"And the prom?"

"Will you make it up to me afterwards?" He wiggled his brows.

My face warmed. "Only if you promise to make it up to me after the senior prom."

He laughed. "We're making booty call dates already. Perfectly normal."

I grabbed my cell phone and blew him a kiss. He pretended to catch it.

"You know you don't have to do that," Femi said, entering the kitchen with a tray from Dad's room.

"I don't mind." I put the last pan in the rack to dry and reached for a table cloth to wipe the counter down. "You do everything else around here."

"Half the day I sit and talk to your father. He loves to hear my version of history as opposed to what Mortals write. Today we were discussing misinterpretation of my people's history."

I listened to Femi as I rinsed the dishes in the tray and put them in the dishwasher. Once I wiped down the tray and put it in the cupboard under the sink, I turned and faced her.

"There's something that keeps bothering me. You are from Ancient Egypt. Hawk is a Blackfoot Native American. Both of you have no ties to the Norse Pantheon. How did you end up in Asgard?"

She chuckled. "If I can tell you the number of times we've been asked that question. We'll need something to drink for this."

"Not me. I'm good." I watched her measure ground coffee into a filter and start the coffeemaker. Torin was big on vetting everyone around me, but I was sure Mom would not have hired Femi if she didn't completely trust her.

Femi waved me over to a chair. "Immortals and Valkyries come from every continent and every corner of the globe. No pantheon is better or more powerful than the other. Norse, Egyptian, Vodun, Greek, Roman, Incan, Mayan, Hindu, Chinese, Slavic, Sumerian, and many more. The problem with gods and goddesses is that they are proud and selfish. They only stay involved in our lives and listen to our needs if and only if we still revere them and ask them for help. You ignore them and they get angry and retreat in their realm. My gods rest in the Duat, a realm of the dead, the gods and everything supernatural. It's pretty much similar to this world, except it's magical. My people stopped revering their gods, so they retreated. The same thing happened with the other old religions. Just a minute."

She got up to pour us coffee. She must have forgotten I didn't want any and brought back two steaming mugs. She drank hers black, but I liked mine sweetened and creamed. I got a creamer and sat.

"For awhile there the Greek pantheon was strong because of the heroic deeds of the demigods, but the Norse Pantheon outgrew them because of Valkyries, Grimnirs, and Immortals. The fact that they recruit priests and priestesses regardless of race or continent works in their favor. We connect the gods and the Mortals. Valkyries and Grimnirs with their daily trips to the realm of the gods. We, Immortals, by working here on earth to make sure Mortals don't destroy each other."

I forgot about the movie we were going to watch as she regaled me with tales from around the world. The wars she'd fought in, causes she'd taken, and of course, the Valkyries she'd been assigned to.

"It is an honor to serve your family. One day, I can boast that I served you when you were just a young, fledgling Immortal."

I winced. "That sounds bad."

She laughed. "No. We were all young once, but we can't escape our destiny. Watching over you is mine." She leaned forward and added, "And that's despite being considered hot tempered and impossible to get along with. A rebel among Immortals."

"Really? I would never have guessed." She laughed. But I reached a decision. Mom trusted Femi, so I should trust her too. "Talking of destinies, I had more visions."

Her eyes lit up. "When?"

"Last night and this afternoon. They happen when I touch magical objects."

"Soon, it won't matter whether they are magical or not. You'll connect with the ka of things and people."

"Ka?"

"The soul. My people believe everything, people, plants, animals, even inanimate objects have a soul. Did you black out again?"

I grimaced. "Yeah. I forgot that I was having a vision and panicked."

She gripped my hands. "Then we'll work on helping you stay in control and remembering it is just an illusion. We'll start with magical objects. Their kas are much more powerful, which is why they are the first ones you've connected with. Then we'll move to things, then Mortals." She reached under her nurse's tunic and gripped the ankh amulet she wore around her neck.

"I also know that the people killing Seeresses are really after me," I added.

She sighed. "I'd suspected it, but I was hoping you wouldn't come to that realization yet. We have much work to do before they get here. And make no mistake, they will. I need to talk to that boyfriend of yours and Andris. Hawk must also be in the loop since you'll be working at the shop." She looked up and groaned. "Look at the time. I need to get your father ready for the night."

It was only eight-thirty. After I wished Dad goodnight, I headed upstairs and booted up my computer. It was time to learn more about Torin's family. I settled in bed and Googled the de Clare family.

Alexander Paul d'Arques, the twentieth Earl of Worthington, was elected to the House of Lords in two-thousand. The earldom had passed down from one generation to another. A few times they lost it due to treason, sons being disinherited, some even forfeiting the title to distant relatives. One line caught and held my attention.

Adelaide d'Arques was executed for heresy in twelve-ten. Her accuser was her pious husband and a close friend of the king, William de Clare, Lord of Oakley and Earl of Worthington.

Yikes. This was different from the version Torin had told me.

There were very few photographs of the d'Arques online, except the present earl and his family. I studied him and his three sons and daughter. None of them had black hair and blue eyes like Torin. Since they didn't look like Torin, who the heck was after me?

CHAPTER 8. FRESH RUNES.

There were freaking protection runes on my car. They looked garish just like they did the first time Mom scribbled them on my car months ago. I really, really hated runes on my personal things. Torin knew that. I glanced at my house and groaned.

Seriously?

The man I plan to slowly kill sauntered across the lawn. I forgot about the runes as my heart tripped. He wore a white tee under his leather jacket. He rarely wore white, but it looked great against his black hair and leather jacket. Was it always going to be like this with him? The excitement of his presence. The anticipation and flutter of my heart even when I wanted to scream at him?

"Is this really necessary?" I waved to indicate my car.

"Absolutely." He wrapped an arm around my waist, lowered his head, and planted a kiss on my nose. "Come on. Time for school."

He was in such a chipper mood, I was sure he had more unpleasant surprises in store for me. He half-jogged around the hood of my car and gave me a what-are-you-waiting-for look across the hood as he opened the passenger door.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"You seemed pretty pleased with yourself. So what did you do other than etch these on my car and house?"

His innocent smile didn't fool me. I put my backpack and oboe in the back of the car and slid behind the wheel. The trees around our homes and the neighbors' all had runes. More runes on trees along the road, buildings, around the school's parking lot, and on the school building.

"When did you have time to do all this?" I asked, touched despite my unease.

"Last night."

"You do know you can't wrap me in a cocoon in the name of keeping me safe."

"We decided it was the right thing to do now."

"We?" I asked, parking in the lot across from school.

"Me, Andris, Femi, and Blaine. Oh, and Hawk. Femi contacted him. You engage your runes, nearby runes respond and start a domino effect. We'll feel the ripple wherever we are and pinpoint your location." He stroked my hair, tucked a lock behind my ear. "And the best part, you start training today. You'll work on speed, engaging your runes while on your feet, and evasive maneuvers. I know the perfect place for practice. After dinner, you can work with Femi on channeling your energy."

This was good. I leaned over and kissed him. "You are amazing."

"I know."

"You should have asked me to help with the runes," I added.

Torin grinned. "You would have slowed us down."

"Hey!" I protested, but he got out of the car before I could act.

He was still laughing when I joined him. "This is why you need to train. Your reflexes are slow. You think and act like a Mortal. That jab should have caught me in the ribs. If you'd engaged your strength runes, you would have cracked a few."

I'd never knowingly hurt him like that. I gave a dramatic sigh. "There goes my belief that being a Vlva meant I'd be pampered and revered, and I never have to lift a finger."

"That was then. You have to think and act like a Valkyrie. You have to be fast and strong."

"Oh gee. I thought all Valkyries did was reap souls," I teased. Cora waved to us from the school entrance. "Cora says souls are defenseless and scared like newborn babies."

Torin snickered. "She deals with lost souls. We pluck them from the middle of battle fields, avalanche, hurricanes, earthquakes... "He stopped and scowled. "Why am I telling you what you already know? The Valkyries in Valhalla and Falkvang train with the warriors. During Ragnarok, everyone will go to war. Everyone. Even you."

"What?" I screeched.

"Yo, St. James," Heath Kincaid, running back, called from behind us at the same time. As usual, he was with his three sidekicks-Sloane Menken, Pete Cavanaugh, and Drew, the annoying guy who'd dated Maliina during the weeks she'd impersonated Cora.

"We are having a birthday party for my boy here," Heath slanted his head to indicate Sloane, "on Friday at L.A. Connection. He's getting a full ride to U of O, thanks to our stellar performance at state. All the guys are coming, so we hope you," Heath pressed a fist in his palm and bowed toward Torin, "and Raine will make it. It starts at eight o'clock."

I developed selective hearing when they mentioned L. A. Connection. I'd avoided that club since my seventeenth birthday party when a swim team member died.

"Raine?" Cora yelled. She was getting impatient.

I touched Torin's arm, indicated Cora, and mouthed, "I'll see you in class."

He took my arm and led me away from the others. "I'm following a lead, so I'm not coming in, but I'll drive you to the shop at three."

"You don't have to. I'll be fine."

"I won't. Wait for me after school."

"Torin, I can take care of my-"

He kissed me. When we moved apart, I had completely forgotten why I was arguing with him. Warmth flooded my cheeks when I realized we had an audience. Flustered, I hurried toward the entrance.

"Damn, you two sure know how to stop traffic," Cora said. "So what's with the runes?"

"Protection. You know how Torin gets."

"Yeah, the guy is crazy about you."

He also had annoying habit of kissing me when we're in the middle of an argument and shutting me up. So not cool. I followed Cora into the building.

Cora glanced at me and sighed. "Sometimes I wish Echo was a student here."

I couldn't see Echo as a fake student. "Have you asked him?"

"No, but he hates it. He doesn't understand how Torin and Andris can stand it." She took my arm. "He told me you are the real deal."

"Define the real deal," I hedged.

"An all-powerful Seeress. Can you read me?"

I gripped her hand and closed my eyes. "Hmm, you'll have a big, glamorous wedding with Valkyries and Grimnirs in attendance, live on island and have two adorable kids."

She stopped walking. "Really? Did you really see-"

I laughed.

"Oh, I hate you." She bumped me with her shoulder.

"Would you really want to know your future?"

She opened her locker, paused and pursed her lips. "No. Echo has taught me to appreciate surprises, embrace the unknown." She cradled her folder. "Would you?"

"No." Even the thought of being privy to other people's future bothered me. I elbowed my locker door and followed her. Kicker and Sonya waved frantically from their lockers.

"See you guys at lunch," Kicker said. "We want to ask you guys something."

"About the junior prom," Sonya added.

Cora groaned. "Looks like I'll be on makeup duty. We're going, right?"

I shrugged.

"We are going if I have to drag you there." She switched topics. "Can I stop by tonight with my first vlog entry? I want to know what you think."

"Sure. I should be home by six-thirty." I was sure I could squeeze her between dinner and Seeress training. She took off toward her class while I headed upstairs.

"Raine, wait up," Ingrid called from behind me.

I stood aside to let other students walk past, Torin's words flashing in my head. Ingrid had not been vetted. I shook my head. I shouldn't let his paranoia get to me.