“We’ll figure it out. I want the king dead, but the main goal is to bring Ryder home.”
“I should come,” she said quietly. “If you’ll have me. I am very good at retrieving souls from dark places.”
I thought about it. Bertie wasn’t a god, so she didn’t have to pick up or put down her power to stay in Ordinary.
“We have to move fast,” I said. “And we won’t know for sure where we’re going. Bathin can take people into rocks to move through the Underworld unseen. I don’t know if he can take a Valkyrie into those spaces.
“Ordinary may become a battlefield if demons attack. I want you here if that happens. I trust you to protect our town.”
She tipped her chin to the side, thinking that over, then spread her hands. “You may be correct. But this is not something you have to fight on your own, Delaney. I hope you understand that.”
I nodded. I understood what she was saying, even if I very much disagreed with her. This was my fight.
“When do you leave?” she asked.
“Dawn,” I lied. “It gives everyone time to gather what they need. Get some sleep.”
“And you?” she asked.
“What about me?”
“Do you have what you need?”
My body burned hot with rage for a moment, before I wrestled it back down to lock it behind cold steel.
“Yes,” I said in a soft monotone.
“Ah,” she said. “I see.” She reached over and touched my wrist, just one finger, gentle and cool, soft as a feather. “You should sleep, too.”
I nodded. “I will. Soon.”
She didn’t believe me, but didn’t say any more. She just sat there, holding space, holding time while I tried hard not to think of anything. She finished her beer.
She rose and took my hand, helping me to my feet. Then she walked with me, and it was like the floor was made of clouds. Following her, step-in-step, wasn’t walking, it was flying, but as effortlessly as if I were the wind, wild and free.
Then I fell, but it was floating, into soft sheets, a pillow beneath my head and a quilt pulled over my shoulders.
“Sleep now,” she said, in the kindest tone I’d ever heard her use. “For tomorrow, the battle begins.”
Bertie left, just as quietly as she’d arrived. I felt Spud join me on the bed, felt the dragon-pig settle in on my other side. I wasn’t in our room, but in the spare bed, and I had a moment to be grateful that Bertie hadn’t taken me into the bed Ryder and I shared.
Then sleep took me down and down.
I woketo my phone alarm going off in the living room. It was nearly midnight, and whatever sleep I’d gotten was going to have to be good enough.
I petted Spud, who rolled over to claim where I’d just been sleeping, sighing as he snuggled into the lingering body warmth.
The dragon-pig opened its eyes, then watched as I changed into the clothes I’d grabbed earlier: black jeans, black combat boots, and a layering of shirts.
I changed quickly, Crow’s stone resting cool against my skin. I pulled my hair back in a braid, gave Spud another petting, and glanced at his automatic feeder and automatic water system.
I had left our neighbor, Mr. Stein, a message asking if he could take Spud out on walks and check on him for the next couple days while I was out of town dealing with a family matter. I knew he’d do it, because he’d been happy to do it many times before.
I grabbed my coat, and hesitated before also strapping on my gun, and adding a few knives to my boots and belt. I had a backpack with water and food, and first-aid gear in the Jeep. No need to pack more heavily than that.
The dragon-pig was already in the passenger seat when I got to the Jeep.
“You can’t go with me,” I told it, as I got behind the wheel and started the vehicle. “You promised to stay behind and look after everyone.”
