Page 154 of The Serpent’s Shadow

At the bushes, Dag reverted into a human, hiding herself as she threw her clothes back on.

Randi asked, “What’s going on, Ravin? I can’t be seen out here during training hours.”

I took her by the shoulders. “I know. I’m sorry, babe.” Then I gave her a once over, smiling. “You look good in the robes, by the way.”

She blushed. “Thanks. If that’s your way of buttering me up, it’s working.”

“I need your help, Ran.”

“Name it.”

“I need a book.” I faltered then, biting the inside of my cheek and cringing. “. . . But I don’t think I’m supposed to have access to it.”

“Shit, babe,” she hissed, “really? I’m not even a full-blown acolyte yet and you already want me to break the rules and jeopardize everything?”

I hated guilt-tripped my friend, but it couldn’t be helped. “No, you’re right,” I said, playing at shame. “I’ll find a way to break in and get it myself.”

She waved her hands at me. “Hold on, gods-dammit. No, don’t do that again. What is the book?”

I rubbed the back of my neck, smiling at her. “Um, well, really, it’s any book on portals.”

“Portals? There has to be a dozen tomes in there about portals, girl. Can you narrow it down?”

“. . . Portals as they pertain to Alfheim.”

Her eyes bulged. There certainly weren’t a dozen tomes onthatspecific subject. “Shit, Ravin, what kind of nonsense are you getting yourself into now?”

I gave her an innocent, awkward smile and shrug. “Oh, you know. Just the regular kind of nonsense.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. I gave her a frantic look, trying to implore her with my helpless gaze.

Finally, she broke. Randi rolled her head back on her neck, sighing up at the heavens. “Dammit, babe. You’re lucky I love you.”

“The feeling is so, so mutual.”

Randi shot a look at Dagny behind a bush, the cat shifter just starting to squeeze into her shirt.

Dagny froze when she noticed both pairs of eyes on her. “What?”

“I think I know the book to get, but I don’t have access to it. I only know where to find it.”

“And . . .”

“And it means I’m gonna need your sneaky little cat paws to get it.”

Dagny paused. Sighed. Muttered, “Dammit.”

And she started throwing off her shirt again.

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