by Katrina Cope
Eir clasps her hands together. “That's exciting. What can you do?”
“I'm still working on it. I think I can do something with that rock.” I point at a rock not far away. “Just give me a minute.” I hold my hands as if grasping an imaginary bowl, and I pull at the magic within my body, allowing it to well as the dark elf taught me. When it feels right, I let the magic fly into the boulder. The magic hits the rock, and it explodes like it's been hit by a bomb.
Eir gasps, and Naga stares at the rock. That's impressive, he says telepathically. Naga not seen that from people before.
“I think that's a good thing, that you haven't seen magic from Valkyries before, Naga. If the winged Valkyries held this magic, they might have used it against the dragons. I don't know why the creature keeps marking me, but I'm going to use this gift for the right reasons. I'm going to prove that I'm worth as much as these winged Valkyries.”
Kara don't need to prove to Naga. Kara is good —and Eir and Hildr. All three is better than winged Valkyries, he says in his broken English. I walk forward and stroke his forehead, and he leans into my hand. He's so cute, with such an adorable personality, and he is full of kindness.
“You are an extraordinary dragon. You have such a big heart. Don't lose it.”
A loud thump sounds behind me. I spin around to find Drogon has landed on the ground, and Hildr is climbing off his back.
“What was that?” she calls, looking frantic and staring at the pile of shattered rocks.
“Kara was just showing me some of the new magic she received from that zmey this morning.” Eir stands next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
Hildr stares at me. “What do you mean?”
“The zmey marked me again, and my magic has increased. So I've been working on channeling it so I know how to use it properly. One thing I've learned I can do is explode rock, which is what I showed Eir.”
“I wish it would mark me.” Hildr’s pale lip protrudes in a pout.
“I have no idea why it marked me. It does hurt. There is no magic without pain, that's for sure.”
Drogon’s brown eyes fix on me, and he looks intimidating. His horn-covered head resembles a porcupine lacking several spikes. He has a fierce look that often matches his temperament, but his eyes give him away—he is a big softie underneath.
“Drogon, do you know any dragons that might want to be hooked up with another Valkyrie?” I ask.
His brow creases, and a couple of his horns push together, almost giving him the appearance of a brown unicorn. There might be one. But they might be a fair bit more aggressive than what I was.
“What are you thinking?” Hildr asks.
“We think maybe we should bring Britta in and join her with another dragon,” I say. “If we can't go to Midgard and reap souls, then perhaps we can learn how to build an army here and fight against any threat that comes to Asgard.”
Hildr frowns. “What do you mean we can't reap souls? Didn't you just go to Midgard to help out the winged Valkyries because you earned the right?”
“Yeah, I did go to Midgard, but I couldn't reap souls. Apparently, the wingless haven’t been gifted with the gift at all. Odin purposely skips us when he decides to give out the powers. Or that's what I've been told. In any case, I tried to reap souls, and it didn't work. I made a fool of myself again, trying to help out. If it weren't for Harut, then I would feel like an idiot.”
“Who's Harut?” Hildr asks.
“Oh, he's just a good-looking angel of death.”
“What?” Eir flings her hands by her side. “You haven't mentioned him before.”
“You’re friends with our enemy?” Hildr asks.
“Yes. And it is complicated. The angels of death are our enemies, but Harut stood up for me ever since the first day I crashed Midgard. For some reason, he decided to take me under his wing because I didn't have wings—”
“Oh, I see what you did there.” Hildr slaps her hand against her thigh. “Nice pun.”
I roll my eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that.” I shake my head. “Because I was different from the winged Valkyries, he looked after me. He's never seen a wingless one before. He’s been kind ever since my first trip, and I ran into him this trip. And again, he helped me.”
“And yes, he is good-looking?” Eir’s eyes twinkle.
“Yes, Eir. What's your point?” Despite my gruff words, I feel the heat rising around my ears and flushing to my neck. I try to pretend it isn’t there.
“Nothing.” She pretends to look innocent. “I was merely wondering if you're going to be the first one to have a little Valkyrie.”
That does it. I can feel the blood rush faster to my face, and there’s no hiding it. Hildr and Eir both keel over with laughter.
In an attempt to divert attention from me, I accumulate my magic, letting it stir in a combined mass. I focus on a pile of dirt and use my power to lift the mass up and throw it at the back of their heads. Dirt scatters all over their hair and down their shoulders. The laughing stops.
“Oh, Kara!” Eir exclaims, shaking out her leather top, her nose screwing up in disgust.
“We were just having some fun with you.” Hildr dusts off her clothes with harsh strokes.
Observing their bewildered faces, I laugh. Suddenly, I’m overcome with exhaustion, my head twirls with dizziness, and I crumple to the ground. My vision distorts, and I see blurry images of Hildr and Eir darting for me before everything turns black.
Chapter Three
Something wet and cold drapes across my face and eyes then wipes across my forehead, pulling my mind from the depths of darkness. It takes an effort to pry my eyes open enough to peer through the cracks. Eventually, my vision focuses, and I take in the worried look on Anita's face. I gaze around the room, slowly taking in the details. We are alone in the healer's quarters, and I am lying on one of the few gurneys. The crisp white sheets beneath me rustle as she lifts the head end of my cot. I focus on Anita. The worry hasn’t left her face.
“There you are.” A sad smile spreads across her face and ripples to her eyes. “I was wondering where you were. You’ve been gone for days.”
I stare at her in confusion. “What do you mean?” My voice is raspy from lack of use.
“Exactly as I said. You've been unconscious for days.”
Using my elbow, I prop myself up into a sitting position. “How?”
“Hildr and Eir said you had just used your magic to throw some dirt over them.” She gives me a strange look. “Then you collapsed not long afterward. Does this ring any bells?”
I gaze down at my body and see my torn, dirty leathers are gone. I am clean and dressed in my pajamas. Someone has taken care of me while I’ve been passed out. A surge of worry shoots through my body when I remember my saddle and cloak. I take another look around the room and spot them in the far left corner, sitting on a visitor’s lounge chair. I expel a sigh of relief. I know that these are only possessions, but I spent a lot of time making them, and they hold a special place in my heart, connecting me to Elan. I look at the healer. “I remember a little bit. They were teasing me about something, and I used my magic on them.”
A knowing look crosses her face, and something briefly dances in her eyes. “Did you do something different? Do you always feel dizzy like that? Have you ever passed out after using magic?”
I shake my head. “I don't feel dizzy using the magic. It’s possibly because I was using it too much. I spent a lot of time with Gilroma, the dark elf that you directed me to, and we practiced using it for quite a long time before I ran into Hildr and Eir. The dizziness showed up out of nowhere and overcame me. I must've overexerted myself.”
Anita places the washer on the marble bench next to my gurney. A curly auburn lock falls across her eyes, and she hooks it behind her ear. “I hear magic can do that. If you're not used to wielding its power, it can exhaust you quickly. You will have to be careful.”
I lean my head back against the firmness of the mattr
ess, and she washes my brow some more. The coolness is a welcome relief for my forehead.
“How did you get to know Gilroma? He's an unusual character for a Valkyrie to be associated with.”
She smiles wanly. “Aren't you associated with him right now?”
“Well, yes. But you directed me to him.” I frown at her unusual comment.
“Believe it or not, I, too, needed his help at one stage. I was in search of the healer that nobody could give me. I had tried to be brave and fight alongside the winged Valkyries, but I was struck down in an attack on Asgard. The winged Valkyries left me for dead out in the open. It was the elf who stumbled across me and started to heal me. This is why, despite him being an unusual character, I trust him and directed you to him.” She replaces the washer on the bench. “I asked him one day why he helped me, and he said that it was merely because he could see the value within me.” Her eyes are sad as she recalls the memory. “Even though the Valkyries left me to die and thought I was nothing because I am wingless, he believed I was a value to Asgard.” She looks at me with a sincere expression. “If he didn't see value in you, then he wouldn't have helped you either. But I knew there is a value in you that was neglected by the winged Valkyries, which is why I sent you to him. Plus there is the fact that I trust him completely.”
“He is a little strange, but he's starting to grow on me. I can't say that he has great people skills.” I chuckle. “He’s a little rough around the edges.”
She laughs with me. “Yes, he is.” Her expression turns serious. “You need to make him teach you how to contain that magic so it won’t wear you out. I don't know anyone else who can teach this. I am a teacher of healing. I only know how to heal people and teach that, but of magic, I do not know. I do not know how to heal injuries caused by magic, ones that need more than just rest and recuperation.”
A ruckus sounds near the entryway of the room.
“Oh, thank Vanir! Look who’s finally awake!” Hildr’s freckled face comes into my vision.
I smile. I would welcome that spiky hair and that left ear full of earrings any day. Despite her rough exterior, she's a loyal friend. “It's good to see your scruffy face.” In reality, she's quite a beautiful redhead. Her coloring is unique compared to that of the rest of the Valkyries, and she has a temper to match her hair.
Next to Hildr, Eir’s peaceful face appears wearing a friendly smile. “You're awake! Welcome to the land of the living.”
“Yeah, that'll stop you throwing dirt over us next time.” Hildr dramatically crosses her arms across her chest. “How rude! Can’t handle a little bit of teasing, so you throw dirt over us.” She smirks, and the freckles on her cheeks spread.
It takes all my effort to grin. “Yeah, next time I should mix it with water, turning it into a nice muddy mixture. That would go well all over your hair.”
She reaches forward, roughing my hair, and my long black strands get caught between her fingers. She yanks my hair.
“Ouch!” I grab her hand and pull it out slowly.
Heavy footsteps enter the doorway. “What’s all the ruckus in here?”
I’d recognize that voice anywhere. I glance at the doorway, and Mistress Sigrun has entered the room. Her pale blond hair falls to her shoulders in wavy strands, and her steely blue eyes stare directly at me. “About time you got up, wingless. You’ve been lounging around way too long. You have chores to do.”
Anita stands to face the mistress, placing her hand on her hips. “Mistress Sigrun, she has been unconscious, and she needs her rest.”
The mistress glares at her. “I don't care.” She lifts her chin and screws her nose in distaste. “She's wingless, just like you. She needs to get up. She has chores to do. End of story!” She spins on her heels and stomps down the corridor.
Anita turns and looks at me. “Stay in bed if you need to. You’ve been through a lot, and it may take a while for your energy to return.”
I slowly push myself onto my elbows. “I've been in here for days. I should get up. I can't have the mistress thinking any less of us.”
“I don't think that's possible.” Anita shakes her head. “Nothing we do seems to satisfy her.”
“I still have chores to finish, anyway. She gave them to me a while ago. I’ve just been too distracted with working out this magic and fighting winged Valkyries.”
“No, you don’t. Hildr and I finished them for you.” Eir helps to steady me.
I gawk at her in disbelief. “Why would you do that?”
“Because you're our friend.” She drags out her words with a playful, condescending tone while giving me a disbelieving glance.
“Then that makes you friends to keep around.” I smirk at her.
She huffs with obvious disgust. “Aww. Such dedication!” Eir’s voice is tainted with sarcasm.
“You know I don't mean it.” I suddenly feel guilty.
“If you do, then you can find the next dragon for a wingless Valkyrie to ride. Tell you what, sticking your head into those stalls is almost as dangerous as flying headfirst into a sword,” Hildr says. “But I think we found one.”
“Found one for who?” I ask.
“For Britta.” Eir rolls her eyes. “Don’t you remember?”
The conversation we had before I passed out springs to mind. “Does Britta know about this?”
“Oh yes, she sure does.” Hildr nods eagerly. “And she is keen.”
Eir holds out a hand to me. “Come on. Let me help you up. I can see you’re still weak, but if you’re determined to get up, then let me give you a hand.”
I clasp her hand and use it to pull myself up. After swinging my feet over the edge of the gurney, I lower them to the floor, and the bed squeaks as I stand slowly.
Hildr slaps my black leather fighting uniform on the bed. “Get these on, and then we can eat. It's lunchtime, and I'm famished. And besides, you need your strength because we have fight class coming up.”
Chapter Four
A bout of dizziness overcomes me when I shove back my chair to leave the dining hall, but I push the feeling aside. The majority of my strength has returned after a good meal. Hildr and Eir accompany me to our room, and we retrieve my quiver and bow, my sword, and my sling, which I hook on my back pocket. Once we are all weaponed up, we leave the room and head outside.
“Where are we going?” I ask as we leave the walls of the academy. “Our lessons usually take place inside.”
“I know. For some reason, Mistress Sigrun has dragged us outside this time. She notified us just before you woke up.”
“And she wanted you to bring me?” I lift an eyebrow. “I thought she wanted me to do chores.”
Hildr tosses a dismissive hand at me. “That was just for show. She knows Eir and I completed your chores. It was just another one of her bullying tactics. We’re to meet her between the academy and the dragon stalls.”
“And we have to hurry.” Eir’s voice is strained. “We’re running late.”
“Pfft.” Hildr throws her head back. “Don't stress, Eir. We will get there when we get there. Kara had to eat first. She needs her strength.”
“I know that. But you know what Mistress Sigrun is like.” Eir hooks her long, wavy, light-brown hair into a ponytail while peering at Hildr over her shoulder.
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, I know what she's like. I used to care about what she thought about me, but now her attitude has become quite tiresome. Her threats no longer carry weight like they used to.”
A roar rings out from over the hills, and a shiver runs down my spine. It sounds like a dragon roar, one filled with pain. I wonder if Elan heard it and if she's coming to check it out. I know it certainly captured my interest. I hurry my footsteps while yanking my sword from its sheath on my back and clasping it firmly in my right hand. I’m determined to see what is roaring in pain, but I'm not taking any chances. Perhaps it is a dragon that has escaped and is attacking Valkyries.
The ring of two other swords being pulled from their
sheaths sounds on either side of me, and in my peripheral vision, I see my two friends flanking my sides as we round the corner of the mountain. I halt at the scene that plays in front of us.
Red glaring eyes stare down at a circle of Valkyries from the red dragon that stands in defensive mode with its back leg chained to a mountain behind it. This chain is long, but the dragon can’t escape. A line of white fur travels along the dragon’s spine, and at the end of its long, thin tail is a tuft of white fluff. This matches a white fluffy line along her jaw. A camel-like hump forms along her spine, and a long thin neck protrudes from her body.
It is a perfect specimen of the red breed of dragon, which would be more at home decorating a shelf than facing opponents and looking mean and nasty. Flashes of Ness fighting Elan in the wastelands flare through my head. This dragon looks very similar to Ness. It makes me wonder if she is Ness’s daughter, who was sacrificed from the red dragon’s breed to the Valkyries to honor the alliance between the Valkyries and the dragons.
“Is that Ness’s daughter?” I ask.
Both of my friends look at me strangely. “Who's Ness?” Eir asks.
I realize my mistake. I was at the wastelands by myself with only Elan and her family for company. Hildr and Eir wouldn’t know Ness. “Ness is a dragon that attacked Elan.”
“Lovely!” Hildr’s jaw drops.
“She wasn’t that bad. Well, she was, but I understand. She hated Valkyries because she knew what they were doing to her daughter. And also because the dragons have to give up a youngling out of their clans every year.”
My mind swirls involuntarily at the memory of Ness and her fight against Elan. “Ness injured Elan because Elan was fighting to protect me when I was in the wastelands.”
Eir gasps. “That's terrible.”
I observe the Valkyries attacking the dragon. The brutality slaps me across the face. Cruel and large gashes run down the front of the dragon. Although the blood blends well with her red scales, there is a slightly darker stream of red that covers several patches of her body where the blood runs from her wounds. “Yeah, at the time, it was terrible that Ness attacked Elan while trying to get me. But as I watch this, I don't blame her. I would be vicious and attack anyone stopping me if my young one was treated like this. And because of her fight, Eingana is making Ness give up one of her babies from every clutch that she lays until further notice. Her babies are to replace the other dragons in her tribe, all because she defied Elan, the second ruler of the dragons. Because she defied Elan, she is seen as having defied Eingana.”
