A Valkyrie's Apprentice: Book Two

Shadow & Mist

– T A Y A H –

The dry spans moved much the same with our slow and steady conservation of water and dried meats. The only benefit of travelling directly across vast planes of desert wasteland... There was no one to stop you. In fact I had not even seen any birds for spans this far into the waterless orange dust.

When the high mountains to the north finally cut jagged lines into the horizon on the fourth span I almost fell off the platform. I pointed with a grin.

"Look! The mountains! We are finally within reach of some familiar weather boys!"

Kaden rubbed his eyes and shrugged out from under John's draped legs to get a glimpse. He nodded with a grunt I could even hear over the winds.

"Double time Ashrive! The sun be pealing my skin each slither!"

I threw him a glare and was tempted to send some of the flames his way when my power left me in a sudden drain and Kára jumped up beside me.

"Take some rest, I will see us to the mountains," She told me, with calm resolve. "–you will need your strength for the climate." She winked. Despite the heat that flashed through me, I placed a hand lightly on her woven braided blonde head and gave it a teasing ruffle.

A gust of wind sent me quickly off the platform and onto Kaden's lap heavily. He boomed a laugh and plucked me up like a sack of grain before setting me beside him.

"I'm being mishandled on this voyage more than a barrel of wine." I grumbled, as Kaden leant back on his elbows and chuckled again.

"No amount of handling could match that description!" John called from under the shade of the wooden rafters. 

It went that way for the next slithers of the day. Until the terrain started to bump more often on rock than on sand. Kaden growled holding his ass in a hand. John had piled all the spare cloth they had under him and Yanu and I just absorbed each bump in the wood as I watched the towering teeth of the dark mountains rise up nearer.

"We will be moving on foot soon!" Kára called through a heavy breath. "We can follow the dried ravines to find pathways up!"

The men began to sit up at this and prepare travel packs. I scooted towards them and ripped out my long lost red cloak and shining metal cuirass. We couldn't be sure if the Vargos men ventured far from their city but I was sure they would have camps.

I noticed the temperature drop the moment we ducked into the shadows of the great black rocks. Thankfully no snow sat this low but the further you dragged your eyes high, the more the white powder clung to the rocks like a ghost. It drew in its own weather system entirely. Mists clouded on high and the beginnings of trees were making themselves known between the valleys of rock.

Our craft slowed and then finally stopped as the terrain turned too perilous to navigate.

I dropped off the craft heavily and pulled my travel pack onto my cloaked back. It felt strange to be fitted in the hardy leathers and armour again. Kaden dropped beside me and looked more himself in the thick fighting leathers and a heavy axe over his back. John joined us a moment later in lighter gear but a heavy cloak over his eyes. He looked up at the towering mountains with a low whistle.

"Long way up... How long to the city, Valkyrie?"

Kára had Yanu in her arms and Thanatos on her back. She landed like it all weighed nothing at all. Though the energy she had spent was still evident.

"It all depends on the weather, mortal." She said, carefully setting Yanu on his feet and sighing when he started pulling at the furs on her shoulders. She said something in the foreign tongue and Yanu giggled before running to Kaden and fiddling with his dagger belt.