"Both of you, enough." Dani steps forward, gold eyes flashing. "If his royal ass wants to freeze while we work, that's his choice." She starts gathering branches, shooting Baldr a look that would wither lesser men. "Though I'm sure Odin would love hearing how his son sat on his ass while amereValkyrie did all the work."
Baldr's jaw ticks. He rises slowly, deliberately, like an asshole trying to save face. "Perhaps I could assist. After all, what kind of host would I be?"
This arrogant prick. I meet Erik's gaze and can’t suppress a smirk. He’s practically vibrating with the urge to tear this jackass apart for daring to disrespect his mate.
The flames leap to life under Dani's touch, casting dancing shadows across the ice walls. My fingers flex, impatient. Time to face whatever fucked up challenges this maze has waiting for us.
"Anything we should know before we enter?" Dani asks, eyeing the towering maze—frost cracking along its surface like living veins.
Baldr stretches lazily by the fire, that fucking smirk still plastered on his face. "Where would the fun be in that, little savior?" He tosses her a jar and Dani catches it, putting it in her bag. "Good luck."
I make a fist, itching to introduce his face to the nearest tree. Dani's hand finds mine, squeezing once. Her eye roll speaks volumes as she tugs me toward the entrance.
"Useless piece of—" The maze swallows the rest of her muttered curse as we step through the icy archway: the temperature plummets, our breath clouding the air in frozen swirls. Behind us, the entrance shrinks away, swallowed by walls that pulse with an eerie blue glow.
Well, fuck. Guess we're doing this blind.
"Hmm, this is cozy." Dani's voice wavers as her fingers lace through mine. The walls narrow, forcing us to walk single file, her other hand trailing the ice beside us.
The first intersection splits three ways. Identical passages stretch into shadow, each promising its own brand offuck that.A bitter wind howls through the corridors, carrying whispers that sound too much like my name.
scraaaape
We freeze. Something drags across the ice behind us—claws or steel, I can't tell. But when I turn, the passage is empty. It is just our reflections staring back, multiplied in the icy walls.
Wait.
I count again. Three reflections of me. Four of Dani.
The extra one smiles.
"Don't look," Dani's grip tightens. "Just... don't look at them."
Ice groans overhead, shifting like a living thing. The walls around us ripple, reflecting twisted versions of ourselves—darker, hungrier versions that move a heartbeat too slow.
"Screw this." Dani's hands glow, warmth spreading through the chamber as she summons her light. The golden sphere pushes back the shadows, revealing ice-slicked walls and jagged formations. My chest tightens—her power like a beacon in this frozen hell. Beautiful, but dangerous. Every predator in this maze will see it.
"Don't waste your energy unless we need it."
"Rhy—" Dani's whisper cuts off as shadows slither across the ice. Not our shadows. These move against the light, writhing like smoke given form.
"Kill the light. Now." I pull her behind me, positioning myself between her and those shadows. Every protective instinct screams as they twist toward her glow.
The darkness crashes back in as she extinguishes her light. I keep her pressed against my back, scanning the blackness for movement. Her fingers grip my shirt, trusting me to keep her safe. And I will—even if I have to tear every shadow in this maze apart.
A child's laugh echoes down the corridor ahead. Wrong.So fucking wrong.
"Stay close." I grab her hand, heading further in, scanning the crystalline walls. Our reflections multiply, fracture, until a thousand versions of ourselves surround us. Some smile with too many teeth.
drip
drip
Something warm hits my cheek. Red droplets splatter the frost at our feet. Above us, half-frozen into the ceiling, a body twists at an impossible angle. Its face—what's left of it—stares down with milky eyes.
"Shit—" Dani stumbles back. "What thehellisthat?!" The corpse's head snaps toward her voice, jaw unhinging like a snake's.
"Fuck if I know." I shove her back, placing myself between her and that thing as it drops. Its body crackles with frost, landing where she stood seconds ago, limbs twisted and contorted, as it scuttles toward us.
