Extraits

Valkyrie roamed the halls of Corrival Academy, listening to the voices that rumbled behind the classroom doors. She wondered how differently she'd have turned out if this place had been around when she was a teenager. Maybe it would have steered her clear of the trouble that had lain ahead or her . Maybe it would have made things worse. Maybe she would have made some friends her own age. That would have been weird.

"You want to take the first swing?" she asked, looking up at Panthea.

Panthea sneered. "So you can arrest me for assaulting an Arbiter?"

"Oh, I wouldn't arrest you for something like that."

"So... I could knock you the hell out and I wouldn't land in a jail cell?"

"I doubt you'd be able to," said Valkyrie, "but sure."

Panthea smiled.

"So how do you want to do this?" Valkyrie asked. "Want to go outside, want to clear a space, want to just throw each other over tables?"

"I can do whatever you want."

"Not the third one," said Reign, "please. These tables cost money."

"I'll give you the first shot," Valkyrie said. "One clean shot, right across the jaw. See if you can knock me out."