“I'll assign it for the abilities and skill points, then switch back to the Valkyr one.” Chelsea explained, taking another bite of the heart, feeling the juicy flesh drip down her chin. She had meant to be more graceful about it, but there was no graceful way to eat a raw heart.
“I'll assign it for the long term when I figure out how to consistently poke people with ghost weapons.”
“Miss Chelsea,” The younger elf maid interrupted, entering the dining room.
Chelsea turned toward her, still chewing.
“There is someone at the front door asking for you.”
Chelsea sighed. “Expecting an angry Maggie visit any day now. No rest for the wicked.”
She took one more bite, then stowed the half-eaten heart into her bag before standing. Fiona, meanwhile, was taking deep breaths and looked flushed. Probably the nausea. Chelsea giggled to herself. The morning nausea.
Chelsea left the dining room and followed the hall toward the front of the house. She could already hear voices on the other side of the door. Not loud exactly, but too many to be a normal visitor. Several women were speaking softly among themselves, their voices overlapping in a way that made Chelsea slow down before reaching the entryway.
She opened the door.
Twelve giant women stood outside.
They wore different styles of armor, each one distinct enough that Chelsea immediately knew they were not soldiers from the same army. Some wore plate. Some wore leather and chain. One had armor trimmed with white fur, while another wore polished dark metal that made her look like she had stepped out of an edgy fantasy novel. Their weapons were just as varied. Swords, axes, spears, bows, and one curved blade Chelsea could not identify hung from their belts or rested against their shoulders.
Standing in front of them was Freya.
She towered over the rest, which was ridiculous because the rest of them were already massive. Her winged helm still covered her eyes, and the white and gold armor she wore looked even more impressive in the morning light than it had in the strange dream hall. It was elegant without being soft, fitted plates over layered leather and cloth, with feather-like details worked into the metal.
She had to look up at all of them, especially Freya. Chelsea stared at them for a moment. Then she blinked and shook her head to clear her thoughts.
“You all got here fast,” Chelsea said, surprised. “I've only been out of bed for like thirty minutes.”
The blonde woman directly behind Freya straightened, her expression stern. “We are the Valkyr.”
Chelsea laughed because she could not help it. Just, we are the Valkyr, as if that explained their fast travel time.
“We are just having breakfast. Come on in. You are all welcome.”
Chelsea backed up, holding the door open, and gestured for them to enter.
Freya took the lead.
As they stepped inside, the Valkyr began removing their helmets. Chelsea watched them pass with growing curiosity. They were all women, all enormous, and all had the kind of presence that made the entry hall feel too small. Freya kept her helm on, which only made Chelsea more curious.
She used The Eyes.
???, ???
Chelsea stared at the empty information for a second.
Huh. The comma definitely meant there was a title. Maybe the title gave her the goddess-y powers. Chelsea had no idea how that worked, but she added it to the growing list of things she needed someone to explain later.
“You have a lovely home,” a brunette said as she stepped inside. Small braids ran throughout her hair, and she glanced around with open interest rather than judgment.
Chelsea used The Eyes on her.
Kristen, the Valkyr of Virtue
“Thank you so much,” Chelsea replied. “I do apologize. I wasn't expecting you so soon. I have to be at the adventurer's guild hall in a little while. Any of you can feel free to come along. Or, if you'd rather, you can each take a room and relax and wait for me to come back.”
Several of the Valkyr looked at one another. One of them laughed under her breath.
“You're definitely Havoc,” another said. “Nicest and most considerate person while you have blood all over you.”
Chelsea’s hand went to her chin.
Her fingers came away red. “Oh.”
Embarrassed, she pulled a dress from storage and began rubbing at her chin with the fabric.
The stern blonde who had been behind Freya looked around the entry hall again. “This house is confusing, though. Typically, Havocs will do strange things like donating all of the money they make to an orphanage.”
Chelsea used The Eyes.
Brea, the Valkyr of Truth
That was an inconvenient title.
Chelsea gave her most innocent smile. “Yeah. What a strange idea. An orphanage, you say? Weird.”
Brea stared at her.
Chelsea decided not to stare back too long. “Please follow me to the dining room. I don't know if we will have enough breakfast, but I'll have a maid make something.”
One of the women behind her had a deeper voice than the others, though still very much a woman’s. “Havoc, we are here to collect you. Not break bread.”
Chelsea turned slightly as she walked, keeping her expression sweet. “Aww, I know. That's why I invited you. You all seem very sweet and reasonable. I wanted to sit down and discuss everything. You see, I am still very confused by this whole situation.” She leaned into the helpless part a little.
If everyone wanted to call her Havoc, she might as well learn what they expected from one. Apparently, being overly generous, weirdly polite, and impossible to redirect were all on the list of Valkyr of Havoc. That was convenient, because Chelsea had been practicing those her entire life.
There were sighs of annoyance but no one seemed to argue. She really was filling some role they were familiar with. Chelsea took that as a good sign.
When they entered the dining room, Dewey and Fiona both went still. Dewey’s eyes widened as he took in the line of massive armored women filling the doorway behind Chelsea. Fiona’s hand froze near her stomach, and for once she seemed to forget she had been rubbing it.
Adriane looked up from the table.
Her expression did not change much, but Chelsea knew her well enough now to see the shift. The room had just become dangerous, and Adriane had noticed.
“Chelsea, who are your friends?” Adriane asked.
Chelsea stepped aside with a bright smile. “Mom, these are the other eleven Valkyr and their patron goddess, Freya.”
She gestured back toward the table.
“Valkyr and Freya, this is some of the Wixx family. Dewey Wixx and his lady friend Fiona, the Brutal, and this lovely lady is my mother, Adriane Wixx.”
Whispers moved through the group of valkyr. Chelsea tried not to look too pleased by that. Everyone knew who Adriane Wixx was. Even the Valkyr, apparently. Hell, even Freya seemed impressed when she said her name last night.
Adriane did not rise. She did not bow. She simply sat there with breakfast in front of her, calm as could be, looking at eleven legendary warrior women and a goddess.
Chelsea gestured to the table. “Please take a seat wherever you'd like. Or I can have someone show you to a room if you would like to rest from your long journey.”
The offer hung there for a second.
And Chelsea, still wiping blood off her chin with a dress, had just offered them breakfast and guest rooms like they were visiting friends who had arrived before tea.
“Awww,” one of them said from somewhere near the back. “She's just like the last Havoc.”
Chelsea used The Eyes on her.
Erica, the Valkyr of Deceit.
Chelsea furrowed her brow.
So not all of the Valkyr were good concepts.
She had assumed they would all be named after things like justice, honor, courage, and whatever other words belonged on a motivational poster. Truth made sense. Virtue made sense. Deceit was a little more concerning. Not necessarily bad, but definitely the kind of title that made Chelsea want to check whether her purse was still where she left it.
Chelsea curtsied to her anyway. “I hope that is a good thing,” she said, then gave her trademark smile.
“It's annoying,” one of them said.
Chelsea did not see which one said it, but it came from her far left. There were two Valkyr standing close together on that side, and The Eyes gave her Duty and Law before they shifted just enough to make it difficult to tell which title belonged to which woman.
“I suppose I'm not everyone's cup of tea,” Chelsea said, turning toward the two of them. “I hope you can forgive my annoyance.”
Duty looked toward Law as Chelsea spoke, which was enough to give her away.
“Chels?” Ivy asked, entering the room. “Sorry, I fell back asleep. Are you...”
Ivy stopped at the edge of the dining room.
Her eyes moved over the gathered women, then to Freya. Chelsea watched the realization land on her face all at once. The elf was still wearing the sleepwear Chelsea had bought for her, which thankfully was one of the modest sets and not that one set Chelsea had purchased while thinking with entirely different parts of her brain.
Ivy’s cheeks went pink.
Chelsea moved to her side immediately and slipped an arm around her back. “This is Ivy, my girlfriend. Or I guess consort? Still haven't figured out the right word.” Chelsea continued, smiling proudly. “These lovely ladies are the other Valkyr, and this is their patron goddess, Freya.”
“You are a Valkyr, and she is your patron goddess too,” one of them said.
Chelsea looked toward the speaker, but she had already lost track of who was who. There were too many enormous women in too much armor with too many serious faces. It was going to take time to remember all of them.
“Oh no, I'm under Bodarex's umbrella,” Chelsea explained, spreading out one wing slightly. “Goes with the whole demon vibe.”
A few of the Valkyr scoffed. Freya raised one hand to stop them from being disrespectful. The scoffing stopped immediately.
Chelsea found that interesting. Freya still had not said anything since arriving. The helm remained over her eyes, and she stood near the table like some beautiful, wing-helmed statue. Maybe she could not speak freely while walking around with mortals. Or maybe she was letting the Valkyr lead? Chelsea hated that it was working.
“Ivy needs to eat some breakfast, and then we are heading to the guild,” Chelsea explained. She looked over the group, doing her best to look like a proper host and not like a demon who had been eating a heart ten minutes ago. “How many of you would like a room for now?”
The Valkyr looked around at one another. After a moment, three of them raised a hand in front of their faces.
“I will show you to them. Ivy, eat up. I have a feeling it's going to be a long day.”
Ivy glanced from Chelsea to the three Valkyr, then to the table. “Okay. Oh hey, are we still going to run supplies by the orphanage after?”
Chelsea closed her eyes with a smirk. Of course she said that in front of the valkyr.
She turned back around, very aware of the way several Valkyr had gone still with smirks on their faces. “Of course, we are. Now, if you three will follow me.”
Chelsea led them from the dining room before anyone could ask too many questions. The house felt much quieter once they stepped into the hall, though three Valkyr following behind her still made the space feel crowded. Their armor shifted softly with each step, metal and leather moving in little sounds.
“Havoc, I must ask,” one of them said as they walked. Her voice practically oozed appreciation. “What is that exquisite armor over there?”
Chelsea glanced toward the pieces they had left displayed near the hall.
“Oh, something we picked up after killing a greater dragon. Which do you prefer? A sunny room? Or something with shade in the morning?” she asked, powering through the mention of her beloved ivory dragon.
The Valkyr went quiet for a second behind her.
Chelsea smiled to herself and kept walking.
She dropped off the first two easily enough. One wanted a room with as much sunlight as possible. The other asked for something near the stairs, which Chelsea thought was a little odd until she realized the woman probably wanted a defensible position. Valkyr were weird like that.
By the time she reached the last room, Chelsea looked back at the remaining Valkyr. “And you said a shady room?”
“Havoc, may we talk?” the unnamed Valkyr asked.
Chelsea took a better look at her.
She had ashen hair pulled into a high ponytail, with small braids running over her ears. Her armor looked similar to Freya’s in style, though far less elaborate. White and silver plates rested over fitted leather, and a cute white skirt moved over her thighs as she walked. The helmet tucked beneath her arm had small wing details, but nothing like Freya’s grand helm.
“Sure,” Chelsea said.
She led her into a room across the hall and opened the door. “This room will give you a beautiful view of our wildflower field.”
Chelsea stepped inside and adjusted the curtain, letting morning light spill across the floor. Beyond the window, the field stretched out behind the house. The large shade tree stood in the distance, and the wind moved through the wildflowers in soft waves of color. It was the kind of view that made the whole place feel peaceful.
The Valkyr barely looked at it.
“Havoc, please. You have to come back with us.”
Chelsea turned back to her and used The Eyes.
Delilah, the Valkyr of Passion.
That explained the tone.
Chelsea pulled out the chair at the room’s small desk and gestured for Delilah to sit on the bed if she wanted. “Can you elaborate more?” She asked, sitting down
“You're supposed to be my pair,” Delilah started.
Chelsea furrowed her eyebrows.
Delilah seemed to realize how it sounded and held both hands up in defense. “No, no, no, not like that. I'm the Valkyr of Passion.”
“Everyone thinks that means I'm obsessed with sex. Even my class description refers to it. But no. I mean, yes, sex is great, but it's not my obsession.”
Delilah walked across the room and threw her helmet onto the bed with a little more force than necessary. The winged metal bounced once on the blanket before settling near the pillows. She sat beside it and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.
“I am passionate about the things I am passionate about. Honing my technique, being a Valkyr, hell, even honor. Never thought I would become one of the honor obsessed, but here I am.”
Chelsea nodded slowly, trying to follow the actual point under the frustration.
“The ‘you’re my pair’ thing?” Chelsea asked, getting her back on track.
“Right.” Delilah rubbed a hand over her face, then seemed to gather herself. “I don't know if you are any good at math, but the twelve are what's called an even number. Meaning there are six pairs.”
Chelsea resisted the urge to say anything. It took a lot of effort. Instead, Chelsea smiled politely and let her continue.
“The pairs do everything together,” Delilah said. “Train, eat, sleep, gossip, then train more. Law has Absolutes, Deceit has Suffering, and so on. But for the last four years, since I joined the Valkyr, I haven't had my Havoc.”
Her voice softened at that last part.
Not much, but enough for Chelsea to notice.
“But here you are,” Delilah continued. “We are supposed to be able to force you to come, but unfortunately...”
“My mother?” Chelsea asked with a smile.
“Your mother,” Delilah confirmed with a nod while staring at the floor.
Chelsea laughed, unable to help herself. “She's a bit overprotective. Though she did let me kill twenty-one bandits without a weapon, so she's not all bad.”
The memory came back easily. Adriane’s rules. The blood. The panic. The first awful, wonderful realization that human flesh did not make her sick.
Chelsea chuckled softly. “That was the first time I tried human.”
Delilah stared at her for a moment, obviously trying to figure out if she was serious or not.
“How are you a demon? Humans can't birth demons. Or can they?”
“Oh no, she found me when I was little and adopted me,” Chelsea said with a smile. Technically true. Sort of.
Delilah accepted it, though her eyes remained curious. “Is that why you are helping orphanages?”
Chelsea laughed. “No, nothing like that. I help them because it's the right thing to do. They are the most defenseless people in the kingdom and need help. I have the means to help them, so I do.”
“Don't you mean your mom has the means?” Passion asked. She did not seem to mean it rudely, but it definitely came out that way.
Chelsea smiled anyway.
“Oh no, my mother can't do math to save her life. I am in charge of all Wixx finances.”
“Oh, so you can do some math?” the big woman asked.
“A little,” Chelsea said. She looked over and winked.
Delilah stared at her for another second, then glanced toward the window as if the wildflower field might explain why a demon was running the finances of one of the most powerful families on the continent.
Chelsea let the silence sit for a moment before leaning into what she actually wanted.
“Can you stay here? We have plenty of room. I'd be more than happy to be your pair here, train with you, and show you the ways of being nice to orphans.”
She smiled at the last part.
Delilah looked pained by how sincere the offer was. “You don't understand. That's not how this works,” she sighed.
She had built an entire future around the idea that Chelsea would simply arrive, accept her place, and become part of whatever life the Valkyr already had waiting. That was unfortunate for Delilah. Chelsea already had a life.
“Come with me today,” Chelsea said. “Just you. None of the others. Follow me around for the day.”
Delilah studied her for a while. Chelsea could almost see the argument happening behind the woman’s eyes. Duty to the Valkyr. The desire to drag Chelsea back where she belonged. Maybe a little hope, though Chelsea was not sure if that made things better or worse.
Finally, Delilah exhaled. “Fine.”
Chelsea gave a single nod and stood.
Maybe not a solution, but Chelsea had learned to appreciate steps. Enough steps in the right direction could turn into something huge before anyone realized what was happening.
“Let's get a move on then. Very busy day. Working with my aunt today with spears. Gotta remember rags.”