Chapter 23 | Ravinica

Chapter 23

Ravinica

MAGNUS FELDRAUG HAD a mysterious aura. I was itching to know more about him. I'd seen the way he destroyed Ulf Torfen—my original bully—in a few seconds. That alone was reason enough to bring him into our training trio.

I had never been as interested in men as I was at Vikingrune Academy. Now, I had four who struck my fancy in different ways: Arne Gornhodr and his sly cleverness, Grim Kollbjorn and his stoic protectiveness, Magnus Feldraug and his dark mystery, and even Sven Torfen. At the very least, I wanted to know what made Sven tick and why he wanted to bring me down so badly. At this point, I was fairly certain embarrassing Ulf had nothing to do with it, or even my half-elven bloodline.

If I'm going to have a nemesis at this academy, I'll gladly take the challenge. I just hope I'm strong enough to take on Sven, because I know our animosity will come to a head eventually. I can't hide from him forever—not when I'll see him every day.

Perhaps these men intrigued me because they were so different than the ones I'd known in Selby Village. They were unique, and seemed to live by different creeds.

Arne was an opportunist and a friend-maker. He was the first one I met on the Gray Wraith , helping me without my asking. I trusted him for that alone, and wanted to get to know him a bit better. We had both been busy since stepping off that longship.

Grim was the opposite. A loner. Someone people didn't trust him because of his past history here. He had done nothing but save me from a beating so far. I wanted to trust him, yet I had to find out the truth about him first. Being my Combat & Strategy trainer would help in that respect.

Magnus Feldraug, well, I didn't know a damn thing about him.

As I walked away from Hersir Axel with Magnus and Randi, I asked, "What's the deal with the trench coat?"

He looked down at it. "Fashionable, isn't it?"

I frowned. "Yes. I'm sure that's it." Rolling my eyes, I added, "I'm sure it's not to cover up the army of tattoos I see poking out from your cuffs and swirling along your neck."

Magnus stiffened. He furrowed his thin brow at me, gaunt cheeks hollowing even more than usual.

Okay. Sore subject. Got it.

I bit my lip. "Sorry. Adrenaline is still running high. I didn't mean anything by it."

He said nothing as we made our way off the meadow to stand in front of Gharvold Hall.

"Why did you fight Ulf Torfen?" I asked.

"Because he challenged me."

"That's all?"

"You ask a lot of questions, silvermoon."

"I know. Here's another one: Why do you call me that?"

"Because ‘little fox' and ‘little sneak' and ‘little menace' should offend you. You're not little and weak. I saw you fight."

My face warmed at his compliment. He was right—the nicknames could be a bit derogatory if I thought about them too hard. They were also cutesy, which didn't describe me very well.

"I don't think littleness and size denotes weakness," Randi chirped from my other side. We both glanced at her, and she shrugged. "Case in point." She gestured at herself, sweeping her hands down her body.

I chuckled. "Good argument, Randi. I agree."

"Randi Ranttir," someone said from behind us. "I challenge you to spar."

It was Rolf, Arne's charge. He didn't seem like a bad guy, and respected Randi with a quick bow of his head.

"All right, big guy. Go easy on me, eh?" Randi's eyes flashed with mischief.

I had a feeling she didn't need Rolf going easy on her, and would use that to her advantage.

As they went to the table and chose weapons, I stayed alongside Magnus. We stared out, away from each other.

"Can I ask you how you got that last name?" I asked, finding a well of confidence somewhere inside me.

When he paused a beat, I worried I'd offended him. Then he said, "I was born with it."

I wasn't sure if he was being purposefully obtuse. "I don't mean the ‘son of Fell' part."

"I know what you meant."

"The undead part. You were . . . born dead?"

"It's a long story."

I glanced over at him. "I'd love to hear it."

"Not now, silvermoon."

His words settled over me like a soft cloud. Despite his paleness, his otherworldly appearance that set him apart from the others here, I felt like I knew him. There was a sense of familiarity around him, and it confused the hell out of me.

Maybe it was because we spoke easily to one another, which I hadn't thought would be the case after his mute tendencies in History & Tomes, and casual indifference to everything going on around him.

His eyes were hidden behind those round sunglasses, yet from a profile angle I could see a hint of gray or silver in his observant orbs. They looked stark and striking, similar to my golden-yellow eyes.

He showed no emotion and didn't smile or frown, even when he was jesting—which was what made him so effective. When he defeated Ulf, he didn't gloat. He just stood up and followed me to Hersir Axel, to reach Sven.

Randi and Rolf set up across from each other. They didn't fight on the grass of the glade, opting for the hard dirt in front of Gharvold Hall. All around us, other initiates were finishing their bouts.

Apropos of nothing, Magnus said, "Interesting that Astrid Dahlmyrr is called ‘silvermoor' when you're the bastard with silver hair."

I glanced over at him again. "Ain't that a bitch? I'm not in charge of the nicknaming committee."

Arne stepped up alongside me and Magnus, seemingly out of nowhere. He crossed his arms over his narrow chest and hummed. "I have five bucks on Randi."

I raised a brow. "Isn't Rolf your charge? From your same village?"

"Yeah. That's why I'm betting on Randi."

I snorted. "Well, I don't have any money. Getting on the Gray Wraith was a bit of a sudden thing for me. Didn't have time to pack my piggy bank."

"So I've heard. It was supposed to be your brother here, wasn't it, little fox?"

I nodded.

Randi and Rolf charged at each other. Their wooden weapons clacked and rang out with dull thuds. They moved fast, yet I noticed the hesitance in Rolf to lean into his strikes against the smaller girl.

That will be your downfall, big man.

As I watched the fight, discerning and picking apart Rolf and Randi's fighting tactics, Magnus looked across my body to Arne on my other side.

"Tonight, iceshaper?" he asked.

"This weekend." Arne flared his nostrils. "We're in mixed company, Magnus."

My head bobbed left to right. "You two keeping secrets from me?"

Neither of them said a thing.

"How do you two know each other, if you're an initiate, Magnus?"

"You don't need to know that," Magnus replied.

Frustration boiled inside me. Randi scored a hit on Rolf, but then got put on her ass by the big man getting vexed, looping her arm over his shoulder, and tossing her across the dirt.

Arne and I winced as Randi rolled on the ground and groaned.

"Ouch," Arne said, cringing. "Shame you didn't want to bet against me." He walked away with a smile, to congratulate his village-kin.

"You have history with Arne outside the academy?" I ventured, now that Magnus and I were alone.

Randi went to her knees, throwing down her wooden sword. "Dammit."

At least she wasn't hurt. Just a bit dirty from rolling around. Rolf had gone easy on her, until he'd been unable to control himself.

Magnus looked at me with that blank face. "Just because we're part of the same initiate trio doesn't mean we're friends, Ravinica."

It was an odd, disappointing thing for him to say. With my forehead creasing with wrinkles, I nodded. Rather than showing my disappointment, I hid it, straightening my shoulders. "Understood, Magnus."

"Maybe in time," he said. "I don't know you well enough to be flapping my lips—"

"I said I understand."

With a nod, he turned to walk away. I was still curious to know more about him, even if he was dismissive. He seemed dismissive of everyone. I'll make it a mission to penetrate that armor and get the answers I want.

Randi walked up, dusting herself off. She threw her arms out wide. "You see that shit? He threw me over his shoulder like a ragdoll!"

I smiled at her and draped an arm over her neck. "He's much bigger than you, Ran."

"Yeah, which is why I need you to teach me."

At that moment, Grim walked toward us. I nudged my chin at him. "Maybe he can teach you. We're peers, he's our tutor. Perhaps one big man can tell you how to bring down another big man."

Randi said, "I like that idea."

Grim stopped short of us, crossing his arms. He said nothing, standing there awkwardly. At least the hulking giant was nice to look at. After an uncomfortably long wait, he said to Randi, "You're quick but unfocused."

"Can you blame me?" Randi batted her lashes at him.

Grim frowned. "I meant in the fight."

"I know, mountain man. Train me?"

"That's my job. Evidently."

His eyes landed on me. A flush of warmth spread through my limbs at his scrutinizing gaze. I recalled that startling—but not unpleasant—moment when I stared at him last night in all his naked glory.

I staved off the heat and walked away from Randi with Grim. "We need to talk."

"Tonight during our walk?"

"Promise not to eat me?"

He lurched. Surprise dashed across his face, and I felt like a total asshole when I saw the blip of hurt in his amber eyes. The way they crinkled at the corners, wincing.

"Ah. You've heard the rumors."

"Rumors?" I said, a bit too loudly. When I noticed a couple students glance over at us, I leaned forward. "Yes, I heard what happened last year. They told me—"

"I don't eat people, little sneak."

His words made my heart beat faster. Crazy, that my fight with Astrid kept me calm and in control, yet merely talking with this massive brooding man brought out emotions inside me I hadn't felt before.

Maybe because I so badly want to trust him. I so badly want the rumors to be untrue.

I breathed deeply. "Fine. We'll talk more tonight."

He showed a rare hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "As you say," he grunted, and then stomped off with his measured, heavy gait.

Class ended after the sparring was complete. I knew I had a lot of training ahead of me with Magnus and Randi on my team. I was thankful class ended so I could gather my thoughts and nurse my aching chin and arm.

Astrid was merely an afterthought at this point.

I had spoken with Arne, Magnus, Grim—three of the men who intrigued me—and had come away with more questions than answers. In some ways, they all infuriated me.

Yet none of them infuriated me more than the fourth man who piqued my interest, who I stared at now across Tyr Meadow. The one man I hadn't gotten a chance to speak with after my bout.

Sven Torfen seemed to sense my glare, and he looked over his shoulder at me. His eyes narrowed, a look of wickedness falling over his gorgeous features.

I shuddered, knowing I'd made my first true enemy today . . . and was alarmed that I felt more excited than scared about it.