Chapter 14 | Ravinica

Chapter 14

Ravinica

OUTSIDE THE LARGE AUDITORIUM of Dorymir Hall, I found my brother chatting with a few of his accomplices, including the girl I'd seen standing behind him.

The three people speaking with Eirik disengaged and left once they saw me walking up behind him. I furrowed my brow as the trio exited, putting my hands on my hips. Other students moseyed around us, heading toward Mimir Tomes, east from Dorymir.

"I take it they don't like me," I said, watching the backs of Eirik's friends get smaller.

"They don't know you," my brother replied, facing me. "There's a difference."

"Could have fooled me." I smirked at him, bobbing my eyebrows. "Who's the girl? She seemed close to you in Dorymir, brother."

His brow lifted and he matched my smirk. "Have you been spying on me, little sister?"

I threw my arms up. "I don't know anyone here! What can you expect?"

With a snort, Eirik grabbed my arm and tugged me along toward Mimir Tomes. He seemed to like doing that, and I didn't appreciate it too much, treating me like I was a dog on a leash.

Alas, I gave in and let him lead me.

"Come on," he said. "I'm busy today, have to meet up with the gang in a bit. I'll give you a crash course on the way so you don't feel so lost around here. Deal?"

I nodded fervently. "Please."

He pointed south and east, toward where the sun was currently sitting. "I'm sure you've noticed how the academy is split into sections. Each one has a specialty of sorts. Generally, north of the academy center are classroom buildings: Dorymir Hall, Mimir Tomes, Eir Wing—"

"What's Eir Wing?"

"The healing residencies. A hospital, bunks, that sort of thing. It's a bit southeast of the Tomes, near the Twine Rivers. That means ‘two.'"

I punched him in the shoulder. "Ass."

"Close to Fort Woden, northwest, is Gharvold Hall, where you'll be training for combat. It's the garrison. South of Eir Wing is Vala Chamber, where you will learn runeshaping."

My eyes lit up. "Really?"

"It's near Nottdeen Quarter, which you're acquainted with. Southwest is Nottdan Quarter, the men's lodgings. You only have to dwell in campus dorms for the first two terms here, though many people stay longer out of convenience."

"I feel like I should be writing this down."

"No point. You'll memorize it soon enough, once classes start tomorrow. Or you won't, and you'll die."

My eyes bulged.

"Just kidding. You'll struggle, though. Ease up, sister."

"You're one to talk, two-face."

Eirik's features twisted with a grimace. "What?"

"Never mind." I waved him on as we kept walking. "Continue."

"If I haven't been completely cordial, Ravinica, it's because I'm stressed. There are expectations for me to keep being a second-year Drengr. I don't take my duties lightly. You being here only exacerbates my problems."

I let out a small hiss. "All hells, E, what did I do?"

"Existed." He stopped for a moment, putting his hand on my arm again. "You're my baby sister, Vini. It doesn't matter how strong or capable you've become. I'll always think of you that way."

"Aw," I said. "Is my big brother worried for me?"

He rolled his eyes and continued walking, shaking his head. "You're incorrigible. And annoying. Anyway, separating the four sectors, as you've likely noticed, are thick woods in every direction. They're thickest near the center of campus, and trickle off near Tyr Meadow to the north and the two sleeping quarters to the south. Don't get lost in the woods at night."

I reeled again. He had a knack for throwing surprises at me. My head was starting to hurt from the influx of information. It truly was a crash course.

Before I could answer, he saw the look of surprise on my face. "The woods are the least-watched place. Not many Huscarls—academy guards—frequent the trees. Parties are thrown there after tests and for celebrations, but also shifter rituals. It's stomping grounds for the wolf shifters on campus, specifically."

I quirked a brow. "No one regulates that?"

"You'll come to find out the shifters have a lot of influence here. Has to do with family names, political ties, donors. The worst thing you can do, Vini, is disrupt the flow of hierarchy here. Keep your head down, okay?"

I nodded firmly. "Got it."

"For instance, I have a thin alliance—let's call it acquaintanceship—with many of the shifters here. I cultivated my connections through my first year. I'd recommend you try to do the same."

I definitely should have been writing this down.

I made a point to create a mental checklist of all the important families here, so I wouldn't get caught with my pants down by any of them. Also so I knew who I could piss off without repercussions, and who might give me problems later on.

We had walked along a cobblestone road for over ten minutes, passing longhouses and some trees to the right. Just over a small landbridge ahead, which traversed a babbling creek, stood a structure that looked like it belonged on the Greek islands rather than the magical Isle. Roman pillars kept the stark-white, multi-storied library upright. A long staircase led up to its doors. Height-wise, it seemed to be the tallest building in the academy, though I couldn't be sure yet. It reminded me of the Parthenon—or at least what I'd read of it in history books.

"Mimir Tomes," I said, pointing ahead.

"Astute, Vini." Eirik stopped. Other students passed us. My brother looked around. "I've got to get going. You have it covered from here?"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Yeah, I guess I'll have to."

I wished I had someone to accompany me, because I still didn't trust the people around me. Then again, Swordbaron Korvan had always told me the best learning was taught through action. I'd have to throw my feet into the fire at some point, and now seemed as good a time as any.

Trust would be a hard-fought thing to win around here, for a bog-blood. That girl from the dormitory, the cat shifter? She seemed all right. Even though we spoke all of two sentences to each other. At least she didn't deride me for my half-pointy ears.

The same couldn't be said about that group I'd seen in the big hall. I recalled the giant man standing near the door, alone, and the pale one in the trench coat, because they both stood out as oddities. Then there was the handsome one who stared at me when I sat down, with Ulf Torfen and some others right next to him.

I didn't trust that bunch one bit. It looked like they had wanted to take a bite out of me in Dorymir Hall, perhaps for some perceived slight I'd given Ulf.

I needed to make sure to keep my head on a swivel.

And where the hell is Arne Gornhodr? He seems to pop up out of nowhere whenever he pleases. I guessed he couldn't be counted on either. I needed to make friends "my own age," so to speak—fellow initiates. The second-years had their own things going on.

"Wipe that startled look off your face, Vini," Eirik said, snapping me back to reality. "It'll get you hurt around here."

I blinked and sighed. "Gods. I'm starting to think coming here was a mistake."

"Bullshit. You fought to get here. You just might have to fight to stay, too."

With those parting words, he gave me one more small smile before venturing off south. I stood there and watched him go, standing on the road as other initiates shuffled around me, heading for the Tomes.

I faced the out-of-place structure, smiling at the tall columns and the gable with a rune slashed across its front to denote it as a place of learning.

Eirik was right: I had fought to get here.

Luckily, I'm good at fighting.

I marched toward the library, squaring my shoulders so I wouldn't appear meek and lost anymore. That Ravinica needed to die a quick death if I was going to make it here.

Just like the bastards who besmirched my name and bloodline will meet a quick end once I figure out who the hell they are.

I did not expect scheduling and tome-gathering to be an all-afternoon affair. There were dozens of other initiates picking up their schedules and books at the same time as me. I felt there could have been a more efficient system than the one that greeted me at Mimir Tomes.

Inside the Romanesque building was a marvel. Rows and rows of bookshelves were pushed against the walls everywhere I looked. Stairs rounded the sides, up to the second and third levels. From the center of the place, which was adorned with soft red carpets to reduce the sound of footsteps, I could peer up and see the bookshelves in the sky on the other levels, ringing the whole structure.

The place was bustling. I spent more time standing in line that afternoon than I'd ever spent doing anything. Interacting with initiates were black-robed, hooded students I learned were called acolytes. They were essentially the librarian's assistants.

I managed to find the cat shifter girl, Dagny, through a crowd. Her black-and-white parted hair was a dead giveaway, and when I asked if she could help show me around, she obliged me.

The girl was strange, talking in a low voice as if people were watching her. Either she was extremely observant and introverted, or extremely paranoid.

Either way, I liked her. She was the first person to see me as a fellow student rather than a rival, enemy, or worthless half-breed.

Dagny pushed her glasses up her thin nose as she walked me from one room to another. She was the one who told me about the acolytes, who looked more like priests in a secretive cult than helpful scholars.

When we got to the next room, filled with books, tables, and confused initiates, Dagny gasped and abruptly turned around from a middle-aged woman with gray birds-nest hair and a rotund frame coming our way.

The sea of students parted for the woman, who carried herself like a warlord, side-eyeing everyone she passed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, turning around with Dagny to face a bookshelf so she wasn't the only sketchy one.

"That's Tomekepeer Dahlia."

"Oh. Shit." I didn't know what the hell that meant.

Dagny saw the expression on my face and expanded. "The librarian. Most knowledgeable person at the academy, probably. And scariest because of it."

"Is that why you're frightened of her and turning around to inspect these interesting books on . . . rare insects from the nineteenth century?" I pushed the book in front of us back into the shelf.

Dagny winced. "No. I may or may not have a late return on one of my tomes from last year. The Tomekeeper could take my RA position at Nottdeen Quarter if she feels like it."

I felt a presence behind us, a looming shadow. Natural light came in through the slats of the columns outside through high windows. There were also unlit chandeliers and lampposts that could have been responsible for the shadow—

"Dagny Largul," said a booming voice, directly behind us. I swore Dagny shriveled and let out a whimper. "You think you can hide yourself with hair like that? You look like a damn crossword puzzle."

"Shit," Dagny muttered, slowly turning with a face full of shame, her chin bowed. "Hello, Tomekeeper Dahlia. Fancy seeing you here."

Fancy seeing the librarian . . . in the library? Dagny needed some work on her words under pressure.

Dahlia narrowed her gaze at me. I certainly felt what Dagny did—the woman's aura made me feel smaller in my own skin. "I see you have a friend with interesting hair, too. Quite the couple you make."

I bowed from the waist. "Hello, Tomekeeper. I am Ravinica Linmyrr. Initiate from Selby Village."

She harrumphed and nodded. "At least you're not ashamed of your name. Carry on, Ravinica."

I am ashamed at that version of my surname. I'm also tired of being chastised like a toddler anytime I use "Lindeen."

My trepidation mellowed out after her apparent acceptance of me. I smiled, saying nothing.

The heat turned back to Dagny. Jabbing a finger toward the rug, the Tomekeeper said, "I expect the anthology of Snorri's poems on my desk before classes start tomorrow morning. Understand me, young lady?"

Dagny nodded diligently, wringing her wrists in front of her belly. "Yes, ma'am. It will be done."

With another quick dose of side-eye at my new acquaintance, the librarian wandered down the hall to terrorize some other students causing a ruckus.

Clearly, Mimir Tomes was a dominion completely controlled by Tomekeeper Dahlia.

"What's that all about?" I asked Dagny once we were alone. "A book of poetry has you in trouble?"

"I'm creative. What's wrong with that? It helped me with my runeshaping."

My stomach tightened as adrenaline filled my veins. Runeshaping. Maybe Dagny can help me learn it. I tried not to act surprised, because so far no one but Eirik and Arne knew I couldn't Shape. "Oh. So what's the problem? Why did you hold onto it?"

"Welllll," Dagny drawled, glancing ashamedly to the book of insects on the bookshelf in front of us. "I may or may not have misplaced it."

I leaned into her, eyes widening. "You lost a book belonging to Mimir Tomes?"

"No! I misplaced it! There's a difference, dammit." She took my hand and pulled me along. "Come on. You're not helping."

"There's a difference." Same thing Eirik said to me about people not liking me versus people not knowing me. I think these two could learn to be a bit more honest with themselves.

I snickered as Dagny dragged me down into another room, to pick up my next textbook and schedule for tomorrow. This bespectacled RA seemed as chaotic on the outside as I felt on the inside.

I can work with that.

Maybe I've made my first new friend here, after all.