Page 141 of The Serpent’s Shadow

Betrayal sank to my bones, tightening around my heart.

Please gods, not again!

If this was really happening, after everything we had just been through—everything we haddone—I would lose my fucking shit.

Claustrophobia set in. I wasn’t used to fighting in such close quarters. We were under the academy, probably one of the longhouses where someone lived.

Shouts, steel, magic—they could only be muffled so much.People might hear us.

I didn’t want more blood on my hands. Gods knew I already had enough with these men, after killing those countless Huscarls in the field in Delaveer Forest. We’d gotten away with that, so far. But this was pushing the risk factor to untold heights.

I backed up with Arne and Corym surrounding, forming a protective layer around me. Their weapons pointed out toward our enemies, who remained silent as more appeared.

They went from five to ten—until they had every entrance blocked off, spears and shields at the ready. Deadly eyes looking out through crossguard helms, stern scowls on their faces.

If not Arne . . . then who?

Then I heard the air burst out of Arne’s lungs with a gasp. “W-What—no!”

And Frida Gorndeen stepped into the fray, past the black cloaks of the Huscarls.

Arne’s sister pointed at Corym, snarling, “Brought the pointy-ear right to you, as promised, boys.”

My jaw dropped.

“What, brother?” Frida spat at Arne’s blanched, flabbergasted face. “You thought we were just going to let our golden ticketwaltzout of camp to the caves every night, without repercussion?”

“He isnotthe enemy, sister, and he’s not a pawn on a gameboard!” Arne screamed, waving his icy hands in the air.

“It doesn’t matter what he is, brother. Vikingrune Academy wants him—”

“Since when do the Lepers Who Leapt give afuckwhat Vikingrune Academy wants?!” Arne tossed his words with vitriol, as if he knew this was the end of the line between us.

But it wasn’t. By the tears at the corners of his eyes, his reaction, his lament, and his willingness to defend Corym and me . . . I knew he wasn’t the culprit here.

He had known about this ambush as much as I had.

It was not the end of the line between us, so long as we lived.We have to live. And so does Corym.

Fucking hells.

I counted the men in the room, ignoring Frida. There were twelve Huscarls I could see. Shitty odds, for sure. But I’d also seen what Corym could do with those swords. I was no slouch either—I had my spear at the ready on my back. Arne was probably already calculating ways he could block off archways by sealing them with ice walls.

“We foughttogeth—” Arne began, but Corym shut him up with a hand on his shoulder.

“Deceiver,” he grunted in warning.

That’s right. Fridadidfight with us against those Huscarls, along with Dieter and five other Lepers.

And now this? Odin fuck me.

Frida ignored her brother’s clipped words. Thrusting an angry finger at Corym, with hate on her face, she hissed, “Thisprizeof yours brought danger to our entire camp! With him gone, we are safe. Giving him to the academy that wants him so badly was the only way to ensure our safety, brother.”

Arne shook his head fervently. “But—”

“You did the same thing with her!” Frida’s ire turned to me, her finger lodged in my direction.

“It was amistake, Frida! I understand your need to keep the Lepers safe, but . . .not like this!”

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