Immortal Grave (9 page)

Roland lifted his head to look at Ree. There was so much pain in his eyes, Ree had to clench her hands to keep from running over to hug him. She didn’t think they were at a point yet where they could hug and have it not be uncomfortable. She wasn’t at that point yet. After a moment, he nodded his head and looked around the room.

“I don’t think she would have had some secret plan for beating the Dark Ones that she was waiting to spring on us. Well, other than the whole Death Gift deal.” Roland ran a hand through his hair and looked around the office as if lost.

“What we need is a plan, but you’re right. We aren’t going to find one outlined in her files. We need to come up with one ourselves.” Ree looked back down at the paperwork in front of her and frowned. She pulled out a piece of paper that was barely visible.  “What was the name of the guy with the two twin boys?”

“The one from New Year’s?” Roland’s eyebrows drew together as he thought. “John, I believe. John Hansen. Why?”

“She has his name scribbled down on the side of this paper.” Ree held it up so she could look it over. Roland came around the desk and read over her shoulder.

“That’s a list of people we know have an immortal bloodline.” Carefully, he pointed at the top two names. They had lines drawn through them. “Those two families were killed while we were on the island the first time. I bet Sophie made this list to try and keep track of everyone.”

“Do you think she was going to try to get them out of here?” Ree turned to look at him, hope filling her chest.

“I don’t know, Ree. If she was, she didn’t tell me. And I know she told you it was dangerous to go against the gods’ will. She was right.” His eyes leveled on hers, his expression serious.

“I want—“

“Don’t Ree.” He covered her mouth with his hand. He looked around the room and shook his head. “You never know who is listening.”

Ree closed her eyes and let the power surge out of her body and fill the room. She didn’t get that uneasy feeling she had when Aphrodite had been waiting in her room. “We’re alone.”

“I don’t know how you know that, but it doesn’t matter. They don’t have to be here to listen in. Just keep whatever you are thinking to yourself.” He ducked down so she could see his face clearly and mouthed, For now.

She nodded her head so he would know she understood, and she folded up the piece of paper and stuck it in her jean’s pocket. She was going to look at that list later to see if she could figure out what Sophie had been thinking.

“Okay, then we should find the others and decide on a plan.” Ree stepped out from behind the desk. The office felt so empty without Sophie.

“Let’s not forget that you need to train. There are things you need to know. And I’m looking forward to getting you set with some weapons.” Roland headed for the door, but not before throwing her a smile over his shoulder. “It’s always interesting to see what people are called to.”

Ree smiled in return and felt her heart lighten just a little. Roland’s smile had been very close to his normal cocky grin, and it set Ree’s heart at ease. There was hope they would all make it out of this after all.

The others were in the workout room training with the equipment. Paden was beating the practice dummy into an unrecognizable lump, while Melanie and Juliette worked on throwing knives at the other end of the room. Ree’s eyes focused on Weylin and Bryce, though, and the weapons they were fighting with.

Each held a long, slightly curved blade at the ready and circled the center of the mat slowly. Ree was pretty sure they were Samurai swords, but she wasn’t willing to ask and interrupt. There was something special about the way they moved. It was slow and graceful, yet there was an unspoken strength and certainty in each step. If she had to guess, she would say Bryce was the more confident. When they finally moved, it was a blinding flash of steel and male bodies, but her newly developed eyesight kept track easily.

Bryce was definitely the aggressor in the battle, but Weylin managed to hold his own. As Bryce ducked forward, swinging his blade in a quick sweep, Weylin flipped backward and brought his sword down in an arc. Blood splashed the mats lining the floor and Ree gasped. Roland placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in place. She didn’t look at him, worried she might miss something vital.

Bryce didn’t stop his movement; instead he dropped to the mat and swept his leg through Weylin’s. Weylin landed hard on his back and had barely managed to raise his sword to protect himself before Bryce had the tip of his blade pressed into his neck.

“You almost got me that time, Wey.” Bryce moved his sword and held a hand out for Weylin.

“I did get you. Just not good enough.” Weylin took Bryce’s hand and let his friend help him stand.

“Bryce, are you okay?” Ree shook off Roland’s hand and walked over to her friends.

He looked down at his shoulder and shrugged. “Yeah. He barely nicked me.”

“But, all the blood…” Ree looked down at the floor and frowned. There was red splattering a good bit of the mats.

“That’s not a big deal. We bleed a lot when we’re training.” Weylin walked over to a closet that had brooms and mops.

“Oh. I see.” Ree’s eyebrows drew together and she bit her lip.

“No one’s going to make you bleed, Ree.” Paden stood next to the practice dummy, his arm propped on the smashed head.

“Don’t promise her that, godling. She needs to learn just like you all did.” Roland looked at Paden with steady eyes. There was something passing between the two, but Ree couldn’t be sure what. It really wasn’t her place to try and understand it either.

“There’s no reason for her to get hurt.” Paden stood up straight and frowned at Roland.

“Paden, don’t make this difficult. I’m sure Weylin wasn’t trying to hurt Bryce just to hurt him. They were practicing. It’s the same kind of thing Ree needs. She’ll be stronger for it.” Melanie threw a towel over her shoulder and broke the seal on a bottle of water.

“I was too trying to hurt Bryce!” Weylin groaned. “I just didn’t do as well as I would have liked.”

“She’s right, Pay. I need to train, and I need to do it fast.” Ree pulled off her jacket and threw it on a bench. “So, what first?”

“Katas and learning your new strength.” Roland pulled off his shirt, revealing a white tank top. He threw it near her jacket and pointed at the mirrors. “Take a stance, and let’s move through the katas you already know.”

Chapter Eleven

“When do I get to use weapons?” Hours after they had started, Ree bounced on her toes and smiled at Roland in the mirrors. She had picked up all of the katas easily, remembering each step as if she already knew them.

“You guys are always so eager for the weapons. The real power comes from knowing your strengths and weaknesses.” Roland threw Ree some water and shook his head. “No. We start with hand-to-hand sparring. Then we move to weapons.”

“How did you guys get good so fast?” Ree looked over at Paden and Weylin. They were sitting on the floor and sharpening some of the weapons.

“I was born this way, baby.” Weylin winked at Ree.

“Sadly, he’s right.” Paden rolled his eyes and smiled at Ree. She was thankful to see him so relaxed, even though she was spending so much time with Roland. Hopefully this new calm would last while she sparred as well. She smiled at Paden, but it didn’t last. A brick wall slammed into her and sent her spinning across the ground.

She shook her head but jumped to her feet quickly. Her eyes jerked around the room, while she tried to shake the shock. Roland stood back on the other side of the training mat, his hands at his side and small smile twisting his lips. Ree dropped into an open stance, and lifted her hands into defensive positions.

Roland’s muscles barely tensed before he was flying across the open space between them. He reached for her left arm and she scarcely had time to think. She dodged to the right and swung her arm at the back of his head. She almost stopped moving when she made contact, but managed to use her momentum to spin behind him instead. Deftly she slammed the side of her foot into the back of his knee and sent him sprawling. She jumped on his back and slammed her elbow into the back of his neck. He grunted, but didn’t move.

She looked down at him suspiciously, not convinced she had actually beaten him at his own game. She looked up when someone snorted and saw Paden and Weylin both trying to not laugh. She looked back down at Roland and frowned. When he made a grunt of frustration, she hopped off him and took a few steps backward.

Paden squatted down next to Roland and smiled. “I think she won.”

“She broke my bloody neck.” Roland lifted himself up onto his forearms and moved his head slowly in a circle. 

“Your eyes are huge! Like, wombat huge.” Weylin looked at Ree and laughed. She stood there shocked, her eyes going back and forth from Roland and Paden to Weylin.

“Weylin, wombats don’t have big eyes.” Roland rolled over onto his back and moved his head to pop his neck.

“They don’t?” Weylin looked at Roland and frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I’m not a zoologist, Wey. I’m a Dark One. But even I know a wombat has little eyes.” Roland looked over at Ree and smiled. “But he’s right. Your eyes are huge.”

“Are you okay? I don’t know what I was thinking.” Ree rubbed her palms on her pants.

“Don’t worry, Ree.” Paden held his hand out to Roland to help him stand. Roland took it and nodded his head in thanks. “That wasn’t going to kill him. He just needed a few minutes to heal.” Paden laughed when Roland jerked his neck to the side. “You certainly surprised all of us though.”

“I… I… I just reacted.” Ree looked at her friends and felt a laugh bubble up and out of her throat. “I totally kicked your ass.” She pointed at Roland and continued to laugh.

He rubbed a hand across the back of his neck and gave her a crooked grin. “Well, I wasn’t expecting you to be so damned proficient.”

“She looked a lot like Sophie. I wonder what else you got from our talented leader.” Paden grabbed a sword off the wall and tossed it at Ree. She caught the handle deftly and looked at the blade in question.

“That was kind of hot, you know.” Weylin winked at Ree. “I like a woman who knows how to use a sword.” Ree laughed at him and winked back. It was the only way to handle the guy.

“Weylin.” Paden and Roland both said his name in exasperation before looking at each other thoughtfully.

“C’mon, you guys were thinking the same thing.” Weylin gestured at Ree. “Well, go ahead. Do one of the Katas with the sword.”

Ree looked down at the sword in her hand and enjoyed the gleam along the blade. It was long, but not as long as the broadswords hanging along the wall. Giving a few practice flicks of her wrist, she gauged the weight and noticed it felt longer than it should.

“This was made for Sophie?” She shifted her feet into the first position and held the blade in a pointed angle toward the ground. She slid her right foot forward and shifted the blade angle as if deflecting a lower slash.

“Yes.” Roland’s voice was quiet and thoughtful.

Ree slid into another stance, sweeping the sword through a more complicated maneuver. She closed her eyes and let the movements come naturally.

“It’s a little longer when I hold it.” Ree tried to keep her mind clear and focus on the muscle memory she was experiencing. It made her sad to think Sophie had died to give her this, but it also strengthened her resolve to use it. Increasing her speed, she slid through the maneuvers quickly, relishing the sharper movements. When she finished the kata, it was with her sword held high and her breathing calm and centered. She opened her eyes to find all three of the guys watching her.

Paden cleared his throat and looked sheepishly at Ree. “Well, Sophie was taller.”

Ree lowered her arms and brought the sword down to her side. She looked away from the guys and back at the wall. Walking over, she grabbed one of the other swords and walked back to the mat.

“Who wants to try me?” Ree held the sword out to her side and smiled at the guys.

Weylin raised his hands and took a step back. “No thanks. I’ve had my ass kicked enough for the day.” Ree swung her gaze to Roland and Paden. Paden’s face was frustrated as he tried to war with his need to protect her and his fear of hurting her.

Roland stepped forward and held his hand out for the sword. “I’ll do it.” Paden’s face relaxed with relief, and he nodded his thanks to Roland.

Ree stepped back and fell into a stance she shouldn’t have known.  Lifting her sword into a ready position, she waited for Roland to make his move. He shifted into position and lifted the blade above his head. He didn’t move, his blue eyes trained on hers.

Something in Ree’s mind pulled at her instincts, making her want to be the one on attack. Instead, she took a deep breath and decided to wait for Roland to make the move. When he did, she was almost shocked by the amount of grace he exhibited. Her eyes had never fully comprehended the exact movements he made. They had seemed fast and smooth, but now she could see just how his muscles bunched and how each step was deliberate.

Snapping back to reality, she raised her sword and deflected his first thrust. Spinning, he brought the sword around and toward her neck. She leaned backward and managed to miss the sweeping edge of his blade. Sliding around him, she brought her elbow toward his back, causing him to stumble once. He dropped to the ground and swept his leg through her feet. She fell onto her back and grunted. He stood up and raised his sword to bring it down for a killing blow. She rolled to the side and jumped to her feet. As she gained her footing, she brought her sword in down low and clipped his leg before he got out of the way.

He dove out of the way, ducking and rolling, his sword carefully held out to the side. He dropped into a ready stance, his sword held low. Ree stepped back so one foot was in front of the other and held her sword with two hands at waist height.

“First blood to you.” Roland’s expression was amused. He snapped a quick salute to her and lowered his blade to his side.

Ree grinned and lowered her own sword. Weylin let out a loud whoop and Paden smiled at her proudly.