Valkyrie (Kate O'Hearn) - By Kate O'Hearn Page 0,34
slowly drove back the night, Freya thought again of Maya, wondering what was happening now in Asgard.
CHAPTER TEN
It was deep in the night when Maya returned from dancing at Valhalla and retired to the room she shared with her younger sister. As she changed for bed, she noticed Freya wasn’t there.
‘Have you seen Freya and Orus?’ she asked her raven as she settled him on his perch.
‘Not since earlier,’ Grul said. ‘I saw them talking to Loki.’
‘Loki? Why would they talk to him?’ Maya crossed the room and felt her sister’s bed. ‘It’s cold. She hasn’t been here.’
‘You know Freya. She’s probably gone for another long flight. Orus is always putting her up to these things and leading her astray. I’m sure they’ll be back soon.’
‘I hope so,’ Maya agreed. ‘We have another reaping to attend in the morning. I don’t want her to be late.’
Maya started her nightly procedure of combing out her beautiful, long flaxen hair and grooming her wings. She put fragrant oils on her feathers and preened them until they shone. As she climbed into bed, she looked over at her sister’s empty place. ‘Don’t be too late, Freya,’ she muttered softly. ‘You know how angry Mother gets.’
But even as Maya lay her head down, she knew she wouldn’t sleep. Freya hadn’t been to bed. Grul said he’d seen her and Orus speaking with Loki earlier that evening. But Freya had no business talking to that troublemaker.
She rolled over and tried to force herself to sleep. But it didn’t work. Thoughts of her sister wouldn’t let her rest. Freya constantly worried her. All her life, she had been different. Somehow lost and unable to find her way. She wasn’t happy being a Valkyrie and longed for more.
Though Maya tried her best to help, nothing she did could ease her sister’s loneliness. Freya was searching for something in her life. But no one seemed to know what it was – least of all Freya herself.
Finally Maya gave up trying to sleep. She rose and got dressed.
‘What’s happening?’ Grul said as he was roused on his perch.
‘I’m going to find Freya.’
‘Why? She’s probably just out flying again, just like she did on the eve of her First Day Ceremony.’
‘No, this is different,’ Maya said. She reached for her armour and pulled it on. ‘Last time, I could feel her and knew where she went. But now I feel nothing – as though she doesn’t even exist.’
‘Freya wouldn’t go anywhere,’ insisted the raven. ‘Orus may be incompetent and ill-tempered but he would never let her get into trouble.’
Maya shook her head. ‘I know my sister, Grul. Something is very wrong. Freya has always been restless, but she’s been worse since she reaped that soldier. She’s distracted. She goes off flying alone and has private conversations with Loki. Something is up and I must know what it is. I won’t be able to sleep until I know she’s safe.’
Grul made an impatient huffing sound, but flew on to Maya’s shoulder. ‘Why are you wearing your armour? You don’t need it here.’
Maya reached for her winged helmet. ‘Because I have the strange feeling that Freya isn’t here any more.’
‘Do you mean, not in this house?’
Maya shook her head as she leaped out of the window and spread her wings. ‘No, I mean not in Asgard.’
CHAPTER ELEVEN
It was the early hours of Monday morning and Freya was nervous for her first day at school.
She dressed carefully in clothes that Alma had made her. A slipcover for her wings and a lovely, long, chequered Steampunkesque skirt. She’d also given Freya elbow length, burgundy-coloured leather gloves so she didn’t have to wear Archie’s winter pair. Then she pulled on one of Brian’s altered frilly tops over her breastplate.
‘You are wearing your armour to school?’ Orus asked. ‘What are you expecting? And don’t tell me you are taking your sword!’
Freya shook her head. ‘Not my weapons, or my helmet. But remember, the bullies said they would get Archie today. I want to make sure nothing happens to him.’
Orus hopped across the bed and picked at a feather poking out of the duvet. ‘You really like him, don’t you?’
Freya paused. ‘He’s all right, for a human.’
Orus cawed in laughter. ‘No, you really like him! I can see it.’
‘You don’t know what you are talking about.’
A knock at the door cut off further conversation and Freya was grateful for the interruption. ‘Come in.’
Archie entered. ‘I’ve got the papers folded and set to go. Are you ready?’