Skyla answered on the first ring. “Mundy, it’s about time I heard from you. Any word on the sword?”
I filled Skyla in on our trip to Corvallis, my conversation with Thorin, my meeting with Grim, and the results of our investigation of Grim’s house.
“So, you’re following Tori out to who knows where to do who knows what?”
“Pretty much.”
“Just you and Val?”
“Who else?”
“How about a couple Valkyries? For backup.”
“What do you mean?”
Skyla’s exhalation carried through the phone’s speaker. “Just listen and keep an open mind.”
She launched into a story about how Embla and Naomi, one of the other women jockeying for leadership of the Valkyries, had awoken for their regular early-morning training and discovered the Yukon missing. They had gone to Skyla and gotten her to admit what she knew about the disappearance of one sun goddess and her faithful Aesir sidekick.
“You told them?” I asked. “You know I don’t trust them.”
“Well, I do,” she said, defensive and resolute.
“You’ve known Embla is your aunt for five hot minutes, and you think you can trust her? That’s not your call to make.”
“Well, who the hell else do I have if I don’t trust her?”
“You have me. You have your loyalty to my brother’s memory.”
“I am loyal to you. Everything I’ve done is for your benefit. You think you’re going to do what? Confront Grim and Tori, a god and one of the Valkyries’ best fighters, and talk them out of the sword? You already told me how well diplomacy worked with Grim. Are you really ready to fight them for it?”
“Yes,” I said. “If I have to.”
“You’re not a fighter, girlfriend. Not one equal to Grim and Tori.”
“I have my fire.”
“You can barely control it. You’re a danger to yourself.”
Skyla could have slapped me or punched me in the gut, and it would have hurt less. My breath left in a gasp. Tears burned in my eyes. There I was, like the hundreds of motorists around me, rolling down the highway, so unassuming, so normal. But inside that ordinary SUV, I struggled to maintain my composure because otherwise I would blow Val, the Yukon, and possibly several innocent travelers into smithereens. Otherwise, I would prove Skyla right.
Val, being the strong, sensitive type—ha ha!—detected my distress. He reached out and grasped my free hand, a gesture of solidarity.
“Solina, I’m sorry.” Skyla’s tone softened. “That came out all wrong.”
I said nothing. I could say nothing. She was sort of right. She had stated the truth, and I had no right to criticize her for it. Still, I felt betrayed.
“Look,” Skyla continued. “None of that matters. What I really need to tell you is that Embla, Naomi and I are already on our way. We hit the road first thing this morning. We’re nearly to Corvallis, but we’re rerouting to come after you.”
“You’re what?” I said, nearly speechless again. My mind reeled.
“We’re not leaving this to you and Val alone,” Skyla said.
I sighed and dragged my fingers through my hair, and the scrape of my nails against my scalp soothed me.
“Solina, tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I don’t know what I’m thinking,” I said. “I’m pissed, and I feel a little betrayed, but at the same time, I’m relieved. I was freaking out. The possibility of confronting Grim with that sword and Tori… She’s kicked my ass so many times, and she wasn’t even trying hard.” I heaved a breath. “And you’re right about my fire, although I want to bust you in your face for saying it.”
Skyla laughed, and something about her humor relieved the heartache she had given me moments before. “You’ve got guts, girlfriend.”
“‘And girls with guts survive.’ I know, I know. Doesn’t feel like I have guts. Feels like I have a ball of quivering nerves.”
“But you’re going through with this anyway?”
“Going through with what? I have no idea what’s going to happen. I still might chicken out. Or Grim might feel diplomatic and sign a treaty or something.”
“You won’t chicken out. Not when you know you’ve got three kickass Valkyries at your back.”
“And Val.” I turned my gaze to my companion. He squeezed my hand but rolled his eyes.
“Yes,” said Skyla, her tone flat as a Nevada highway. “We got Wotan, too. Hooray.” She cleared her throat and regained some of her previous spark. “We’re probably less than two hours behind you. We’ll put some pep in our step and try to catch up to you. Keep us in the loop with Tori’s twenty. And don’t do anything until we catch up to you.”
“Tori’s twenty?”
Skyla huffed. “Her location. Twenty is radio code for location.”
“But we’re on the phone,” I said, purposely obtuse.
