The Names We Shed

Chapter 8- Don't worry about it

Chapter Playlist- All too Well (Taylor's Version)- Taylor Swift, Love Myself- Hailee Steinfeld, SOS- Avicii & Aloe Blacc

After five hours of flying, we're halfway there but the sun is going down fast. I drop out of the sky, letting my power out. He hovers for a moment before diving after me. In one swift moment I pull it all back in. Kalan stares at me in pure awe.

"What was that? It was like an earthquake in the air?!" He asks, amazement and wonder filling his face and voice.

He's not scared. He's not scared. I stare at him, unable to comprehend it.

"What is it?" He asks me again.

"That was my power. I keep it under control most of the time."

His face breaks out into a big smile. "That's incredible."

It takes everything I have not to kiss him, not to make him really mine.

Valerie and Makasha's presence is like a cold bucket of water over the whole moment. We walk into the small village, where we'll stay the night.

We make the walk to the inn where we're staying in silence. The entire village is quiet and blanketed in a thick layer of snow.

"Hello Madame Julie- three rooms please."

She hands me the keys wordlessly. She's never liked me- something about how my kind shouldn't be welcome in an area that's considered progressive and I'm considered the past.

"Still worshiping the dead gods?"

I turn back to where Madame Julie's son is glaring at me.

"Every day."

"Whore."

"Fuck off."

Kalan looks shocked.

"Who's the Seraphim?"

I release a little bit of power then, less than a drop. But it's still enough to make the room shake and the boy go quite pale.

"None of your business."

"He's not your apprentice, they're wearing the death masks. Is he your whore?"

Anger rushes through me at the accustation.

"IT. IS. NONE. OF. YOUR. BUSINESS." I hiss as I draw the runes that will keep him frozen in his place for the next two days.

I wave to Kalan and we continue our trek up the stairs to our rooms.

"What was that?"

"Valkyrie were not always well liked and when the trend of them faded, they were hated for not being progressive enough- somehow that makes me a whore."

"I was talking about the way you made the air change. And those things you drew."

"Oh- My power simply is. It's not confined to one area like yours is. I can do everything from raising the dead to summoning a flame to parting an ocean, where your power will more of an air thing- more shields and what you saw downstairs. Sometimes I draw fae runes because it takes less power."

"So I won't be able to do anything really cool then?"

We step to the side and Valerie and Makasha continue into their room.

"Well not exactly, if you're fighting an opponent in the air for example it would be incredibly helpful to say knock them around or to suck the air out of an opponent's lungs."

"And I can do all that?" He asks.

I shrug. "With some training yeah."

"Can I start now?"