by S. T. Bende
“Hurry up.” Helene turned at the end of the hallway. “Boys eat fast here!”
“Coming!” I led my friends into the dining room where Katrin waved from a window seat. I waved back, before walking toward the table stacked high with plates, waffles, cheeses, fruits, and an array of breakfast meats. Yum.
“We eat buffet-style in this dining room, and family-style in the more formal hall on the first floor.” I filled a plate, and Ingrid and Vidia did the same. “We have the option of taking meals in either place, but it’s generally easier to just eat here during school days. Oh, and you have to dress for the other hall, so be sure you don’t show up in your combat clothes like I did my first time.”
“About that.” Vidia glanced down at her apron-dress as we walked through the tables. “A woman came by really early this morning with huge piles of clothes for both of us.”
“Was she kind of matronly? With round cheeks and a super kind smile?” I asked.
“Yes,” Vidia confirmed.
“That was Magda.” I grinned. “She’s one of the seamstresses, and she’s really nice.”
“She’s also the best dressmaker in Valkyris. She’ll make your gowns for the winter ball if you ask her to.” Helene materialized at my side. “She made Saga a heated one.”
“A heated dress?” Ingrid raised her brow. “That’s a thing here?”
“Right. I forgot to mention they have magic fairies who do . . . magical things here. Flameless candles, special dresses, the bucket-less baths—”
Ingrid sucked in a breath. “Is that what that thing is in our room?”
“Yup.” I sat down next to Katrin and popped a piece of waffle into my mouth. “You stand in front of it and tell it you want to bathe, and it just fills with hot water. I’ll come over and show you later. By the way, this is Katrin.” I gestured to my acquisitions and dissemination partner. “Katrin, this is Ingrid and Vidia.”
“Good to meet you.” Ingrid smiled at Katrin, while Vidia offered a shy, “Hei.”
“Velkommen to Valkyris,” Katrin said warmly. “You’ll find we’re a bit different from other tribes.”
“I’ll say.” Vidia raised one arched brow. “Saga just told us fairies do magical things here.”
She and Ingrid looked at me as if I’d sprouted two heads.
“It’s weird. I get it.” Except I didn’t, because in my world we not only had bucket-less baths, but cars, computers, rockets . . . My heart tugged as I wondered for the hundredth time what my cousin/best friend Olivia was doing right then. We’d been a week from starting college together at Northern Minnesota University when Freia’s dagger had sucked me a thousand years into the past. And while I was having my own boarding-school experience—in an extremely different way than I’d planned—I hoped Olivia was living out our college dreams for the both of us.
“It’s not that weird,” Katrin interjected. She smiled kindly at Vidia. “You’ll get used to the conveniences and wonder how you ever lived without them.”
“Especially if you get a heated gown for the winter ball. Which I highly recommend. Magda didn’t magic up mine.” Helene pouted.
“You’re really excited about the ball,” I surmised. “You’ve mentioned it, like, ten times already this morning.”
“It’s a very important event in the Valkyris calendar,” Helene pointed out.
“Ja. And you’ve been waiting for Zaan to make some kind of move since forever,” Katrin nudged her. “Are you hoping this might kickstart a courtship?”
“I’ve been hoping that for months.” Helene waved her hand. “But yes, this seems like an opportune time for him to finally do something. What about you, Katrin? Anyone you’re hoping will ask you to dance?”
“You know nobody at the Academy’s really my type,” Katrin said lightly. Her gaze darted to Vidia, before settling back on her food.
Interesting. Is Katrin—
“Well, maybe when you see everyone all dressed up, the courtyard decked out in fairy lights, an orchestra playing under the stars . . .” Helene sighed dreamily.
“Uh, this is an outdoor thing?” I didn’t care how heated my dress was; Norway in January was straight-up freezing.
“The älva heat the courtyard, Saga.” Helene rolled her eyes.
“Right.” Forgot about the all-encompassing fairy powers. “And if their magic gives out, I guess we could always have the dragons light us bonfires.”
“No dragons. Please.” Katrin shuddered.
“Bad experience?” Ingrid asked.
“Let’s just say that some of us are more athletically inclined. And others . . .” Katrin shrugged.
“Katrin did slightly better in her first riding class than she did in combat,” Helene offered. “But Birna’s dragon spooked and somehow dove straight for Katrin’s, and, well—”
“I nearly got thrown,” Katrin finished. “Axel got my dragon under control, but I got to drop the class and focus on more, uh, academic subjects.”
“Lucky,” I groaned. “Axel’s making me meet him after classes for my first riding lesson. I’m dreading it already.”
Ingrid leaned forward on her elbows. “Axel’s not your keeper. Tell him no.”
“I wish I could, but he and Erik are adamant that I need to be able to ride. Something about Valkyris needing more airborne assassins, and my needing to have options in case I have to escape masochistic clan heirs.” I rolled my eyes.
“They have a point,” Vidia said quietly, at the same time as Ingrid blurted, “You get to be an airborne assassin?”
“We’re short on archers around here.” I shrugged. “But the idea of flying on a fire-breathing reptile and trusting it not to throw me to my death is . . . well, it’s not my idea of a great afternoon. That’s all.”
“You’ll be fine,” Helene assured me. “Axel’s not going to let anything happen to you. My cousin would kill him.”
“I’ll cling to that,” I said drily.
“What’s he like?” Ingrid asked.
“Erik?” Helene tilted her head.
“No, Axel.” Ingrid’s cheeks flushed.
I raised my brow.
“I mean,” she hastened, “is he always as irritating as he was on the boat? He would not shut up about how much his arm hurt and how he couldn’t believe he’d lost his dragon.”
“He’s always irritating,” Helene confirmed. “A major pain, for sure. He and my cousin are the best assassins we have, which makes them unbelievably arrogant. And since most of the girls around here lose their minds over trained killers—Odin only knows why—it feeds their egos even more. Of course, now that Erik’s with you, Saga, he’s calmed down considerably. Still, some days, I swear, I want to just whack him over the head and tell him—”
“So, Axel has a girlfriend?” Ingrid’s tone was just slightly too casual to be believable. Snort.
“Axel has had lots of girlfriends. Each stupider than the last,” Helene said.
“Oh.” Ingrid played with her cuticles. “Were you ever into him?”
“Axel? Gods, no. He’s the egotistical, smart-mouthed brother I never wanted.”
“Got it,” Ingrid said.
“Why? Are you into him?” Helene leaned forward. “Tell me you’re not. You can do so much better.”
“Axel’s a good man.” I jumped to my friend’s defense. “He always looks out for the little guy, which says a lot about his character.”
“Need I remind you that he has been with Brigga?” Helene leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms.
“Well . . . that does stink. But he’s good people. If you’re into him—”
“I’m not,” Ingrid said, a half-second too quickly. “Totally not. I was just curious, since he was so whiny on the boat.”
“He wasn’t that whiny.” Vidia shot Ingrid a curious look.
“So, the winter ball?” Ingrid focused on Helene. “How do we get dresses?”
Whoa, subject change whiplash.
“Make sure you as
k Magda about that,” Helene answered. “Since apparently, if you sweet talk her, she’ll heat your gown.”
“I didn’t sweet talk anyone,” I objected.
“Whatever. Just get excited for an absolutely spectacular night. It’s my first year on the committee, and I’m really excited for you to see what we’ve cooked up.”
“We can tell.” Katrin smiled.
I looked around the room only to find students already bussing their plates. “Ooh, we’d better hurry. I don’t want you guys to be late on your first day.”
We all stood and carried our dishes to the bins on the far wall. When her hands were free, Vidia smoothed the front of her dress. “Do we need to bring anything with us?” she asked nervously.
“No. There should be writing feathers and parchment in your academic classes and plenty of weapons in your physical ones. What do you have this morning?” I asked.
Ingrid pulled a paper from her pocket. “Vidia and I both have History of Valkyris. Then Combat in the afternoon. I guess we’d better change for that one?”
“Magda probably included leggings and blouses in your starter wardrobe, but if you’re missing anything, just go into my room and take whatever you need,” I offered.
“Thanks,” Ingrid said.
“Where is the history classroom?” Vidia asked quietly.
“That’s right; you were in the healing unit until late.” Ingrid frowned. “You didn’t get a tour yet.”
“I’ll show you around. Maybe after your afternoon classes, we could walk the grounds?” Katrin ducked her head. A loose strand of raven hair fell in front of her face, and she tucked it back into her braid.
“That’d be great.” Pink crept up Vidia’s neck.
Very, very interesting.
I knew Helene had had two moms, but I also knew Valkyris was extremely progressive for the time. I briefly pondered the politics of the rest of Vikingdom, and sent a wave of gratitude to the universe for depositing me in this pocket of the medieval world instead of one of the more closed-minded ones.
“But to get you through the morning, the classrooms are on the first floor—well, the history one is, at any rate,” Helene offered.
“Katrin and I have Acquisitions and Dissemination down there,” I said. “We’ll walk you so you don’t get lost.”
“Freia did give us maps.” Ingrid pulled another piece of parchment from her pocket. “But they’re more for the island than the castle.”
“Well, all you need to know is the classrooms are this way.” Helene skipped from the dining room toward the staircase. “And the seamstresses’ rooms are off the office corridor on the second floor. Remember, you want Magda to make your dresses for the winter ball. Magda.”
“They get it.” I laughed. “This must be one special dance.”
“Oh, it will be,” Helene said determinedly. “After all, if I’m going to take my first step toward a marriage offer, I want it to be in style!”
I bit the inside of my cheek. Zaan had always been friendly with Helene, but so far as I knew, he hadn’t expressed a marriage offer level of interest. I hoped my friend wasn’t setting herself up for disappointment.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Helene hung a left and called over her shoulder, “See you guys later—I’ve got to meet with my healing professor before class. Good luck on your first day!”
“Thanks,” Ingrid called after her. Vidia offered a silent wave.
“Okay, classes are this way.” I led our group down the hall. “You’re in here”—I pointed to the door—“and Katrin and I are three down in A&D.”
“We’ll stop by after class and walk you to the dining room if you want,” Katrin offered. Her eyes darted to Vidia again before returning to her folded hands. Oh my God, she’s totally into her!
“Sounds good.” Ingrid drew her shoulders back. “Ready, V?”
“As I’ll ever be.” Vidia nodded. She played nervously with her cuticles as she walked into the classroom.
Once my friends were inside, I nudged Katrin with my elbow. “Stop staring.”
“What? I’m not.” Her cheeks pinked.
“Whatever you say.” I winked before walking down the hall to A&D. Something told me Katrin’s life had just gotten a lot more interesting.
Chapter 4
“SAGA, MAY I HAVE a word?” Freia’s voice made me pause two steps outside the A&D classroom.
Katrin glanced over her shoulder and bowed her head. “Chieftess Freia.”
“Good morning Katrin.” Freia smiled kindly. “How is my favorite disseminator?”
“I’m good,” Katrin said. “We’re getting new shipments to process today.”
“Ah, yes. The manifests from Rome, I believe?” Freia adjusted the silver clasp on her dress. She’d worn cream and navy today, and the blue played off her eyes perfectly. “I’m hoping we can pull some of their stock for our kitchens.”
“Kitchens?” Please, God, let this be the day Valkyris finally got coffee.
“You’ll see.” Freia winked. “Katrin, tell your aunt I’ll see her at our meeting this afternoon. Saga, I won’t keep you long. Walk with me?”
“Of course. I’ll be there in a few,” I told Katrin. She nodded before heading to our usual table.
I turned and followed Freia down the hall. “Is anything wrong?”
“I just wanted to check in with you,” she said quietly. She led me to the social area at the end of the corridor. Since classes were about to start, the room was pretty much empty. Even so, Freia kept her voice low. “I didn’t want to ask in front of Ingrid yesterday, but I do want to make sure you’re okay with everything.”
By “everything,” I assumed she meant the news that a barbaric tribe had vowed to destroy Valkyris, kill Erik, and abduct me.
“I’m great. Never better.”
Not.
Freia pursed her lips. “I want you to know you can talk with me. We haven’t spoken much about your . . . origins.”
Freia rarely addressed the fact that I’d come from the future. When she’d asked her magical dagger to bring a leader for Valkyris, she’d had no idea it could summon someone from another time. She’d felt terribly when she’d learned Erik and I had tried—and failed—to magic me home, but since we’d followed the proper protocols, there wasn’t anything she could do. I knew she felt responsible—with good reason. But the fact was, I was here now. And until Erik and I figured out how to get me home, I could either wallow or throw myself into making sure I didn’t die at the hands of a crazy Viking tribe.
Obviously, I’d opted for the latter.
“I really am fine,” I assured her. “I’m not thrilled about Bjorn’s threats, but there’s not a lot I can do besides learn to defend myself and protect our tribe.”
Freia’s lips parted in a smile. “Spoken like a true leader.”
“Yeah, well.” I toed the ground. “I may as well make myself useful while I’m here.”
“Saga,” Freia said softly. “You do realize there’s a chance we might not be able to get you back home.”
I bit down on my bottom lip. “I know.”
“But my son is doing everything in his power to find a way. I came into our family sitting room just before dawn this morning and found him passed out on the settee. The dagger was in one hand, and a book of ancient incantations in the other. He’d been up half the night trying to get it to activate.”
“But why?” We had enough going on as it was—he must have been exhausted.
“He’s worried for you, Saga. Clan Bjorn has taken issue with our tribe in the past, but they’ve never issued a threat this specific. Erik doesn’t want you to be trapped in a world where . . .”
“Where someone wants me dead,” I whispered. “But what if . . .”
“If what?”
I drew a breath. “I care about Valkyris, Freia. And I know I’m not the strongest, or the best swordswoman, or God forbid, the best at Inter-Tribal Relations. But I do have something to of
fer by way of defense. You’re low on archers, and I’m one of the best you have. What if, knowing everything we’re up against, I’m not ready to leave you all behind?”
Freia’s smile stretched so wide, it lit up the entire room. “And that, dear Saga, is why the dagger chose you. You are selfless, through and through. And for this, the gods will reward you.”
“I don’t know about that.” I studied my feet.
“I do. When the time comes, they will find a way to give you a choice—stay, or return to your old life. Of this, I’m absolutely certain.”
“Yeah. Maybe . . .”
“But I’m still concerned for you.” Freia’s eyes narrowed. “Bjorn’s threat must weigh heavily on your mind.”
“It does,” I admitted. “I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”
“I figured as much.” Freia nodded. “I’ve had similar troubles when we’ve faced threats in the past. The healers have an herbal tea that’s very soothing. Would you like me to have some sent to your room this evening?”
“Gods, no.” I blurted. “I mean, no, thank you. I’m not big on the tea here.”
“Erik mentioned that.” Freia bit back her smile. “I can have them sweeten it for you if you prefer. And I can have relaxing oils sent up for your bath as well. I want you to be as comfortable as possible, considering . . .”
Considering an evil heir was coming to steal me, murder my boyfriend, and destroy our entire tribe?
“Tea and oils would be lovely.” I reached out to clasp Freia’s hands. “Thank you for worrying about me.”
“Sweet girl, I cannot not worry about you. You’re incredibly brave and remarkably determined. But please don’t feel you have to shoulder any of this alone. I’m here if you’d ever like to talk.”
“Thank you.” I squeezed the chieftess’s fingers. It was nice, having a mother looking out for me. Even if it was someone else’s mother.
“You’d better get to class. I don’t want you falling behind—especially if you’re working on the spice load I’m thinking of.”
“We’re logging in spices?” Excitement spiked my voice an octave. “What kinds?”
“You can tell me after class.” Freia laughed. “Do you use many seasonings where you come from?”