"Why me?" My eyes swung from face to face.
"Because you owe him," Marj said impatiently.
I cocked my brow. "What?"
"He's the reason we saved your life," Jeanette added.
Catie sighed and glared at her friends. "Girls, couldn't you at least try to be subtle?"
"No, she needs to understand how dire the situation is. We'll need an answer soon, Lorraine." Marj glanced at the others and added, "Let's go."
I stared after them, shock and anger zipping through me. All I wanted was Torin, not another round with these crones. But how could I ignore them when they'd said Eirik needed me? I was still staring at the exit when he sat across from me.
"Who were those three?" he asked, placing his camera and plate on the table.
"They're not important." What did the Norns mean by he was the reason I was alive? And why did he need to be protected? "Are things okay with your parents?"
"Same as usual." Instead of eating, he picked up his camera and fiddled with it. "You're really going to blow me off again?"
His angry tone blindside me, and I blinked. "What?"
He turned his camera and showed me the image displayed on the LCD screen. It was the picture he'd taken of me and the three Norns. Instead of their teenage disguises, the camera had captured their true images. Just like the night I'd seen them at the hospital, their hair was long and stringy, their skin was wrinkled and their eyes were piercing and eerie. Beside them, I looked like a helpless lamb, or a puppet.
"Those are the three Norns you've been dealing with."
I stared at Eirik with wide eyes. "You know?"
"Of course I do."
"How... when...?" I sputtered.
"My parents told me everything the day he appeared." He pointed across the room.
Torin, Andris, and a group of cheerleaders had just entered the cafeteria. One clung to Torin's arm and seemed to be the lead groupie. Pain, fierce and relentless, stabbed my heart. Was he going to put me through this with Mortals, too? Seeing him with Lavania was already too much.
Torin glanced at our table, and our eyes met. He was the first one to look away. I swallowed the pain, turned my attention to Eirik, and found him studying me with an annoyed expression.
"I know a lot has happened since he got here, so I don't know if you remember that night," he said, frowning.
"I do. You missed swim practice, didn't return my texts or calls, and when you finally came over to my house, you were angry with your parents. They'd come back from one of their many trips and told you about moving back home."
"Except home wasn't Earth." His expression furious, he took a big bite of his pizza.
"What do you mean," I glanced around then leaned forward and whispered, "'home wasn't Earth'? Are you saying you are from there, too?" I whispered.
He nodded.
I stared. "That's... wow, that's huge. Mom told me your parents were, but I just assumed you couldn't be. I mean, you were born and raised here."
He shook his head. "Raised, not born. I asked them why, but they wouldn't tell me anything. The more I push for answers the more they clam up. It's all so stupid," he ground out. "I mean, what's the big deal? Why the secrecy?"
"The Norns said you were in danger."
A snicker escaped him. "From what?"
"They didn't say."
"Screw them. They're messing with your head again, Raine." He twisted the lid off his water bottle and chugged. "I wish they'd spoken to me. I would've told them to eff off." He put his water on the table, his grip tightening around the plastic bottle.
Wishing I could reach out and touch him, maybe reassure him, I studied his angry expression and chewed on a piece of limp lettuce. "What's happening to us, Eirik?"
He scowled. "What do you mean?"
"We never used to keep secrets from each other. Why didn't you tell me what your parents said that night?"
"They said I couldn't because, you know, you're Mortal and I'm... whatever I am." He took another bite as though the pizza was his enemy and chewed, his eyes staring into space as though he was having an internal argument with himself.
"Did they at least tell you who your real parents are?"
"No." He glowered. "But Mom said I'm special. Yeah, whatever that means. I told her I wasn't going anywhere until I got some answers. Guess what? It's been six weeks since we talked and I'm still here." He demolished the rest of the slice in two bites, guzzled his drink, and started on his second slice. "I should not have listened to them. If I'd told you everything, you would've told me about the Norns when they first appeared. They almost killed you."
I shook my head. "You can't blame yourself. And these three Norns weren't the ones who hurt me. They have their own agenda. Evil Norns caused the lightning."
"These Norns are good? They looked mean."
"They can be. Could we promise not to keep secrets from each other anymore?"
He grinned and gave me a thumbs-up. Then the smile disappeared from his face. "Why didn't he protect you?"
I winced at his tone and followed the direction of his gaze to Torin, who was now seated at a table with his entourage. "He tried. Norns are too powerful. It was hopeless."
He wore a skeptical look. "Then what's his problem?"
"What do you mean?"
"He couldn't leave you alone while we were dating, and now he's treating you like a stranger."
"It's not Torin's fault. The Norns erased his memories."
Eirik scowled. "Why? Norns only scramble Mortals' memories."
"They did it to punish me."
"What? Why?" Cora entered the cafeteria, and his eyes zeroed in on her. She'd changed her T-shirt and pants for a dress that looked really great on her. She must have had it in her car because there was no way she'd driven to her house and back that fast. Eirik dragged his eyes from Cora. "Never mind. We'll talk later," he added just as Cora slid beside him.
"Talk about what?" Cora asked, her eyes volleying between us. "What did I miss?"
"I was telling Eirik about my psychic business and my rates."
Cora laughed.
Eirik wore a bewildered expression since he had no idea what I was talking about, but he caught on fast. "Yeah, brilliant idea."
"I'm going to be the accountant." She bumped him with her shoulder. "You can be the muscle."
Eirik flushed.
For the rest of the afternoon, all I thought about was Eirik-his identity and why I was supposed to protect him. He might have dismissed the Norns' warning, but I couldn't.
During last period, a student aid came to my class with a note from Mrs. Underwood, my counselor. Somehow, I knew she'd want to see me.
I collected my books and headed toward the front office. We had three counselors and several students were already waiting. The only empty place left to sit was between two guys, one listening to his iPod while hitting imaginary drums and the other looking like he hadn't bathed in decades.
Choosing the wall by the door, I let my backpack drop by my feet, placed the oboe case beside it, and pulled out my cell phone. I had barely put in the earbuds when Mrs. Underwood's door opened and a boy stepped out.
"Lorraine," she said, opening the door wider.
I grabbed my things and followed her. I sat and hugged my backpack. The last time she and I had spoken, we met with the principal in his office. They'd been worried that my father's accident had left me unhinged. I hadn't blamed them or felt insulted. The school security officer had spotted me talking to an invisible Torin and assumed I was talking to myself.
Torin. I'd completely pushed the problem with him aside. What was I going to do about him? I had to help him remember me. I didn't care what the Norns had said. He needed me just as much as Eirik did because he and I were meant to be together.
"Did you hear what I said, Lorraine?" Mrs. Underwood asked, leaning forward on her desk.
I blinked and stared at her. "I'm sorry. What?"
"How are you feeling?"
I shrugged. "Okay."
"No effects from your surgery?"
I shook my head and wondered if she would ask me about the meet and how I'd known the students were in danger.
"I know today was your first day back since we lost your teammates, and it couldn't have been easy. I want you to know that my door is always open if you need to talk."
"Thanks, Mrs. Underwood." I started to get up.
"Please, don't leave yet. I want you to come see me every day after school for the rest of the week."
I groaned.
She smiled. "Just for a few minutes to catch up. How did things go today?"
"Good."
"Did anyone give you a hard time?"
"Not really."
She studied me intently as though she knew I'd just lied, but then she nodded. "Okay. You can go now." She got up and walked me to the door. "See you tomorrow."
She meant well, but there was really nothing she could do for me. Students still loitered around the school's front entrance, and silence fell when I walked past them. Like this morning, whispers followed and people moved aside to clear a path for me. This time I didn't cringe. I expected it.
Outside, some of the buses were still at the curb while others had pulled away. A group of students gathered somewhere to my right were laughing and pointing at someone or something in the east parking lot. Hopefully, it wasn't some poor student. People were such idiots. Shaking my head, I started across Riverside Boulevard.
"Raine!" someone called.
I looked left. Lavania and Ingrid stood beside the SUV I'd seen Andris drive this morning. Lavania waved me over. I wanted to ignore her, but she was my trainer. If I wasn't in love with Torin, I'd tell her right now I didn't want to be a Valkyrie. But the thought of spending the rest of my life as a human, aging, while Torin stayed young for goddess knows how long didn't appeal to me.
Sighing, I walked toward them.
As I got closer, I noticed Andris behind the steering wheel staring at me with an unreadable expression. Had his memories been erased, too? Why wasn't Torin with them? His bike was still parked at the curb.
"We're going to get something to drink at the Creperie before heading home. Why don't you join us?" She indicated the car, and Ingrid hurried to open the back passenger door.
I shook my head. "Sorry, I can't. I'm meeting my dad at the shop."
"Your dad can wait."
Who died and made her my guardian? "No, he can't."
Lavania stepped forward, her eyes boring into mine. "Listen, I've been sent down here to train and help you with your transition. I think-"
"Yeah, about that," I interrupted her. "I haven't really made up my mind whether I want to be a Valkyrie or not. Could I have more time to decide? A week or two?" Maybe forever.
She chuckled, but her eyes grew cold. "No, you can't. I've already wasted two weeks of my life hanging around while you were gone. You see, my nave novice, it's been six hundred years since I've had to deal with Mortals or even pretend to be one. Until two weeks ago, I had a life I enjoyed, friends my age-whom I loved chatting with-and an important position in Goddess Freya's hall. Then she called me to her quarters and told me of a special Mortal that needed my guidance. A Mortal who can see Norns. A Mortal who can stop Norns from doing their jobs. That might seem like nothing to you, but up there, it is huge." She moved closer, her eyes narrowing. "If the goddess is mistaken and you're not that Mortal, tell me right now so I can stop wasting my time."
Shocked by her attitude, I gawked. "But I didn't stop the Norns. Twelve of my friends died."
"There were supposed to be more. At least five." She glanced at Andris.
"Seven," he said.
Lavania smiled. "Thanks, sweetheart. See, you saved seven people, including Eirik and your blonde friend. Did you know that you pushed Eirik so hard he flew across the pool deck, slammed against the wall, and lost consciousness? Have you asked yourself how you, a mere Mortal, managed that?"
I shrugged. I'd wondered how Eirik had ended up unconscious on the dry end of the pool deck. Had I protected him without even knowing it? How had I done it? Only Valkyries had that kind of strength. Did the Norns do more than mark me when I was a baby? I really had to talk to my mother.
"I gotta go," I said. "I've tons of homework, and my father is expecting me. I, uh, can join you when I finish with him."
Lavania shook her head. "Not good enough. You must come with us now."
Was this how she planned to teach me? Do things her way or hit the highway? "Fine. I'll follow you in my car."
"No. We'll bring you back to pick it up."
I glanced at Ingrid. She looked worried. Andris was amused. He shrugged. "Never argue with her. She always wins."