Valkyrie Fallen, Chapter 26

Brenna

*

Drawing on all of my centuries’ experience, I probed more deeply at Signe’s ankle. She grunted but didn’t move.

From what I felt, she had a slightly displaced fracture in the bottom part of her lower tibia, also known as a pilon fracture. The area was incredibly swollen, but if I could manipulate the piece in the correct place and get her to stay off of it, it had a good chance of healing. There didn’t appear to be any ligaments broken or out of place. The ankle was so much worse than it needed to be because she refused to sit still.

I glanced up at Leif once more, nodded grimly, and he met my eyes with encouragement before turning to Signe with a huge grin. As he launched into a story, I took a deep breath, felt for the displaced piece of bone, and squeeze it back toward Signe’s tibia. The bloodcurdling scream that ripped from her lips tore at my heart, but it quickly devolved into sobs as I released the pressure. Leif pressed his forehead to hers and ignored Signe’s powerful grasp on his hand. It couldn’t have been comfortable; his fingers were turning purple. However, he continued whispering encouragement to her, and she held on.

There was a good deal of fluid in the way, but I was fairly certain I’d replaced the piece. Healing wasn’t my strong suit. There were some among the Valkyrie who were gifted in the art, and I wasn’t one of them. However, I called on my minuscule abilities now, drawing on the fortification I’d felt since receiving my armor. Heat warmed my chest, and as I concentrated, trickled through my arms, then down to my fingertips as I wrapped them around Signe’s ankle. I could feel the anger of the swollen, abused flesh. The pain of the entire area radiated through my hands, now that I was openly communing with her spirit.

However, I felt the pumping of blood, the powerful flow of oxygen in and out. I concentrated further, and I could feel the rightness of the bones—the piece that had caused her so many troubles was back in the correct position. Focusing all of my energy on that bone fragment, I pushed what little healing ability I had into encouraging the bones to begin knitting together.

Sweat broke out across my forehead; it took a great deal of power, power I didn’t have, to heal a bone. The most I could do was infuse energy into the wound and encourage it to heal itself faster. If I could get it knitting together, wrap it up tight and keep it stabilized, and for Odin’s sake, keep her from walking on it, we might be successful.

When I felt myself growing weak, I cut off the river of valkyrian energy and gazed down at Signe’s ankle. It was perhaps too soon to tell, but the area already seemed less purple, slightly more red, than before. 

Glancing up to check on my patient, I caught Leif gently stroking strands of hair away from Signe’s sweaty brow. Her eyes were closed, her hand limp in his grasp.

For some reason, knowing I’d caused this tough girl enough pain to knock her out caused me more grief than I felt happiness knowing I’d helped her.

Leif glanced in my direction and caught my stricken expression. “It’s okay. I don’t think she succumbed to the pain. Most likely to the dream tea. She was peaceful when she fell asleep.” His eyes were luminous with adoration, and he tipped his chin toward Signe’s foot. Let’s finish this.

I nodded, clenching my teeth and reaching for the materials I’d collected. First, I wrapped her foot and ankle as tightly as I dared with strips of fabric. I didn’t want to make them so tight it was uncomfortable or cut off blood flow, but they could help reduce additional swelling and prevent the bones from moving around.

After that, I used additional strips to attach the splints Leif had brought me to either side, ensuring the entire area was bound and unable to move or twist.

Once I was satisfied with my handiwork, I had Leif help me move Signe to her bed and gently propped her foot up on pillows. I caught Leif’s eye and tipped my head toward the door, and we left together so Signe could rest.

I felt drained, but happy. I’d been able to use my gifts, such as they were, to actually help someone who deserved it. And I was reasonably confident that it would heal. It might never be exactly as it was, but it could heal well enough she’d be able to walk without a crutch at the very least.

Without really discussing it, Leif and I walked quietly toward the barn. Yrsa and Astrid were still away fetching herbs, and aside from the occasional animal noise, the homestead was surprisingly quiet.

“That was…” Leif began, “incredible. I’ve never seen something like that. Where did you learn it? How did you know what to do?”

“Where I come from, people have dedicated lifetimes to studying the body. I picked up a few things.”

“Incredible,” he said again. “Do you think it’ll heal?”

“I think there’s a very good chance. I’ll monitor it, and it’s important that Signe doesn’t walk on it until it’s healed. She’s such a stubborn thing, I’m not sure how I can convince her to stay off that foot.”

“I’m happy to come over and help,” he offered. “I told my parents I’d promised to look after Bjorn’s sisters. They already expect me to be here while he’s gone.”

“That would be very helpful, thank you.”

“I’d do anything for you, Brenna. Just ask, and if it’s in my power, I will do it. If it’s not, I will find a way.”

That wasn’t the statement I was expecting; surprise warmed my cheeks. Pausing in our steps, I turned to him for clarification. “Leif, I-”

His deft artist’s fingers cupped my cheeks with the lightest of touches, and with absolute adoration in his eyes, Leif moved in and pressed his lips to mine.

My first thought was the irony of having two men, men who considered themselves brothers, kiss me on the same day. Leave it to me to become an instant source of problems between men who previously had none.

However, then my thoughts returned to the moment. Leif’s lips were angelically soft, his hands trembling against my skin. He remained for a moment, and I was absolutely frozen in place. Then, with a shivering breath, he leaned back and gazed into my eyes with intent. “I’m sorry if I surprised you, I just… needed to do that.”

My heart was racing, and I waited a moment to gather my thoughts before I dared to speak. “You surprised me,” I admitted. “Why did you kiss me, Leif?”

“I wanted you to know how I felt.” His hands migrated from my cheeks to my shoulders. “I’ve never met a woman like you, Brenna. I’ve never been inclined to set up a homestead or start a family. Then, suddenly, you appear and it’s all I can think about.”

The guilt was intense; my stomach flopped sickeningly in my gut. “Leif, I’m not the kind of girl you build a home and family with.” As attractive as I found him, I couldn’t lead him on. He was a man who deserved a fresh-faced girl who adored him and would happily manage a homestead with a baby on one hip while he went off to raid. Not some bitter harpy who’d ruined more good boys like him than he could possibly imagine.

Leif was taken aback for a moment, then recovered. “That doesn’t matter to me, Brenna. I want you, whatever you are. Just as you are.”

His sincerity drove a dagger through my heart at the same time it drew a sarcastic chuckle from my lips. “You know nothing about me, Leif. You don’t know what I am. How could you possibly want something you don’t know or understand?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he shrugged. “I know how I feel. The rest is details that don’t matter. Don’t get me wrong, I want to know everything about you. But nothing you have to say could change the way I feel.”

The dramatic declaration of love was so endearing, so innocent, and so misguided. The things I could tell this man, barely more than a boy, but I couldn’t bring myself to say a word of the truth.

Instead, I told him, “You’d be better off forgetting those feelings, Leif. I’m no good for you. I’m no good for anyone.” Sighing, I turned to go back toward the house. “You should go home, thank you for your help today, I know Signe felt much better with you there.”

Doubt clouded Leif’s eyes, but he schooled his striking features into a smile anyway. “It was my pleasure to help. I will be back tomorrow, Brenna. Just so you know, I don’t agree with you—you’re far too good for me, but I’m going to keep trying. Perhaps at some point we’ll meet in the middle. Have you seen the other single men in this village? Time is on my side.” With a cheeky wink, he turned and strode down the path toward home.

Oh, Leif. I wish I could tell you that time is most definitely not on your side.

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