Page 80 of The Serpent’s Shadow

It’s my blood flowing through his veins right now, no less.

For some reason, the thought of that excited me.

“I’ll answer your questions, silvermoon,” he finally said in a low rumble, breaking the peaceful quiet. “But I have some for you, too.”

“Fine.” I lifted my head for a second, saying, “You first,” before resting it back on him and curling my arm over his chest to trace his tattoos and scars with my fingers.

“Did they harm you? The Ljosalfar.”

I hesitated. Then, “Did it look like I was a hurt woman when I kissed Corym E’tar in front of you and the others, Magnus?”

“No. You looked like a woman freed.”

I blinked, taking in his words.A woman freed? Must be nice.

“I don’t know if I’d go that far . . .” I said at last, trailing off. “He ignited my magic, though. Brought it to life. I have no idea how. And he’s a good man. A proud man.” I smirked. “Sounds like some other men I know.”

“If that kiss was meant to bring out the jealousy inside the rest of us . . . mission accomplished.” His smile broke out on the top of my head.

I swore, I’d never seen the man smile except when he was around me.

With a snort, I said, “It wasn’t for any of you. It was so Corym wouldn’t forget me, jealous boy.” When he laughed a bit louder, I added, “This isn’t a dick-measuring contest, you know. For one, I’ve never seen his. And secondly, I doubt he has the piercings that make yours so enticing.”

He scoffed at my playful jab. “I hope the questions you have for me are pertaining to the studs on my cock and nothing else.”

“Nice try, bloodrender. Iamcurious though.”

We both chuckled, quickly growing silent in the quiet dorm room. A thin layer of tension hovered over us as our words deepened, though it wasn’t anything that worried me.

It was tough pulling the truth out of people, was all. Getting things off our chest, as it were, was an important part of rekindling our camaraderie after such a long time apart. It just wasn’t easy, no matter which way you sliced it.

Magnus snapped the silence again. “What did you learn from the elves? Besides how to runeshape.”

“That’s . . . a little more complicated.” With a sigh, I prepared myself for the tale. “Before being captured by them, Arne took me to a seer named Elayina, as I said before. A half-elf, like me, except she was ancient.”

“I’ve heard the name.”

I popped my head up, brow rising. “You have? I thought she was rather, um, secretive.”

“I’m sure she is. But I’m studious, lass. Seen her name mentioned a few times during my studies in Mimir Tomes.”

“Really? She’s that old? To be in history books?”

He nodded slowly against my scalp.

I hummed, working my tongue against the inside of my cheek. “I’d love for you to point me to those passages, Magnus. If we can find some way to get hidden records again.”

“Certainly, love. Tell me about these stories she showed you.”

Here it comes.I was worried how Magnus would react. Though, in truth, if I had to tell anyone, I would want it to be him—the one whowouldn’tbring strong emotions to the subject.

“They seemed like . . . visions? She called them memories. Whatever they were, I could tell they were true. From an age-old time. It was like I was standing abreast with the King Who Saw and the Deceiver in Gold. King Dannon and Lord Talasin.” I furrowed my brow, recalling those fragmented tales in my head. “Except it was nothing like what the history books have taught us, Magnus. It was the humans who brought destruction to the elves here in Midgard, not the other way around. I . . . still don’t know what to make of it. Only that it scared the shit out of me.”

“Scared you, lass? Why?”

“Because it changes everything!”

He dropped his voice, a strange reticence in the tightness of his body. “Does it? Elves or humans starting the Taldan Wars. Does it really matter, at the end of it all? Those wars are over.”

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