Page 94 of The Serpent’s Shadow

“Yup. Once I beat Grim’s ass in the finals duel and graduate from initiate, my acolyte duties will basically take up my entire cadet year. I’ll be working ‘field duty’ in Mimir Tomes soon.”

I blinked at her. “Mimir Tomes? You don’t say . . .”

After a quick hug to send her on her way, my mind was already turning with the possibilities. I hated that Arne, orMagnus, or maybe my entire group of men had turned me into a schemer.

Here I was, recalling my conversation with Magnus about stealing secret books out of Mimir Tomes to study, learn about Lady Elayina, and the academy’s attachment to the ancient half-elf seer, so I could possibly use that against them.

And now it appeared I had a potential insider.

Chapter 28

Corym

A WEEK HAD PASSED SINCEI parted ways with Ravinica Lindeen. The silver-haired warrioress who stole my breath and thoughts. During our month-long time together, she had surreptitiously become my primary focus, whether through sword sparring, runeshape training, or casual discussions around the campfire.

I was disappointed how things had ended between us, with only a kiss to send us our separate ways. As suspected, that kiss had invaded my soul and trapped me.

Even before that, agreeing with the elders and forcing her to stay with us at the encampment, when her entire life awaited at Vikingrune Academy . . . it was a mistake I felt horrible about making.

The short time we spent listening to Lady Elayina, the Ancient One, and then speeding through the woods during our mad escape from the academy soldiers, had brought us closer together again.

Interesting how sacrifice and dealing with impending death together will end any petty squabbles and cut through the blare of noise.Fighting alongside Ravinica for our lives had put to rest any animosity felt between us.

Which was why it was so difficult being apart from her now, when she consumed my thoughts. We had just started to get back on the right track. I had sacrificed a relatively safe life inAlfheim to stick by her side and make sure she returned to her people safely. I’d abandoned my brethren in the process.

For her part, mylunis’aihad not wanted to let me go. She was the one who initiated the kiss, much to my excitement.

After everything we’d been through, both personally and together, I was beginning to wonder what the point was of staying in Midgard if I wasn’t by her side.

I sacrificed much to be here . . . and now she’s not with me. My kinfolk may never forgive me for what I’ve done—how I shoved Deitryce into that portal and forced her to leave. They likely think I’m dead. Who wouldn’t, after seeing the forces of twenty armed men bearing down on us?

Ravinica and I had been lucky to escape the Huscarls out of our camp. Even luckier to have her mates descend on us at the perfect time—when we’d had our backs against a wall and our only option was to fight to the death.

We had been ready to do just that. Die in each other’s arms, die honorable deaths that spoke of her Viking nature, rather than let the academy minions take us captive or get the satisfaction of killing us.

The conflict between humans and elves had always been tumultuous. Now, after the past month, I feared it would only escalate. Luckily, the humans couldn’t come toourland, which was a small mercy.

I sat on a stump in the woods, contemplating all this with a bowed head, eyeing the men and women who surrounded me in camp.

This ragtag band of strange rebels, the Lepers Who Leapt, had brought me to the southeastern edge of the Isle, far from Vikingrune Academy and civilization. I had learned over the past week it was one of their hideaways to avoid detection.

In front of me were three twining rivers that converged on each other, fed from three hilltop waterfalls these people calledthe Three Norns, in respect to the soothsayers of their people. The hills to my back were the Koldna Hills, with a valley of the same name where our camp was set up in the woods. Etched into the mouth of those hills was Hildesvini Cavern, where the leadership of this outfit arranged their clandestine meetings.

Though my people had names for most placenames on the Isle in our own language, these locations were unnamed to the Ljosalfar, so I went along with what my human captors called them.

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