Page 69 of Blood of Ancients

I loved when Ravinica called me that. I’d never expected the woman and her grisly men—Corym E’tar, an elf no less—to bring out the submissive side of me. I was starting to relish it, exploring this new kinky side of myself that had lain dormant for so long.

Well, not dormant. Not exactly out in the open, either. I was an equal-opportunity lover. My heart belonged to Ravinica; my body belonged to whomever she wanted it to belong to.

Before she’d been wounded by her brother, I had opened up more to her than ever before. She knew my story as much as I did—how I ended up here, first as a spy, then as a true defender of hers. How I had been born to the Lepers Who Leapt and provided the magicless rebels a chance at unification with Vikingrune Academy. If not unification, at least avoice.

For the longest time, through my teenage years and into my first term at Vikingrune, I had operated under the guise of a double agent. I had worked to provide safety and peace for the friends and family I knew as the Lepers.

Frida had been one of them. My younger sister, just as magicless as the rest of them. A young woman I felt sorry for, but could no longer afford to do. By betraying Ravinica—and me—my sister had broken my heart and trust. I wasn’t sure we could ever go back to the way things were before she got Corym captured and caught up in all the politicking of the academy.

It had never been the elf’s intention to be a chess piece on a gameboard. Yet here he was, behind lock and key, after he put two Huscarls in the hospital and rescued Ravinica in the same night.

The Ljosalfar man was a marvel. I felt sorry for him, and wished I could do something.Which is why I need to take my focus off Frida and the Lepers. I can’t protect them anymore.Gods above, if I was honest with myself, I hadn’t been able to protect them in over a year. Things had gotten out of my control, the more independence and influence Frida gained.

With that in mind, I tucked my old, fond childhood memories away and meandered over to Eir Wing Under.

Ravinica was sitting up in her gurney, looking fidgety and excited. As I walked in, she smiled at me and said, “Dagny gave me the go-ahead earlier today.”

It was the morning of her third day of bedrest.

I perked an eyebrow. “Go-ahead, little fox?”

As usual, Randi Ranttir sat across from her on a bench. She was napping, and when her eyes opened at the sound of my voice, she excused herself to give me and Ravinica some time alone.

“I’m getting out of this gods-forsaken bed tomorrow,” she said, lifting her chin proudly.

I nodded, pouting. Her brow furrowed, likely at my lack of exuberance from her good news.She’s been safe in here. Out there? Who fucking knows. The girl is a wild-card and notoriously impulsive. I just hope she learned from this last debacle with Damon.

Ravinica wasn’t in the business of underestimating her opponents. Doing so with Damon had cost her.

Sadness lingered on her brow. “Aren’t you happy for me, Arne?”

I gulped and nodded fiercely, coming to her side and going to a knee like I was about to propose. “Of course I am, Vini. Couldn’t be happier.”

“. . . Your face says otherwise.”

“Well.” I cleared my throat, taking her hand in mine, rubbing my fingers along her warm knuckles. “If you’re in here for one more day, that means I can still prove myself and help you.”

“Proveyourself, Arne? You’ve proven yourself plenty. You’re not my pawn, you know.”

“I’d like to be,” I quipped, smiling sadly at her. “Tell me what I can do. How can I help?”

She opened her mouth to say something, then threaded her brow and took my words in. Thinking them over, her mind worked on the canvas of her beautiful face. “Well, now that you mention it . . .”

Excitement rippled through me. “Anything for you, love. Just say the words.”

Her smile was roguish, reminding me of the devilish time we played with each other while wrapped in the warmth of her bed, all while I tried to tell the story of my past. That had been delicious, and I pined for another moment like that.

Alas, Randi wouldn’t be gonethatlong, and I didn’t want to mortify the poor girl once she came back, by finding me in Vini’s bed.

“You came to Vikingrune as a spy, yes?”

I nodded.

“How would you like to spy again? For me this time.”

I beamed. “Spy foryou? Sounds like a wonderful adventure.”

She took her hand away from mine, chuckling. “This new puppy-dog version of Arne is sort of weirding me out.”

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