Page 61 of The Last Valkyrie

Still, I knew it needed to be done. I had to swallow my pride for my little menace, who seemed to be getting more and more menacing as the months passed.

Part of me—the weak, doubtful side—wished I’d never met Ravinica Lindeen. She had complicated my entire life and worldview. The other part of me—the much louder, stronger part—wondered how I had ever lived without her.

I had purpose thanks to her. Love and camaraderie. A singular focus to dorightfor once, rather than whatever it was my cunning father bid me to do.

Thanks to Ravinica, I had become my own man. Now I needed Salos to see it, so we could put water under the bridge and move forward, before we had no more Isle to speak of.

I needed to show strength rather than servitude and weakness. It was my apparent “weakness” for falling for Ravinica that had caused this drastic schism between us.

No longer did I wish to kill Da, because I knew we needed him and his money and allies. He was a legacy graduate of the academy from around the time Gothi Sigmund was a studenthimself. He was the patriarch of our pack and commanded the respect of other pack leaders.

Salos couldn’t be my enemy, because the one we faced now was an existential threat toallof us—not just a threat to my own misguided sense of leadership and livelihood.

He was sailing here on theRed Wraith, one of the many colorful longships that dotted the southern shoreline of the Isle. It was the same ship I had taken to get here my initiate year, following in the footsteps of Olaf a year before me and Edda a year before him.

As I pulled on my gear to travel the morning after the burial ceremony, I watched Arne leave the academy through a building in the southern section of campus that led to the underground tunnels.

I noticed how he walked with purpose, a scowl on his pretty, fae face. A green cloak billowed in the wind behind him, his hair done in a long ponytail, and he marched with squared shoulders and pride in his chest.

Seems the lot of us are growing up,I thought vaguely, finding myself smiling at the man.Not looking like much of a dandy now, are you, iceshaper?

An hour later, midmorning, I was ready for my own trek. I went to Grim Kollbjorn’s longhouse quarters on the western side of campus near Gharvold Hall.

Knocking on the door of his small dwelling, I said, “Let’s go, bear. No time to lollygag.”

The door opened and I stepped back, eyebrows rising.

Edda stood in the way, arms crossed over her large chest. “Brother.”

“Edda. What are you doing here?”

She cocked her head. “After all the sweet things we said to you during the battle, you still thought it wise not to tell us you were planning on meeting with Da?”

Guilt filled me and I rubbed the back of my neck. “I . . . didn’t think about it, honestly.”

Her lips pursed on her flat face. “If we’re going to mend broken bridges, Sven, you have to trust us with your plans.”

“We?”

Ulf stepped up beside her, my larger, dumber, younger brother smiling from ear to ear. “Family reunion, brother.” His smile faded a bit. “Well . . . what’s left of our family.”

My jaw clenched at mention of Olaf, but I stuffed aside my pain and snorted. “Gods, Edda, you brought the cub with you?”

“Of course. He’s family.”

“It was my idea, wolf. You want to rage at someone, rage at me.” The new voice came from Grim, standing a head taller than my brother and sister behind them. He wore a huge black cloak, battle leathers, and his war-axe across his back. All three of them looked imposing with their choice of garb, and they were all taller than me.

It was unnerving. I scowled at Grim. “Tell me next time you plan a farce like this, Bjorn.”

Ulf said, “We won’t hold you back or jump you this time.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, cub.”

The four of us left the dwelling and headed south toward the gate.

I scanned the campus grounds as we walked, asking Grim if she’d seen Ravinica this morning.

“Last I saw she was with Arne, seeing him off.”

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