Chapter 14
Arming myself down to the hilt with my bow, arrows and knives while not allowing myself to feel upset, focusing on the task at hand and then finding my brother was how I was going to get through this. If I permitted myself to consider the events leading up to this, I would crumble into a weepy ole mess, losing valuable time that could be spent locating Mason.
I grabbed a change of clothes for both of us and tucked them into my pack because I was pretty sure Mason hadn’t considered bringing extra clothes along. He had probably been in too big of a hurry to even think about it. He had to have known that, once I returned, I would come after him.
Dangit! If I hadn't been so excited about going out with Axel, ignoring Mason's distress, none of this would have ever happened. No, not going there. I would find him and make it right.
"What's the plan? You going to drag him back here kicking and screaming?" Bryn asked as she suddenly appeared and leaned against the doorframe of my bedroom while filing her nails. Glaring daggers in her direction, I had no intention of engaging her. It wouldn't end well and would simply waste more time. She shrugged. "Demetri told me. He's human, Kylie, and he doesn't belong here."
Ignoring her, I brushed passed her on my way downstairs where Demetri was waiting for me by the front door.
"I'm coming with you." Demetri stuck his chin out in defiance. He was assuming that I was going to oppose him tagging along. I wasn't. I gave him a quick nod of approval and his eyes widened momentarily. Then he said, "Okay then."
Rune and Rota came in the room next, both dressed for war, and by the expression on both their faces, I was sure this didn't have anything to do with Mason.
Rune approached me, putting her hand on my shoulder. "You find your little bro and hurry back. Circumstances have… changed. We're going on the offense."
Rota piped up, "It's time we have a conversation. Perhaps we were wrong to not discuss this with you immediately, but what's done is done and obviously this isn't the time. Be careful." I wanted to inquire more, but decided that if I didn't go after Mason now, with the current climate changing in this realm, he might not survive. With their eyes full of regret, I could see there was a considerable amount that these two had kept from me. In my current mode, it simply pissed me off even more.
"I'll be back. I'm taking one of the cars in the garage." Swinging open the door, Demetri and I hustled out of there, rounding the building and into the garage where the Valkyrie stored about a dozen vehicles.
Making my selection carefully, I chose the jeep and signaled to Demetri to pile in. Mason may have several hours on us, but he was on foot, so with any luck we would find him quickly, and I could get back and tend to the matters here.
As we climbed in, Demetri was smart to keep his trap shut. I was still fuming under the surface and anything could set me off.
Flooring it as I pulled out of the garage, I nearly ran Axel over. Hitting the steering wheel with my palms, I yelled out my open window, "You idiot! What are you doing standing in front of the garage door like that?"
He held his hands up. "I was coming to apologize to you when Rune told me Mason left and you were going after him."
"Then you know I'm in a hurry, so move!" I shouted, throwing my hands in the air.
He came around the car fast as a flash then jerked open the passenger side door to stare down Demetri, giving him a thumbing signal toward the back seat.
Demetri grumbled, "You didn't call shotgun," and then crawled into the back.
As soon as Axel’s rear plopped into the seat, I hit the gas, peeling out of the driveway. My brother was out there all alone in a realm that could eat him alive in seconds. If Axel wanted to talk to me, he'd have to do it while we drove.
"I really think last night was simply a major misunderstanding. If you could—"
I held up my hand, halting him as I took the curve ahead on two wheels. "Are you dense? Mason is missing. Do you actually believe I care about any of that? He is my brother, and right now, he is the only thing I care about. Demetri, hand me that map." Demetri quickly produced the map, sliding it into my open palm. I slammed it into Axel's chest. "Since you're here, you might as well make yourself useful and show me the quickest way to get to the highlighted road on the map."
"Yes, yes, of course," Axel said while opening the map and orienting himself. "You’re going to take the next street on the right and stay on it for three miles then there'll be a shortcut on the left that will save you about a half-hour drive to the intersection." I glanced over at the giant yellow X he was pointing to that Demetri had highlighted on the map, which was identical to the map he'd given Mason.
Glancing in the review mirror as I took a right turn, I noticed Demetri had drawn his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. My heart went out to him. Like Mason had said, he was an orphan like we were and he was living with a bunch of Valkyrie that did nothing other than pick on him day in and day out.
"Demetri, this isn't your fault. You're a good kid. I appreciate that you've been a good friend to Mase. We'll find him."
Demetri shrugged and put his tough guy face on. I forgot about the unwritten code between boys that said you couldn’t show emotions around each other. Dumb boys. I decided to let it go, though.
Axel cleared his throat. "I take it the two of them concocted this hair-brained scheme to send Mason back through the tear?"
Sighing, I said, "Mason's having a hard time adjusting to life here. He'll be fine, though; he just needs time." I wasn't exactly sure how true that statement was because the idea that he and I would be separated for the rest of our lives was too unbearable to even consider. Was that selfish of me? Yes, it was. It was Mason's life and he should be allowed to make his own decision regarding how he was going to live it. If we still had family living, then it would be a different story because I simply didn't think he could survive the foster system. I shuddered.
"Turn there." Axel broke into my thoughts, pointing to the road coming up on my left.
"On it!" I said, taking the turn a little too sharply, slinging Demetri across the back seat.
"Watch it! Holy Freyja that smarts," Demetri shouted. I glanced back to see him rubbing his head.
"Sorry, I'm a little jumpy," I said while shrugging.
"You Valkyries, your moods shift so suddenly I have continual whiplash. I gotta get my own place," Demetri replied exasperatedly, looking a great deal older than his mere thirteen years.
Life in this realm had you growing up faster than you could blink. Survival of the fittest, indeed. The human realm was a great deal more forgiving regarding the mistakes made by their children, even when some of those blunders could not only get them killed but also kill innocents. Here, you paid for errors and you paid dearly.
"How much further?" I asked, barking at Axel.
After glancing down at the map, he answered, "The tear should be located a few yards behind those hedges, next to that giant tree up ahead."
Slamming on the brakes, I stared at him. "Seriously? I would've driven right passed it if I hadn't asked! You're no help at all!" Scoffing, I opened the door and hopped out, going around to the back to gather my things.
I needed to be prepared. I had no idea who or what I was going to be up against. Hopefully, I’d find Mason and we'd have one of our brother/sister talks and all would be well. Somehow, I doubted that would be the case, though. Call it a gut instinct.
After I collected my bow and quiver, I turned to see that Axel was already over at the hedges, his head tilted back; he was sampling the air. If there were any threats in the area, he'd know it. As I hurried to catch up, Demetri joined me at my side.
Stopping short of the hedge line because I didn't want to muddy the scent trail, if that was even possible, I asked, "Well?"
Axel's golden eyes met mine, and I instantly read the concern etched within them. "No threats, but more importantly, no Mason."
"What! Mason is a
whiz when it comes to maps and tracking. Our dad was a hunter and expert tracker for God's sake. He taught him everything he knows." I'd never once considered the fact that Mason wouldn't find the tear. As fear began crawling over me, I almost began hyperventilating.
Axel placed his hand on my shoulder. "I didn't say he wasn't here. I said he isn't here."
Shrugging his hand off, I took off running around the tree. In seconds, the tear was obvious. Speeding up, I ran toward the bright blurry slit ahead. Demetri and Axel were right on my heels as I came to stand directly in front of the tear.
Demetri kneeled down, picking up something off the ground, a knife. When he handed it to me, I knew instantly that it was Mason's pocketknife. I held it up to the moonlight that was amazingly bright tonight to read the inscription on the side. To Mason, Love Mom and Dad.
Staring into the shinny slit, I breathed, "Mason, what have you done?"