by Charley Case
“It’s not that I’m nervous to see him. I like Gregory, it’s just…he was my professor. At work, that’s fine, but having a mentor in your house is a little nerve-wracking. I want to put on something less, I don't know, ‘just gone out for drinks.’”
Finn went to the fridge and pulled out a beer, pulling the top off with his free hand before opening the box of Chews and tilting the box over his mouth and dropping a few in.
“Chi?” Penny asked, standing on the counter, one hand on her hip and the other open and reaching for the box.
Finn handed the yellow box over and took a drink of beer. He opened his mouth to make a comment, but then the intercom beside the door buzzed, and Finn walked over and hit the button to talk.
“Hello?”
“Hello? Finn?” An elderly voice crackled over the speaker.
“Gregory?”
“Open the door, my boy. I’m freezing my sagging balls off out here.”
Finn's eyes went wide at the comment, and he started chuckling as he hit the button, buzzing the elderly professor in. “Come on in. We’re on the fourth floor.”
There was no response, but the light that said the door was open went off, and Finn assumed he had entered the building.
After a minute or two, the doorbell rang, and Finn pulled it open, revealing the thin, distinguished figure of Gregory Hoffensteffer. He had a stack of books, binders, and loose papers in his arms, and gave Finn a broad toothy smile.
“Where’s your coat?” Finn asked, seeing that the man only wore slacks and a black sweater that hung off of him as if it were a size too big.
Gregory walked by Finn and into the kitchen. He set the stack on the counter with a sigh of relief. “I forgot about it. I was in such a hurry to get here I left straight from my office, and didn't think about the fact that we would appear in the street outside.”
“We?” Finn asked, opening the fridge and offering Gregory a beer.
“No, thank you. Yes, we. I have a friend who agreed to teleport me for the evening. Luckily shes a bit of a night owl, so getting home shouldn’t be a problem. Unless you can teleport me?”
“Sorry, but dwarves can't teleport. We’re too tied to the ground. Need a little air magic in there for teleporting.” Finn mystically waggled his fingers. “Would you like some coffee or tea?”
“Tea would be great, my boy. Where’s Mila?”
“I’m here,” Mila called, coming out of her room, her dress replaced with a thick white sweater over the black leggings. Finn noted that she was now barefoot and probably was in the process of changing her pants when Gregory showed up and decided to go with it.
“Mila!” Gregory said in a sing-song voice, coming around the counter and wrapping her in a hug. “I’m so glad you came to me with this Valkyrie business. I always knew there was something special about you.”
Mila hugged the old man, a smile on her face. “Thanks. I’m glad you came.”
Finn put a kettle of water on the stove as he watched the reunion. “Are you hungry? I was going to make us some dinner.”
Gregory nodded. “I would love some food if you don't mind. Oh, Penny! I didn't see you there. How have you been?” He held out a finger for her to shake.
She held the box of Chews to the side and gave his digit a pump or two with a taloned hand. “Shir shee. Chi chi.”
“She says it’s good to see you again,” Mila translated.
“You’ve learned her language?” Gregory seemed impressed.
Mila shrugged. “She’s been helping me, but it’s mostly magic.” She let out a laugh. “Like most things in my life recently.”
She led him to the table, and they both sat as Finn opened the fridge and looked at what they had on hand.
“What sounds good, Penny?” Finn asked, keeping his voice down as to not interrupt the professor and his former pupil.
Penny hopped up onto his shoulder and scanned the fridge. Finally, pointing at the meat drawer. “Shir.”
Finn pulled the drawer open and saw there was a bag of raw shrimp. “When did we get these?” He asked Penny who did most of the shopping online and had it delivered. “You want me to grill ‘em up or something?”
“Chi. Squee,” Penny said as if he were an idiot.
“Scampi?” He considered, nodding as the idea grew on him. “Sounds good. I think I saw a baguette in the pantry. Why don't you slice that up while I get this started.”
Penny licked her lips and nodded. She launched to the pantry door. Using her momentum, she grabbed and turned the knob, swinging the door open in a blur of movement.
“That’s one way to do it,” Finn commented, pulling a bag of jumbo shrimp out. He headed for the sink.
“Shir chi, chi?” Penny asked with a huff.
Finn thought about it. “I guess that really is your only option. Maybe we should install lever handles instead of knobs on all the doors. That way, you could just land on the handle to unlatch them.”
Penny gave him a blank look then nodded enthusiastically. “Squee.”
Finn chuckled. “Even I have brilliant ideas sometimes.”
Penny gave him a shrug while making an indifferent face. “Eh.”
He threw a raw shrimp at her.
Quick as a hawk, her cheeks puffed, and she blew a flame at the raw meat, cooking it thoroughly before catching it in her mouth.
“Cheeky little…” Finn laughed and continued to clean the prawns.
Chapter Six
Mila smiled, tucking one foot under herself, as she gained a little height in her seat to lean over the open book between her and Gregory. It had been a long time since she thought of herself as a student, but having her old mentor there, explaining new things to her in his rich teaching voice, brought her right back to those years in undergrad.
“Most of the myths surrounding Valkyries are an amalgamation of several cultures, but none of them is the full picture.” Gregory indicated some notes he had written in the margin of a book on Norse artifacts. “For example, the Norse belief that is common today is clearly, at least partly, derived from the Shield Girls of Celtic folklore. One could say the entire concept of Valhalla is derived from the Celts, but that’s another tangent altogether.” He chuckled, the joke either too intricate or not funny enough. He cleared his throat and continued, “Anyway. The point being many legends of Valkyrie exist in ancient cultures—interestingly not so many in modern cultures. Now granted, the Norse culture of the period we consider the Viking age is not that old, all things considered, but the beliefs they held are from much further back.”
Mila cleared her throat, trying to piece this all together. “Sorry, Professor, but how does this help me?”
Gregory leaned back and gave her a sour look. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Gregory? You and I are colleagues. Would you like me to start calling you Dr. Winters?”
Mila laughed. “No. Please don't, Gregory. I’m sorry, it’s a force of habit.” She looked over the open books in front of them. “I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I already know most of this. I may have focused on Native American cultures in my postdoc, but my last assignment at the museum, my current assignment, I guess, is cataloging Viking relics. I did extensive study in preparation, and to be honest, I’ve read almost everything I can on Valkyries since I found out I am one.” She gave him a sheepish look. “I need to know the story behind all this, not the legends.”
Gregory nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “Apologies. I’m so used to teaching. I forget that not everyone needs the lesson.” He pulled out a binder and leafed through a bundle of handwritten notes. “A few years ago, I started a deep study on several mythological creatures. All creatures are based on something real, even if the first thing isn’t close to the final product. When I was introduced to the world of magic, I realized most of these myths were probably based on things much more similar to the end product. Ah, here we go.” He opened the binder, removed a folder, and handed it to Mila, who began sp
reading out the contents on the table.
“This looks really old. When did you make these?” Mila asked, fingering the discolored papers.
Gregory thought about it for a second. “Probably around 1932. I know it was before the Second World War, but I can't remember when exactly. At the time, I was traveling through northern Europe, gathering notes on everything I came across. I found an old abandoned monastery out in the middle of nowhere. I’m not even sure what country I was in at that point. There was a pretty harsh winter storm brewing, so I decided to take shelter. To my surprise, there was a group of women already inside. They invited me in, and we chatted for quite a while. My ring was a big topic of conversation.” He said, holding up the hand with a thin golden ring. “My extreme age let them know I was at least in the know when it came to magic. They never said what they were, but I always had a sneaking suspicion they were Valkyries. As they told me their story, the pieces fit. Mind you, I didn't put that together until much later.”
Mila's eyes were wide. “You actually met some other Valkyries? What were they like?”
“Polite,” Gregory said with a grin. “They provided me with a meal and pleasant conversation. They said they were traveling and needed to relocate their sisterhood. I got the impression that they were keeping some secrets or things safe. Without getting too into the details, I gleaned that they were not related in any way, except that they were all the same type of being. I asked if their families needed to keep themselves secret as well, but to a one, they claimed there was nobody else in their family like them. I took this to mean that their powers weren't hereditary, but passed on to them in some way.”
Mila cocked her head, reading some of the notes while listening. “So, being a Valkyrie isn’t something their mothers were? Interesting. Does that mean the power is like a parasite or symbiont? At least I know calling my mom and asking her would be a bad idea.” She chuckled.
“I don't know how it works, but it was pretty clear that none of them did anything in particular to gain the powers,” Gregory confirmed.
The smell of garlic and toasted bread began driving Mila mad with hunger. Just when she was about to get up and grab a cheese stick to hold her over, Finn came around the counter and put down a large bowl of pasta and another filled with shrimp covered in a buttery sauce that made Mila's mouth water.
“That a break and have some food,” Finn said, going back for plates as Penny flew over slowly with a plate covered in a sliced sourdough baguette for dipping in the butter sauce.
“This looks wonderful, Finn. Thank you.” Gregory said, clearing the books and papers to the side as Finn put down plates for everyone.
“Not a problem. A fed body is a productive one. I figured it would help with studying,” Finn said, filling the first plate with pasta and scampi and passing it to the old man.
Once everyone had a plate, they all dug in, silence the number one indicator of how good it was. Mila was deep in thought as she ate. If the powers of a Valkyrie were not hereditary, then how were new candidates chosen, and why had no other Valkyries ever approached her? Clearly, they could find one another if they were in a group when Gregory had met them. Maybe they didn't know about her? Or perhaps they didn't want to find her. That thought made her feel like she had done something wrong. Maybe they would find her now that she had awakened to her powers.
“Gregory, did you notice if any of them could talk to insects?” Mila asked, one of her eyebrows rising with curiosity.
Gregory cocked his head in contemplation. “Not insects, at least that I could see, but several of them seemed to have an affinity for different animals. Their leader had a large crow on her shoulder; she seemed to be able to communicate with. And I did catch several wolves out at the edge of the tree line, but when I mentioned it, the women were not concerned in the least. Each of them seemed to have some affinity to nature in some way.”
Mila nodded. That was one mystery solved, at least. Sort of.
“Was there anything you could tell us about how they used their magic?” Finn asked, moping up the last of his butter sauce with a bread crust.
Gregory shook his head. “We didn't get into how their magic worked, and I only saw one spell from them during our short time together. The one thing I can say is that it was unlike any other magic I had come across. The power in it was of a pure white, and they didn't use any kind of bubble containment like most races do.”
“That’s not so unusual,” Finn commented. “We dwarves don't use bubble magic either. In fact, a lot of races forgo the bubbles. Even some elven magic is done on the fly.”
“I never understood that,” Mila said, reaching over and taking a sip of Finn's beer.
“Bubbles are one of the reasons Peabrains are so powerful,” Finn said, pushing his clean plate away from him and leaning back. “They can form magic through the power of thought, where I have to use will directly on an object. The Bubbles make them more flexible in their casting and potentially more creative. Other races started using them exclusively, like the Huldu.”
“So, you could use bubble magic if you wanted?” Mila was interested in this development.
Finn shook his head. “Not me, but Penny can. Dwarves are too connected to the earth and elements. For a time, we tried, but it was too much of a change, and we started losing our connection to the ground. Magic is a bit like pants.”
Mila chuckled. “Pants?”
Gregory started taking notes.
Finn nodded, and Penny put a hand to her forehead, shaking her head in a defeated manner.
“You haven't even heard my theory, Penny.” Finn grumped before continuing. “Yeah, like pants. Some pants are better suited for certain activities. Your leggings, for example, are very versatile. They stretch and keep you warm; you can use them when you dress up, or when we work out in the dojo. Jeans, on the other hand,” he plucked at the dark blue material he was currently wearing, “they’re tough and rugged. It takes a lot to tear them, but some activities are not great for them, like working out. Then there are slacks,” he pointed to the charcoal-colored pants Gregory was wearing, “which are great for professional settings and carry an air of distinction to them, but they don't really provide warmth or durability. Different kinds of magic are like that. Some are better suited for flexibility, some for toughness and attack, and some for learning and expanding knowledge.”
They all stared at him except for Gregory, who had his head down and was taking notes furiously.
“What, it’s a good theory.” Finn shrugged.
“That actually made sense,” Mila stated, a little surprised.
Chapter Seven
Finn awoke, yawning and smacking his lips. Mila was still breathing slow and steady, deep in sleep. Her head was on his right arm, pinning him to the bed. He reached over with his free hand and stroked the top of her head affectionately, eliciting a small groan as she curled up tighter, moving her head off his arm long enough that he could extract it. He smiled and leaned over to give her head a kiss.
Rolling over and saw that it was six thirteen in the morning. Far earlier than the dwarf liked getting up, although his early morning workouts with Danica, while she adjusted to her new arm, had trained his body that it was past time to be up.
With a deep breath, he swung his feet to the floor and stretched his back, getting the blood flowing. Pulling on a pair of thin workout pants and a black tee-shirt, he quietly padded out of Mila's room and closed the door behind him.
The sound of wet smacking made him glance over towards Danica’s room, and he was amused to see her and Phil kissing as he was clearly trying to leave. They noticed him and quickly separated, Danica, pulling her robe tighter around herself.
“Hey there, Finn. Didn't hear you get up.” Danica said, her face turning red.
“Don’t mind me, just going to make some coffee. You two want any?”
Phil chuckled. “I would love some, but I have to get to the hospital.” He turned back to Danica. “See you
tomorrow?”
She leaned over and kissed him quickly on the lips. “You bet. Have a good day.”
Finn let them have their moment together, and went into the kitchen, fishing the bag of coffee beans from the freezer and scooping some into the grinder.
Phil passed by the kitchen, reaching for the door. “Uh, I’ll see you later, Finn.”
“Have fun at the morgue, Phil,” Finn said, waving goodbye.
Phil chuckled. “I will.”
Danica came over and sat on one of the stools at the island counter, her short robe now tied in place. “I’ll take some of that.” She said, looking over the various papers still spread out on the table. “What were you guys doing last night?”
“Oh, the papers?” Finn asked, pausing the conversation while the grinder did its loud work. “Mila’s old professor stopped by and gave what info he has on Valkyries. I went to bed hours before he left, but I figured you two had gotten back before they were done.”
Danica shook her head. “Nope. We haven't technically been to bed yet. After the bar, we took an Uber out to a friend of Phil’s and played Mario Kart all night. We got home about an hour ago. Maybe an hour and a half.”
“Lanky guys usually are built for endurance,” Finn commented, not noticing Danica’s face flushing crimson as he filled the coffee maker with the grounds and turned it on.
“So, what did you find out?” Danica asked, changing the subject.
Finn shook his head. “Not a ton. You should ask Mila when she gets up, she and the professor were up for hours talking after I was out.”
The smell of coffee began to fill the condo, making Finn more alert just from the aroma. He opened up the freezer and pulled out one of the dozens of boxes of Charleston Chew minis. After opening the box, he dumped a small handful into his cup and shook the box at Danica.
“You want some in your coffee?”
She furrowed her brow. “You know what? Yes. I’ll give it a try. Phil only drinks his coffee that way now. May as well see what all the fuss is about.”
