Mist

She was thinking of Dainn, just the way he was. She wasn’t angry at what Dainn had done. She was scared for him.

Like Ryan. It wasn’t just because of how he felt about Dainn, which was stupid since he knew Dainn could never feel the same way. But he also knew that Dainn was almost as important as Mist in what was going to happen. And Ryan wasn’t afraid of him. Could never be afraid.

Neither could Mist, no matter what he did. But now she and Dainn would never figure out how they felt about each other.

Ryan had something in common with her after all. And knowing that didn’t help at all.

It was after 1:00 p.m. when they got back to the loft. Vali was waiting for them outside the door, a deep crease between his pale eyebrows. Snowflakes were melting in his hair.

“Vali?” Mist said. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Dainn,” he said. “He was still here when I got to the loft around eleven.”

Shock froze Mist’s face. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“He asked me not to.”

She swore. “Where did you find him?” she asked.

“In the office. He wasn’t himself, but he wouldn’t be after he killed three Jotunar with a sword.”

Mist’s lips tightened. “Is that what he told you?”

“Isn’t it true?”

She hesitated for such a short time that Ryan almost didn’t catch it. “Yes,” she said. “Where is he now?”

Vali glanced at the kids. “Maybe you should send them inside.”

“Why?” Ryan asked, moving to stand beside Mist. His “visions” weren’t working now, when he most needed them. And he was scared all over again.

“Go inside,” Mist said to him.

Ryan didn’t move, and neither did Gabi. “We need to know if something’s wrong,” Gabi said. “We’ll find out anyway.”

Mist swung around to stare at Gabi the way she always did when she was furious and trying to hide it. “If you swear to me,” she said, glancing at Ryan, “if you swear you won’t try anything, no matter what you hear, you can stay.”

This is bad, Ryan thought. “What do you want us to swear on?” he asked.

“In the old days, we used a sword hilt. But you can swear by whatever’s most important to you. Whatever you’d never betray.”

Ryan knew what that was for him, but he couldn’t say it out loud. “Okay,” he said, looking away.

Mist seemed to accept his answer. “Gabi?” she asked.

The girl jerked her head in a sharp nod. “Mi abuela,” she said.

“I accept your oaths.”

Ryan released his breath, and Gabi kicked at the sidewalk with the toe of one borrowed shoe. After that, neither Mist nor Vali seemed to notice they were there.

“What exactly did he tell you?” she asked the big man, watching Vali’s face very carefully.

“He was in bad shape when I found him,” Vali said. “He—”

“You said he told you he killed three Jotunar with a sword.”

“That’s right. Looked like they got in some good licks, too. Like I said, he wasn’t exactly himself, but he was healing. Once he was walking around again, I told him he should take some time to deal with what happened. He said he had to get away from the loft to do that. When he said it, I figured he was going to take a long walk or something, but—”

“When did he leave?” she asked, her voice clipped and urgent.

“About an hour ago.”

“Curse it, Vali!”

Odin’s son stared down at his feet. “He could be taking a walk or riding around the city. But—”

“But he’s not,” Mist said, resting her hand on the hilt of her knife.

“We can’t be sure—”

“I know him,” Mist said. “It’s exactly what he would do.”

“Do what?” Ryan asked. “What are you talking about?”

Mist glanced at him blankly, her thoughts obviously so troubled that she had none left to spare for anything or anyone else.

“I’m going after him,” she said.

“You can’t,” Vali said, his eyes widening in distress. “I knew I had to tell you, but you don’t even know if you can find Loki.”

“If Dainn can find him, I can.”

“They were . . . I mean, they knew each other before. He might have a way of finding Loki you don’t. And if you get between them—”

“Dainn can’t think rationally now, no matter how he behaved with you. You didn’t see what he did in the gym. He fought the way he did because he wasn’t himself.” She lowered her voice, and Ryan could see how much she was trying to keep calm. “If I don’t find Dainn, the rage will consume him, and Loki will use that against him. He has no reason to spare Dainn, and every reason to kill him.”

“Are you sure?” Vali asked, even more softly. “Isn’t it possible they’re still . . .”

They stared at each other. Something Ryan didn’t understand passed between them, but in the end Mist rejected whatever Vali was trying to suggest.

“I could ask the same of your brother,” Mist said, cold as the winter wind. “And I don’t think you suspect that, or you wouldn’t be here.”

“Yeah,” Vali said, dropping his gaze again. “But you still can’t go, Mist. Whatever happened at Asbrew, you aren’t ready to face him. Not alone.”

“I won’t be alone. Not if I can—” She broke off, and her gaze swept over Ryan and Vali as if she had just remembered they were there. “I’m holding you to your oaths. You’re to do what Vali tells you and not try to interfere.”

Ryan shivered. “Is Loki really going to kill him?”

Mist didn’t answer. “Take the kids away from here,” she told Vali. “Do whatever you can to keep them hidden.”

“How are you going to get around?” Vali asked. “I took a taxi, and your car’s still in the shop.”

“I’ll borrow a vehicle. I don’t think any mortal who really understands what’s at stake would object.”

“I’d like to see you try to explain that when you bring it back,” Vali said, half joking. His strained smile didn’t last a second longer than it took for Mist to meet his eyes. “Listen. As soon as you left Asbrew yesterday, Vidarr called a few people he knows and got them to start looking for Loki. Just legwork, checking out large cash and credit card purchases at luxury stores and car dealerships, going through real estate records. The kind of stuff you want me to look at to find the other Valkyrie, but easier, since Loki’s probably still here in the city.”

Mist raised her head like a dog smelling steak scraps in a restaurant Dumpster. “Does he know where Loki is?”

“I don’t know. But Mist—” He reached toward her and dropped his hand a second later. “When you talk to him, be careful. He’s pissed as Hel.”

“He’ll talk to me, and I don’t plan to be careful.”

“Okay.” Vali’s throat bobbed. “Just one more thing. What if you don’t come back?”

She gripped her knife until her knuckles turned white. “I will, and I’ll bring Dainn and Gungnir with me.”

Without another word, she strode into the loft. Ryan hung back with Gabi.

“Vali,” he said, “what if I can find help find Dainn with my dreams? Do you think she’d let us stay then?”

“You heard what Mist said,” Gabi said, her dark eyes angry and worried at the same time. “You can’t really control them, and you’ll just get more seizures if you try to make them come.”

“Right now we have to get out of here,” Vali said. “If you have any stuff you want to bring, go get it.”

Ryan knew there was no point in more arguing. He couldn’t help Mist and Dainn now. But whether he was at