Page 60 of The Serpent’s Shadow

“This is not something we can walk blindly into,” Magnus agreed with a nod.

“Use me, then.”

All eyes veered to Corym, who had spoken while stepping onto the riverbank. He stood straight-backed, lanky like Magnus, muscled like Sven, nearly as tall as Grim. He wasdeadly beautiful, in an alien way I’d come to appreciate over the past few weeks.

I quirked my brow. “What do you mean, Corym?”

“My people are either dead or returned to Alfheim,” he explained. “I’m the only one still remaining here. Use them as scapegoats to return to your school. Your superiors can learn their soldiers died fighting the Ljosalfar before they left.”

It was a cunning strategy that shocked me, coming from the honorable light elf. “But, Corym—”

“Vikingrune Academy already sees us as the enemy,lunis’ai.Capitalize on that. Learn what you must under the guise of peace, while you’re there.”

I gnashed my teeth together. How could I argue with that? Corym was giving me an out. It was a sound plan, and the others agreed with shrugs and nods.

“That only leaves one more elephant in the room,” Grim said, eyes narrowing on the elf. “What do we do withyou?”

“We can hide him,” said a new voice.

Dieter stood from Frida’s side, flanked by a trio of other Lepers Who Leapt. My heart sank at the sight of him limping toward us, the row of bodies behind him—four men and women who had been “pulled,” much the same way the Lepers pulled corpses from the fjord banks of those who had “leapt” to join their rebel crew.

“Are you sure, Dieter?” I asked. Hope filled my heart, even as it was weighed down by the loss of life here. “Even after your people have—”

“They died fighting our enemy. They’re on their way to Valhalla now.” Dieter gave me a pained smile, wincing from his wounded arm. “Any foe of Vikingrune Academy is a friend of ours, Ravinica.”

I bit my lip, turning to Corym. “Are you fine with that?”

The elf’s brilliant yellow eyes matched mine. “Doesn’t seem I have much of a choice,lunis’ai.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“I’ll live with it . . . for a time.”

With a firm nod, I faced Dieter. “Where will you take him?”

Dieter lifted his shoulders proudly. “We’re the Lepers Who Leapt, lass. We’ll put him somewhere no one will ever find him.”

Chapter 19

Ravinica

I HAD MY MEN BACK.Through all the trauma and tribulations I’d faced to get here, I couldn’t forget that point.

I kept telling myself we would figure things out. The lies from the academy, the situation there, the Lepers Who Leapt keeping Corym hidden from me and any threats, all the things I had missed in my month-long absence . . .

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