I was out of sorts all the next week. It was starting to feel like spring, as if the winter was finally beginning to thaw. Birds started to sing.
I was still out of sorts. Kanesha did her best to cheer me up, but I’m afraid I was a burden on her, dragging her back down. It wasn’t the winter doing it. It was just the way I felt, partly because I hadn’t got into a good fight – I sparred with Thruor and she kicked my butt several times, but it only helped so much.
I was starting to get honestly frustrated with myself. Nothing, it seemed, was going to get me to calm down and get my head on straight. The early hope of spring was alternating with the iron grip of winter.
I had to do something about this. I wasn’t sure what that something was, but if I carried on like this I’d end up hurting somebody.
“You’re really out of sorts.” Thruor set the practice weapon down.
“I’m worried about Clara.”
The valkyrie shook her head. “I think there’s more to it than that.”
“Well, whatever it is, I can’t shake it. Maybe it’s just the weather.” I didn’t believe that, either.
“Or some disturbance you’re particularly sensitive to.”
I tossed down my own practice blade, with rather less care than usual. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be sensitive to or not sensitive to,” I grumbled.
“Who does? Odin might have some clue. So might your parents. But…” Thruor tailed off. “Your energies are all over the place, though.”
I nodded. “I don’t need anyone to tell me that. I’m a mess. I know most of it is…are people like us susceptible to stress?”
“Heck yes.” Thruor grinned a bit. “The best of us are.”
I imagined Odin getting stressed out and fighting with Frigga and managed to return the grin. “I think what I need is to do something productive. Achieve something. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels.”
“That’ll do it for anyone, mortal and otherwise.”
“I tried to go vampire hunting. Couldn’t find any.”
“We’ve scared them all off, I think. Okay. Leave this with me and Mike. I’ll try and come up with something.”
I picked up the blade and racked it. “Thanks. I’m…going for a walk.”
“That hasn’t helped before.”
“It’ll help me not end up snapping at somebody,” I snapped at her. Oops.