"Something." I reached up and kissed him. "Go. I'm right behind you."

He didn't look happy leaving me behind, which was sweet.

"I won't take long," I added.

He nodded. With a knuckle brush across my cheek, he disappeared into the men's room to find a portal. I shook my head. Sometimes he could be so possessive. He hadn't had a relationship in centuries and was learning to adjust to ours, which hadn't exactly been smooth. What mattered was we loved each other, knew it and cherished out time together. Whatever bumps laid ahead, and I was sure the Norns weren't done with us, I was determined to never let them destroy what we had.

I turned the corner and saw Cora at the cafeteria entrance. Her lunch schedule depended on whether or not Echo was around. She waved.

"Please tell me you're eating here. Please. Echo will be gone most of today and evening," Cora explained. "There was a fire at some nursing home in Seattle."

"I'm heading home, but you can join us. Torin already left to make something."

She sighed melodramatically and looked around the cafeteria. "I don't want to be a third wheel."

"You won't be."

"Nah. Go enjoy your man." She waved and I turned to see three girls from the swim team, Kicker, Sonya and Tess. "I'll join the girls and catch up on the latest gossip. See you tonight."

"You want to come and watch The Originals online? I missed last two episodes."

Her eyes widened. "Ohmigod, the poor, damaged, just-needs-to-be-loved Klaus. I have to get my Klaus fix every week. I've even gotten Echo to tolerate him. Okay, I'll watch with you, so we can hate on some witches. I also want your opinion on something."

"Okay." Ingrid, her cheerleader friends, and their jock boyfriends walked in.

Cora beamed at me and gave me a quick hug. "You're the best."

Everyone at Ingrid's looked up questioningly when I stopped by their table. "What?"

"Where's Torin?" a girl asked.

"Around. You know I can actually breathe without him. Ingrid." I indicated outside with a nod and took off.

"What's going on?" she asked, sounding a bit worried.

"I want to pick your brain." Some of the students were hanging out on the deck. Others threw football in the grassy area along the building. It was still cold, but the sun was up and diehards were already wearing shorts. I found an area away from the others and faced her.

"You are beginning to worry me," Ingrid said. "If this is about Andris-"

"No, this is about me. Do you remember I told you last night that I heard the woman sing during my vision?"

She nodded. "Varlokur."

"Varo-what?"

"The warding or spirit-summoning song. We sing it before the Seeress goes into a trance. What about it?"

"I thought I heard it this morning."

Her frown deepened. "Where?"

"Here at school. What does that mean?" I saw a movement from the corner of my eyes and turned to look. It was Blaine. He waved.

"I don't know. I guess whoever sang the song last night is a student here."

"But the Seeress was older. At least, she sounded older."

"Uh, that's because the Seeress never does the singing. Someone else does. You sure it wasn't the same voice?"

I nodded. Someone working with a Seeress was here at my school. "Is Blaine waiting for you?" He was talking to friends but he kept looking in our direction.

Ingrid waved to him. "No. Do you want me to point her out when I recognize her?"

"You can do that?"

She shrugged. "Oh, yes. It's like, uh, having Witch radar. Why do you think Maliina hated you from the moment she saw you?"

"Uh, because Andris was being a total douche?"

She laughed. "That came second. My sister was a powerful Seidr witch, but in you, she saw something else. Something she'd never seen before and she was jealous. Maliina always wanted to be important and, uh, revered. Back at home, they did, but it wasn't enough. Then she met Andris and he turned her. She thought she'd be the most powerful woman in our land, but he took her away from home and her adoring fans. She stopped being important and she didn't like it. That's why she joined the Norns. She was very ambitious."

It didn't excuse what she'd done, but it made sense. "So what did she see in me?"

Ingrid shrugged. "A more powerful witch, I guess. I'm not as strong as Maliina, but I should be able to spot the Witch here at school. I'll let you know when I do."

"Thanks." I really liked this new Ingrid. She stopped by the group with Blaine, said something to him and disappeared inside the building. Blaine followed her. I went to the nearest restroom and headed home to Torin.

I pushed the matter of the Witch aside for the rest of the day. After school, Torin dropped me off at the back of our shop.

"Text me when you're done," he said.

The back door of the store dinged when I pushed it open. Mirage was our family shop. We did custom framing, but we also sold mirrors. Lots of mirrors. Big. Small. Runed and unruned frames. People didn't notice them or if they did, they just assumed they were part of the designs.

Mom had hired an assistant before she left. Hawk. An Immortal. If Dad knew about him, he'd hit the roof. He didn't like Asgardians as he liked to call Immortals and Valkyries yet he was married to Mom, a Valkyrie, and I was an Immortal. The irony was lost on him.

Hawk didn't seem to be around, but Jared was with the one person I didn't want to see, his wife Celine. The bubbly blonde could drive any sane person crazy with her smothering.

"Raine," Jared said, waving me over. "How's school?"

"Busy. Hey, Celine."

"Oh, you poor dear." Her beefy arms looped around me in a hug. She came up only to my chin and I had my backpack looped over my shoulder, which made our hug awkward. She stepped back and gripped my hands. "How's your mother doing?"

"Better. She'll be home soon." Mom had left six weeks ago, so we'd come up with a reason for her sudden disappearance. She was officially undergoing treatment at a private institution for a nervous breakdown. Dad's illness had taken a toll on her.

"How are you coping, dear? How is your father doing?"

"Dad's doing much better and, uh..." I tried to wiggle my hand from the woman's, but her grip tightened. "I'm fine too."

"Oh, how brave you are. First your father's plane crash then the cancer and now your mother, it's too much for someone so young to bear." Tears rushed to her eyes.

I begged Jared with my eyes to rescue me. I had to deal with her when Dad disappeared, then when she learned he was ill and now.

"I was just telling Jared we should visit your mother. She's been so good to us. She's at PMI, right?"

"No, she's at a private hospital in Portland and only family is allowed." I finally freed my hands. "I'll let her know you were asking about her."

"Oh, that's nice. As for you, young lady," she peered at me, "I want you to know you can come to the house any time, okay? If you need anything, anything at all, call us. Do you have Jared's cell phone number?"

"Yes, she does." Jared practically dragged her out of the store. He came back with a sheepish expression. He ran his hand through his thinning hair. "Sorry about that. Celine has a big heart, but sometimes she gets carried away. So what can I do for you?"

"Dad wants a copy of this month's inventory and tax forms."

He chuckled. "The person to talk to is Hawk. Come on. He's in the office."

Hawk got to his feet. He was a tall man with coppery complexion, straight black hair, and brown eyes that seemed to never miss a thing. He also loved black suits. "Ms. Lorraine, this is a nice surprise."

"Dad sent me to get a few things, Mr. Hawk."

"Hawk. Sit, please." He indicated the chair across from his. Jared excused himself.

"How's your father doing?" Hawk asked. He kept the pleasantries short and soon shifted to business. An hour later, he'd explained the inventory while I tried to keep up.

"Why are you telling me all this?" I finally asked.

He studied me as though trying to figure me out. I stared right back. Most Immortals I'd met were centuries old, so I tried to figure out how old he was. He could pass for a fifty-something Native American man.

"One day you'll inherit this place, Ms. Cooper, so you should know how things are run. If you like, you could come to the shop and I can show you."

Mom never liked me working at the store before. She'd said something about my being clumsy because of a few broken mirrors. Now I knew it had something to do with her customers. She hadn't wanted me around Immortals. Of course, she hadn't known about the Norns' agenda.

"Okay. Until Mom comes back." She'd be surprised. In a good way, I hoped.

He nodded without cracking a smile. "Every day?"

"No." I laughed. "I have school and homework and... a life. Let's start with three days a week. If I can stomach all the business jargon and whatnots, then I'll add a day. If not, then I can say adios and convince myself I tried." No, I wasn't going to quit. I was broke. Mom had forgotten to put more money on my debit card before she left. "I get paid, right?"

"Of course. Ten dollars an hour," he said.

Sweet. "When do I start?"

"Tomorrow. I can show you what you'll be doing now."

"Deal. And please call me Raine." I leaned forward and offered him my hand, feeling more grownup than I'd felt an hour ago. I reached down for my backpack and got up. He stood too. I put the folder with the tax forms and inventory in my backpack, then left the office.

My eyes met with Andris'.

CHAPTER 4. HATING WITCHES.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Picking you up." He bumped fists with Jared.

Okay, that was new. Andris couldn't stand Mortals, unless he was dating them. And Jared wasn't his type. He loved them pretty. "Where's Torin?"

"Out and about."

He didn't seem resentful. Usually Andris hated being saddled with playing bodyguard. Or babysitting me as he often he put it. "Give me a few minutes. Hawk is showing me the ropes."

Andris walked toward us. "The ropes?"

"I start work tomorrow," I said.

"You? Working?"

I made a face. "Why do you have to say it like that?"

He shook his head. "Torin won't like it."

I opened my eyes wide. "Really? Oh, I should have asked him first. I can't make decisions without him. What am I going to do now?" Andris shot me a mean look. "Here. Make yourself useful." I pushed my backpack into his arms.

"So why do we need to work?" he asked, still following us.

"There's no 'we' in me," I said, hoping he'd take the hint and stay back.

"Why?"

I sighed. Hawk pretended not to hear us. "This is my family's shop and one day I'll own it. Now do you mind? Hawk is a busy man and you're in the way. Go and admire yourself in the mirrors until I'm done."

His eyes narrowed. "Why do you really need to work?"

"I'll explain later. Now show the man some respect," I hissed.

He looked at Hawk who was now staring at us with an unreadable expression. "Good afternoon, Hawk."

"Andris," the Immortal said.

"I'll leave you two, but you," he gave me a pointed look, "have some splaining to do. You're supposed to work with us."

I didn't want to remind him that souls bound for Asgard were cheating death. No matter what Torin said, I knew it was my fault. If Torin hadn't stopped Echo from reaping my father's soul, he would be dead and the world would be running smoothly. They'd changed my father's destiny for me.