by Zaya Feli
It wasn't difficult to find where Rakkian was being kept. It was the building everyone was walking out of their way to avoid: not the Sjaelir hall, but the grain storage. The sturdy lock kept thieves out and evil creatures in.
Eskal had let Isa keep a single runestone to ease the pain of his new injuries. He tapped into it now, teeth gritted. The energy didn't flow quite like it used to. He wasn't sure if it was the new ward on his chest or simply fatigue. Whatever it was, he'd deal with it later. The lock clicked open and Isa stepped inside.
The storage hall was dark, little daylight making its way inside through narrow slits under the high roof. Isa looked around, his boot heels clacking on the floor as he passed bags and crates of grain and bales of hay. His pulse kicked in his temples; the rattle of a chain made him reach for his absent axe. He wondered if coming unarmed would prove to be a mistake. It felt like one now. No, he couldn't show fear. The seer said the Varg was trapped inside Rakkian's body. With the magic gate between them sealed, it couldn't harm him. “Creature,” he whispered in the silence.
“Isa?” Rakkian's voice came from the shadows in the corner. Faint light fell on the chain that secured his left wrist and ankle to one of the thick support beams and showed that he was naked except for an old blanket wrapped around him. If there had been any doubt at all that the Varg lived inside him, the evidence was everywhere. Mud clung to his bare arms and legs and makeshift bandages stood out like fresh snow where Torsten's arrows had struck him. No blood had soaked through. Isa wondered if Ingrid had been by to heal him. He stopped well out of arm's reach.
“Isa, I—”
“Shut your mouth,” Isa said, the ice in his voice surprising even himself. They were both quiet for a few agonizing seconds. “Alma thinks you had no idea, but how could I ever believe that?”
Rakkian flinched like he'd been physically struck. He curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around his chest. “It's true. I swear it on my life. I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to hurt anybody. I-I just want to go home.”
“You had no idea?”
Rakkian sniffled. “I swear.”
Isa stared at him. “Why did you destroy the ships? You're the one who wanted to go west.”
“The Varg didn't want Eskal to sail west and take me...take it with him. Away from the north.”
“How do you know?”
“I saw.” Rakkian's voice was a whisper. “When it came out. I saw its thoughts. I felt what it felt.”
“And Jættedahl?” Isa asked. “The perfect chance to kill as many people as you could.”
“No. That wasn't it.”
“Then what?”
“I... I don't—”
“Answer me!” Isa barked. “You killed Steinar!”
“I don't know!” Rakkian turned wide, teary eyes on him. His eyes were forest green, just like the Varg's had been. “If I did, I'd tell you! Isa, I'm so scared.”
Isa looked away. Rakkian sat on the floor, hurt and trembling, tears streaming down his face. He looked so much like the injured boy Isa had found in the woods, the young man he'd brought back to his hut, the one who'd helped him ride to Tornlund.
Isa closed his eyes. He couldn't let his feelings betray him. Ingrid was right. His heart was still soft, and right now, he wished it weren't. “Skygge is very weak,” he said. He didn't look at Rakkian as he unfolded his coat, carefully drawing the warm bundle from underneath. “I need you to help her.”
Rakkian reached for her. Isa hesitated, then deposited the bundle in Rakkian's hands.
“If you hurt her...” Isa let his voice trail off. He knew Rakkian wouldn't.
Rakkian held Skygge carefully, the chain around his wrist rattling when he drew her into his arms. He carefully peeled the blanket away. “Oh, sweet girl,” he whispered. “I'm so sorry.” He placed a hand against her wing and closed his eyes.
Isa couldn't see anything happening, but he felt energy fill the space between them like a flickering flame. The Runik part of him yearned for that bright energy and he took a step back.
Skygge raised her head and blinked, then flapped her wings. Rakkian let go of her and she hopped onto the floor. She was a little unsteady, wobbling sideways, so Isa knelt and held his hands out to catch her in case she fell. She turned to him and opened her beak, begging for food with a loud, scratchy caw.
Relief flooded through Isa and he gasped out a smile, scooping her into his arms. She cawed indignantly and wiggled free, hopping onto his shoulder instead and screeching her demands for food right into his ear.
Rakkian wrapped a hand around Isa's wrist and Isa flinched, preparing for the sharp surge of energy. Nothing happened – the gate was sealed. Rakkian's hand was cold. “Help me. I beg you.”
Isa stared back at him, all his muscles tensing. He thought he could smell the sharp scent of predator in the air around him and it sent his heart racing. “I can't,” he whispered.
“What will happen to me?”
“I don't know.” Isa tugged his hand from Rakkian's grasp and rubbed the spot where Rakkian had touched him. The Varg. The Varg had touched him.
“I felt your energy. It was so bright. Then everything went dark.” Rakkian’s voice shook.
Isa’s eyes lowered to the pendant around Rakkian's neck. Dagaz, the rune he'd carved for him.
Rakkian saw him looking and his shoulders sagged. He reached for the rune and closed his hand around it, voice full of pain when he spoke. “Do you want it back?”
Isa swallowed. “No,” he said. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to stay and run at the same time, so he made the easier choice and turned, heading for the door.
“Wait!” Rakkian called, chains clinking.
A cold gust of wind made the wood creak as Isa stopped in the doorway.
“It didn’t come for you. Six years ago? The Varg was there for her. For Skygge.”
Isa spun around. “To kill her?”
“To save her.” Rakkian spoke so softly Isa barely heard him.
Isa didn’t know what to think. Rakkian was the Varg. Killer. Liar. Deceiver. The beast who’d torn his mother and father to pieces. He strode forward, but Skygge shifted on his shoulder, flapping her wings and cawing into the semi-darkness.
Isa clenched his hand into a fist. “Thank you for what you did for her.” Rakkian didn't answer and Isa wasn't sure he'd heard him.
Isa closed the door behind him. He paused outside, eyes closed. He was shaking with emotion, flowing over with them and he had no idea what to do. Everything had happened so fast. He'd thought he'd known the way of things, but he'd been wrong. About everything. He'd not just failed to save Rakkian from capture, he'd failed to save him from the Varg, too. That sweet boy with the kind eyes, was there anything left of him? Was it really him in there, or was it an illusion?
A subtle warmth tickled his chest, near his heart. Isa tore his jacket open, pulling aside his undershirt. He stared at the dark tendrils on his skin, but the feeling wasn't coming from them. It came from his mother's golden medallion. He pulled it over his head and stared as it hummed against his palm, the snarling golden wolf glaring up at him. Isa drew his hand back and made to throw it, but stopped himself.
His mother's medallion. His only memory of her. He lowered his hand. He couldn't do it. Instead, he stuffed it into his pocket.
Skygge cawed softly from her perch on his shoulder and Isa looked up. Ravens sat like dark sentries on rooftops and fences against the backdrop of the pale sky. Snowflakes turned to beads of shimmering water on their feathers. The frost had arrived.
To be continued...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This series is especially dear to me. It's my heritage. My home. The Icefjord is shaped like the place I used to live. The forked tree outside Ulfheim stood down the road from my old back yard, and I've spent countless hours wandering through landscapes shaped by Viking burial chambers and littered with tomb stones. The story of Isa, Rakkian and Karel is deeply personal, but I could never have
brought it to life alone.
This novel is for everyone who follows me on social media, encouraging me to keep writing and motivating me to create. It's for Thea Davison, who tolerates my endless monologues and frustrations. It's for Sarah Wright, who lets me brainstorm at her for hours and turns my jagged prose into a beautiful thing. It's for Leah Sherwin and Sara Olive who always meet my enthusiasm for my brave, broken boys with endless excitement and encouragement.
Thank you to my wonderful Patreon supports, Corinna Wagner, Maria Munoz and Finn Street and all the rest of them for caring so much about my work. And a special thank you to my beta readers, Bailey Elward, Leah Sherwin, Selene M. Á., Francesca Kaddatz, Sara Olive and Jen Drummond who took the time to help me make this novel even better than I could have on my own.
Thank you.
LIST OF CHARACTERS
ULFHEIM
ISA – Son of the former Jarl Eirik
RAKKIAN – A Sjaelir from the Western Isles
SKYGGE – Isa's raven
ESKAL – Son of Jarl Hjalmar
TORSTEN – A strong, blond warrior
STEINAR – Ulfheim's Runik master
ALMA – A strong, blonde warrior
SIGNY – A young Sjaelir
KJARTAN – A warrior with dragon tattoos on each cheek
JARI – Son of Hjalmar, Eskal's half-brother
INGRID – A Runik healer
STEN – A Sjaelir
THE TWINS – Child Runiks
HJALMAR – Jarl of Ulfheim, brother of Jarl Eirik
EIRIK – Ulfheim's former jarl, deceased
HELGA – Eirik's wife, descendant of Tyr, deceased
GITTA – A villager
FENRISBORG
KING TORVALD – King of Fenrisborg, Kelvaldr, Vinterholm and Reyadahl
KAREL – King Torvald's son
YLVA – King Torvald's daughter, Karel's sister
HAKON – Fenrisborg inhabitant
OTHERS
THE VARG – God of creatures, takes the shape of a large wolf
JARL ORLAN – Jarl of Halafjell
LENA – A healer from Ravsø
HELGRINN THE BLOODY – Fought with a forgotten rune and died in battle
WORDS IN THE OLD LANGUAGE
TERMS:
Bold – Ball
Borg – Stronghold
Dahl – Valley
Fjell – Rocky plateau
Hala – Windy
Holm – Hill, small island
Jari – Quarrel
Jarl – Noble, earl
Jætte – Jotun
Kravl – Critter
Lund – Small forest
Rav – Amber
Skov – Forest
Skygge – Shadow
Stav – Staff, stick
Sten – Stone
Torn – Thorn
Ulf/ulv – Wolf
Vinter – Winter
Ø – Island
RUNES:
Fehu – Cattle, property
Thurs – Giant
Kauna – Torch, light
Wunjo – Joy
Hagal – Hail (crystal)
Nauthiz – Need
Isa – Ice
Jera – Year
Pertho – Mountain
Sowilo – Sun
Tiwaz – Tyr
Bjarka – Birch
Laguz – Water, ocean
Dagaz – Day
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