Page 158 of Into the Isle

I left the mess hall half-hungry, unnerved by Sven’s admission. I wasn’t sure I could believe that wily shifter, even if his words were starting to make sense.

The fact remained: We were still enemies. He had said as much himself when he told me Ravinica kept his urges to kill me at bay. She was the only one standing in the way of us murdering each other.

The game was on, the challenge bringing excitement to my bones. We were both shifters, both adept at tracking.

I had one thing going for me: I knew Ravinica’s scent inherently at this point. With that, I knew Astrid’s, because they had been close together mere days ago.

I used my tracking skills to stalk across Vikingrune Academy in the wee hours of the morning. Truthfully, I didn’t need to track, because I had an idea where Astrid would be staying.

I had seen the green-haired lass in the southwestern region of campus, near Eirik’s dwelling. Even before she arrived on campus this year, back when I’d been friends with Eirik, Ayla, Gryphon, and Tyrus, the longhouse near them had been cleared out and kept empty for an “imminent new arrival.”

That new arrival was the Tomekeeper’s daughter.

I made my way southwest.

When I got close, I noticed one of the doors to a longhouse was open. Finding that odd, I hurried my pace, bounding over the hill toward the small village.

I stopped when I reached the bottom, noticing a small, dark heap near the village well.

The smell of death and decay was ripe in my nose—so strong to my preternatural senses that it made me reel in shock. I crept closer to the well . . . and frowned when I came upon the body.

Astrid Dahlmyrr was only recognizable by her wispy green hair. She looked skeletal, as if her blood had been entirely drained from her body.

“By the gods,” I muttered, flabbergasted.

Someone had gotten to her, and it clearly wasn’t Sven. Seemed neither of us would get the honor of bringing her to Ravinica.

“Hey!” a voice cried behind me.

I wheeled.

Three Huscarls on patrol stopped twenty paces away. They had chanced upon me at the same time I’d stumbled upon Astrid’s corpse.

“Halt!” the guard called, drawing a sword. He pointed it at me. “Step away from the student!”

“Shit,” one of the other guards said in a lower voice. “It’s Grim Kollbjorn.”

I had something of a reputation after last year’s debacle. It certainly didn’t help me in this situation.

“He’s done it again!” the third guard yelled, drawing his sword with a rasp of steel.

The three Huscarls fanned out.

I cursed under my breath.

“You’re caught red-handed!” the Huscarl shouted. This early in the morning, it was loud enough to wake the dead. “We have proof now, you monster. He’s feasted on another student and drained their blood!”

I frowned. “I did not, soldier.”

The Huscarls hesitantly advanced toward me.

I wouldn’t be separated from Ravinica. Not after this newest misunderstanding which, admittedly, did not look great for me.

I bent my knees in a fighter’s stance, ready to take on all three guards if it meant getting back to my little sneak.

Doors to the nearby longhouses in the village opened at the shouting.

“Grim!” a familiar voice called out.

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