Page 128 of Valkyrie Renewed

I opened my eyes and gazed up at her. “How? You… died. How is this possible?”

“I promise I will explain everything.”

“I damned sure hope so,” a familiar, gravelly masculine voice said behind me.

My mom’s eyes popped wide, and I didn’t need to guess to know the shit-show that was behind me. Nevertheless, I slowly turned, finding Darius and my father standing in the foyer, coolers in their arms, and home two weeks early from their trip.

“Dad?”

“Pá?”

Astrid and I spoke in unison.

Neither of them acknowledged us. They both stared at my mom, Darius’ expression stern, while my father’s mirrored my reaction. The cooler in Dad’s hand crashed to the floor, lid popping off, and wrapped fish and ice spilling everywhere.

“L–Luna?” he stammered.

Mom somehow became even paler. “My shield… I… I can explain.”

“No… no, you can’t be her.” He ran his hair through his hair. His accent thickened as his distress took over. “I was there when she died. I confirmed the body. I… I buried her ashes.”

Mom chewed her lip. “It was a fake body.”

I stared at her. I couldn’t believe I was hearing her admit faking her own death.

“I loved you.” My dad’s face twisted as rage took over the shock. “I grieved for you! And you have the audacity to stand here and tell me you faked your death?”

“Xavier, I can explain,” she pleaded, taking a step closer.

He held up a hand, his face reddening. He sucked in a hard breath through his nose and then he spun on his heels and left. Mom’s shoulders slumped, and she bowed her head. I noticed her fiddling with a ring.She still wears her wedding ring.

Dad did, too. He never got over losing her, saying she was the only moon in his sky, and there’d never be another. I wondered if a part of him knew her death was a lie. I’d learned enough in these last few weeks to not discount it as a possibility.

When Mom opened her eyes again, her back straightened, and her emotions slipped behind a mask of neutrality. I remembered this look from when I was a kid. I’d told her she looked like a queen and asked her when she was going to be the next monarch. And even now, knowing that mask was just to force her composure around others, she still looked regal.

“It’s been some time, Darius,” Mom said. “You look well.”

The man nodded, oddly calm given the situation. “That it has, Urd. A shame it’s not under better circumstances.”

I blinked. They knew each other?Wait, he said Urd.Tyr had used that name when talking about the dragons. Was she the same Urd? I didn’t actually remember the name my mother went by. The only one I remembered was the name Dad had always called her: Luna. He’d given her that name, because according to him, she was a drop of moonlight made flesh and outshone any star.

Darius stepped around the spilled cooler and set his on the island before slipping into the pantry. He returned a moment later with a bottle I’d never seen before. The liquid inside it swirled and shimmered with color.What the hell kind of drink is that?

“Today seems like a good day to break out the good stuff. Especially since I’d like to know the story behind why my household is now playing host to a dragon and a second god.”

His eyes flicked to Aya, then darted to Tyr.What the fuck is going on here?Even a glance to Astrid showed she was now cautious of the situation.

Aya crossed her arms. “So, you were aware of who I was.”

Darius uncorked the bottle and poured himself a glass. “Yes, Freya, I knew exactly who you were when you showed up in D.C., and then here, pretending to be a woman who didn’t actually exist. What I expect is for you to fill me in on why.”

His attention flicked to me and then to Astrid. His eyes lingered on his daughter, as if he were trying to piece something together. “And I hope it’ll explain why my daughter and Diego seem more surprised about my behavior than anything else going on right now.”

“I think a round-robin of explanations is in order,” Astrid said in the calmest tone I’d ever heard out of her. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Her dad nodded. “I say Urd first, given the severity of the situation, and the fact Diego doesn’t seem like he wants you to be kicked out.”

Mom turned her attention to me, and I saw the mask slip, just enough to see the pleading in her eyes. Even with how fucked-up this situation was, I didn’t want her to leave. “I want answers. I’ll hold judgement until then.”