by Farah Cook
“Jarl Raiders,” says Magnus, “have sworn the day anyone tries to deceive someone else within the band, that person will be executed. It’s the only thing that keeps members from becoming corrupt. Too many murder attempts have taken place in our band in the past.”
“You’re asking me to make a decision that’s obvious.”
“I’m telling you what you’ll have to do once you know.”
“Show me!” I demand. “Show me who tried to kill me.”
“By the gods, Nora, once I show you – don’t think twice about what you have to do.”
“What makes you think I will?” I ask “I am capable of looking after myself.”
“Doubt,” says Magnus, “is the greatest enemy of an assassin. You’re not required to think, just act. I don’t want to see your emotions. I couldn’t care less. I want you to be ruthless against those who declare themselves as your enemy.”
“Show me,” I demand.
“What I am about to show you are subjective images from your subconscious and could differ from what Odin’s eye has shown me,” he says and places his fingers on my eyes to close them. He whispers words in old Norse. The whispers are similar to the Empress’s and blurry images start to form inside my head.
At first I don’t see a face, just a shadow wrapped in a silver cloak riding a motorcycle at high speed. The crest of the Jarl Dynasty is printed heavily on the back. The shadow leaves Ocean Eye with a black book of magic tucked under its arm. Lightning strikes, but the image doesn’t flicker. I see the face of the person who wants me dead. It’s beautiful, and I know her face.
15
I SHOULD HAVE seen this coming. Maja played me for a fool – friend in disguise and foe all along. It was her who went to see Hildebrand seeking a secret alliance to ensure my mission would be doomed. Maja knows the highly dangerous mission I lead would cause a stir among raiders – she had me and the assembly believe Shadow Forest is safe. How can I now be sure that it’s not all a set-up?
The senate secretly approved the mission to locate the City of Vikings. Maja had the embedsmen and chancellors convinced that the enemy, too, is seeking the Viking assassin weapons. She knew they would not say no to a mission our rivals are carrying out. But why would Maja want me dead?
“Because,” says Magnus, “she’s in love with me.”
I gaze at him. His bold confession cutting through the thread of my thoughts unexpectedly. She’s made her feelings known to Magnus and believes I’m a contender in her quest to win the Emperor’s heart. But I am not. I see Magnus as my friend. Perhaps if I could convince her then she would not have to be afraid.
“She’s been in love with me all her life and I’ve never acknowledged her feelings. She must have seen in me what I see in you when you look at Frederick Dahl.” I ignore Magnus’s last comment. My mind is too distracted to think of Frederick right now, and I don’t want to get emotionally involved with how Magnus feels about me. I had my suspicion, and he’s been more than a trusted friend, but I am not in love with Magnus, nor do I desire him. I can force myself to respect him when he respects me. He will only ever be a friend.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” I say. “She’s an Elite Raider.”
“She’s a commoner,” says Magnus. “Commoners don’t become elite unless they have exceptional talent. Maja was different from the start. She blended in like she belonged and embraced our ways naturally. When the Empress awakened her, the entire room lit up – although her raider weapon is nothing like yours. Still she outperformed all her peers and made it to the level of Tene and Tove. Maja is the only elite among the band who’s a commoner, and she’s made good use of her position to make sure the attempt on your life was close enough to nearly get you killed.”
“Magnus! I still can’t believe she’s caused this to happen. Why would she do such a stupid thing? I mean we are not even…” I pace the dark room, worried that I’m missing the bigger picture in terms of what drove Maja to this madness. On one side, she pretended so well to be my friend. All along I thought I had to watch out for Tove, perhaps even Tene. Their rather cold reception made me trust them less, whereas I should have kept a closer eye on Maja who raised little suspicion that she wants me dead.
“Have you ever been in love?” asks Magnus and stares at me with his silver eyes from across the dark room. I don’t comment. “Love is blind. Losing sight of logic leads to stupidity.” Still, I remain silent. Magnus may be tricking me into confessing something he and I both know, but I’ve locked it away. The key I keep close to my heart – a heart he knows is not as strong as it should be.
“Executing Maja will not lead to anything. We need her,” I say.
“What?” he shouts so the walls ring loudly in my ears. “How can you say that after what just happened? You sought my advice – I’ve shown you more than enough to make it clear what our code of ethics are.”
“I was born a Judith,” I say, “there’s a reason my parents hid me in the East. They wanted me to grow up among people who are known to make fair decisions. At least before I set out to assassinate Maja, I have to know how to get rid of the death spell.”
“Loyalty and respect,” says Magnus. “The code of ethics of the elites. An oath by which raiders swear to commit to guard one another no matter what. She’s breached it and has to face the consequences. Judith or no Judith, you’re in the West now, Nora, you must do what I ask you to. Remember, you’re a chosen Viking assassin and by the gods you will commit to your duties.”
“What fate does Maja face other than execution?”
“She could be brought to the dungeons to serve her time in isolation. But that death is slow and cruel.” Magnus’s sudden shift and cold heart surprises me. He’s followed too many rules his entire life – rules that have kept him and his sisters safe. It comes as no surprise to me that he sees things in black and white. Breaking the rules doesn’t have to cost Maja her head.
“Sounds like you want her dead for your own reasons,” I say. “What are you hiding Magnus?”
“Maja knows more than she should. She could expose us all by putting us in grave danger. If we let her get away with this she could become dangerous – perhaps even join the dark ways if she already didn’t, and then where would we be? Nora, quietly and subtly you must take her out. Consider this a test. A true Viking assassin should show no fear or doubt.”
“I don’t see any reason to forge ahead with a foolish decision like this.” I say. “I happen to believe her motive to kill is not rooted in love. She knows that I…”
“Do not question my authority. You serve the Empire – the Empire alone. Your mission is to eliminate our enemies and find the Viking assassin weapons. Do not betray my trust and go against the advice I am giving you, Nora!” He turns his back on me. “You are Goth. Learn to stick to your clan.”
“Magnus, wait. Give me some time to…”
“Either you finish Maja off or I will.” His heart is stony and his eyes emotionless. I feel the hidden grief he carries. The Empress is dead, and his dynasty is at risk. He’s left with little alliance and if Maja exposes us or we become subject to an investigation for the attempt on my life we could lose everything. Magnus has a lot at stake. He’s an Emperor, but he’s also a very clever strategist, and knows what move he must make to save his weak empire.
Dark rulers are cruel and heartless and take pride in extreme measures. They’re close to succeeding in their mission to destroy the Goths. But Magnus is forgetting I have everything at stake too and, as a Goth, I belong as much to this world as he does.
He may soon be the new Emperor, but I was chosen to carry the map of the world tree Yggdrasil for a reason, and my reason tells me there’s more to the vicious act that drove Maja to attempt to kill me than what Magnus showed me. To kill someone for love? Why would she do that when she knows I am in love with Frederick. Perhaps the only person who doesn’t know is Magnus. Or maybe he doesn’t want to know.
When I turn Magnus around I notice the deep hurt
in his eyes, but he’s too blind to see what I’m trying to tell him. He leaves me with no choice and I can’t take matters into my own hands. I have to follow the rules.
“When should I kill her?” I ask, knowing I’ve never taken a human life before. Wild animals, giants and beasts are easy to kill. There’s no emotional attachment. I may not have any sympathy for Maja, but at least I should give her a chance to explain herself. I want to hear it from her mouth. Why did she do it?
“My advice to you is to get it done as quickly as possible before she leaks anything that could backfire,” he says indifferently. “Leave all your privileges behind. Including your chip so you’re untraceable.” He takes a deep breath and stares at me with his silver-gray eyes. His red lips are reserved, and his compassion frozen.
“As you wish.” I say and before Magnus leaves he turns his head to the side, just so I catch a glimpse of his face in the darkness. He breathes heavily and leaves without another word.
In the still darkness, I ride my motorcycle at high speed into the empty streets of the City of Skies. I have one place I can call home in the West – Chelsea. Karen messaged me unexpectedly and wants to see me urgently. Either she knows about the attempt on my life or she’s taking me to the masquerade ball tomorrow night. Perhaps both.
I stop the roaring engine in front of the house. The guards are off duty at night and Karen has let me in via the main gates. Light appears at the windows. I take off my helmet and walk up the steps. Karen opens the door, breathless.
“I know everything,” is the first thing that falls out of her mouth. “Come, we have so much to talk about.” She pulls me inside and closes the door.
Inside the house is cold and dim. The oak floors are polished and covered in thick red rugs with blue flowery patterns. Something has changed. The décor of the house looks new. Down the long corridor, the paintings of my ancestors have been replaced with arty pictures similar to those in Hildebrand’s office. The guest bedroom is the same, but I could have sworn it was on the ground floor. We walk up the stairwell inside the house and take a seat at the bedside inside the guest bedroom.
“Tragedy!” says Karen, breathing heavily. She’s nervously fidgeting with her hands. Shifting from one side to the other, her restlessness annoys me. When I first came to see her, I felt like a little ignorant girl reliant on her advice. That’s all changed now. I feel mature, stronger and wiser. I feel like what she has to say is advice that I don’t necessarily have to take.
“What were you told?” I ask. I flick the switch to the lamp on the nightstand. Tiny flakes of dust settle in the room.
“That’s irrelevant,” she says, “what’s important is that we figure out a solution to the growing problem – fast. A death curse is not easily broken unless your enemy breaks it or someone else takes it upon themselves.”
“That’s not an explanation,” I say through gritted teeth. “That’s a fact. Tell me what I don’t know.”
“What do you mean? Solvej warned you did she not?”
“Tell me what you know about Maja,” I demand.
“Maja? She’s a nobody,” says Karen arrogantly. “She is the daughter of clerks who got lucky enough to make it among the privileged.” Karen mumbles something in a strong West dialect to herself.
“What else do you know about her?”
“I know as much as you do, Nora.”
“Are you sure?”
“Why does it matter?”
“It matters because—”
“You don’t think she, did it?”
“By the gods, Maja will pay for what she did, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t investigate the motives she has. Tell me, what else do you know about her?”
“She’s just another ordinary girl. A commoner, who tried her luck with an old Viking clan and got lucky making it as an Elite Raider. Goths should not accept commoners into their elite circle. It poses uncalculated risks.”
“Maja has one clear motive to kill me,” I say. “Love. But to kill for someone you love doesn’t make any sense.”
“Are you listening to yourself, Nora?” says Karen and turns me around to face her. Her icy fingers dig into my skin. “I don’t have to tell you what you have to do. You are a Viking assassin of the Empire now. Killing should come naturally to our kind, and you are the last of your kind.”
“Where’s the sword Karen?”
“Solvej said the sword felt home in your hands. She’s never seen anyone slay anything with such might and force. That only explains one thing.”
“What?” I say carelessly.
“Whatever powers you feel inside yourself are reflected in the assassin weapons and seem to be working. You’ll know your true powers and how to control them as soon as you find the other weapons. But you won’t necessarily know the dangers ahead of you, and you don’t want to kill…”
“My choice is obvious,” I say. “Is it not what we Vikings do, Mom – kill savagely? Isn’t that why you hid me for all those years in the East? So, I could grow up and kill our enemies and free the powerless Empire?”
“Nora…” her bright blue eyes turn electric in the dim room. “You make it sound so vicious. I could also have kept you in the West, where you’d have lived a less free life. Would you have preferred that? Living in fear every day?”
“Fear is better than living a lie,” I say. “You deceived me and lied to me.”
“Not everything was a lie. I kept the truth about your father real.”
“You had to – there was no other way from my appearance.”
“What really happened at the towers?” asks Karen.
“I was betrayed by my own band member.”
Karen utters a laugh. She places her hand over her mouth to stop herself.
“Rivalry among raiders is not unusual. Solvej told you what happened to your father did she not? And yet you took her warning lightly.”
“Not in so many words, no,” I say, feeling naïve. “What happened?”
“Robert too was betrayed by his best friend – a commoner, who almost made it as an Elite Raider. Rivalry doesn’t always need explanation – love, jealousy, power and greed. Envy has many names.”
“Why does Magnus feel so strongly about the code of ethics?” I say, slightly frustrated. “He insists that I—”
“I’ve seen the royal children grow up, at a distance from the palace. They’ve been denied what is rightfully theirs from birth. That’s a heavy burden on anyone and one of the reasons I decided to send you to the East after Robert left. There you had a free life. The royal children of Benedikte were brought up in the shadows and had to learn common things in order to stay alive. What life would you have chosen, Nora, if you knew where you truly belonged?”
“I still don’t know where I belong. I thought I belonged with the Jarl Dynasty. Just like my dad. But I’m beginning to feel I am wrong. I don’t carry revenge like there’s no tomorrow. Being a Judith has taught me things – call it morals.”
Karen laughs. “You’re the daughter of your father, Nora. Don’t you want to know why he is in exile in the City of Vikings?”
“Because he stands by his beliefs.”
“Robert’s integrity is strong. He’s among people that are like-minded. I have not spoken to your father in fourteen years.” Karen doesn’t show any sign of emotion. "If you do not kill your enemy, it’s a sign of weakness and no one wants a weak Viking to lead. Don’t follow in your father’s footsteps.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Robert was betrayed by someone from the Jarl Dynasty and by members in the senate. He saw it coming, but still didn’t do anything about it. He could have if he wanted to, but he didn’t.”
I think of my conversation with Frederick on the Common Grounds. I am my father’s daughter. I would rather end the rivalry than face killings and war. Something he wanted, too.
“Karen, you know why I’ve come to you.”
“Yes, but you also know I cannot give you what you a
sk of me until you show true commitment to your band and loyalty to the Goth Empire. I would hate to see you break the code of ethics. You’ll become an outcast and a threat. People like Magnus will have no trouble killing you. At least now you are leader of the Jarl Dynasty, and you have a say. Don’t do what your father did. It cost him his freedom to defy the code of ethics and he’s been in exile ever since.”
I take a deep breath and glare at Karen. There’s a truth in her eyes. How do I avoid ending up like my dad?
“Give me the sword, Karen.”
Karen’s eyes shoot in my direction. Her look causes a thunderstorm outside.
“You can have it, but not as a peacemaker, as a Viking assassin and you must obey your duty,” she says, sinking into the armchair across the room. “After all, the sword belongs to you now.”
“You have doubt?”
“I have concerns that without any guidance you don’t know what your true mission is. Before I can give you the sword that’s rightfully yours you must promise me that you will use it to kill your enemy.”
“I promise,” I say.
“Your powers could be dangerous when combined with the assassin weapons. If you don’t learn how to control them, you’ll do more damage than good.”
“What do you mean?” I ask
“The gods empowered you to become a keeper of their worlds – all nine of them. With that responsibility, they’ve given you unique gifts. Powers don’t come with a rulebook, my daughter. Go to the City of Viking and find your father. You need his guidance.”
“Karen, you’re forgetting something,” I say. “How do I get out of the death curse?”
Karen pulls a sneaky smile. She looks calm and unfazed.
“By killing the person who placed it on to you,” she says. “Look, Nora, your senses are strong and you’re so much more confident than when I last saw you. The Empress did well awakening your heart. I feel your strength and stamina.”
“In other words, I’m ready to become the killer you chose me for,” I say.
“Nora, once you succeed in locating the shield, spear and axe you’ll not just be deadly, you’ll be unstoppable – that is if the powers bestowed upon you by the gods give you what I think they will…” I sense Karen knows of the powers the gods gifted me with, but is unwilling to tell me.