36 Chapter 36:

〰 Khole 〰

"What's wrong, Khole?" A girl said from beside me making me jump and spy the small black haired girl. She tilted her head in a worried expression as I looked around me and grabbed her wrist.

"I need to tell you something. Come on." I pulled her away from everyone else and opened a door to a bedroom. Quickly closing the door behind me, I noticed the timid girl looking at me with fear and horror making me sigh. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I need to tell you something about Hrudra." The girl's expression changed from fear in a defensive one as she growled at me.

"Master Hrudra is the kindest per-"

"No, I agree. But she's not who she seems to be." I admit making the girl blink and tilt her head at me.

"What are you talking about?" The girl asks confused.

"There's too much to explain. But I need your help with something." I told her, seeing the underlying strength in her small gaze.

"How do I know I can trust you?" She questions me.

"You can't, but I know that all of you can help her escape Folkvanger. Her mate is waiting for her to come-"

We both heard footsteps coming down the hallway causing both of us to squeal and quickly dash for the closet. I silently closed the door before the bedroom door opened and revealed Hrudra walking into the room.

She walked in with ease, setting something on her dresser and entering into the restroom causing the girl and I to look at each other. I could tell that the girl felt very uncomfortable in this situation but I could care less.

This could tell me what was happening to Hrudra and her memory.

"I think you are really going crazy this time, Hrudra," Freya says suddenly appearing in the room when Hrudra left the bathroom and ran a hand through her hair. Freya simply sat on Hrudra's bed, looking like she was baiting Hrudra.

"I think I am as well Freya. The medicine isn't working anymore. There are ghosts in my house! I swear I keep seeing people I don't know and it is driving me crazy!" Hrudra yells, her hands trembling when I looked at the ground.

Was this medicine really helping her if Freya gave it to her...?

"Well. There has to be a reason for this. What changed to today that is different than other days?" Freya asks, leaning back against the bed when Hrudra continued to pace around.

"Nothing. I teach new Valkyries every day and my girls always come by to keep me company every once and a while... I don't know what's happening, but I feel like my chest is starting to collapse on me and there's nothing I can do." She admits to Freya when grabbing the bag on the dresser. "This stupid medicine won't work anymore!" Hrudra yells, throwing it over at the closet making both of us jump.

"The medicine does work." Freya countered, sitting up off the bed. "I told you that it would, but you needed to work with it. You can't continue having these fits." She reminds when Hrudra sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Freya... Is there... something you're hiding from me?" Hrudra finally asks causing Freya and snap her gaze to her.

"Why do you think that?" Freya counters making Hrudra crossed her arms.

"Sevetha told me that I've forgotten everything and I keep getting asked about someone called Proximo... I can't help but feel heartache every time that name crosses my mind. It hurts me to remember and to try to remember-"

"This is why I've given you medicine." Freya reminds her, standing up to pat Hrudra on the shoulder. "It's to suppress those feelings and aches. We aren't sure who Proximo is, but for your own health. It's best that you forget whoever this person is. Alright, Hrudra?" Freya says easily making Hrudra smile.

"Of course, Freya. Sorry for wasting your time." Hrudra apologizes making me gag at the sight.

"It is okay, Hrudra. Call me any time you need to talk." Freya says, disappearing a moment later when Hrudra sighed and looked at the medicine she threw. Her face twisted in a frown while she walked over and picked the bag of medicine up.

"Master Hrudra! We cook you a meal this time! Come eat!" One of the other girls yelled from outside the room before Hrudra smiled and placed the bag on her dresser.

"This is a pleasant surprise. I can't remember the last time someone has made me something to eat." Hrudra chuckled, leaving the room and walking down the hallway.

I opened the closet and left it silently not wanting to find us inside her room. The timid girl slowly emerged from the closet and looked at the bag before looking at me.

"I'm sorry. I did-"

"She was lying." The girl said making me blink confusedly. "Freya. She was lying to Master Hrudra."

〰 Hrudra 〰

"This is fantastic, girls. Thank you so much." I smiled, reliving the conversation I had with Freya before Cali and Khole came into the room with smiles. "There you both are. I was wondering where you both were." I note before Khole went over to the front door and locked it.

"Freya lied to you, Master Hrudra." Cali suddenly says making me choke on the food in my mouth. The other three girls looked at her strangely before Khole crossed her arms and looked at me.

"Were you both in my room?" I question, irritated that they were in there before Khole leaned down and tilted her head at me.

"When was the first time we met?" Khole asks, getting closer to my face as I narrowed my eyes at her.

"This morning. I haven't left Folkvanger in months." I answer her cautiously before Khole nodded and turned to grab a blade off the wall. The other Valkyrie were quick to jump out of the seats and ready to fight.

"Relax. Kho won't hurt Master Hrudra." Cali said confidently when Khole dropped the blade on the table and reached for another one.

"Khole. Do not do this. I do not want to fight." I said while Khole tipped the sword in her palm and twirled it like a butter knife. I backed away from her as the other Valkyries watched cautiously.

"I know you want to though." She says bravely making me scrunch my face up at her bold statement.

"I don't even like fighting." I point out causing her to bark out a laugh and toss the blade at me. I fumbled with it, not even remembering how to hold the weapon before she picked the sword off the table.

"Liar." She swiped at me, as I ducked and nearly tripped over my long dress. The other Valkyries screeched, diving for Khole when Cali stopped them with her calming words.

"Master Hrudra can handle her. Don't worry! Plus this could be like a lesson!" Cali convinces before Khole swung at me again, this time I weakly blocked her attack.

"Khole! Stop this now!" I yelled, barreling outside and holding the blade up with both hands. Khole slowly followed me outside as she grinned at me and nodded to me.

"Might want to cut that lovely dress of yours." She points out making me gasp in shock.

"Why would I ever cut something so beautiful?!" I bark back, jumping away as she slashed off part of my dress. She chuckled at my expression causing a smile to twitch onto my face.

"Oops." She shrugged, faking her apology as I growled at her and tore more at the dress so I could move easier.

"I'm gonna teach you now!" I lunged towards her, clashing my blade against hers before she lashed out and kicked at my leg forcing me to kneel on the ground. In a flash, I spun around and caused her to fall down on the ground.

Khole yelped and rolled away from my attack while putting some space between us. I couldn't help a light laugh leave my mouth as we circled one another. Just waiting for one of us to attack.

She dove to the right before dashing to the left, knocking my perception off balance. Khole took this advantage and knocked me on the ground when she pointed the blade down at me with a flash of victory going through her eyes.

"I believe I wo-"

I leaned my legs up, twisting my body around her arms and blade before throwing her back down on the ground. We fought to get on top as I forced her wrists against the ground and grinned down at her.

"Ha! I won, Kho!" I barked making her smile up at me.

"Hello, Hrudra."

〰 Proximo 〰

"She left?" I question when Dylan, Rogan, and Arley stood around the room. Dylan paced back and forth, creating the tension in the room while Arley shook his head and ran a hand through his orange hair.

"We watched a few Valkyries appear and pick her up. They took her somewhere and we're assuming that they brought her to Folkvanger." Arley told me. I blinked back in shock, sitting down on the bed beside Hrudra's cripple body.

"She let them take her." Valrun walked in, looking a bit defeated rather than furious. "I tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted on going." She says in a sod tone making Rogan cross to her.

"Of course. That's definitely my mate." Dylan growls, sighing deeply and looking at Hrudra's body. "My mate sees her as her mother. Hrudra is the one that freed and made her feel welcomed for once. As much as I want to be angry with Khole, I don't blame her. If my mother was captured, I'd go for her as well. Though I will have a serious talk about communication." He grumbles in annoyance before looking over at Valrun. "Find a way to Folkvanger. Now."

"We've been looking for months! There's no way-"

"There is a way." Mira walked in with a grin on her face. "I was thinking for a while about it. I was told by the high tables to capture and turn Hrudra in for her sins." She tells us.

"How does that get us to Folkvanger?" Dylan questions her as she held up a phone.

"I'm friends with someone new on the high tables. And she owes me a favor for torturing someone in hell a long time ago." Mira said confidently.

"How do you know she'll help?" Dylan interrogates again before Mira looked over at him with a devious look.

"Because you know her."