The Sacrificed Luna

Chapter 7

When I woke up, I forgot where I was for a moment. I still wasn’t used to the bare walls, and thin crisp sheets on the border’s guest quarters. I shivered a bit as I climbed out of bed and slipped into some fresh clothes.

This was it. I would tell Mason that I was going to start my training today.

I’m here with you. We can do this! Verona encouraged me. Remember why we’re doing this.

My hands moved to my flat stomach where my baby once was. Even if I hated his father, I could never hate my child. A lump rose in my throat. Of all the things I regretted about my previous life, I didn’t regret him. I missed him even if I never got the chance to meet him.

I shook my head to clear the sorrow away and turned my thoughts towards my goal. Become a warrior, be my own woman, get my revenge. Let’s go.

When I opened the door, though, I was greeted by the smell of coffee and bacon.

I followed the smell until I came to a small kitchenette. Nellie was leaning over the stove and Mason was sitting at a small round table, scarfing down a plate of breakfast.

“How are you feeling today?” Mason asked, though a sticky mouthful of pancakes.

“Actually, I’m feeling great! And I’m ready to start training. I want to move to the barracks.” I said confidently, wanting them both to know that I couldn’t stay forever in the comfort of the guest quarters.

His expression darkened. “I don’t know if you’re ready yet.” Mason put down his fork and focused on me. “You’ve only been here a few days, and training is really intense.”

“She knows, love.” Nellie put a hand on Mason’s shoulder. “A usual day starts at 5am, when you’ll have physical training until breakfast. Then comes inspection of your bunk, and then classes. You’ll learn both in a classroom and in the field before and after lunch. Chow is at 5pm, then you’ll have chores, study time and showers. Light out at 10pm. Got that?”

I felt my confidence slip just a little. A 15 hour day? That was a lot….

I guess Nellie could tell, because she put down a plate in front of me. It was piled it pancakes and bacon and an egg. “You’ll have to put some meat on your bones, too, if you want to build muscle. So eat up!”

I gladly dug in, but kept my eyes on Mason, waiting for him to agree.

Mason sat back in his chair and looked away, as if he’d lost his appetite.

“You believe I can do this right? Let me prove it to you!” I wanted to convince him without having to push too hard.

“He’s just worried about you.” Nellie replied for him. "The reality of his baby sister being a warrior is starting to sink in.

He’s thinking about Abby. Verona said in my mind. She could sense the tension in his wolf, Maximus. If something happens to you, it’ll be his fault that your parents will mourn another child.

I was too young to remember our oldest sister, but Mason wasn’t. He would have memories of her being sick and dying. Suddenly,

I wasn’t only living for my own vengeance, but also for the sake of my parents.

Images flashed through my mind. My mother wearing back and crying in front of a headstone. My father, ashen faced, with his arm around her. Carrier standing at the altar, his face a perfect mask of pain, but his eyes dry. Mom screamed and fell to her knees, crawling towards the open grave, like she was going to throw herself into it. A tiny infant-sized casket piled with flowers.

The vision knocked the air out of my lungs. My fork clattered to the floor, and I gasped to catch my breath.

“Vanya? What’s wrong?” Mason had leapt from the table and was at my side.

I didn’t want them to worry about me, so I steadied my breathing and smiled weakly. “Some pancake went down the wrong tube.” I coughed like I was clearing my throat. “I’m fine now.”

Nellie briefly narrowed her eyes like she didn’t quite believe me but turned back to the stove.

“I can’t stay here. I’m restless! You have to let me start training…” I begged Mason. ”I know you’re worried about me, but please! I need to do this.”

He sighed and squeezed his temples with his hand. “Ok, I will let you start training on one condition.”

Excitement started to rise up in me. “Yes! Anything!” I eagerly replied. I did it!

“You cannot take unnecessary risks. I know that you’ll want to prove yourself among the soldiers, and it might make you foolish. You need to be smart, keep your head down, and do what needs to be done. If you can manage that, you’ll make it through training.”

I flushed with shame. I’d already been planning how I could make a strong impression on the other recruits. I nodded demurely.

“Yes, I promise, Mason”

“Fine, Nellie can take you to the barracks today.” He sounded slightly defeated, but I thought I saw a tiny smile toying at the corners of his mouth.

I jumped up and cheered. “Oh thank you! Thank you! I swear I’ll make you and Dad proud!” I hugged them both and ran to my room to get my things. It was finally happening! Soon I’d be a powerful warrior and avenge my past life.

Mason hugged me so hard that I thought he’d crush my ribs.

“You can have supper with me and Nellie on Sundays, too. So you can tell us how it’s going.” He rumpled my hair. “And Nellie will show you how to braid your hair up when you’re in uniform.”

After lunch, Nellie showed me around the base. Where the barracks were, and the offices, and the drill yard.

Everywhere, powerful men and women were marching, running, wrestling, and making their way from building to building in pairs. Some carried rifles or pistols, and some even carried long spears.

A small group of wolves passed by with Maximus at their lead. He glanced our way and winked, but otherwise didn’t acknowledge us.

The soldiers didn’t make it obvious, but they all stared as we walked through the compound. I didn’t blame them. Like my parents, I had always been tall, but I was little more than a scrawny teenager. A lifetime of wanting nothing more than to be Carrier’s Luna had left me skinny and soft.

None of the other warriors would believe that I belonged there. I stood a little taller in defiance and tried to keep time with Nellie’s long, measured marching steps.

“See where those two men are?” She pointed to a gate at the far side of the base. "That’s the border of White Creek’s territory. We have four bases along the border, but this is the biggest one. Officially, they’re called the North Garrison, Southerly, Eastwatch, and West Gate. This is North Garrison, but mostly you’ll hear the men call it “The Castle” because of that.”

I followed Nellie’s pointing finger until I caught sight of a large stone building with a tower on one side. I had almost missed it because it was covered with vines of ivy, which made it blend in almost perfectly against a background of the woods. It was so different from the rest of the buildings in the base – almost romantic.

“What’s there?” I asked.

“Not a whole lot. We sometimes hold parties or ceremonies there. It was here before the base was built, and nobody really knows anything about it.” she shrugged.

We returned to the guest room to get my bags, but before we went to the barracks, Nellie brought me to a room with a small altar.

“Before you begin your training, it’s tradition to leave an offering to the Goddess. Also, before missions or ceremonies.” She pulled out a folded napkin from her pocket. It held one of the macaroons she had made for the drive. “Here – this will do.”

I put the offering on the altar and took a deep breath.

“Ok, I’m ready.”