The Family Lokison (Part 4)

Portal Landing (NARVI)

It was all Vali's fault.

I thought going through the portal would be enough for him. But no. He insisted on going back again and again to make sure it always ended up at the same place—of course it did. Why would it take us to a different spot every time?

"It's worth being sure," he said, smugly looking back at the opening in the stone on the other side.

"I wanna go home. What if Mum comes looking for us?"

"Stop whining. She's never come after us before." Vali found a sharp stone and scratched a letter into the right side of the cavern we came through, marking it clearly with our last initial.

My heart jumped. "Don't do that. What if someone else comes by this place?"

"You worry too much." He swept his hands against each other when he was done and sighed. His eyes scanned the field before us. "I can't wait to really see what this place is all about. We'll come back tomorrow with more supplies."

I groaned while my stomach sank. "Do you have to get me into trouble, too?"

"Of course I do." He stepped right in front of me so I couldn't edge away from him. "Narvi, I promise I won't ever leave you behind. Now you say the same."

The air was thicker in the new place somehow, and a deep breath filled me better. "Alright, I promise."

"Say it. We won't leave each other behind."

"Fine." I ran my hand through my hair to keep it from blowing in my eyes. "No leaving each other behind."

"That means whatever I do, you're coming with me. Same for you. We come here together, or not at all. Swear it's only for us."

Another huff from me. "Aye."

"Good. Now come on." He didn't wait and jumped back into the cave, pulling me home the same way he commanded me from sleep in the morning.

Landing on Vanaheim made me feel lighter, like we were swimming instead of standing. It wasn't scary or strange, but our world changed somehow. It was darker. Yet our sky was better—the purple was prettier. The moons that would soon crest over the horizon watched us closely and made me feel safe.

Vali didn't waste any time and threw his satchel down to find the candles he brought with us. "I want to see your cold trick again."

I sat beside him and picked at my fingernails. While I didn't regret sharing this secret with him, I still wished for answers that would tell me what it really meant.

He ignored my hesitation. "Why did you show Nanny before you showed me?"

"I didn't mean to. She was helping me light the bonfire kindling, and—"

"You got to light the bonfire kindling?" he asked with high brows.

I sighed. "She was only teaching me how. If you'd been with us, you woulda seen it, too."

He rolled his eyes and lay two candles before me and two for himself. "Go on."

"Anyway, she tried to direct my hand differently and grabbed me. I told her to stop and she wouldn't, she just kept twisting my wrist, and I got so angry, I just..." I splayed my fingers like I did that day, only then, a rush of cold air came off of me. "It put out all the flames we'd started. She said cold magic didn't belong there, and then she walked away. Since then, I feel like she's been angry with me."

"Nobody can ever be angry with you," Vali said, though he talked through his nose like he didn't really mean it.

I was anxious to make sure he wasn't upset, too, so I snapped to light one of the wicks and nodded for him to join me.