by Quinn Loftis
“And you believe Torben can kill Magnus?” Dayna asked.
Hilda smiled. “Without a doubt. Torben is destined to rule. And now that he has his other half, the prophecy can be fulfilled.”
There was a commotion above, and the singing stopped. Praise all that is holy, I thought.
“Land ho!” a man yelled.
“Land!” Dayna and I yelled at the same time. I considered kissing the dirt when my feet touched down on the earth again. If I learned nothing else on the voyage from England to… wherever our captor had taken us, it was that I was not meant to be on the ocean. Dry land, with firm ground beneath my feet, that was my home.
“Let’s go and see where the mad jarl has taken us,” Hilda suggested as she stood and walked to the ladder.
We followed her up to the deck and found the crew was scurrying about like ants defending a recently kicked-over hill. They ran to and fro, tossing tools and pulling ropes. But I noticed a rhythm to their scrambling. It almost seemed like a dance on the deck of the ship. Each man knew his own steps, and somehow, they managed to keep from running over one another.
I finally lifted my eyes up from the organized chaos to see the land that had caused all the commotion. There was nothing significant that stood out. I shivered as I stared at the beach directly ahead of us. It was only then that I noticed the temperature outside was much cooler than when I’d last been on deck. At least I knew the direction we’d travelled. North.
“Do you know where we are?” I asked Hilda.
“Hmm… brown sand resting in front of a thick, impassable forest… yes, of course. I know exactly where we are.
“Really?”
“No, of course not. I’m a seer, not a cartographer. One beach looks like another.”
Dayna laughed. “I want to be like you when I grow up.”
I snorted. “Considering you have the maturity of an adolescent boy, it might be a while before you achieve that dream.”
Magnus came lumbering over to us, looking every bit the Viking he was. I had to admit, his wide frame and broad shoulders were intimidating, but my loathing of the man overcame any sense of fear I might have felt.
“Come,” he said and motioned for us to follow him.
“Did he become a Neanderthal while sailing?” Dayna asked. “Reverting back to one-word statements like his ancestors?”
“Bite your tongue if you have to, little sister, but don’t poke the crazy Viking captor,” I whispered as we followed behind the jarl.
We reached the side of the ship where a ladder had been thrown over, leading down to a dinghy boat that would take us to shore. By the time we were all seated in the small seacraft, I was shaking from the cool breeze and ocean mist beginning to soak my dress.
“We will get you some furs once we make camp,” Magnus said, noticing my sister and I shivering.
Hilda didn’t seem bothered by the chill in the air. Maybe it was because of her cold heart. I smiled to myself thinking that she’d appreciate the sharp jest.
When my feet landed on the wet sand, it was all I could do to keep from dancing a jig like a ridiculous child. My legs felt wobbly, and the beach seemed to be shifting beneath my feet.
“You’ll get your legs back under you in a bit,” Hilda assured me. “Being on the sea, feeling that constant rocking, throws off your balance. You’re still trying to compensate for the motion that is no longer there.”
Magnus left us for the moment to supervise the offloading of the ship’s plunder, and we climbed up the slope of the beach. He appeared no more concerned we might attempt to escape than when we were in the boat. The three of us paused on a small hill and watched as the men hauled supplies off the ship. The crates were stacked on makeshift litters containing poles on each end that were hoisted by one Norseman each.
With everyone occupied, I considered the wisdom of sprinting off into the forest and escaping our captors, but Hilda must have sensed my deliberations. She placed a hand on my wrist and shook her head.
“We first need to figure out where we are so that we know which direction to go. Timing is everything. Try to make a break for it now, and they will run us down easily. Then they will only watch us all the closer later.”
“Done this often, have you?” Dayna asked with a curious gleam in her eyes.
“I’ve had to make it out of a jam or two in my day,” Hilda answered.
I could see the wisdom in Hilda’s words, but that didn’t make it any easier to simply stand there and stare as our captors paid no attention to us.
When they’d finally unloaded the last of the supplies, Magnus once again walked over to us and motioned for us to follow. The rest of his men fell in step behind us. We hiked farther into the trees that soon became a large forest. It was darker beneath the canopy, and the cloud-filled sky didn’t help. The chill wasn’t as severe here, however, because the trees blocked the icy wind that had been cutting against our skin.
I don’t know how long we walked. I was exhausted, cold, and hungry, which made the time seem to crawl along, slower than we marched. I wondered if Magnus knew where he was going. Had he been here before? Or was he simply leading blindly? Did this beach belong to a kingdom whose king would consider us hostiles and attack us on sight?
“What are you muttering about?” Hilda asked.
I hadn’t even realized I’d been talking out loud. “I was just wondering if this beach was familiar territory to your jarl, or if we need to be worried about unexpected arrows falling from the sky.”
“Oh, it no doubt belongs to someone,” Hilda said. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s some sort of heavily defended kingdom. It could be lands held by a duke, earl, or some other such subject.”
“Well, they might not want us trekking on it, either,” I pointed out.
“Despite what I said earlier, I do have an idea of where we might be. If I’m correct, then this is friendly territory and Magnus knows the jarl of this clan.”
“So, this is Northman territory?” I asked, my brow rising to my hairline.
“That it is,” she said with a nod. “We’ve gone North, and we sailed for three days with a decent wind. I’d say we’re somewhere in the land of the Swedes. If that’s the case, then Magnus definitely knows who the land belongs to.”
“And who would that be?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.
“His brother.”
Dayna groaned. “There are two of them? That’s just what we need, brothers-in-arms and madness.”
“I didn’t say his brother was mad,” Hilda said.
“If they’re related, then they share traits.”
Hilda leaned in and whispered, “I told you Magnus is probably mad because of what I’ve been doing to him for the past decade, not because it runs in his bloodline.”
“I’m trying to forget the fact that this might all be your fault,” I said. “Are he and his brothers on good terms?”
She shrugged. “As far as I know. Our clan has never warred against theirs. We mostly keep to ourselves and they keep to theirs.”
“But if he’s come here now, then he must think his brother will give him shelter,” I said.
“Yes, he most likely will,” Hilda confirmed. “But it might not be the kind of shelter the jarl expects,” she muttered under her breath.
I wanted to ask what she meant but noticed one of Magnus’ men watching us out of the corner of his eye, so I decided to quell any more questions.
The hiking continued long after we’d fallen silent. My feet were beginning to hurt, and my stomach was groaning for food. Magnus had fed us plenty on the ship, but it had been some strange porridge which I only ate enough of to keep up my strength. What I wouldn’t have done for some of Cook’s chicken and dumplings right then, or maybe a nice chocolate pie.
The sun was beginning to set when Magnus finally called us to a halt. I surveyed our surroundings, trying to determine why he’d chosen this spot to make camp. I could see nothing remarkable
in the gathering dusk that would set apart this area as a particularly good campsite. It seemed to be exactly like the rest of the forest—large, closely spaced trees filled in by thick undergrowth. I couldn’t shake the feeling someone was watching us from the dense foliage. Then, I heard the unmistakable sound of bows being drawn. Though I felt like screaming and throwing myself to the ground, I remained calm. Surely, if someone hiding in the bushes wanted us dead, we’d already be filled with arrow shafts.
Magnus and his men were uneasy as well. I could see them peering as hard as they could into the darkness. I followed their lead but couldn’t see past the first row of trees. When had it gotten so dark? I shivered involuntarily, which had nothing to do with the cold. Something slimy touched the skin of my arm, and again I fought the urge to cry out. Though I couldn’t see anything, I swiped at my skin where I’d felt the slimy sensation. There was nothing there, but a feeling of cold oiliness remained. I rubbed my skin vigorously in a vain attempt to warm it up and remove the strange, invisible stain upon my arm.
“Do you feel anything?” I whispered to Dayna.
“Yes. I feel like someone is extremely interested in us, and not because they want to be our new allies,” she said just as softly.
I nodded.
“Pay attention,” Hilda spoke up. “There is dark magic in the air. Magnus’ brother must have a witch in his clan these days.”
“A witch?” Dayna and I asked at the same time.
“Is there an echo?” Hilda grumbled as she walked over to a tree and gingerly sat down with her back against it.
“You just told us there’s a witch at work in this forest, and you’re just going to sit and have a rest?” I asked.
Dayna was nodding and pointing at me. “What she said, only I’d like to add ‘you old bat,’ to the end of that question.”
“Duly noted,” Hilda said dryly.
“What about the witch?” I asked as I looked around.
After a few minutes, the tension in the air began to recede. The Vikings began to follow Hilda’s lead, finding spots to sit or lie down upon. No one seemed concerned that there were probably arrows pointed at them and apparently a dark witch close by doing some sort of dark, witchy things.
“If you talk a little louder, maybe she’ll pop out and introduce herself.” Hilda didn’t bother to hide her smirk. Torben hadn’t been joking; his mother had a sharp tongue and even sharper wit about her.
“So, just to be clear,” I said holding up my hands and motioning to everyone around me. “We’re all just going to kick back and take a nap while dark magic-wielding witches and arrow-notching, unseen warriors surround us?”
Hilda shook her head, and I started to let out a relieved sigh. But then she spoke.
“I never said witches, as in more than one. We’re going to take a nap while a dark magic-wielding witch and arrow-notching, unseen warriors surround us. Witches don’t usually work together. They aren’t exactly team players.”
I slumped to the ground with a loud sigh. “Oh, well, that changes everything.”
Hilda patted my knee as she rolled onto her side. “Glad to hear it.”
I was exhausted, but no matter how hard I tried, my eyes wouldn’t close. My brain didn’t want me to sleep for fear I would miss the sound of an arrow whizzing by or the cackling of a witch. Did witches cackle? I didn’t suppose it really mattered if they were throwing dark spells at you. They could be doing the jig and there would still be a dark spell headed your way. I took a deep breath and let it out. After several minutes, I forced myself to close my eyes. Apparently, I could fall asleep even while possibly being hunted by a witch.
“I didn’t know if I would be able to reach you.”
Torben’s voice rolled over me like a gentle tide. The deep cadence was a comfort to my weary heart. “I didn’t know this was possible,” I said, realizing that we were in a dream together. “This is the bond?”
He nodded and walked toward me. His arms wrapped around me without hesitation, and he pulled me tightly against his strong body. The heat of him felt so real, despite the fact that I knew it was a dream.
“Why does it feel so real?”
“Because it is real. Our souls are communing with each other, and they are as real as our physical bodies.”
“I wish we could just stay like this.”
“No, you don’t,” he chided. “You wouldn’t leave your father and mother to wonder what happened to you, nor would you ask me to leave our clan without a leader.”
“Our clan?” I asked.
“Yes, love. Our clan. I will have you as my bride whether I have to run through the fire of Hades or beg Odin himself,” he said. His voice was thick with emotion, and his eyes held mine with a confidence I envied.
“Are you going to ask me, or were you just planning on hitting me over the head with a club and dragging me around by my hair?”
“It’s definitely an option, but I think I have a better chance of seducing you into marrying me and warming my bed.” He winked at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I hate this,” I admitted. “I hate being separated from you when I just found you.”
“It won’t last long. I will come for you, but…” He paused, seeming hesitant to finish.
“No secrets, Torben. I don’t want our relationship to start out that way.”
“You’re right,” he said. “I will come for you, but I must go to our clan first. Cathal is headed toward them, though I’ve no clue if he even knows where the clan is. But I—”
I placed a finger over his lips. “You don’t have to explain, Torben. You need to protect them. I’m guessing since Magnus brought all of his warriors to our shore that there aren’t any warriors back at your clan.”
He shook his head. “There are the shieldmaidens, but fierce as they may be, they won’t be able to fight off all of Cathal’s men. There are women, children, the sick and elderly. There might be a few farmers, but they aren’t trained to do battle.”
“You have to get there as fast as you can,” I urged. I didn’t know Cathal well, but what I did know was that he would destroy anything that got in his way. If he didn’t find me in Clan Hakon, he wouldn’t just leave. He would punish them for it, even though they didn’t even know who I was.
“We are riding as fast as we can, but we have to let the horses rest,” Torben said.
“Riding? Why didn’t you take your ship?”
“Magnus set fire to the remaining ships, and Cathal burned your father’s ships. It’s as if they share the same mind,” he growled. “Thomas found us at the stables and got us horses. I should tell you that he’s with us. He refused to stay behind.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” I said.
“I will protect him if he needs it. I know what he means to you.”
“Thank you.” I couldn’t explain why, but out of nowhere, I felt an incredible need to urge him on. “Torben, I don’t know what’s happening, but I have a really bad feeling. You need to get there as fast as you can.”
“Have you had a vision?”
“No, no, I haven’t had any Oracle signs, but deep down in my gut I just feel sick when I think of Clan Hakon without your protection. Something bad is going to happen if you don’t get there. Please go.”
My eyes snapped open, and I could feel sweat beads running down my back and chest. My dress felt sticky against my skin, and my breathing was coming in rapid, short breaths. I placed my hand to my forehead, pushing against the headache that was already beginning. I had somehow forced myself from the dream because I didn’t want Torben distracted from doing what he needed to do. And right now, that was to take care of his clan. If Cathal got there, he would destroy Torben’s innocent countrymen.
I sat up, knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep, and glanced over at Dayna, who was still dozing peacefully. When my eyes searched for Hilda’s, I was met with her returning gaze.
“Didn’t you sleep?” I asked.
She sh
rugged. “A little. But I am restless. My spirit feels the evil here, but there is also evil closing in on my people. I haven’t gotten a clear picture of what’s happening, it just feels like black tar running over my skin.”
“I just had a dream, and Torben was there,” I said. “He’s headed to Clan Hakon. He said that Cathal is headed there, too.”
Hilda nodded as though that explained everything, and truthfully, it did.
“What will happen if he doesn’t make it in time, Hilda?” I asked, not truly wanting the answer. “Is there anyone to fight? Will they see an enemy ship and hide, or do you have some plan in place in case something like this happens?” My brain was bouncing around from thought to thought, needing to know there was some chance that those left behind would be able to defend themselves. They were Torben’s clan, and it would devastate him if something happened to them.
“Magnus never believed anyone was brave enough to attack us in our homeland. He was too proud. Pride makes a man foolish. So, no, there are no emergency plans in place. They most likely will try to hide if they notice the ship. I am hoping that Torben’s ship will move with great haste, that the sea giant will see the plight of our people and help move the water to push them forward.”
“Um, he isn’t in a ship,” I said. “He’s on horseback.”
Hilda cursed. “Then I will pray to Thor to strike Cathal from the water.”
I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, resting my chin on my knees. I was scared, plain and simple. I was more scared right now, worrying about Torben’s clan, than when I’d been under the attention and aggressive advances of Cathal. At least in that situation, I had some power. But here, I had nothing. There was no way I could help him.
“You can share your strength with him,” Hilda said.
“What?”
“Your face is an open book, Princess.”