A Valkyrie's Apprentice: Book Two

Yascalla

– T A Y A H –

I brushed my fingers over my lips with a smile. The feel of an immortal's had been upon them and it made my head spin with anticipation. She was due to dock on the continent at mid sun span. Wherever that coastal dock was it wouldn't be long before I passed on our location of the town we were camped on the horizon of.

I rolled my neck and sat up from the dusty orange sand under a rocky outcrop. John and Kaden were still sleeping and dragging in loud breaths. Yanu was in a similar state and curled up against the saddle under the shade. The sun was already burning overhead and we were at the end of our water flasks.

I stared at the sandstone town on the horizon. It was a good thing my estimation of distance was no longer than a span. Our water would not have lasted us longer.

John suddenly stretched out in the sand and knocked the smoking remains of our fire with a boot. He frowned and cleaned some charcoal off it before glancing at me with a lopsided smile. I smirked in return and gestured to the town.

"Will this fair okay?" I asked dryly.

He snorted, unbothered with waking the others and stomped over to my perch on the rocky outcrop.

"You get me a drink, Ashrive and it will do."

I chuckled and gave him a sidelong look. "We have another joining our party." I murmured, with amusement dancing in my eyes.

He watched me for a moment before giving me a dramatic sigh.

"Oh fantastic. The immortal that wants my head." He muttered.

I grinned and looked back to the distant town. "She docks on the continent this span." I noted.

He frowned beside me. "How long have you two been communicating?"

"Since we marooned on that island. Odin couldn't stop us from dreaming." I stated flatly.

"You–you can go to–dreams?"

"Valkyries can enter the dreams of mortals yes–not that I would ever go near yours–John please relax." I said, exasperated at his horrified expression. He loosened at this but stroked his beard as he thought.

"She's an immortal though?"

"We're not sure why I can do this. We're not even sure how I created a portal to the mortal realm myself when only the gods can... Yet here we are." I shrugged with a grin.

"You're the most rogue Valkyrie that God ever made." John snorted, shaking his head. "I am so pleased you were kicked out–"

I shoved him hard and he tripped on a rock and landed on Kaden. He woke with a growl and punched him on the arm. John kicked his shin and the men turned into a heap of swearing and flying limbs in moments. I sighed and glanced at Yanu who slept soundly.

If only it were so easy.

"The sooner I get myself a pallet of wool and not rock–the better." Kaden grunted, throwing John off him and rolling onto his feet. He grabbed the large axe from a rock and strapped it onto his back. John also started gathering our limited equipment and even brought along a coconut.

"You still have one of those?" I demanded with a laugh. "You could barely keep yourself aboard that boat and the fruit survived?"

John threw me a devilish look and took a dagger before stabbing a hole into it. He took a shameless slurp and attached it to his hip with a shrug. The remains of our gear went back onto the horses–which John ended up giving the last of the coconut juices and flask water to.