Authors: Kristi Jones
"Sounds
like a nightmare."
"It
would be.
A nightmare that never ends.
Ever.
So I'll need you to talk to her."
"What
would I say?"
"I'll
tell you what to say.
”
"I
don't understand. Why would this witch want to drive Valkyries mad?"
I lifted my
shoulders.
"What
are you smirking at?" Jess said, suddenly angry.
"I'm
not. It's just very mortal of you, to think she needs a reason."
"I
thought that's what you liked about me."
"It
is. And as it happens, there is a reason."
"So
you're just being difficult."
"I
’
m not trying to be,
”
I said, teasing. He smiled at me and ran his hand along my naked hip. I closed
my eyes, hoping we could drop the conversation.
“
So
what is the reason then?
”
Jess said, dropping his hand.
“
Well,
if you must know, legend says that the great goddess
Skuld
got bored being one of the
Norns
.
”
“
One
of the
Norns
?
”
“
You
’
ve heard of the
Norns
, surely? The
goddesses who rule the fates of gods and men? I
’
m
not sure how much power they still hold after so many centuries, but it is said
that they once knew the fate of every god and every human.
But supposedly, this power wasn
’
t enough for
Skuld
. She asked and
received permission from Odin to be a Valkyrie. She left her duties at the Tree
of Life and took to the battlefield. The elders say that
Skuld
was covetous. She used her knowledge of the Fates to claim many warriors. The
Valkyries felt it was unfair for a true goddess to hold court over her
inferiors and to best them in battle. From there, the story gets a little
murky."
"How
so?"
"Well,
I've heard different versions. Some say that
Skuld
took
Sigurd
as a lover, stealing him from my
ancestor,
Brunhilde
. As punishment for this,
Brunhilde
and some other Valkyries arranged for
Sigurd
to be killed. Legend holds that to this day,
Skuld
exacts her revenge on the Valkyries she wanted to
join by telling them of their fate."
"God.
I don't know if you're crazy or cursed or..."
"I am
what I am, Jess. Just like you."
"I'm
sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."
"You
didn
’
t.
”
I leaned closer to him and kissed his shoulder, savoring
the feel of his smooth skin.
“
I know this is all new to you, but really you don
’
t need to learn all our old myths and legends. I just need
you to talk to
Skuld
for me."
"I'll
do it," Jess said, letting out a long breath, "of course I
’
ll do it. But you'll be there, right?"
"Yes,
I'll be there. I'll stuff my ears with cotton so I can't hear her. I'll speak
for you when I can, but you'll need to listen to the answers."
"What
if the witch is really loud, Sabrina?
I don't think cotton is going to work."
"Hopefully
she'll take pity on me."
"Pity
on you?"
"Most
Valkyries who seek out
Skuld
are looking for
something. They need something for themselves. Hopefully once she sees that
we're asking for help for you, she won't tell. It's our only shot."
"I
don't like this. There has to be another way."
"There
isn't. The only other way is I kiss you and you die."
"So
maybe..."
"No,
Jess. I'm not doing that."
Chapter Six
The night
blended into a dark and rainy morning. We dressed and ate the last of the
MREs
in Jesse
’
s
pack. I boiled some water over a small fire in the grate to make coffee.
Jess was
quiet and thoughtful, mirroring my own mood.
The
carriage house was located just a few hundred yards from the courtyard door.
Inside were two vehicles, a 1957 Volkswagen bug and a 1986 Mercedes. I chose
the Mercedes, and we were soon winding our way through the mountains, along the
Deutsche
Alpenstrasse
, the German Alpine
Road, heading for Austria.
"It's
really beautiful here."
"Yes.
It's prettier when the sun is out. In winter, the sunshine striking the snow makes
the mountains luminous.
”
Crossing
the border into Austria, the picturesque valleys and red-tiled roofs gave way
to billboards and dilapidated housing. Where southern Germany was all grass
covered hillsides and flowing waterfalls, Austria was bustling city streets,
crowded avenues, and inexpensive living.
"It's
like crossing the Brooklyn Bridge."
"Is
it? I wouldn't know."
"You've
never been?"
"Has
there been a battle in Brooklyn?"
"Not
that I know of," Jess said, laughing. "So you've only been to
battlefields? What about the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls?
Los
Angeles or Miami?"
I shook my
head. "I was at Antietam.
Yorktown."
"Ever
been to Texas?"
"Is
that where you're from?"
"Houston."
"Ah.
No, I've never been to Texas. I think
Gustel
was
there once.
Mexican war."
We drove
the rest of the way in silence. Jess watched the rolling hills and endless
fields of hops roll by, that little muscle in his jaw
twitching,
lost in thought. It wasn
’
t long before we were edging through the crowded streets of
Salzburg.
"There
it is," I said, pointing to
Hohensalzburg
Castle.
One of the largest medieval castles in all of Europe,
Hohensalzburg
Castle loomed over the city of Salzburg like a temple. It sits atop the
Festungsberg
mountain
, a sprawling
white fortress made of ever-enduring limestone. Its walls and turrets rose up
as if the mountain itself had generated the fortress as an adornment.
I followed
the street signs to the parking garage. When we passed into the mountain, Jess
shifted in his seat. "We're driving into a mountain?"
"Yes. There
aren
’
t a lot of places to build parking lots in the mountains.
”
"When
are we going to see this witch?"
"Now.
We're here."
"We're
in a parking garage, Sabrina."
"She
lives under the mountain."
"This
is going to be kind of amazing, isn't it?"
I smiled,
despite my own churning stomach. I couldn't help but smile. He was unlike any
mortal I'd ever met. Were all the men from his generation so open minded and
fearless? If so, I hadn't seen it. I wondered how much my own unhappiness and
boredom with my duties had blinded me to this fresh generation of warriors.
"A
parking garage inside a mountain?
I've never even heard of such a thing before."
"It's
unique." I found a parking space and pulled in. My heart was beating a
faster rhythm than its usual clock ticking regularity. I was nervous about facing
Skuld
.
The garage
was packed with cars, but I didn't see any other mortals. The gray walls seemed
to press in around me. We followed the painted fire-engine red lines that
marked out a walking path to the nearest elevator.
I pushed
the down button and waited.
"So
this witch lives under the mountain. It doesn't seem like much of a hiding
place if you can just take the elevator."
"I'm
not sure she is hiding. People usually hide
from
Skuld
, not the other way around."
"Oh.
Right."
We took the
elevator down to the bottom level. The doors opened onto an expanse of
stainless steel.
I pulled my
necklace out from underneath my shirt.
I held up
the symbol for the Wings of the Valkyrie, closed my eyes and muttered the charm
under my breath. I felt the metal wings heat in my hand.
Jess
gasped, letting me know that the ancient metal
glowed
a ghostly blue now. I opened my eyes, and the stainless steel door shimmered.
Flashes of blue and red glinted in the molten metal like distant galaxies.
"Oh my
God," Jess said, and stepped back.
A wave
undulated through the glimmering steel before the wavering mirage dropped away
completely.
An expanse
of black nothingness yawned before us where the door had been just moments
before.
"You
have to go first."
"But
there's nothing here," Jess said, tentatively leaning his head forward,
careful to stay well back from the precipice. "There's just empty space
here, Sabrina."
"I
know, Jess. This is the way. You have to go first. The seeker must enter
first."
Jess
stepped back, pulling me with him. "Have you ever done this before? I
mean, have you ever brought a ... a mortal here?"
Sweat
coated the top of his upper lip, and I resisted the urge to kiss it away.
Instead I wiped it away with my finger. He didn't flinch.
"No,"
I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I haven't done this before, but
I've heard stories. You'll be safe.
Skuld
won't do
harm to a mortal."
Jess
reached for my hand. It was such a human gesture that my breath caught in my
throat. I'd clasped men's hands before, in battle.
Holding
them while they moaned for their mothers.
Even the most courageous hero
cries out for his mother at the end.
This was
different. Jesse's hand was strong, warm and completely enveloped my own.
He took a shaky breath, puffed out
his chest, and with the same courage I'd seen on that dusty street in Kandahar,
he stepped out and into the void.
I jumped
with him, hoping that I could save him as well as myself.
We fell,
and I released my wings, shredding my blouse in the process. The pea coat hung
across my shoulders in tatters.
We fell for
what seemed an eternity. The darkness was utter and complete. I clung to
Jesse's hand like a lifeline. We coasted down and landed onto a rocky pathway.
The tunnel was
cold and damp, water trickling over the rock face like fresh tears. A pale
yellow light flickered in the distance.
"Look!"
Jess said.
"I see
it."
Without
another word, Jess moved toward it. I followed close behind. There was no room
for us to walk side by side, and I tucked my wings back into my shoulder
blades.
“
Wait,
”
Jess said, stopping. He slipped out of his trench coat and
handed it to me, then pulled off his t-shirt.
“
Put
this on. I won
’
t be able to concentrate with you topless.
”
“
Oh,
Jess,
”
I said, laughing and shaking my head. I dropped the remnants
of the pea coat to the ground and pulled the t-shirt over my head. Jess wrapped
his arm around my waist and pulled me close. I felt his lips in my hair.
“
Okay,
I
’
m ready.
”
We walked
toward the light. Fear cut through me, fear that made my insides feel unhinged,
as if my very organs were dropping to earth. Sweat broke out along the back of
my neck, and I put a hand on Jesse's back.
He stopped.
"Are
you okay?"
"I
don't know," I said, shocked by my own trembling, wavering voice.
"Sabrina."
Jess put his arms around me. I clutched at him, the sound of his voice a salve
on my twisted nerves. "Sabrina, let's go back."
"No,"
I said, pulling away from his warm embrace. "Let's move."
He
hesitated, his eyes trying to find mine in the darkness. He cupped my cheek and
bent toward me. I tried to pull away, but he held me firmly in his arms. When
he kissed my forehead, I thought I might weep.