Page 41 of The Serpent’s Shadow

“Besides,” Elayina said, “you have misgauged. It isnotmy time, visitor. I am still needed in Midgard, unfortunately for everyone involved.”

Corym lurched. “Why?”

“To oversee the tragedy that will soon fall. To make sense of it all.”

Now she was speaking in rhyme, and it frustrated me. “What does that mean?” I asked, speaking for the first time in many minutes. “Whattragedy?”

She looked over at me like she’d forgotten I was there. “The tragedy of the serpent’s shadow, child.”

Corym grunted.

My head spun on a turret, looking from elf to half-elf. “What’s the serpent’s shadow, Corym?”

Elayina muttered, “Recite the pertinent augury for the girl, visitor.”

“You believe . . . it could be true?” Corym asked lowly.

I was utterly confused.

“Recite it!” Elayina shouted, the raspy words reverberating through the enclosed cavern and down the winding corridor behind us.

Corym went taut, muscles flexing with surprise. “The serpent’s shadow will grow . . . to become greater than the serpent himself.”

The words meant nothing to me. I didn’t think they were spoken to oraboutme—they were for Corym to understand. Clearly, like Vikingrune and the humans and our own oral histories, the Ljosalfar had tomes and scriptures of their own, which held outweighed significance to their people.

This wasn’t a discussion for me.

“Good,” Elayina said, nodding her head. “You have not forgotten.”

“No Ljosalfar worth their salt has, Lady.”

“Then tell the rest of it to the child.”

I furrowed my brow and flared my nostrils.Why is she so demanding of him?“Why?” I asked. “What importance does it hold to me, Lady Elayina?”

The Ancient One said nothing, simply staring daggers at Corym as if he had done something wrong. Or, maybe, as if she was trying to get him to understand something.

“It’s a commonly told legend in Alfheim among my people,” Corym said, bringing his bright gaze to me. “The prophecy of the Lightbearer—the one who walked, the one who flew. The Winged One.”

I bit my lip, staying quiet.

“The prophecy speaks of the ‘enemy of our enemies,’ and how the Lightbearer will not just lift us out of the shadows of our conflict with the Dokkalfar, but also rekindle our relationship with the humans so we can focus on common enemies.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. I didn’t want to offend him, but . . . “Humans have similar tales. Legends. Myths. Whatever you want to call them. They are . . .”

“A farce? Hopeful stories and nothing more? Yes.” Corym chuckled humorlessly. “I have been told much the same all my life, Ravinica.”

“And yet, here you two are,” Elayina interrupted, as if it explained everything.

I was more confused than ever.

Then her voice came out in a deep, arrhythmic chant:

“Fly me to on wings of leather, not feather.

Haul my sunken soul to the gates of the gods.

Drag me forth from the darkness, Lightbearer.

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