said too harshly.
Ailsa’s eyes hardened into a chilling glare. “Easy?” she spat. “I’m the one who has to die, Vali!”
“Yes, and I’m the one who mustlive!” he roared, the bitterness rising too fast to shove back down. She would die and he was the one who would have to survive every empty day that followed.
But when he saw her eyes brim with tears, his anger lashed back into himself. His words a double-edged sword, bleeding them both. His head fell, shaking in shame. “I’m sorry, Ailsa. I know you’re doing what's right. I’ve just never felt so...”
“Helpless? Aye, Vali, I know exactly how you feel.” Her steps were quiet as a doe in a meadow as she approached, slipping her hand around the clenched fist at his side. “Let’s go home. Before we both say things we do not mean.”
He nodded in agreeance, bringing her hand to his lips in a grazing kiss.Home.Not her fjord but his kingdom. “Of course. Let’s go back to the other side, though. I don’t like Elísar flying over to this side. It’s dangerous—”
Before he could finish, a sound barreled through the tree line, crashing through the rotten trunks and sending debris flying across the riverbank. They turned to find a hideous creature standing on the edge of the barren forest. A massive beast with grey, sloughing skin sunken into bulging bones and a broken log poised in its right hand.
“Is that what I think it is?” Ailsa shrieked beside him.
“Yes,” Vali hissed, “a troll.”