Viktoria's Shadow: Jael

by Ysobella Black

  He called for her to come back and tried to push through the wards, but his blades refused to help him. Frustrated, he got back in the car. Viktoria might not want his protection, but she would have it, anyway.

  The only problem was to figure out how. What would she be planning? She didn’t know where the mage lived. At least he didn’t think she did. But he didn’t know how her magic worked. Could she have tracked the mage through the spider? She must have known it was at her house..

  He could stake out the apartment building and make sure she didn’t go in alone. Except that place was huge and one assassin couldn’t watch all the entrances at once.

  Jael drove downtown to his dojo. The Ildum owned all the property for blocks on Main Street. Stryx’s nightclub, Club Saol, anchored one end, with Ciaran’s two-tower, oceanfront hotel and convention center on the other. Various shops and businesses provided the vampires a way to generate public, verifiable income. A network of tunnels connected the buildings and underground caverns and allowed multiple escape routes.

  Hopefully, there would be someone at the dojo he could take out his frustrations on. When he entered though, a class of twenty children in black uniforms punched, kicked, and bellowed ferocious intent with gusto on the largest mat in front of a mirrored wall. He couldn’t beat up on the kids, but watching them try to mimic their instructor always lightened something in his soul.

  His swords hummed contentedly as someone settled against the wall beside him.

  “I hope yer planning tae pick on someone yer own size.”

  Jael crossed his arms over his chest. “Amazon.” If she had another name, she’d never shared it with him.

  “Assassin.”

  The last time Jael had run into the Amazon, they were after the same target. “Someone in need of killing that I should know about? Or are you still looking for a few good men?”

  The Amazon twitched one side of her lips in a smile. “Why cannae it be both? Maybe I need a wee workout.”

  “Follow me.” Jael led the way to a smaller mat on the other side of the dojo. He didn’t take his swords off, but left them sheathed and picked up a staff, tossing a second to the Amazon.

  The staff blurred in her hands as she spun it to get used to the balance and heft. “It’ll do. Three steps?”

  “Agreed.” The first one to retreat a distance of three steps lost.

  They met at the center of the mat in a flurry of hand-stinging clacks. She moved fast, as fast as a vampire, and he didn’t have to hold back. Side block. Spin. Up strike. Reverse. Sweep. Hook strike.

  The Amazon easily parried all his attacks and didn’t budge.

  Jael poured all his frustration with Viktoria, fury with the mages, and irritation he could never beat this woman with a staff into his motions, to hone his focus and increase his speed. He channeled all his strength into his blows and drove her back one step, then two.

  Staff positioned for an overhand strike, he lunged.

  “I’m here tae talk tae ye about Viktoria.”

  Jael’s smooth advance stuttered, and the Amazon took advantage, catching him square in the chest with a front kick that sent him sprawling to the mat. Definitely past the three steps distance.

  Excited squeals, gasps, and clapping hands alerted him to their audience. Twenty boys and girls gawked, along with their instructor, who leaned against the wall, an amused expression crinkling the corners of his eyes.

  A growl sent them scattering to their places.

  He rolled to his feet. “How do you know Viktoria?”

  “Ye could say I taught the lass most of what she knows about fighting. I’m staying with her while I’m here in Port Storm.”

  “At her house?” Jael went low, aiming for a leg sweep, then spun and brought his staff at the Amazon in a downward smash.

  She rolled her eyes and diverted his attack. “Nae. In her pocket.”

  “Yeah. Right.” Jael scoffed. “You’d be lucky to find enough extra material for an actual pocket in her clothes. How does she even sleep in those pajamas without something falling out?”

  The Amazon doubled over in a belly laugh.

  Stunned, Jael leaned on his staff and watched her lose it.

  Gasping, she wiped a tear from her eye and straightened. “Ye dinnae ken the half of it.” She snickered. “Or maybe ye dae.”

  “How long have you known Viktoria?”

  “Long enough the lass is dear tae me.”

  “And if I hurt her, you’ll kill me? No worry about that. She won’t let me close enough.”

  The Amazon smirked. “Dinnae tell me the Assassin is giving up already. And, ‘tis nae me ye need to fret about if ye hurt her, though I’ll gie ye a skelpit lug. Viktoria’s mother is... difficult. I’m not privy to all the details, but she and Viktoria have an agreement. The gist though, is if Viktoria needs to be rescued or accepts help, in anything, there will be severe consequences.”

  “Like what?”

  She shrugged. “I ken a vampire’s heid’s mince when there’s Dragăs about. Give the lass time and she’ll ken a way tae be with ye. Yer a vampire, ye have time, aye?”

  Normally he would agree, but knowing what he did of Viktoria, she had a plan in the works that would put her in danger, and he didn’t have time to wait around for that.

  WEDNESDAY,

  DECEMBER 11

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  VIKTORIA

  FULL OF PIZZA AND ICE cream, with a small self-pity chaser, Viktoria went to bed hoping not to dream about Lurky. Instead, she lay awake. Maybe she should leave this mage stuff to the vampires. But it was Ember and Musette. Although if she failed, not only would Ember and Musette still be in danger, all twelve of her sisters ran a risk, too.

  She closed her eyes and willed herself to be tired, giving herself over to Dream’s magic when her sister pulled at her.

  “Can’t sleep, Shadow?”

  “You already know the answer to that.”

  “Are you worried about kidnapping Thomax?”

  “A little. There are things that could go wrong.”

  “But you’ve planned a kidnapping before.” Memory joined their conversation. “Remember?”

  VIKTORIA’S FIRST WEEKS of freedom exhilarated her, but she missed her sisters more than she could have imagined. They’d always planned to escape Pohjola — now she plotted to sneak in under their mother's nose. Could she do it? Surely by now her sisters had figured out she was gone. Were they all angry with her? What had Mother told them?

  A sheep butted its head into her hand for more attention. They weren’t soul birds, but they appreciated attention and made living on the small island of Hiort a bit less lonely. “Sorry. My thoughts wandered.”

  “What were ye thinking about, lass?” The Amazon, wearing dark green leather pants and vest, lay on her back atop a grey rock wall dividing two pastures. Her wild red hair spilled to the ground as she basked in the sun. Inland from the castle on the sandy beach, grassy fields and small hills covered the island, kept short by numerous sheep.

  The Amazon, a font of strength and an excellent ideal of independence, kept Viktoria from going insane or making a misstep as she adjusted to life outside Pohjola.

  “My sisters. I know what they’re doing all day every day because it’s always the same, but I keep wondering what they’re doing.” Viktoria laughed. “That’s silly, isn’t it?”

  “Nae ‘Tis natural tae miss the ones ye love when ye won’t see them for a while. Is not seeing yer sisters part of yer bargain?”

  “Ye —” She rethought her deal. Over the last few weeks, the Amazon had been teaching Viktoria the difference between the letter of the word and the spirit of it.

  I will live in the human world for a thousand and one years, without accepting help or needing to be rescued. When I succeed, I’m free to come and go from Pohjola without interference of any kind, and you have to let my sisters have a chance to be free.

  Her mother had added, Pack what you need. Until our deal is
over, broken or completed, you cannot come back here.

  In the spirit of the agreement, Viktoria understood here to mean Pohjola... however, in the letter of the agreement, Mother hadn’t said Pohjola... she’d said here, while they stood in Viktoria's bedroom. Maybe she wasn’t the only one to have chosen her words poorly.

  “No... I can go back to Pohjola, but Mother could interfere.”

  The Amazon chuckled. “Och, when doesnae that woman interfere?”

  Another sheep shoved at Viktoria’s hands, and she petted him.

  “Ye ken ye shouldnae get so attached tae them.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because they’re destined tae be —”

  Viktoria clapped her hands over the sheep’s ears. “Don’t say it!”

  The Amazon sat up and rolled her eyes. “I hired ye tae tend the sheep so ye could earn yer way. Not tae treat them like bairns. They’re supposed tae be tough.”

  After a few days on the island, the only place Viktoria knew she could come to once she’d been freed, her white dress and slippers, what she’d come to call kidnap-chic, were worse for wear. She’d wanted to don pants and boots again, but hesitated to put on any of the clothes available. Would Louhi consider that accepting help, since they didn’t belong to Viktoria?

  Hundreds of sheep lived on the island, though mutton or lamb never appeared on the menu. Viktoria offered to tend the sheep, even though they probably didn’t need it, and her salary paid for room, board, and the luxury of clothing of her choosing. No more white dresses. Not for a while.

  She’d moved into a small house built of long, thin stone, without any wood, lime, earth, or mortar to cement it, and in the form of a circle narrowing towards the ceiling where a vent let out smoke from the fire in the center of the floor. A bed, a chest of drawers, a table and two chairs summed up the furnishings.

  The girls the crazy man kidnapped spent their time in the tower room she’d occupied when he brought her to the Amazon’s island. The addled wizard delivered a new girl every couple of days and disappeared.

  He never hurt them, but seemed stuck in a loop or fantasy that required a damsel in the tower. Viktoria didn’t like to think of him as insane. After all, if he hadn’t brought her here, she never would have met the Amazon, learned to fight, or had the courage to stand up to her mother. Speaking of the kidnapped girls...

  “Are you going to take the latest girl home soon?” This one screamed a lot. After trying to befriend her a couple of times — no one understood more about being kidnapped than a Maiden of Pohjola — and being met with ear-piercing shrieks, Viktoria gave up and kept her distance.

  The Amazon kept the girl drugged. “Thankfully, aye.” She huffed. “The Screamer managed tae say she’s from Glencoe, a village on the coast of Alba, so I’m taking the lass home tomorrow. Come with me. We’ll keep her asleep so she doesnae deafen us. ‘Tis not too far a journey. Yer going tae have tae live in the human world. It’s time ye experienced it.”

  “Oh.” The idea terrified and excited her. What if she did something wrong already? But it had to be the first time at some point, and curiosity about the world outside Pohjola burned bright inside her. “Well, if it would help you.”

  “I could use someone tae row the boat.” The Amazon flashed a smile and hopped off the wall. She whacked Viktoria between the shoulder blades, staggering her a few steps and scattering the sheep. “’Tis time for yer second job.”

  As the Amazon’s punching bag.

  Which also taught Viktoria self-defense, but allowed for deniability that it helped her in any way.

  The Amazon could twist things around as well as Louhi, and Viktoria paid close attention.

  I’ll allow communication between you in the human world and your sisters in Pohjola. Mother had said that, too. Viktoria hadn’t tried to speak to any of them yet. Her sisters, especially Memory, could remain angry for ages.

  What sort of grand gesture could Viktoria make to beg for their forgiveness after leaving them all behind? Her steps slowed as the spark of an idea came to her. She needed to earn the goodwill of her sisters, yes, but if they were going to make their own deals for freedom, they had to learn about the human world, too — beyond the experience of being kidnapped by dolts — and how to think for and defend themselves.

  Mother liked her daughters quiet and docile. The Maidens of Pohjola would never become independent unless Viktoria helped them.

  She sped up. Feet flying fast as her thoughts, she sprinted past the Amazon, hearing the feartie gowk muttered at her, but not caring.

  Maybe she was crazy, but Viktoria continued plotting. A kidnapping. Her sisters would appreciate that. But unlike the men who invaded Louhi’s domain to claim a Maiden of Pohjola, Viktoria planned to take them all.

  THE TRANQUIL, DEEP blue sea lay still under a gentle salt-tinged breeze, a mirror-like surface reflecting scattered puffy white clouds overhead. Selkies in seal form lazed on the sandy beach and kelpies, in their human forms, splashed one another in the shallows.

  Viktoria considered her options as her boots clomped on wooden planks. Since leaving Pohjola, she found herself stomping just to hear the noise. Tied to the dock, a rowboat with oars, a raft, and a double-decker boat pulled by kelpies awaited her decision.

  “Let’s take the biggest one.” If her courage didn’t fail, she could use this boat to go to Pohjola and have room for her sisters.

  The Amazon, wearing purple leather today, arched an eyebrow, but boarded the largest craft, carrying the sleeping Screamer.

  Viktoria clomped back along the dock to where the kelpies played. “Any of you ladies or gentlemen want to come on our adventure today?”

  Four of the humans shape-shifted into their black horse forms, complete with snake manes and reversed hoofs. They stood in two pairs in front of the boat and waited for Viktoria to slip their harnesses on.

  She climbed into the boat and picked up the reins, taking the seat at the bow. She hoped the kelpies were tame as the sea today. They sometimes dove suddenly, taking riders to the bottom of the lake or sea, but she hadn’t heard any stories about entire boats being dragged under. There’d been little chance to learn this sort of thing at home, though. The magical horses pulled away from Hiort, running easily atop the surface of the ocean.

  After settling the Screamer into a seat, The Amazon joined Viktoria at the front of the boat. “What are ye up tae, lass?”

  “If I don't tell you, you can’t help me, right?”

  “Aye. Yer learning.”

  While the calm sea made it easy to guide the kelpies, it made for a boring landscape. Viktoria stole a glance at the Amazon. “Why are you called the Amazon? You told me before it was the only name I’d get from you, but did you have another before?”

  “Aye, but ‘tis not safe to say aloud when others are listenin’ for it.”

  “Who is listening?”

  “A mince heided Djinn. Worse than the wizard’s son who keeps kidnapping lasses tae put in the tower.”

  A Djinn! Viktoria couldn’t remember meeting a Djinn before. Maybe they hadn’t come to Pohjola. She opened her mouth to ask about them, but the way the Amazon scowled and fingered her sword suggested that might not be a welcome topic.

  Viktoria changed the subject. “Where are we heading?”

  “The Cave of Melody tae the southeast.”

  The kelpies moved over the water supernaturally fast, especially on calm seas, and in an hour, they rounded a rocky island.

  Waves crashed into a sea cave, causing a resonant melody that echoed like symphony music. Golden hexagonal pillars sixty feet high formed the sides of the cavern in the otherwise bleak, grey rocky landscape. Fractured columns created a walkway that Viktoria guided the kelpies alongside. In front of the arched entrance, an enormous man, fifteen feet tall with bright red hair and matching bushy beard, stood and waved as the boat neared.

  The Amazon waved back. “Benandonner, dae ye feel like hunting? We’re heading tae Glencoe.”r />
  “Aye.” He strode down the path and clambered into the boat. “That crabbit Finn is quiet enough today, and I ken Bheithir needs some scran.”

  “Who’s Bheithir?” Viktoria held on to her seat as the boat rocked when the giant climbed in.

  “A friend in need. We bring her food when we can.” Benandonner ducked below the second level of the boat and sat on the deck.

  Viktoria guided the kelpies away from the island for the short trip to the Alba mainland and the dock at Glencoe. A crowd of boisterous people gathered around a short man with a potbelly, and the smell of roasting meat wafted through the air. “Looks like they’re having a celebration.”

  The Amazon climbed out with the Screamer. Two people, a man who resembled the girl, and a woman, who shrieked in a familiar key, rushed towards them. Releasing the girl into her parents’ custody, the Amazon tried to extricate herself from the noisy woman’s arms while the father carried their daughter away.

  Viktoria focused mutterings of the mob.

  “We took care of that dragon!”

  “Lured it out onto a bridge of spikes. Ha! Stupid animal.”

  “That beast tore its gut and wings to shreds. It’s dying. Won’t be bothering us anymore.”

  Viktoria couldn’t decide whether to throw up or throw punches into the faces of the smug people who took pride in hurting a dragon.

  Benandonner stiffened. “We have tae go!”

  His voice alerted the Amazon something was wrong. She shoved the Screamer’s mother away and hurried back to the boat.

  “Up the river, lass. Quick!” The giant stroked his beard in agitation.

  The kelpies didn’t wait for direction from Viktoria, taking off so quickly she nearly toppled from her seat. Faster than they’d crossed the ocean, they galloped atop the long lake into a horseshoe-shaped valley of white-capped mountains with forests of evergreen trees at their bases. Barrels with iron spikes jutting from them, some intact, some shattered, all covered in blood, floated by. Again, without guidance, the horses came to a stop at the start of a zigzag track leading up a mountain to a dark cave.