Page 37 of The Last Valkyrie

Chapter 13

Ravinica

“YOU GUYS DON’T REALLYthink Gothi Sigmund wants to join me in Selby Village so he cankillme, do you?”

We were huddled in the small den of my longhouse in the northeastern side of campus near Eir Wing. Ironically near Astrid Dahlmyrr’s ambushing, and where some other cadets lived.

It was wild to think how far I had come in such a short time. From initiate scrunched together in a tiny room with other women at Nottdeen Quarter, to a prisoner in Corym’s elf camp, to the squalid hovel beneath the academy, and now with my own longhouse.

I had proven myself. Even if the Hersirs hated me—at least some of them—they couldn’t deny me the fruits of my labor. It would have raised suspicion with the other students, after I’d gained their respect by excelling at my studies, beating the initiate tests, unveiling my magic, defeating Grim in single combat, and being one of few people who stepped through the portal to Alfheim while also coming back alive.

To shut down someone as successful as I was, in the students’ eyes, would have set a precedenttheycouldn’t ever succeed either. That their efforts would be in vain and useless. It could potentially foment resentment and rebellion.

At least that’s what I told myself, and what my mates also believed. In theory, it was the idea that Sigmund and the otherswere better off stuffing me away in a corner of Academy Hill by myself, where I couldn’t be a nuisance or a rabble-rouser.

Many of the Hersirs remained skittish following the traitorous note Arne had stuffed in the pamphlets during an assembly, which had told of the deceit and lies the academy had spread to gather all the initiates and students there.

So, yes, stuffing me away seemed to suit their needs, but it was only a short-term solution. Because what the Hersirs didn’t realize was they were doing my dirty work for me, bringing me closer to the student body.

Once I had the students on my side, even the faculty couldn’t stop us. There were too many of us. And if I got their support, I’d become anactualthreat.We can retake Vikingrune Academy in the name of the students.

We would finally be able to start fresh.

That was my line of thinking, and how I’d been discussing our next plans. Now, things were on hold. We needed to focus on survival before taking down the academy higher-ups.Unless we can bring the jotnar around somehow? Parley—no, it’s foolish. We already discussed that, and look what the damned giants did to us!

As much as I hated it, I needed Gothi Sigmund, Tomekeeper Dahlia, and the other Hersirs for the time being. At least until we saved the academy and were safe once more.

A horrible thought came to me, and I blinked rapidly from the bench where I sat against a wall. My head snapped up, and my mates around the den eyed me warily.

“Uh oh, she has that look,” Magnus said.

“What look?” I scoffed, wrinkling my nose.

Arne chuckled. “The look of a scheme. Cogs always moving in that head, eh, love?”

I stood. “I can’t help if I see deceit everywhere.”

“Well, you’re usually not wrong,” Sven grumbled.

“Hear me out,” I said, putting my palms forward as all five faced me. “What if Sigmund is trying to mitigate his chances of a rebellion by . . . trimming the students’ numbers?”

Their heads reeled.

“That’s treason you’re talking about, sneak,” Grim said.

“No.” I raised a finger. “It’sfightingtreason, in his mind. After Arne put their lies on blast with the little pamphlet note, things haven’t been the same since. It could be why the Gothi brought in a new crop of initiates, too. Moldable minds that haven’t had a chance to learn the truth yet.”

“Then why would he bring the new initiates to the battle with the jotnar?” Corym asked.

“I’m . . . still workshopping that. Maybe to give a false pretense, to hide his tracks? Remember, hedidput them in the third regiment—the rear guard. Least likely to get trampled on. That way he can say, ‘Oh, look, we’re all equal here.’ When in reality, it was the cadets that took the brunt of the damage.”

“It’s a stretch, lass,” Corym replied, giving me a crooked smile. “Though I don’t put it past Sigmund Calladan.”

Sven said, “It sounds like you’re grasping at straws in a cup that doesn’t exist, menace. Why would he do all that when he can just arrest the people he thinks are scheming against him? Have Steward Jorthyr lock them up, torture them, or use the Whisperer’s mindshaping for answers?”

“Hey, leave my pops out of this,” Magnus said wryly.

Sven smacked him in the shoulder.

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