The newcomer snorted. “Greetings to you too Verroc.”
Verroc scowled but didn’t say anything else.
Then the gargoyle Verroc had addressed as Thayn turned to Anna and grinned in welcome.
“Hello, young one. I’m glad you’ve finally awakened. Now, perhaps, we can take Obsidian’s training to the next level.”
The male then grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into the biggest bear hug she’d ever received in her entire life. Her ribs complained at the sudden pressure and she wondered if he were trying to pop her head off. But then he released her a second later.
When she could breathe again, he patted her shoulders and then leaned closer to whisper in a conspiratorial tone. “I’m too old to bother with stairs. When you get to be my age, you’ll understand. Besides, Verroc is far too stuffy. I do what I can to help him unbend.”
With that he turned and marched over to the table, taking one of the last two seats.
The mischievous tones and the spark of secret humor in his eyes reminded her of someone. It took a moment, but then she realized she’d just met the male version of Gran.
“By the way, he just stole something from you,” Obsidian warned.
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ll be missing something that you had on your person a moment ago. It’s his favorite trick.”
“I’d know if he took something.” But then her eyes locked on the little jar of cream Thayn was spinning like a top on the polished surface of the council table. Once it started to slow, he snatched it back up and pried off the cork stopper and gave the contents a sniff.
He wheezed. “Goddess, that should count as punishment fulfilled all on its own.”
Why that old…
“However, reports have reached our Lord about what transpired the first day Anna awoke. Dray has suggested a worthy punishment.” Thayn grinned. “It’s really quite delightful.”
∞∞∞
After she heard the details of Obsidian’s ‘punishment’ Anna grew very concerned. But not for what the masters would do to him, but because of what he would do to them.
She grabbed his hand to hold him back, but he just marched forward, dragging her along with him until his thighs bumped the table.
“You cannot be serious!” A fist slamming against the wood punctuated his words. “I’ll take any punishment you wish, but don’t make Reaver and Anna training partners!”
Anna wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea, but it was kind of ingenious—in a twisted, cynical way. And made for a perfect punishment for Reaver.
Reaver’s ascension from journeyman to adept depended on Anna passing her novice test. She’d gathered from Obsidian’s thoughts that he’d been looking forward to helping her with those skills. Not that he’d expected it to be hard for her. They’d learned the basics of battle magic during their stay in the Lady of Battles kingdom.
She should be able to complete the tasks quickly, perhaps within a day or less if the elders would allow her to streamline it that much.
But Obsidian wouldn’t be the one to test her skills after walking her through each task. No, for whatever reason, Lord Death thought it a better punishment for Reaver.
“Come on, Obsidian. I’ve got this. I’ll pass the test and Reaver will be out of our life.”
His one ear flicked back to acknowledge her words, but he continued his debate with the Elders.
“Any journeyman or adept level student can initiate a novice. Anyone is better than Reaver. He’ll be seeking revenge and will think Anna is the easier target.” His gaze traveled to each of the Elders sitting across the table, but none of them so much as blinked at his words. “I’m sure Truth would agree to mentor her. Or Swift Hunter if Truth is too busy with new novices.”
She placed her hand on Obsidian’s arm. “Reaver, as much as he doesn’t care for outsiders, is a gargoyle. I’ve faced the Battle Goddess’s captains. He is only one gargoyle. I’ll be fine.”
“Gargoyles are capable of holding their own against the Battle Goddess’s minions,” Verroc said, no emotion showing on his face or the tilt of his ears. Even his tail remained still.
“I will not tolerate Reaver as Anna’s teacher!” The words were more of a growl, the threat clear, but the wildly chaotic emotions bleeding down the link just reinforced that the berserker darkness was rising to the surface.
“For fuck’s sake, keep your shit together. Shit! Together!”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Bring it down a few notches, or I’ll do it for you!”
Obsidian flicked an ear in her direction. Suddenly, his tail was snaking around her waist, dragging her closer, and then he tucked her against his side as if he was planning to snatch her and run.
“Don’t do it! Piss mamma bear off at your peril.”
Thayn leaned forward, doubling up over the table as chuckles burst forth. Banrook’s lips quivered, and his chest started to shake a moment before he, too, howled in laughter. Sumdara and Maradryn wore big grins. Only Verroc managed to maintain a straight face, though it looked a little like he was sucking lemons.
Oh crap! The Elders had picked up on her conversation with Obsidian.
Well fuck. This day was just getting better and better. Maybe she could ask Obsidian to show her how to turn back to stone. Sleeping for another decade was looking good.
“Oh, Obsidian,” Banrook said with tears running down his cheeks. “Worry not for Anna Mackenzie’s safety. She’s fully capable of handling Reaver. A whipping from her sharp tongue will defeat that prideful male.”
Obsidian huffed loudly but didn’t add words to the sound. His disdain at the thought of Anna having to work with Reaver needed no accompanying words.
Thayn got control over his chuckles and looked her in the eye. “Anna, you will do fine. And, Obsidian,” his gaze tracked away from Anna to land on her gargoyle partner next. “You will do as you’re told in this. Anna will take her Novice test as required. However, I will make one small allowance. Reaver will still be her opponent, but you may be her instructor.”
“Thank you,” Anna said swiftly. Obsidian was far too slow in answering, so she reached under his wing and pinched his ass hard enough to make him jump.
“I agree,” he blurted out.
“And if Reaver attempts to harm your Kyrsu again after we’ve strictly forbidden it, you, or she, may do to him as you please with no repercussions from the council, by Lord Dray’s edict.”
Obsidian perked up a little at Thayn’s last words.
“Or,” Thayn tossed the small jar of cream back to Anna, “she could just use this on him full strength if he attempts anything.”
Anna caught the jar and slid it back in her pocket. Thayn had said it as a joke, but there were possibilities in the idea.
Chapter 26
The training field wasn’t, in fact, a field. It was a multi-tiered complex crawling up the side of the island’s third highest peak. A series of terraces provided flat ground for the actual training rings, but many stairs and pathways also led up the side of the mountain and would provide a challenging route if someone wanted the trainees to run a tour.
Obsidian’s earlier rage had dissipated as he walked her up to the fifth level of the terraces. On the way, she’d spied other outdoor obstacles. There were also many smaller domed structures made from stone, which he’d said were used for learning the more dangerous spell work.
They reached their destination to find many of the other novices and mentors present.
“There is not normally so many here this early, especially after the feast day. They’ve come to watch my Kyrsu fight for the first time.” There was pride in his tone, and Anna didn’t want to disappoint him.
“How do you want me to handle this? Give it my all—short of actually shifting forms—or pull my punches and let Reaver score some points?” She’d already determined that she could take Reaver in a fight. Her gargoyle nature had assessed his abilities that
first day and her training at the hands of the Battle Goddess’s minions assured her she could use his weaknesses against him.
Obsidian flashed his teeth at her. “Kick his ass. I want everyone to know my Kyrsu can protect herself. But don’t go so far as to reveal your true form.”
“Got it.” She paused as she looked at the growing number of onlookers. “You going to tell me what to expect, or not?”
“It’s a series of tests designed to show how much you already know so the Council of Elders can adjust their training plans and possibly switch up who will mentor you. Though I imagine they’ll keep us under the same mentors to improve our integrations as a single fighting unit as our bond is designed to emulate.”
“Doesn’t sound so bad so far.”
“Unfortunately, Reaver will likely attempt to do his worst even with the council’s warning. But I think that’s what Lord Dray and the council seek. They want to test your limits.”
“And what if my limits are far beyond what they’re expecting?” She asked only half in jest.
“Harm Reaver as much as you like. The healers can patch him up later. Just don’t kill him. Gargoyles never kill gargoyles.”
Anna snorted and then continued the conversation aloud. “Could have fooled me by the way you were going at him after the hunt.”
“That’s different.” Obsidian shrugged and then continued to explain the test. “There are five tasks. The first three, combat with knives, sword, and staff, are all to first blood.”
“Got it.”
“He would normally outmatch you with his size and speed, but your nature and magic will allow you to draw first blood quickly.”
“Ah, so no drawing it out and making him look really bad? You’re no fun.”
“I don’t care about how bad you bruise his pride. I’m selfish. I don’t want you in the ring with him any longer than necessary.”
Anna just nodded, not wanting to push Obsidian with the bond shortening their respective fuses when it came to each other and potential danger.
Obsidian was apparently still feeling edgy and protective. Best not to make it worse.
“Under normal circumstances, his years of training with both sword and staff would give him the advantage. However, each night, while you slept in stone, I shared what I learned that day with you.” Obsidian paused to allow a group to move farther down the pathway. “It won’t be the same as muscle memory, but it will be an advantage. Use it.”
“Anything else of importance I should know?”
“The quarterstaff is Reaver’s strong suit.” Obsidian bumped his muzzle against her cheek and planted a kiss. “Don’t be ashamed if he beats you, you’ll be able to make up points in the ground course. With that test, there are several obstacles where a lack of wings will be an advantage. To win, you simply have to complete all the obstacles and arrive back at the starting point before Reaver catches you.”
“So, I have to complete them all and he doesn’t?”
“The course imitates a spy attempting to return back across enemy lines into friendly territory. Or in Reaver’s case, following and stopping the spy before she can deliver her valuable intel to her commanders.” Obsidian’s mind touched hers. “You’re allowed to use any of your gargoyle skills in the ground obstacle. He won’t know you command shadow magic and we won’t inform him either.”
“So shadow magic is fine as long as no one sees.”
“Exactly,” he said, returning to speaking aloud.
“You said there were five initial tasks. What’s the fifth one?”
“Archery. But it’s incorporated into the ground obstacle test. There will be a bow and arrows at one of the obstacles, and you’ll need to hit the target before continuing.
Anna rolled her shoulders. She’d gone bow hunting with her father and brothers as a teen. Later, during her time in the Battle Goddess’s domain, Vaspara and Sorac had resurrected that skill and put several layers of polish on it.
“Only the quarterstaff is likely to give me trouble.”
Obsidian snorted. “None of it will be easy by normal standards, but you’ll still make me proud.”
“No pressure.”
“Come. It’s time.”
Chapter 27
Anna and Reaver stared at each other balefully as they waited for the signal to start the ground course. As Obsidian had predicted, she’d won the sword fight, but Reaver was victorious with the quarterstaff. Though she’d made the bastard work for the win.
For this task, Obsidian was forced to wait at the starting line, but each of the course’s obstacles would have a mentor or older student stationed there to judge her skill at each task.
She was presently waiting for all the observers to get into position.
At last, the call of a horn rang out, and the two gargoyles standing with crossed spears at the starting line lifted them up and away.
Wasting no time, Anna darted through the opening. She’d only been given a short head start. Just enough to make it to where the map she’d studied said the course branched into five different directions. She could take any one and complete the obstacles in any order. She just had to stay ahead of Reaver.
If she completed the tasks and made it out of the ground course first, she was the winner. If not, then he’d win. And she’d already lost to him as much she planned to today.
Anna darted down the far-left pathway. After a short sprint, she came to a rope bridge over a mud pit. Slowing, she studied it for traps but found none and swiftly made her way across and hauled ass to where the map had shown the next obstacle waited. This one turned out to be a climbing obstacle. The wall must be close to twenty-five feet tall. Ropes hung down the sides, suggesting even a gargoyle was supposed to climb not fly.
She scanned the area and swiftly homed in on the observer. It was Sumdara. She nodded to the elder.
Scanning the area with her magic and not sensing a trap, Anna ran at the obstacle, launched herself a few feet into the air and then grabbed the rope and began to climb. The wall took a little longer than the other two, but she was soon up and over and lowering herself down the other side.
She was just rising from the ground when she heard someone approaching at a run from behind. It could only be one person.
Diving off the path, she called shadow magic to hide. She’d acted just in time. The gargoyle burst onto the track twenty feet behind and sprinted towards the wall. He was running on all fours. His leap landed him three-quarters of the way up the wall. He swiftly climbed the rest, and his tail vanished over the top a moment later.
Show off.
She waited for another minute to be sure he was out of earshot before she continued to run. Two legs were a bitch’n disadvantage compared to four, but she wasn’t about to lose to the arrogant prick again. Ten feet ahead, the pathway branched again. Not wanting to accidentally catch up to him, she took the opposite fork as him.
Reaching deep, she called her gargoyle nature, needing the speed and agility, but stopped short of shifting.
With her magic strengthening her, she darted down the path to the next obstacle. A rockfall. She leaped over rock to rock and only acknowledged Master Banrook with a barked ‘Greetings Elder’ as she passed him. His peal of laughter followed her.
She completed five more obstacles. Some required going through water, or swinging over it. Well, others involved climbing through narrow tunnels—which would have been far more difficult in gargoyle form. She even had to belly crawl through mud which sent a spike of homesickness through her. If she ever made it back to Earth, her debriefing was going to take days.
But then she came to the next obstacle—a narrow timber spanning a ten-foot ditch and she turned her attention back to this newest rendition of military training.
At each of the more difficult obstacles, there was either a dryad or gargoyle present to watch her attempt and judge her performance. Only a handful were people she’d met, but many of them were likely adepts or masters to judge by the
power she felt radiating off them. Though there were a few younger students mixed in. She briefly wondered if they had been assigned their positions as some kind of reward.
A couple were likely even novices since their eyes widened at the ease with which she completed some of the tasks.
“Your display is winning over more than a few of my brothers and sisters,” Obsidian whispered into her mind.
She’d sensed him watching along their link more than once, but this was the first time he spoke.
“I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to be in my head while I do this test.”
“I’m not giving you pointers.” He sounded offended.
She grinned to herself, then added, “Get out of my head. I don’t need the distraction. There’s no way I’m letting Reaver win again.”
“Better get a move on then,” came his laughing reply.
Yeah, someone was having way too much fun watching her compete against Reaver. When Anna reached the next obstacle, she immediately noticed something wrong.
Three archery targets were set up at the end of a long tree-lined lane. Ten feet in front of her, a longbow rested against a post. Three feet in front of that a glowing line of power had been burned into the ground, clearly the designated position to shoot from.
There was only one problem: no arrows.
She scanned the area twice more with no luck.
“He took them with him after he completed the task.” A gargoyle stood in the trees, just off to the side of the post. A little growl had accompanied his words, but his anger hadn’t been focused on her. “That male has no honor.”
“Could’ve told you that within two minutes of meeting him.”
The powerfully built gargoyle laughed at that. He wasn’t as big and bulky as Obsidian, Reaver or Banrook, but he should have been a match for Reaver. “You could have stopped him if you wanted.”
“Actually, he can’t.” Obsidian’s voice was burrowing deeper into her mind along with his emotions. Their link flared wider and she got a peek at his thoughts. He very much wanted to get his hands around Reaver’s neck again.
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