Page 41 of The Sirin Sisterhood (The Sons of Echidna #2)

Lai

“Tell me more!”

Lai laughed, looking at Freya as she waited in eager anticipation of more wild stories. It was his third night entertaining her with tales of the outside world, and she had a endless appetite.

Shewasn’texactly naive. Freya made it clear that her sisters had prepared her, just in case she ever needed to leave, but the young woman was hungry for anything outside of what the village had to offer.

So he obliged. He talked about the big cities, TV shows, food, anything he could remember. He described the places he had been to, told her about Al and Candy and the trouble they got into, and she sat there in utter silence, absorbing every detail.

In return, she showed him her secrets. A small pile of magazines from the outside world, wrinkled with water damage and saved by the sun. She handled each one with great care.

“Someone tossed their trash on the edge of the forest. I found them.”She showed him outdated pictures of pop stars, and he could only smile. It was rather sweet, even if it was a little bit sad.

The sadness vanished as she shyly reached into the sunflower-painted chest and nudged aside a panel at the very bottom. She offered out a cell phone, held together with tape and prayers, the screen cracked but showing off a giddy selfie she had set as her wallpaper.

“Oh, my gods.You’rein so much trouble,”Lai grinned wickedly at her, and she laughed and hid the phone down the front of her dress.

“So, what more do you want to know?”He asked as she snuggled up to his side, her lips pressed in a thoughtful pout.

“Tell me more about Al.”She finally decided, glancing up at him with a wicked grin.“I want the juicy details.”

“Do you, now?”Lai wrapped one arm around her. It was his turn to think.

He and Al had a long history. They had known each other for over a decade; Al had seen the worst of Lai and the best of him. Lai, in return, held all ofAl’ssecrets, only threatening to spill them if he was really ,really mad with him.

“Wanna try and guess why Al gets upset if you call him a horse-fucker?”

“Is it becausehe’sgot ahorse’scock?”She laughed; she had been delighted by the tales ofAl’sprowess and disappointed to learn that although he had plenty to work with, he had no real skill.

“Close, but not quite. We were adventuring off-world. Long story, multiverse travel,don’task, butI’llgive you the gist, think castles and taverns.

Al gets into a drunken argument with one of our superior officers one evening.

He wanted to spend a night with one of the tavern girls, and our leader had pretty…

”He searched for the right word for a moment.

“Puritanical views. He forbade him, and Al storms out of the tavern screaming,“GuessI’lljust go and fuck a horse then!”. ”

“Did he?” Freya covered her mouth.

Lai smirked, pausing for a dramatic effect.“No. It was the height of summer; he got undressed and fell asleep, blackout drunk, in the stables. Unfortunately for him,that’swhere our team found him the next morning.”

The woman gasped and then exploded in laughter.“No one will ever believe hedidn’tdo it!”

“No one ever did.”Lai shook his head.“Since then, this story has followed him everywhere. Hedoesn’tknowI’mthe one spreading it, but I thinkit’smy duty.

Besides,it’shilarious. Whenever there is even a mention of a horse, everyone in the room turns to him.

He keeps a straight face, but I know he is screaming on the inside. ”

“Youaren’ta very good friend, you know.”

“How rude.”Lai pressed his hand to his heart, feigning offense.“I’ma wonderful friend; I buy him a different horse calendar every year. Now,it’syour turn.”

Freya huffed, sitting up and grabbing a pillow to hug to her chest. She pouted, feigning innocence, but Laiwasn’tbuying it. He allowed her to sit in silence like a police interrogator, knowing she would need to fill it.

He was right.

“Fine. What do you want to know?”

“Tell me about those trials.”

Freya deflated instantly. Everything about her confident and cocky demeanor changed in the blink of an eye. She let out a shuddered breath and hugged her pillow, burying her face in it.

“Hey,I’msorry. I—“Lai moved over to her, touching her shoulder.

“It’sokay.It’sjust…”She looked up at him. Her brows were tilted upwards, lips pressed together to stop them trembling. Lai knew fear when he saw it.

“Terrifying?”He offered her a smile.“I can see that. We still have some time,don’twe? Not much, but I can help you train. Tell me about them. Surely your sisterswouldn’tgive you something impossible?”

“Itisn’tup to them.The trials are run by someone else, an ancient witch who lives deep in the forest. Baba Yaga.”

Laicouldn’thold back a laugh, even as Freya glared at him.“Theboogey man? The old witch that eats misbehaving children? That Baba Yaga?”

“Your boogeyman is my reality,”Freya scolded seriously.

“She is real, and yes, she does eat children, but she is much more than some old witch. She is ancient, an old spirit even before your Mother Echidna ever walked the land. All witches owe their knowledge to her. She comes to the village every few years to test us. Manydon’tpass.

They become part of her, consumed as an offering from the unworthy to her great power. ”

Lai lost his smile quickly. He thought the trials were symbolic, a test of knowledge or powers, not an actual life-or-death situation.“So there is a chance you might not survive?”

“Shedoesn’tkill you.”Freya shook her head.

“She takes something from you. To start the trial, you are required to give something up. Your sight sometimes, or your memories, whatever she requests. If you pass,you’llget it back.

If not…”Freya looked terrified. The thought of her eyeballs being chewed and swallowed by a wicked hag madeLai’sstomach tighten unpleasantly.

“Doyou have to pass the trials alone?”

“No. You can use anything you can think of; there are no rules as long as the final condition is met. You are encouraged to be tricky.That’show she gets defeated in every fairytale;it’snever brute force.

You have to outsmart her. Unfortunately, my sisters tell methat’smy weakest skill.

”She huffed, fear replaced with indignation for a moment.

“But shewouldn’tbe here if Iwasn’tready.

She’sa deity, and shewouldn’tgive me a trial Icouldn’tpass.

And when I do, I promiseI’llhelp you.”

“I’llhelp,”Lai promised so quickly it surprised him.“If there is a trial where you can use me,I’llhelp. I know Idon’tlook it, but I’m quite capable.”