After turning to a fresh page, she leaned forward to read the information card at the base of the suit. Armor for Field and Tournament, 1560, Germany. Okay, does that mean field, as in games, or field as in battlefield? She realized she knew nothing about armor and how it was used. Irony at its greatest, given how she had just gotten her heart trampled by someone all her college friends had warned her about.
Ugh, college, another thing she didn’t want to think about. She still hadn’t decided what major to take, and her two years at the community college were over as of last week. What she really wanted to do was enroll in the Chicago School of Art at the Institute, but living here was expensive, and she needed to find a new roommate. She also needed to find a way to pay for college.
Her mom wanted her to give up art and become a lawyer, so she could take out loans and repay them once she found a job. Jessie liked the idea of being a lawyer and representing people in need, but there wasn’t anything creative about it, and she craved creativity.
Still, helping people was kind of a big deal. When her mom had needed help getting a restraining order against Jessie’s dad, it had taken far too long. she and her mom had ended up homeless until a women’s shelter found them a room. Then it took forever to get the divorce finalized, and they felt helpless until it was over. Jessie ruminated over the possibilities as she sketched the suit of armor.
“Hello. Can you hear me?”
Jessie looked up from her sketch and glanced around, but only saw a few people passing through the room. Probably just someone on a cell phone. She went back to sketching.
“Excuse me young lady, I’m talking to you.”
The voice was a bit louder now, possibly female, but definitely coming from behind her. Jessie turned and looked; there was no one there, just a display of Viking short swords and daggers.
“Yes, I’m talking to you. Can you hear me?”
Startled, Jessie stood up and turned around, clutching the sketchpad to her chest. Was she losing her mind?
“Yes, you. The young lady with a sketchpad.”
The voice was even louder now, and definitely coming from the Viking display. Was someone behind the case?
“Where are you?” Jessie asked.
“In the case. Come closer, please.”
Jessie looked at the case, then up at the security camera in the corner, and finally back around the room, just to be sure.
“If someone’s pranking me, I am not amused,” she said, perhaps a bit loudly.
The guard across the room looked at her. It seemed like he was about to come over, but he stayed where he was.
The voice continued, “I assure you that I am not pranking you. My name is Vala, and I am the third sword from the left.”
Jessie raised an eyebrow, put her sketchbook down on the bench, and edged closer to the case. There were seven swords and three daggers inside, along with a number of informational pictures. She quickly assessed which sword was third from the left and looked at the index card below it.
“‘Viking Dagger, 800, Iron.’”
“No. Sorry. My left, your right.”
“Okay . . . ‘Viking Short Sword, age unknown, Iron and bronze. Gift of the Ericksohn Family.’”
“Yes. That one.”
“That can’t be you. You look like you’re made of steel, and you have gold scrollwork and sapphires on your hilt.”
“You see my true form.”
“But you look like the other weapon to everyone else?”
“Yes.”
Jessie glanced back at the guard, who was chatting with someone. She turned her attention back to the sword. “Are you seriously trying to tell me that a sword is talking to me?”
“Yes. You are potentially one of the Volka.”
“Uh . . . what?”
“I believe that you are of the bloodline of Freya’s Daughters.”
“The Norse Goddess?”
“Yes. Has your mother not told you of your heritage?”
“Look, I don’t know what’s going on here, but if this is a prank—”
Just then Jessie heard the authoritative steps of the guard approaching and she turned to see him five feet away from her.
“Can I help you with something?” he said with a smile.
“Uh . . . yeah. Is this an interactive display or something?”
“No. It’s just a regular armory display.”
“He can’t hear me, only you can hear me,” the voice said.