Valkyrie's Sacrifice (Academy of Immortals 3)

He glances back, cheekbones sharp with shadows. “Have you ever had a repetitive nightmare? Dream of falling? Of being lost in a maze? Drowning?” Marshal gives a curt nod. I can’t help but wonder what his nightmare is; a woman’s rejection? Not enough wine? “Then that’s where they’ll be…if they are still here.”

“And what? We just grab them and run?”

He chuckles. “I doubt it will be that easy.”

The path narrows, tapering off to a single file trail. The trees grow sparse, old. No, not just old, ancient. How long had these souls been here? I didn’t want to know the answer. Ahead, Luke stops and I see that he’s standing at an iron gate, a massive wall stretching out on both sides.

“What’s in there?” Marshal asks.

Luke turns the knob and glances back at us. “Limbo.”

Of all the places my mind had conjured up for the Immortals' Limbo, Victorine’s arena never crossed my mind. These men had been though thousands of battles—death, then resurrection by the god Camulus, then sold into slavery and freed once again. They’d fought and died. Loved and lost, but the arena? That was a blip in time.

A gasp drags me from my confusion, and I glance down to see Elizabeth staring out into the field. A girl is being walked across the fake grass, then a hood yanked from her head.

I look at Elizabeth, standing next to me, and then out at the field where another version of Elizabeth has been unmasked.

“This already happened?” I ask, trying to sort the scene. Obviously it had, I was there. We all were.

Marshal’s eyes dart to the stands. He stares at himself sitting next to Roland, one of the twins snuggled up on his lap. He shifts uncomfortably and says, “This is fucked up.”

Before any of us can react, a broad-shouldered figure strides onto the field—Armin. I quickly scan the field, there are no other Immortals out there—just him.

And me.

“What’s happening? Why is it only Armin?” I continue searching. “Where are the others?”

“This must be his Limbo.” Luke’s eyes flick to me. “He must be caught in this moment.”

I’m frozen as I watch the scene unfold. Out on the field, I’m yelling at Elizabeth to get to higher ground, trying to protect her while the sharp-clawed monsters attack. I fight the creatures, blood drenched and outmatched. Beats are missed because there’s no Rupert, no Miya. The memory shifts, turning into something darker. I’m attacked, jaws tearing at my flesh, and Armin, no matter how hard he tries, he can’t get to me. I wait for the God of Death to appear, his magnificent wings spread behind him, knowing he’ll carry me off to safety, but he never arrives.

Instead the monster rips the flesh from my belly, sending blood pouring out of my side. I fall, life draining from my body. Armin howls, his anguish felt in my bones, and drops to his knees in agony. Elizabeth leans into my side, covering her face and Marshal pales.

Unlike reality, in this realm, I don’t make it out of the arena.

“But that’s not what happened?” I whisper.

“Reality is fluid here,” Luke replies. “This is Armin’s Limbo—his greatest fear to live in and out of eternity. He’s not strong enough to break free.”

“Why? How? He’s one of the strongest men I know!”

“You’re his weakness, Hildi,” Marshal says, staring ahead. “Just like Roland said you’d be.”

“No.” The word rings hollow, but I fight through it. “No. I’m the one that binds. I’m the one that balances.” I step onto the field and all three of my companions cry out for me to stop. It doesn’t matter, my feet propel me forward. I know what I have to do.

“Armin!” I shout, but his name is lost in a whirlwind of color and sound. I place my hand over my ears—it’s like I’m in the center of a building storm. Time and space shift around me, and when it slows, it’s like the clock has reset and all the pieces of the game move back to the start. Once again, Elizabeth is marched from the dungeons. Victorine announces the next challenge. The creatures are released from their cage. And Armin…well, Armin emerges from the edge of the arena, braced for a fight I already know neither of us will win.

The scene unfolds around us and I look toward Luke for help. “What do I do? How do I fix this?”

“It appears Armin’s not strong enough to break from his limbo, but it’s possible for you to help him break out.”

I nod, finally understanding what’s going on. If Armin’s biggest fear is losing me, then I have to show him that I’m alive and that all of this is one nasty mindfuck.

I race across the field, feet pounding on the fake grass. The creatures howl, bringing a physical reaction. It’s not real, it’s not real, I chant as I get closer to the cage.

Armin waves his hand, sending furballs flying. His blade cuts through the air, but he moves oddly—like he’s swimming upstream. I’ve fought beside Armin before—it’s obvious this is not a man in control of his body.

“Armin!” I cry, getting as close as I can. “Armin! Can you hear me.”