Page 84 of Into the Isle

“Thank you. I also had Anna. My best friend in Selby Village. So you see? I had people, Grim. I didn’t want for friendship in Selby, no matter how much I complained I did.”

He said nothing for a moment, still staring at me. Then, “You say ‘had.’ You still have them, Ravinica. I’m sure your friends are thinking of you even now.”

I lifted my eyes, gazing into his. His words brought a tumble of emotions through me: Sadness at missing my friends and family; relief because I managed to get out of Selby where I was persecuted for being a half-blood. My treatment at Vikingrune thus far had been similar to Selby, but I still had time to change people’s mind. Show them who I was.

Was I angry at having to trick Damon so I could be here instead of him? Remorseful? Perhaps.

I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. I had a feeling Hallan had pulled his weight to skew the numbers during our trials, to make Damon look better than he was. I could think of no other way Damon would be chosen above me to come here. There must be political reasons. Something having to do with my bloodline, for sure, and more than that—nepotism that Hallan called in.

I hadn’t had a chance to think much about it until now. My conversation with Grim—decidedly one-sided at the moment—had opened my eyes to new possibilities. New angles to look at my past. I need more from him. I don’t want to carry this conversation on my own.

I lowered my chin, trying to avoid his analytical gaze. The emotions overwhelmed me. I bit back tears, flaring my nostrils where he couldn’t see way up there in the damn tree canopies.

“Honestly, I shouldn’t even be here, Grim. I feel like a fraud at times. I can’t Shape, I have no inherent magic. I’m a good enough fighter, except that’s not enough for a place that trains mages.”

Warmth settled over me, the moon blotting out in a great shadow. I inhaled a sharp breath as Grim stepped closer to me, put his thumb under my chin, and lifted my gaze to him. It was shockingly tender, and my dewy eyes blinked up at him.

“You deserve to be here as much as anyone, Ravinica. More than most. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Fight for it.”

I didn’t breathe while he spoke. Only when he stopped did I let out a ragged exhale, my throat constricting around a lump.

It was hard to swallow. His words punched me in the gut, and in that moment I wanted nothing more than to go on my tiptoes and kiss him for speaking so kindly to me. For believing in me, when it seemed no one else did.

Hell, I hadn’t even seen my brother Eirik all day. It seemed even he had forgotten about me here.

“T-Thank you,” I stammered, and his thumb fell from my chin.

A pang of loss hit me at his departure. He continued walking, and I stared at him for a moment, blinking back tears to keep them from falling.

Then I rushed up to walk alongside him. Shoulder to shoulder. Well, his shoulder to my head.

“Your turn,” I said, clearing my throat. Stuffing everything back down into the dark recesses of my soul where it belonged.

Another pause as we tromped through the woods. We were nearing the end of it, moonlight blasting down on the cobbles ahead.

“The student was a second-year,” Grim said. “Friend of mine. The man I had to face for my Combat & Strategy trial as an initiate.”

I raised my brow. You killed a friend of yours?

“He was a wolf shifter.”

“A Torfen?” Would explain why Sven hates Grim.

“No. Rival pack.”

I nodded. Okay, that makes sense. Sven would hate Grim way worse otherwise.

“He poisoned me before the bout. Trying to gain an upperhand.”

I was incredulous. I hissed, “During a finals trial? Gods above. Why didn’t he want you to succeed, being your friend?”

Grim’s huge muscled shoulders lifted up to his ears. “Everyone has a motive. I didn’t know his.”

I bit my lip, nodding along. “What happened after that?” This was perhaps the most words Grim had ever spoken in succession, and I didn’t want him to stop. I loved listening to his deep baritone voice, and more than that, I wanted to know everything about him.

“He didn’t realize the poison would trigger the beast.”

I cocked my head. “The beast?”

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