Page 35 of Blood of Ancients

Alas, I couldn’t complain. I was free here—as Jorthyr had painstakingly pointed out—had a woman I loved, and actually had people I calledfriendsfor the first time in my life.

It could be much worse. If Ingvus had his say, it would be.

Making enemies is never fun,I thought, before sensing the Hersir was finished with me.

With a nod and not a word, I left the room. Ravinica stood a few feet from the door, back against the stone wall, trying to play innocent.

I smirked, drinking her in from toe to crown. My little sneak was stunning, even when she was trying to act like nothing was amiss, whistling to herself.

Those long legs I could get lost in. Thighs that had only grown stronger and thicker as we hibernated for warmth and ate our weight during winter. A sturdy waist I needed to wrap my hands around, leading up to her heavy chest and muscled arms.

And that face. Fuck, that face. Pristine as the driven snow, yet slightly darker than most pale-folk from the fringes of her home in Iceland. Radiant platinum hair that glittered silver and black in the sunlight—gods, I missed seeing that mane in the sun. Ears that were adorable for their uniqueness, slightly tapered at the ends. Eyes that spoke to my soul, tinged gold and yellow like summer prairies. Lips that were full, delicious, pink, just waiting to be devoured.

I cleared my throat, blinking away the daydream of her, and started walking down the hall.

She followed, quickly shuffling alongside me. “Sooo,” she began, voice coy and drawling. “What did he want?”

I sniffed, staring straight ahead into the dark hall. My stomach growled, though whether it was from needing food or my desire for Ravinica, I didn’t know. “Nothing much,” I said, shrugging. “Wanted to wish me good luck this term.”

I hid my smile, forcing her to stare around my large body at my face. Out the corner of my eye, I noticed her shocked expression—eyes wide, lips slightly apart—ready to explode.

She knew I was lying to her. And I knew that she knew. But it was fun playing games with my little sneak, because she was adorable when she got flustered like this.

To her credit, she managed to stay silent. Which was how I knew she’d heard our argument and was just trying to see how much I would spill. Because Ravinica was not aquietsoul, like I was. She loved to talk, and I loved to listen.

She was champing at the bit to give her opinions, doing an admirable job of keeping it tamped down until I said something.

We walked in silence for a few minutes, toward the nearest mess hall in the southern region of campus, equidistant between Nottdan and Nottdeen.

Finally, I said, “How much did you hear, little sneak?”

“Everything!” she cried out immediately, unashamed I’d caught her eavesdropping. She threw her hands up, wrist bumping the spear sticking diagonally up from her shoulder at her back, and cursed. “What in all Hel, Grim? Who does he think he is?!”

“A Hersir, love. The Warden of Vikingrune Academy. His britches are, admittedly, massive.”

She scoffed at my side. “He’s not afraid to show it, either. Bastard.” The floodgates dropped, now that I’d given her an opening. “You know? I thought we were on good terms with Ingvus. I really did. Now I’m never going to smile at that haughty asshat for all my days.”

“I’m sure he’ll miss your smile, love.”

“He will when he’s getting the cold shoulder!”

“I don’t want you sacrificing your peace for the sake of some surly Viking.Youare on good terms with him.”

“Which one is the surly Viking again—you or him?”

I glanced at her, my smirk widening. “Fuck off, sneak.”

She chuckled, looping her arm in mine and squeezing my hand as we walked through the hall like we were approaching a castle ballroom.

She rested her head on my shoulder as we walked. “I just don’t want you to be hated, Grim. Especially when you’veworked so hard to make amends and strive to be the best bear you can be.”

“It will never be enough for some people, love. It’s a situation I’m familiar with, and I’ve grown accustomed to it. I don’t take it personally.”

She seemed shocked I was taking this in stride when, in her mind, this was another mortal nemesis we had to add to the list.

I didn’t view Hersir Jorthyr in that light. In his eyes, I was a villain who had gotten away with doing terrible things. Truth was, Ihadgotten away with doing terrible things. But that didn’t make me a villain.

I couldn’t prove it to Ingvus, and I wouldn’t waste my labor trying. I could accept his loathing—even if Ravinica couldn’t.

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