I’d met with Ragnall once, shortly before we’d left for Sweden. I had wanted to go to find Eliana and my father, but the Mimirin officials had gotten excited about the potential. I had formed relationships with Eliana, Jem-Kruk, and my father, Indu Mattison, who all had ties to the First City and the Älvolk that resided within. Because of this, Mästare Amalie had appointed us ambassadors to visit the First City and find out all that we could about the secretive kingdom.

Not that I had any place to complain. If Ragnall and Amalie hadn’t taken an interest in our trip, we never would’ve been able to go. The Mimirin funded the entire trip, with Amalie calling it an expedition for our heritage.

“But who did they negotiate with?” I pressed.

Finn had one hand on the steering wheel, and he kept his eyes on the road as he spoke. “I know they were in contact with Patrik Boden. He’s the one in direct contact with the Älvolk leaders.”

Patrik was the Markis Ansvarig in Isarna, the troll island where we’d been staying while we looked for Áibmoráigi, the First City. We’d only been there a few days when—

—the memories cut to black. I remembered being at the Isarna city hall, admiring their collection of artifacts, and Patrik had been explaining things. But then it was like the world stopped mid-sentence. It was all black, and my head throbbed painfully when I tried to remember more.

“Who were the Älvolk leaders?” I asked Finn, and rubbed my temple in a vain attempt to relieve my growing headache. “Was it Indu? Indu Mattison?”

I could see his face—weathered olive skin, black hair going silver at the temples, dark eyes scrutinizing me, and his constant smirk. And then it was gone.

I could hardly remember the face of my father.

“I don’t know,” Finn said.

“What about Noomi Indudottir?” I closed my eyes, trying to remember the other name. There had been someone else, another girl with jet-black hair and paint across her eyes. “Tuva? Did you hear anything about Noomi or Tuva?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think I heard their names.”

“How did you know the Älvolk had me? Like, how did anybody find out we were in trouble?”

“The docent with you, Professor Elof Dómari, set up a dead man’s switch,” Finn explained. “He’d instructed Patrik to contact the Mimirin if they didn’t hear from you within seventy-two hours. When that time passed, Patrik contacted Ragnall, and then Ragnall called Wendy. They began the negotiations, and Wendy let me know what was going on.”

“So the negotiations lasted nearly a month?” I asked.

“It is my understanding that the Älvolk were difficult to reach and changed their demands several times, and that really prolonged the process,” Finn said. “But we wanted you home as soon as possible.”