Page 66 of Blood of Ancients

Ravinica

MY EYES GLAZED OVERas I read through the same paragraph in my Advanced History tome on “Races & Realms.”

I was sure the information about Dokkalfar elves was interesting, but I could hardly stay awake after powering through my books over the past three days, bedridden because of my wound. The words were starting to blend together like some magical runic script I didn’t understand.

My gut wound had turned into a nasty scar, even with the poison out of it.Thanks, Damon.I was lucky no important organs had been struck. Even luckier Corym had been able to rescue me with his quick thinking and skill-set.

The elf surprised me every day with what he could do. I worried what was happening to him now—on my behalf—and felt defenseless and useless.

Across from me, seated on a stone bench, sat Randi. She had her head bowed in a book, dressed in her black acolyte-in-training robes. She’d just returned from fieldwork at Mimir Tomes Under, training to become a librarian. Every minute she wasn’t in class, she was here, in my recovery room.

I loved her for it. But still . . . “Ran,” I said, “you don’t have to stay here, you know. I’m okay.”

“I know.”

Her head stayed down. She wrote in a notebook. The dark robe she wore was a bit unsettling and inappropriate, in my opinion, for someone so flamboyant and cheery. But I didn’t get to pick the school uni, and neither did she.

“No, seriously, bestie,” I went on, frowning. “You shouldn’t be in here, wasting time with me, every waking moment you’re not in class. You should be . . .” I waved my hand vaguely in the air. “. . . sowing your wild oats or whatever. Being with the people you love.”

Her head shot up, confusion threading her brow. “Iamwith the people I love.” She returned to her book.

“I . . .” A lump formed in my throat, cutting me off. My eyes were suddenly blurry, and I had to blink them a few times. “What about Ulf?”

“Meh,” she said, shrugging her bony shoulders. She started twirling her red-and-blue hair, yet stubbornly remained staring down at her textbook. “We’re having a rough patch.”

“What?” I closed my book on my lap, staring at her. “Spill the tea, sis.”

She grew shy. “There’s not much to—”

“Spill. The.Tea!”

“Okay, okay!” Her hands flew up, waving me off. “For one, I don’t like that my boyfriend helped putyourboyfriend in the hospital.”

Now it was my turn to look confused. “Sven? His brother? Since when do you care about my . . . boyfriends, Ran?”

Randi guffawed, like I’d spoken a travesty. “I think they’re . . . all right! A little obsessive about you, but that’s not a bad thing.”

I smirked, shaking my head. “You’re right about that. On both accounts.” I certainly didn’t see it as a bad thing, my mates being overly protective. It could be overbearing at times, but what girlwouldn’twant five studly men at their beck and call?Not fighting over each other for my attention? Equally in love with me, and making it work?

“Besides,” Randi went on, stealing me from my daydream about my guys, “Ulf is too preoccupied lately.”

My head tilted. “Preoccupied? With what?”

If there was another girl in the equation, I was going to castrate Ulf Torfen.No onecould hurt Randi Ranttir. Not on my watch.Talk about being fiercely protective,I thought, amused, but still pissed on Randi’s behalf.

She gestured absentmindedly in the air. “I dunno. World domination. Whatever it is Salos Torfen wants his kids to do. Bring down the system? Your guess is as good as mine.”

That was . . . interesting. Feeling I might be able to get more intel out of this little convo—of which I was starved while bedridden—I said, “Do you think Salos had Edda, Olaf, and Ulf beat Sven up because Sven wouldn’t go along with whatever he has planned?”

“Probably. Sven is the stubborn one.”

You got that damn right.

“The rest of them are . . . pliable?” I asked.

“Sure seems that way. According to Ulf, they’ve teamed up with the Lanfen pack, mortal enemies to the Torfens. And your brother, besides.”

My eyes bulged. “Mybrother? Which one?!”

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