Page 152 of The Serpent’s Shadow

“And so much more.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I’m listening.”

“The leechings are done. I escaped during my last stay, ran into Hersir Kelvar, and overheard—”

“Wait, wait. Back up. Youescaped? And you’re still standing?”

“Are you listening, or talking?”

Well, damn. Someone was in a surly mood. I’d never seen Magnus so uptight and . . . worried. He was like a skittish junkie,his head filled with thoughts he needed to desperately get out, or he’d implode from the weight of them.

Folding my arms over my chest, I frowned at him. “Go on then, bloodrender.”

He winced. “Sorry. I . . . your blood is special, Ravinica.”

I blinked. “Special how?”

“You’re related to Lady Elayina. Distantly, I think.”

I paused for a moment, letting the words settle. Then, “I’mwhat?! Related to the bog-seer? How do—”

“I spoke with Kelvar after he helped me escape Fort Woden. He told me some things. Their blood reports showed my DNA matched with an ancient sample they had of the seer. Which means . . .”

“. . . When I gave you my blood, it gave them access to my history.”

“Yes. Your blood also staved off a debilitating illness Tomekeeper Dahlia gave me with poisonous blood she was pumping me full of, trying to kill me.” His hand waved. “Because of Astrid, of course. She’s the one responsible for the leechings, which comes as no surprise.”

He was talking so fast, saying so much, I struggled to keep up. Tomekeeper Dahlia was one thing, butHersir Kelvar the Whisperer? “Hold on,” I said, not caring if it vexed him that I was interrupting his story again. “When did you become buddy-buddy with the damned Whisperer, Magnus? That sounds dangerous as hell.”

“It probably is. Only last night. He may have become an unwitting ally. I’m not sure yet. Helping me escape Fort Woden undetected . . . that was something I never expected.”

“Yeah, no shit,” I mumbled, still trying to wrap my head around everything. Gazing up into his eyes, I said, “Tell me more about my blood—this relation I share with Elayina. How does it work?”

“She’s an ancient ancestor of yours. Allegedly, she’s one of the three half-elf princesses born from King Dannon’s wife, Lady Amisara.”

The elven sister of Lord Talasin—the woman who was secretly raped to produce offspring for the wicked human king.

My face sank. “Wait, Lady Elayina isthat old?! King Dannon is from a thousand years ago!”

“I know. I have no idea how she’s still breathing.”

Gods, the twists were coming fast.

Magnus said, “That’s not all,” and stared directly into my eyes. “There’s something else going on with your blood. Some ‘anomaly,’ Kelvar called it, that no one can explain. It isn’tonlyhuman and elven.”

My head reeled. “What the fuck does that mean?”

“No idea. Maybe we need another visit to Mimir Tomes.” He tried his best to smile, but it was a sickly attempt.

“This is crazy, Magnus. Please tell me you’re done.”

He thought for a moment, tapping his sharp chin. Then his gray eyes brightened, and he shook his head. “One more thing. I found a map inside Fort Woden. At first, I didn’t think much of it. Now I’ve had time to reflect back on it . . .”

I leaned forward as he trailed off. This man had had an even crazier night than me.

My voice was barely a squeak. “M-Magnus?”

“Sections of the map were circled and marked off. The elf encampment was one of them, with the most evident X directly in the center of it.”

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