Page 28 of Into the Isle

The First Taldan War had ended two years before, in a massive victory for humans and elves. Under King Dannon and Lord Talasin’s guidance and leadership, their races had prospered in both their worlds of Midgard and Alfheim.

A second war was on the horizon, however, as new enemies revealed themselves to the humans and elves. The pests could never be kept out of the house for long, and tensions rose with the thought of another bloody, years-long conflict.

Dannon shook his head fervently. “No, Talasin. The elves already have magic inherent to your beings. It only makes sense the humans would be the ones to keep the Runesphere to study, so we may learn from it. To keep things balanced.”

Talasin frowned at Dannon. “Do you fear my people will act against yours, Dannon? Is that it?”

Dannon shook his head. “Not at all. It’s a matter of honor and balance.”

Talasin did not like or respect that answer. He got the sense King Dannon was hiding something from him.

“The Runesphere will remain in Alfheim for the time being, my brother,” Talasin concluded. “The elven people are a scholarly people. Have we not shared everything we’ve learned about the artifact with your people? Have we not worked alongside with humans the entire time the Runesphere has been in our possession?”

King Dannon could not deny that. “Yes, you have. Our people have worked well together.”

“Then you have nothing to fear, old friend.”

King Dannon did not worry about who studied the artifact. Already his artificers and acolytes had learned how to harness great magical power using the Runesphere.

No, he worried where it was housed. Currently, the elves kept it on Alfheim.

Not wanting to get into a further argument with his eternal ally, Dannon sighed and let it go for the time being. He had other things to worry about—namely a war to prepare for.

Two weeks before the Second Taldan War began with the arrival of new demonic enemies, a new alliance was forged and solidified between the humans and elves, in an unorthodox manner no one could have anticipated.

King Dannon, who had first laid eyes on Talasin’s beautiful sister Amisara during a celebratory feast after winning the First Taldan War, would not be the one to bind with the woman.

Instead, it was Dannon’s sister, Lady Solveig, whom Lady Amisara fell in love with. That night, over another grand feast, the two women were wed, and the alliance was formed just in time to bring the humans and elves together once more, and to alleviate growing tensions between the races.

At the wedding, King Dannon and Lord Talasin clasped arms again, now calling themselves brothers instead of simply “allies.” The humans and elves were a family—they fought as one during the Second Taldan War.

It was during the war that cracks in the family began to reveal the fragile nature of their alliance.

They began when King Dannon awoke one night in a terrible sweat. In his dreams, he’d had a nightmarish vision: the destruction of his people. Towns and cities razed, human citizens subjugated to slavery, rape, and slaughter. Fire, death, and brimstone surrounding his kingdom, with entire societies burning to the ground.

The culprit of his horrible visions?

The very elves he called family.

Chapter 9

Ravinica

BEFORE OUR SHIP DOCKED within the twining fjords and rivers that led to the Isle, I noticed other Wraith ships barreling for the land to our left and right, appearing out of the fog with their cargo—the initiates—in hand.

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