Freya.

I stood before the mansion gates, my heart beating so fast it felt like it was trying to punch its way out of my chest.

Nervous didn’t even begin to describe it. My palms were slick with cold sweat, my stomach twisted into tight, painful knots, and a heavy lump sat in my throat, making it hard to swallow. What if they laughed at me again? What if they refused? What cruel things would they say this time? The fear was so strong it made my legs feel weak, like they might give out any second.

But then the image of my grandmother flashed in my mind — her...