Valhalla gets a new resident

Jack gives me a new nickname, fantastic.

"Uhhhhmmm, sure?" Taylor choked out before Jack launched into the chorus of 22 in a really bad twangy accent that was supposed to imitate a country singer. To be honest, it was good change, he's been singing the soundtrack of Mamma Mia and Heathers for a while now.

Taylor walked over and nudged my shoulder, "your talking sword sings."

"Yep."

"He also is a necklace that you wear."

"Uh hu."

"And he flies."

"Right on. He also goes on dates with other weapons."

Taylor just smiled and shook her head.

At that moment Jack finished his song,
"We won't be sleeping
It feels like one of those nights uh uh
You look like bad news I gotta have you, I gotta have you!"

Alex stood up and clapped with Taylor. Jack's runes blushed pink and he took a bow.

"Thanks a lot Jack, now Taylor has something she needs to tell us, she has a slight problem—"

Just as I said this, Mallory and TJ walked in.
"Hey guys, heard Jack singing. So who has a problem?" TJ asked as he took a seat on one of the arm chairs.

"Oooh a problem. One sec." Mallory winked and yelled down the hall. "Gunderson! Get your lazy arse over here!!!"

Taylor slumped and sat on the edge of the coffee table, "great. A family meeting." She mumbled under her breath.

"Don't worry Swiftie! These guys are cool." Jack said reassuringly over her shoulder. He then launched into the time TJ and him went faught a giant and his ceramic monster. Taylor only tensed at the sharp blade hovering near her neck.

I stayed standing, waiting for Halfborn Gunderson to take a seat all snuggled up next to Mallory. Taylor sat rigid. Her hand rolling a paint brush through her fingers.

I clapped my hands together to get Jack's attention. "Taylor is in trouble, she's going to exp--."

She frowned and stood up, facing me. "I can talk you know."

"Sorry, my bad." I quickly sat down.

She walked up in front of the fire place, slipping the paintbrush in her pocket.

"Great, so as I told Magnus, I'm screwed. I'm not supposed to be here." My other hall mates raised their eyes at her bluntness. She sighed and pushed up her sleeves.

She then launched into a much better explanation of her dream, describing it like a natural story teller, painting a picture into my mind. The thing that surprised me the most is that Jack remained quiet.

"Okay." Mallory said slowly after Taylor finished.
"You're a demigod." Halfborn added
"A Greek Demigod, in Valhalla." TJ finished.

Alex chimed in, "Well ever since bean town over head told us the Greek gods were still alive and kicking, I've been kind of waiting for everything to go wrong."

I decided to ignore what she said, instead I asked, "How did this happen again?" I squeaked out, my voice cracking.

Taylor rung her hands, "it had something to do with the fact that I didn't know who I was, I still don't. Anything on Ancient Greek gods is all, well Greek to me. Plus it seems like you guys take dreams pretty seriously around here." She turned to me expectantly. "Hunding told me you know the most about this stuff? How?"

I gulped, my head spinning. "Well my cousin, Annabeth, she's like you, a child of Athena, so is her boyfriend Percy Jackson. He's a son of the god Poseidon. I've met with them both, demigods not their parents. They helped me prepare for a quest we had a few months ago"

"Attempted to help." Alex corrected.

Jack sighed dramatically. Going inanament and flopping on the couch like he was at a therapist appointment. "Don't talk about Percy! I miss his sword so much, why is riptide so hard to get over!"

Taylor raised her hands. "No offense Jack, I totally get the whole broken...heart." Her voice caught at the last word. Her guard instantly went up, "but can we focus on my problem right now? Like how bad of a mistake am I?Like will they kill me? Or—"

Alex responded, —"well Sam will probably be kicked off the Valkyries again. It's not the worse thing though. She's been wanting to get out for a while. They told her she was off the hook after our last quest but she got roped back in a few weeks later. She just wants to go to school, be normal, spend time with her fiancé and all that Jazz."

Mallory leaned forward, placing her forearms on her knees. "Do you think Sam did it on purpose?"

"Well if she did that would be pretty inconsiderate! Based off the short discussion I had with Hunding, I got one thing, the pantheons aren't supposed to mix. The Greek gods seem mad at me, just wait until the Norse find out!" Taylor exclaimed.

"Could we hide her parentage?" TJ piped up. "I mean is there a way to rig the rune picking that decides who her parent is? It could make her seem just like a normal mortal."

I shook my head. " Gods are proud. From the stories Annabeth has told me, well I don't think the Greek gods will have a problem at all with flaunting our mistake. Our meaning the Norse in general."

I took a deep breath and continued. "As for how this will affect you, Taylor. It's hard to tell, the council is very unpredictable, but you were unaware about all of this, so I doubt they will accuse you for all of this being intentional. Although they might look at how you died and see you unfit to be in Valhalla. How did you die?"

She scowled at me and kept her mouth clamped shut. Turning away from us and looking at the fire. Alex turned and punched my arm. "We'll see soon enough you idiot. We just need to know if you died with a weapon in your hand, Taylor."

Taylor shuddered, turning back around. "A baseball bat counts?"

Weapon specialist, Halfborn pondered this for a second before nodding.

"Then yeah." She croaked. "What did you mean by soon enough? I mean Helgi said something about being excited to seeing my brave exploits at dinner but..." she trailed off.

"It's nothing. We'll explain later." Alex said with her head down.

Taylor sat down on the ground. "Hey Magnus? Do you think I could talk to these Greek demigods? I mean if I survive tonight?"

I winced. "Actually, they are going to college right now all the way out in California. To be totally honest? I'm not sure what to do. Plus they are going through some hard things on their own."

"I have a question. Why can't I just leave?" Taylor asked, plucking out the thread in the carpet.

Mallory sighed. "I wish it was that easy. You have to be called upon to do a quest, or go out against the rules. Which will lead to the Valkyries and other einherji to hunt you down and kill you or drag you back here to be tried then killed."

Taylor put her fist to her chin. "Gee this place is all sunshiny and rainbows."

She looked up, a smirk on her face. She threw the thread into the fire, her eyes defiant. Taylor brushed her hands off and stood. "Well I'm used to breaking the rules. Now if you would kindly show me to the nearest exit. Is climbing up my trees a way out?"

"I wouldn't suggest that way. A giant squirrel will probably come and verbally abuse you or something." I said casually. "But I get how you feel, but tell me if I'm wrong, the first thing you are going to do is go find your family. Right?"

There was no pause in her response, "Yeah."

"You can't do that Taylor, no offense but based off the damage to your room, you still need some adjusting. Not to mention the whole option we haven't even considered."

Mallory raised her eyebrows "What's that?"

I didn't need to say the answer, Taylor did that for me. She ran her fingers through her hair, biting her bottom lip. She looked up at the mounted wolf head, slightly crooked when she put it back. She turned back around, hey eyes sweeping over all of us.

"That me being brought here wasn't a mistake."