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Kemes was muttering something under her breath at her brother. Fen grinned and head-butted her in the face. Kemes yelped, dropping her sword in surprise, and grabbed her nose. Fen crashed into her, throwing her over her shoulder and sending her into the water.
"Gods! That was perfect!" Kashmet said, racing to Fen's side. Kemes resurfaced, spluttering and painting the air blue with curse words.
"You broke my nose!" she cried out in fury.
"No, I didn't. You should have been paying better attention," Fen said sweetly. She dodged the dagger Kemes threw at her.
"Hey, hey, no real blades. Don't be a bad loser, Kem," Kashmet growled. He held a hand out to his sodden sister and pulled her out of the pool.
Kemes glared at Fen, wiping the blood still coming from her nose. Then, suddenly, she started laughing. "You're a cheating asshole."
"It's not cheating. You didn't say I couldn't use my head," Fen replied and started giggling with them.
"I'm going to get changed," Kemes grumbled. "Kick her ass, Kash, or I'll never forgive you."
Kashmet waited until she was gone before turning to Fen. "She's bitching about it now, but she's impressed. I can tell."
"Do I need to sleep with one eye open tonight?"
Kashmet grinned. "Probably. That was an excellent move, throwing her like that."
"My people like to wrestle. Usually, after too much mead…it's like beer," Fen said, trying to explain.
"And they let women do it too?"
Fen snorted. "Of course they do. My people are warriors. It's only since coming here that I've seen so many soft ladies."
"That's the circles you've been made to serve. They let women into certain parts of the army here, but Atrahasis is more equal with warriors training together. It's why Kemes instantly wanted to fight you. She wants to ensure you can protect yourself, so we don't have to worry about you too." Kashmet looked her over. "I want to see more of these wrestling moves. Hand to hand?"
Fen stared at him right back. He was big, the top of Fen's head barely reaching his shoulder. She could only hope that he would underestimate her because of it.
Fen squared off against him, her adrenaline starting to pump. Kashmet circled her slowly in measured steps, his dark eyes assessing where to strike.
"You've got a strong balance, good roots," he commented and aimed a kick at her thighs. Fen shifted backward, throwing up an arm to block the strike he aimed for her head simultaneously.
"Come, little half-made of Geb, show me what you're made of."
Fen kicked out at his groin. Kashmet turned and grunted as the blow hit his thigh.
"I'm a chosen one of Freya and Týr, war gods of magic and battle, and named after the wolf who will destroy the world," Fen snapped, her temper and magic flaring. "I'm not a half-made anything."
Kashmet sneered. "Is that so? You look like every other slave to me."
Fen's vision tinged with red. "I chose to fight and become a slave to give my sisters enough time to escape the blades and cocks of the monsters who attacked us. Do you really think I would be in this situation otherwise?"
She launched herself at Kashmet, swinging and kicking in frustration. Týr's power pounded down her arm, and she struck Kashmet hard in the ribs.
He groaned, startled for a few seconds before he flung himself at her. Fen tried to retreat but wasn't quick enough. He slammed into her, sending her off balance. They hit the floor hard in a tangle of arms and legs.
Before Fen could shove him off, cool power rushed over them, and Kashmet was torn off her and flung across the other side of the room.
"What the fuck is going on?" Khan's voice echoed through the training hall. His eyes were shining with anger, his magic still filling the air with a burning taste of lightning. "How dare you strike a woman under my protection?"
"We were only training, Khan," Kashmet complained. "She agreed to it. You didn't have to throw me so hard."
Fen sat up, straightening her tunic top. "It's true. I was sparring with Kemes, and Kashmet joined in."
"And where is Kemes?" Khan asked, eyes narrowing.
