Valkyrie (Kate O'Hearn) - By Kate O'Hearn Page 0,77

. .’ Her imploring eyes looked at her sister. ‘Maya, what’s wrong with me?’

‘You know what it is. The dance is almost here. On Saturday we will lose Archie forever and it’s hurting you.’ Maya paused and looked at her sister as though seeing her for the first time. ‘I never imagined you could feel things so deeply. Archie has really changed you.’

‘It’s not just Archie. It’s everyone. I adore Uniik and want to see how Tamika grows up. Look how Leo Max has changed. He is brave and strong and looks out for the others. They are all my friends. I don’t want to leave them.’

Maya gave her sister a powerful hug. ‘And that is the tragedy for all of you. Freya, I know in Asgard you are lonely. In time, you will grow older and that will ease. But you know you can’t stay here. They are human. You are a Valkyrie. The two aren’t meant to mix.’

Freya dropped her head. ‘I know. I also know I shouldn’t have let myself care for them. But I do. And now that I’ve got to go, it is tearing me apart.’

Maya kissed her on the forehead. ‘Look, we still have a couple of days. Find joy in the time we have left. Let the others know that you care. Even if you can’t tell them you are leaving, let them know how you feel, so that when you are gone, they will remember.’

Freya nodded. ‘You’re right. I’m not being fair to them or me. From this moment on, I will let them see how happy they’ve made me.’

‘Me too!’ Orus agreed from her shoulder. ‘For these last few days, I promise not to bite or peck at anyone.’ The raven paused. ‘Except for Grul.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The next morning Freya and Maya stood outside the school, waiting. Archie was late.

‘Where is he?’ Freya demanded.

‘He’ll be here,’ Maya offered. ‘Just calm down.’

‘If she has done anything to him,’ Freya threatened, ‘I don’t care what Odin does to me, I swear I will take off my glove and reap her!’

Orus leaped off her shoulder and rose in the air. ‘Wait here. I’ll see if I can find him.’

Several minutes later, Archie appeared down the street with Orus sitting on his shoulder. He was walking slowly with his head down. When he arrived at the school steps, they could see that his eyes were red. He looked as if he hadn’t slept.

Freya leaped down the stairs. ‘Are you all right?’

Archie nodded. ‘Just tired. Mom won’t tell me where she’s been or what’s happened to her. This morning she locked herself in her room and wouldn’t talk to me.’

Freya balled her hands into fists. Maya came up beside her and placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

‘I’m sure she’ll tell you when she’s ready,’ Maya said. ‘It’s late, you’d better get inside. I’ll meet you both right here after school.’

Freya remained close to Archie all day. Some of the sparkle was slowly returning to his eyes as Tamika and the members of the Geek Squad crowded round him, offering their support.

Orus too was keeping close. The raven spent most of his time on Archie’s shoulder instead of Freya’s.

At lunch, Archie was more himself and talking about the dance later that night. ‘My mom says I can’t go. But I’m going anyway. Right after school, I’ll sneak back home and grab my clothes.’ He looked at Tamika. ‘Can I come over to your house to get dressed?’

‘Of course,’ Tamika said. ‘Greta and Mia are changing there, so you can too.’

Leo Max put his arm around Archie. ‘And we’ll all come home with you just to make sure your mother doesn’t try to stop you.’

‘Then it’s settled,’ Freya said. ‘Tonight we shall all have the time of our lives and dance like there’s no tomorrow!’

As the clocked ticked away the final hours, Freya looked around the school with more than a trace of sadness. This was her last day here. Tomorrow she would return to Asgard. The only time she would be able to return to Earth would be to reap soldiers on the battlefield.

Each moment became a treasured memory. The noise, the crowds of kids jamming the hall, the smell of the school, all of it. This would be all she would have to take with her.

‘Are you OK?’ Orus asked. He was back on her shoulder.

‘I guess so,’ Freya said as they walked to her locker. ‘But I’m going to miss this place so much.’

‘Perhaps Odin

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