Page 101 of The Serpent’s Shadow

Chapter 30

Ravinica

I WATCHED RANDI STEPup into the dueling Sticks, cheers and hollers following her determined stride.

This week had been a whirlwind. I had passed Hersir Thorvi’s written test with flying colors, thanks to the packet she had given me. History & Tomes was the first and least stressful final, on Monday.

Tuesday was the Stealth & Interrogation test, which was a strange mix of riddles and escape rooms nestled deep in the underground of Hodur Lodge, where Hersir Kelvar crafted the final. Initiates were thrust into teams and thrown into the riddle-rooms.

Working together with Randi and another student, we had managed to pass without too many problems. I felt like Kelvar phoned in the final, in some ways, because he was so busy doing his underhanded extracurricular activity for the academy—namely, spying and scheming.

At least we didn’t have to withstand torture. Though I heard rumors saying that was exactly what we’d have to do for the second-year cadet final.

Wednesday was Runeshaping Basics with the eagle-eyed Hersir Selken. I had to show my command of the elements in various situations.

For the first time, I thanked the Norns the elves had captured me. For one, it introduced me to Corym E’tar. Secondly, mymagic came alive in his presence, which saved my ass in the runeshaping final.

Unlike the midterm, where I could MacGyver a half-baked loophole to pass, this one took clear command, study, and knowhow. I had to create a campfire, in case I was ever in the wilderness and needed to do such a thing for survival.

I started by Shaping the pit, directing my runes to move the earth. It was little more than a crack in the soil—not much compared to what I’d seen Corym do when he created huge divots and grooves in the ground during our massive fight. Just enough to create a small hole.

In the pit, I Shaped fire over some kindling. With a spark, it crackled to life, and I was halfway there.

Next, I Shaped water, summoning it from one of the nine realms, and directed it into a boiling pot over the fire.

And finally, I Shaped wind to grow my fire, to keep the water boiling.

Hersir Selken was impressed with how far I’d come, especially not attending class for nearly a month. I had left a magicless novice, and returned with magic brimming in my fingertips. Needless to say, I passed the class.

Now, it was Thursday. I watched with bated breath, nervously biting my lip as one of my best friends took on my lover, our tutor, Grim Kollbjorn.

Every initiate had three chances to prove themselves. They only needed to win one bout of the three . . . but that was easier said than done, because we were dueling Grim fucking Kollbjorn.

Had I known our tutor would be our opponent before all this, perhaps I wouldn’t have asked him to lead us during the capture-the-flag midterm.

Then again, I wouldn’t have gotten as close to the big bear if I hadn’t done that, so I probably wouldn’t change a thing.

Hersir Axel Osfen stood off to the side from the sprightly girl, refereeing. Randi wasn’t even half the size of her adversary. She looked even smaller than usual standing across from Grim. Her hair was pulled back into tight braids that wrapped around her head, so they couldn’t be used against her.

This was not a free-for-all duel, to be flashy or show your stuff. The only requirement was showing you had learned the combat positions and strategies Hersir Osfen had shown us throughout the term.

Randi and Grim both held a sword and shield. The sword was wooden, and victory would be based on touches, like in fencing.

As my two comrades stepped into the Sticks, a memory of my duel with my half-brother Damon in Selby Village came rushing back. The fateful fight thatshould haveearned my rightful place here after beating his ass. That duel had set my current trajectory in motion, without me even realizing it at the time.

If I had lost that duel to Damon, I wouldn’t have been so salty about getting scammed out of my invitation to Vikingrune Academy. Damon wouldn’t have gotten drunk in celebration. I wouldn’t have choked him out in an alleyway, using his inebriation to my advantage, so I could steal away onto theGray Wraithand take his place.

Alas, here I was. He was at Selby. And after everything that had happened since then, and how much my life had changed, I felt no remorse for the way things had gone.

I deserved to be here.

So did Randi Ranttir.

“Come on, Ran!” I shouted with my hands cupped over my mouth, joining the chorus of whoops and whistles as the two prepared for their first bout. “You only need one,” I murmured to myself.

My hands flexed into fists at my sides.

This was the only time in my life I would be rooting against Grim. Even with Randi preemptively getting her second-year field study in Mimir Tomes, this was an important final to pass.

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