Valkyrie Blade (Valkyrie Bound #4)

Chapter Eleven

Malachi

" H ow are the defenses holding?" I ask Stephan, stepping up beside him on the porch to look out over Eitr. In the dark, there's little to see, but the weight of war still hangs heavy in the air.

"Solid," he grunts, glancing over at me. "The Forsaken stopped attacking an hour ago."

I arch a brow at him, surprised. "Because of our reinforcements?" As soon as we got the Valkyrie back through the portal, Rissa, Tori, Abigail, and Kara regrouped and tried again. This time, they were successful. Rhistel and the Fae arrived two hours ago, followed by Baelen and his garrison.

"Doubtful." Stephan strokes his chin, seeming troubled. "They're up to something."

"Ja." I sigh, tipping my head back to look up at the night sky. The moon shines brightly overhead, stars peeking from behind tufts of clouds. "When are they not up to something?"

"Good question. Has Damrion returned yet?"

"Nei, not yet. Will everyone be ready when he does?"

Stephan nods. "We'll be ready, Malachi. Everyone knows what to do."

I nod, exhaling a breath as I glance back out over the town we've called home for the last three hundred years. It's sheltered us, fed us, and hidden us. Life hasn't been kind to the Fae. Over and over again, our home has been ripped from us, stolen by the Dark—first álfheimr and then Valhalla. But we still found a place to belong. Eitr welcomed us, gave us comfort. For three hundred years, she held us close.

My heart twinges at the thought of saying goodbye. But the time has come. When Damrion returns, the Fae are abandoning this realm. It's time to go home to Valhalla.

"I'm going to check on Marion," I murmur, pushing away from the wall to slip back inside. Already, I've been away from her too long. My skin feels tight, my emotions brittle.

I thought I lost her today.

That's a terror I never want to face again…and yet, I know I will. This war is far from over. We may have all five Valkyrie safely in our protection, but we haven't defeated the Dark yet. We haven't freed the trapped souls. There are a million things still yet to do.

For this moment, at least, I don't want to do any of them. I simply want to hold my Valkyrie in my arms and thank the Gods that she's safe.

The front door closes behind me, and all five Valkyrie turn to look at me. Marion is exhausted, I see it written all over her face. She nearly burned herself out today. I felt it—felt the Light consuming her. So did Tori and Rissa. I think it was that alone that gave them the strength to reopen the portal. Their instinctive need to protect their sister overrode everything, just as it always has with the Valkyrie.

The bond they share is incredible. And terrifying. If one falls, they all fall. I'll destroy the realms myself before I allow them to fall. So will their mates. We may not agree on everything—but on this, we're perfectly in sync. They will not fall.

"Valkyrie," I murmur, holding my hand out to Marion. "It's time for you to rest."

"But Malachi, I—"

"No arguments, lyseste ljós . Your sisters can keep watch to prepare for Damrion's return. The five of you have more work to do tonight. I intend for you to be rested before you do it."

She gulps, nodding quickly. Her sisters fall still, varying expressions of awe on their faces as I help pull Marion to her feet.

"Hey, Malachi?" Abigail asks, her voice soft.

I glance down at her.

"Do you really think we can do it?" she whispers. "Reopen the portal to Valhalla, I mean."

"Nei," I say, bending to scoop Marion up in my arms. "I don't think you can do it, ást-meer. I know you can. You were sent by the Gods themselves to do it."

A tiny smile tips her lips up.

I turn, striding for the stairs with my mate in my arms. She rests her head against my shoulder, content to let me hold her.

As soon as the door to our chamber closes behind us, I head for the bathroom with her, settling her on the counter to turn on the shower.

"Are we showering?" she asks, her eyes heating as she watches me.

"Ja." I strip my leathers and steel off, letting it fall to the floor at my feet before I cross to her. My cock throbs, bouncing with every step, but I ignore him, reaching to strip her.

She shivers beneath my touch, her head falling back with a soft moan. I make quick work of her clothes before lifting her into my arms again.

Steam swirls around us as I step into the shower, shutting out the rest of the world.

For long moments, I simply hold her, letting the hot water beat down on us, before she slips her hand down my body, reaching for my erection.

"Nei, Valkyrie." I grab her wrist, halting her.

"Malachi," she protests. "I want to touch you."

"I thought I lost you today, lyseste ljós ," I rasp, tipping her head back to meet her gaze. Pain radiates in my voice, running too deep to be easily forgotten. "I felt you burning out."

Her expression falls, guilt burning hot and bright in her eyes. "I felt it too," she admits quietly. "It was too much power to hold without an anchor." Her gaze flits across my face. "You're the reason I didn't burn out."

I tip my head to the side, studying her.

"I…felt you in my soul. I clung to the memory of you, the thought of you." She swallows hard. "I knew I had to let it go before I burned out or it'd kill you too." Tears shimmer in her lashes. "I didn't want you to die with me, Malachi."

Gods.

I drag her into my arms, my lips searing against hers. "I love you, Marion." There is no truth more simple or profound than that. I love her. Not because the bond says I must. Not because she's Valkyrie. Not even because she's Fae. I love her because she's Marion—my Marion.

"Then love me, Malachi," she breathes against my lips, wrapping her body around mine. "Love me in this realm one more time before we leave it behind."

If I were a stronger Fae, one worthy of the goddess in my arms, I'd tell her no. She needs rest. But she needs this too. And I can deny her nothing. So I don't tell her no.

I press her back against the wall, and I love her, my body surging against hers, surging into hers again and again. She cries out, her hands clutched around my braids, my name ringing from the stone walls.

And we fall in this realm, one last time. Together.

An hour later, we gather in the living room as the Valkyrie open their soul portal one final time to allow Damrion back through.

He steps into the room with a small chest in his hands, the shards of the Bifr?st contained within.

For long moments, no one says anything.

I don't think anyone knows what to say. We've dreamed of this for three hundred years. We've fought and bled and died for it. But I'm not sure any of us actually let ourselves believe this day would come.

And yet, it's here. And somehow, the five of us are still standing, charged with protecting the souls of the Valkyrie called to restore the home that welcomed us when ours fell to Darkness…the home we never thought we'd see again.

"We should do this in the Hall of Warriors," Damrion finally says. "It's where we came through. It should be where we return."

"Ja," I agree quietly. Adriel, Dax, and Reaper nod their agreement.

Damrion turns to the Valkyrie. "Can you spin your soul magic one more time and move us to the Hall of Warriors? I won't risk the walk with the five of you and the Bifr?st together."

"We can do it," Rissa says, looking at her sisters.

One by one, they close their eyes, linking arms. The portal doesn't collapse and then reopen. We watch as it flickers, turning itself inside out. A moment later, the Hall of Warriors appears where dark forest was just moments ago, dimly lit but as familiar as the day we built it.

"Dax and Reaper go through first, followed by the Valkyrie, then I'll go, and then Malachi and Adriel," Damrion says. "Dax, Reaper, make sure the Hall is clear before the Valkyrie come through. Malachi, Adriel, you ensure no one follows before they close the portal."

Dax and Reaper immediately draw on Magn, calling their lystst?l . Their swords flare to life in their hands, lighting the way as they step through the portal.

We wait in silence for them to give the all clear.

It comes less than four minutes later, Reaper poking his head through to motion the Valkyrie forward.

"Be careful," I murmur, brushing the back of my hand down Marion's cheek before she slips through the portal behind her sisters, holding hands with Kara to keep them linked.

Damrion follows behind her, entering the portal just seconds after she does.

I take a final glance around, reaching for Magn. Power crackles through my veins in a hot rush, my lystst?l blazing to life in my hands. A second later, Adriel's appears. We step toward the portal.

The front door flies open, banging against the wall.

I spin, my lystst?l already raised to strike.

"The Forsaken are pouring into Eitr," Stephan growls, his eyes blazing with fury. "They know what we're doing. There are portals opening everywhere."

" Faen !" I roar.

"Get everyone to the Hall of Warriors now!" Adriel commands. "I don't care if it costs every last Fae life, we hold the Hall until the Valkyrie are through the portal."

Stephan nods, spinning on his heel.

Adriel and I plunge through the portal into the Hall to warn Damrion…but he already knows. He spins to face us, barking orders.

"Keep that fucking door closed and the Forsaken off of us," he growls. "I don't care what it takes. Until the portal is open and the Valkyrie are through, we aren't giving an inch."

I nod, already striding that way as screams erupt outside.

"Fae! To the Hall!" Stephan roars over the wall of noise, his voice far off but moving closer. "Defend the Hall!"

My back lands beside Dax's against the door. He glances at me, his expression savage, haunted. I have a feeling the same reflects back at him from mine.

"No matter what, they don't fall," he says.

"Ja, brother. No matter what."