Valhalla Nights by Bethany Borden (best books for 7th graders TXT) 📕

report it back to The King or Aeron. I don’t think they would take likely to me not only disobeying a direct order but helping you.”
“Come on Keane. You know Lee…you know that something’s not right here.” I did my best to plead with my eyes. If Keane said no, I didn’t have anyone else to turn to.
Keane let out a half sigh, half groan. “Maybe…I am not saying yes. But we can talk later…in private.”
“Okay. I can come over tonight…but…It will have to be sort of late.” I didn’t want to mention to him that I wasn’t allowed to leave the castle grounds and that I would have to wait until later in order to sneak out unseen. I didn’t think that would convince him to help me any.
“Fine but be careful or you will be off to your Aunt’s for the summer and then you wouldn’t be able to search for Lee.” Keane was grinning at me. I couldn’t help but smile back. I guess I didn’t have to worry about him finding out about my restrictions, he already knew. No doubt my father and Aeron had filled in the Guards so no one would let me off the grounds. Terrific, that should make tonight’s escape that much more fun. Thank goodness for the shortage of Guards.
Later that evening I paced my room waiting until it was time to leave. I was nervous and beginning to sweat. I hadn’t even left my room yet and every sound I heard made my heart skip a beat while I listened to here the cause of it. Being sneaky had always been more Lee’s talent than mine. I never felt this anxious with Lee because I had complete faith in him. His absence left a hole the size of a crator in my life and I wasn’t sure how to fill it. I wondered to myself if I lacked confidence in myself because I always had so much faith in him? I never had to believe in myself as long as I had Lee to believe in.
For a fraction of a second I wondered if Lee’s leaving would turn out beneficial for me. Maybe his being gone would teach me to have more faith in myself and to fend for myself among other things. I quickly disregarded that thought, scolding myself for even thinking Lee’s disappearance could be even the littlest bit beneficial. How could I have thought such a thing at all?
I told myself I wasn’t nervous because Lee wasn’t here to help me sneak out. I was nervous because if I got caught I would end up in another Providence with no way to find Lee. I was nervous because Keane could still decline helping me. I was nervous because a lot rested on tonight going well. My nervousness obviously had nothing to do with my self-confidence and therefore, the thought about Lee’s disappearance being beneficial was unfounded.
I began trying to calm my anxiety by breathing slow, deep breathes and talking to myself. Deep breath in. “You can do this.” I whispered. Deep breathe out. Deep breath in. “You’ve done this lot’s of times.” Deep breathe out. Deep breathe in. “You can do this. It’ll be a piece of cake.”
After a few minutes of this, I found that I actually felt better…and slightly light headed. By the time I left, I was fairly confident I would get there and back without incident and feeling hopeful that Keane would agree to help.
Getting out of the castle was easier than I expected it to be. I didn’t have to hide at all until I was right outside Keane’s house. I was rounding the corner of Keane’s house when I saw Aeron out of the corner of my eye. I ducked into a nearby bush. Aeron was leaving Keane’s house. Seeing him was surprised me, I hadn’t heard that he was back. He had left days ago in the search for Lee. I wondered idly what Aeron had been doing there. For a second I thought maybe Keane was setting me up, but decided against it. If Keane wanted to set me up, Aeron could have just stayed in the house until I arrived. Keane was in the guard and Aeron pretty much ran the entire guard. It wasn’t that unusual for Aeron to be there…right?
Once I was sure that Aeron was out of sight, I went up to Keane’s door and knocked lightly.
He answered the door with a smile on his face, moving aside to let me in. “Good thing you didn’t show up a few minutes ago, Aeron just left.”
“Yeah, I saw him. I had to jump into a bush to avoid him seeing me. What was he doing here?” I tried not to seem suspicious, but I am not sure how successful I was.
“He just got back from in the search. He had left me in charge of the patrol and was just checking in.” Keane didn’t make it seem like a big deal and appeared honest enough so I let it go. “Can I get you something to drink?” He asked as I sat down.
“Sure.” Keane grabbed to soda’s and came to sit next to me. Keane is the same age as Lee. Keane is tall and muscular built (like most of the men in the guard). Lee and I both had our mother’s traits dirty blonde hair and grey eyes. Keane has dark brown hair and greenish-brown eyes. I always thought that he was extremely attractive and I wondered what we might look like next to each other. That thought didn’t get far before I caught myself. I was here for a reason. “So, will you help me?”
“That depends on what you mean by help. If you mean go charging into the country on some crazy search with no idea where to begin, than no. But I will DESCRETELY help you try to find somewhere to begin.”
“Thank you Keane. I know the risk you’re taking in helping me and I am grateful.”
“Well, you were right. It’s weird that he just took off the way he did. I want answers too.”
“I am not entirely sure that he just took off…I think something might have happened to him…I am not sure.” I confessed.
“Why would you think something might have happened to him?”
“Because none of it makes sense. Lee wouldn’t leave without telling me. Even if he would, that night when we came back into the castle Lee could barely hold himself up. Who plans and elaborate escape and then gets shitfaced on the night they’re leaving? How did he even get himself out of castle in that condition? But then I think…maybe it wasn’t planned, he just decided to leave and did. And then there’s the note. It was so vague. I searched his room in hopes that he had left me something, but I didn’t find anything. I don’t know what to think honestly. But the thought that someone might have taken him has definitely crossed my mind.”
“Okay. Let’s say that someone could have taken him. You said you searched his room and didn’t find anything, but did you notice anything missing? A kidnapper probably wouldn’t have packed any bags before taking him.”
“I didn’t really notice anything missing but he has too many cloths for me to really tell. But I did notice that his Tunic was missing. Which only brought up more questions because what would he need his Royal Tunic for? We only wear it in public places or in the company of other Royals and important people. The Tunic would only get him noticed. It’s just another thing that doesn’t make sense.” I was at a total loss. Nothing about the situation made any sense and it seemed like the more I learned the more confusing it got.
“I think you should check his room again. Last time you weren’t looking for anything that might be missing so you might not have noticed it. I’ll talk to Aeron again and see if they have turned up anything in the search. I could try asking around the village but I doubt anyone knows anything. Most people would have come forward with any information they had, eager to please the king.”
“Thank you again for your help. I really don’t know what I would have done without you.” I smiled in appreciation.
“I’m happy to help, just don’t do anything to make me regret it.” He said smiling back at me.
I talked to Keane for another hour before heading back to the castle. The walk back was pretty quiet. I was almost to my room and hadn’t seen anyone. Keane was going to help me. He had advantages I didn’t have. Aeron would talk more openly with him and I don’t have access to the village because of my punishment. I was feeling pretty good about how the night was turning out…that is until I opened my bedroom door and found Aeron sitting on my bed.
“Where have you been?” He asked in a calm tone. It honestly sounded more like a simple question than an accusation. I was expecting the accusation.
“The kitchen.” I lied.
“At two in the morning?” He challenged.
“Yeah. I couldn’t sleep and wanted a snack.”
Aeron nodded his head as if to say “ok, if that’s your story”. “Don’t do this Ade. Don’t get involved in this. Believe it or not, I don’t want to see dad send you to Aunt Lilith’s anymore than you want to go.”
I let out a sarcastic sigh while rolling my eyes. “Since when do you care what happens to me Aeron?”
“I know you don’t think so, but I’ve always cared. Dad is serious about this Ade and so am I. Stay out of it. Let me find Liam and bring him home.”
“I can’t do that Aeron. I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”
“I’m warning you. Sneak out of this house again and I will go to dad. I’m going to be keeping my eye on you so you better stay out of trouble.”
I stared at the floor not saying anything. He and I both knew I wasn’t going to take his warning. After a few minutes he got up and walked out of the room, shutting my door behind him.
Aeron wasn’t going to make this easy. My only hope was that he would be rejoining the search for Liam soon.

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Publication Date: 04-24-2010

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