Page 112 of Blood of Ancients

Sven had his original gear on, because turning into a wolf didn’t destroy his garb like it did for Grim, since he was smaller as a wolf. His eyes were half-lidded as we marched, darting into the dark trees and trying to stay alert.

Arne remained dazed, staring ahead. His cheeks looked gaunter than usual. Kelvar was near him, at the back, inspecting our trail and wiping away our bootprints with quickly drawn runes, using his stealthy tactics to our advantage.

Corym hustled, breathing hard through his elegant nose, and led our group. I was closest to him. With his long strides, it was hard to keep up. That dark elf woman had gotten a good shot at my jaw with her roundhouse kick, and it was sore. Some of my teeth felt like they were loose, which wasn’t great.

Worst of all, our adrenaline was wearing off. We had killed nearly half the dark elves with our ambush, and with the help of Lady Elayina. I wasn’t sure if we could withstand another attack.

We drove forward through the thawing snow, putting one foot in front of the other. Trying to save Elayina from expiring in this cold, heartless realm she had been trapped in for eons, but had never called home.

Chapter 31

Ravinica

“THEY’RE CLOSE,” SVENmumbled.

Fuck.

My heart jumped to my throat.

The elven encampment was just ahead, over the next hill. In less than a footfall field, we would be there.

“You’re right, cadet,” Hersir Kelvar said, as if we needed his input to believe the expert senses of my wolf shifter. “They’ve followed us.”

“What is it they want with Elayina?” I asked Corym, closing my hands into fists.

He shook his head. “I don’t plan on sticking around to find out. Not much further.”

He took off running up the hill. The rest of us followed, grinding and powering through our tiredness to reach the summit. My thighs ached something fierce, my head was pounding. We reached the top—

The wind snapped as an arrow whistled in front of us and thudded into the ground two feet in front of Corym’s charge.

I hissed. Tossing a look over my shoulder, down the hill, my worst nightmare was realized.

All seven of the remaining dark elves, plus Frida, emerged from the trees and fanned out, hurrying after us.

“Fuck!” I yelled.

“Gah!” Grim roared, and I noticed his arms and legs bulk up and flex with popping veins. The man wasthis closeto losing it and vanishing into his berserk state.

Maybe that’s what we need right now! A last push to see us through to the end!

We ran like Hel, like Elayina’s life depended on it. In our two-hour travel, she had already started to look worse. Her old face had gotten an ashen gray texture, like she was withering away—a plant starved out of oxygen and nutrients, dying from the harsh elements.

At the top of the steep incline, we didn’t bother looking behind us. We kept pushing toward the cabins now coming into view. The bloodstained snow and grass, with so many bodies left behind wherever we went.

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