guess the acorn does not fall far from the tree.” Her father met her eyes. “You have spirit, Tove Norling, just like your mother did. I’m more proud of you than I could ever say, but I cannot bear the thought of losing you in battle too.” Tilting her chin up, he stared into her eyes. “That’s why I cannot allow you to play with swords anymore.”
No! “But—”
“No, Tove. This is not up for discussion. I forbid it.”
She could see the hardness in her father’s expression, knew that his mind could not be changed. Whatever protests she had died on her tongue. Instead, she sat back in the chair and looked away.
“All right. All done. Go on now,” her father said, sounding weary. “Change your dress and wash up. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Chapter 5
Boston
The steady pounding of her feet on the pavement was a sound Mav had missed hearing. She didn’t know how long she’d been at it, but by the way the sun was dipping down into the horizon, it must have been at least four hours. She hadn’t run like this in a long time – not since the first threats to Bryn and the other Valkyries.
Over their thousands of years of existence, nobody had managed to scare Bryn the way Loki had over a month ago. It was only now that she was starting to loosen up, and apparently the first matter of business for this new, relaxed Bryn was to force Mav to take a whole day and night off. But Mav had dug in her heels and refused. Instead, they’d come to an agreement: she would take only half a day off and Bryn would just have to accept it. The fact was, Mav’s job was to protect Bryn and the only way she could do that was by being wherever her leader was.
After Korvain moved in, it helped to ease the burden on Mav. Bryn was happy for the first time in a long time with him; he had saved her life when nobody else had been able to. Although their relationship was built on deceit to start with, Bryn had forgiven him and it was stronger than ever now.
Mav ran down Boylston Street until she hit Boston Common, slowing her pace to a fast walk. Despite the fact that she was a goddess, she had to remain in the best shape possible in order to protect Bryn and the remaining Valkyries. It was a fallacy that the gods had superior strength. They all still bled just like everyone else, and you were only as strong as you allowed your muscles to become.
As her breathing returned to normal, she looked around. There were still a lot of people in the park bundled up in heavy coats while Mav ran in black shorts and a skin-tight running shirt. She checked her watch for the time and started jogging back toward the club. She wanted to get in another weights workout before she started at seven.
Dodging cars as she crossed over Tremont, Mav weaved between the pedestrians, finding herself coming up on the alleyway that led to the back entrance of the club. She punched in the code on the door and stepped inside. Moving on autopilot, she walked down the long hall, heading toward the elevator. She was still lost in her own head, her mind on the dream she’d had the night before. She had not thought on it for centuries, but for some reason she had dreamed of the day she awoke to discover everyone she’d ever loved was dead.
“Gunner?”
Maverick stopped dead, the sound of the name Odin had given her when she became one of his Valkyries bringing her up short. She hadn’t been called that since the Fall.
From inside her office, Bryn said, “Sorry, but I was calling you and you couldn’t seem to hear me. Can I speak to you for a moment?”
Retreating back a few steps, Mav leaned against the jamb, her arms over her chest. Mist – Bryn’s second-in-command – was sitting in the chair opposite the desk, a tablet on her lap with a spreadsheet open on the screen. Mav nodded to the other Valkyrie before turning her attention to Bryn.
“How was your half day off?” Bryn asked.
“Unnecessary.” After all, it wasn’t as if she’d had much
No! “But—”
“No, Tove. This is not up for discussion. I forbid it.”
She could see the hardness in her father’s expression, knew that his mind could not be changed. Whatever protests she had died on her tongue. Instead, she sat back in the chair and looked away.
“All right. All done. Go on now,” her father said, sounding weary. “Change your dress and wash up. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Chapter 5
Boston
The steady pounding of her feet on the pavement was a sound Mav had missed hearing. She didn’t know how long she’d been at it, but by the way the sun was dipping down into the horizon, it must have been at least four hours. She hadn’t run like this in a long time – not since the first threats to Bryn and the other Valkyries.
Over their thousands of years of existence, nobody had managed to scare Bryn the way Loki had over a month ago. It was only now that she was starting to loosen up, and apparently the first matter of business for this new, relaxed Bryn was to force Mav to take a whole day and night off. But Mav had dug in her heels and refused. Instead, they’d come to an agreement: she would take only half a day off and Bryn would just have to accept it. The fact was, Mav’s job was to protect Bryn and the only way she could do that was by being wherever her leader was.
After Korvain moved in, it helped to ease the burden on Mav. Bryn was happy for the first time in a long time with him; he had saved her life when nobody else had been able to. Although their relationship was built on deceit to start with, Bryn had forgiven him and it was stronger than ever now.
Mav ran down Boylston Street until she hit Boston Common, slowing her pace to a fast walk. Despite the fact that she was a goddess, she had to remain in the best shape possible in order to protect Bryn and the remaining Valkyries. It was a fallacy that the gods had superior strength. They all still bled just like everyone else, and you were only as strong as you allowed your muscles to become.
As her breathing returned to normal, she looked around. There were still a lot of people in the park bundled up in heavy coats while Mav ran in black shorts and a skin-tight running shirt. She checked her watch for the time and started jogging back toward the club. She wanted to get in another weights workout before she started at seven.
Dodging cars as she crossed over Tremont, Mav weaved between the pedestrians, finding herself coming up on the alleyway that led to the back entrance of the club. She punched in the code on the door and stepped inside. Moving on autopilot, she walked down the long hall, heading toward the elevator. She was still lost in her own head, her mind on the dream she’d had the night before. She had not thought on it for centuries, but for some reason she had dreamed of the day she awoke to discover everyone she’d ever loved was dead.
“Gunner?”
Maverick stopped dead, the sound of the name Odin had given her when she became one of his Valkyries bringing her up short. She hadn’t been called that since the Fall.
From inside her office, Bryn said, “Sorry, but I was calling you and you couldn’t seem to hear me. Can I speak to you for a moment?”
Retreating back a few steps, Mav leaned against the jamb, her arms over her chest. Mist – Bryn’s second-in-command – was sitting in the chair opposite the desk, a tablet on her lap with a spreadsheet open on the screen. Mav nodded to the other Valkyrie before turning her attention to Bryn.
“How was your half day off?” Bryn asked.
“Unnecessary.” After all, it wasn’t as if she’d had much
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