Page 54 of A Token of Blood and Betrayal

Yelping, I threw my flashlight.It missed both of them by a very wide margin.

“Wow.”Thordis stared at the broken device.“She can’t even hit a target at close range.”

“She just needs practice,” Phedre said.“I think.”

“It was a reflex, not my aim,” I said.The Valkyrie exchanged a look that suggested my excuse made my reaction worse.“Never mind.Did you two need something?”

“Well,” Phedre said, drawing out the word.“We couldn’t help but notice there are no lights in The Rain.”

“Or hot water,” Thordis put in.

“And all the food seems to be”—Phedre waved her hand toward the paranorms hanging out near the pool and grill—“there.We’ve also observed you tend to get injured.”

“A lot,” Thordis added.

“And since you agreed to let us train you…” Phedre looked at me expectantly.

She was referencing the first night I’d busted them running the fight club.My exact words had been “It sounds like a good idea.”They’d taken that as an enthusiastic yes.

It was just past nine p.m.I had some time.Plus my self-defense skillswerelacking.

“Okay.Yeah,” I said.“We can do that.”

Both Valkyrie whooped.

“We have a plan,” Thordis said, way too excited.She hooked her arm through mine.“You’re joining the fight club.”

I planted my feet when she tried to pull me forward.“That’s not what I agreed to.You were just going to teach me some moves.”

“We’re teaching you to fight.”Thordis practically bounced beside me.“A few moves won’t save your life.”

“That’s why it’s a terrible idea.I just need a few seconds to get away.”If I ever broke my habit of staying to help my friends.“And the treaty protects me.”From intentional murder, yes.From everything else?Not so much.“No one on staff is going to risk triggering it.”

“We planned for that too,” Thordis said.

“Really?”The question came out flat.

“Uh-huh.”

“Blackmail,” Phedre explained.

I sighed.They weren’t listening.“You can’t blackmail the staff—”

“Already done!”She hooked my other arm, and both Valkyrie pulled me toward the gathering.

“Phedre,” I protested.“This isn’tteaching.It’s throwing me to the wolves.”

She snorted.“Funny.We’re not teaching youyet.We need to assess your skills first.This is the perfect opportunity.”

“Not if it triggers the treaty!”

They stopped towing me forward, and Phedre took a step back to really look at me.Finally she seemed to listen.The enthusiasm drained from her expression, replaced by… sympathy?Something else?“You’re worried about your opponent being struck by excruciating and unending pain.That’s so sweet.”

“And a good way to get dead,” Thordis added.

Oh my God.These two were impossible.Sure, their points were slightly valid, but I really didn’t want to fight my staff.It seemed… unprofessional.

“First lesson,” Phedre said.“Always worry about yourself, not your enemy.”