Valkyrie (Kate O'Hearn) - By Kate O'Hearn Page 0,48

for several moments. Finally she lifted her hand and reached out to touch a wing. Freya pulled it back and folded it tightly.

‘Please don’t touch. If you do—’

‘I’ll die,’ the Principal whispered dreamily. ‘Valkyrie: a reaper of souls from the battlefield. Also known as the Battle Maidens of Odin. I studied Norse Mythology in university. You are death itself.’

Freya shook her head. ‘I am not death, but I am a Battle Maiden of Odin who delivers the dead to him.’

Dr Klobucher staggered back. Freya caught her before she fell. At her touch, the Principal flinched.

‘Please don’t be afraid of me, I’m wearing my gloves,’ Freya said. ‘And I never take them off in school.’

‘H-how?’ the Principal stammered. ‘I don’t understand. Why are you here? Why would you choose my school?’

Freya assisted Dr Klobucher back to her chair and then covered her wings. As she pulled on her long coat, she started to speak filling her in on everything: the threat to Tamika’s family and how JP was terrorizing Archie and the weaker students at school.

‘We have a zero tolerance policy toward bullying,’ the Principal said. ‘But I know it happens – especially off school property. I’ve been trying to work with JP for years. He’s a very troubled boy.’

‘He’s dangerous,’ Freya said flatly. ‘While I am here, I’m going to teach the Geek Squad how to stand up to him.’

‘I can’t condone violence – especially from you. This is a school matter.’

‘Not violence,’ Freya corrected. ‘Defence. I will teach them to look out for each other and how to keep from being victims. I will not always be here to fight their battles.’

‘You can’t fight their battles!’ Dr Klobucher insisted. ‘You’re a Valkyrie! You could kill someone.’

‘I am well aware of that. But I have no intentions of killing anyone.’

‘You may not intend to, but it could happen. One mistake is all it will take. I’m sorry, but I can’t allow a Valkyrie to run loose in this school.’

‘Please don’t ask me to leave,’ Freya begged. ‘I’m careful. I have Orus with me to keep everyone away. I wear gloves and my coat. No one can touch my bare skin.’

‘How can I risk it?’

Freya leaned over the desk. ‘Dr Klobucher, I know you are a good woman. You care about everyone here; your staff and your students. I am a student. I may be unusual, but I am still just a student. Please, help me find a way to stay just a little while longer. Just until Tamika, Archie and the Geek Squad are safe.’

The principal looked down at Freya’s essay. ‘Is this really true? Were you there?’

Freya nodded. ‘I have been to every battle fought over the past six hundred years.’

Dr Klobucher raised her eyebrows. ‘If you have been through all those wars, it is no wonder you want to stay here.’ She paused. Finally, she nodded. ‘I must be insane to be considering this, but OK, I’ll help you. You may stay in school if you promise to be extra careful and keep a low profile. You are not to argue with your teachers, even if they are wrong. And if you make one mistake, just one, you must go. I am risking everything to allow you to stay. Please don’t disappoint me.’

Freya beamed with relief. ‘I promise. You’ll see. We can make this work. No one will ever learn the truth about me.’

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

While Archie slept, Freya felt restless. After her tense afternoon she needed to work off her anxieties and flying always helped. She changed into her leather trousers and black boots. She took her sword and breastplate and grabbed her long velvet coat.

‘I’m going for a flight,’ she announced to Orus. The raven was on the sofa watching television.

‘You can’t,’ Orus cried. ‘They’re about to start a Judge Judy Marathon. I can’t miss it.’

‘What’s a Marathon?’ Freya asked.

‘I don’t know,’ the raven replied excitedly. ‘But I want to see it. Judge Judy is my favourite show.’

‘Fine, stay here, Orus. You don’t have to come everywhere with me.’

The raven muttered under his breath and released the remote. He flew off the sofa and landed on her shoulder. He nipped her ear. ‘If I don’t go, who’s going to keep you out of trouble? Although I think it’s a little late for that!’

Soaring through the night sky, Orus flew close to Freya. ‘I thought you had done enough. You’re going to teach the Geek Squad to fight, and you are helping Tamika’s family. How much more do