Valkyrie (Kate O'Hearn) - By Kate O'Hearn Page 0,63
toes and kissed the Watchman lightly on the cheek. ‘Thank you, Heimdall. I will be back soon.’
‘Fly safe, Valkyrie!’ Heimdall called as Maya leaped up into the sky.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
‘I’ve never been hit in the wings before. I didn’t think it would hurt so much.’
Freya, Archie and Tamika walked slower than usual as they made their way home.
‘We’ll put ice on them when we get home,’ Orus offered. ‘That will get the swelling down.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Archie moaned. ‘This is all my fault.’
Freya frowned. ‘Why? You didn’t hit me.’
‘Because JP was using me as bait. I should have known when his gang went after us and he wasn’t there. Ever since you proved you were stronger than him, he’s been waiting to get you.’
Freya stopped. ‘Archie, this wasn’t your fault. And I’m not hurt. Just bruised, that’s all. It will take more than a baseball bat to hurt me. Remember, I’m a Valkyrie. We’ve been shot at and blown up since wars on Earth first started. We’ve had arrows fired at us, cannons, rifles and hand grenades. As long as we wear our armour, we can’t be seriously injured.’
The words had only just left her mouth when they heard the heavy gunning of an engine. They turned and saw a large, blue pick-up truck jumping the kerb and driving along the pavement – straight at them.
Freya had only seconds to see JP behind the wheel. Hatred burned in his eyes and she felt murder in his heart. He wasn’t going to stop.
Tamika screamed. Freya knocked Orus off her shoulder and tried to push Tamika and Archie away. Tamika landed on the ground away from the vehicle, but Archie didn’t. He and Freya both received the full impact of the truck’s front end.
Freya was knocked high in the air. She instinctively tried to open her wings, but couldn’t. Their strength managed to tear off the closed buttons, but the coat itself would not give to free them enough. She crashed to the ground hard, landing on her back and bruised wings.
With the wind knocked out of her, Freya was barely aware of the sound of screeching brakes and a truck door opening. Still trying to catch her breath, she saw JP come running over. He was clutching his baseball bat but when he saw her lying on the ground he stopped. His mouth hung open in disbelief.
‘What are you?’ He kicked the side of her left wing and gasped as it moved and folded in tighter.
Freya was furious to realize her coat was wide open. Although they weren’t fully exposed, JP could see her half-unfolded wings fanned out beneath her.
‘What am I?’ she repeated as she climbed painfully to her feet. ‘I’m the last thing in this world you want to cross!’
‘You’re a mutant!’ JP cried. ‘That’s what you are. A freakin’ mutant!’
‘No, not a mutant – a very angry Valkyrie!’
Freya started to advance on JP. He threw the bat at her and she easily deflected it away.
‘Stay back, you freak.’
‘Do you remember when you broke your wrist?’ She stalked him slowly. ‘You did that trying to hit me.’
The sudden realization showed on his face. ‘That was you? You were invisible?’
Freya nodded and caught him by the coat. She pulled his face close to hers. ‘Angels of Death bow to me,’ she said tightly. ‘Kings cry before my kind. You, JP, have just sealed your fate!’
‘Freya,’ Orus called, ‘leave him and come quickly. It’s Archie!’
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Archie was lying very still in the street. There was a pool of blood spreading from him. The raven was hopping around him frantically while Tamika took off her coat and used it to apply pressure to a large open gash on his head.
Freya shoved JP away and ran to Archie’s side. He was unconscious. Despite Tamika’s attempts to stop it, he was still losing a lot of blood.
‘Freya, help him!’ Orus cawed.
‘How?’ She had never felt so helpless before. Her best friend was lying in the street, possibly dying. He needed help, but what could she do? Her touch meant death to him, not life.
‘Greta, here,’ Tamika called. ‘Be careful not to touch him, but hold this coat over his wound. I’m calling an ambulance.’
While she kept pressure on his head, Freya searched the sky for an Angel of Death. So far, none had come. Archie had a chance. But as she held the coat to his head wound, she could feel him starting to fade.