S.T. Bende - Shieldmaiden Squadron

Shieldmaiden Squadron

Shieldmaiden Squadron: Book One

Copyright 2021, S.T. Bende

Edited by: CREATING ink

Cover Art by: Melissa Stevens of

The Illustrated Author Design Services

Map by: BZN Studio Designs

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage system without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

First publication: 2021, S.T. Bende

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Eighteen-year-old Ingrid Tirsdatter is a shieldmaidena Viking warrior tasked with protecting her clan while upholding their virtues of honor, valor, and total domination. Shes one-hundred-percent focused on climbing the shieldmaiden ranks, and not at all focused on Axel Anderssonthe overly confident and unnaturally good-looking warrior who saved her life exactly one time... and hasnt let her forget it.

When an unparalleled enemy threatens Ingrids clan, she vows to do everything in her power to protect her home. But saving Valkyris will require her to travel one thousand years into the future, join an elite Southern California sorority, capture a magic-wielding psychopath... and not fall for the one warrior in all the realms who could be her undoing. Ingrids new assignment is a nightmare in the making, but shes determined to do her clan proud. After all, shes a shieldmaiden.

And shieldmaidens never back down.

D ONT MOVE, INGRID. DO. Not. Move.

I winced as the business end of a freshly sharpened sword pressed into my neck. The muted, silver blade was cold. And impassive. And unnervingly sharp.

Do. Not. Move.

Good setup. Now, hold that position. Janna, the captain of the Shieldmaiden Squadron and the fiercest woman Id ever met, strode across the training room. Her eyes narrowed as she studied my partner. Eydis, adjust your angle. The tip of your sword should strike Ingrids neck at forty-five degrees. If you drive in from where you are, youll hit resistance from her collarbone, and shell be both upright and angry. Not a good combination.

Understood. My fellow first-year nodded.

Watch me. Janna stepped back, then raised her sword to our practice dummy. She kept her blade parallel to the ground as she jammed the tip into the targets neck. Her sword wobbled, but failed to pierce.

Eydis nodded at our leader while I held myself perfectly still so as to avoid potential death-by-impaling. Only my eyes shifted, following Jannas movements and cataloguing each angle for future implementation. Janna had the most battle kills in the history of the Valkyris shieldmaidens. I so wanted to be her someday.

Now, if you adjust that angle away from the clavicle, you not only hit an artery and severely debilitate your attacker, but you find minimal muscular resistance if decapitation is your end goal. Janna pulled her arm back and struck the dummy againthis time, at the correct angle. Her sword sliced easily through its neck, and when Janna flicked her wrist to the side, the dummys straw-stuffed head toppled to the ground. Everyone follow?

Yes, Captain, we chanted in unison.

My arm trembled as I struggled to maintain my position. Wed been running combat sequences for three hours, and while I was usually the last one to tire, my muscles were doubly exhausted from my early morning climbing session. Janna had set up an optional course along the Cliffs of Conquestthe near vertical barrier at the northwest edge of the shieldmaiden compoundand the two of us had scaled it twice before breakfast.

Only the strongest will thrive.

Is this better? Eydis raised her elbow so her sword angled toward the hollow of my throat. The tip chilled my skin.

Much, Janna confirmed. Ingrid, at ease. You were an excellent target.

Thanks. I exhaled heavily as I took a step back and lowered my arms. They only trembled a little as the tension ebbed from my triceps.

Thats it for todays practical component. But we will be going over this sequence again, so I want you take your journals home and illustrate the three most optimal kill points, along with the ideal angles of incision. Youll discuss them during practicum tomorrow. Janna holstered her sword, and clapped her hands together. Squad dismissed. Ingrid, may I have a private word?

I thought Id done well enough. Janna must have noticed my fatigue. If she canceled our early morning workouts, Id lose my edge on the rest of the girls. Falling behind could cost me my spot in Norways elite female fighting team.

And it was the only place I wanted to be.

Good luck. Eydis patted my shoulder as she holstered her weapon. Ill save you a seat at lunch.

Thanks. I hurriedly wiped down my blade, and did my best to ignore the pitying looks from the other girls as I marched determinedly to the edge of the training ring. Janna was busy reattaching the training dummys head, so I sheathed my sword and stood at attention with my hands folded at the small of my back.

When the last of the girls had left the room, Janna set the newly re-capitated dummy against the wall and turned to me. At ease, Ingrid. Its not that kind of talk.

The tension drained from my shoulders. I know protocol dictates that when in the presence of a superior officer, a

Stop right there. Janna tilted her head so her charcoal braids fell over one shoulder. Her russet-brown skin was pinked from exertion, and drops of sweat trickled down her muscular arms. With her high tolerance for pain and her low tolerance for drama, Janna was an ideal leader. But it was her compassion that made her unique among the high-ranking shieldmaidens. Shed taken me under her wing from the first day of my tryouts, and shed been my champion ever since.