The Scythian Trials

by Elizabeth Isaacs

  Defeated, she slumped, her forehead resting on his chest. So, this reaction wasn’t Jax the male wanting her as a female. This was Jax the shrink helping his patient. She pulled away from him.

  “Who knows about this?” She could endure many things, but humiliation wasn’t one of them. Warriors would see her as weak, and she’d die before that happened.

  “No one other than my colleague at the consulate. And I plan to keep it that way.”

  “How’s that going to work? I mean, I’m supposed to be spending time with male warriors who best match my personality profile, not talking with a shrink.”

  His voice returned to that calm, impersonal tone. “We’ll discuss it later, but I think you’ll like Dr. Ramova. He’ll be your official psychologist during the trials.”

  Shocked, her gaze flew to his. “What? I don’t want another counselor.”

  “He’s just taking the lead, and it can’t be helped. Now, if I’m to take the cub to the park ranger we’ll have to hurry.”

  He slipped the small mountain lion under his coat.

  Nya stared at the water rushing over rock. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

  Jax’s hand brushed across her face, startling her.

  “Hey. Don’t worry so much. We got this.” He smiled before taking off.

  Nya blindly followed, her mind trying to wrap around what just happened.

  We got this. It was a saying that Jax loved, particularly in hard sessions. The fact that he’d said it now both calmed her and made her wary at the same time.

  Just what, exactly, did they have? One minute, Jax’s touch almost had her in tears, and the next he was telling her this was some weird counseling session.

  Nya knew the rest of the world viewed a simple hug and kiss as no big deal. Maybe less so to Jax because she was sure he touched and kissed that female who lived in the valley—a lot. When she first arrived, knowing he had someone else put her at ease. But for Nya, well, the fact that she had allowed him to touch her at all, much less kiss her, was huge. And Jax knew it. Her mouth still tingled, and she reached up and grazed her thumb over her lower lip.

  She’d never physically reacted to any male like she did Jax, and didn’t that scare the hell out of her?

  The sun blazed high in the sky as Nya slowed her steps again, allowing the distance between them to grow. The road forked ahead, and Jax cut to the left, heading for the guard station at the front of the compound.

  For a split second, she imagined herself heading to the right, running until the gravel met asphalt—not stopping until she made it past the state line. She had a small window of opportunity to create a new identity and disappear. She’d have to live like a hermit, but at least she’d be in control of her life.

  Jax stopped just inside the main gate, and Nya sadly sighed. That wouldn’t be possible, though, would it? Her father and mother would search until they found her, and then Jax would probably have her committed.

  “You coming?” he yelled.

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” she hollered back.

  Jax looked torn, but the cub squirmed, and one of the warriors guarding the entrance jogged to the gate. The male handed Jax something before jogging away. Whatever was in the message must not have been good because Jax scowled as he wadded up the paper and shoved it into his jacket pocket.

  “I have to go. Don’t be long, and get something to eat,” he shouted.

  Nya waved as if to comply, and Jax walked through the gates. She looked back down the road, the temptation to take off hitting her again.

  What would be the point? She wasn’t sure what the future held, but she knew she didn’t want to live it alone. And she would never consider trying to find Penn. It had been over four years since she’d seen him. He probably had married a sweet Allos girl that matched his gentle heart. Nya’s stomach churned as she envisioned him coming home after a long day at the office, slipping off his shoes at the front door, his children running to him with open arms. He’d put them to bed and then make love to his wife before sleeping soundly, unaware the Scythians were the ones that blanketed his family in safety and peace.

  Her father’s words rang in her ears.

  It’s for the best, Pumpkin.

  Funny. It didn’t feel that way to her.

  Chapter Three

  Nya’s father leaped from his chair as Jax entered Cassius’s office. “Where the hell is she?”

  “Calm down, Ike.” Gia Thalestris rubbed her temples. “How is my daughter, Dr. Nickius?”

  Jax closed the door behind him and clutched the squirming cub beneath his jacket. “She’s well.”

  “Did it work?”

  Ike’s gruff voice grated on Jax’s nerves. He took a deep breath, allowing the room to settle. “In a way. I was right to think that Nya needed space before tonight. She’s starting to see that she can trust me, but she needs more time.”

  Ike glared. “That’s not possible, and you know it.”

  The cub growled, and Jax unzipped his jacket.

  Cassius sat on the edge of her desk. “Brought back a souvenir?”

  Jax set the cub on the loveseat, watching it paw at the soft material before settling down. “Nya insisted we bring the little thing back when she realized she’d just killed its mother. I promised her I’d take it to the ranger station.”

  Cassius waved her hand, dismissing the idea. “We’ll keep it here. Next fall, it’ll be big enough to use in the opening ceremonies for the new recruits.”

  “No.” Jax’s voice held a thread of steel. “I promised Nya I’d take it to the station, and that’s what I intend to do. I’ll not lose her trust over an orphaned cub.”

  Ike tilted his head, studying Jax. “And what other promises have you made, Doctor? What else did you do with the last of Otrera’s line while you were playing guide?”

  Jax crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t appreciate the implication, Commander.”

  “Just answer the question.”

  “What Nya and I discuss in a counseling session is confidential.” Jax’s expression remained calm.

  “Awfully damn convenient, don’t you think?”

  “Oh, for God’s sake. Knock it off,” Gia snapped.

  Ike’s gaze darted to his mate. Something in her expression weakened his anger, and he turned to the window. “Will she be ready for Carpathia?”

  “I believe so.” Jax half smiled. “Hunting relaxes her.”

  Nya waited until Jax was out of sight before turning and heading the other way. One of the guards shouted for her to come back, but she ignored him.

  Birds chirped overhead as the path grew narrow, and she quickened her pace. Her favorite spot lay just beyond the hill, and she needed a moment alone before she faced the stupidity waiting for her at the compound.

  By now, every female within a five-mile radius knew where she and Jax had been. It was rare the academy allowed male warriors on the premises, much less alone in the woods with a female. Except for Jax and a few mated instructors, the whole place was nothing but one big estrogen fest.

  The reason? Amazonian warriors accepted to the academy were highly sought after. Scythian males had been known to force a claim by impregnating young warriors before their trials. If a female of great potential was taken by a male less than she, the future suffered.

  Nya’s stomach growled. She pulled out the breakfast bar Jax had given her. By tomorrow, her fate would be set, and Nya couldn’t help wishing she had a real mother-daughter relationship to lean on. She wanted to ask her mom what the championships were like. And then there was the very personal conversation about the marking ceremony and the claiming night. But Gia Thalestris was an expert in chemical and biological warfare, not exactly the warm-and-fuzzy-heart-to-heart kind of female.

  Besides, Nya had never relied on her parents before, why start now?

  Sunlight slanted through the trees as she hiked on, a sure sign the day was slipping away. A chilly breeze brushed her face as the
ground leveled off, leading her to the ridge which overlooked Bitterroot’s Valley.

  If this were her last day of freedom, she didn’t want to spend it in the compound avoiding Myrina’s bitch squad. She’d rather stay in nature surrounded by nothing but peace and quiet.

  “There you are.” The bright lilt of a familiar voice came from behind, and Nya silently cursed. Her best friend had a knack for showing up when Nya just wanted to be alone.

  Pasting on a smile, she turned around. “Hey, Xari. How’d you find me?”

  “I saw Jax come from the guard shack, but you never followed. Figured you needed some time, and as this is your favorite spot, I thought I’d look here first.”

  Xari and Nya were opposite in almost every way. Nya’s long stick-straight black hair held a blue sheen in the sunshine. Few saw it sway to the end of her spine because she always kept it in a tight bun. Xari, on the other hand, had short blond hair that brushed her jawline. Her favorite hobby was coloring the tips to match her mood. Extroverted and optimistic, she accepted Nya’s reserved personality, which often bordered on pessimistic and cynical.

  No, they shouldn’t have gotten along at all, and yet they trusted each other implicitly.

  Well, as much as Nya could trust anyone.

  “By the way, the guard said Jax was checking in every fifteen minutes.” Bright blue tips swung whimsically around Xari’s cheek, and thick eyeliner and mascara rimmed her eyes. Amazonian warriors never wore makeup, viewing the Allos emphasis on outward beauty as shallow and ridiculous. Xari, however, used it as some weird form of artistic self-expression. “He’s livid, you know.”

  “The guard?”

  Xari rolled her eyes. “No, Doofus. Jax.”

  Silence.

  Xari plucked a dandelion from the ground and blew the seeds from its stem. “So, what happened out there?”

  Nya watched the flower’s floss float and dance on the breeze. “We found the mountain lion. I shot her between the eyes. She had a cub, so Jax is taking it to the park ranger.”

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  Nya grimaced. “It’s Jax. What do you think happened?”

  Xari’s eyes got as big as saucers. “So, you and he—”

  “Of course not.” She aggressively exhaled and took a seat on a nearby boulder. “He’s in a relationship with some female in the valley, remember? Not to mention he’s my shrink. Sheesh.”

  “I think he likes you.”

  “And I think you’re full of shit.”

  Xari sat down next to Nya. “I hate it when you use foul language.”

  “Then don’t piss me off.”

  The two friends shared a smile. They’d been bantering like that since their first night at the Academy.

  Nya leaned forward, resting her elbows in her knees. “It wasn’t a coincidence you were by the front gates, was it? You were waiting for me.”

  She sighed. “The press started arriving yesterday, and your absence has been noticed. Cassius ordered a moratorium on reporters interviewing candidates, but they can still film you coming in. I didn’t want them to get a good shot of you and Jax walking through the front gates together.”

  Nya nudged her friend’s shoulder. “Thanks for having my back.”

  “Anytime. But if we don’t leave soon, it’ll only get worse.”

  Shit. Jax was right—she was out of time.

  Thunder rumbled in the distance as she stood and started across the field.

  Leaves crunched under Xari’s feet as she came alongside her. “You should know that everyone thinks Jax is staking his claim on Otrera’s descendant.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “Why else would the two of you be gone for days?”

  Two lines creased between Nya’s eyes. “It wasn’t like that.”

  “Yeah, well maybe not if he were a regular warrior. But Jax is a Tova, and they take what they want.”

  The Tovaris were elite warriors. Practically a new breed among their own. Bigger, stronger, meaner, their missions dealt with the worst of humanity.

  “He might have been a Tovaris at one point, but he’s now an instructor and a counselor. That’s all.”

  Xari shook her head. “Once a Tova, always a Tova. And sometimes you just don’t see what’s in front of your face.”

  Nya’s stomach flipped at those words. She hadn’t heard them since her big fight with her father.

  Xari’s blue tips swung around her face as she started down the hill, and Nya followed behind, her mind racing with memories. After Penn had taken a job on the docks, he’d show up at the fort covered in bruises. Nya wanted him to quit, but when he refused she promised to show him defensive moves. The only problem was her father had expressly forbidden it years before, so they wouldn’t be able to use her backyard and they couldn’t practice in the village for fear of being seen. When her parents announced they were needed on a mission and had to leave for a few days, Nya asked Penn to come over.

  “Come on. Give me your best shot.”

  “What?” Penn’s voice rose as he stumbled back. “No way.”

  She rolled her eyes and stood up straight. “You can’t hurt me. Besides, who’s gonna know? Now, are we doing this or what?”

  Penn started to walk away, but then he lunged. Nya ducked, easily catching his wrist, twisting, and throwing him on the ground.

  “Gotcha again.”

  “Not quite.” Penn rolled, surprising her, and she lost her balance, landing on top of him.

  She smacked his arm. “Cheater.”

  “You know what they say ... All’s fair in love and war ...”

  She started to get up, but one of Penn’s hands stayed in the middle of her back, while the other disappeared under her long hair, finding its way to the nape of her neck.

  Nya grinned. “You’re getting better.”

  “Yeah.” He grinned and settled her close, like he planned on staying a while. “I am.”

  “Anya Thalestris.” A deep booming voice came from the patio, and Nya and Penn scrambled to their feet.

  A hulk of a man stormed across the lawn. His bulky muscles flexing beneath his tight shirt as he clenched and unclenched his fists, his expression promising pain and death.

  “Hi, Dad. You’re home early.” Nya’s voice came out high, over-bright. She cleared her throat.

  “Apparently, I’m just in time.”

  Heat warmed her face as she mentally played back the last few moments. “I was teaching Penn a few defensive moves, that’s all.”

  Penn’s brow rose. “And you know I’d never disrespect Ana that way.”

  “Her name is Anya.” Nya’s father took a step closer, his chest barreling out. “Go home, Penn.”

  Penn’s jaw clenched as he openly glared.

  Nya patted his shoulder. “I’ll call you later.”

  He grabbed his jacket off the ground and stormed away.

  She waited until Penn had left the yard before turning on her father like a rabid animal. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

  “What were you thinking?” Her father’s thunderous voice echoed off the trees.

  “I know he’s just an Allos.” Nya’s voice hitched. “But that’s never mattered to me. He’s still my best friend.”

  Ike softened his tone and put his arm around her. “I’ve never minded you having an Allos for a friend. But the way he looked at you today was the way a man looks at a woman when he wants her for his own.”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “You can’t see what’s in front of you. Penn is falling in love with you, Pumpkin. If you care anything for this boy, you’ll realize it’s time to let him go.”

  A kestrel cried overhead, bringing Nya’s mind back to the present. Everything changed after that day, and not for the better. Her mother became strangely attentive, and her father upped her training, which took every spare second of free time.

  She resented her parents keeping her and Penn apart, but she couldn’t help ac
knowledging her father was right about one thing. No Scythian female could ever live as Allos women did.

  The problem was, she wasn’t sure she could live this way either.

  Chapter Four

  Gravel crunched under their feet as Nya and Xari made their way to the Academy’s open gates. The low murmur of a crowd filtered from the distance, and tendrils of anxiety surged through Nya’s veins. She took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on the buildings ahead. The place was a weird mix of modern and ancient architecture. The lush forest served as a timeless backdrop to a Roman style coliseum surrounded by modern looking buildings and rustic cabins. Anyone who stumbled on it would find the combination strange—that is, if they made it past the state-of-the-art cloaking and security systems.

  Scythians had technology so encrypted it made the Allos’ dark web look like child’s play.

  They neared the guard station, and Xari linked her arm through Nya’s.

  They sped up once they noticed the camera crews under the arena’s easement, scrambling to zoom in on them.

  Nya pulled up her hood. “I hate this. I really do.”

  “We are the way we are because of our traditions. No way around it.”

  Recorded Scythian history dated well before Allos languages were set to paper, when Amazon warriors ruled. Fierce and loyal, the females lived among their own kind. Wanting vahna, every spring they’d visit Scythia, a region well known for virile, intelligent males. They’d spend a week assessing potential mates, and anyone deemed worthy was invited to their bed. After the females became pregnant, they would head home. Soon, rumors spread like wildfire—Scythia had sexually uninhibited females like no other. Better lovers than the most experienced consort, they were also intelligent, witty, and incredibly strong.

  For centuries, males from all over the known world flocked to Scythia in hopes of experiencing such a phenomenon. Over time, the strongest females bred the most dominant males until a new species of humans evolved. Allos tried to make sense of their differences by creating myths and legends of gods and demigods. How it was that Scythians managed genetic mutations in a few thousand years when other species took a few hundred millennia was still a mystery—something the intellects had been researching for centuries.