Zamira's lips parted in silent shock as Jake's words settled in her ears like stones at the bottom of a well. She blinked, trying to process the weight of what he had just said, her posture stiff with disbelief. Across from her, Jake sat cross-legged on the mat floor of the living room, his elbows on his knees.
"I didn't know," Zamira finally whispered, her voice thick. "I mean... I knew Valkyries were tied to the gods, but I didn't realize they were literally slaves."
Jake exhaled slowly, nodding. "Yeah. Most people don't. They think of them as warriors of glory and honor. But the truth is... the gods didn't just make them fight. They owned them."
Zamira's brows drew in. "Owned them?"
