Valkyrie's Claim (Academy of Immortals 2)

I lean my back against the stone and Elizabeth stands in front of me, frowning in thought. I close my eyes and think. Where are you? What do you want? Where am I supposed to go?

Four faces float in my mind.

Four bodies.

Four minds.

Four lovers.

The support behind me vanishes and my eyes pop open, meeting Elizabeth’s, whose jaw has dropped. I fall backwards, rushing down with speed.

I’m caught seconds before I hit the ground by warm, solid hands.

I tilt my head back and look into Agis’ face.

“Hey.”

“You found us.”

He jerks me upward, like a ragdoll, dropping me on my feet.

I get my first good look at the room. It’s a training room. Fully equipped with a fighting ring, weights racked, and weapons lining the walls.

Armin, Miya, and Rupert are all here, dressed in training clothes.

“What is this?” I ask, taking it all in.

Rupert steps forward. “I know we agreed to a truce—to keep the temple closed—but sitting back and doing nothing is making us all crazy. We were sent here with a mission. Sitting out isn’t an option.”

“I asked the gods for a safe place for training,” Miya says. “They’ve provided this space.”

“So what? The five—” I glace at Elizabeth. “Six of us will train against Victorine and her amassed army.”

Armin nods toward a door in the back. “We don’t have to do this alone, Hildi. And you don’t have to take the brunt of her punishments, either.”

A shift of movement catches my attention and figures walk through the door.

Luke. Darius. Students I recognize from down in the dungeons.

I snort. “The Nephilim, an ambiguous shifter, and a handful of losers. Seriously? That’s what you want to fight back with?”

“Everyone is here for a reason,” Agis says, “just like the Raven Guard. Just like us. They were chosen.”

I cross my arms and look at the God of Death. “You’re saying you believe in fate?”

His jaw clenches. “I’m saying I believe in our mission.”

The problem is that Agis and I are alike. We’re all alike. We met in the fighting rings. We’re warriors first. By birth. By nature. By choice.

Armin steps forward and touches my side. “We knew all along it would come down to working with others. This isn’t a passive game. You tried stepping back and holding to your convictions, but it’s time to get serious.”

I look over my shoulder at Elizabeth, who nods in encouragement. The Immortals, who stand unified. Luke, who gives me a small smile and a wink. Darius, who oozes confidence. And then the students that have fought and lost—they have a personal reason to fight with us.

I walk across the room, stopping in front of the wall of weapons. I reach up and grab a sword, the hilt heavy in my hand. I spin it in my hand and face the room.

“I came here for my friend. To protect her, her family, and their baby. I thought maybe I could buy them time with a truce, but I know that’s foolish. I’m not going to lie, those monsters protecting the temple? They scare me. Marshal betraying us? That rattles me. Victorine…” I shudder and then take a deep, solidifying breath, “she’s the fucking worst. If we do this, it has to be done right. We build an army. We train them. We lead them.”

I look at the Immortals, all having struggled or continuing to struggle since gaining their freedom.