Hunter: The Reckoning

Chapter 15

Kara's hand trembled in mine as we appeared outside the main hall. Music, laughing and the general chatter from inside made me hesitant to open the doors and looking at the guards positioned on either side of them, my thoughts drifted to what they must think of all of this. I also wasn't entirely sure why they were there or their purpose. If anyone decided to attack, they'd be the first to go and a sense of deja vu followed as I remembered the walk up to this place prepared to take on the Dark King and Eris to get Matt back.

Ah, memories.

Even in what had been a complicated situation, it felt like the good old days in a much simpler time, just how I'd been willing to go back to being used as a sacrifice to bring back a long-dead alpha werewolf when going through that mess.

"How do you look so calm?" Kara whispered to me, hesitating from going further as we went up the steps. "I guess you do things like this all the time."

I tried not to roll my eyes, but there was no way I was holding in sarcasm.

"Of course I do and I love it when I'm blindsided into going to a party that isn't actually a party and is instead, quite possibly one of the most important moments before shit gets super bad?" At least she looked guilty. "Just imagine them all naked or if that doesn't do it for you, imagine Deimos naked."

Now she blushed. "Not funny."

"I wasn't trying to be, but look, you're distracted." I smiled at her before letting her hand go. "Just be yourself."

"Are you taking your own advice?" She quirked an eyebrow at me, the subtle look over my outfit a clear judgement that I was in fact not being myself.

"You couldn't handle me if this became my everyday. Kara, you are the God Killer. A Queen. You fear and bow to no one. Be the woman who rules Odin's Nightmares and then times her by a thousand. Use the crown as a shield and step into who you need to be."

She took a few quick breaths, flexing her hands before understanding slowly overtook her. "Is that what you do?"

"I've been faking it until I make it my entire life. Some of it eventually sticks and look at me now."

Not knowing who I was or what I wanted had in some ways paid off. I didn't want to be a Hunter, choosing to run from everything and everyone only then be a Hunter. I didn't want the title of God Killer until it became a part of me. There wasn't enough time right now for me to deep dive into all those little snippets Richard barely even scratched the surface of but I knew I made a good point.

"Elise-" I hold up my hand, stopping her.

"Empress, and you will address me as such tonight like all the rest." I don't even realise what I just said until I think it over thanks to the look on Kara's face. She wasn't impressed, and I kept walking.

Kara frowned, quickly moving to stand beside me again. "Are you serious?"

I didn't need to think it over this time as something about her reaction made me more determined.

"Yes. You should be too, and if you just want to be Kara the rebel Valkyrie and be seen only as the False Queen, then join the ranks of all the rest. You own who you are now or you fall with the leaders who have come before you."

I can't help but think of the last Empress, Gudruns words lingering in the back of my mind. The title had made her weak, something she used to hide behind rather than claim and control. I was not like the one who came before and right now, neither was Kara. Cain created the God Killer and I claimed her. She was me. And then I outgrew her, now working out who I was all over again just as she now had to do. I turned away and went inside, not saying another word.