supposed to have killed you!”
Ali’s nose wrinkled. “Who?”
“The Shadow Lords! I sent a letter, telling them exactly what you’d done. That you betrayed your own people. That you helped Galin. Why did they let you live? You are a traitor to your own kind.”
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