Valkyrie Rising (38 page)

Authors: Ingrid Paulson

BOOK: Valkyrie Rising

2.61Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

That perked me right up. I never got packages—especially surprises. So I took the steps faster, itching with curiosity. The box was perched on the edge of my desk, wrapped in sturdy brown paper. Where the return address would have been, the name Astrid was emblazoned in an intricate script. There was no postmark, or any other sign that this box had ever been touched by a U.S. postal worker. In fact, the covering was perfectly preserved, free of creases, dirt, and any signs of wear and tear. I wondered how my mother could have missed such obvious oddities.

I backed away from the box slowly, like it would explode if not handled with care.

Graham’s heavy tread pounded up the stairs, and his bedroom door opened and closed behind him. For a moment, I thought about calling out to him, not wanting to be alone when I ripped into the smooth brown paper. Just in case. But Graham had been through enough, and he probably wouldn’t understand the depth of what had transpired between Astrid and me and all the reasons I wasn’t sure whether to be terrified or touched that she’d thought of me.

I used scissors to cut away the paper, buying time by folding it into a neat square and setting it on my desk to be recycled. It was a plain brown cardboard file box, the kind my mother used to store old tax receipts.

I lifted the lid slowly, scanning underneath for a trip wire.

Inside was a pair of all-too-familiar fur-trimmed knee-high boots. Thin straps crisscrossed over the front, lacing up the leg like ballet slippers. I smiled as I finally ran my fingers along the smooth tanned leather. The soles were a transparent rubberlike material I’d never seen before, and I touched their sticky surface, realizing that this level of traction would take me up the side of an ice-covered cliff without a hitch.

As I slid them out of the box, a slip of paper fluttered to the ground. Staring up at me, in the same curled calligraphy, was a note.

Train hard. Next time I won’t go so easy on you. —A

“Ellie?” My mom knocked softly at the door. “Tucker’s downstairs—he wants to see you.”

“Coming,” I said, slipping the note into my desk drawer. “I’ll be right there.”

After all, who needs sleep? Definitely not me. Especially when I’d missed Tuck every minute of the last five weeks.

As I unlaced the boots, I hoped his Morrigan blood would boil at the sight of the fur-tipped symbol of Valkyrie valor on my feet. After all, what fun would dating be if I couldn’t still drive Tuck crazy?

I smiled at that thought, but then laughed out loud as I realized that the Valkyrie boots fit perfectly.

Just like I’d always known they would.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank my wonderful agent, Suzie Townsend, for finding such a perfect home for my book and for believing in me. A huge thanks as well to Brendan Deneen, who dug me out of the slush pile.

I will be forever grateful to my editor, Anne Hoppe, whose wisdom and insight helped me unlock aspects of my story and my characters that I didn’t know existed. I’ve learned so much from Anne. I also want to thank Laurel Symonds, who provided invaluable editorial guidance.

Martha Flynn, Whitney Miller, and Heidi Kling, my amazing critique group, I couldn’t have finished this book without you. I also want to thank Mary Kole and Alie Slavin, who read my earliest drafts.

I have been so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends and family who were conscripted to read countless drafts: David Paulson, Katharine Kivett, Katie Watson, Shin-e Lin, Lei Lynn Lau, Kerri Tarvin, Keith and Pamela Pugh, Kristin Bousquet, Tanya Marston, Georgie Hanlin, Kristen Harper, and my husband, Alex. I couldn’t have done this without every one of you. Lastly, thank you to the Paulson women: Natalie, Kathy, and Grandma, who were with me on the fateful trip to Norway that started it all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ingrid Paulson
lives in San Francisco with her husband and daughter and enjoys long-distance running, eavesdropping, and watching science documentaries. She has always loved books and writing short stories but was surprised one day to discover the story she was working on wasn’t so short anymore.
VALKYRIE RISING
is Ingrid’s first novel.

Ingrid’s grandmother might actually a Valkyrie; Ingrid is still waiting for her come clean.

You can visit Ingrid on the web at
www.ingridepaulson.com.

Visit
www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors and artists.

CREDITS

Cover art and design by Joel Tippie

COPYRIGHT

HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Valkyrie Rising

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

www epicreads.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Paulson, Ingrid.

Valkyrie rising / Ingrid Paulson.—1st ed.

p. cm.

Summary: While visiting Norway, sixteen-year-old Ellie must step out of the shadow of her popular older brother, join forces with his infuriating best friend, and embrace her Valkyrie heritage to rescue teen boys kidnapped to join the undead army of the ancient god Odin.

ISBN 978-0-06-202572-2 (trade bdg.)

EPub Edition © AUGUST 2012 ISBN: 9780062190291

[1. Valkyries (Norse mythology)—Fiction. 2. Supernatural—Fiction. 3. Kidnapping—Fiction. 4. Loki (Norse deity)—Fiction. 5. Odin (Norse deity)—Fiction. 6. Norway—Fiction.] I. Title.