Chapter nineteen
Revna
“It’s only been two days.”
I shot Ingmar a look of incredulity, and they raised their hands in defeat.
“Fine, sorry, yes, Tormund is a traitorous fiend.”
“He was supposed to report in yesterday,” I repeated for the nineteenth time while pacing around the floor of the archives.
Ingmar and Serrilda had found several maps, but the elderly Chaosborn who managed the archives had nearly had a heart attack when we suggested moving them, so we relocated our research there instead.
“Is it possible they’re too far?” Serrilda suggested, her eyes focused on the map before her. “Perhaps that’s why Kindra can’t reach them.”
“Or maybe they fell off the edge of the world,” Ingmar mused. “Hope springs eternal.”
“If you’re concerned, ask Viggo.” Serrilda frowned at the edge of the map. “Look here. There’s a section missing.”
I craned my neck over Serrilda’s shoulder to see what she was pointing at.
The map looked perfectly normal and intact to me.
“Look at this edge.” Serrilda pointed to the top edge of the map, where Stormhold loomed over the rest of the human realm. “Compare it to this edge.” She pointed to the section that ended with Kaldvik and went no further. “Do you see how uneven the paper is?”
I had to get ridiculously close to the map, but she was right—there were tiny filaments of parchment sticking out unevenly, as if the paper had been folded and carefully torn, rather than cleanly cut.
“That could be from how it was stored,” Ingmar suggested.
“Could be.” Serrilda looked unconvinced.
“Why would someone tear off part of the map?” I asked, frowning over the raw edge. “What’s out here that they don’t want us to see?”
“Something dangerous.” Serrilda’s gaze met mine. “Or something powerful.”
I stood and stretched my neck, reaching out to Kindra. Can you ask Viggo and Asger to check in? I need to know if they have seen anything worrying or run into the exiled reirhold.
Kindra snorted as if she had been waiting all day for me to ask. Of course.
I rolled my eyes as I felt her warmth dim a fraction. It always happened when she spoke with other dragons, and I always hated that I wasn’t privy to their conversations.
“Whoever altered the map must have been a Dragehersker.” Serrilda continued. “Maybe Einar himself.”
“Pity we can’t ask,” I murmured.
Ingmar snorted, and I turned to them in question.
“Oh, sorry. Thought you were making a joke.”
”I really don’t want to fly out there,“ I sighed, looking back at the missing edge of the map. “We’re already short-handed here, and I don’t want to leave the scar unpatrolled. It’s grown by sixteen dragon-lengths in the last two days alone.”
“Sixteen?” Ingmar looked horrified. “How?”
“No idea.” Serrilda answered for me. “Nothing has come through it since the attack last week, but it seems to be creeping—or rather, racing—toward the sea.”
“What do we do when it gets there?” Ingmar asked, turning a worried look on me.
I shrugged. Fuck Arik for leaving me in command. This was so far above my pay grade it was higher than Kindra could fly.
“We patrol the sea? Take shifts on the shore?” I let myself relax against a wooden bookcase. “Our only job is to protect Stalheim. If the odemarksdyr make it there, we’re in deep shit.”
“Imagine the paperwork,” Serrilda said seriously.
Her eyebrow twitched slightly, a sign of amusement, and I huffed a laugh.
Asger says his reirhold is on schedule, Kindra reported. Four days from Kaldvik and no sign of the other reirhold yet.
“Damn.” I hadn’t meant to mutter the word out loud, but Ingmar and Serrilda both looked at me expectantly. “Viggo is still four days out.”
“Maybe ask Arik how he wants you to proceed?” Ingmar shrugged. “He might know more about the extent of the Odemark than we do.”
I hadn’t wanted to bother Baldur or Idunn more than necessary, but Ingmar had a point. Arik had made it his life’s work to study the Rift and hopefully find a way to close it, so perhaps he did know something he hadn’t told us.
Can you check in with Baldur then? I want to know if Arik knows what “dead lands” means.
Kindra gave me a draconic sigh. I am but a glorified messenger.
Thank you, dearest soul-bonded dragon, I replied, shaking my head at her ill-humor. Honestly, dragons could be so moody.
I was about to ask Serrilda and Ingmar what they thought we should do when Kindra came roaring back to me in a panic. HE IS NOT THERE!
What do you mean he isn’t there?
His bond is gone! She snorted, her panic palpable. I do not feel him anywhere!
My face must have shown Kindra’s feelings, because Serrilda put a hand on my elbow. “Revna?”
“Kindra can’t reach Baldur,” I explained aloud while trying to soothe Kindra’s panic. Try Idunn. It could be nothing.
Ingmar and Serrilda both had the same look of concern, and I assumed they sent their dragons to reach out to Baldur as well.
“What does it mean?” Ingmar asked, their eyes wide.
“Could just be too much iron around him,” Serrilda said, calm as ever. “Perhaps he is in chains or a prison.”
“Prison?!” Ingmar looked aghast. “How can you say that so calmly?”
“There is no point in worrying until we know for sure.” Her eyes met mine. “I vote we go find him.”
Kindra came rushing back, the panic tempered with some relief. Idunn says he and Sigurd have been poisoned. Their humans cannot shift.
Can’t shift?
“Mistletoe.” Serrilda said it aloud. Their dragons must have relayed the same information. “It’s the only thing that can cut us off from our dragons completely.”
“Why is this not common knowledge?” Ingmar asked, their eyes wide with horror. “I feel like that should be included in our training.”
“It is.” Serrilda gave them a scathing look. “You didn’t pay attention.”
I ignored the continued bickering as Kindra prodded at me. Sigurd and Bryndis are returning, but Idunn insists on going on. They intend to seek out the old woman we took to the bakery.
Sigrid. They were going ahead to Sigrid.
I nodded, knowing Kindra would agree with the plan I had formed in my mind already. “I’m going to Stalheim.”
Serrilda and Ingmar stopped fighting.
“Wait.” Ingmar shook their head. “You’re what?”
“I’m going to Stalheim. I’ll meet Branka and Jorgen, resupply them, and we will go on to fetch Arik and Eisa. We need them back here.”
“Who will take care of all of this?” Ingmar waved their hand vaguely at the whole of Ironholm. “And who will watch the Scar?”
“I will. And Adira, if you’ll let me ask her.” Serrilda looked at me, and I nodded once. As usual, she knew me better than most, and she’d already worked out my plan.
“And what about me?” Ingmar asked indignantly. “Am I nothing but your research monkey?”
“Monkey?” I frowned.
“It’s a kind of animal from the Orcish jungles. Comical. Sort of useless.” They scowled. “I read about them.”
“Honestly, I sort of love the title,” Serrilda said with a completely serious expression.
Ingmar scowled at her, and I had to intervene to forestall another argument. “You’ll come with me. No drage flies alone, remember?”
Serrilda gave me an approving nod, and Ingmar’s frown morphed into a look of shock. “In the name of the heavily-breasted Goddess, did you just ask me for help, Rev?”
“It’s a small miracle,” Serrilda agreed.
I ignored them both and began rolling up the maps and parchments, trying not to crease the papers and enrage the archivist. “Don’t get too excited, Ingmar. I need you to pack supplies.”
“Better than being stuck here for the rest of the day.” Ingmar stretched, looking absurdly pleased. “Ilka is itching to stretch her wings.”
“We leave tonight, then. Have Ilka ask Bryndis what supplies they might need.”
“I’ll tell Adira before you go, in case she has any questions I can’t answer,” Serrilda said as Ingmar gave me an irreverent salute and practically ran for the smokestack.
I nodded, rolling up the last of the maps. “I’ll let you know when we meet up with Jorgen and Branka.”
Serrilda nodded, seeming to hesitate before she threw her arms around me.
I was so shocked I failed to return the hug. Serrilda hated demonstrations of affection—it was one of the many reasons our relationship ended.
Adira must be having a positive influence on her.
“I’ll be fine,” I said, patting her back awkwardly with my arms pinned to my torso.
Serrilda stepped away hurriedly and nodded, her face as blank as if the hug had never happened.
“I know. It was for luck.” She headed toward the winding ramp that would take her back up to the smokestack, turning back before she disappeared around the corner. “Bring back our Dragehersker. In one piece, if you can.”
I nodded. Hearthmother on high, I really hoped I could.