Despite trying to cover her mouth with her sleeve, Maya couldn't suppress a giggle, and the poorly hidden grin was evident.

Behind her, Val was sheepishly walking closely behind Maya, fingers steepled together nervously. Val frowned sheepishly and squirmed in her posture, unable to relax. In one instance, she squealed like a scared puppy when a conspiracy of ravens burst out of the bushes.

“Why is this so gosh darn adorable!?” Maya tried to wave the heat away with her hands but only managed to adjust the coils of her afro. “Say, do you want me to hold your-”

Suddenly, Val locked her arm around Maya’s and entangled her hand with hers.

“What is happening?” Maya wondered and stared bewildered at the cool hand of Val squeezing Maya’s. She couldn’t process what was happening and squeezed back.

Soon enough, Val locked eyes with hers—she really had the look of a scared puppy by now. Her pleading eyes told Maya to not let go at any cost.

“Don’t be scared. I’m right here-” Maya joked, but Val suddenly kissed her hand; a waft of mint hit her nose. Looking away, Maya covered her mouth and adjusted her pace so they walked comfortably together.

Val, on the other hand, anxiously scanned the area, holding Maya’s hand tightly in hers and keeping her close to her.

“Something. Not. Right. Better. Be. Careful.” Val subconsciously put her hand around Maya’s waist and accidentally bumped her hip against Maya’s. She heard an embarrassed whimper out of her, colouring her face. Val’s frown disappeared. “Pretty.”

There was something relaxing in the simple touch they shared. Val had been on edge since she had forgotten most of her memories as a Valkyrie and her seemingly worsening physical state.

Even when training, barely found herself improving. Suddenly developing a weird case of asthma didn’t make things any better, or the fact she had been losing her battles against mere undead.

A disgraceful issue if her sisters found out. Even if Val couldn’t remember them, it made her irritable. There has been more than one instance when Val was irritated when she dropped a plate out of clumsiness or couldn’t maintain her stamina.

She only calmed down when she was around Maya and spent time with her. Val even found herself finally enjoying cooking, a skill she always disliked because of the company it came serving for.

Val struggled to keep her cool the moment they stepped through the gate. Syphoning every drop of strength she could get from Maya’s proximity.

There was something in the air. Something evil.

Usually, Val would face it head-on without hesitation, but not this time. Maybe it was because she was not equipped for war like she usually was, lacked her demigod strength, or there was another reason she couldn’t place. Nonetheless, Val was afraid.

The pressure of the area was pressing on her mind, trickling on her weakened mental state—like venomous green sludge she wouldn’t get off, no matter how much she showered.

Her skin crawled, her mental fortitude wavered, and all her instincts screamed to stay away. Yet somehow, Maya was unaffected by any of that.

Having her arm around Maya helped her combat the uneasiness, restoring some of her fortitude. Though Val couldn’t lie that her eyes wandered slightly.

Val took a better look at Maya. She was almost a head shorter but compensated with her puffy and voluptuous coiled hair. Her dark brown skin was soft and warm to the touch. She could feel the warmth radiate from her even from further away, but up close, it was even more intense, as if Val was sunbathing.

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She was not used to this. Her own hands were chilly and welted on the inside from training and fighting, but Maya didn’t seem to mind the callouses as she kept the touch going.

Val tried to look into her startling blue eyes that stood out so much with her other features. They were like the glaciers or fjords of Val’s home, giving her a loving sense of familiarity.

A genuine smile came upon her lips. “You’re beautiful, you know?” Val had to hold back on the heat she suddenly experienced and exhaled a minty breath, pulling herself even closer to Maya.

Val’s firm arm pressed closer to Maya’s soft body hidden underneath her baggy shirt and pants she wore today. Inclining her head, Val had the wistful thought of trying to peek into Maya’s shirt.

She did and got a slight peek at Maya’s chest. Val’s gaze wandered to have her eyes linger on it longer, maybe even going further. She banished the thought and asked herself, “Why do you make me long for you so much?”

Val tried to rest her head against Maya’s, only to notice that Maya pulled away and covered her face with her sleeved hand.

“I-I think I see something there. Let’s check that out, shall we? Haha…” Maya skipped ahead, leaving Val to look longingly after her. However, it didn’t last for long before Val’s eyes wandered to Maya’s lower back, noticing another thought surfacing.

She followed after Maya, unable to shake away the thought.

—❂—

“Why did I confoundedly knew one of those things had to be here?” Maya’s complaining could be heard from the corner of the building, but Draugr had an awful hearing, so they weren’t worried.

“Greeeaar,” groaned the Draugr, scuffling around with his worn leather boots and boney feet. It looked just as rotten as its cousins the two girls had met not even a week ago.

Ask Maya, but she wished to have gone for an entire month without seeing one again—not that she ever wished to see them ever again.

“What now? Should we go around it?”

The Draugr groaned, patrolling the area and slashing languished at a nearby bush, startling a flock of birds.

Val shook her head and pointed further down the way. “Have to get. Past it. Kill it. Only Way.” she held up a hand before Maya. “Wait here. I’ll deal. With it—”

Before Val could leave, Maya pulled her back. “Let me help. Fighting it head-on wouldn’t be wise. I learned it the hard way. Besides, you are still recovering.”

Val frowned. “No. I’m good-”

“Trust me, please.” Maya took Val’s hand in hers. “I noticed how awkward your movements are sometimes. You’re not fully up yet, so lemme help.”

Reluctantly, Val let Maya sneak up closer and divert its attention. “Hey, ugly!” Maya shouted, and Val nervously rubbed her arm.

The Draugr headed its name and advanced at Maya. Its jaw hung half open, and its dirty and dead hair fell off its scalp strand by strand.

“Geese, you look outright hideous! Eww, what skein did you emerge from, the swamp?” Maya topped it with a fake laugh. It did its job to have the zombie warrior advance at her faster, axe firmly in hand.

Walking backwards, Maya taunted it further, getting it more fixed on her than on Val sneaking up to it. Though Maya forgot the little curbs tracing around the roads and tripped backwards. She fell on her butt and groaned.

“Oww, stupid, stupid. Oh, I don’t feel so good.” Maya held her upset stomach. Nausea was coming up so badly that she didn’t realise the sun gleaming from the Draugr’s raised axe. “Ah, fiddlesticks.”

*BONK*

The Draugr flew against a nearby tree and crashed down hard.

Oh, forgot to mention, but Val’s silver Valkyrie shield was disguised as Val’s new silver and rune-lined bracelet on her left arm. It was not just a charming little thing but also deadly for any Draugr who was a bit too upfront.

The undead Viking let out a pained groan. Val took it out with another hard bonk of her shield’s edge—the zombie crumbled to dust.

“You alright?” Val offered her hand. Maya almost confused her for the sun.

She gladly took the hand. “Yes, I’m sorry. I missed the step.”

Val nodded and rubbed Maya’s back. “Be more careful. Next time, ok?” For good measure, she kissed her hand, leaving any minor bruise there might have been. “Better?” she asked.

“Y-yeah-” Maya’s nausea vanished, or rather, was replaced by an unfamiliar fluttering in her stomach. Every time those moments with Val happened, Maya was more and more unable to hide what she felt for the Valkyrie. “Much better, thank you.”

Without a second thought or questioning it, they laced their hands in one another again and resumed their path. It was both unfamiliar, yet felt so right for them.

Their hearts were beating in sync, sharing the distinct warmth and sensation their hands transmitted from one another. Neither wanted to let go and keep on walking until they got home.

Alas, that wasn’t meant to happen for now. They had a Draugr problem at hand—an infestation with a witch in their midst.