School, of course, tracked us down. They were able to partially reopen. Some classes would be held in the gym. But…

School. How could I go back? I hadn’t seen hide nor flame of a giant, but…and I had a hideous commute.

Then, while I waited at the bus stop, Thruor pulled up on her bike. “Hop on.”

“What?”

“You really want to take the bus? Come on.” She handed me a helmet.

I tugged it on and hopped onto the bitch seat. “Thanks.”

“Good way to check on you. Also, Kanesha’s got her own escort this morning.”

“I can’t stay this far from her. I’m…”

“Responsible. In love.” She gave both statements in exactly the same tone. No judgment to either.

All I could do was fall silent. I couldn’t, though. But it was the situation we were in and short of putting ourselves entirely outside human law.

“She’s being protected. She’s got a sister with her more than capable of running from fire giants…and who has the sense to know when to run.”

“Hey. They ran from me.”

“They know how much trouble they’ll be in if they hurt you.”

Knowing she was right, I fell silent the rest of the way to school. I knew I couldn’t count on a ride every day, and she dropped me off a block away.

Which was a good thing. I didn’t want to be seen arriving on a cool bike – Thruor might get mobbed. I wanted one of my own, but I wasn’t…at least not yet…a valkyrie, so I supposed it would have to wait.

Maybe I could negotiate one out of Odin or his master of horse or…

I tried not to laugh at the thought of…but I couldn’t help it. I hid the laugh in my locker. But maybe it was somebody I could approach, even if he was a horse. He was also my brother.

Now that was not something I wanted to think about at length. Maybe shape wasn’t as important as spirit, though.

And to a shapeshifter, shape definitely wouldn’t be as important as spirit. He’d refused to teach me, though. Maybe he thought it would interfere with whatever plans Odin had for me.

Beyond talking Loki out of starting Ragnarok tomorrow, that was.