Ali’s silver eyes flashed bright. Her silver hair whirled around her head in the icy winds. “You were the one who had me sent to prison? You wrote that stupid letter?”
Revna pointed to her face. “Do you think I regret it, after what you’ve done to me? You’ve been exiled now, haven’t you? You are no longer under the Night Elves’ protection, and your kind doesn’t get a trial. Time’s up, Astrid.”
Every one of my muscles was now tightly coiled as I got ready to defend Ali.
King Gorm fixed his eyes on me. “Galin, now you must truly prove your fealty. It is time for you to kill the Night Elf. Fail, and you will be thrown into the well.”
I stood there, staring at him as it became completely obvious to everyone in the amphitheater that I’d been lying about my complete loyalty. And it also became clear to me that I was about to plummet into the well if I didn’t come up with something fast.
“I order you to kill her!” the king shouted. “You promised loyalty to me, correct?”
“I will not,” I murmured.
Revna’s eyes flashed in the moonlight. “She has enchanted him. But don’t kill him, Father, please. I want him in a prison. I want him in chains.”
King Gorm looked to the crowd. “Our subjects came here for an execution.”
“No!” Revna screamed. “We can keep him locked up. An iron cuff around his throat, locked to the wall.”
A heavy silence fell over the amphitheater, and my fingers twitched where my sword should be. With my finger still healing, I wasn’t sure I could fight even if I’d had a sword.
King Gorm raised a hand. “Kill the Night Elf first. I have not yet decided what to do with the prince, but I may feed him to my troll. Porgor has been so hungry of late.”
The king flicked his fingers. Instantly a soldier fired a hex. I dove in front of Ali, and the spell slammed into my legs. There was no slowing my momentum. I tipped over into the Well of Wyrd.
Chapter 37
Ali
I felt like someone had just carved my heart out. I pushed away from the soldier who’d been holding me and ran to the edge of the well, watching Galin disappear into the darkness. Silent horror chilled my soul. Frozen by a stunning spell, I knew without a doubt there was no way he could have survived the fall.
The Night Elves had lost the Winnowing. The High Elves would remain in power and my people would be exterminated.
And now, I’d lost Galin, too. I felt like my heart was shattering into pieces.
Back when I was imprisoned in the Audr Mines, I’d spent every waking moment dreaming of his death. I was sure that was my fate—I would end his life, bring down the wall. It would be the answer to everything.
But I’d just watched him fall to his death. I felt numb. I no longer thought his death would free my people, that it was the answer to anything. It was as if my chest had been carved open, hollowed out. I was empty.
I felt like I’d fallen with him, plummeting into a void.
It took me a few moments to realize it wasn’t just Galin’s loss that had left me feeling ripped apart. With his death, the bond between our souls had broken. I was completely unmoored, plunging through the dark.
But I couldn’t lose myself in grief right now. I had to be sharp and clear as a star in the sky, or I’d be dead, too.
Revna stared at the well, looking nearly as devastated as I was. As I watched her, a strange thought occurred to me. Had she actually loved her brother?
She whirled to look at me, tears gleaming in her eyes. Her golden hair caught in the icy wind. “This was your fault. He was going to be my husband, just like the ancient bloodlines. Two royals, joined in a perfect union.”
“He what?” Gorm spluttered.
“Don’t act shocked, Father. You know we have different fathers.” With tears streaming down her face, Revna stalked towards me.
“Skalei,” I whispered, readying myself for a fight. But it would be damn hard to fight here when soldiers were pointing their wands at me.
I was inches from the lip of the well, and my senses raced into overdrive. High Elves surrounded me. Above me, I heard the wingbeats of hovering moths, the buzzing of spells. There had to be dozens of wands pointed right at me, far too many for me to dodge. All King Gorm had to do was say the word and I was dead.
Revna took another step towards me.
“Come any closer and you’ll feel my blade between your ribs,” I said, but I knew the threat was empty.
And yet, maybe if I goaded her, I could gain the upper hand.
“I’m sorry your brother didn’t love you,” I said bitterly. “I know for a fact that he loathed you.”
Her jaw tightened. “Put down that blade, bitch, or I’ll have you shot.”
I dropped Skalei onto the dark stone. I’d follow along. I’d draw her closer.
Tears streamed down Revna’s pale cheeks. “Now put that gag back in your mouth.”
So, she was clever enough to know that I’d simply call Skalei back if I could. I pulled the gag into my mouth anyway.
Revna took another step closer. Her face was a mask of pain and rage. Like me, she appeared unarmed, but I knew there was no way that was actually the case. She’d have a blade close at hand.
It took a second for me to glimpse the hilt of the dagger in her sleeve. She thought she was being sneaky, didn’t she?
When she was within striking distance, steel flashed in her hand.
I caught her wrist, driving the dagger away. In one fluid motion, I slipped behind her and pulled her close to me, pressing the dagger against her stomach. Any movement would cut her open.
I wanted to kill her, but I could use her life as leverage. She was the only remaining heir to the High Elf empire. The perfect human shield.
Gorm bellowed, “Let her go!”
I was still gagged, so I could only shake my head no.
And that was where I fucked up. Because Revna wasn’t a normal person who thought in normal ways. Revna was driven by some sort of insanity. She wanted to win at all costs.
She ripped herself out of my grasp, and the dagger carved into her gut. Even as she shrieked in agony, she elbowed me so hard in the chest that I fell backward.
Everything moved in slow motion. I tried to balance, but there was no ground under my feet, only the depths of the Well of Wyrd yawning beneath me.
For a split second, my fingers clawed at the lip—then I was in free fall.
Chapter 38
Ali
Cold air rushed past my face as I plummeted into the darkness of the Well of Wyrd. The dark granite of the well flew by, just a few feet from me. I had thirty, twenty seconds before my body shattered on the roots of Yggdrasill.
I was about to die. Tumbling and spinning. Faster and faster. Panic ripped my mind open.
I was about to become a fresh corpse on King Gorm’s bone pile. Galin and I would be companions in death.
Air rushed in my ears, and with it came a sound echoing in the depths. “Aiiiiiiieeeee …”
Strange … I’d remembered the Well of Wyrd as a quiet place, but there it was again. A noise, louder this time. A voice.
I flipped around, flinging my arms out to steady myself. Far below me, there was movement in the darkness, and a faint purple glow. A dark form clung to the rock.