Page 91 of Blood of Ancients

Kelvar stepped over to him, arms still crossed despite the warmth and stuffiness. “What are you trying to say, E’tar? If these are place-markers, we can use that to our advantage when we have to come back, no? Or are you saying we should be running for our lives at this very moment?”

Everyone grew tense at the Whisperer’s words.

“Trackers or hunters will be here soon, I’ve no doubt.” Corym stood. “The changing of the air, the scent we’ve added to this land, if anyone is drawn to it, or has Kiir’luri coursing through their veins, they will know we are here.”

My brow furrowed, and Corym continued, explaining to us like we were schoolchildren.

“It is no exaggeration that Ljosalfar comefrommagic. It is in every fiber of Alfheim. The same invisible motes and drifting pollen in this forest are in the bloodstream of my people. There are wood elves born to Kiir’luri, who not only call it home, but also apartof them. They can feel its movements, its living, its dying . . . and its changing. We will have disrupted the organic flow that moves between the spirits of elf and land.”

That made me nervous. I was starting to understand—on a human level, anyway—what he was saying. There was some sort of symbiosis between the flora and fauna here, basically. Not that elves were “fauna,” but that was the best way I could make sense of it.

“We’ll know soon enough, regardless,” Corym said, shrugging. “If Kiir’luri works against us, we will know our escape is folly.”

“You mean the elves cancontrolthe forest?” Grim asked, shocked and awed.

Corym waved his hand vaguely in the air near his shoulder. At the same time, the branch of the nearest tree behind him curled, then crept closer to him.

I stumbled a step back, gasping.

The elf smiled proudly. “As I said, team. Part of the forest.”

“But you weren’t born here, were you?” Arne asked, still trying to grasp Corym’s power in his homeland. “In this forest, I mean.”

Corym shook his head and began walking away. We shuffled to keep up, like kids on a field trip with their tutor.

“All Ljosalfar havesomepower over nature around them here. Mine is weak, because Kiir’luri is not my ordained spirit. Others—like those who might pursue us—will be much stronger.” With another smile over his shoulder, he said, “There is a reason the humans never wished to stage an insurrection on Alfheim soil, back in the days of Dannon and Talasin. They would be at a huge disadvantage here.”

I kept up with his thought process, tapping my chin. I had to peel out of my fur coat, because it was becoming blistering as we walked. Drooping it over my arm, I asked, “What about other races? Humans have no inherent specialty in Midgard. It seems . . . unfair that you have one here.”

Corym chuckled. “Discuss it with your gods,lunis’ai,and ask why they wish humans to suffer in their own realm. Alfheim is ancient. The Vanir deities who made our realm flourish were intent on filling it with magic, fertility, and wisdom. The Ljosalfar are but buds on the flowers the Vanir blossomed for us.

“But to answer your question . . . other species also suffer natural disadvantages here. It’s not just humans. Dokkalfar struggle in our realm, because the Vanir made it so. Just how Ljosalfar struggle in Svartalfheim, the home of the dark elves.”

“So it all evens out in the end.”

“Aye, love.” Corym led us through the thick jungle, with the greenish hue around me created a mirage-like sensation. Almost like we were walking through a cloud of poison . . . but very nice-smelling, invigorating poison that looked troubling but didn’t actually do anything bad to us.

Still, I felt that jittery pumping in my blood, and I wondered if the others felt it too. Looking around, it didn’t seem like it.Is it because of my half-elven origins? Because I carry a bit of Ljosalfar blood in me, does that give me power here?

It was fascinating to think about, but I didn’t want to overload Corym with too many questions right now. We still had a mission to accomplish.

Corym glanced over at Kelvar. “Do you see, Hersir, why the elves have always believed the Runesphere is best kept here? Why it is logical?”

Kelvar scowled. “Because it’s impossible to extricate from the damned place? Yes, I’m starting to see, elf, even if I don’t agree with it. I will admit it’s an efficient barrier to keeping humans’ greedy paws off the relic.”

He waved a gloved hand forward, pushing a branch out of his face—but the branch moved on its own before he could even touch it.

“However,” he said, making no mention of the strangely moving trees, “it is important to note that humansalsodiscovered the powerful stone. Lord Talasin did not discover it alone. It was King Dannon who was with him at the time.”

Corym grunted. “Aye. Everyone knows the tales.”

“So you can see, too, our side of things. It only seems right the humans should have some agency over where the Sphere resides.”

“If humans were not such an aggressive, war-obsessed people, perhaps they would,” Corym noted.

Kelvar scoffed. “Says the man whose realm has been locked in conflict with the Dokkalfar for hundreds of years.”

“Out of necessity, Hersir,” Corym said with a frown, a warning tone in his voice.

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