Page 207 of Challenge Me

I took it, not sure where to begin, but I just started writing. After a second, I scratched it out. On the spot like this, I felt unprepared for something this monumental—a real chance. Looking down at the ring on my left hand, I traced the Algiz rune with my thumb and realized it really wasn’t all that complicated. I just had to tap into that thing I thought was lost. It wasn’t only Amir who had helped me find it; Mal had too, and even Avery.

Little Valkyrie, I lost my way,

But gods be damned, I’m here to stay.

I thought my soul was gone for good,

Till each of you met me where I stood.

Little Valkyrie, I’m sorry I fled,

But some ghosts still claw inside my head.

Losing you nearly killed me too,

But all my roads now lead back to you.

Little Valkyrie, I stand here undone,

Ready to fight until the battle is won.

If you give me your hand, I’ll guard it with mine,

And rebuild what I shattered, one day at a time.

When I was finished, I lifted the leather cord of my necklace over my head and set it beneath the last line of the poem. My skin felt bare after twenty years of wearing it, but I passed the notebook back to Mal and watched her blink slowly as she stared at it. Instead of touching it, she read through what I’d written.

“What do you think?” I asked when it had been a few minutes.

“‘Mine’ and ‘time’ don’t rhyme.”

“Close enough. Call it creative liberty.”

“No.”

“You’re being picky because you’re mad at me. Think you can do better?”

“‘Flee’ and ‘Remi.’”

“Ah. That’s one option.”

“‘Lie’ and ‘cry.’”

“Yeah, I get it.”

“‘Weak’ and ‘freak.’”

“Mal,” Avery scolded.

“It’s alright,” I assured her. “I’ll just take this back.”

When I tried to swipe the necklace, Mal put her hand over it. “Joke.”

“Oh, was it?”

She held her thumb and index finger close together, making me laugh. Picking up the necklace, she looked at the rune.

“What for?” she asked.