Valhalla gets a new resident

I swear the ravens are spying on me

Against my better judgment I tried to bolt once again. I barely skidded around Hunding, managing this time avoid his grasp. I jumped over the couch of teenagers and snagged an ottoman on the way toward the front door.

This can't be happening this can't be happening. I didn't know much, but I knew that I wasn't meant to be here, it was so physically wrong, it rattled me to my core, giving me the only option of trying to escape again. I shoved my shoulder against the door and it burst open, almost breaking off the hinges. I didn't have time to process the random burst of inhuman strength, I was barely one step ahead of hunding and a few other heavy footsteps behind me. They were all yelling and cussing at me to come back. That didn't stop me, I sprinted to the other side of the courtyard and planted the ottoman down at the base of the trunk, hoping it would give me enough height to reach the first branch of the gold leaf tree. I hesitated, knowing that even with the extra height I would never make it. "Stop her!", a throwing ax flew past my nose and planted into the trunk. I didn't hesitate anymore, and leapt as high as my legs would get me. Surprisingly my fingertips brushed the branch, one hand barely snagging onto it. I yelped in delight and clawed my way up. I sucked in and flipped around to avoid Hundings meaty hand. I balanced in the branch and glanced down at him, the poor guy looked desperate, like he really didn't want another scolding with a stick.

Well, too bad. I thought right before kicking him squarely in the face as he tried to scale the tree after me. He did try to kill me with a throwing ax. Multiple scary bearded men were hot on my tale. In that moment I summoned my inner squirrel and scampered up that tree so fast. Once I reached the same height of the surrounding wall of the courtyard I readjusted myself, pushing off the branch to jump over it, not worrying about the crash landing on the other side, so long as it was away from this place. Things didn't go my way, because let's be real, when has it ever? I was sent back crashing through leaves before hitting the ground below me with a thud, like I had been deflected by an invisible force. My head smacked against the ground, making the last thing I saw fuzzy outlines of the men that were previously chasing me.

I woke up on one of the couches in the lobby, being babysat by Hunding after he was ordered to watch me sleep. Once my eyes primed themselves open I was thrown over his big Viking shoulder and marched to the elevator.

I  wasn't paying the closest attention as Hunding guided me through the hotel. When I think about it, I almost never pay attention, especially when I'm supposed to be. Most of the time when I'm not outside or active, I feel all kept up and out of it.

"Hello? Ms.Taylor?"

I blinked and looked at him dumbly.

"Wow you're a lot like one of your new Hall mates. Magnus Chase. You're not his cousin are you?"

I tried to move my tongue but it too, was in shock. I just shook my head.

"I figured, you don't look alike. Plus, I think her name was AnnaBell or something."

Each hall we walked through seemed bigger than the one before. Most of the hotel guests looked like they were in high school, though some looked slightly older. Guys and girls sat together in small groups, lounging in front of fireplaces, chatting in many different languages, eating snacks or playing board games like chess and Scrabble and something that involved real daggers and a blowtorch. Peeking into side lounges, I spotted pool tables, pinball machines, an old-fashioned video arcade, and something that looked like an iron maiden from a torture chamber.

Staff members in dark green shirts moved among the guests, bringing platters of food and pitchers of drink. As far as I could tell, all the servers were buff female warriors with shields on their backs and swords or axes on their belts, which is not something you see a lot in the service industry.