“For making you leave. For making you choose.” He was only leaving to protect her, and she felt ashamed for being the reason he had to leave behind his land while a tyrant still raged and threatened the safety of his people.
He took her face in both of his hands, wiping a stray tear with his thumb. “Stiarna, do you not realize what you have done for me? Have I not made it clear how much I am beholden to you?” He placed her free hand over the left side of his chest, where deep beneath the layers of skin and bone was a steady beat against her palm. A place once barren, empty for half a century, now filled by hisFraendi. A part of him born from her love and her sacrifice.
“You have a heart!” Her words trailed a sigh, followed by a nervous laugh.
He smiled the kind of smile that showed teeth, a sight so pure it felt misplaced in this room. “I have you,sváss.And while this heart in my chest still beats, I will fight for us and our future. Whatever we face next, we face together.”
The doors leading to the Great Hall shook against a pounding force, causing Ailsa to snag his shirt in her fist. They were running out of time. But the Dark Elves appeared nearly finished with their portal, a dark cloud shimmering atop the dais and tossing her hair with its own violent gust. Shadows wrapped around them and swallowed the surrounding hall, and she shut her eyes against the portal sucking them into a void, a cold place between stars. Wind tore at her gown, her hair, tried to pull her from his arms, but she held firm.
Quicker than a breath, than the space between her racing heartbeats, the disorder was replaced with quiet. The Great Hall had become a beach beneath a night sky, dark waters lapped at her toes. This place was so familiar it tugged at a closed off place in her heart, the scar of an old wound not yet completely healed.
But this was not Drakame. She was still far from her home and deep into the heart of another strange land, this one far darker and colder than the ones located among the Highest Branches. Vali’s shoulders fell as if a great weight had been removed from them but remained still beside her, even as the waves stung icy pools at their feet.
“Finally, the fates have worked out something on our side,” he said.
“This is Vanaheim?” she asked. He finally peeled himself from her arms and looked around, nodding.
“Yes. As you know, this is one of the lower realms in the Roots of the Tree. These waters may look like an ocean, but this is one of the three wells that feeds the Tree. I can fill you in on the geography later.” He held out his hand to pull her up black sand. “We need to get to Njord’s sanctuary before nightfall.”
“Before nightfall?” she echoed. “What would you call this?”
Vali’s smile was ladened with sadness. “A bright day in the realm beneath the Tree. Come, Njord must know we’re here already.”
Ailsa took his outstretched hand and followed him up the coast leading to the seaside castle. Her bones were restless from the abrupt cease in chaos, her thoughts still reeled with images of Fenrir and Nerissa, of Ivor tearing out her throat. All they had learned this day, of the darkness originating from the Great Wolf and the threat on the Nine Realms now alive with his resurrection.
She could not enjoy this moment of peace, of the salty breeze cool through her tangled hair nor the warmth of the hand clutching her own. Not when so much was still left undetermined. Not when she alone could stop Fenrir from destroying the worlds.
Ailsa could not face a god herself and win, but she knew one that could. If Baldur was truly their last hope, then she would deliver him to Odin herself. And once this was over, she would embark on her next great adventure with herFraendiat her side. And she would go home at last, wherever that was in the end.
“Sváss,I haven’t had the chance to tell you how beautiful you look tonight,” Vali said, squeezing her hand.
She smiled, throwing him a sideways glance. “You should have seen me outside the Temple of Light. I assure you, I was much more desirable before I flew across Alfheim and fought your ex girlfriend.”
“You’re right, I should have seen you.” His strides stop suddenly, half turning to face her. “I am sorry we didn’t get a chance to complete our ceremony, Ailsa. I hope you know I wanted nothing more than to swear my oath to you.”
“Vali, do not apologize, it wasn’t your fault.” She smoothed a hand over his cheek. “I’m just glad you are safe now. The only oath I want from you is that you will never scare me like that again.”
She felt his smirk against her palm. “Of course,Stiarna.I have something for you, by the way. I was supposed to give it to you tonight but… things didn’t work out. I am pleasantly surprised it didn’t fall out when the wolves dragged me across the castle.”
“What is it?”
He guided her hand between them with his own, his opposite pulling something out of his pocket. Her heart arrested when she felt the cold metal slip around her fourth finger.
A ring.
Ailsa assessed it in the failing light, and Vali produced a bright orb with his magic so she could see the ring and all its details. Runes etched the surface, ones she recognized. The same markings on their hands written in repetition around the edge. A saga of sun and stars.
“Vali,” she whispered, “why did you—”
“I remembered you said something about your mother’s ring being inherited through your family’s generations. I wanted to give you another to pass down for yourself, for the legacy that we will build together if you will still have me.” His magic dimmed, leaving only a faint glow shining in the sliver of space between his hand and hers. “I know it doesn’t replace your old one, I know it’s not your mother’s—”
“You’re right. This one is mine,” she said with a soft smile. “This one isours.Thank you,Sólskin.”
She placed the hand with the ring inside his palm, and together they continued to walk up the coast. Understanding crept up on her like the warmth of a spring sunrise. Though they were thousands of miles from a friendly soul or familiar place, she knew she didn’t belong anywhere else.
For the first time in her life, Ailsa was home.
EPILOGUE