Page 16 of The Outcast
“Okay, fine.” Thor threw up his hands. “I’ll leave it up to the female participants and instructors to set their own boundaries.”
Indiana stood up. “I’ll allow Aubri to sleep with the other instructors, but she’s not bathing with men other than me.”
“Of course not. She’s a married woman,” Mason said.
Freya looked to Sparrow with her brow lowered. As she opened her mouth, I waited for her to speak up on Sparrow’s behalf and tell them that despite being single, she shouldn’t bathe with men either, but Freya ended up closing her mouth and looking away when Mason changed the subject.
“What about the buildings, are you still serious about letting the recruits build the academy themselves?”
Aubri grinned. “It’s a perfect plan. It saves us money in our budget while providing assignments for the candidates to work together.”
“I’m happy to bring up building materials and have a talk with the male candidates about how to treat you women,” Thor offered.
Mason was quick to join him. “Me too.”
Aubri held up her palm. “I’m happy that you’re involved behind the scenes, but this ismyshow. It’s enough that Indiana insists on being there on and off during the first few weeks. Banni, Sparrow, and I will do fine. If you must know, the truth is that I’m looking forward to any of those recruits challenging my authority. I’ll run their asses so hard it will make Huntsmen training seem like summer camp.”
“I’m sure you will,” Freya smiled. “But can we go over the candidates one more time? Sparrow and I made some last-minute replacements in our first group that we would like you to approve.”
They all listened when Freya continued. “Because of the building projects, Sparrow and I thought it would be wise to move up Shiva and Keith. Shiva is a carpenter and Keith built his own house in Alaska.”
Aubri nodded. “I remember their profiles, but who are they pushing out from the first group?”
“Michael and Zar. They are both soldiers and since we already have four other professional soldiers in the group, Sparrow and I figured that it would give a bit more diversity.”
“All right. Then we’re set to go.” Aubri clapped her hands together. “Thank you.”
As the meeting ended, Aubri came to me and Sparrow with a smile brightening up her face. “Are you excited?”
We exchanged smiles as I told them both, “I’m so ready!”
I didn’t tell them that the thing I was looking forward to the most was seeing Sparrow every day.
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CHAPTER 5
The Academy
The Northlands January 5th, 2467
Sparrow
“How do I look?” I asked Aubri, who stood next to me on the small hill looking up at the sky.
She focused in on me with a frown. “You look fine, but I can tell you’re nervous. You can’t let them see your insecurity.”
Exhaling noisily, I pulled my shoulders back. “Better?”
Aubri and I were each wearing tight pants, boots, and a long-sleeved, figure-fitting hoodie in black and green with the wordInstructorprinted on the back. “Sparrow, listen to me. First impressions are important! In a minute we’ll face the first ten Explorer candidates. We can’t afford to be shy or uncertain. Theyneedto see us as fierce women who won’t take any shit from them. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” I looked down at the knife strapped to her thigh. “It’s just easier for you, being Magni’s daughter and all. Everyone knows you’re a crazy adventurer and that you’ve survived a year in Old Europe doing a dangerous job. They respect you before having even met you. I’m nobody to them.”
“Then you’ll have tomakethem respect you. Let me do the talking at first. I’ll introduce you, but you need to keep your head high and give them piercing looks to signal that you’re not afraid ofanyone. Can you do that?”
I sucked in my lips but nodded. My stomach felt as if I was about to throw up.
The sound of Banni shouting about fifty feet from us made us look up to see a small spot on the sky grow bigger.
