The girl straightened. She took a deep breath and extended her hand. “Let’s start again. Hi, I’m Samirah al-Abbas.” I blinked. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but that doesn’t sound like a very Viking-ish name.” She smiled tightly. “You can call me Sam. Everyone does. I’ll be your Valkyrie this evening. Pleased to meet you properly.” She shook my hand, her grip so tight my finger bones popped. “I will now escort you to dinner.” She forced a smile. “If you embarrass me, I’ll be the first to kill you.”
