Authors: Kristi Jones
Laughing, I
sucked in a deep breath, pulling myself together. I'd never wept in my life.
"I'm ready. Let's go."
"Okay."
He turned, but kept my left hand firmly in his right.
The light
grew brighter as we moved toward it, and by the time we came to the end of the
tunnel, I was as blinded by the light as I'd been by the darkness.
When my
eyes adjusted, I saw
Skuld
.
The goddess
sat on a throne of entwined tree limbs. Four torches were placed around her and
threw the room into a wavering, underwater light.
She wore a
white veil and a white dress, trimmed in yellowing Bavarian lace. Bony fingers
protruded from her long sleeves. Her nails were also extraordinarily long,
drawing to dangerous looking points. I could see the smudge of bright red
lipstick under the veil.
Cold sweat
broke out across the back of my neck. I was afraid and it wasn
’
t just the knowledge that she could destroy me. It was
something physical.
Something elemental.
A feeling of
disgust overcame me, as if I were standing in the bowels of a viper pit.
A large
raven, the size of a lioness, stood beside her. I'd seen Odin
’
s ravens before, and like Death, they always unsettled me
with their red eyes and screeching cries.
Jess stood
utterly still, his gaze fixated on the ancient goddess. I bowed low, my nose
almost touching my knees.
Keeping my
eyes lowered, I said, "My eminent goddess
Skuld
.
We come to you seeking protection for this mortal man. I am
—”
"I
know who you are," the witch said, her voice small and weak, a trickle of
water and not the roaring waterfall I had expected. Still, I heard her. Despite
the cotton stuffed into my ears.
She ran her
long fingernails across the wooden armrest of her throne, the sound of it
prickling the hairs on the back of my neck.
"You
are Sabrina, daughter of Gudrun, descendent of
Brunhilde
."
I held up a
supplicating hand. "Please. Please, great goddess. I come here in humble
shame for the injuries my kind have inflicted on the great and mighty
Norns
."
Skuld
reached up and put a finger to her veiled temple.
"Save your breath, young
Valkyr
. I do not tell
your fate as punishment for past deeds."
"Sabrina..."
Jess
said,
his voice a warning.
"I am
compelled to tell you,
”
Skuld
said, resuming the
scraping of fingernails against wood.
“
It
is my curse, as yours is to wander the battlefields of men for all
eternity."
"Please,
great goddess, I beg you..."
A keening
sound erupted from the old witch, and it took me a moment to realize that she
was laughing.
"Great goddess,
pah
.
I am no goddess. I am cursed, child.
Cursed for all eternity,
as you will be if Odin finds you."
"But
how..." My voice faltered. This meeting was going all wrong. Talking to
Skuld
, asking her questions? What in Odin's name was I
thinking?
Jess looked
at me and shook his head, another warning.
"My
pets hear all,"
Skuld
said, interrupting her
scraping long enough to wave towards the raven by her side. She pointed a
shaking finger at us. "You have stolen a mortal. Right out from under
Death's nose, if the word of the Valkyrie is to be trusted."
“
I
only wish to save this mortal from the clutches of Death.
”
Skuld
ran one long fingernail against the armrest of her gnarled
throne.
Back and forth.
Back and
forth.
“
Why is that, young
Valkyr
?
”
“
He
is a true hero,
”
I said, unable to take my eyes off her scraping
fingernails, the rhythmic scratching getting louder and louder.
“
He is the only real hero I
’
ve
seen in all the years, on all the battlefields.
”
“
Mark
him, then. Why come to me and risk your sanity?
”
“
He
deserves a life,
”
I said, finally raising my eyes to meet hers,
“
a life here, on earth.
”
Skuld
pulled back her veil. Her face was the same texture as the
bark of a tree. Deep fissures ran down her leathery cheeks. Her lips were a smudge
of red, the edges ragged. But her eyes were alive, sparkling pale blue eyes
that were alive with curiosity.
“
You
are wiser than most Valkyries, young one. Valhalla is an accursed place, it
’
s true. But what can I do?
”
“
You
could give me a protection spell.
A spell that will keep
Death at bay and let the young mortal live.
”
“
You
want my help, but I ask you, what are you willing to do for me?
”
“
For
you?
”
The goddess
laughed,
a low rumbling that sounded as if it came
from the depths of the earth.
“
You
want something for nothing, young
Valkyr
?
”
“
No,
I just didn
’
t think
—”
“
You
don
’
t think I have needs?
”
The goddess said, eyeing Jess.
“
You don
’
t think I want the same things that you want?
”
I stepped
in front of Jess, pushing him to stand behind me.
“
Tell
me,
”
I said, choosing my words carefully,
“
what is it that you want, great
Skuld
?
”
“
It
isn
’
t your warrior, child, though he looks enticing enough. No,
what I want is much more valuable. How far are you willing to go to save this
mortal man?
”
“
I
will do everything in my power to see that he is safe.
”
“
That
is good to hear. For what I require of you is something of great importance. I
want you to bring me something. You will travel to
Vogelburg
and retrieve one of my treasures. The mortal will remain here with me until you
return.
”
“
No,
”
I said, stepping forward,
“
wait.
”
“
Silence!
”
Skuld
said,
her voice like a needle in my ear.
“
I
will not be defied.
”
“
Sabrina.
”
Jess put his arms around me and tried to pull me back, but
I stood my ground.
“
Forgive
me, goddess, but I cannot leave him.
”
“
He
will be safe with me. Death, as you must know, has no admittance to my lair.
”
“
But
I can
’
t leave him
—”
“
You
will leave him, or he will die. That is your choice.
”
Skuld
resumed grinding her fingernails into the arm
of her throne. The scraping sound
echoed,
an insistent
clawing.
“
Sabrina,
no,
”
Jess said, pulling at my hand.
“
Let
’
s get out of here.
”
“
You
must decide quickly,
”
Skuld
said, scraping her nails
more furiously.
“
I cannot hold my tongue forever.
”
Was she
holding back my prophecy by force of will?
“
I
’
ll do it.
”
“
Sabrina,
no!
”
Jess said.
“
Good.
That is very good,
”
Skuld
said.
“
What
do you want me to bring you?
”
“
It
isn
’
t a matter of want,
Valkyr
. I
need
the stone.
My
stone.
”
“
Skuld
’
s
stone?
”
Of course, I
’
d heard of the stone.
Skuld
’
s
stone was legendary.
“
But if it
’
s yours, why is it not with you?
”
“
Many
generations ago, a young
Valkyr
tried to steal it
from me. So I hid it from the gods and all beneath them.
”
“
Then
why not leave it in hiding?
”
“
It
appears that things have changed. Do you really want to stand here, risking
your mind, to ask questions about the stone? I can
’
t
hold on much longer, you know.
”
“
Where
is this stone?
”
“
I
told you.
In
Vogelburg
, at the base
of the wayside shrine.
You will find three stones there. Look for the
bluestone. She is smaller than the rest. Now go!
”
Skuld
threw herself back in her chair. Her eyes rolled back in
her head until her gaze was pure white.
“
Sabrina,
daughter of Gudrun, I must tell you
—”
“
No!
”
I screamed.
"You have done what...."
Skuld
continued, apparently unable to stop the prophecy.
I clapped
my hands over my ears and fell to my knees.
Gustel's
warning rang through my head.
Do not
anger
Skuld
.
I wanted to scream at her, to beg
her to stop, but I feared that would only encourage her to speak.
Jesse had his arms around me one minute, and the
next he was gone.
He bounded
toward the throne of trees. The raven squawked and beat its wings. Its razor
sharp beak opened, its head thrust forward, ready to attack. Jess turned his
back on the beast, then swung around and caught the raven off guard, pinning its
neck to the floor with his foot.
"Mortal..."
Skuld
said, trying to rise from her seat. Jesse
clamped both of his hands over her mouth.
"Jesse,
no!"
I shouted.
He looked
at me, his eyes burning with fear, anger, and yes,
panic
.
We would never leave here alive if I didn't act.
Swallowing
back the gripping fear trying to envelope my very soul, I ran to my lover's
side.
I reached
for his hands. "No, Jess. This isn't the way."
“
Do
you trust her, Sabrina?
”
He didn
’
t bother to keep his voice low.
“
I
don
’
t know, but we don
’
t
have any other options. I
’
ll hurry!
”
“
If
you can
’
t find the stone, forget about me.
”
“
No,
I can
’
t do that.
”
His eyes held
the same look I
’
d seen in the street, the same look he
’
d given the young Afghani girl with the gun.
“
You must.
”
“
Jess
—”
Skuld
twisted in his arms.