The Sentinel

by C Cato

  “How can I help you, Valkyrie?”

  “Page, take our horses to the stable.” She reached inside the double buttoned placard on her jacket and pulled out a card. “Have our saddle bags delivered to my rooms.”

  “Will do,” he said, taking the reins from them and leading the horses away.

  Risa watched him go. “You’re not worried about him stealing your stuff?”

  “No. Public executions are common here. Most are afraid to break laws. There is no such thing as a minor infraction.”

  “Wow.”

  Tessa led her to a vendor shouting about sausages. Risa swayed on her feet as the aroma of fried onions and grilled meat met her nose. “Two sausage rolls, please.”

  “Certainly, milady. Onions?”

  Tessa glanced at Risa in question. “Hell yes, onions!”

  The vendor laughed and slapped a sausage into some bread and heaped on onions and then sprinkled hard cheese. Risa’s knees went weak. It was all she could do not to snatch it out of his hands. Tessa thanked the man, and they ate in silence as she led the way through the throng of people to the lush park beyond it. The crowd thinned out, but there were still men and women seated on blankets or just sprawled in the grass, taking advantage of the shade the green belt provided.

  Tessa had been right. Men and women didn’t mingle.

  The Valkyrie handed Risa a small scrap of cloth to wipe her hands. The farther into the park they went, the less populated it became until only a few women sat around. None were in uniform.

  Risa scooted closer so she wouldn’t have to shout. “These are all Valkyrie?”

  “Yes, you will never see breeding women.”

  “Why?”

  “They are closely guarded in the Temple. No one ever sees them.”

  They strolled along the walkway that wound around the outer wall of Central Haven until they came to a large gate. It was comprised of a metal portcullis, like a medieval castle. The walls around it had walkways and some Valkyrie walked along them. Risa made notes of the security locations and the numbers, as someone waved them through. A couple of the women guarding the gate even called Tessa by name.

  Inside the walls was a large bullet-shaped building. Ringing it were square buildings five stories high. There was another, smaller green belt that surrounded the middle building. Meticulously cultivated trees stood at regular intervals, making Risa think someone had measured out exactly how far apart to put the trees. The one street was made of cobblestones, as were the paths that lead to each building. Streetlamps dotted the landscape.

  “You have electricity?”

  “Central has it all the time. Outside in the outer ring, it’s a sign of wealth to have electricity for any given amount of time.”

  “Is there a shortage or something?”

  “No. It’s a form of control.” Tessa shushed her as they neared one of the apartment buildings and dragged her inside.

  There were more statues of scantily clad women in the large lobby as well as numerous low ottoman style couches. The women lounging in the area were all wearing similar sheer gowns like the ones the statues wore. She had to stop several times to admire the view, and from some of the hot glances she was getting, they appreciated right back.

  A group of women were talking quietly on low couches that gave Risa the impression of a Roman orgy about to begin, but conversation stopped when they drew closer. One of the women rose from her couch and crossed to them. Risa gasped at her regal beauty. Like everyone else she’d seen, the woman was short. Only an inch or two taller than herself, but she carried herself like a six-foot tall model. She might has well have been naked. She wore nothing beneath her see-through gown. Rouged nipples stood out in stark contrast to her pale skin.

  Ah hell. I’m in trouble. If she had a dick, she’d have been adjusting it.

  “Tessa! I’m glad you made it back safely. Word has reached us of some terrible losses in the field,” she addressed the Valkyrie, but her hungry eyes never left Risa’s. Her voice was singsong and high-pitched.

  “Corine,” said Tessa, her tone flat.

  “Who is this delightful little morsel?”

  Tessa flicked her gaze to Risa and back. The hint of a snarl on her lips. “Trainee. Not a good one. Decided she wants to do something else, but she was an outer wall guard. She’s staying with me until reassigned.”

  “Oh dear,” said Corine.

  Her tone was starting to grate on Risa’s nerves. Pretty could only take one so far.

  “Does that mean you have Tessa’s unfortunate… proclivities?”

  Risa took a step away from Tessa, putting her within touching distance of Corine, who was only too happy to oblige. “No. I had thought the rumors about the Hunters was just made up, but I guess not.”

  “Good.”

  She slid her hands around Risa’s middle and tugged her close, her lips closing in for a kiss. There was no question in Risa’s mind what the woman wanted. Corine’s tongue made a sloppy mess of her mouth, and she exaggerated whimpering sounds to make a show of it. When she pulled away, Risa had to dig her fingers into her thigh to keep from wiping her face. Licking a camel would have been preferable.

  “Very nice. You should come to my apartment this evening. I’m sure I would have other uses for that sweet tongue of yours.”

  Risa could feel that sausage readying for a second appearance.

  “She’s going to be busy training the next couple of days, Corine. She’s running the Gauntlet.”

  Her bottom lip poked out in a pout. “Oh, that’s a shame, but if you make it, I have no doubt Jenna will want a piece of you. How you’ve evaded her all this time is a wonder.”

  “Uh huh,” said Tessa, making the boredom in her tone more obvious. “We’ve been in the wilderness a long time. Are you done with your flirting so we can go?”

  All pretense at being sweet disappeared, and Corine’s eyes narrowed at Tessa. “Watch yourself, Hunter.”

  She inclined her head. “Councilwoman.”

  Tessa yanked hard on Risa’s arm, throwing her off balance and forced her to hurry her steps to keep from falling over. They climbed a central metal staircase that rose to all five stories of the building. At each floor landing, black grated metal walkways extended to the open-air hallways that ringed the interior of the building. There was only one door to each wall on the floors.

  Risa wondered if the women shared space. “How many women are housed in each of the apartments?”

  “Depends on the building and the rank. In the lower ranks, there can be up to fifty in a single apartment. Those are no more than the bunks like you had in your sanctuary.”

  They wound their way to the top-most floor and to a door to the right of the landing. The apartment was more luxurious than any hotel room she’d ever stayed in. More of those lounging chairs dotted the sitting room, and thick shag carpet covered the floor. A long bar ran the length of the wall left of the door. Elaborate crystal decanters and glass lining the shelves above it. Beyond the living room was a set of wide French doors. A sheer material draped over the windows, obscuring the room on the other side.

  “Uh, holy shit, Tessa! What the fuck is your rank?”

  “Councilwoman.”

  Risa had to pick her jaw up.

  “How is that possible?”

  Tessa shrugged and started removing her clothes on the way through the living room and continued through the curtains to the bedroom beyond. Down to her underwear, she sat on the edge of the bed. “It’s an appointment that is given through trial by combat. Any Councilwoman can be challenged at any time and deposed. I thought it would make it easier for me to help others if I was higher in the ranks, so I literally fought my way to the top.”

  “And apparently didn’t make any friends along the way.”

  “They don’t have to like me. If they want me gone someone must beat me. Some of the other council have had their champions challenge me. None have beaten me so far.”

  Risa cock
ed her left hip and rested her hand on it. “That’s hot, you know.”

  “Is it?” she said in a smoldering voice that had Risa melting on the spot. Tessa laid back, resting on her forearms. Her delicious body on display.

  “Stop that. You won’t seduce me. I have a job to do, and you have four men to keep your naughty self happy.”

  Tessa shifted enough to free her left hand and slipped her fingertips just inside her underwear. Risa licked her lips. She wanted nothing more than to follow those fingers with her tongue. She wanted to see if she was as fiery-haired down below as she was on top.

  She shook her head to clear her thoughts like an etch-a-sketch. “Where’s your fucking bathroom.”

  Tessa shook with silent laughter as she pointed.

  Risa marched to the door.

  “The water is hot.”

  “Don’t care. I’m taking a shower so cold my nipples will be in danger of falling off.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Risa

  There wasn’t much time to create a false identity so she could register for the trials, but somehow Tessa managed it. For two days, Risa traveled back and forth outside of the city to a large clearing, used for combat training. Not heavily attended at first, after Tessa put her through her paces the first day word of her must have spread. The second day there was a healthy crowd waiting.

  Risa still wasn’t a natural at the sword, but she gave Tessa a run for her money. She wished she could just power up and have done with it, but that would end the game before it had even begun. On the third day, she met with an unpleasant surprise.

  “Make way for Mother Superior!”

  Dismayed Risa watched the crowd fall to a knee as a group of women approached. Tessa tugged her hand to get her to do the same. Together they watched the women come to stand in front of them. Instead of the diaphanous dresses that the Valkyrie were fond of in Central Haven, the women wore the formal uniform. For the White Guard, they wore white with red piping; for the Councilwomen, white with black piping; and for one woman white with gold. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that was Mother Superior.

  Risa tried to view her through objective eyes. Short like everyone else, she’d yet to see anyone over five foot six inches in the city. Mother Superior had skin almost as dark as Sonya’s. Eyes were a honeyed color that would have been striking if not for the cold calculating way she gazed at Risa. Like a hawk about to pounce on prey. It made her skin crawl, which immediately put her on edge. Very few things put her off her game, and this woman was doing just that. Risa was a killer of expedience, but Mother Superior sent her gut plummeting to her feet in fear. There was no conscience behind those golden eyes.

  Her bald head gleamed in the sunlight, showing off gilded patterns on her scalp. Her eyelids and lips were painted with gold as well. The woman was garish. She smiled, baring her teeth and Risa choked down bile. Everything she did was off-putting.

  “Well, well. Is this the fighter I have heard so much about?”

  “Tessa? A protégé? Why haven’t you introduced her to us?”

  Tessa stood and Risa did the same.

  Was she actually using the royal ‘us’ or just referring to the entire council? Risa decided she officially loathed the woman. She schooled her features into neutrality.

  “Where are you from, girl?”

  The horrible woman trailed a long fingernail filed into a point and painted gold, along her jaw. Risa shuddered, but Mother Superior must have interpreted the motion as desire. She purred under her breath and the corners of her mouth tipped up in a satisfied smile.

  “I’m from the north, Mother. I was brought in with the large culling five years ago.”

  Tessa had schooled her again and again on her origin. There were a lot of women in the city, but not so many that a bad lie couldn’t be discovered. Even a good one could have holes poked into if someone was curious enough. She hoped to be gone from the city before that happened. It didn’t help that the leader of the Valkyrie was on the field eye-fucking her.

  “Where have you been hiding?” She’d sidled her way to Risa’s side to whisper in her ear.

  She probably thought she was being sexy, but all Risa could think about was the hot moisture gathering on her ear. For women that spent a lot of time fucking each other, they were in serious need of a tutor on proper flirting.

  She stood with her back straight and hands relaxed at her sides. They were screwed if she wasn’t impressive, didn’t make it into the White Guard.

  News had reached the city that General Willow, Mother Superior’s second in command and Enforcer was returning in a couple of weeks and had a special prize to share. Everyone that might know something had been tight-lipped about it. Even Tessa couldn’t confirm they were bringing Sonya with them.

  “My apologies, Mother. It took me longer than most to become accustomed to life in the city. I have had patrol duties most of that time.”

  Tessa had told her that the lowest ranked women worked in the outer fields as guards to protect the farmers from wild animals that would attack. The life expectancy wasn’t great.

  “Ah. Well, I look forward to seeing you run the Gauntlet tomorrow. Be careful. I’d hate to see anything happen to that beautiful face.”

  She turned away and left, her entourage with her, and Risa let out the breath she’d been holding.

  “I think that’s enough practice for today,” said Tessa for the benefit of the crowd, but she sounded just as rattled as Risa felt.

  They returned to the city to shower and change, but Risa was restless. “I’m going for a walk in the city.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Tessa said.

  Risa swallowed her disappointment. She needed some time alone to think, and Tessa was becoming a bigger and bigger distraction every day they spent together. Objectivity and distance were important when on a mission, but that woman was getting under her skin. She always maintained a respectful distance, but the Valkyrie was haunting her dreams. Since there was only one bedroom in her apartment, Risa slept on the couch, with a standing invitation to join Tessa in the bedroom if she wanted. It was getting harder to resist the invitation.

  “Don’t worry. We’ll walk around to the men’s barracks, and I’ll check on my unit.”

  Reassured that she would get her time to herself, she relaxed. “Don’t the other men in the barracks report your sexual activity?”

  “All Hunters fuck their men. None would report it. It’s already a known fact that we do it. It’s just considered depravity, but none of them would give up their woman.”

  “Have all of the women you’ve helped escape been Hunters?”

  “Yes.”

  Risa was no scientist and had no interest in trying to unravel that mystery, but she tucked the knowledge away for when she could give it to Sonya.

  They dressed in casual clothes for the day—asymmetrically cut linen garments in drab colors and ballet flats. The other Councilwomen dressed in fancy silks when they weren’t wearing almost nothing or a uniform, but Tessa hated the pretentiousness. Risa really liked that about her. She liked everything about her.

  “Sorry, I’ve been keeping you from getting laid,” said Risa as they left the apartment.

  “It’s okay. They have each other, and I have my hand or one of the other Hunters. It’s not a permanent arrangement.”

  “You have the patience of a saint.” Risa had a flare of pure jealousy at the thought of one of the other Hunter’s taking care of her needs.

  “Not really,” she said opening the front door, when they reached the street. “My wrist is really starting to hurt.”

  Risa laughed loudly, attracting more attention they could do without. It felt good to get some of the tension out. When they paraded through the gate, several guards called out to her.

  “Building a reputation already,” said Tessa.

  “Let’s hope I can live up to the hype tomorrow.”

  “You’ll be fine. Remember most years no one bea
ts the gauntlet. The elite are good, but they are not as practiced as you and they’re arrogant.”

  The pep talk helped alleviate some of her worries. So much was riding on her success. They went for a walk around the main road inside. The men’s barracks were in a building toward the back of the city. As they ventured farther back the city grew less clean and civilized. Broken and blacked out windows lined the streets, trash littered the ground, and the occasional huddled body under a blanket appeared. Men wore ragged clothes, and everyone smelled of unwashed bodies and piss. Not a good combination.

  A platform had been set up. A group of men were pushing in to get room around it.

  “What’s going on?” she jumped up a couple of times to see over the heads in front of her. Even in a city of short people, Risa was small. A point that annoyed her to no end.

  “You don’t want to see this,” said Tessa quietly.

  Risa locked eyes with Tessa. They were a beautiful hazel and usually twinkled with her unswerving humor that always sat just below the surface. All Risa saw now was shame.

  “What’s about to happen?” she asked, a hard edge creeping into her voice.

  “Promise me you will do nothing. If we remain here to watch, you must not break. Do you understand?”

  “No, but I’ll do what you ask.”

  Tessa took her hand, squeezing a little too hard and pushed her way through the crowd. The men moved as soon as they saw it was a woman.

  The cost for touching a Valkyrie was to lose a hand.

  At the front of the stage, there was a man with a heavy paunch and balding head. If Humpty Dumpty had been human, he would’ve been this man. He tapped his foot and checked a pocket watch over and over, but then beamed as a Valkyrie in a uniform Risa hadn’t seen before climbed the steps. It was purple. What did that mean? A chain was slung over her shoulder and connected to three women by collars. They were all naked, but clean. One wept openly, while the other two raised their chins in defiance.

  Risa’s blood began to boil.

  Tessa let go of her hand only to wrap her arm more securely around Risa’s waist. “Do nothing,” she hissed in her ear.