sounds.
‘I don’t know,’ said the other attacker. ‘Maybe it did.’
‘Well, I don’t believe you,’ chimed a new boy. He was standing with his hands on his hips, looking doubtful.
‘Oh, no?’ the first one said. ‘Who do you think broke JP’s wrist? It sure wasn’t Daisy. He was too busy crying and begging for his pathetic life.’
‘Yeah, it was the invisible creature. She did it,’ claimed the other bully.
The boys searched the yard for signs of Archie. When they moved close, Freya tensed to fight again.
‘I’ll tell you one thing,’ the first boy said. ‘Daisy had better hope that creature does take him away. I ain’t never seen JP so mad. He says he’s gonna put Daisy in the ground on Monday. Even I’m feeling sorry for him.’
Archie started to tremble in Freya’s arms. Fear was pouring from him in heavy waves. She realized that by saving him today, she’d caused him even more trouble.
When the group of boys gave up the search and left the yard, Freya stood with Archie for several minutes.
‘Where do you live?’ she asked, as he gradually calmed down.
‘Not far,’ he said softly. ‘But I don’t think I can make it.’
‘You can. I will help you.’
‘Freya, what are you doing?’ Orus whispered . ‘It is unfortunate, but you can’t help him. That awful boy is going to get him no matter what you do. You are here to save Tyrone’s family. You don’t have time to help everyone you meet.’
Freya shot him a look, but said nothing as she supported Archie.
It was a long walk to his home along tree-lined streets. As this was late autumn, the leaves were falling. There was a crisp smell of winter coming on. It wouldn’t be long until there was snow.
They walked in silence, but Freya could still feel the fear coming from Archie.
They arrived before a small house and Archie carefully led them up the front steps. Freya looked up at the door.
‘Do you have family here who can help you?’
Archie was hesitant to answer. ‘I’ll be OK. Thank you again . . .’ He paused. ‘I don’t even know your name.’
‘I can’t tell you,’ Freya said. ‘It’s a rule.’
‘Well, thank you anyway,’ he said softly as he approached the front door.
Freya watched him pause before the door and she felt something more than fear. Something much worse – resignation. Archie knew he was going to receive a worse beating on Monday. But he wasn’t going to do anything about it.
‘I could teach you,’ Freya finally offered.
Archie pulled his key from his pocket and put it in the lock. ‘Teach me what?’
‘How to fight and defend yourself against those boys.’
‘What?’ Orus cried. ‘Have you lost your mind?’
‘You would do that?’ Archie asked.
Freya ignored the screaming raven at her shoulder. ‘I have been around battlefields all my life. I would do it in exchange for your assistance.’
A spark of life began to glow in Archie’s eyes. ‘What can I do?’
‘I need to find a family,’ Freya said. ‘I came here to help them.’
For the first time, Archie smiled. It was a beautiful smile. ‘Is that what Valkyries do?’ he asked. ‘They help people?’
‘Not quite,’ Freya answered. ‘But I do want to help them.’
‘And me?’
Freya looked long and hard at Archie. This was madness. She had run away from Asgard to protect one family, and now she was going to take on more? But with all the hope she felt coming from him, how could she say no?
‘Yes, Archie, I am here to help you too.’
Archie unlocked the front door and held it wide as he welcomed her into his home.
CHAPTER SIX
W hile Archie showered and changed his clothes, Freya looked around the small house. This was the first human home she had ever been in and it was nothing like her home in Asgard. It was a fraction of the size and the furnishings were very different.
Though they were old and very tired, all the furniture and objects were clean and well ordered. As she wandered round the
‘I don’t know,’ said the other attacker. ‘Maybe it did.’
‘Well, I don’t believe you,’ chimed a new boy. He was standing with his hands on his hips, looking doubtful.
‘Oh, no?’ the first one said. ‘Who do you think broke JP’s wrist? It sure wasn’t Daisy. He was too busy crying and begging for his pathetic life.’
‘Yeah, it was the invisible creature. She did it,’ claimed the other bully.
The boys searched the yard for signs of Archie. When they moved close, Freya tensed to fight again.
‘I’ll tell you one thing,’ the first boy said. ‘Daisy had better hope that creature does take him away. I ain’t never seen JP so mad. He says he’s gonna put Daisy in the ground on Monday. Even I’m feeling sorry for him.’
Archie started to tremble in Freya’s arms. Fear was pouring from him in heavy waves. She realized that by saving him today, she’d caused him even more trouble.
When the group of boys gave up the search and left the yard, Freya stood with Archie for several minutes.
‘Where do you live?’ she asked, as he gradually calmed down.
‘Not far,’ he said softly. ‘But I don’t think I can make it.’
‘You can. I will help you.’
‘Freya, what are you doing?’ Orus whispered . ‘It is unfortunate, but you can’t help him. That awful boy is going to get him no matter what you do. You are here to save Tyrone’s family. You don’t have time to help everyone you meet.’
Freya shot him a look, but said nothing as she supported Archie.
It was a long walk to his home along tree-lined streets. As this was late autumn, the leaves were falling. There was a crisp smell of winter coming on. It wouldn’t be long until there was snow.
They walked in silence, but Freya could still feel the fear coming from Archie.
They arrived before a small house and Archie carefully led them up the front steps. Freya looked up at the door.
‘Do you have family here who can help you?’
Archie was hesitant to answer. ‘I’ll be OK. Thank you again . . .’ He paused. ‘I don’t even know your name.’
‘I can’t tell you,’ Freya said. ‘It’s a rule.’
‘Well, thank you anyway,’ he said softly as he approached the front door.
Freya watched him pause before the door and she felt something more than fear. Something much worse – resignation. Archie knew he was going to receive a worse beating on Monday. But he wasn’t going to do anything about it.
‘I could teach you,’ Freya finally offered.
Archie pulled his key from his pocket and put it in the lock. ‘Teach me what?’
‘How to fight and defend yourself against those boys.’
‘What?’ Orus cried. ‘Have you lost your mind?’
‘You would do that?’ Archie asked.
Freya ignored the screaming raven at her shoulder. ‘I have been around battlefields all my life. I would do it in exchange for your assistance.’
A spark of life began to glow in Archie’s eyes. ‘What can I do?’
‘I need to find a family,’ Freya said. ‘I came here to help them.’
For the first time, Archie smiled. It was a beautiful smile. ‘Is that what Valkyries do?’ he asked. ‘They help people?’
‘Not quite,’ Freya answered. ‘But I do want to help them.’
‘And me?’
Freya looked long and hard at Archie. This was madness. She had run away from Asgard to protect one family, and now she was going to take on more? But with all the hope she felt coming from him, how could she say no?
‘Yes, Archie, I am here to help you too.’
Archie unlocked the front door and held it wide as he welcomed her into his home.
CHAPTER SIX
W hile Archie showered and changed his clothes, Freya looked around the small house. This was the first human home she had ever been in and it was nothing like her home in Asgard. It was a fraction of the size and the furnishings were very different.
Though they were old and very tired, all the furniture and objects were clean and well ordered. As she wandered round the
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