26 Chapter 26

(Gabriel)

I sat on the couch rubbing my hands together slowly. I wanted to give her privacy, but my anxiety was running out of control. She hadn't told me where she was going and she didn't say exactly when she would be back. I wanted to protect her, even though I knew she was more than capable of protecting herself. I didn't want to invade her privacy, but I felt like I needed to know. At war with myself.

"Gabe?" My mom walked into the room and she sat down next to me. I looked at her hoping she wasn't going to give me another talk about trying to put distance between Harper and me.

"Yes, mom?" She put a hand on my arm and gave me a soft smile.

"Her father spoke to me before they left and I think if I understood him correctly, that Harper is going to need some space when she gets back...now I know you two are close, but I just wanted to let you know what to expect when or if she returns here tonight."

"What do you mean 'if'?" I didn't like that sound of that, this was our first weekend together after everything she had been through, I had hoped that it would be a little longer than just one day. And it wasn't even a good day. It felt like there was nothing but stress on us all the time like we can never catch our breath or take a break together.

"It's a big thing she is going through right now, her father is going to offer to take her back to her dorm room at the school if she needs more space than a house full of people can provide." I felt like she shouldn't need space from me, but I had to be more understanding than that. I had to understand that I couldn't hold onto her too tightly.

"I understand that mom, I just want her to know that she is here for me. I want to make sure that she is okay...I don't want any reason for her to think that whatever she is being told would cause use to isolate her." My mom nodded like she understood my frame of mind.

"Harper is a strong girl Gabe. She knows that we are in her corner for support, and she knows that she could come to use with anything and we would still love her, but this something she had to learn to live with on her own, or she will never find peace sweetheart." In my heart, I knew she was right but at the same time...I just wanted to make sure that she was okay. We were stronger together and I needed her to remember that.

**Harper**

I felt almost an immediate rush of two very different emotions. One of acceptance and then another almost instant wave of rejection. I struggled with the rushing emotions for a moment and Greta squeezed my hand softly.

"Take your time, work through it, and then we can continue." She released my hand and sat back to take my father into view. He was watching me trying to guess what was happening in my mind.

"Jon, how is your wife?" Greta sipped at her mug and my father snorted.

"Expensive." It was almost like he was talking to a very old friend.

"Your father and I trained together as young kids. We have known each other longer than your parents have been married." That was interesting news, I wanted to know more about that.

"You only want to know as a means of distraction. There is no running anymore Harper, you are a Valkyrie. A powerful one actually. One of the original Valkyrie. Hildr, she was a very good friend of mine, so caring and calm. But she was not to be crossed, and she was the most fierce on the battlefield." I listened trying to apply this description to myself, and it seemed to fit parts of my personality.

"That feeling you have deep down in you, you have channeled it very well on your own. You have appeased it with a strong work ethic which is good, had you ignored it we would have met under different circumstances..." She spoke to me with gentle words and a soft voice that was meant to soothe my nerves.

"I don't understand Greta...I am Harper Crown..."

"Yes you are my dear," Her agreement did go a long way to soothing my approaching hysteria.

"You have a part of Hildr, one of the original Valkyries souls connected with yours and your blood that flows through is also part of a Valkyrie line that belongs to your father. Now why Hildr's soul connected to you we aren't sure yet. But I know that she never does anything without fair reason. And you are already a very brilliant flyer and a fighter. And I have heard that you have tried your hand at healing as well am I correct?" Instantly my mind flashed back to the night I saved Gabriel's life. And just the thought of Gabriel sent a release of a chemical in my brain. All of the stress in my body leaked out of me, my back relaxed into the seat I was sitting on and Greta leaned forward.

"Now that is interesting." I looked at her and her eyes were bright with amusement.

"I must meet this boy. Call to him, bring him here." I frowned, both the power inside me and my own instincts told me to be careful. Her eyes didn't miss a single part of my reaction, how the tension coiled back into my stomach, back, and shoulders. I felt my heart pound in my chest. Protect Gabriel. No matter what both the beast inside and my own mind would do the same.

"He must be something special to get the liking of such a powerful Valkryie soul..peace Harper and Hildr. I mean no harm, he is important to you and to the future, you will protect. Please bring him to us." She sat back and the beast inside settled a little at her reassurance, but I did not. I would forever be cautious of people who I knew has power and wanted to be close to those I loved. She waited patiently sipping slowly from her mug. And now it was a standoff, who was going to win this, and I think she underestimated my will power and my driving need to protect.

"Either you call him here Harper, or I will force him here. The choice is yours." Very quickly the beast inside of me, well now I know it's my Valkyrie, swelled so close to the surface I felt my body tense so tightly, I swore my bones creaked. Her eyebrows raised almost disappearing into her white bangs.

"Hildr, I am surprised at you. Getting so worked up for a demon...and a half-blood at that." And it was like a switch was flipped inside of me, the beast overtook my entire mind, pushing me slightly to the side as it overwhelmed my every sense. My voice came out different than I had heard it in my entire life. And power radiated from my every pore.

"You would do well not to doubt me Skuld, I will not react as nicely...the demon pair with my angel's soul is more than a trifle. And YOU will show him the respect that he deserves." Greta stood slowly from her seat and her eyes traveled along my shoulders to my face.

"I was beginning to think you had gone soft Hildr. Now please have your girl call the boy."

"She will do no such thing if she believes you mean him harm, and no force made by myself or by the Allfather would get her to. I have seen her will. She will not be broken." Greta took a deep breath and Hildr remained in control, pressing me to patience. Give her time with Greta to get her to understand.

"Of course Hildr, you are very wise. I mean neither the girl nor her boy any harm. I just wish to witness the relationship, as a Norn it will help me see farther and clearer." Hildr accepted that excuse, but my walls were still up. Hildr sent me feelings of peace and trust. She had good judgment, and she knew the Valkryie soul inside this woman. She knew that she was trustworthy. Hildr released control and my body flopped back down on the chair and I shook like I had done hours of hard physical work.

"You are handling her marvelously Harper, Hildr has definitely met her match." Greta smiled and I looked at her. It sounded like she was talking from a tunnel.

"Now please Harper. Call the boy."