Chapter 15 | Ravinica

Chapter 15

Ravinica

NIGHT HAD FALLEN BY the time I left Mimir Tomes. Dagny went back to the dorm an hour before me, since tome-gathering for second-year students wasn't as intensive as it was for initiates.

After missing breakfast, my stomach growled fiercely as I exited. I was starving. Dagny had told me the mess hall near Nottdeen Quarter served dinner early, as an impetus to get students eating and asleep early.

Gauging my path to get back to the dormitory, I desperately didn't want to miss mealtime and risk going to sleep hungry. So, I made my first huge mistake since coming to Vikingrune Academy: deciding to go through the woods to get back to Nottdeen. It provided the shortest route there.

Eirik told me to avoid it at night, but I'm also his sister. He could be over-pampering me. How dangerous could it possibly be on the first night back at the academy after summer months, before classes have even started?

I carried a pack full of books on my back in a leather bag, squeezing the shoulder straps tighter as I made my decision.

Going from Mimir Tomes to Nottdeen was a diagonal slant through a few different roads that skirted the woods by staying on the peripheries of it. Forgoing the road for the trees would be a straight shot. It's not too far. I can do it.

With my decision made, I set out. When I reached the first line of dark trees, my pulse quickened. "Here goes nothing," I told myself, ducking under a draping willow branch.

It was dark and creepy in the woods, with only weak tendrils of moonlight pulsing through the canopies. The trees were tall. The wood was denser on the inside than it looked from the outside. The air was still and stuffy. I felt swaddled by pollen and warmth, meandering to avoid branches and brambles.

There was no path here in the eastern woods. The dirt got damp at certain points, almost swampy. I avoided those sections to keep my boots clean. Forest critters made little sounds, and my head whipped around in every direction. A raven cawed, flying overhead through canopies. An owl hooted, staring at me from a branch with its huge eyes.

About five minutes into my journey, with the shoulder straps so tight they constricted my chest, I started breathing easier. This isn't so bad, I told myself—

Just as a yipping sound short-circuited my brain.

My heart jumped to my throat. The sound came from behind. I swore it was accompanied by snickering.

Leaves and undergrowth rustled. I froze, gazing over my shoulder with big eyes. Trying to see if it was a trick of my mind to scare me.

I heard a low growl. That was certainly not a trick.

Without thinking, I burst off in a sprint, kicking up dirt as I ran.

More playful yips and howling joined the chorus, all around me now. Left, right, behind—I was being tailed.

With my heartbeat firmly lodged in my throat, I thought Fuck it, and released the pack from my shoulders because it was weighing me down. It dropped with a thud to the ground. I ran harder toward a lit area of moonlight ahead, hoping it was the exit to the other side.

I burst through the branches, an errant vine stabbing me with prickles along my arm. Hissing, I realized I was in a glade—a clearing. On the other side were more trees. I hadn't made it out of the woods yet.

My feet carried me forward—

As a large gray body came into view in front of me. Stark yellow eyes stared daggers into my soul, and I backpedaled.

The large wolf grinned, back arched, jaw prying open to reveal dripping teeth.

I instinctively grabbed at my shoulder for my spear, grasping air. On my way to orientation, I hadn't brought it with me this morning. Why would I? Eirik said I would be safe here.

He also said not to go through the gods-damn woods at night!

I felt like a complete idiot. The wolf paced in front of me, barring my path. With more rustling and shaking bushes, two other wolves appeared on either side, surrounding me in a semi-circle.

My head whipped left, right, center. I put my arms up, ready to defend myself—

And heard a whirring and growling behind me.

I spun just as a fourth wolf careened out of the bushes at a full gallop, straight toward me.

With a sharp inhale, I rolled left as it squeezed by and swiped with a jagged claw. Dirt kicked up into the air, joining a cloud of dust motes and pollen.

Red-hot pain lanced through my left calf as I finished my roll. Warm blood spilled down my leg. I landed awkwardly on my side, pushing myself up with a limp.

Three jagged claw marks ripped down my leg.

Fuck. These bastards are going to try to kill me.

My fighter's instinct came alive. Something snapped inside me, adrenaline coursing through my veins.

The nearest wolf launched at me, almost playfully, and I stepped back and surprised it with a kick to the teeth. It whined with a woof and skittered away.

Two others circled me, smelling blood on the wind, fear in my sweat. The wolf that had charged at me took the front and howled in a low timbre—low enough it wouldn't carry past the woods and alert Huscarls.

I yelled at it, baring my teeth in a snarl. "Fuck you!"

Its yellow eyes glittered. It was the largest, a sheen of black mingled on its gray fur. Clearly the ringleader.

So I charged.

The wolf dodged me easily, using powerful hind legs to pounce away—

As the two flanking wolves rammed me in opposite directions. They didn't bite, rather headbutting me, slamming into my ribs. As they crossed and moved to opposite sides of me, completing the circle of four wolves, I staggered to one knee, wincing in pain, grabbing at my side.

I was used to fighting humans. I had confidence in that arena, and could take down even the largest of men. But wolf shifters? At night, with hardly a smattering of moon to light my way? I was defeated before the battle even began.

It was hard to prepare for a battle you didn't know was coming. These animals ambushed me. For what cause? To play with their meal before they rip the flesh from my bones? Surely the academy wouldn't allow the shifters, no matter how esteemed or influential, to kill their students . . .

Right? The "best and the brightest?"

If this was a test, I was failing.

"What in Odin's name do you want with me?" I called out in a ragged voice to the circling pack, pushing up to my feet and crouching.

They seemed to smile at me, showing their teeth and predatory eyes. They let out little yips and barks.

Breathing heavily, I took the measure of my enemy. They moved too swiftly, gray and black blurs around the glade. I'd have even worse odds in the trees themselves, so I had to make my stand here.

My blood calmed, knowing there was no way out. I put myself into my fighter's stance. I have to focus on one at a time. Might take more strikes from the others, but that's the only way—

The forest rumbled in front of me, branches cracking and snapping, bushes trampled under something large.

My eyes widened as I glanced past the wolves separating me from the edge of the glade. I heard thudding feet, trembling the earth. Moving fast.

At the last moment, two of the wolves froze and glanced back over their shoulders, while the other two kept their eyes on me.

With a thunderous roar, a giant form catapulted out of the trees into the glade, lumbering on four stocky legs.

My mouth fell open as a huge white bear entered the glade, the jaws of its giant head opening on an ear-splitting bellow.

I staggered back a step.

The bear charged right for us. One of the wolves got out of its line, but the second could only look in horror as the bear bore down on it and swiped at its side with a massive paw.

The wolf went flying, crying out in a high-pitched mewl before rolling side-over-side into a tree trunk. With a whimper, it stood on shaky legs.

The two wolves circling streamed past me on either side, charging at the enemy bear.

The huge beast went on its hind legs and swiped at all three wolves. The incapacitated fourth one off to the side had jagged streaks across its hindquarters where it had gotten ragdolled through the air.

With the three other wolves keeping the bear occupied, I charged in, kicking and screaming. My hand latched onto a collar of coarse gray fur and I pulled back hard, tossing one of the wolves out of the fray.

I narrowly avoided a sweeping bear paw, as did the wolf it was aimed at. The bear kept bellowing, shaking the leaves around us. It easily stood over ten feet tall on its hind legs.

I put myself as close to the bear as possible without getting into its line of fire, noticing it was my only chance of getting out of this.

The wolves yipped at each other, in a much more demure way than before when they had me all to themselves.

As one, the three wolves disengaged the bear and streaked past me, spinning me in a circle with how fast they moved. When they got to their wounded comrade, they nosed the wolf along, and then the quartet scampered into the trees.

I watched the tree line for a moment, to make sure they weren't pulling a fast one and trying to encircle us another way. Their gray shapes got smaller in the distance, their yips and howls quieter.

I let out a heavy, ragged groan and nearly let my heart drop to my chest—

And then spun, realizing there was a gigantic fucking bear behind me still. I raised my arms as I backpedaled and turned.

Except there was no bear there anymore. Instead, a mountain of a man stood before me. The same man from the top of the stairs at Dorymir Hall, who had stood alone during Gothi Sigmund's speech.

He was naked, unabashedly, and my brain short-circuited in a different way as my eyes took in every veiny muscle stacked across his huge frame.

My eyes danced, doing a quick once-over, and my mouth fell open in shock. When my gaze trickled south for a flash, I noticed he was a massive man in every sense of the word.

Face burning, I quickly lifted my eyes and craned my neck to stare up at his handsome mug, with firm lips, a strong chin, and a short bearrd. He studied me like I was a morsel to devour. Heat thrummed through my body as the bear shifter gazed at me like I was his next meal.

He strode two steps and closed the gap between us. Had I been more alert, I would have stepped away from him, but I didn't move a muscle.

He was wordless, staring down at me.

"T-Thank you," I stammered. Pain gripped my left calf, and I could feel blood dripping down the wound. "You saved me."

His hand reached out. I reflexively lifted my arm to stop him. When his large fingers froze inches away, his palm upturned as if trying to tame a wild animal—like he wanted me to scent him or something.

Ashamedly, I did. I inhaled a scent of sharp pine, smoky earth, and power. Slowly, my muscles loosened.

He softly touched and tilted my chin. "Those curs wounded you like this?"

His voice was deep, rumbling to my core. His touch, though firm on my chin, was pleasantly gentle. I could tell this was a man of few words, by the effort it took him to speak what he had.

My eyes crinkled in confusion. I became lost in his eyes, which were dark amber flecked with gold and red.

Then I realized he had asked me a question. Gathering my wits, I shook my head, understanding him. My bruised face. My split lip. Still not healed from when those whelps threw rocks at me at Selby, and my stepfather hit me.

He was the first man to mention the wounds. Eirik, Arne, nor anyone else had taken notice. Or they simply hadn't cared.

Slowly, I shook my head. "No. It wasn't them."

"Then who?"

I blinked. "Pardon?"

"Who did this to you?"

I inhaled sharply, breathing hard through my nose. This man, this massive stranger, wanted a name. His face was so serious and severe, I was about to give it to him, too. I searched every speck of his stoic visage. "It's not important."

"Of course it is, little sneak."

I furrowed my brow, surprised at the apparent care he showed me. It would be easy to get lost in his rich voice, like smooth, dark wood against my skin. Like the quiet forest before dawn.

"Who . . . are you?" I asked.

The man was so close I could feel heat coming off his body. Not for nothing, I was painfully aware he was still nude, while I was completely clothed.

I squeezed my thighs together, fighting off a burn of lust that came out of nowhere. It took everything inside not to glance down between us.

"Grim Kollbjorn."

"Bjorn." Bear. Makes sense. It seemed an appropriate name. A name like that was powerful.

"I will walk you to your dorm." His words brooked no argument. It was a command more than anything.

I wasn't about to fight the man who had saved me from the wolves. I owed him my life, or at least my kindness. Blinking, I traced his face and burly chest with my eyes. "Like that? Out in the open?"

His full lips turned with a frown. A second later, he reached over my head . . . and plucked a wide leaf from a tall branch. Grim put the leaf down between his legs, moving my eyes there. "Better?"

It was laughable, because the leaf did nothing to hide the heavy slab hanging between his legs. Is he joking? Regardless, I let out a snort-laugh. It was an ugly sound.

When he didn't smile or break out in a smirk, I got the sense he was oblivious to what he was. How large he truly was by every measure. He's not joking. He's completely serious. A man like this? I don't know if he can joke.

I gulped. "I dropped my bag of books running here."

He grunted and tossed the leaf aside. "Let's go."

Then he turned, baring his ass to me. It was large, firm, just as muscled as the rest of him.

Gods save me.

I'd never had a man have this kind of effect on me. I'd known plenty of large guys in Selby Village—Viking descendants of strong stock. None of them had the aura Grim Kollbjorn had. He didn't carry himself with swagger or overconfidence. He simply . . . was .

It was a breath of fresh air to see an aloof, mammoth of a man who wasn't so wrapped up in himself.

I scurried up beside him, wishing to keep my eyes on the ground rather than his impressive body. I didn't want him thinking I was ogling him from behind, or that I wasn't grateful for his help.

"Who was that, Grim?"

"Torfen pack." He kept walking, long strides I struggled to keep pace with. "Woods aren't safe for little sneaks. Wolves sneak too."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "This is my own fault. My brother warned me about that. I thought I'd be clever and take a faster route to Nottdeen Quarter."

"Eirik Halldan."

I glanced over at him. "You know my brother?"

Grim shrugged. "A little."

Definitely a man of few words. Probably not going to get much about his relationship with Eirik, if they're even in the same year.

While Arne Gornhodr was content to carry on a conversation and smirk out the corner of his mouth after I said anything, Grim didn't seem interested in engaging with me at all. It made me feel a bit small and sad.

Furrowing my brow, realizing something, I said, "How did you know where to find me?"

"Didn't. I travel the woods. So do the Torfen kin."

We came to my backpack lying in the dirt, and I swooped down to pick it up. Grim put his hand out. I tilted my head in confusion. Oh. He's saying he'll . . . carry my bag for me?

Part of me resisted. I didn't want favors—never had. But it was such a small gesture. One of kindness. One I wasn't used to seeing. Chivalrous.

Slowly, without complaint, I handed Grim Kollbjorn my bag of books. He slung it over his bare shoulder and turned us back toward the glade.

As I hurried up alongside him, I asked, "Why do you think the Torfen pack hates me?"

He said nothing for a moment, his thick legs propelling him forward. I glanced over, noticed the huge thing swinging freely between his thighs, and blushed.

I stared back at the ground in front of me, smiling a bit in embarrassment, telling myself that would be the last time I "accidentally" glanced over at him.

"Torfen are cowardly. They hate themselves. Alone, you're an easy target to pick apart."

I looked up at his face, brow lifting. So much for keeping my eyes on my own homework. It was a well-thought-out answer. Another thing I'm not used to from Selby men. Usually, when I asked why someone was harassing me, I was told how it was my fault. That I'd done something wrong—typically something beyond my control.

Grim didn't go that route. He didn't blame or gaslight me.

"What should I do about them, you think?" I asked.

"Don't be alone."

Easier said than done, big guy. "Good advice."

He let out a low rumble, something like a hum. We passed the glade, where my blood still dotted the vegetation, then marched in companionable silence through the trees until I finally saw fresh moonlight in the distance. We were reaching the end of the woods, and one of the most alarming and eye-opening journeys—in more ways than one—of my life.

When we reached the final tree line before cobbles and a flat meadow, Grim stopped. He didn't step through the trees. He handed me my bag.

"Thank you, Grim," I said with a smile.

He nodded once in acknowledgment. With a return nod, I turned to leave my imposing rescuer.

"Little sneak."

I stopped, whipping my head around. "Yeah?" For some reason, something like hope bloomed in my chest.

The thick ridge of his brow wrinkled, like he was thinking hard about his words.

"Walk the woods tomorrow night, should you need an escort." He averted his gaze, as if embarrassed. "If you wish."

A genuine smile cut across my face. "Gladly, Grim. I would be happy to have you escort me again."