Over the course of the next day, Etani started to get her voice back, and she found her legs seemed to be in perfect working order along with her hands, and she was quick to pounce on Loki after what he had done to her.
He hadn't expected her to tackle him, and she wrapped her arm tightly around his head to hold him bent forward under her arm while she dug her knuckles into his scalp between his horns. He howled and tried to shake her off, but Etani had him and he finally screamed surrender where she let him go and gave him a kiss on the forehead.
"You're evil," he complained.
She laughed, the sound making him jerk in surprise. "Well, I do have Aphophis, an Aswang and the Strigoi in my immediate past," she said, her voice cracking and sounding strained, but she was able to speak.
Sobek glared at her and she smiled sweetly, trying for innocence, but she couldn't pull it off.
A boulder hit her from her side, and she yelped as Sobek barrelled into her and they went down, him pinning her to the carpet with a feral grin.
"I do believe you are well enough to get beaten up," he said with malicious glee.
"I think you're making things up. Clearly, I am too unwell," she said and gave a fake coughing sound.
"You're so full of it. Get dressed, it's fighting time!" he called, and dragged her up with him.
He shoved her in the direction of her room, and she went, slipping in and glancing at Kai, Letari, and a confused-looking Jagum, who were still sleeping there.
Sobek looked at her as she stripped and started pulling on her black cotton pants and long sleeve shirt, her boots unlaced as she gave the poster of the bed a firm kick.
"Time to get up, kiddies, it's practice day," she called, her throat burning.
Jagum was on his feet in an instant, his eyes wide with excitement.
Kai was more reluctant, and Letari only rolled over and went back to sleep until Etani grabbed them both by the legs and dragged them out of the bed and onto the floor.
They decided it was better simply to get up after that, and Etani stalked from the room, setting her foot on the seat of the couch to tie up her boots.
Bast cleared her throat, and Etani looked around to see both Sobek and Daemon looking away with red faces. Glancing down, she realised they had both been openly admiring her while she stood bent over in the tight cotton.
"Stop being perverts and get dressed," Bast scolded the two, but her cheeks too were a little pink.
Eyeing the Goddess curiously, Etani shook her head and returned her focus to her boots but again she paused as someone murmured "Mother…" from the doorway.
"Stop staring at me!" she snarled and turned on Versalis, who didn't even try to look away when she turned to him, his eyes on her thighs.
Picking up one of the fruits Kai had left, she threw it at him, making him jump when it bounced off his chest.
"Sorry, sorry," he said, sounding exactly not sorry at all. "The luckiest man in the world gets to wake up to that every morning."
"That would be me," Kai said as he stretched, his shirt lifting to reveal a toned stomach he hadn't had when she died.
"You don't count; you're more like her child," Versalis said.
"Me, then," Jagum said, and Versalis looked between her and the were-cat before his eyes narrowed.
"Men…" Bast sighed, and Etani had to agree.
It wasn't long before a new set of eyes arrived, and the thump of his head hitting the doorframe announced Dirdos' arrival.
Etani had been forced to undo the ties of her boots when she found something poking her and was pleased to see straps inside made out of a strange fabric: one side rough like a cat's tongue, and the other fuzzy.
There were a few masculine chuckles as the dragon held his red forehead, embarrassed and irritated.
"Why didn't anyone warn me?" he demanded.
"That the door frames are the same size they've always been?" she asked as she ripped the two strips apart and applied them again, rather enjoying the satisfying tearing sound.
"That I was going to be exposed to the greatest pair of legs and arse in both worlds before breakfast," he growled, his eyes still on her.
"You need baggier clothes," Bast suggested.
Etani nodded, but every man in the room immediately yelled "No!" Flushing red, she made quick work of her boots and sat down, embarrassed by the attention they were giving her.
It hadn't been like that before, and she didn't know why they were like that now; but she didn't want to get up off the couch until she had better clothing.
"Epharis is a genius," Dirdos said, and Versalis nodded his agreement. Daemon was still grinning.
"You lot leave first," Etani demanded. They left only reluctantly, with a lot of laughter. Only once they were gone did she stand, and she looked at Bast. "Is it bad?" she asked, flushing red.
"They will go from lusty to afraid in the first few minutes in the arena, I wouldn't worry too much," Bast said gently and Etani nodded, taking the Goddess by the hand and Letari by the other, leading them out.
Heading out of the castle there was a low whistle and a feminine giggle, both Nayishma and Adella were gaping at her and their faces were red.
"You chose me over that?" Adella squeaked, and Nayishma giggled again.
Epharis was already in the ring and Etani turned furious eyes on him, but he wasn't looking at her face, instead he was staring at her legs and she headed for him, ignoring the appreciative chuckles and giving the lich a hard kick to the shin. He swore and looked up at her face, surprised by her anger.
"Next time you will have more appropriate attire created," she snarled.
He nodded, eyes watering.
Etani stalked away from the group and fell into her usual warm up, the mood going sombre as everyone started to prepare. Her muscles burned wonderfully as she stretched, and she looked up to see Letari stretching as well, the sight making her anxious, but she would put a stop to the fight if need be.
She was up first with Kai, and she grinned at him, his eyes wide but then it was her turn to stare as he removed his shirt and folded it neatly. He had gone from being toned, but leaning towards the softer side, to being hard muscles and lean lines in the time since she had been gone. He grinned at her staring, enjoying her shock as he stretched, and his muscles tensed.
"Come on, then," he taunted.
Etani's eyes narrowed. Neither of them were armed, and she had agreed not to use her nails on him, hand to hand only.
Darting forward, she made to drive her foot into his side, and he moved to block it, only to go flying backwards as her fist hit his chest. He rolled, wheezing, but was on his feet in a second, his eyes gleeful as he came for her.
They were both lethally fast, and Etani knew it would be hard for the others to see their movements as they struck and blocked at lightning speeds. Kai had grown faster, and she was still trying to get used to her body; but still it was a close fight, and he had her pinned.
It had lasted all of about three minutes, but they were both covered in bruises. Kai grinned, kissing her cheek before he got off her and pulled her up.
Looking around, she saw that Bast was right. No one was ogling her anymore. She was dangerous, and they were very aware of that fact.
Following Kai off the field, she leant against the wall of the arena and watched as Versalis and Jagum went in. She was surprised to see the physical changes in everyone, and she turned to Kai who had been watching the fight with interest.
"What has been going on? Why is everyone training?" she asked in her croaky, tired voice.
She accepted the water offered by Letari and sipped it, the cool liquid soothing her throat.
"There is a kingdom a day's travel by boat who has been watching Ayathian for about two years. They finally attacked, and Alaric called for us all to prepare for the possibility of a sea battle. We don't know if it's certain, but we wanted to be prepared," he explained, accepting the mug of water Letari handed him and beaming down at her.
Letari giggled nervously and headed off to challenge Daemon, who laughed and accepted the challenge.
Versalis beat Jagum, but had Jagum been permitted to use weaponry he might have lost, and the two happily left the ring.
Letari led Daemon into the ring and Etani smiled slowly, Daemon catching it to make his smile fade.
"Don't get cocky, Daemon; you have to keep in mind who trained her," she called, and Letari giggled only slightly manically.
Daemon's humour was gone when the whirlwind of manic destruction that was her sister was unleashed on him, and it was all he could do to keep from being wiped off the board in the first few seconds.
Kai looked at her with huge eyes, and Etani shrugged. "She has a unique style no one ever expects."
Daemon won, though only barely, not wanting to hurt the little fairy; and after her manic aggression, he had a very large number of bruises. Letari was out of breath and bounded over to Nayishma and Adella, chatting happily with the two startled women.