Vale of the Gods

by A. E. Rayne

  ‘Do you have everything?’ Jael looked from Ayla to Astrid who stood next to her grandmother, all three of them almost shivering with nerves. ‘Anything else we can get you?’ She barely acknowledged Edela, knowing that that goodbye was coming soon.

  Astrid shook her head. ‘The wagon is so full. I’m not sure we could fit anything else in if we tried.’

  ‘Except us, hopefully,’ Ayla smiled. She felt butterflies flapping around her stomach, knowing how much danger they were going to expose themselves to; grateful that Bruno had decided to come along.

  ‘Well, we need to get going,’ Jael said, trying to remember what else she had to do. ‘So, if you’ve finished your goodbyes, you should hop inside.’

  Ayla nodded, glancing around. ‘I’ll just go and find Bruno. He snuck into the kitchen, I think, looking for more food.’

  Astrid stepped away with Marcus and Hanna, leaving Jael and Edela alone.

  ‘What about you?’ Jael asked quickly. ‘Do you need anything else?’

  Edela laughed. ‘It’s a bit late for that now, isn’t it?’ She grabbed Jael’s hands, squeezing them tightly. ‘We don’t have to say goodbye if you’d prefer.’

  ‘Really?’ Jael almost sounded happy.

  ‘Not now, at least. I can come and visit you in your dreams if you like.’ Edela winked at her granddaughter, pulling her into her arms. ‘You are the funniest creature I know. The bravest. The strongest. The most beautiful.’

  ‘What?’ Jael snorted over Edela’s shoulder. ‘Did you have wine for breakfast?’

  ‘I did not,’ Edela insisted, pushing her granddaughter away, admiring her new leather outfit. Arnna knew Jael so well, and it fit her perfectly. ‘But you should know what I think. What I feel. There are always things we don’t say, but we should say them at times like this.’

  Jael’s mouth hung slightly open. ‘I...’

  Edela laughed. ‘I’m not looking for compliments! I just wanted to tell you all those things in case...’ Feeling tears coming, she pushed a stone into Jael’s hand. ‘Keep this on you. In your pouch. I’ve given Ayla one, but you need one too.’

  Jael looked down at the stone, turning it over, seeing the dark symbol painted on both sides. ‘What’s it for?’

  Edela leaned in close. ‘It’s a door. To me. To you. There are so many symbols on you, your armour, your weapons. Symbols all around this fort too. But this, I hope, will give us a door through all of them. In case we need each other.’ Her voice trailed off, her attention on Biddy who was sniffing as she arrived with Eydis and the puppies.

  Jael nodded, quickly slipping the stone into her pouch.

  ‘You weren’t going to leave without saying goodbye to us, I hope?’ Biddy grumbled, her lips making odd shapes, tears already in her eyes. She had said goodbye to Axl and Thorgils. Fyn and Aleksander too. She wasn’t sure she could take much more.

  ‘I was hoping to,’ Jael admitted. ‘There’ve been too many goodbyes lately. I’m sure we’ll be alright without one more.’ Though she grabbed hold of Biddy and held her close for a moment, trying to ignore her sniffling which rapidly turned into a flood of tears.

  Sensing that Biddy had stepped out of the way, Eydis pushed herself forward, wrapping her arms around Jael’s waist.

  Jael squeezed Eydis hard. ‘I love you,’ she whispered, bending down. ‘With all of my heart. And I’ll do everything I can to bring Eadmund back to you, I promise.’ A tear ran down her cheek, and Eydis reached up, wiping it away. Jael blinked, wondering how she had seen it.

  ‘I know you will, Jael,’ Eydis cried. ‘I know you will. But please stay safe. Please protect yourself. I want you to come back too.’

  ‘We’ll be here helping her, won’t we, Eydis?’ Edela soothed, her hands on Eydis’ shoulders. ‘Don’t you worry now.’

  ‘The puppies...’ Jael could feel their paws on her legs, and she dropped down to the ground, letting them lick her, her hands on their fluffy heads, watching their tails flapping wildly from side to side.

  ‘I’ll keep them safe,’ Biddy mumbled, searching for the cloth she had tucked up her sleeve. ‘And Edela, and Eydis too. Don’t you worry.’

  Aleksander arrived with Fyn, still wondering what Jael wanted to talk to him about.

  ‘And you,’ Edela smiled, slipping an arm around Aleksander’s waist before he could skip away. ‘You will come back in just the one piece, thank you.’

  Aleksander bent down, holding her gently. ‘I like the sound of that. And then I might go away somewhere. Somewhere quiet. Where the sun shines all day and the birds are just birds. Where there’s no chance of creatures coming to eat me in my sleep!’

  Fyn felt awkward.

  He could see Bram out of the corner of his eye talking to Thorgils, and he wanted to see him before they left, but not until he had spoken to Eydis. She was like his little sister. He cared deeply for her, but he didn’t know what to say.

  Eydis didn’t know what to say either.

  ‘Fyn,’ Jael said, sensing his hesitation. ‘We need to go.’

  Fyn nodded, watching as Jael and Aleksander headed for the horses. ‘I hope you’ll be alright while we’re gone, Eydis. Biddy and Edela will be here...’ His words faded into a mumble, and he shook his head. ‘I’ll miss you.’

  Eydis was mad at herself for ever being mad at him. She was just a little girl. She meant nothing to him, she knew. Not like that. But he was her friend, and whatever happened, she wanted him to know it. ‘I’ll miss you too, Fyn,’ she said, leaning forward, slipping her arms around his waist. ‘Make sure you look after Jael. And yourself.’

  ‘I will, I promise.’ He could feel her shudder against him as he tightened his embrace.

  Bram frowned, wondering if Fyn was avoiding him.

  ‘Keep a close watch on Eydis,’ Jael said firmly, trying to get his attention. ‘She’s lost a lot recently, like you.’

  Bram nodded as Fyn approached. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll have a good eye on all of them.’ His attention jumped from Jael to Fyn, who was looking shyer than usual as he stopped in front of his father. ‘And how about you, then? Hope you doubled your sheepskin on your saddle? Nothing worse than not feeling your arse for days on end!’

  Fyn couldn’t help it. Thoughts of his mother filled his heart, and his eyes brimmed with tears. And then, so did Bram’s. ‘I hope you’ll still be here when I get back,’ he said haltingly.

  Bram pulled Fyn into his arms, holding him tight. ‘I’ll be here, don’t you worry about that,’ he promised, clapping his son on the back. ‘I’ve learned my lesson, harsh though it may have been. I’ll have both eyes open this time. You just make sure you find your way back to me, you hear? Me and Eydis. We’ll both be here waiting for you.’

  There were too many tears, Jael decided. And no one looked happy, whether they were staying or going, so nodding at Gant who was approaching with Ulf, she took a deep breath, indicating for Thorgils to blow his horn. Gant had given it to him, and though Jael doubted the wisdom that had seen him pass it to Thorgils, it was something to distract him with for now.

  ‘Up on your horses!’ Jael hollered, taking a deep breath and straightening her shoulders. ‘Let’s make a start!’ And inclining her head for Gant to walk with her, she took one last look at Edela, Biddy, and Eydis. The puppies weren’t going to be left behind yet, though, and they quickly bounded after them.

  Gant didn’t speak as they headed for Tig who was making a fuss, impatient to get going. Being saddled meant a departure as far as he was concerned, yet Jael had shown no sign of coming anywhere near him since she’d strapped it on his back.

  ‘I wish you were coming,’ she said, her eyes on Tig who seemed to be in a bad mood. ‘One less goodbye.’

  ‘Ha!’ Gant laughed, though he felt disturbed by the thought of everyone leaving without him. It was the right decision to remain behind and protect the fort, he knew, but it wasn’t easy to watch everyone else leave.

  It wasn’t easy to say goodbye.

  ‘
I hope the dreamers can help you,’ Jael said. ‘You’ve got three of them now. They should see whatever’s coming. Perhaps talk to Edela, though? She has some new information I think you’re going to need.’

  Gant tried to think of what to say. They’d always ridden off together. Her and Aleksander. Him and Ranuf. ‘I expect to see you back soon. All of you.’

  Doubt flashed across Jael’s eyes, and Gant grabbed her arm, wanting to focus her. ‘This is it. All those years of training. All those battles. Everything we taught you. Everything the gods have given you. This is it. Here. Now. And you’re ready. You have the skill and the talent, and most of all, you have the desire, because Draguta took your husband, and,’ he lowered his voice, glancing around, ‘your baby. Don’t let the weeds grow and twist around your confidence, Jael. Don’t let the clouds come in. You can get Eadmund back. You can save us all. You can. I believe it. I believe in you.’

  Jael smiled through her tears. ‘I saved the best for last, it seems, Gant Olborn.’ She turned as Aleksander joined them. ‘I’ll be seeing you,’ she said, watching his eyes, grabbing Tig’s reins.

  Gant nodded. ‘I’ll be seeing you, Jael Furyck.’

  22

  After a long soak in the hot baths, Jaeger was allowed to greet his wife. And despite feeling more inclined to head for his bed to get some sleep, he could not deny that seeing Amma had been worth the wait. Draguta had certainly worked hard on his reluctant bride.

  She looked ravishing.

  But despite the beautiful ivory dress which accentuated her ample curves and the exquisite jewels which dropped from her ears and looped across her breasts, it was hard to ignore the fact that Amma was still the timid little girl who had run away from him on their wedding night, choosing Axl Furyck over him; leaving him in a heap on the burning square while her family destroyed his fleet and set fire to his piers.

  He stared at her, wondering again what had happened to Meena.

  Draguta glared at Jaeger as he sat on the dragon throne, looking just as ill but far cleaner. ‘You have done well,’ she said shortly. ‘Bringing those Followers to me. All in one piece too. All except for one. The one I wanted most of all.’

  Jaeger emptied his goblet of wine, and, with no intention of standing, waved his hand for a refill. ‘Blame Eadmund. He wanted Briggit all to himself.’

  Amma, who stood there feeling like a doll being admired by a child, was surprised to hear that, though she tried not to signal any interest in their conversation. Now that the discussion had turned away from her appearance and Draguta’s disappointment in Jaeger, she wanted to leave them to it. But Draguta’s firm grip on her arm did not lessen, and so she stood beside her while they spoke, worrying that another wave of nausea was just around the corner.

  ‘Eadmund?’ Draguta looked as though she had inhaled a waft of fresh manure. ‘You are blaming Eadmund for that? Not yourself and your inability to control any part of your body? Not one part! No, Eadmund was right to intervene as he did. I required Briggit Halvardar delivered to me in one piece. Not chewed on and spat out by you!’

  Evaine walked into the hall, ready for breakfast, stumbling to a stop at the sight of Jaeger sprawled on the throne.

  ‘Ahhh, another of your victims!’ Draguta announced dramatically. ‘The castle is full of them! But realise that your wife has been returned to you now. I have returned her to you, and you will treat her with the respect due to the Queen of Hest. Especially the Queen of Hest who is carrying your unborn son.’

  Jaeger pushed himself upright, though the effort made him sigh heavily.

  Amma didn’t look pregnant, he thought, studying her belly with a frown. But Draguta was certain there was a child in there. His. His son. And what was he going to do about that? ‘Where’s my wine?’ he growled impatiently, slumping back into the throne again, wishing they would all go away. As desperate as he had been to please Draguta, now all he could think about was falling asleep.

  Evaine, happy that no one was paying any attention to her, backed straight out of the hall, heading for the kitchen, nerves jangling. If Jaeger was here, that meant Eadmund would be arriving soon. And despite the fact that he’d killed her father and threatened her own life, she knew very well that Draguta’s plans for Eadmund meant that soon he would be looking for a new wife.

  And she was determined to be ready.

  Eadmund was trying to stay away from Briggit.

  Despite the driving rain, the waves curling over the ship, drenching them all and the painful howl of the wind, he could still hear her sharp voice, always calling out to him, demanding something to drink, wanting a fur, a dry cloak, insisting that she be moved to another part of the ship where the waves couldn’t reach her. It was a constant stream of complaints and Eadmund realised that he had asked for it by not letting Jaeger take her as Draguta had wanted.

  He didn’t know why he had intervened.

  Eadmund sighed. He did. Of course he did.

  Jaeger’s intentions were perfectly clear, and Eadmund didn’t want anyone’s rape on his conscience, though now he had Evaine’s. He frowned, leaning out over the shields that lined the gunwales, enjoying the numbing effect of the wind on his face. He wished it would numb his feelings too.

  ‘Eadmund!’

  Rolling his eyes, he turned around, glaring through the salt spray. The buffeting wind was angry and strong, and though it made for a nauseating ride, Eadmund hoped it would get them to Hest quickly. He had to get away from the nagging Queen of Helsabor and her scheming eyes.

  The ship was rocking, riding the surging waves with a groan and a bang. A few of the crew were at the gunwales emptying the contents of their breakfast over the shields. Eadmund almost felt ready to join them.

  ‘I need to sit down!’ Briggit screeched, swaying against the creaking mast where Eadmund had secured her after the helmsman had complained. He didn’t like the way she kept staring at him, as though she was cursing him with her strange golden eyes.

  They all felt much the same, Eadmund knew.

  ‘If you don’t bring me down I will blow away!’ Briggit cried.

  Eadmund almost hoped she would, but it would hardly please Draguta.

  ‘Alright.’ And untying the ropes around her ankles, and then her arms, Eadmund pulled her away. Briggit’s wrists were still bound in the symbol covered fetters, which he hoped were doing something to contain whatever trouble she was brewing. ‘Come over here!’ And dragging her towards the prow, he decided to secure her far away from anyone, slipping the rope through an oar hole. They would certainly not be needing to slot the oars in in this weather.

  ‘No!’ Briggit didn’t want to be near the prow, which was dipping and diving into the freezing water. ‘Not here!’ she yelled into the wind, sea spray slapping her face.

  Eadmund pretended not to hear her as he pushed her down onto a sea chest, working the rope into a knot, pulling it tight. ‘Sit there, and you’ll be fine!’ Or, he thought to himself, Ran might choose to swallow you whole. Either way, she’d be quiet, far away from the rest of them.

  Briggit glared at him, then spat in his face.

  Eadmund backed away, watching the wave as it tipped over the prow, drenching the seething queen. Turning around with a smile, he headed back to the stern, imagining how nice it would feel to be on board Ice Breaker, sheltering in her little wooden house.

  It felt strange without everyone in the fort, and so quiet that Gant was finding it hard to concentrate. His mind was on Jael, Aleksander, and Axl, wondering if they had been attacked yet. He kept going back into the hall to see if Edela or Eydis needed anything, but Edela was busy organising her circle, and she kept shooing him away, sending him off to check on someone else.

  Which he did.

  He found Bram who was giving Berard some pointers for working with a spear, which, Gant realised, might suit him better than using a sword. They nodded as he passed, not encouraging his company either, so he headed towards the ramparts, wanting to check the surrounding cou
ntryside, to see if there was any threat lurking in the distance.

  ‘Gant Olborn, isn’t it?’

  Gant froze, turning slowly with an awkward smile. ‘My lady,’ he said, nodding at Bayla Dragos.

  She smiled. He was a handsome man. A man with manners. A well-kept man, she could tell, not like Ulf who looked as though he’d never owned a new pair of trousers in his life. ‘You are in charge here now?’

  ‘I am, yes.’ Gant felt his insides clench, wishing he wasn’t in charge of anything.

  ‘Well, perhaps you can help me?’ Bayla smiled warmly, showing off a set of straight teeth. ‘I am seeking new accommodation for my very large family. I have five poor children to care for, you see. Five children and a one-armed, helpless son. Pathetic creatures, all of them. And somehow, I am expected to house them all in a tiny windowless shack. A shed. It even has a dirt floor! I’m sure you wouldn’t ask Gisila Furyck to sleep in such a hovel, would you?’ She had heard the rumours about Gant and Gisila, and she could see the discomfort on Gant’s face, which quickly confirmed that those rumours were indeed true.

  ‘No, I wouldn’t, of course not.’ Gant had seen the castle Bayla Dragos had lived in, so he wasn’t surprised that she wanted new lodgings. And now that the army had left, he was in a position to do something about it. ‘Leave it with me, and I’ll find you somewhere new today.’ He hoped that would be that. He wanted to get up on those ramparts and check the valley.

  Bayla was elated. ‘Today? Well, that is fast work, I must say.’ She eyed Ulf who was approaching with trepidation. ‘You see?’ she called. ‘You just need to ask the right man! To get anything done, you just need to ask the right man!’ And hitching up her dress, she flashed Gant a glowing smile and strode past Ulf, her long nose in the air. ‘I shall go and prepare the children and Nicolene for our move!’

  Ulf looked at Gant who blinked, happy to have resolved that issue so quickly, though now he needed to go and find Bayla somewhere to move her family into. Glancing up at the ramparts, he sighed, turning to Ulf. ‘Come on, then, if we can find the Dragos’ a new home, we’ll both have some peace and quiet!’