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Fuck this.

Despite being ripped from his side, with storm clouds gathering and rain lashing against us, I refused to accept this was our end. Drak was mine, and I’d bring him back to me somehow. I’d return to the maw of Hel and try again and again until he woke and wrapped his arms around me. Until he kissed me back.

As soon as this storm ended, I’d return.

Rain fell in sheets, blown about by a slight wind that tossed water into my eyes. The sky lit up with a crack of lightning, and the rolling thunder followed immediately after.

“We have to hurry!” Stasia shrieked, her fear palpable over the pounding storm. I pushed myself against Soren’s back with the heels of my palms digging into his wiry muscle, desperate to get free of him and run back to Drak, but I was too weak. Lifting my head, I caught sight of Stasia’s wide eyes as she followed in his wake. Beyond her, shadows from the deep remained unaffected by the storm. This wasn’t Thor’s storm, but nature displaying her fierce and wild beauty, with the howling wind and crackling thunder filling the air, otherwise Thor’s powers would affect Hel’s realm, and this storm’s only impact on the goddess of the underworld, was to aid her.

The dirt at the edges of the abyss sloughed away, creating a wider and wider yawn. The path to Hel slowly stretched as earth continued to give way. It was as horrifying as it was beautiful, because this proved nature had a voice too. The gods, whether down deep or in Valhalla and Folkvangr above, weren’t the only ones influencing our world. This was all earth—our domain.

But even as I marveled, my heart skipped.

“Put me down,” I shouted. Another bolt of lightning struck somewhere nearby, blinding me before my vision returned between winking flashes. “Soren! Put me down!”

He didn’t listen, so I slammed my fist against his back until he finally relented and I slid back down over his shoulder. As soon as my toes touched the ground, I frowned up at him. “How can you leave Drak here?”

Soren shoved past me. “Stay and die if you want to. This storm will destroy us if we don’t leave now.”

Stasia grabbed my wrist and tugged me with desperate yanks. “Come. Please, we’ll freeze or get struck⁠—”

I shook my head. “I can’t.”

“He didn’t wake up, Lux, and you promised Axel you’d take his place on Vylheim’s throne if Drak didn’t…” her shouting faded because she knew I couldn’t bear to hear it right now. I bolted forward only for Soren’s muscular arm to wrap around my stomach.

“You’ll die up here,” he said, forcing me back.

“Fuck off! I’m not leaving him!”

“This storm is a good thing, Lux,” Stasia said, her speech faltering as she attempted to persuade me to go. “Do you see this?” She pointed at the ground beneath our feet with her free hand. “The Earth is healing itself. The parched land needed water. This will no longer be a wasteland.” With her gaze on me, she offered a sad smile, except on Stasia, even a sad smile looked angelic and hopeful. “I don’t know why it didn’t work, Lux, but this rain has something to do with your power. You didn’t wake him, but you brought life back to this world.” My brow flickered as I stared at her. I opened my mouth but stayed silent, and she saw in my eyes that I didn’t need her to say more. “The storm was hovering, but it only started when you kissed him. Don’t ask me to explain it, but I witnessed a change in the weather when you were all watching him. This is a blessing, and it’s from you. Imagine how many people we’ll feed if crops grew here again.”

Stasia’s hope may have been a little too close to madness for me to believe it, but the idea sounded pleasant, at least.

Another flash brightened the sky with a white-hot, jagged streak. As dangerous as it was, every strike carried beauty and light, and the natural thunder that followed was more proof that the gods no longer controlled us.

And all because of Drak. None of this was possible without his sacrifice. Tears burned hot at the corners of my eyes again. I didn’t think I had any left to cry, but they spilled out over my cheeks, heating the chilled rainwater already soaking my skin. He’d given us—me—everything.

I. Would. Not. Leave.

As if sensing my thoughts, Stasia slipped her fingers between mine, interlacing our hands rather than pulling me by my wrist. The gesture, so tender and kind, inspired a sob in my throat. I swallowed it down, but didn’t stop the flow of tears as my head throbbed with dehydration, and my lips cracked. Salt from my tears stung in the open wounds.

I brought my bandaged hand to my face. My pockets felt too light now.

“Carry him back with us,” I demanded, staring up at Soren.

He said nothing as he turned, but he did not step forward. Instead, he froze, lips parted, and eyes widened. I couldn’t bear to spin around and see if the underworld had claimed my husband’s body, so I stared at Soren. I stared at the ethereal white hair shot through with a single section of black, with tendrils that hung in his face just like his father’s. If only Soren had been a full Valkyrie, maybe he could help Drak somehow…

“Skald.” A voice flowed out toward us and then ebbed. It’d been a long time since I heard voices in my head outside of that single dream where Drak and I connected. “It feels like I’ve waited a thousand years for you.”

Through a crack of lightning and the white noise of powerful rain, his voice came to me, loud and full of promise.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve had to chase you, Skald.”

I turned, hope swelling within me, and yet my heart completely stalled.

Drak

Fucking Hel and all nine realms, my legs hurt. But every step closer to Lux was an agony I’d beg for a hundred times over if it meant I was finally here and out of that miserable grey purgatory, and within sight of my wife.