and High Elf alike. What if Ali were chosen to fight? “Have you lost your minds? We can’t have a Winnowing now. Think of how many people would die.”
“Why would you be afraid?” asked Revna. “We’ve all seen you in battle. The Sword of the Gods could kill all the Night Elves in just a few minutes.” Then, she added, “That is, if he wanted to.”
“That’s right,” Gorm said, not noticing or not caring about Revna’s tone. “This is strictly an opportunity to destroy the Night Elves once and for all.”
Never had I regretted anything more than I regretted wearing the helm at that moment. If I could get it off, all three of them would be dead within moments.
As if sensing my anger, the king moved even farther away from me.
“You can’t just call for a Winnowing.”
Gorm’s pale eyebrows crept up his forehead. “I thought you’d be excited. A Winnowing is a chance to prove your worth. And you did always love killing, if I remember correctly.”
“Only to serve the gods. To serve a greater purpose, and because Wyrd demanded it.”
Another step back. Did he realize he was doing it? “This is a greater purpose. To show the world our power. Besides, you said this fortification spell will keep the Night Elves at bay. We should have plenty of time to hold a Winnowing without any of them escaping.”
“The Night Elves will never agree to it.” Gods, I could only hope so.
“Oh, but they have,” my father said, smiling smugly. “It’s already decided. I have sent word to the Lords of the Shadow Caverns. They have accepted my offer. The slaughter will begin in three days.”
My jaw tightened. “Why would they agree to this? It will be a massacre.”
Gorm shrugged. “They have no other choice. They rely entirely on one form of food—their mushrooms. But the mushrooms are blighted, you see. They are starving. Hundreds of children have already died, and they seem rather sentimental about that.”
I wanted to strangle him. Darkness clouded my mind, and ice-cold rage. I needed to get to Ali.
I turned away from him, stalking out of the room without waiting for a dismissal. Ali was in danger. I had to warn her.
Chapter 4
Ali
Despite the grueling work and terrible food, it was sleep that I dreaded most. Every night, horror filled my dreams.
The nightmare was the same each night. Galin would come for me in the caves. Golden hair and eyes shining, he’d stand before me, shirtless, with the dim light sculpting his muscled chest. He never spoke—it was worse than that. He simply flashed me a sly, cruel smile. His eyes twinkled with amusement, as if he knew with complete certainty what would come next.
I’d tried everything—fighting, running, even hiding—but I could never escape him. He’d always find me, still flashing that lazy smile. Smelling like wood smoke and sage, he’d murmur words to me in a deep, purring voice, though I was never able to make out what he was saying.
In the nightmare, my skin would heat, and an ache would build within me. And I found myself compelled to move closer to him, to wrap my arms around him, burning with need. He’d lift my skirt, kiss me hard, and take me against a stone wall, and I’d know that I’d failed. Again. That I’d given in to the cruel beauty of my worst enemy.
I’d wake with a racing heart, horrified at myself but relieved to be alone.
Here in the mines, I’d learned even more about what a monster he was, listening to the stories from the days before Ragnarok. In battle, he was known to leave entire legions dead, their blood staining the snow, carnage around him.
He’d moved with a divine rage, the tales said, imbued with the spirit of Thor. Maybe his power drew me to him. The stories often told of the lovers who’d follow him around, hoping for his attention. Maybe he imagined I’d be the same. When I saw him again, I’d make sure he understood I wasn’t.
When I woke, I lay on the cold stone of my prison cell, wondering what in Hel was wrong with me.
I pushed away that terrible thought and stood gingerly, careful not to trip on the shackles that bound my ankles. Around me, I could hear the other prisoners sleeping, smell the stale air of the mine mixed with the stench of dirty bodies.
Quickly, my Night Elf eyes adjusted to the darkness, and after a few seconds, I could see. Not