“You have an affinity with guns I’ve never seen before,” he told her after their fifth rifle and handgun test.
“Really?” Her face glowed.
Did she realize she was utilizing her goddess-given gift here on the range? He didn’t ask. He needed to discuss this with Wolf, first. But this talent certainly seemed to indicate she’d been chosen for the warrior’s path.
Gracie would be thrilled by this news. Muriel would hate it. No, she’d be horrified by it.
“Daniel said Samuel made him run the obstacle course, fully decked out, while firing at targets.”
“That’s one of the training practices,” O’Neill admitted.
“Will I be doing that?”
“You will.” O’Neill said, his instincts telling him this slip of a girl would nail every target before her, no matter the load she carried or how heavy her breathing.
She squared her shoulders as they stopped beside the rack to hang the final rifle. “And if I do the battle simulations well, will you allow me join the base as a warrior?”
“There’s more to warriorhood than shooting. Each warrior spends two years of training in combat medicine, tactics, strategy, assault awareness, machinery, equipment handling, survival and evasion, mental preparedness, CQB training, and hand to hand combat. None of these practices can be mastered in a day. And even then, assuming you excel at all of these, your entrance into the warrior class must be decided by the Shadow Warrior himself. We arehiswarriors, after all.”
But even with the warning issued, O’Neill wondered.
He’d never seen anyone with such strong instincts and talent when it came to shooting. And then there was her spirit animal—theHo'cee—a quintessential warrior spirit.
Like the lion.
Which reminded him of Wolf’sle'ven'a. Her spirit animal, also a warrior’s totem, apparently visited her often. Did Gracie’sHo'ceedo so as well?
“Gracie...your spiritHo'cee, has it visited you again since the initial claiming?”
“Yeah, she comes around when I’m down at Samuel’s place.” Gracie’s voice was casual, as she carefully added the numbers for the final two guns to their clipboards. Judging by her unconcern as she admitted to this remarkable aberration, she didn’t know how rare these visits were. “I like having her around. She makes me feel strong...capable.”
When Gracie looked up, after letting the clipboard and pen hang, she must have seen the shock on his face.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, suddenly anxious.
“How many times has yourHo'ceevisited you?”
“At least a dozen,” Gracie said slowly, her eyes on his face. “Maybe more. I thought her visits were normal between spirit guides and those they’ve claimed.”
“No.” O’Neill fought to keep his voice even and his face neutral. “Such behavior is not normal. Spirit animals do not return to those they’ve claimed.”
At least among warriors. Male warriors. Did all women who’d received a warrior spirit receive multiple visits? But then how would anyone know? As far as he knew, Jillian and Gracie were the only two to ever receive such an honor.
“Oh,” Gracie said. The thoughtful crinkle he was beginning to recognize creased the corners of her eyes. “Isn’t there someone who would know why myHo'ceekeeps visiting me?”
O’Neill grimaced.
Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Chapter forty
Day 38
Shadow Mountain Base, Alaska
Aiden rounded the corner to the isolation chamber and stopped dead. A tall, bald dude in a fancy suit was standing in front of the window, staring through the glass at his zombified teammates. Seeing someone in a suit, on a base where everyone wore BDUs, lab coats, or overalls, was almost otherworldly.
As usual, Squirrel was two or three feet to the right of the others and staring directly at Aiden.
