A Breath of Sunlight Read online

Her eyes widened and she bolted upright, only for the valkyries to push her down again and hold her there. That wasn’t her panic. That was Calle’s. He was still alive.

  And from the shared aching in her chest, she realized he couldn’t breathe.

  In a surge of hope, she calmed her own heart and channeled it through their bond. Calle latched on greedily like a man dying of thirst. Or suffocation, in this case. The garguaran’s whines grew louder, which turned into pained roars. The beast kicked its legs against the sand, writhing and whining and gnashing its teeth.

  Smoke escaped its nostrils and leaked from the gaps of its sharp teeth. By now, the other valkyries noticed the odd display and turned to watch with confusion.

  As ribbons of smoke leaked from its snout, it kicked more ferociously against the sand. Skaja poured more calm through their bond, and in a shocking blink of an eye, an explosion from within the beast rocked the entire arena. Scales and flesh and teeth erupted outward and smashed into the arena walls, some pieces embedding into the metal like a sword into flesh.

  Calle tumbled out of the creature’s blown-up body, covered in blood, guts, and who knew what else. He landed on his hands and knees, gasped in a lungful of air, and expelled the contents of his stomach all over the bloodied sand.

  The valkyries stared in shocked silence.

  Overwhelming relief and gratitude gripped Skaja, and she couldn’t help but sob in happiness rather than despair. He was alive. He’d defeated the garguaran. It remained to be seen whether Paula would extend her aid as promised, but she was simply grateful he was alive.

  Calle pushed himself to his feet and swayed before he met Paula’s eye in a look of defiance and triumph. Although he didn’t glance Skaja’s way, he placed his hand against his heart. She felt his love. Deeply. Truly. Passionately.

  “I have defeated your beast,” he called out. His face turned a bit green, but he managed not to vomit again. “Will I have your aid?”

  Finally, Paula removed her hands from Skaja, her eyebrows furrowed as she unlocked her wrists from the chains. She itched to jump over the railing and fly to Calle, but she refrained.

  But only barely.

  “I am a woman of my word,” Paula said, standing tall with her spine straight and her eyes blazing. “Give my valkyries a few hours to rest, and we will fly out just before dawn. You and I will speak more before our departure.”

  The words seemed to cause Paula physical pain, as she rubbed her temples and sighed before turning to her. “Skaja, you may take him to clean him up and provide him food and rest. But he must be blindfolded. He has seen enough of our island as it is.”

  “Of course,” she breathed. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me. He has earned our aid.” She rubbed her temples again. “And you.”

  Without another word, Paula left the arena with her entourage flanking her heels. Skaja wasted no time. She rushed down the stairs and unlocked the gates from the outside before she flew into Calle’s arms and gripped him tight as if she might lose him at any moment. She cared little about the blood and guts that covered him. What mattered was he lived.

  “Come on,” she said as she found his discarded blindfold, tied it around his eyes, and tugged on his hand. “I don’t think Paula will change her mind, but I don’t want to test our luck.”

  She helped him bathe in the river, dress his wounds, and dress him with clothing left from men the valkyries had killed in the past. By the time she borrowed a griffin from the fields, climbed on behind Calle, and flew him to her home on the cliffside, darkness had fallen across the skies like an exhale of relief. Only when they were safely inside the circular abode did she pull the blindfold off and set it aside on a table.

  ****

  “Where are we?” Calle murmured as he turned in a full circle, fatigue thick in his voice.

  “My home. I live here alone, so no one should bother us. You are safe here.”

  He pulled aside a curtain to stare out, his gaze roaming across tall trees, towering lookouts, and sparkling ocean. She joined him beside the window in silence. Ever since the arena incident, he’d tried not to think about what had happened. About being eaten by a beast. About using his magic to blow it up from the inside. But now the terror of the ordeal crashed into him at full force.

  He needed Skaja. To hold. To put his fears to rest. To feel her solid body against his to know that they were both alive.

  Emotion clogged his throat, and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an impassioned kiss. Tears leaked from her eyes. Her chin trembled, but she only latched onto him tighter.

  “I thought I lost you,” she said when they broke apart. Their foreheads rested together. They breathed the same air. Their hearts beat in perfect sync. “I have never been more devastated in my life.”

  “I know. I was in a panic, not only because I couldn’t breathe, but because I thought they would execute you right then and there.” He chuckled wryly. “At this point, I’m pretty much invincible. Nothing can kill me.”

  She glared at him. “That’s not funny.”

  “It is a little.”

  Exhaustion buried him like mountains of little rocks, as well as the flare of pain in his shoulder. He pulled her onto the bed with him and tucked her safely inside his arms. “How are your wrists?”

  “They’ll manage.”

  He inhaled deeply, savoring her scent. “Every last drop of my magic is depleted. But in the morning, I can heal them.”

  She shook her head, and her body trembled against him. He kissed her cheek, her neck, her shoulder until the shaking subsided. “I’d rather you heal yourself,” she answered, her voice wavering. “And I don’t want you to fight tomorrow. Stay in the fortress where you’ll be safe.”

  “Not a chance.”

  So suddenly, she spun to face him in the bed. Terror leaked from her eyes, and her wings trembled violently. “Calle Everdon, you will stay in the fortress, or I’ll tie you up against your will. I can’t lose you again. It was terrible enough the first time.”

  For a long few moments, he remained quiet, searching her eyes to find a barrage of emotions staring back at him. Through their bond, he felt her dread, and also the roots of her love for him growing deeper into fertile soil. He treasured her love like nothing he’d ever treasured before. She had never experienced the blossoming of love. He knew all too well the daily terror of the thought of losing the ones he loved. He could imagine the new realization for her would be quite shocking and nearly unbearable.

  He took her hand and kissed the scabbed cuts on her wrist, and then he moved his lips to her palm, to her fingers.

  “One day, we can live without this constant fear, Skaja,” he whispered in the darkness. “But until tomorrow dawns, we have to push through it. I will not sit by like a coward while others fight in my stead.”

  “But I’m afraid.”

  “Me too.” He ran his fingers through her soft hair, brought it to his lips, and kissed that too. “We’ll get through one hard thing at a time. Together.”

  She nodded in acceptance and snuggled closer until her head rested beneath his chin. When he wrapped his arms around her, he relished the feeling of finally being the one to protect her. It wasn’t in combat. It wasn’t her life in his hands. But her heart.

  And he would protect it for as long as he lived.

  Apparently, riding “just before dawn” meant several hours before. It was more likely they’d arrive “just before dawn” at this rate. Either the valkyries were eager to get this over with, or they were more eager for bloodshed than they let on.

  Flying beside a couple dozen valkyries was one of the most exhilarating—and terrifying—things Calle had ever done. After an hour of flying, Inari finally pulled his blindfold off. The sight of armed valkyries riding on winged beasts with sharp teeth and menacing claws caused his blood to curdle.

  He glanced over at Paula, who flew at the head of the group. She sat straight and focused on her griffin, commanding the skies like a queen. He resisted the urge to remind her to spare his soldiers. Although he feared that once in battle, the valkyries would blindly attack anyone in their way, he chose to put trust in Paula to command her sisters.

  It was a terrible idea.

  The griffins flew in a triangular formation, the shape perfectly balanced. Large wings beat quietly in the indigo sky. Feathers and fur rustled delicately in the breeze.

  Calle’s heart jumped as he stole a glance at Skaja, who flew near the end of the formation as if given a lower rank in the sisterhood after all her unvalkyrie-like blunders. She wore feathers in her braided hair. Her daggers lay in their sheaths at her shoulders. Intricate armor covered her torso and plated skirt. Bands of metal circled her upper arms and wrists, and her purple valkyrie tattoo stood out on her shoulder, which only added to her fierce appearance.

  She was the most alluring woman he’d ever known.

  The flight continued to pass in silence until his heart gave a start at the large silhouette in the distance. The Heulwen castle. It appeared like a little, dark gold speck, with smaller dark silver and golden specks surrounding it.

  His heart beat with panic. “We left too early,” he called to Paula, whose shoulder twitched when she definitely heard him, but ignored him, nonetheless. “I won’t have my magic to aid me.”

  When the valkyrie leader continued to pay him no heed, he reached for the griffin’s reins, but Inari moved them away. “Paula,” he tried again, but she interrupted him.

  “There is no mistake, princeling,” Paula called to him, though she continued to stare forward. “I know many within Heulwen’s borders are capable of magic, and I also know the sun gives you power. You are more at a disadvantage if you fight with the sun at your back. You are but one man. Wh
en your enemies are cut off from their supply as well, you are all on equal footing.”

  Calle rubbed his temples and took a deep breath of frustration at this newest obstacle. Paula was smarter than he’d given her credit for, but to fight without his magic? None at all? He was as dry as a well in the middle of a desert.

  She continued, “My valkyries have all been trained to fight in the dark, which gives us the advantage.”

  He nodded. “Thank you. I will never forget this.”

  Although no reply came, her shoulder twitched in acknowledgement. Valkyries would be friends of Heulwen for at least as long as he lived.

  As the silhouette drew nearer, Paula said, “Heulwen soldiers will never find their way to our home again. Do we understand each other?”

  “You have my word.”

  “The word from a man means next to nothing, but I will accept it nonetheless.”

  Anticipation leaped through the breeze like a living, breathing creature. A spark of excitement and trepidation fueled him, but it came directly from Skaja. She was enjoying the promise of a good fight more than she would likely admit to his face.

  “Get ready, sisters,” Paula said, nodding to the flicker of fire on one of the walls. “They’ve spotted us. Remember, we fight for our home. We fight for our fallen sister, Catarina. But today, we do not fight to obliterate. Kill Prince Calle’s enemies, and no one else.”

  Valkyrie war cries shook the skies, and if Calle hadn’t been on this side of the roar, he might have soiled himself.

  Arrows flew in their direction, and he flinched as one whizzed right past his face. But still, they flew fast and straight until the griffins landed on the nearest castle wall with a crash.

  Griffin screeches snuffed out all other sounds, even the fearful cries of soldiers who dropped their weapons and ducked for cover. Several even fainted. The fight continued at the northern wall, but at a much smaller scale than before. His soldiers appeared exhausted and barely hanging on while Liam’s soldiers switched out when they tired. Both men and women cheered at the arrival of the valkyries.

  Inari turned the griffin to give the soldiers below a good view of Calle. He didn’t hesitate. “This is your last chance!” he called over the din of screeching and terror. “Join me or get cut down by an army of valkyries. All previous trespasses will be forgiven. Otherwise, you will either surrender or die.”

  Some threw down their weapons and ran. Many others switched sides. Somewhere near the castle, someone released a frustrated cry full of rage and vengeance. He turned his head to find his brother outfitted in armor, surrounded by a wall of harpies and loyal soldiers. Among them was Avonia.

  His heart skittered like ice shattering across stone. Those harpies were bound by their oaths. Trapped. They had no choice but to protect their sovereign king.

  He gave one last request to the valkyries, “Kill none of the harpies. They have no choice but to protect Liam. Only stall them long enough for this to end.”

  Valkyries yipped in excitement moments before the griffins leaped from their perches. Calle’s stomach dipped at the sudden drop, but he held tight with one hand clutching the griffin and the other drawing his sword.

  The thunder of weapon against weapon boomed across the battlefield. Valkyries moved with terrifying speed and nimbleness. Calle’s eyes found it difficult to keep up in the darkness, so where they moved, he moved. Which, in this case, he followed Inari as she jumped off her mount.

  Panic pricked at his side when feathers and claws and tails flew over his head. He all too easily lost sight of Skaja.

  He took a deep breath and followed behind Inari, striking and parrying and cutting down the enemy. Time dragged as his fatigued muscles and aching shoulder slowed him down. In the chaos, he fell too far behind and lost sight of Inari too, forcing him to forge his own path.

  It’s almost over, he encouraged himself and stumbled through the pain and exhaustion. Just a little longer.

  Up ahead, valkyries engaged the harpies in combat. Weapon clashed against weapon. Shield against shield. They matched each other in strength, skill, and agility. If he didn’t act now, someone was bound to get killed.

  When a path broke to his brother, he raced through before the waves of soldiers crashed down on him. He didn’t think. He acted.

  Liam spun around in surprise and blocked his attack with his sword. The clash vibrated through his arms and rattled his skull. He clenched his teeth against the rocking tremor, forcing himself to move when his brother struck out again and again.

  In his fatigued state, he struggled to keep up with Liam. His brother was faster, stronger, more ruthless and cunning, and Calle was without his magic.

  “Not so brave now when the sun is down,” Liam laughed as he lashed out with his foot. Calle moved too slow to dodge the attack as his brother’s armored boot smashed into his ribs and sent him flying backward onto the cobblestone.

  His back struck the rough ground, and a piercing pain shot through his injured shoulder. Without giving him a moment to recuperate, Liam charged with his sword. Calle barely managed to roll out of the way and staggered to his feet. Pain and fatigue pressed heavy on him, and he knew he would lose the fight if it dragged on for much longer. He needed to end this. Now.

  He pooled his focus with every last bit of energy he possessed. He watched the way Liam moved, the way he attacked, the way he dodged. Every single spar with Skaja came to mind, and each piece of advice she’d given him.

  He ducked beneath Liam’s swing. He side-stepped a jab. And when his brother struck again, Calle watched and listened and anticipated.

  In an agile move, he rolled beneath the girth of Liam’s sword, sliced him across the back of his unarmored knees, and rotated onto his feet as Liam fell and crashed to the ground.

  Calle pulled back his arm with the intent to stab Liam through the throat and end the battle.

  But he paused.

  The tip of his sword hovered over his brother’s throat, and instead of seeing the cruel, menacing monarch who had unfairly subjected him to slavery for six long years...he saw his brother. The one who had climbed trees with him as a child. The one who had shown him how to ride a horse for the first time. The one who had teased him and read books with him at night when their parents had thought them to be asleep.

  His grip on his sword slackened as the roar of rage faded in his ears.

  In some strange, twisted way, he loved his brother. He forgave him for everything he’d done to him, for every second of agony and loneliness he’d suffered through.

  He could not take the kingdom from Liam. Not like this. He would never be able to forgive himself.

  In his hesitation, he hadn’t noticed Liam reaching for his weapon until it was too late. The flash of silver caught the torchlight, and Calle cried out as he squeezed his eyes shut and flinched away.

  Clang!

  The sound crashed right next to his ear, and he opened his eyes to find Skaja’s dagger crossed with Liam’s sword. But one look at her wings had Liam smiling a twisted, evil smirk. Despite his bleeding legs, he staggered to his feet.

  Calle froze. Not just because he couldn’t kill his own brother, but because Skaja stared at Liam as if in his thrall. Her arms shook, the blade of her dagger clattering against the metal of his weapon.

  Liam’s words sent a chill racing down his spine. “A blood oath runs deeper than you understand, Calle.” His gaze never left Skaja’s. “Scarlett Svera. My life is at risk. You must kill the man who threatens to end it.”

  Her entire body shook now, and he couldn’t help but step back in shock as he glanced between the two of them.

  “No,” she rasped. Blood leaked out her nose, her mouth, and a trickle from her ears, as if the very defiance from Liam’s order was killing her.

  “Stop!” Calle shouted over the battle around him. He rushed forward to stop him, but Liam lifted his sword until it sat on Skaja’s shoulder, right beside her neck. He didn’t dare take another step, let alone move a muscle.

  Liam turned his wicked grin in his direction. “You are a fool to have released her from her oath to you. Did you not even stop to consider she still has allegiance to me? If she keeps fighting me, she will die.”

  Not again. I beg you. Please spare her.

  But the higher powers must have been laughing in his face because Liam moved his weapon closer until the blade cut into her skin the slightest bit. She didn’t move. Perhaps she couldn’t move.