Page 38 of Into the Isle

“My name is Ravinica Lin . . .”

“Linmyrr?”

I bowed my head in shame. “Yes. Arne Gornhodr told me to find you.” She was staring down at a notepad, tracing her finger down a list of names. “I might not be on there,” I admitted. “I’m a new—”

“Ah, here you are,” she interrupted, jabbing her finger on the pad. “Upstairs, room seven. It’s on the right-hand side.” She smiled up at me. Didn’t bring up my name or anything.

I returned her smile, nodding my head slightly. “O-Oh. Okay. Thank you, Dagny.”

I started to walk away.

“Hey,” she called out, and I turned. “Tell Arne I haven’t forgotten about the dress he owes me.”

My lips parted. Embarrassed, my cheeks darkened. A dress? Dagny was certainly a cute young woman, and I felt a flare of jealousy rise up inside me which was completely unexpected.

I smiled at her regardless, knowing she’d meant nothing by it. Hoping she’d meant nothing by it. Why would I possibly feel jealous about a girl interacting with a man I’ve known less than twenty-four hours?

Trying to stuff down my confused feelings, I forced a tight smile. “Will do, Dagny.”

Chapter 12

Ravinica

I HARDLY GOT A WINK of sleep. My room was bare, without any frivolities: cot, small table, chair, tiny restroom. At least the restroom wasn’t communal here, which was nice.

I figured I was expected to spruce my place up with amenities down at Isleton, though I had no idea when I’d get a chance to go to the little town.

Just when it seemed I was starting to drift off from my tossing and turning, noises in every direction woke me. I abruptly jolted up, reaching blindly for my spear that I’d tucked under my bed. Blinking bleary thoughts away, wiping drool off the corner of my mouth, I listened.

The walls were groaning. Both the far wall my table was up against, and the near wall of my bed. Outside, more thumping, and then it hit me: Everyone was getting on the move at the same time.

Girls here were not quiet when they woke. Especially in a new place, with high expectations and nerves running amok. I heard at least fifteen voices and pairs of feet stamping down the hallway, chatting, opening and closing doors.

I got up to join them. Hesitated. I was still in the clothes I’d left Selby in. Lifting my arm, I sniffed, recoiled, and shook my head. “That’s not gonna do for my first day.”

I didn’t want everyone to get the impression I was the stinky one. I already had enough going against me. So I hurried into the restroom and stripped down . . . before realizing there was no shower. Only a toilet and sink. “All hells,” I cursed.

Sighing, I threw my clothes back on and poked my head out the door of my dorm as three girls went streaming by. “Excuse me!” I called out. “Where’s—”

The lead girl pointed back the way she had come. I wondered if she could smell me, and intuitively knew what I was going to ask.

The girl behind her said, “Better hurry or you’ll miss breakfast, half-breed!”

The trio giggled as they reached the stairs and disappeared down them. I rolled my eyes, finding myself alone in the hallway. The girl hadn’t called me a half-breed with any malice in her voice. I hoped it didn’t become my calling card, and that people would realize, at some point, how hurtful it was to be othered like that.

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