A Familiar Foe - Book 5

Sinking In (VALI)

Father never celebrated so much before. Not with me, anyway. He insisted I join him with Uncle Thor in the main hall of the palace for drinks, which I couldn't refuse even if I wanted to. The news was too big and too life changing to be comfortable, yet they carried on as if the universe was still the same. I nodded in silence while they laughed about days before I existed and complained about how different the beer was from what they'd grown up with; since I was used to the flavors of New Asgard, I couldn't relate.

Father might have been revered across the known universe, but Mum taught me to see my origins as humble. With each sip of ale, I reran my new oath in my mind. A promise to be more than I ever thought I'd be—more than anyone expected of me.

A surge of adrenaline through my stomach felt suspiciously like guilt. I folded my arms to cover my vambraces, as if they were watching me. Troublemaker. Troublemaker. I've always been a troublemaker. The lifelong family joke had new meaning to me now, and it made me doubt the work I'd done up to this point. What if the beacon of destiny found me by mistake? Or worse—fell to me by default?

The slap of Father's hand on my back snapped me out of my introspection. "Your mother's waiting." He stood to embrace Uncle Thor quickly, and I didn't wait to shake any more hands. Unlike the day before, I didn't pause at every acknowledging glance on the way to the Bifrost; I couldn't. Fortunately, Father's presence seemed to chill my approachability; with him near, I noticed fewer eyes even if my new station as Captain warranted some congratulations. All that would have to wait.

When we landed on Narvlheim, alone at last, Father cracked his lower back and sighed while looking at the stars. "I certainly didn't predict all that today. Did you?"

"Definitely not." I sucked in the cool night air around us and told myself to unwind. Home had a way of making me feel grounded, regardless of how much time went by.

"Not bad for a routine calling of ranks." Father nudged my shoulder and smiled with an impish gleam in his eyes.

The longer I looked at him, the more pressure lifted off my shoulders. Perhaps it was a delayed effect of the drink; either way, I let the joy sink in. I could simultaneously be anxious about what was ahead and excited that I'd been set apart; the two conditions didn't negate one another. Our quiet trade of glances soon erupted into uncontrolled laughter which followed us all the way from the Bifrost site to my parents' front door.

Definitely the drink. We were both troublemakers.

Mum rushed down the stairs of the darkened home with annoyed resolve. "Shh! The two of you should know better than to tumble in well past the moonrise without—"

"Ginny, you won't believe it," Father said, taking her shoulders firmly. He lilted this way and that on his feet with her, like the excitement coursing through him couldn't settle in one place.

"I'll believe if the whole realm wakes up with your racket," she returned without softening her tone.

"Sorry for disturbing you, Mum." I swallowed the last of my chuckles so they'd only escape through my nose. "We'd give away our position in battle for sure. Captain of Defense should mind his conduct better."

"Captain? Really?" Her eyes lit up for a moment before falling in a familiar nostalgic sigh. "Oh, Vali. Congratulations."

"That's not all," Father said, rubbing her shoulders now. He met her gaze and locked with it. The silence between them was a coded conversation that changed his demeanor and snuffed our unsuitable laughter. A betrayal of tears threatened to hide his elation, but for Father, they fit better than a smile.