A Valkyrie's Apprentice: Book Two

The Hunt

– K Á R A –

Why was it that the mortal realm had the ever present smell of urine in the air? 

I glared under a thick black hood at the mortals that hurried anxiously around the streets of Vayleron. Revna however was practically bouncing off her boots in excitement. I had to suppress a growl.

"Could you perhaps attempt to walk like you do not have a torch up your cloak." I hissed sidelong as she took in every inch of the monotonous city. There was nothing here I wanted other than to leave the empty eyes of the mortals. I had the eyes of  Tayah Ashrive waiting for me elsewhere...

"You can keep your exasperation to yourself, Stormbringer. I have not set foot among the mortals in fifty years." She murmured as she smiled at a young man that had to double take at her striking appearance and walked into the woman in front of him. Revna grinned devilishly and I struck an elbow into her.

"We have a purpose here. An immortal purpose." I emphasised. At these words she seemed to remember herself and met my eyes with a more serious nod.

"Xerxes is not far. This is where we will find the first of Ansel's trail." I stated as we rounded another cobbled street. It was not as populated as it had been when I was last here. There was more of a hush and less of a feeling of eyes on you. This was no doubt a curtesy of an immortal murderer leaving bodies lying like winter coats on the ground.

"What must I know of this mortal, Xerxes?" Revna questioned as she flicked a black strand of hair away from her sculpted features. Yet another moron gawked as we passed and I resisted the urge to make a memorable response. I tightened my fist on a concealed damandium blade.

"He was close to Tayah. This indicates a perfect target for Ansel. She merely wishes to destroy everything that has touched her life." I said emotionless. I did not need to mention to Revna just yet that I would be tracking another pair of mortals while we followed her blood red trail. John and Kaden would not be far from their home city by now. Ansel would not have used her last portal to this destination if it were not the case...

Revna was watching me with a curious look before turning her attention to the large inn before us. I froze in my step as I took this in too. A large hole had been scorched into the thatch roof and rubble had only recently been cleared from a gaping hole in the west wing. Revna glanced back to me and to the wreckage.

"Our immortal's work?"

I nodded curtly. "We may be too late to save the inn keeper from her wrath." Anger filled me and coated my veins in steel. The only positive I had now was that she would not be so far from reach. The moment Ansel acted again I would be within these walls to find her and end this. Tayah would feel all the worse knowing this.

I quickly turned my head and assessed a mortal woman stacking cabbages in her cart to finish sales for the day. The clouds had begun to darken the sky. I cleared my throat and neared the brown haired mortal a head shorter. Her eyes widened at my armour and weaponry that could not be concealed this closely.

"What happened to this inn, mort–was there an attack?" I corrected myself quickly as I scanned her eyes for my answers.

She set down her low yield vegetables and dusted her apron. A senseless action but at least she formed words.

"This is your business?" She questioned, eyeing the pair of us quickly and suspiciously. I practically felt Revna's disbelief at being questioned back but I swiftly spoke in the language of mortals to move things forward.