by S. T. Bende
Alfheim Academy
Alfheim Academy: Book One
S.T. Bende
Contents
Back Cover Copy
Also By S.T. Bende
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Alfheim Academy: Dark Faerie
Viking Academy
Perfekt Order
Also By S.T. Bende
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Alfheim Academy
Alfheim Academy: Book One
Copyright © 2019, S.T. Bende
Edited by: Antonella Iannarino and CREATING ink
Cover Art by: Melissa Stevens of The Illustrated Author Design Services
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage system without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
First publication: 2019, S.T. Bende
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Back Cover Copy
Aura Nilssen has spent most of her sixteen years in hiding. As crown princess of Alfheim, her life depends on avoiding the assassins who killed her parents and want to destroy her realm. When hunters corner Aura on Midgard (Earth), she’s immediately evacuated and enrolled at Alfheim Academy—a training ground where telepathic teenagers, daily combat lessons, and communication from beyond is the norm. She attends classes that enhance her energetic abilities, labs that fine tune her mental acuity, and workouts with a supernaturally good looking—and suspiciously evasive—training partner. But it’s what she learns outside the classroom that proves most difficult: as Queen of Alfheim, Aura’s grandmother played a heartbreaking role in the death of Aura’s parents . . . and her iron fisted monarchy is pushing the realm to the brink of extinction. If Aura doesn’t take her grandmother’s crown, the home she’s only just begun to love may be lost forever.
When an unprecedented attack threatens the very heart of Alfheim, Aura has to decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to protect her new home. Her choice may mean the difference between survival and annihilation—not only for Aura, but for the world she’s always been destined to rule.
Also By S.T. Bende
Meet the Valkyris crew in VIKING ACADEMY.
VIKING ACADEMY
VIKING CONSPIRACY
VIKING VOW
Meet the Norse gods in:
THE ÆRE SAGA
PERFEKT ORDER
PERFEKT CONTROL
PERFEKT BALANCE
PERFEKT MATCH
-and-
THE ELSKER SAGA
ELSKER
ENDRE
TRO
TUR (a novella)
THE ELSKER SAGA: COMPLETE BOXED SET
Meet the faeries in ALFHEIM ACADEMY:
ALFHEIM ACADEMY
DARK FAERIE
Meet the demigods in NIGHT WAR SAGA.
PROTECTOR
DEFENDER
REDEEMER
And introduce your Padawans to STAR WARS!
Complete list of S.T.’s Star Wars children’s titles
at http://www.stbende.com/star-wars
Stay in touch with S.T. at www.stbende.com.
And find pronunciations, translations, and info on all things Asgardian on S.T.’s website at WELCOME TO ASGARD.
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Join the RagnaRockstars Street Team – our readers’ private Facebook group.
To my boys, who spend every day filling our world with hope, joy, and love.
Chapter 1
THE FACT THAT I nearly died on my sixteenth birthday was pretty much my own fault.
I knew better than to go that deep into the forest, just like I knew better than to go anywhere by myself. But I’d spent my entire life in hiding and hadn’t seen so much as a hint of a threat so . . . I took a chance.
And it almost cost me everything.
The day started out well enough—I aced a chemistry quiz, avoided getting called on in English Lit, and scored a sweet birthday gift from my best friend.
“Here.” Elin Eklund slammed her locker shut before handing me a rectangular package. She’d drawn anime-inspired caricatures of the two of us on every inch of the wrapping. “It’s that valkyrie graphic novel you wanted to pre-order, but the idiot in the comic shop couldn’t figure out how to submit the form.”
I laughed. “You’re supposed to let me open it before you tell me what it is. Though maybe I should just frame the paper instead—this is some of your best work.”
Elin waved off the compliment. “Happy birthday, Aura.”
“Thanks. Uh-oh.” I pulled Elin closer to the lockers as Britney “Bitch-Face” Blomgren and her dance-team disciples sashayed down the hallway, cheering loudly about the impending homecoming rally.
“Didn’t want you to get trampled on,” I said by way of explanation.
One corner of Elin’s mouth curled up in a snarl. “I’d like to see her try.”
“Oh, she’s tried plenty of times.” I shrugged. “We’re just faster than her. You know she always skips out on our martial arts lessons.”
“That’s because she’s lazy. Speaking of Bitch-Face, do you still have to tutor her this afternoon or do you want a ride home?” Elin shouldered her backpack and walked toward the parking lot.
“I’m tutoring. I’ll be at the library for at least an hour—two, if she hasn’t grown any new brain cells this week.” I sighed. “Thanks for the offer, though. See you at dinner?”
“Your birthday dinner? Wouldn’t miss it.” Elin leaned over and gave me a hug. “Hang in there. You won’t be tutoring that cow forever. Two more years and we’ll leave Earth for Alfheim, and then—”
“Shh!” I hissed. I glanced over both shoulders to see if anyone was listening. In the grand tradition of Granite High, everyone was too into themselves to notice the extremely foreign foreigners blabbing right beside them.
“Oh, come on. Nobody’s figured out we’re faeries yet.” Elin stepped forward, her loose tunic swishing around her thighs.
“Light elves,” I corrected. “Faeries have wings. We have mean right hooks.”
“Says the girl who reads comic books.” Elin dug her keys out of her backpack. “Okay. If you’re tutoring, I have time to finish that painting I’m working on for my mom’s birthday. See you at six. And try not to catch the dumb from being around Britney.”
“I’ll do my best.” I bumped my fist against Elin’s, shifted my new book to the crook of my elbow, and turned on one heel toward the library.
I was two hours away fro
m a seven-layer chocolate cake, four different kinds of ice cream, and a Netflix queue packed to the brim with superhero movies. The only thing standing between me and the weekend of my dreams was one teensy little tutoring session with the dumbest girl in the history of Granite Ridge, California. Two short hours.
How bad could they be?
“Gods, Aura, are you seriously wearing combat boots?” Britney planted one manicured hand on her waist, and positioned herself directly in front of the library window. The mid-afternoon sun shone through the pine trees outside, lighting Britney’s obsidian locks so her hair appeared to glow. As she flicked an errant strand over one shoulder, the dappled light caught the sparkles in her smoky silver eyeshadow. On the outside, Britney was the picture of Midgardian teen perfection.
On the inside, she was mean as a fire giant.
Snort.
“Aura! Are you even listening to me?” Bitch-Face jutted her hip. Her pleated dance team uniform swayed against her thighs.
“Huh? Sorry, right. Don’t dress like a boy. Got it. Anything else, or can I get started teaching you basic math again?” I pointed to the empty chair across from me.
“Gee, I don’t know.” Britney placed her hands on the table and leaned forward. “I’d teach you how to be less of a loser, but I honestly don’t think there’s any hope for you. Still no date to homecoming this weekend? Or to anything, ever?”
I narrowed my eyes. “I have better things to do than get felt up under the bleachers, like some people I know.”
“Jealous, much?”
“You wish.” I shoved an algebra worksheet across the table. “Let’s just get this over with, already.”
“Fine by me.” Britney dropped into her seat with a hefty eyeroll. “My mother’s paying you good money to make sure I pass, so shut your stupid nerd-face and do your job.”
Some days, high school was literal hell.
The next forty-five minutes unfolded in typical, tortuous fashion. By the time we’d finished what should have been an easy ten-minute algebra lesson, the only equation I wanted to see ever again was me squared plus storming-out-of-the-library squared equaled never having to tutor Bitch-Face again, ever. Squared. But Britney was right—her mom did pay good money. Plus, she was friends with my aunt, which meant I was stuck with the gig until we graduated. Or until Britney flunked out, whichever came first.
I was seriously hoping for the latter.
“Are we done now?” Britney closed her workbook and shoved it into her backpack.
“With math, yeah. But your mom asked me to cover, uh . . . Government, before you, me, and Elin take that homeschool quiz next week.”
“Look, I know you’re a dork and all, but I’m not taking Government until I’m a senior. So, I’m out of here.” Britney pushed her chair back.
“Not U.S. Government.” I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Alfheim Government.”
“What? Why? We’re not going back there for two more years.”
“I know that, but the adults want us to be prepared. And they’re giving us a quiz on Tuesday. Remember?”
“That’s Tuesday-Britney’s problem. Friday-Britney has to be at the homecoming rally in”—she checked her phone—“half an hour.”
“Fine, then I’ll make it quick.” I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the library was still empty. As predicted, the rest of Granite High had better things to at four p.m. on homecoming weekend.
“I’m waiting.” Britney drummed French-tipped fingernails on the tabletop.
I pulled a thin binder out of my backpack, then scooted my chair around so I was next to Britney. With my back to the window, I’d be able to see if anyone entered the library . . . and pull the plug on our inter-planetary civics lesson, real quick.
Nobody at Granite High could know that Elin, Britney, and I were different. We’d been hiding on Midgard—the planet humans called Earth—since the day Svartalfheim assassins killed my parents and set siege to our realm. Our guardians never let us forget that the dark elves still hunted us. But in the sixteen years since we’d left home, we managed to avoid detection. Our little group settled in a tiny mountain town outside of Los Angeles, and did our best to live as humans. The adults never used their magic, and since the rest of us wouldn’t come into any powers until we turned eighteen, staying off the grid was easy enough.
“Twenty-eight minutes.” Britney tapped her phone. “Chop, chop, nerd.”
Tutoring Britney, on the other hand, was so not easy.
“Fine. We only have to review the Keys since we covered the Queen’s Cabinet on Tuesday. Quick recap, what are the names of the two political parties back home, and what do each of them stand for?”
Britney just blinked, her chestnut eyes revealing the window to her uncomprehending brain.
“Seriously? We just went over this.”
“Seriously, can you still not figure out how to wear eyeliner?” Britney sneered.
You’re making good money. You’re making good money. You’re making good—is any amount of money worth dealing with this?
“Okay.” I exhaled slowly, releasing as much anger as inhumanly possible. “The two parties in Alfheim are the Kongelig and the Opprør. The Opprør are the current minority party, and they believe in equality for all. The Kongelig gained control of the Queen’s Cabinet after the Svartalfheim attack sixteen years ago, and they use fear and intimidation to further their agenda of purifying Alfheim—prohibiting off-worlder immigration, and deporting all non-full-blooded light elves. Right now, Alfheim’s a fear-zone; the place that once spread light through the cosmos is being torn apart from the inside.”
“I still don’t see the problem with what the Kongelig believe.” Britney fingered the ends of her hair. “The purer the elf, the better she can serve her purpose of channeling light to the realms. That’s what Mother always says.”
“Well, your mother’s a bigot,” I said honestly. “Sorry, but it’s true. The cosmos is a scary place, and there are plenty of perfectly good beings who had the misfortune of being born on dark realms. They deserve the chance to build a good life for themselves, same as you and me.”
“Whatever. Are we done?” Britney picked up her phone. “Twenty-five minutes.”
“Done with the recap,” I said through gritted teeth. “But not with the Keys. And that’s going to be half the test—so you should really understand it. Who are the Key Daughters of Alfheim, and why were we hidden across the realms?”
“Uh, the Key Daughters of Alfheim are . . .” Britney glanced down at the binder, where I’d written extensive notes. “Right. Light elves destined to perform functions vital to the survival of the realm, acting as military leaders, healers, prophets, whatever.”
“Correct. And why were we hidden across the realms?” I prompted.
“Because, uh . . .”
I tapped the binder. Britney wasn’t the only one who wanted this tutoring session over with.
“Um . . .” Britney scanned the page. “There. We were hidden after the Svartalfheim Attack, when the dark elves ordered the execution of all known Keys. Three of us were hidden on Midgard, and the rest are scattered across different realms—nobody will tell us where.”
“That’s a precaution—in case we get captured, they can’t torture the info out of us.”
“I really don’t care.” Britney stood and shouldered her backpack. “Listen, it’s been real and all, but I have better things to do with my Friday than learn stuff I’m not going to need to know for years.”
“We’re being tested on it in four days,” I reminded her.
“Yeah, but so what if we fail? It’s not like they can un-Key us.” Britney rolled her eyes. “It’s a life sentence, remember?”
“Don’t you care about what happens to Alfheim?” Gods knew I did. I’d been furious when I first learned about the things the Kongelig did to non-full-blooded elves, the crimes the queen’s ministers covered up, and the way Queen Constance did nothing to stop any of it. As scared as
I was to leave Midgard, I knew the minute I set foot on Alfheim I’d do everything I could to bring light back to the realm. I was bound not by duty, but by basic decency to do everything I could to make my world a better place.
How did Britney not see that?
“Nope. I don’t care.” Britney pushed the binder across the table, and waltzed backward toward the door. “Later, Aura. If you need me this weekend, try all of the homecoming events. I’ll be the one wearing the crown.”
She left the library with a perfectly executed twirl, her glossy locks flowing gracefully behind her. And I stifled another sigh at her inability to think of anyone outside of herself.
As I packed up my books, I wondered for the hundredth time what would happen when Britney, Elin and I were sent home. No doubt Britney was a high-kick away from being crowned Queen of Granite High. But would she be able take on an actual queen . . . and the entire corrupt government who came along with her?
And, for that matter, would I?
Chapter 2
I USUALLY STUCK TO the main road when I walked home. My aunt, Signy, was obsessed with safety, and I could count on a few cars per minute trekking up the hill from the high school to the entrance of Little Big Bear Forest. Signy really didn’t like me walking alone on the trail that went from our cabin to the school—it was one of countless activities she deemed ‘too risky’ for a light elf in hiding.
