Page 160 of Blood of Ancients

Magnus snorted next to me, “Well, not all of us.”

I shouldered the draug, and we made our way into the academy as the portcullis slowly opened.

I wondered if we would receive the same standoffish treatment as we had when we first arrived in Alokana, or if we’d be greeted like heroes, like Lady Elayina.

We weren’t treated like heroes. Big surprise. In fact, hardly anyone even noticed we had returned for the first few hours, because classes were in session, it was Friday, and the academy was still huddled underground.

Us students were given a whole day of bedrest and relaxation before we were ordered to debrief Gothi Sigmund personally. Kelvar hadn’t told the chieftain he was bringing us along, and I couldn’t wait to see the shock and dismay on Sigmund’s face when he saw us shoulder-to-shoulder with the Whisperer.

Whatever you do, Kelvar, don’t play your hand too hard.Youmay be changed from our adventure in Alfheim, but the Gothi won’t be. Everything is just as we left it, and we can’t overstep.

We needed to be cautious on our first days back, to get the lay of the land. As much as I thought our quarrels were “trivial,” the other side of those teams wouldn’t think so.

Damon would still be out to get me. The Torfens would be cautious around Sven, after he beat up the entire Lanfen pack. Eirik would be wary, too, from his called-off duel with Grim and Sven. Tomekeeper Dahlia undoubtedly still wanted Magnus dead, or his blood drained.

During our day off, I reconvened with Dagny and Randi and got all the tea about what had been happening in our absence. Itold my besties some brief teasers about Alfheim, and promised to tell them more once I had my wits about me and had rested up.

They made me pinky swear. Both of my studious friends were eager to learn more about our elven neighbors.

I wondered how many new tomes would be written about our trip there. We had new knowledge of the Ljosalfar that no one else had. Hel, we’d even discovered a new subsect of the elves—the Skogalfar wood elves—which had never been spoken or written about as their own race.

During our hangout session, the academy rocked with two earthquakes, back to back. Snow and dirt shook from the ceiling, and I glanced up and frowned.

“It’s been happening a lot lately,” Dagny told me.

“No one will tell us what’s going on out there,” Randi added.

I found it odd, because I’d never known the Isle to be on a fault line or tectonic plate boundary. Earthquakes had never been an issue the entire time I’d been a student.

I thought nothing of it, hugged my friends dearly, and departed to sleep for twelve hours straight in the tiny hay-cot of my cave dwelling.

Sighing as I reclined, I conked out almost immediately, thinking,Ahh, here we are. Back home.

It was a Sunday when we went to speak with Gothi Sigmund, all six of us tailing Kelvar the Whisperer as he stormed through Fort Woden Under.

When we got to the conference room where Sigmund Calladan greeted us, the surprise on his face was worth every bit the wait. He blinked at Hersir Kelvar slowly, and I could read the rage on his face like it was written in bold letters.

Betrayal.He thinks the Whisperer has turned coat. That he belongs to the elves and students now—not as his righthand spy master.

It was a delicious moment, the tension in the room palpable.

Then Sigmund cleared his throat and pulled a letter from his tunic. He flapped it in the air at . . . me.

I reeled, confused. “Gothi?”

“You received a letter from your mother while you were gone, Cadet Linmyrr.”

I gulped, stepping up to take the letter. Before opening it, I asked, “From my mother? Did you read it, sir?”

“No.”

The letter was blank on the outside folds.How does he know it’s from my mother if he hasn’t cracked it open? Lying ass.

“There’s another development we need to discuss before your report, because it is a timely matter.” Sigmund’s eyes moved to Kelvar’s, narrowing, a frown etched behind his long beard. “And we’ll need our best minds to come together to combat the threat.”

“The threat, sir?” I asked.

As if on cue, an earthquake boomed and shook the walls, making all of us stumble. Just like yesterday with Dagny and Randi.

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