Joshua II Read online

  Joshua II (Einherjar - A Dead Embers Companion Novel)

  A Valkyrie Novel #7

  T.G. Ayer

  Contents

  Author’s Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  The Valkyrie Series

  Acknowledgments

  Also by T.G. Ayer

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  About the Author

  Copyright

  Author’s Note

  For the best reading experience, Joshua II (Einherjar - A Dead Embers Companion Novel) is to be read after completing Dead Embers.

  Dear Reader,

  The Valkyrie Series has been one of the most enjoyable worlds to write, and even though Bryn’s adventures ended with Dead Silence, I haven’t stopped receiving emails asking when I will release the next series, or requests to know more about the supporting cast.

  I’d always wanted to write Joshua’s story—there’s so much more to reveal when you dig deeper into each of the characters’ lives. As such, I began Joshua’s story, thinking I’d release a full companion novel to sate the Valkyrie fans.

  Clearly I had no idea how much Joshua had to tell me. Whenever you delve into what happens off-screen, you tend to be surprised at how much it really amounts to.

  The Valkyrie series didn’t only happen to Bryn, and it became clear as I learned what Joshua had experienced, that there were entire stories to write.

  What was even more apparent was that Joshua’s off-screen activity was far too much to combine into one full novel. And if I did do that, what would it mean for the reader who picked it up and didn’t know it would be filled with spoilers? There’s a special place in Hel for spoilers, so I prefer to avoid them as much as possible.

  To resolve this dilemma, Joshua has become a companion series that happens alongside each of the Valkyrie novels. As such, Joshua II is a companion to Dead Embers and should be read only once you have completed Bryn’s second book. The next book of Joshua will be a companion to Dead Chaos, to be read after you complete the third Valkyrie novel, and so on and so forth.

  I will be releasing a Box Set after Joshua V is released—which of course can be read after you have completed the full Valkyrie series.

  So, for all the Valkyrie fans who have been patiently waiting for more from the Valkyrie Universe, here is Joshua II: Dead Embers.

  T.G. Ayer

  Midgard, 2018

  Chapter 1

  Joshua rushed to Bryn’s side, aware that Aimee was close beside him as he knelt on the cold tiles of Odin’s Great Hall. The giant room held a dense air of emptiness, but Joshua had to wonder if that was more because of the empathy he felt for Bryn. She sat there, hunched, broken, staring at her blood-stained hands.

  Even when they both attempted to talk to her, she seemed to hear nothing, steeped deeply within her own desolation. Joshua’s gut tightened. He wasn’t sure what to feel about sitting here beside her in the hopes of comforting her, when her heart was breaking for Aidan.

  Joshua’s vision blurred as a memory of Bryn came slamming back into him.

  Her laughter rang out in the garden as Joshua attempted to fit the unusually shaped patio tile into place.

  “I’m positive I cut it to size.”

  “Ugh.” Bryn groaned, though laughter filtered through her fake frustration. “What is it about men? Every single time, instead of following the instructions, instead of sticking to the plan, you deviate because you think you’re smarter.” She coughed and tried to hold in her amusement.

  Joshua knew he should have been angry. He’d gone off the plan. He’d thrown away the plans that had come with the patio tiles, and yes, he’d grinned like an idiot while watching the sheet of white paper fly away, caught by a sudden gust of wind and tossed over the back fence.

  He should have been pissed to have a girl laughing at him, but instead, he laughed with her. The sound of her chuckles had him smiling as he dropped the tile—carefully, or he’d get hell from his Mom—and turned to face Bryn, she was sitting on top of the pallet of slate the tile company had dropped off, cross-legged and chomping on an apple.

  “Are you laughing at me?”

  “You see anyone else here. You’re such a guy,” she said, breaking into a peal of laughter again.

  The slider opened, and his mom stepped out onto the patio, a grin already breaking out on her face. Eyes sparkling she glanced over at Bryn and then back to Joshua. “What’s so funny, you two?”

  Joshua watched Bryn in the reflection of the slider glass, and rolled his eyes. She was bent over again, apple forgotten as she pointed at him trying to get words out, words that were hidden by tears of laughter.

  “What did you do?” asked Joshua’s mom, stiffening her lips, so her smile didn’t rival Bryn’s in level of amusement.

  Joshua raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean? Why do you assume it was me?” he said, affronted. He got to his feet and straightened, blinking as his back clicked loudly.

  His mom snorted. “Has to be something you did. Why would she be amused at nothing?” His mom’s eyes glittered with amusement, and he shook his head.

  “Geez, can you two give a guy a break?” he glanced over his shoulder and glared at Bryn.

  She shook her head, red hair falling over her shoulders and partially hiding her face. “Nope. You asked for it,” she said shoving the locks out of her face. Lifting her shoulders as though she was about to beat her chest like the proverbial big strong ape, she continued, her voice a little deeper as she mocked him, “I don’t need the instructions, he said. I know what I’m doing, he said.”

  Bryn let out a shriek as she was drenched in cold water. While she’d been teasing him, Joshua had grabbed the hose from the patio’s still untiled floor and turned it on, spraying her with a dose that got her head to toe.

  “Omigod, Joshua! I’m going to kill you!”

  Joshua smiled at the memory, her voice echoing in his mind.

  Until a firm grip on his wrist brought him back to the present with a quick shake.

  Joshua started, then look up to meet Aimee’s concerned gaze. Her eyes were sad, and he knew she understood what he was going through. He wasn’t sure he liked having someone at his side who had the uncanny ability to see inside his head. It had been cute when Aimee was ten.

  Now, not so much.

  Joshua took a breath and focused on Bryn. She’d barely registered their presence, and he reached out carefully, to lay a hand on her shoulder. As he’d expected, he’d managed to startle her, and she snapped away, her hand flying to the pommel of the sword strapped to her waist.

  Filled with concern, Joshua watched, his muscles tense, his forehead scrunched as for a moment, Bryn appeared to be controlled by some strange power, her muscles tight, her face, twisted with fear, and pain. And then she looked around, her eyes tracking the hall around her and falling on him, then shifted further to settle on Aimee’s tear-filled, worried gaze. Joshua wasn’t sure who he should be comforting.

  “Bryn,” Joshua said softly as he lowered himself to the floor at Bryn’s side, then placed his hand back onto her shoulder. His instinct had been to give her human contact, to remind her that they were ther
e for her. It had almost gotten that hand chopped off, but he would do it again if he had to. “There’s nothing more you can do here,” he said, his tone firm as he gripped her shoulder a little tighter.

  Bryn’s expression hardened, her jaw tightening as she took a breath to say something. Joshua knew that stubborn look in her green eyes, knew she was likely to tell him to get off, and that she was fully capable of taking care of herself.

  But then she did something he hadn’t been expecting at all.

  She relented, her shoulders sagging as if all the air and energy had been expelled from her in an instant. When he reached for her hand, she didn’t resist, merely allowed him to lift her to her feet and hold her steady until she’d gained her footing.

  Aimee leaned toward Joshua and said she’d meet him at Bryn’s room, and that she needed to get something prepared. After giving Bryn a sad look—one that the once-fierce redhead barely registered—Aimee hurried to the great hall.

  Joshua hesitated for a second, wondering how he was meant to get to Bryn’s room when he was not clear as to where it was. Still, if it was anything like Valhalla, he’d find his way. Joshua curled his arm around Bryn’s waist and guided her toward the giant double doors of Odin’s Great Hall.

  He was relieved to find Sigrun hurrying toward him, her gray wings flying at her back, as though she was about to take off and fly to Bryn. She slowed as Joshua approached and studied Bryn’s face briefly.

  “Let me show you to her room. Aimee’s arranging food. And water for Bryn to wash off that blood.” Sigrun’s voice was soft, but Joshua was pretty sure Bryn wouldn’t have heard even if the Valkyrie had yelled right next to her.

  Bryn’s sword thwacked Joshua on the thigh as he guided her down the corridors, following Sigrun’s rustling wings. And he found his thoughts a little unsettling. Bryn was grieving for Aidan. And Joshua was trying to help her get through it. But Joshua was worried. Why had this impacted Bryn so deeply? Was there something that he didn’t know about Bryn’s relationship with Aidan? Something other than what was revealed when Bryn had visited them in Valhalla? As far as Joshua could tell, Bryn and Aidan hadn’t exactly been on the best of terms before they’d embarked on their quest to find Freya’s Brisingamen.

  Had something happened during their journey to solidify their relationship? Or did Bryn have a reason for falling into this funk that didn’t have anything to do with grief?

  Joshua had seen grief. He’d watched Aimee’s parents die a little every day as her cancer had worsened. And Bryn was more than just wallowing in grief. But Joshua had no idea how to define her state of mind. Not yet at any rate.

  Chapter 2

  Sigrun entered a long corridor—one quite similar to the setup of the Valhalla accommodation. The Valkyrie slowed at a door on the right and opened it, glancing over her shoulder to beckon Joshua inside.

  He followed, arm still around a silent Bryn, guiding her inside, into the quiet room. The fire crackled in the large hearth, and a small stool sat on the stones warmed by the heat from the flames. A large pitcher of water and a bowl waited, a bar of soap, a little nailbrush and a washcloth beside it.

  Aimee stood to one side, remaining silent as though Bryn were a deer, or a wild creature who would flee if she made any sudden moves. Joshua knew exactly how she felt.

  But he knew too that Bryn needed them around her. He’d noticed the stiffness of her spine when he’d looped his arm around her, but as they’d walked to her room, he’d felt her relax and curve into him, seeking something—perhaps comfort? Still, he suspected she was barely aware of her natural craving for human comfort.

  As Bryn entered the room, she paused before the fire, staring into the flames. Joshua stepped toward the washbasin and held up the pitcher, a silent nudge to her—she obeyed, moving listlessly toward him. She barely said a word as Joshua poured clean water onto her bloodied hands. She went through the motions, soaping her hands and then using the nailbrush to scrub away the blood. Joshua found himself staring, fascinated as Aidan’s blood washed away from Bryn’s fingers and soiled the clear, clean water in the basin.

  A nudge in Joshua’s ribs brought his attention to Aimee who was glaring at him as she shouldered him aside, reaching for Bryn’s hands. While Joshua’s attention had been focused on the blood, he’d missed Bryn’s frantic attempt to rub the bloodstains from her skin—even when none were left.

  Aimee grabbed hold of Bryn’s hands and pulled the brush from her fingers. Bryn stiffened and glanced at Aimee, a frown marring her forehead. Aimee glanced back at Joshua then reached for the towel to dry off Bryn’s fingers. Joshua saw something in Aimee’s eyes, an expression he couldn’t define, but he’d have to wait until later to question her about it.

  He stepped away as Aimee fetched a dress from Bryn’s trunk at the foot of her bed. Then she made a show of shooing him away, with Bryn looking on from beyond the warrior’s shoulders. Joshua met Bryn’s gaze and smiled sadly, making a face as he was pushed toward the door. He caught a glance of Bryn’s faded smile just before the door was closed on him, a mere inch from his nose.

  Joshua grunted, standing there in the empty hall, unable to decide how he felt about…well, about everything. The last few days had been a strange existence, a beginning that didn’t seem at all like a new start simply because there were still so many issues to be resolved.

  Joshua began to pace, spending the next ten minutes tapping his fist on his thighs as he walked, interspersing the ragged motions with a few punches to his palm every so often. He was impatient, wanting to be there for Bryn, but at the same time not wanting to see her grieving for another guy.

  Joshua snorted softly. What an idiot he’d been, lying to himself about his feelings for Bryn. Who the hell had he been kidding? He’d been jealous all along. He certainly wasn’t the magnanimous hero he thought he was.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Aimee as she shut Bryn’s door behind her.

  Startled, Joshua stiffened and looked over his shoulder. “I’m pacing.”

  “Clearly,” she replied, one eyebrow curving.

  Joshua cleared his throat and glanced at the door. “How is she?”

  “Sleeping. She was exhausted.” Aimee stared at Joshua for a moment. “You haven’t answered my question.”

  “I thought I had,” replied Joshua, pursing his lips. “You know…the pacing.” He waved his hand left to right along the length of the stone floor.

  Aimee shook her head and stalked past him. “Boys. All the damn same.” She’d walked a few yards before stopping and turning to look back at Joshua. “What? You need a gold-engraved invitation or something?”

  “Huh?” Joshua asked, genuinely confused.

  Aimee threw her hands up in the air and gave a deep sigh. “You and I…we need to talk.”

  Then she was off, and Joshua had little choice but to hurry after her. The girl was a force of nature, and he adored her, but sometimes, well maybe more than sometimes, all Joshua wanted to do was to throttle her. He shook his head as she hurried into a wider hall that led off in six different directions. Grasping his elbow, Aimee tugged him along the right-hand passage until they reached a small open doorway leading out onto a balcony.

  The stone paved space bore a narrow stone stool on the left and a small table and two chairs—more stone—on the right. Aimee headed for the seating arrangement, but not before reaching for a small metal bell pull just behind the curtain.

  Joshua barely paid her any attention as he stared out at the view.

  “Now that is so fantastic it deserves a profanity or two,” muttered Joshua. He stared out at the valley below, for the first time understanding how large the castle was and how enormous the entire valley was too. He’d walked along the muddy roads below, but from here they appeared to be nothing more than roads in a toy village. The training fields below the castle patterned the valley floor in a patchwork of mud-brown and green, where the grass still remained untouched. Half the fields were a study of activity as sleipni
r pranced in formation, or raced at each other in pairs bearing valkyries, wings outstretched and swords held high.

  The cries of the warriors drifted up toward Joshua, and he shook his head in awe. “I’m still not sure this isn’t just a fantastic dream,” he whispered.

  “Trust me. It’s no dream,” Aimee muttered, her tone cooler than he’d expected. Turning, to asked what she meant, Joshua stopped as a huldra swept through the open curtains, bearing a tray filled with food.

  He frowned and looked at Aimee. “I rang for service,” she said with a small smile as she stood aside for the huldra to lay the food out. Joshua waited too as the girl set a steel pot, steam pouring from its spout, onto the table. Small mugs, plates, and a platter of pastries and tiny burgers followed. She lay cutlery and napkins down before giving Joshua and Aimee both a cheerful grin and a bobbing curtsey. When she spun on her heel to leave, Joshua spotted the tail, this time a dark furry appendage that resembled that of a cow. The huldra paused at the curtains, unhooked them and closed them behind her, leaving Joshua and Aimee alone with the food and the view.

  He stared at the spread as Aimee poured thick, dark, smooth chocolate into his mug and set a plate for him. “Don’t get used to this,” she warned, her expression enigmatic.

  “I wouldn’t dare,” Joshua said, sliding into his chair and wrapping his fingers around the warm mug. “Although, I never did picture you as the domestic type. Looks like you’ll do just fine if you ever—”