by Katrina Cope
Mist takes a few more steps toward me, and slowly, a glimmer of gold grows around me and towers over the top of me like a massive building with four golden pillars holding it up. I glance up and realize that I’m staring at Elan’s belly. She is so big that I can fit underneath her chest, and she hovers protectively over me, sheltering me from the arrows. Her head shoots forward, and she roars in Mist’s direction. Mist freezes on the spot, her eyes opening wide with terror.
She moves to back up until a thud sounds behind her. Drogon has landed, blocking her escape. He is not as big as Elan, but he is still intimidating, with a head full of horns, especially when he bares his teeth like that. He roars at Mist, shooting fire in her direction, then faces the Valkyries hovering above and does the same. When they shoot another round of arrows, he traces the circle with his plume of fire. The fire does not reach them, but the message is loud and clear.
As I watch him, my heart melts. He will be heartbroken when he finds out about Hildr. He was too late.
A strange slapping sound reaches my ears from behind me. I walk underneath Elan, ducking under her tummy, and peer over the edge from underneath her protection. A blue flash darts through the sky, going from Valkyrie to Valkyrie, knocking them from the hovering circle. As it continues passing through the Valkyries, I focus on the blue flash. I almost squeal with delight when I realize that it is Naga, purposely flying headfirst into each Valkyrie. He is walloping them as if they were balls, and they are having trouble righting themselves. If they try to avoid him, he darts in from a different direction, knocking them in different spots. His face fills with glee, and he is so joyful that for the first time all day, I feel the urge to laugh. My joy is short-lived when I remember that my friends were knocked over the edge to their deaths. It is going to break my heart to tell him. In fact, both dragons will be heartbroken in just moments.
Naga continues his game, and I can hear the Valkyries’ bones cracking. Mistress Sigrun sees him coming and darts out of the way, a look of superiority filling her face.
She calls out, “You have not won, wingless. There is still one standing.”
I gawk at her in disbelief—I cannot believe she is saying this. This has been such an unfair fight until now. Knowing I can’t let her win, I steel myself, ready to head back and fight. I have come so far. I have to pull myself together and end this—otherwise Hildr and Eir will have lost their lives for no reason.
Grabbing my sword from the ground, I head in Mist’s direction. I stop when a dragon’s tail flings out and knocks Mist off her feet. Her legs fly up in the air, and she topples, hitting her head hard against a rock, knocking her unconscious.
Lifting his chin to the sky, Drogon’s big brown face focuses on the mistress and snarls. The last one standing is Kara. I dare you to challenge it.
Mistress Sigrun glares down at us, and she looks as though she is about to disagree, but Drogon stands on all fours and flings his head forward, breathing out a large plume of fire right in the direction of the mistress. That is my last warning, Drogon roars.
Mistress Sigrun’s gaze travels from Drogon to Mist then to me before finishing with Elan. She flaps her wings and takes to the sky, followed by the rest of the conscious winged Valkyries, leaving Mist, Prima, and Rota lying unconscious on the ground. They don’t even care for their prized Valkyries enough to pick them up and take them back to the healer.
Elan moves to my side and sits down. Are you all right?
I nod then shake my head. “No. Both my friends have died.” Tears cloud my vision and plow warm paths down my cheeks, and I drop to my backside. “I have to tell Drogon and Naga.” Cloaked in depression, I search for the dragons, but I can’t see them anywhere. “Where did they go?”
Elan doesn’t answer me, and I turn to ask her again. I spot a small smile creeping onto her face, exposing a couple of her pointiest teeth.
I frown. “Why are you smiling?”
I think you’ll find things are not as bad as they seem.
“No, they are worse. I have lost my two best Valkyrie friends and have a treacherous, lying, and conniving nasty leader.”
That you have. But your friends—
A thud cuts her off, and I turn to see brown legs standing next to me. My eyes travel up to a face that is full of joy, and I can’t for the life of me understand why, especially when my heart is broken by the sad news that I have to tell him.
I can’t let it wait any longer. “Drogon, I—” My shoulders sag.
“Oh, Vanir! That was awesome!”
I glance up and see Hildr climbing off Drogon’s back. My mouth drops open in disbelief. “Hildr?”
“In the flesh, baby.” Her freckles have faded as her face is flushed with excitement.
“But you fell off the side…”
She winces and holds her shoulder. “I did. But Drogon caught me. I’m just dropping by to see if you’re all right. Then I’m heading straight to Anita. This arm is killing me.”
My heart flutters, and I smile at Drogon before dashing forward to hug Hildr. “I’m sure it is. You have no idea how glad I am to see you alive.”
A lighter thump sounds next to me, and I turn to spot Naga. His tail is swinging happily as though he is ready to play.
I crossed my fingers behind my back before I let my eyes travel up to Naga’s back. I squeal in delight. Sitting on Naga’s back, Eir looks pale, yet she is smiling. I run forward, and she slides down to the ground.
I throw my arms around her. “Oh Vanir! I was certain you two were dead. I’m so happy.”
“Not only that, we kicked their butts, girl.” Hildr barges in from the outside, hugging us around the shoulders.
Chapter Ten
My heart swells with joy. “I’m so glad you guys are here.” Turning to Elan, I say, “Thank you for protecting me from all those arrows. I couldn’t understand why they were missing me.”
Of course. I will always protect you. She drops her head down to my level and nudges me with her nose. Her sharp scales catch on my clothes.
I unhook the leather from her scales and lean into her snout, caressing her briefly. “How did you guys know about this and when to come?”
She raises her head and gazes at Naga. You did have a full conversation in front of Naga. His English may not be so good, and he may not be the brightest dragon, but he certainly understood that you were in danger. She shows off her full display of teeth in her vicious smile. The moment you left him last night, he flew out of his cell and warned me, then I visited Drogon. We got together at first light to see what would happen. We didn’t know if there were any rules involving dragons or not. But after seeing how the winged Valkyries on the sides attacked, as well, we gathered there were no rules. She pauses, and the scales between her horns clump together. It is utterly unfair for all those winged Valkyries to fire upon you when it should be three against three. They already had an advantage. They didn’t need to cheat.
“Technically, it isn’t cheating when there are no rules.” Hildr’s face screws up with contempt. “Now we need to see if Mistress Sigrun carries through with her promise to let you go to Midgard, Kara. After the way they cheated here today, I wouldn’t be surprised if she reneges on that too.”
Eir scowls. “She better not. That was an agreement made in front of the whole academy. Surely she must have to stick to that. It was even made in front of the other wingless Valkyries.”
“Only time will tell.” The knife of the traitor twists deeper in my stomach, yet determination pushes me onward. I look at the three dragons. “I’m glad you’re here, not only because you saved us, but also because we need a lift down this massive mountain. Can we get a ride, please?”
Of course. We’d love to help, Elan says, her voice back to its normal cheerful tone.
“What about them?” Eir points to Rota, Prima, and Mist. “We can’t just leave them here unconscious, even though the winged Valkyries have.”
I’ll flick them off the side. Drogon stomps toward
Prima. It would be my pleasure. He takes a few more steps.
Drogon! Elan calls. You can’t do that!
Yeah, I can. They didn’t fight fair, so we shouldn’t play fair with them. Besides, they have wings.
But they’re unconscious, Drogon. Elan scowls. If we do something like that, we will never get this alliance sorted. The Valkyries will want to be our enemies forever.
Drogon huffs, and smoke billows out of his nostrils. He tosses his head aside. Oh. All right. He stops in his tracks.
Good choice, Drogon, Elan chirps. Now, let’s get these three down and get them healed. She gives me a sideways glance. And you and I are going to discuss what’s going on with that arm.
“I wish I knew.” I climb onto Elan’s back and hook my legs around her neck.
I’m sorry I didn’t have time to grab the saddle. And besides, it is a bit hard for me to be invisible when it is on my back, Elan calls over her shoulder.
“After everything you’ve done for me today, this is the last thing I’m worried about.” I slide my hand gently under her scales and touch the soft skin underneath. “Thank you, Elan.”
Always my pleasure. Now I’ve paid you back once.
I roll my eyes. “I never expected you to pay me back for anything, Elan, but thank you.” She pushes off the ground, and Drogon and Naga follow with Eir and Hildr on their backs. When we land, I escort them to see Anita.
The dragons push off and into the sky to collect the winged Valkyries still at the top of the mountain. Despite everything they’ve been through and seen, they’re still doing the right thing, and my heart fills with pride. I don’t know how I’ve ended up being so lucky—just because I saved her egg a couple of years ago.
I escort Hildr and Eir to Anita and assist them onto the gurney table, and they wait for Anita, who is busy in the other room.
“Will you guys be all right if I take off for a bit?”
“I think we will be all right in the healer’s hands.” Hildr screws up her nose.
“I don’t know, Hildr. She could be after us, just like the winged ones,” Eir says with a smirk.
I rub Eir’s shoulder. “I’m pretty sure you will be safe here.”
“I know,” she says without the slightest hint of apprehension.
Leaving the healer’s quarters, I head to the library. I’m determined to find out if I can find anything about that zmey creature and what’s going on with my arm.
I press through the double stone doors into the library. It is several stories high, with books lining every wall up to the ceiling. Surprisingly, ladders are supplied for anyone who doesn’t have wings, which is a nice change and a strange sight for the Valkyrie academy. But it all makes sense when I turn to the counter and spot the wingless Valkyrie in charge of the library. A librarian is undoubtedly a better job than a cleaner. It may not be as esteemed as a healer, but in my eyes, it’s a valuable position.
Instead of searching on the shelves, I go straight to the librarian. Her thin frame is curved over the bench, and a veil of chin-length black hair hides her face as she leans over a book. I reach the counter, and she turns the page and hooks a strand of hair behind her ear. She looks up, and I can’t help but notice her eyes wander over my shoulder in search of reassurance that I don’t have wings. I suspect it is an old habit from her days at Valkyrie Academy. She smiles broadly, accentuating her Valkyrie beauty.
“Morning, Jannika.”
“Kara, I haven’t seen you for a couple of weeks. How can I help?” She even sounds keen to help—a nice change from the day I’ve had so far.
“I’m looking for a book that has weird creatures in it.”
“Are you talking about Asgard or any of the other realms? That’s a lot of books to cover. Can you be more specific?”
“I’m looking for one creature in particular. I have only seen it in Asgard a few times. Someone said it is called a zmey.”
Creases form on her brow as she frowns in thought, and her lips push to the side. “I can’t say that I’ve heard of it. Can you describe it?”
“It has big membrane-like wings, with beady eyes, and its body is round and short… as in not as tall as me. And it’s chubby.” I pause for a moment, thinking. “And its face is ugly, and it has claws big enough to hold dragon eggs.”
One of her eyebrows arches. “How many times have you seen this creature?”
“It’s only been a few times, but I believe there’s only one, and it’s living in Asgard.”
She rests a finger across her lips, and the loose ends of her pale-pink sleeve flops to her elbow. Her brow furrows into a frown. After a moment, she raises her finger. “Ah! I think I might know the one. Come, follow me.” The material of her navy culottes swishes as she walks to the far wall at the back of the library. Jannika grabs the ladder and drags it to the far end of the library.
“Wait here. I shall bring it back down.” She climbs and climbs, and I wonder if she is ever going to stop. Balancing on the top rung, she reaches into the shelves and pulls out a large book. Briefly, she studies the cover before tucking it under her arm and climbing down the ladder.
Her black heels land softly on the carpet, and she dusts off the cover. “It’s strange, you know. It was only yesterday that someone else borrowed this for the day.” She hands it to me with the cover facing up.
With both hands, I take it from her and stare at the cover. “Is this for real?”
She looks at the book and looks back at me. “Why yes, of course. Have a good look through and see if you can find the creature.”
I turn to leave. “Thank you,” I say at the last second, remembering my manners. She has always been kind to me. I take it to the nearest desk and start turning the pages. An artist’s illustrations of strange creatures of all shapes and sizes cover the pages. After several pages, my eyes land on the exact image of the creature that marked my arm. I stare at it in disbelief and blink, trying to decide if I’m imagining things. I know I briefly saw it when the other Valkyrie had the book in the dining hall, but it is still hard to comprehend. I shove my hand in the page’s position and close the book to stare at the cover. I reopen the book to the page and stare at the creature. My brain is having a hard time processing the information. Every picture in the book is hand drawn, but the likeness is still staggering.
I flick through a few more pages and find a picture of the old woman I met in the wilderness then encountered in the bathroom that day. And then I close the book again, with my arm marking my place, staring at the cover in disbelief. I open the book back to the same position then browse through a few more pages. My jaw drops. Before me, perfectly captured by the artist, is the young Valkyrie who sat at our table in the dining hall, reading this very book. To be certain, I flick back to the cover and reread it. The book is titled Known Shapes of the Shapeshifter Loki.
The End
Empowered: Book 5 of Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance released 15th October, 2019
You can find more of Katrina Cope’s books here:
KATRINA COPE’S BOOKS
Acknowledgments
I am touched by the enormous amount of support I have received from my immediate family. My husband has been a helpful first reader and at times been a wonderful motivator, with hints of ideas to help me through the blanks. The support from my three sons has also been overwhelming. They have put up with my head being in the clouds, thinking about the next plot twist or story for several years. Along with many hours spent working on my books and keeping in touch with my readers.
A big thank you to my extended family who support me being a book enthusiast.
A huge thank you to my editor, Stefanie B, her editing and writing tips, and my Proofreader, Irene S, for picking up the things we missed.
Thank you to all of my readers who have loved my work, and continue to read my stories. I would love for you to share your thoughts in a review on one or all of the following:
Amazon.com
Goodreads
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bsp; Barnes & Noble
You can follow Katrina Cope at:
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https://www.katrinacopebooks.com
http://http://www.amazon.com/Katrina-Cope/e/B00F00JF9M/
Book 5 of Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance Series ‘Empowered’ released October 2019.
Books by Katrina Cope
Pre-Teen Books
The Sanctum Series
JAYDEN’S CYBERMOUNTAIN
SCARLET’S ESCAPE
TAYLOR’S PLIGHT
ERIC & THE BLACK AXES
ADRIANNA’S SURGE
~~~~~
Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Afterlife Series
FLEDGLING
THE TAKING
ANGELIC RETRIBUTION
DIVIDED PATHS
Afterlife Novelette
THE GATEKEEPER
~~~~~
Young Adult Urban Paranormal Fantasy
Supernatural Evolvement Series
(Associated with the Afterlife Series)
WITCH’S LEGACY (Prequel)
AALIYAH
~~~~~
Young Adult Nordic Myth Fantasy
Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance
MARKED (Prequel-Newsletter Exclusive)
CHOSEN
VANISHED
SCORNED
INFLICTED
EMPOWERED
AMBUSHED
WARNED