Page 29 of Into the Isle

Their hulls were painted to denote their names. I knew them from legends: Red Wraith, Green Wraith, Yellow Wraith. Those and a handful more ships converged on the same mooring spot on the bank of the Isle.

I was shocked the ships had timed their arrival so expertly. I had a hunch magic had something to do with it, like how we got here so fast after being in the middle of the ocean just hours before.

Arne walked with me to the shore with Rolf behind us, towering like a guardian. Eirik and some others from the boat were waiting on the peninsula, standing atop a craggy stone the shore’s waves smashed into.

I made sure to keep a fair distance from Ulf Torfen and his ilk.

Eirik had his arms crossed, peering past us to the other ships landing around the island. I had no idea how large the island was, but I figured I’d learn soon enough. Everything was such a fascinating mystery still.

My legs were wobbly when I finished wading through the ankle-high water lapping at my heels. I was nervous of making a good first impression to the people of Vikingrune Academy . . . though I couldn’t see the academy anywhere. The only thing before us, past the sandy shore, was a great forest of tall trees and thickets of green and brown foliage.

If it was the same season here as on Midgard—autumn—I knew the leaves of these grand trees would be turning soon. The forest would look brilliant with its orange, cooper, and red hues. Then again, there was a chance seasons were not the same here as what I was used to.

Eirik spoke to our small contingent, who crowded at the base of the black rock he stood atop. Stamping his foot on gravel, he said, “This is Vellen Shore. Remember that name. Its waters let out to the rest of Midgard, and it will be the waterway we use to ship you in and out of the Isle.” He nudged a thumb over his shoulder. “That is the Delaveer Forest. It’s where we’re going. Come on.”

Without saying more, he turned and stalked off.

I blinked, glancing left and right at the other initiates. Most people seemed as confused as me, except wardens like Arne. Everyone hurried off the bank toward my half-brother.

I kept an eye on Ulf. If the Torfen pack was as ubiquitous as Arne had said, I assumed I’d be meeting more of their kind soon. I wasn’t looking forward to that, especially if they were anything like that young blowhard.

I scurried off the shore to follow my brother, amazed at how much he had changed in the past two years. He’d always had a commanding presence about him, yet had never been able to properly utilize it in Selby Village. Here, he fit right in, and people actually listened to him.

I was a long way from Selby, to be sure.

I kept having to resist the urge to grab the spear off my back. As we made our way into the forest, I tried to skirt a bit closer to Arne, who wasn’t far from Eirik in the lead. Leaning over toward Arne, I whispered, “How deep does the forest go?”

“Not sure. I haven’t traversed the whole thing. It leads to the academy, and that’s all you need to know.”

I bit my lip. “Got it.”

“Ravinica,” Eirik called out without turning around. His shoulders were tense up ahead. “With me.”

Arne snickered. “Uh oh. Looks like someone’s in trouble.”

I rolled my eyes and jogged away from him to join my brother at the front of the group. The forest was tight and stuffy—easy for claustrophobia to set in. With its high trees that looked like redwoods of some kind, I felt a bit lost. I was used to smaller birch trees, but these things were massive. And they went as far as the eye could see in every direction, practically blotting out the sun overhead.

“Brother,” I said with a curt nod, joining his side.

He stared ahead, leading us down a narrow path through the trees. “I’m not going to treat you differently than others just because you’re my sister.”

“Good,” I said. Eirik seemed on edge—entirely different than the relaxing attitude he’d had once arriving at Selby Village. I worried I hardly knew my brother at all anymore, for him to act so serious and . . . foreign. Perhaps it’s just a façade he’s putting on for the initiates’ sakes?

“There are things you should know before arriving,” he continued.

I swallowed hard. “Such as?”

“You shouldn’t be making friends so soon with people like Arne Gornhodr and his ward.”

I reeled, slowing my walk, forcing me to jog a few steps to keep up with his unstoppable march. “Why not?”

“When I was brought to the academy, I was told the same thing: Don’t go making friends with the first people you meet on the Wraith. You’re forced to interact with them because they’re the only people around. That doesn’t mean they’re your tribe.”

My brow furrowed. I smacked an overhanging branch out of the path. I’ll make my own tribe however I damn well please, I defiantly told myself. “Anything specific to Arne? He helped me back there, Eirik. Even you didn’t do that.” I added the last bit with some side-eye.

My brother glanced over at me, scowling. “What did I just say about treating you differently? Do you want everyone to give you a reputation before you even step foot on the academy grounds?”

“A reputation?”

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