And just like that, she led him away.
The giant glanced behind him once, and I nodded. Not that I had to give him permission, but he was clearly looking for some sort of sign. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Leave it to Sam to have no qualms about befriending a big, scary troll.
The first time I laid eyes on Junnal, I was not nearly as calm and collected. I may have even wet myself a little. It had been a very stressful day.
Tyr scrubbed his hand over his face. “That girl is going to get herself into massive trouble. She’s too trusting, especially for a human. She has no idea of the dangers at hand.”
“That’s what you’re for,” I told him, patting his shoulder. “But she’s also pretty feisty, so I’d lay money down that she could hold her own in a fair fight if pushed hard enough.”
We began to walk toward the Park, and Fen settled his arm around my waist. “I’m happy the Jotun is here,” he whispered in my ear, “because looking after you is a full-time job. I can use the help.”
I elbowed him in the ribs and kept going.
* * *
The sun had set hours ago, and we were still training. Rae had been ruthless, making us run, battle, and condition nonstop. This was the real deal.
“Phoebe,” Rae ordered after a stint of calisthenics that would’ve made a human collapse in their own vomit, “go get your weapon.”
I stopped short of my last lunge. “Really?” I replied, thinking I might not have heard her correctly. I tried to suppress any happiness that threatened to leak out. I didn’t want to embarrass myself by raising my arms in the air and doing a hip roll right there.
She answered by placing her hands on her hips. “Yes, really.”
I tossed my wooden imitations away with glee and rushed to where Sam was keeping a solid vigil with Junnal. Sitting on the ground, the giant was still taller than Sam, who was perched on a raised bench.
Sam handed me Gundren, smiling. “Here you go!” she sang with glee. “Go kick some ass.”
I slung the scabbard on my back, energy racing into me as I strapped it on. My body had ached for this moment. I petted the leather straps as I walked forward.
Rae halted me before I reached the inner circle. “But you’re not sparring…yet. Those weapons could seriously injure a Valkyrie or destroy her weapon. I want you to practice against that.” She gestured casually over her left shoulder to the far corner of the Park.
My eyes followed, my eyebrows shooting past my hairline. I darted a confused look back at her. “You want me to use my weapons against…an animal?” My stomach lurched, finding a new home below my kneecaps. I was about to tell her that there was no way I could kill a sheep tied to a tree in cold blood. I wasn’t even hunting it for food. It wasn’t going to happen.
“Valkyrie, this is all about control, not killing. Only when you can control your weapons will you be allowed to spar with another. I want you to shear that sheep, don’t harm it. If you cause its death, you’ve failed the task.”
I blinked. “Um. Okay?” It came out as a question.
Snickers erupted from the Valkyries who weren’t training. Large lights that had been positioned around the Park, along with the bright moonlight filtering down from the fully dark sky, made it easy to track what everyone was doing.
As I walked toward the sheep, I heard, “I bet she skins that thing alive in under two seconds.”
“That poor thing doesn’t stand a chance.”
“It’s too bad I’m a vegetarian.”
I was about to voice my displeasure, when a low, garbled yowl shook the air, followed by a huge thump. I turned to see Junnal standing, club in hand, towering over the other Valkyries, something akin to a scowl on his face.
Everyone shut up.
The shieldmaidens could’ve taken Junnal down, eventually. But it would’ve taken a lot of them to wrestle him to the ground. Plus, they would’ve earned the ire of Rae and Ingrid. It was easier to shut the hell up.
But it was the boost I needed.
I paced over to the sheep.
It bleated at me, sniffing the air warily.
“I’m not going to hurt you, big guy,” I told it in what I hoped were soothing, sheep-appropriate tones. Was it a guy? No horns. Okay, maybe it was female. “I’m just going to…um…give you a haircut?” Again, it came out as a question, because I had no idea how I was going to go about achieving that task. I unsheathed my swords. They exited the scabbard with that same satisfying zing. I was pretty sure I’d never get sick of hearing that sound. I brought them around and positioned them in front of my body.
I thought I would be shaky, because I was nervous I was going to kill this innocent creature, but my hands were rock steady. Not one muscle moved, everything locked up tight.
“When I give you the order, I want you to slash down quickly and sheer the sheep,” Rae commanded from ten feet away.
“Okay.” This was, bar none, the craziest thing I’d ever been asked to do. Cut sheep wool with magical swords given to me by a god, their blades sharp enough to kill any living creature on all seven realms. I almost laughed out loud. Topping this was going to take some skill.
“Go!” Rae ordered.
I lashed my hand down, and almost immediately, Rae shouted, “Stop!”
My arm was moving quickly, but I managed to jerk it up at the last minute, effectively stopping my motion a mere inch from the terrified sheep.
It had been choppy, but a stop nonetheless.
The sheep gave me a defiant baa as I stepped back.
“That was a test, and you barely passed,” Rae all but sighed. “This is what I was referring to. You must be able to halt, change your position, or redirect yourself at a moment’s notice. No exceptions. Things around you will always be in motion. It’s an art form, Phoebe, something we Valkyries learn at an early age. You must master it. Without it, you will be a danger to our group and yourself.”
“So, you don’t want me to shear the sheep?” I asked dumbly.
I was a teensy bit confused about the plan.
“Yes,” she replied, somewhat impatiently. I didn’t blame her. “I want you to cut the sheep’s wool, but you will do it with constant distractions and redirection. Do you understand? You must master your control above all else.”
“Yes, of course,” I replied. This was something Fen was working with me on as well. “I understand.” Fen referred to my lack of finesse as my sluggish human carryover , which was an artful way of saying I sucked and hit like a girl. He kept at me to become more Zenlike and less like a human zombie while I was fighting.
Although, he didn’t call it Zen . He called it centered .
And he didn’t call it human zombie , he called it phlegmatic .
Same, same.
“Find the center, Phoebe,” he’d tell me again and again.
I’d thought I was getting better at it, but apparently not.
I glanced at the sheep. It snorted and dug a hoof in, kicking dirt and flaring its nostrils.
I hadn’t sliced it in half, so that was something. I wanted to point that awesome fact out, but kept quiet. It likely wouldn’t garner the same reception that was currently playing out in my head.
“Anya!” Rae called. “Come here.” Then she turned to me. “Anya will give you directions, and your job is to follow her every command. Got it?”
“Yes,” I answered.
Inside, I screamed, Why her?
No one would get more joy from my missteps than she would.
Anya sauntered over like she’d been given a serious gift, twirling her battle ax like it weighed nothing, her face dialed to I’m soooo bored .
Rae addressed Anya, her face set. “Phoebe is to work on control. You will be her guide. Are we clear?”
“Yes,” Anya replied. After a moment, she added, “I won’t disappoint you.” She accented the I ever so slightly.
Rae glanced at me, saying nothing before she turned and left.
“You heard the comma
nder,” Anya intoned, like I was daft and already unwilling to work hard. “Get your swords up. We’ve got a lot of work to do.” She mumbled low enough for just me to hear, “Likely an insurmountable amount.”
I gritted my teeth, refusing to be baited. I had no idea how long Rae was going to make us work together tonight, but I’d be damned if I let this Valkyrie get the best of me. I positioned myself, waiting not-so-patiently for her command.
“You can’t do anything with that form. Hold your arms out farther,” Anya sniffed. “And can you please not kill the sheep? I don’t want to have to clean blood out of my clothes tonight.”
“Sure thing,” I replied in a monotone, holding my swords higher, not moving a muscle.
What Anya didn’t know was I was determined to master this quickly.
I wasn’t going to be her tool for long.
6
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“S he’s insufferable!” I pounded my fists into my pillow. Fen climbed into bed next to me. We’d just gotten Junnal situated nearby. Turns out the big guy preferred to sleep under the stars. His first choice had been to take up residence right outside our door, but after some persistent persuasion on our part, we convinced him that wouldn’t be necessary, and he finally acquiesced.
We’d found him a nice spot to bed down near the entrance to our small valley. It was the only way in or out, so he was satisfied.
“Anya is toying with you because she can,” Fen told me, pulling me close. I collapsed against his shoulder, sighing. The energy felt wonderful. It was late and I was drained from a full day and night of training. But at least I was less sore.
Anya had run me ragged, shouting inane orders left and right. I’d come close to killing the poor sheep more times than I cared to admit.
When Rae had finally called time, I’d given the ovine the worst haircut of its life. Tufts of wool stuck out here and there. Large patches of pink skin lay exposed. It looked like it had gotten into an accident with a deranged chain saw.
But it was alive.
That was the most important thing.
“I know she’s just toying with me because she can. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do about it.” I shifted onto my back, enjoying the currents of electricity from his body as they licked against my side.
“She knows you will not do anything to her in retaliation, so it emboldens her.”
Emboldens? Sometimes Fen sounded like he was straight out of 1923. I found it endearing. “Why would I retaliate?” I craned my head up to look at him. “She’s a big bully who’s stronger and faster than me. Fighting her wouldn’t get me very far, except face first in the dirt. And that’s exactly what she wants. Me to look weak in front of everyone.”
Fen shook his head. “I don’t believe she’d win handily. Leaving the situation alone is a human trait. In Asgard, if someone challenges us, however subtle, we take it head on, settle the matter, and move on.”
“Then how do you recommend I go about it?”
“Fight and defeat her, and she won’t bother you again. In fact, she will respect you for it.”
“You make it sound easy, and I should point out, that’s not only an Asgardian trait. Humans do that, too. But usually only if we are ensured a win. If not, we hide in the locker we were stuffed in until the coast is clear.” I sighed. “Anya is like the beautiful jock picking on the new girl.”
He chuckled. “I have no idea what that means, but fighting to secure your place is what you have to do. We have a hierarchy in Asgard. Physically strongest on top, the weakest at the bottom. Not many are as bold as Anya in their challenges. Not all share her ways, but many do. She is seeking Rae’s favor as well as to move up the ranks on the battle team, and she believes picking on the powerless will get her there.”
I hated that I was the weakest gazelle in the herd. Defeated, I rolled toward the wall. “I don’t think I’m going to catch up.” It felt like an insurmountable climb. Every single Valkyrie had the advantage of time and training over me.
“You won’t be at the bottom for long,” he assured me as he ran his hand along my arm. I sighed for the fifteenth time. “You are improving tenfold daily.”
“How do you know? You’re not allowed near the Park,” I grumbled. Rae had declared the guys were getting too close, so they’d moved back. They were more of a distraction than a threat. I’d seen many Valkyries preening, especially when Tyr was around.
“Look up next time.” I heard the grin in his voice.
I turned my head, appraising him. His eyes were soft. He looked so much different than when we’d first met. He was more relaxed now, and it was a welcome sight. “Are you telling me you’re scaling the mesa to watch me?” The Park was in a fairly hard-to-access location, encircled by steep rock walls on all sides.
“Of course,” he growled. “I keep you in my sights at all times.”
“That seems a bit excessive,” I told him, even though I was grateful. After what we’d been through, having him close made me feel secure.
He grinned. “It would be like you to tumble into a wormhole. I have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
I chuckled. “Yes, that would suck.” I ran a hand through my hair. I was exhausted. “Now, back to Anya. So how do you recommend I best her? She’s far stronger than I am and quicker on her feet.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “You wield the most-powerful weapons in the stronghold,” he answered smugly. “It wouldn’t be that hard.”
“Hard to do what?” I arched my neck to gape at him as I gasped. “Are you saying I should kill her?”
“Of course not, Valkyrie,” Fen replied patiently. “But you should come this close.” He spread his fingers less than an inch apart, grinning like a fool. “So everyone knows you could if you wanted to.”
I let out a poof of air, the sound close to a deflated raspberry. “That might take more skill than I have at the moment. I’d be lucky to get her to face-plant. I’m not getting by her battle ax so easily. She holds that thing close to the vest.”
“I believe in you, Valkyrie,” he said, stroking my side, his hair tickling my shoulder in the most distracting way. “Stand your ground, and you will prevail.” Prevail . So. Adorable. “If you do, the abuse will end. Mark my words.”
“That’s easy for you to say.” I yawned. “You can just turn into a wolf and be done with it. You’re asking me to defeat a six-foot amazon who’s stronger than me by a mile and who likes to dice people up with her trusty ax.”
His warm breath hit my neck, and my toes curled. “That may be true,” he murmured, “but I’m pretty sure there’s a wolf inside you, too. Here, let me help you find it.”
I turned, falling into his arms, his lips meeting mine, both of us hungry.
At least one thing would go right today.
* * *
“Get back up, you imbecile!” Anya shrieked, her voice hoarse from all the spewing she’d managed to accomplish before noon. “If you continue to move that slowly, you’ll kill yourself as well as all of us. Valkyries protect each other at all cost. You must react quicker!”
My face was in the dirt.
Again.
Anya had issued an impossible order to turn one hundred and eighty degrees when I was mid-sheep-shear, my swords near several vital organs. So, in order to not kill the innocent animal, this one different from last night, I chose to land on my face.
I spit out red dust and rose.
It’d taken me a long time to simmer, but now that I was here, my anger was at a boiling point.
All morning, while enduring her abuse, my mind had rehashed what Fen and I had talked about last night. I was going to have to push back at some point, but the old Phoebe—the human Phoebe—worried about all the things that could go wrong. Challenging Anya could backfire in so many ways. I could end up really hurt and not able to help find my mother. Or Rae could toss me out of the stronghold. Or a million other things, most of
which ended in my horrible death, chopped into little pieces by razor-sharp twin blades.
As Anya yelled another insult, I decided it was time to cool off before I did something I’d regret. I had to find the right moment to strike, and I didn’t want it to be a gut reaction. I turned my back on the angry shieldmaiden and sheathed my swords.
Junnal and Sam would be the perfect distraction to take my mind off my crappy morning. The Jotun had chosen not to sit down this morning. Instead, the massive troll stood sentinel at the edge of the Park gates, which were a pair of old wooden posts strung together with small pickets that were purely ornamental. I knew his presence made all the other Valkyries uneasy, but none had been brave enough to challenge him to leave.
If I could morph into Junnal for a few minutes, I’d be all set. I’d punch Anya right into the sandstone rock and go about my business.
As I left the Park, I couldn’t bring myself to search for Fen or my brother to see if they were watching. The events of the day had been too humiliating. Knowing they’d been witnessing me getting my ass handed to me again and again was almost too much.
I brushed the dirt off me while I walked.
“Don’t turn your back on me!” Anya raged. “We’re not done until I say so.” I didn’t even pretend to look at her. “Did you hear me? We are not finished here!”
“I’m taking five,” I tossed carelessly over my shoulder.
I was almost to the gate.
“You are not taking five,” Anya sneered. “Rae tells us when it’s break time, and you don’t get special treatment just because you’re Odin’s bastard spawn .”
Freed: (Phoebe Meadows Book 2) Page 5
