Page 156 of Into the Isle

I infused her blood into me wave after sweet wave.

It took less than five minutes.

When I was done with her, Astrid Dahlmyrr was a husk. A shell. Barely recognizable. Her dark green hair was one of her only identifiable traits when she finally collapsed onto the grass in a heap.

Most dreadfully of all, when I gazed down at her . . . she blinked up at me. She was still alive. Because I kept her that way.

I let her bask in her newfound position at my feet, hollowed-out and in hideous pain, for a few long minutes.

Until I drained the last bit of blood from her body, and brought it inside me for safe keeping.

Chapter 44

Grim

I WOULD DO WHAT RAVINICA asked of me because I wanted her to feel safe. If my little sneak thought snagging Astrid was the better move than a passive defense standing outside Eir Wing, so be it. It certainly was not a bad strategy, taking the fight to the silvermoor bastard.

After leaving Eir Wing, I needed food badly. I also wanted to make sure Ravinica would be somewhat protected, so I called Arne over as he marched in the opposite direction from me.

“Let’s be honest, iceshaper,” I said to him. “I will catch Astrid. I am a shifter. My tracking is elite.”

“So you’re saying I’m useless?” he asked defensively.

I shook my head. “No. I’m saying your strengths are better suited elsewhere.”

“What do you mean?”

“Keep watch over Ravinica. I can pretend you were with me the entire time.” I didn’t want to explain he would only get in my way of catching Astrid.

He mulled it over for minute. “You’re making me out to be a coward.”

“Not at all. I’m giving you more time with your little fox.”

When I explained it that way, he hesitated and closed his big mouth. “Fine,” he growled. “You’ll know where to find me.”

With that, the iceshaper wheeled around and returned toward Eir Wing.

I made my way to the nearest mess hall, sat down for a quick bite, and noticed Sven Torfen stalking around in the fringes.

When he approached me, I said, “Why are you here, Torfen? This is as much your fault as anyone else’s.”

His face twisted with contempt. “I told you, I had nothing to do with the attack on Ravinica, Kollbjorn.”

“That may be true. Yet you also stoked the flames of discontent surrounding the girl ever since she got here. She wants nothing to do with you.”

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