Chapter 10

Finally, the weekend rolls around, and I'm thankful to be free to sleep most of the day away, but by three, I drag myself out of bed and get ready for work. I had washed my work clothes Friday night, so I wouldn't be smelling bad. Making sure to grab the book that had been lent to me to return since I'd already made a copy using the school printer so I could use it as a reference, prepared to return it. I was completing about a book a day, and learning so much from them, I had figured out how to move small things with just my mind (I almost pass out if I move anything bigger than a soccer ball) and am now able to easily transition from my world to Asgard.

The history books draw my interest more than any of them, and in the book I'm going to return, I explained my love for the rich history of the nine realms and hoped whoever was leaving the books would set out more of those. In a book I had received and returned earlier in the week, I wrote a note explaining how kind the offer of raising my and Sigrid's pay would be, but I felt it to be sort of unfair to the rest of the workers. I reasoned that it seemed the workers were always doing their jobs well, and it seemed most had families to feed. Simply put: Put me on the backburner.

Key in one hand and book in the other, I begin the process of leaving my body. As I feel myself leaving, I hear a small clink sound, and I snap back to my bed. Sitting up in the dimly-lit room, I search for the source of the noise. I leave the book and key on my bed, then walk to my curtains and pull them back, revealing nothing but the fire escape and the setting sun. Doing a quick sweep of my apartment, checking all the windows and doors to be locked, I head back to bed.

Maybe it was just the wind.

I meet Sigrid in the laundry room, and we hurry off to our chores. Over the past few days, my Loki compass had been telling me exactly where he was, but in one of the books lent to me, I found an off switch. Usually, they were a security-type system that some magic users had that alerted them to other magic users, but it was a rare trait to have. The stronger the magic-user, the stronger the compass. The way to flip it off was to create a tea with herbs only found on Asgard, and with Sigrid's help, I secured the ingredients. I had brewed the tea at home, and taking my first sip of the drink, found it to taste like bubbling chamomile tea.

It had worked wonderfully, making my compass turn off completely, but I knew I would have to make another batch in a few days. So, at dinner, I prepared myself for another cup. Sigridcornered me, asking what I was brewing, but I had done my homework. I knew the recipe for the tea I needed was very similar to the tea for anxiety, only two ingredients off from one another, so I said I had been researching the many healing herbs of Asgard, and wanted to try to cure my anxiety. She backed down and seemed pleased with my answer, so I sipped my tea in peace.

Over dinner, Sigrid informed me about payday.

"Tonight we are going to have to stay a little later than usual since we're night shift. Just stick with me and you'll be fine. Y-" She is interrupted by a shout for everyone's attention.

"Your pay has been altered!" Shouts a man dressed in orange and white, holding a book and a sack about the size of a football. "All pay will be raised by three pieces!" He sets his book on top of an empty table, then seats himself down, and people begin to form a line. Sigrid waves me up, and I get in line behind her. I begin to worry that when I reach the man, he won't find my name and I will be hauled away by the guards standing behind him.

"You did tell them my name, right?"I whisper to her, and she nods. Thank goodness. We wait in line for what feels like forever before it gets to our turn.

"Sigrid, sir." She says, and he picks up his pen-like object and checks something in his book. Nodding, he counts out seven large coins, then places them into her hands. She steps aside and pockets her pay, allowing me to come up.

"Asta, sir." I mimic Sigrid, trying to act as if I belong. He searches in his book for a moment, making me panic, but he checks something off and counts out five coins. He places them in my hands, and I follow Sigrid back to our dinner. The coins feel heavy in my hands, and I look at one, finding a picture of a raven's skull on one side, and a woman's face on the other. I pocket them and follow her back to our table.

"Looks like they started you off with a bonus, huh? 'Tis kind of them." She takes a bite of her food.

"What are you going to use the money for? If it's alright for me to ask." I add in the second part quickly, trying not to be rude. She laughs, and I feel slightly embarrassed.

"I'm going to use the money for my children. Four mouths to feed, including a husband. He does work though, repairing broken things. Anything you have in disrepair he can make it good as new."

"Oh! Aww, I bet they're adorable."I say, meaning it. She smiles.

"Perhaps one of these days you are awake during the daytime, you could come to meet them." I feel my eyes light up, and I nod.

"Yes, please! I would love to meet them."

"Well, then we'll have to find time for that. Now, let's get back to work."

As we work, I ask her if tomorrow would be nice. She agrees, and I tell her I look forward to it.