Chapter Seventeen
Morgan
One kiss is all I get because Dylan has willpower made of iron and is focused on the books on the table. He scribbles occasionally on a notepad while I go over the spell in the book I found weeks ago, making sure I’m prepared.
The spell seems complex; a combination of the ingredients we’ve been collecting, a series of runes, and then the incantation. Dylan assures me it will be fine, but I see the hint of worry in his eyes. He’s still not convinced.
“Did you see this?” I ask, pointing to a particular passage. “The Morrigan often comes as a trio of three sisters, each with their own power and authority. Combined they create the Goddess of War, separate they prevail over different imagery: Land and livestock, fertility, and of course, war.”
“I’m aware of the mythology,” Dylan replies, studying the passage.
“Do you think it’s possible to remove her soul from mine? What if there’s another?"
“It’s a risk we have to take. But the myths are always vague. The Morrigan probably hoped future generations would fear her more by thinking she had triple the power.” He grimaces. “As though we need to fear her more than we already do. She’s quite the threat as is.”
He finishes his notes and closes the book. I pack up my own book but pause when I find him starting at me. “What?”
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
“No, but I don’t think I have a choice.”
“We’ll remove her soul and destroy her. The spell isn’t that hard. Bunny and Damien should be able to handle it easily.”
I nod. “I have faith in them.”
“And you?” He studies me carefully. “You’re ready to pick your mate? You’ll need strength before the ceremony.”
I swallow. “I’ll be ready.”
*
We walk back to The Nead, traveling through parts of the park and along the street. I’m wary after the situation with the gate, but Dylan assures me it will be fine.
I’ve developed a theory about Dylan’s habits and as we walk down one of the more populated paths I ask, “Why have I never seen you in a vehicle?”
“Excuse me?” he asks.
“You always walk or you know, fly,” I add quickly. “Are you afraid of driving?”
He stares straight ahead. Dylan pretends he isn’t interested in me but I know better. I’m aware that he watches me when he thinks I can’t see him and that his commentary with me is always calculated. I wait, giving him a chance to answer and he finally says, “I’m not afraid of much—particularly cars.”
“Then why are we walking?”
“Because it’s healthy. And good for the environment. And it makes us stronger and keeps our hearts pumping.”
We cross a bridge that takes us to a more isolated side of the park and I tap my hand on the iron railing. “How conscientious of you.”
A flash of white comes from the side and before I can blink I’ve been hit. I fall to the ground, stumbling to my knees. I catch myself and recover quickly—my reflexes faster than before. Standing over me is Hildi, the Valkyrie, her white blonde hair blowing in the summer breeze. She still has a bruise on her cheek from where I clobbered her.
Dylan steps between us.
“Move, you fool,” she grinds out at him. Her eyes are dark as night. She’d come for payback. “This little girl and I have a score to settle.”
“Not here,” he says.
“I’m not a little girl, bitch.” I’m now on my feet and I press a hand to my guardian’s back. “Yeah, move.”
He glares at me with ice blue eyes. “Not a chance. Not now.”
Of course we have important things to do, but Hildi brings out the fire in me. The Darkness flickers to life, wanting a fight. The Morrigan always wants a fight.
Dylan holds his hand up to Hildi and she looks like she may just bite it off. He turns to me and says in a low voice, “If you do this it has to be you, Morgan. Just you. You can’t cave to the Darkness this time. Are you up to that?”
I think about what he’s saying. Can I do it? The look of skepticism on Dylan’s face makes me even more eager to prove myself. “I think this is one of those times you don’t get to tell me what to do, Sentinel.”
There’s a flicker in his eyes, a cross between anger and desire. He nods and steps out of the way. “At least move under the bridge. The last thing we need is a crowd.”
Hildi smirks and leaps over the railing. I hear her feet land quick as a cat on the ground. Dylan raises his shoulders as if saying, I warned you. I take a deep breath and mount the railing. The ground looks so far below and I hesitate.
Kill her.
I blink, mentally swatting the Morrigan out of my head. I take one look at Dylan and jump, feeling the sharp twist of my belly but land on both feet—way more gracefully than I expected. Although not as skilled as Hildi.
Hildi waits for me at that bottom, her face made of stone, like a warrior. Her muscles are lean but developed. Her abs tight. She clenches her fists and I drop to a defensive stance. Dylan lurks in the shadows silently watching—assessing. I don’t wait for her to make the first move, instead launching myself at her.
Her fist clips my chin and her foot cracks against my knee. I manage to punch her in the side and it’s hard enough for her to recoil. She aims for my nose and I catch her fist with my palm. Her eyes widen in surprise at my reflexes but I’m in the zone and kick her hard in the gut, with more strength than I knew I had.
Hildi flies backwards, hitting a stone pillar under the bridge. Her head cracks against the hard surface and her eyes narrow. She’s pissed. Super pissed, and I need to think fast. Spotting a small ledge I race toward the wall, jump up with one foot and flip back toward Hildi, who is coming at me full force. Coasting through the air I feel free for the first time in ages, my mind completely zeroed in on the moment. When my feet land hard, punching the Valkyrie in the chest, I instinctively know what to do next.
The fight is quick, a series of kicks, punches, and jabs. I taste blood in my mouth, feel the ache in my side. I also hear silence in my head. I’m fighting Hildi—not the Morrigan. The realization of this clicks in the Valkyrie’s head when I sweep her feet from under her.
I’m breathing heavy and bend over. She squirms on the ground but the fight is over. “Are we square?” I ask.
“Yeah.” She winces. I offer her a hand and she takes it warily. Dylan comes out of his hiding place as I’m helping her off the ground. He assesses my body for injury, but his eyes hold mine, searching for the Darkness.
“We’re done,” I declare, brushing my hands together. “You’re a worthy opponent, Hildi. We’d be better on the same team than apart.”
She studies me for a minute. “You think you need a team?”
“I hope not, but if I ever do, I’ll give you a call.”
“You do that,” she replies, squaring her shoulders with pride. She wipes the blood from her lip and walks away.
“Are you okay?” Dylan asks.
Instead of telling him how I feel, I push up on my toes and kiss him. Heat fires between us but not the desperate kind. Nothing dark.
His fingers skim my cheek and I feel the warmth of his healing touch.
“What just happened?” I ask Dylan, who has pushed me back up the hill to get on the path toward home.
“I think that actually was a test,” he says. “And you passed.”