Page 60 of The Last Valkyrie

“Dark elves? Then the Lepers are more foolish than I ever thought. Just what in Hel has happened here, brother?”

My voice cracked at the end, and he took a moment to settle down and step away from me. Dieter’s shoulders slumped. I recognized the tiredness deep in his face, like he’d seen things I couldn’t imagine.

I had also seen things he couldn’t imagine. The image of that draug ripping through a cadet’s throat, while the Leper he’d been fighting ran into the fog like a coward, played in my mind over and over again. I had been dreaming of it, nightmares keeping me from sleep. Only Ravinica’s warmth and the warmth of my mates had given me any peace since that awful night.

Dieter’s chest heaved with a sigh, frosty air clouding his face as he breathed out. “Frida was made a martyr in death.”

I clenched my jaw. “As I suspected. Are the Lepers aware the Dokkalfar killed Frida?”

His eyebrows jumped. “Is that true?”

“I was there, Dieter. I would not lie to you.” My face was deadly serious. Tears bit at my eyes.

He deflated. “No, they are not aware. The Dokkalfar have painted it as death from the hands of Vikingrune Academy. They’ve been by here, rallying and coaxing the group.”

I called back his words. “Truly is same as it ever was, then.” Shaking my head, pacing back a step, I heard voices far off but getting closer—undoubtedly scouts looking for Dieter.

“Seems your time here is coming to a close, Arne.” He glanced over his shoulder.

I nodded quickly. “What can we do, Dieter? Please tell me you havesomepull with the Lepers Who Leapt. The Dokkalfar will not get you the Runesphere your people seek. They will only lead us to more death, destruction, and sorrow.”

The voices were getting louder, starting to echo through the jungle as people called out Dieter’s name.

“What can be done?” he asked hurriedly. “They’re too strong for us to fight them. Especially with more than half the group believing in their cause.”

“Doyoubelieve in their cause? Tell me truthfully.”

“No,” he said with a resigned sigh. “I didn’t trust them even when Frida was alive. Now I certainly don’t.”

I clapped him on the shoulder. “Then that’s what I need to hear. Thank you, brother. Do your work, as you’ve always done. Show nothing. When the time comes . . . be ready.”

I turned to move away. Shadows were showing on the forest floor from the faint moonlight nearby.

“Ready for what, Arne?”

“For the call-to-arms. To join your human brethren and wipe this scourge off the Isle before it can grow and infect everyone we know and love.”

I dipped into the nearest line of bushes before I could be seen, and before I heard Dieter’s response.

Chapter 20

Sven

I HATED WHAT I HADto do. My father had become my enemy. Giving a directive for Edda, Ulf, and Olaf—gods rest his soul—to “put me in my place” was proof of that. Wrangling up the enemy Lanfen pack to corral me into a trap was icing on the cake.

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