by Katrina Cope
AMBUSHED
Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance
Katrina Cope
Cosy Burrow Books
Contents
VADA Books
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Acknowledgments
Books by Katrina Cope
Newsletter
About the Author
VADA Books
Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance
Books
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Marked
Chosen
Vanished
Scorned
Inflicted
Empowered
Ambushed
Warned
Abducted
Ambushed
Ebook first published in USA in November 2019 by Cosy Burrow Books
Ebook first published in Great Britain in November 2019 by Cosy Burrow Books
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www.katrinacopebooks.com
Text Copyright © 2019 by Katrina Cope
Cover Design Copyright © art4artists.com.au
The moral right of Katrina Cope to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references or suggestions herein to actual historical events, real people or actual locations are fictitious. All names, characterisations, locations, incidents, and fabrications are solely the product of the author’s imagination, and any, and all, resemblance to actual persons alive or dead or locations or events is entirely coincidental.
Published by Cosy Burrow Books
All rights reserved
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ISBN: 978-0-6486613-5-1
ASIN: B07YW4HB6H
Created with Vellum
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Chapter One
Rocks crumble from the ceiling and wall, clattering around me, filling the cave. I crumple to my knees, close my eyes, and hold up my hands, willing protection for my head. The clattering rocks continue to fall around me, yet none hit my flesh. Daring myself to look, I slowly pry open one eye to observe the chaos. A massive gush of breath expels from my lungs. Purely by fluke, I have created a barrier, protecting me from the stones. It’s perfect timing for another gift to manifest.
I glance around the room, watching the destruction pile around me. What have I done? I should grab Gilroma, run for the cave door, and exit this mountain before it collapses on top of us.
Frantically, I search for the dark elf. I find him hunkered down in the back corner, arms raised to shield himself from the rocks toppling around him. Even though we can protect our tiny little spot with our magic, it is not going to save us from the whole mountain collapsing on top of us. We will become trapped within the mountain and buried alive.
The prickling sensation of my magic leaves my left arm and circulates through my whole body. It was this sensation of the magic and the power that travels with it that caused this destruction. Under Gilroma's instruction, I was merely practicing my magic within the small cave and got too excited, so I used too much of it. This always leads to catastrophe, as I’ve yet to finesse my control over it.
I glance at the pile of magic books and wonder if I should grab a handful and make a dart for the exit. These books are priceless. I bound forward, reach the books, then turn to see what Gilroma is doing. I nearly drop the books. The dark elf has risen to his feet and is spreading his arms wider, his protection expanding with his motion. The rocks fall farther away from him as they continue to crumble off the mountain. He swings his arms wildly then pushes his hands toward the ceiling. The rumbling and rattling stop, and the rain of rock ceases. I ogle as the larger rocks that have fallen to the floor rise into the air and secure themselves into their original position.
My jaw drops, and I stare at him in amazement. “You can do that?”
His glowing yellow eyes stare at me. “Of course. It is not the first time this little cave suffered a major catastrophe. Besides, this is the way the cave was made in the first place. Do you really think a cave attached to such a long tunnel burrowing deep into a mountain is natural?”
“I hadn't thought about it. It's not exactly a kind of place I would normally hang around. You are the first being I’ve known who lives in the middle of a mountain.”
“This little cave was made by me. This is my safe little secure hidey-hole. So I can reverse any damage that comes to it.”
The final stone shifts into place, and we breathe out a large combined breath and stand straight. I replace the books on the pile then look at my palms, tossing my sight from one palm to the other. I'm still amazed that I hold such great power and my hands caused so much damage. The zmey marked me again today, striking me down my torso, and it seems to have accentuated my magic. I no longer hold this magic only within my left arm. With Gilroma’s help, it runs through both arms, and now it has been released through my entire body thanks to the zmey scratching my torso.
Gilroma stands tall, his glowing eyes burning stronger as he looks at me. “You need to learn how to control your power. Sometimes, a slower release is more powerful than an instant burst of magic.” His voice is gritty and deep.
“I’m sorry. I understand. I will try.” I wipe away beads of sweat that accumulated while I tried to save myself from being buried alive.
“All right. I want you to concentrate on the magic soaring through your body.”
I do as he asks and let the magic well inside my torso, feeling its power extending to my limbs.
“I want you to let it sit and swell. Feel it. Breathe it as it flows through your body. You need to become one with this magic. That way, you can execute any power or defense that runs through your mind.”
I close my eyes and picture this in my head until I feel at one with the magic swirling through my body. I nod as an indication that I have completed this process.
“Now, bring it to rest in your fingers and hold your hands in a cup, bringing them close together. Feel the magic toss between your fingers as you spread them wide.”
I can feel the magic precisely as he describes. It is a strange feeling, having it swirl across my fingertips in a constant movement yet still attached to my body. For a simple wingless Valkyrie like me, it is surreal to have this power. But I’m grateful that the creature chose me, for whatever reason. Surely, this has to prove that I’m better than the winged Valkyries give me credit for.
“Now focus. Focus on that prickling sensation and the well you can feel on your fingertips. Hang on to it. Don’t let it escape. Let it build on disappointments and betrayals from the past. Learn to use those emotions to your advantage.”
As I sit and let the magic well within my fingertips, I recall how the dark elf had told me that Odin is the reason the winged Valkyries have their reaping powers. Th
e wingless don't have it, purely because Odin chose not to give it to them. He has the ability to provide the gift to wingless Valkyries but refuses.
The power whirls within my fingertips, and anger churns deep inside. To think that we have been pushed aside, all because we were born without wings, spirals my rage out of control. A spurt of magic bursts forth, blasting into the wall and dislodging many of the replaced rocks from the ceiling and walls.
I throw my hands up, shielding myself from the falling rocks that are destroying the cave. “Whoops. That didn't go so well.”
“You didn't contain your power again like I instructed you to.” Gilroma’s hairless eyebrows drop in a scowl. “You’re supposed to hold onto that and release it slowly, with control, not blast it into the wall.” He holds his hands above his head, controlling his magic, then swings his arms around and pushes his hands toward the ceiling. The rocks return to their original positions. Despite this being the second time I have seen him do this, this feat is quite fascinating, and I can't help staring in wonder at the returned rocks. I hope I can do this one day too.
“I know. I'm sorry. I was distracted by what you told me about Odin. And I guess my anger intensifies when mixed with my magic.”
“You need to execute control over this, even when your anger surfaces. An angry fighter is a losing fighter. They are too overpowered by anger to see reason and judge the situation correctly.”
I grit my teeth. “I know. I'm sorry. I need to learn how to control this better.” I'm surprised the dark elf isn’t yelling at me by now. If this were Odin or Mistress Sigrun, I would have been drilled ages ago, not that the yelling succeeded in training me quicker. I admire the elf’s patience. It encourages me to work harder to please him.
After he fixes the cave, I work on drawing my magic, letting it swirl and controlling it properly. Slowly, I aim it toward the wall and start to draw out the loose rocks one by one, focusing on one section and digging a small hole into the side of the mountain. Several rocks clink to the ground, and a crescendo of clattering sounds fills the room, but this time, there's no reason to panic. The magic is well controlled, and I’m executing the command slowly and steadily, eliminating the fear of the cave falling on top of us. I continue to work on the hole with my magic, pulling out all the loose rocks and slowly piling them along the side of the tunnel. Maintaining my composure, I let the magic continue its work until another small room has formed next to the room that we're in, adding an extension to the tiny cave.
“Good. Very good. You have learned to hold your control over your magic powers. If you keep practicing, you will be able to use magic efficiently against your opponent.” Gilroma’s yellow eyes gleam with pride as he looks at me. “After some more practice, you will manifest control whether you execute your power rapidly or slowly.”
“So does this mean that I can direct it at Odin and rip out small clumps of hair, especially from his beard, bit by bit until he gives me the power to reap souls?”
The dark elf looks at me wide-eyed for a moment then chuckles. “With an attitude like that, you would fit in nicely with the dark elves. That's a rather sadistic way of trying to obtain something. It’s almost a shame that you are joking. You know guys are weaklings when it comes to hair removal, don't you?”
“Oh, I know. It's a perfect form of torture.” I grin widely. “Then he should give me what I want.”
Chapter Two
Feeling empowered, I exit the cave and follow the narrow tunnel. Aided by my magic, the rocks hover around me and clatter against the narrow passageway as they follow me out of the mountainside. When the sun warms my face, with a flick of a hand, I dump the rocks unceremoniously in a pile outside the cave.
The magic continues to course through my veins, and now that I am familiar with the feeling, I welcome its power. If I can almost make a mountaintop crumble on top of me, what else can I achieve after more training?
The dark elf has agreed to see me daily and work on crafting my magic. Despite him being such a strange man, I look forward to my next visit.
I climb up the rocky hillside, searching for the spot where I left my saddle and cloak. I half buried them in my rush to see Gilroma, and they are too precious to leave lying around outside.
A strong wind blows, and a strange shiver runs down my spine. At first, I think the shiver is from the chill in the air, but it’s not that cold. Standing straight, I breathe the air in deeply. Something is tainting the air, and it's not a strange smell—it is more of a feeling. I quickly scan the area and come up empty. I haven’t had this feeling before. I shrug. Maybe it is a figment of my imagination, making me believe that there is magic in the air in Asgard. Perhaps my developing magic is opening my senses, and something magical is always floating through the air. Maybe it is my magic that I am sensing. I close my eyes and take another deep breath as another gust of wind pushes past. I swear that I can sense something, then I shake my head. It's got to be my imagination and my heightened magic ability.
This new sense is raw and fresh in my veins, stirring up all sorts of feelings. I go back to the place where I buried the saddle and my cape, pull the rocks away, and pick up my belongings before draping them over my arm. I hope that Elan is lying invisible and resting. I still don't trust Odin and his men. Despite him saying that he will not capture Elan or harm me, I have not seen any proof that Odin will keep his word.
A dark shadow passes over me, and I gaze up. A dragon circles above, his arms spread wide with membranous wings attached to them. The dragon tilts slightly, giving me a clear view of the many spiky horns covering its head. When the sun glistens off its scales, I catch a glimpse of brown. It's Drogon. He is the dragon who most closely resembles a bat. Flapping hard a few times, he rises into the air then suddenly dives. A scream erupts from above.
Squinting, I spot Hildr's legs hooked around Drogon’s neck, and as he twirls in the sky, one of Hildr’s hands clasps firmly on one of Drogon’s horns while she holds the other high like she is enjoying the joyride. When they swoop past me, I catch a glimpse of her face, and it beams. She releases more screams filled with delight.
I smile. Although I have ridden Elan many times, the magnificence of the ride still takes my breath away. It is a wonderful feeling, and flying on top of the dragon relieves the soul.
A second figure follows Drogon with wings outspread and dots like stars lining his medium-blue wings. Legs are hooked around Naga’s neck as he turns and executes several different maneuvers. Naga dives, and Eir is clasping his neck. A broad smile spreads across her face.
Naga lowers his flat head and stares at me. His blue eyes are wide and full of delight. The sound of beating wings fills the air as he circles around another time then lowers to the ground before landing with a soft thud. Eir climbs off his back. Her smile is contagious.
“Oh, I wish I had done this sooner. It's delightful!” Eir staggers my way, still searching for her ground legs. “We'll have to involve more Valkyries and get them riding more dragons. Now I know what it is like to be able to fly like the winged Valkyries. I am convinced the feeling should be spread among all the wingless.”
“That's a wonderful idea, Eir. But we don't have any more friendly dragons. And Eingana says she isn’t going to give us any more dragons. We can only work with what is already here in the academy. And most of these are too vicious from being mistreated by the winged Valkyries.”
“Maybe we can work on the dragons.” Eir shakes out her legs as if trying to release the muscles. She is always the peacemaker and willing to see the best in everyone and everything. “I understand they’d be upset from being mistreated, but surely we can work with them and show that the wingless Valkyries are much nicer than the winged. Maybe if they see us working closely with some of the friendly dragons, it will make them want to be on our side.”
“It might work. But to make it work, we also have to find a Valkyrie who is strong-willed and determined to ride a dragon. A Valkyrie who would be more likely to wor
k with a dragon that is a bit touchy around Valkyries.” I watch Hildr as she flies around on Drogon, crying “Yahoo!” at the top of her voice. “They would have to be a lot like Hildr but perhaps with more patience, especially if the dragon turns out to be like Naga.”
Eir grins widely while watching Hildr. “I’m glad Hildr was too impatient for Naga. Her loss is my gain. Besides, she seems to have found her perfect match, and Drogon didn’t make it easy for her.” She looks at Hildr for a while longer. “What about Britta? She seems like she has a strong will.”
I rub my thumb across my chin. “You know, I think you're right. She did seem to be quite strong-willed. And she said she supported our cause and was happy to see that others were willing to oppose the winged Valkyries.”
Another puff of cool breeze brushes past me, and I frown. Something definitely seems to be traveling on the breeze. “Did you feel that?”
Eir looks at me with disbelief. “Feel what?”
“I don't know. There seems to be something on the air. Something strange.”
“Like what? I didn't feel anything.”
I shrug. “I'm not sure. It could be just me. Not long ago, the zmey chased me down and scratched my torso.”
Eir’s eyes widen, and I continue. “Apparently, it was marking me with more magic, and ever since then, magic has been manifesting strongly and coursing through my body.”
