Page 158 of Blood of Ancients

It was hard to fathom that your entire existence and everything you knew about someone was a lie. That was exactlyhow it was with Vikingrune’s relationship with the elves—and humans at large. We were only enemies with the elves because our school had instructed us to be. For generations, it was what we’d been taught.

Now the six of us—seven, if you included the newest secret member of our club, Kelvar the Whisperer—were going to fight against all odds to try and change our people’s way of thinking.

Grim shouldered Sven, the huge man making the muscled wolf shifter stumble. “You’re just going to miss the hot springs, Torfen.”

Everyone chuckled, and Sven was the last to let a smile split across his gorgeous face. He shot some side-eye toward the closed door leading into the springs. “Well, I can’t denythat, Kollbjorn.”

Kelvar muttered, “I don’t even want to know what deplorable things you’re reminiscing about. I was your age once too, and if it’s anything like my day . . . you’d best keep that shit from these old ears.”

Our laughter grew, and we held onto it for a few more seconds, cherishing our shared company, before we left our holiday home away from home.

Zentha waited for us outside, four gold-armored guards around her. Our group stiffened, hands inching toward the hilts of our weapons in the doorway.

Then she saluted us, and the guards bowed.

We relaxed.

Zentha’s face was pristine, yet I could see the divots and glassy sheen where she had been crying recently.

Lady Elayina’s death was a great loss to all of us, but none moreso than the Ljosalfar themselves. Unlike us humans, who couldn’t fathom the rhyme or reason for Elayina’s passing, Zentha did not wallow. She accepted it, because it was as common among her people as breathing.

Zentha told us on the way out, “It’s what every Ljosalfar strives for, you know. Managing to die peacefully in your bed, making the trek to the golden shore.” She bowed her head.

I knew where her thoughts were—undoubtedly thinking about the friends and loved ones she’d lost to battle, to the Dokkalfar, to anythingbuta peaceful death.

And I knew Zentha spoke true.Elayina really was one of the lucky ones, when you look at it that way.

I put a hand on her arm, trying to console her. “She got there safely, Zentha. I made sure of it.” When she looked over, my lips curled in a tiny smile.

“Aye, I know,maelen.” She flared her nostrils, fighting back another wave of tears.

Corym tried his hand at easing her pain by putting a hand on her shoulder and lightly squeezing. “It is all right to be filled with sorrow at her passing, regardless. Just because Elayina left us peacefully doesn’t make her passing any less sad.” He smild at her, like me. “It is okay to grieve, Zentha E’lain. You should not be ashamed of it.”

Zentha sighed and nodded. “Thank you, Prince.”

She brought us to the elevator that would bring us to the forest floor. Stopping as we got on, she struck her customary pose—hands clasped together, over the front of her blue handmaid’s dress.

“You have a resting place here in Heira, should you ever need it, Company of the Ancients. Thank you for returning ourAnvarito us.”

I smiled to her as the elevator wheel started to crank and squeal, bringing us down, down, past the lip of the ridge.

Good,I thought.Because I have a feeling we’re going to need all the help we can get.

This won’t be the last time we’re in Alfheim. And next time, we won’t have the protection of Lady Elayina’s presence to shield us.

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