But Saga would not stop. Would never give up when it came to Eisa. She pulled all the memories she had of her sister, imbibing them with love and thrusting them at her. Saga showed Eisa their mother making silly voices as she told the girls bedtime stories, and the time their father had paused an important meeting to allow his girls to climb into his lap and tell him about the newborn fawn they’d spotted on the grounds. Saga showed Eisa the flíta in the royal gardens, their father’s belly laugh, their mother’s wild curly hair.
She sensed thatthingpulse with fear, but all that mattered was bringing Eisa back to her.
Release her!bellowed the dark presence, the ground shaking with its fury.
Eisa’s threads grew thicker, stronger, her eyelids fluttering more strongly now, and Saga did not relent her grip. She held her power, entwined with Eisa’s, and continued pouring all her love through the bond.
Saga was so focused on her sister that she did not see the bear charging at her with impossible speed. Kassandr launched himself through the air, but he was too late. The bear collided with her. Saga lost her grip on Eisa and went skidding across the snow. Her skull collided with a large boulder, and for a moment, her vision was a blur of dancing lights. Disoriented, she pushed to her feet.
A shame,growled the dark thing, its voice coming from everywhere all at once.We wrought such havoc in Askaborg together.
The bear stepped over Eisa’s prone body and prowled toward Saga.
But if you won’t relent your hold on Eisa, then you’ll have to die.
Time seemed to slow as the bear crouched, preparing to leap upon her. Saga’s eyes blurred with tears as she stared down certain death. At least she would die fighting for something worthy. At least she would go with her promise to Eisa made true.
“We’re not done, Myrkur,” came a voice of steel.
And Saga could have wept, for there stood Eisa, sword in hand. Her eyes were clear, the whites bright, and beside Eisa stood a pale-skinned woman warrior with dozens of long black braids, yanking up the sleeve of her armored jacket. Through her strange sisterly bond, the name Runný flitted through Saga’s mind.
The bear unleashed a savage growl that shook the very realm. The white mist held at bay by the Ashbringer broke through with sudden force, surging up the bear’s nostrils. Saga felt the power flowing into the bear from everything all around them—the infected tree, the undead creatures—all the darkness in this grove channeled into the creature.
The raw power in the bear was so staggering, Saga’s vision seemed to haze. Yet she did not miss her sister’s hand on the woman warrior’s arm. Saga pushed through her addled mind for that thread of Eisa, still braided with her own, and she felt her sister’s power change. Suddenly, Saga was acutely aware of the light all around them—minuscule wriggling tethers they could control with their mind. Shadow Hound, her mind supplied, and Saga realized these were the building blocks of light. The tethers shifted, re-formed, became a great mirrored shield.
Runný backed away from Eisa, and everything happened so quickly—black flames erupted from the bear, surging right for Eisa. Saga screamed. Warriors on all sides shouted in dismay. The black flames struck Eisa.
And bounced off the reflective shield.
Saga’s scream died in her throat as the jet of black flames rebounded off the strange, invisible force, striking the bear and the infected tree directly behind it. An earsplitting crack had Saga clapping her hands over her ears, and she sealed her lips shut as snow and wood dust powdered the air. But as the debris settled, she saw that where the bear had once stood was now a pile of blackened, steaming gore. And behind it, the monstrous tree was rent in two.
Saga looked about in stunned disbelief. The undead creatures were breaking—were fleeing from the woods. A war cry rose up aswarriors chased them. Kassandr was suddenly before her in his beast form, scenting for injuries.
Saga patted him absently as her gaze found her sister’s. Eisa swayed on her feet, looking just as incredulous as Saga felt. But as those brown eyes locked with hers, a jolt ran through Saga.
For years, she’d dreamed of that horrid day countless times: Of the arm snaking around Saga’s waist and wrenching her from little Eisa’s grip. Of those brown eyes, widened in terror. “Don’t leave me!” Saga had screamed as Eisa was pulled away. It was the day she’d lost her entire family. The worst day of Saga’s life.
But as she looked upon her sister now, there was no trace of fear in Eisa’s eyes. Instead, there was wonder and joy. An enormous smile spread across Eisa’s face, and it was the best gods damned dream of Saga’s life. Her sister was smiling. Something inside her began to heal at that.
Hersister!
And then Saga was rounding past Kassandr and running at Eisa. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she laughed and shrieked. She tackled Eisa to the ground, wrapping her arms and legs around her. Eisa hugged her back with equal vigor, and Saga’s heart was so full she thought it might burst. She was laughing, crying, repeating the same words over and over.
“My sister!” Saga shrieked. “That’s my sister!”
Chapter 67
Rey’s ears rang in the wake of the explosion. Paired with the absence of the tree’s thundering heartbeat, he was disoriented, almost dizzy. But then he laid eyes on her. Silla. Gods, she was on her feet. Had destroyed the infected treeanddefeated the god of chaos in a duel.
When she’d crumpled to the ground, all Rey’s fears had been made real. He’d thought he’d lost her. And for those long torturous moments, he’d experienced what life was without her. Dark and grim; devoid of light and laughter.
Now Silla stood with eyes clear and wide, and Rey felt the broken shards of himself reassembling. Everything felt different. Everything was so clear. She was the other half of him, his light and hope, his reason for breathing. She was his lone hearthfire thought, and he would shelter her warmth as long as she’d let him.
Rey needed to get to her. He wanted to tend the wound on her cheek; wanted to bundle her in blankets and feed her sweet rolls. He would bring her chicks every morning. Would make each and every one of her hearthfire thoughts come true. His limbs moved without thought—he shoved warriors aside, desperate to reach her. But before Rey could reach Silla, another figure charged at her.
“My sister!” shrieked Saga Volsik, tackling Silla to the ground.
Rey watched, dumbstruck, as the sisters embraced, rolling on the ground while laughing and crying. He’d seen the winged horse land in the clearing but had been too deep in the throes of battle tosee much else. Now he tried to shake the haze from his mind—tried to comprehend what had happened.
