Page 125 of The Last Valkyrie

I took one glance at Grim as we ran for the frontmost gate. He nodded, shifting midstride, and then galloped ahead in his polar bear form.

With a great roar he put his full weight and momentum into the gates, barreling into them and never slowing his speed.

An explosion of screeching metal and flying stakes rumbled the ground. Grim shook his head and trotted into the courtyard of the castle.

Two acolytes streamed past us, their robes fluttering as hoods fell from their bald heads. Other than the pale looks on their faces like they’d just seen ghosts, neither said a word to us. They just kept fleeing.

I said, “Let’s see what’s inside.”

“If there are innocent people in there under attack, we have to help them,” Corym agreed.

The five of us charged into the castle. It felt bizarre being admitted in without anyone trying to stop us.

Inside was no different. The place was a ghost town. The ornate hallways were undisturbed and eerily quiet. It was like something out of a horror script, with blood splashed across one wall, yet no body in sight.

I gave a stern glance at my men. We crept onward, back-to-back, not willing to give any ground or make any sudden moves.

My heart thrummed wildly—not because I was scared, but because Ravinica was still out there, missing. And we were in here, doing gods-only-knew what.

“Hello?” Grim said aloud as we scuttled down a hallway and then a second one. A staircase lifted to the second story, spiraling up to our right.

A shadow split the corner of my eye and my head whipped left.

“I saw you!” I charged after the shape.

“Sven!” Magnus hissed, and the foursome tailed me.

We pushed into an octagonal study room—

Where a tall, lanky man stood in a black robe, back to us.

His shoulders sank as we emerged through the door.

My father turned around, Salos’ face cut in a deep groove that looked something like regret.

My knuckles whitened against my sword as I stepped forward. “Father. What the fuck is going on here? What did youdo?”

He was alone.

And we were in desperate need of atalk.

The sides of the room were fitted with doors hidden in shadows, about six of them. This was an anteroom, a transition space to lead people down one hallway or another.

“Go,” I told my mates. “Find out if there’s anyone alive in this place. I’ll deal with the Gothi.”

“Sven . . .” Grim eked out.

“Go, Bjorn! Corym was right. If there are innocent cadets in here, you need to help them. I won’t let dear ol’ Da out of my sight.”

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Magnus growled, and then tugged on Grim’s shoulder and spun around to go the way wehad come. Their footsteps pounded on the marble floor until they reached the gaudy red rugs and faded away.

I was left alone with my father. The man who had tried to get me killed because I was proving to be too independent for the Torfen pack to lead. He had put me in the hospital by tainting my siblings’ minds because I had aligned myself with Ravinica.

“What are you planning, Father? What were those screams we heard, and why are the gates unguarded? This is the most prized building in Vikingrune Academy. You’ve been stuffed away in here for days.”

“I know my ascension to Gothi caused a shock to you, son. I am sorry about that.”

“Bullshit. I don’t believe the words you said during the assembly. I don’t think you do, either. Allying with magicless humans? Youhatehumans.”

---