Jerry Autieri

Fate's Needle

One

Ulfrik stood in the front rank, on his father’s shield side. He pushed up his leather cap, which constantly slid over his eyes. Once I’m a blooded warrior, I’ll have my own helmet. On Ulfrik’s shield side stood his father’s hirdmen. Behind them, a crowd of about thirty men-all from the nearby farms or standing troops-formed ranks. Looking over at his eldest son, Orm reached out, removed the ill-fitting leather cap, and tossed it away. He said nothing. Ulfrik could feel his heart hammering in his chest, even though no enemy was in sight.

“Grim, go back to the hall,” Orm ordered, pointing at his youngest son.

Grim, wearing one of Ulfrik’s tunics that hung loosely on his young frame, had been fluttering about the front rank, brandishing a small knife and boasting about killing the enemy. His face crumpled at his father’s command. “If Ulfrik can fight in the shield wall, so can I!”

“Fool child, nothing but trouble from the day you were born. Your brother is fifteen, and smarter than you’ll ever be. Now go, before I crack your head.”

Grim appeared about to speak, but kept silent. He dared to glower at his father, then faced Ulfrik and spat at his feet before running back across the dew-laden grass toward the hall.

“Better keep your brother in check,” Orm said, peering over Ulfrik’s head to the tree line beyond. “I’ve no patience for his complaints.”

Ulfrik nodded, wondering when his father had ever had patience for Grim. He watched his brother’s form dissolve into the gray and green background. Ever since they had received news of the raiding ships, Grim had not stopped trying to join the defense. Ulfrik had told him to stay away, if only to keep their father from beating him senseless, but his brother never took his advice.

The chill morning was quiet but for wind rushing over the cleared fields around his uncle Auden’s hall. When the wind lulled, the rasp of weapons and hushed talk of the warriors could be heard. Ulfrik continued scanning the distance. He felt his pulse throb in his neck, and was self-conscious for it. The older warriors seemed unconcerned about facing savage Vestfold raiders.

Eventually, two figures approached from the woods: scouts, now returning.

“The raiders have pulled up their ship as far as the inlets could take them. They’re on foot now, moving with purpose,” the older scout reported.

Orm grunted and smiled. Ulfrik swallowed hard at the news. His father nodded to Auden, who commanded one of his men to raise Grenner’s standard, a green flag with elk antlers in black. Orm cheered as his standard fluttered, and the others joined in.

“Cheer with us, lad.” The hirdman at Ulfrik’s shield side, Snorri, elbowed him. “Let those whoreson raiders know the land is protected.”

Smiling, Ulfrik joined in the hollering; it felt like a celebration. These fierce men would drive back the scum from Vestfold. The invaders had no chance.

Then, the enemy emerged-at first just muted smudges in the distance with sporadic white flashes as the thin sun glanced off their weapons. Orm and the men bellowed in challenge.

“Form up the line to prevent flanking. Make them come to us.” Orm gestured toward the center of the field, and the men formed two straight lines as Orm had commanded.

Undaunted by the challenge, the enemy marched toward them.

“The line’s too thin.” Auden worried. “What it if breaks? They’ll split us up.”

Orm didn’t seem concerned, which Ulfrik admired. He had never seen his father command men in battle, but he knew by heart the stories of his father’s bravery and cunning. Now, Ulfrik would make a new story at his father’s side. Unlike Auden, Ulfrik was certain of victory.

“Keep your shield on me, lad,” Snorri said, nodding toward the loose group of about thirty approaching raiders. “I’m trusting you to guard my life.”

“I am ready, Snorri,” Ulfrik said, but he felt his knees buckle and his breath grow ragged. He regretted refusing the mead and ale the men had been passing around earlier to steady their nerves. Watching the solemn march of the enemy, he whispered a prayer to Thor to keep his sword true in battle.

The raiders halted in the middle of the field, out of bow range. Two men strode forward, hulking figures in furs and mail hauberks. The one at the back shouldered a two-handed ax. Orm tapped Ulfrik with his shield. “Come with us to the parley and learn how it’s done. There are many ways to tell a man to go fuck a goat. I’ll show you a few now.”

Orm and Auden peeled out of the shield wall to confront their enemies. Ulfrik, trying to keep his face devoid of expression, followed, but his head felt hot and his eyes wanted to close. As they approached the men, Ulfrik realized the shorter man was the leader. He was stout and thick-necked, and his eyes glinted with what Ulfrik recognized as conceit. Grim might look like him when he comes of age, he thought. Two gold arm rings encircled his biceps beneath the cuff of the hauberk and his black hair blew forward over his face as he waited. Ulfrik noticed the dazzling green gem set in the pommel of the man’s sword.

“I am Orm the Bellower, Jarl of Grenner,” his father said as they approached. Ulfrik said nothing, merely turned up his chin defiantly. “You are trespassing on my lands, dogface. I’ll allow you and your band of swineherds to leave now without punishment.”

The leader did not flinch.

Ulfrik watched the exchange with fascination. He would have to do this one day, when his father passed Grenner on to him. Orm’s warning, however, seemed bland. Ulfrik had seen his father angered more readily by a spilled mug of ale. Perhaps it’s all part of the act.

“I am Aki Geirson, and my men and I will leave. But the price is twenty pounds of silver.”

Orm and Auden laughed. The man named Aki remained impassive, his hair blowing across his face. The other raider with him hitched his ax up his shoulder and appeared bored.

Orm looked Aki up and down. “Listen to me, Aki Geirson. I’ve seen your type before; their skulls now watch over my coast from the tops of poles. I will add you and your men to that guard duty. Now leave here and never return, or I will feed your guts to the birds, you turd-eating pig.”

“Twenty pounds of silver,” Aki repeated. “And we leave without burning your hall and taking your little boy as a slave.”

Ulfrik startled at Aki’s acknowledgement, and his gaze flew to his father.

A brief smile alighted on Aki’s thin lips.

“You choose death, Aki Geirson.” Orm turned, and Auden followed. For a moment, Ulfrik worried the axman would chop them down from behind, but Aki and his guard also turned away.

Ulfrik hurried behind his father and uncle, the wind filling his ears as they crossed the field back to their lines.

“He looks like a good brawler,” Orm told Auden, but his eyes remained on his own men. “What did you see in his men? Bows?”

Auden, also looking ahead, replied, “No bows that I saw, but spears. I counted twenty-eight. Their weapons are not well maintained. They’ll run off when the fighting gets tough.”

Orm grunted again as they returned to the line. He looked down at Ulfrik with the barest of smiles on his face. “The parley is a chance to get a better look at the enemy. Take someone you trust to it; let him count enemy spears and give you advice.”

Ulfrik nodded, turning back to Aki, who had disappeared into the crowd of raiders. “What now? Do we wait here?”

Orm did not acknowledge Ulfrik, instead stepping in front of the men. “Listen, they are weak and we are strong. They are desperate and we are calm. We have some numbers over them, and bows. Fire on them as they close, but hold this line. They’ll try to put a swinehead through us. We’ll fold up on their flanks and cut them to bits. No prisoners. Understood?”

The men roared, and Orm encouraged their bloodlust. Ulfrik joined in, but felt his own calls were lame, unheard squeals. He knew Aki and his fiercest men would lead the swinehead-the wedge formation used to break a shield wall-which meant they would collide directly with Ulfrik’s position. He straightened up, squeezing out the jitters.

Aki lead his men closer, still in a loose group, and began to hurl insults. With all the ferocity Ulfrik expected from his father, Orm yelled back across the expanse. Orm the Bellower could be heard above anything, across any battlefield. His battle cry weakened men and frightened wolves. Ulfrik felt proud to stand next to him at this moment, and to let out his own bellow.

“Arrows!” Orm called. But the weak hunting bows failed to reach Aki’s line.

Aki and his men laughed and showed their backsides. More arrows flew, one actually landing among them. A section of their ranks jumbled to avoid the arrows.

After a while, neither side had advanced and the cajoling and cursing grew uninspired. Ulfrik anticipated the attack. He could already feel the enemy shields clashing on his own.

Orm must have sensed it as well. “Ready shields. They’ll come at us soon.”

True enough, Aki called out and pointed at them with his sword; the green gem on the pommel flashed, as if winking at Ulfrik. Then the whole group moved forward at a jog. Orm’s few bowmen fired and first blood was shed as an arrow found a mark. A raider fell, clutching his neck. As the enemies approached, screaming and cursing, they picked up speed.

Then they seemed to slow, and they raised their arms.

At first, Ulfrik didn’t understand.

“Spears!” Orm screamed, raising his shield.

With a hiss, the enemy let their spears fly, some hurling two at a time. The heavy shafts sailed in steady arcs, thudding all along the line and into the earth before them. Ulfrik ducked behind his shield just as someone behind him screamed with a wet gurgle.

“Lock shields!” Orm cried again. “No mercy!”

Ulfrik hurried to place his shield on Snorri’s. Beside him, Orm’s shield clacked on his own. Over the leather shield rim, Ulfrik saw Aki leading a charge, his men forming a loose wedge behind him. Screams washed over them, and Ulfrik pulled behind his shield and braced for the onslaught.

None of the powerful kicks Orm had ever delivered to Ulfrik’s shield in drills could compare to the impact of a real charge. The enemy crashed down upon Ulfrik; Aki had probably guessed he was the weakest link. He felt himself driven back as the charge plowed home, but the man behind shoved him forward, smashing Ulfrik up against the point of the swinehead. His breath pressed out of his chest, Ulfrik swooned.

But somehow he still stood.

The noise was deafening: the roars and curses of men on both sides, the clash of shields like rocks clattering down a mountainside. Then, under the shield came a gray iron blade. Ulfrik sprang back, the blade searching for his crotch or inner thigh-either strike would bleed him out in minutes. In answer, spears plunged down from behind him, striking over the shield wall at the enemy.

Regaining his composure, Ulfrik jabbed his short blade under the shield, feeling it turn on something as he did. Now came the steady killing. Men on both sides howled and screamed. The tang of blood rose into the air. Ulfrik kept his shield over Snorri, who screamed and jabbed his blade beneath it. Orm, next to him, pushed forward into Aki.

Giddy and light-headed, Ulfrik stabbed his sword again and again beneath his shield until it came away bloody. It had to have been Aki’s blood; the enemy leader shrieked in pain whenever Ulfrik felt the resistance to his strike. It was an incredible feeling to exist only in the timeless space of battle-a space in which people moved with perfect clarity. Ulfrik didn’t know how it happened, but suddenly the orderly battle lines on both sides were broken. Men were pairing off in combat. To his left, Snorri had engaged a red-haired giant with a bloody ax. A sallow-faced man came at Ulfrik with a spear from the front. Instinctively, his shield arm snapped up, saving him but lodging the enemy spear deep into the wood and sending Ulfrik careening backward. The attacker, also without a shield, dropped his spear and fumbled for his long knife. It was the pause Ulfrik needed. He stepped into the gap and sliced upward, his blade ripping through the man’s unprotected throat like old linen. Blood gushed down the man’s body as he flopped face down with Ulfrik standing over him.

The close but disordered ranks of men crashed into him all around. Before him, Orm and Aki traded blows strong enough to behead a horse. Aki, despite being shorter, steadily beat Orm back until Ulfrik saw his father stumble over a corpse. Again the world slowed down. Orm toppled backward, one arm out to break his fall, his shield arm drawn protectively over his chest. Aki’s eyes seemed lit with a feral fire. He stepped into Orm’s fall, hauling his sword back, preparing to plunge it into the gap in Orm’s defense. Ulfrik, watching, felt everything move too slowly; it could not be real.

He leaped forward, his borrowed sword seeming almost to pull him toward Aki’s exposed armpit. The iron blade thrust easily through the chain links, plunged into Aki’s soft skin, and finally halted on bone deep inside. He saw Aki’s eye blaze. Then the man’s eyelids fluttered, his pupils dimmed. Brilliant scarlet sprayed Aki’s sides and his mouth fell open, releasing a torrent of blood as he twisted and fell. Ulfrik, amazed, forgot to release his sword; it snapped as Aki toppled.

Weaponless and stunned, Ulfrik looked up into the melee. Men dashed everywhere. He could not tell who was who, but he guessed the enemy was in retreat now that their leader was a corpse at Ulfrik’s feet.

Orm leaped up, ready to fight, as if he had never touched the ground. Ulfrik, still straddling Aki before him, nodded to his father. Even as men still swirled in combat, Orm dropped his fighting stance and strode to Ulfrik’s side. Kicking Aki’s body over, he dropped his hand to his son’s shoulder. Breathing heavily, father and son stared down at the corpse at their feet.

“You are a man today,” Orm finally said, patting Ulfrik’s back. “When I’m gone you will be a fine jarl.”

Ulfrik heard no more but his own beating heart. He looked to his father, who was surveying the ebbing tide of the battle, the bloody flotsam of its wake. Ulfrik smiled, and swore he would never forget this day.

***

The raiding party had been destroyed, killed to a man as near as anyone could tell. Once the bodies had been stripped of valuables and the raiders’ ship found and hauled overland to the hall, Ulfrik helped carry away the treasures. Orm made good on his promise to line the coast with the raiders’ heads, supervising a few men performing the grizzly task. Ulfrik was glad he did not have to watch.

Only one of their own had died-the man who had taken a hit from the thrown spears.

“A fool to die like that,” Orm had told Ulfrik privately. But later, when the man’s relatives came to collect their blood price, Orm had praised the man as if he were a hero from a saga. Some of the other men had taken serious injury, but once everyone had cleaned up, they nonetheless prepared to celebrate with a feast.

Ulfrik sat at the high table with his father, his uncle, and their hirdmen. Being a man meant he was to drink like a man, yet he still became drunk like a boy. Orm and Auden were in high spirits, and every time Ulfrik drained his mug it was ordered refilled. Ulfrik was enjoying the glory of the battle and the camaraderie of the warriors. Earlier, he had embellished his own role for the excitement of his cousins, ignoring Grim’s constant interruptions and belittlement. Now, Grim had disappeared, making the feast even more pleasant.

“Listen! Listen to me!” Orm banged on the table as he stood. “By the gods, still your mouths!”

Men laughed and fell silent, turning on their benches to look up to Orm.

“Today, we celebrate not only our victory, but also the making of a man.” Orm gestured to Ulfrik without looking down. Several of the men hammered on the tables and growled their approval. Ulfrik shrank under the attention, not knowing what to do.

“You’ve heard how he sent that rat-turd Aki Geirson to his death,” his father continued. “But you hear it now from me. Ulfrik slew two men today-equal to the head count of any of you. I watched him at work. Not a moment’s hesitation in his thrust. Aki thought Ulfrik was our weakest link, but he is fierce and strong. He is one of us!”

The hall swelled with cheers and roars. All of the mugs were raised to him and Orm snatched up his own.

“Stand up, boy.” Auden smiled and raised his own mug. “Take glory when it shines on you. Hurry!”

So Ulfrik stood, wobbling and taking up his mug. Orm guzzled his mead, and everyone followed. Ulfrik slugged his back, too, although the taste was beginning to make him nauseous. As he sat again, he noticed Orm whisper to Snorri. Something passed between them: an object Orm kept hidden behind his back. Snorri winked and stepped away.

“All men who fight in a battle are entitled to part of the spoils,” Orm said. “Ulfrik was in such a hurry to tell his cousins about his day, he forgot to grab his share.” Laughter rippled through the hall and Ulfrik smiled in embarrassment. He hadn’t thought of looting, even though he had been assigned the task of carrying the goods.

“I have picked the finest of spoils,” Orm said, “and I give it to you now.”

From behind his back, Orm produced Aki’s blade. The green gem inlaid in the pommel glittered and winked in the light of the hall. Orm turned it around and tipped the hilt at Ulfrik. “Take this, Ulfrik,” Orm said softly, and with more feeling than Ulfrik had ever heard from him. “Slay many foes with it. Gather glory with it. You made me proud today, and you have my thanks.”

Ulfrik carefully took the blade into his hands, as if it were an infant. The hilt welcomed him, fitting his hand as if made for him. A sharkskin wrap kept the hilt rough and tight in his grip. The weight felt perfect. He wanted to draw it, but there was no space. Instead, Ulfrik turned to the men and held it out over them. They cheered and clapped. Ulfrik felt his eyes become wet.

Then he saw Grim.

His brother was there after all, huddled in a dark corner. Amid the cheers, Grim stepped out of the shadows, his face taut with jealousy and his fists clenched in anger. Ulfrik felt his guts twist, an immediate reaction to his brother’s petty jealousy, but when he lowered his sword and looked back, Grim was gone. Auden slapped Ulfrik’s back in congratulations, and Ulfrik soon forgot about his brother.

The feasting and drinking continued. Ulfrik tried to keep up with the men, but soon the room began to spin and he slumped forward, his foggy head resting on the table. The laughter of the hall rang in his ears.

***

The next morning, he awoke on the floor beneath the table, surrounded by vomit, urine, and spilled food and drink. Everyone else had passed out in the hall too, including Orm and Auden. He put out a hand for his sword, groping through the mess on the floor, only to find it missing. Frantic, he shook his father and uncle awake.

“Master Ulfrik, I believe this is yours.” Before Orm or Auden understood what was happening, one of the few sober guards bore Ulfrik’s sword inside.

The scabbard was missing. The blade had been snapped. Images of Grim breaking it flashed into Ulfrik’s mind.

Orm appeared to have had the same thought. “Grim!” he growled, as soon as he saw the blade.

Ulfrik’s vision reddened. He wanted to gut his brother with the snapped shard left in the hilt.

“You will stay here and not leave this hall.” His father stayed his hand. “Do you understand?”

“I’m going to kill him!” Ulfrik roared back, but Orm yanked down hard on his arm, nearly throwing him to the floor.

“You will stay here, and I will deal with your brother. Obey me in this.”

So Ulfrik waited with Auden, who did not seem to understand what had happened, even after seeing the shattered blade. Ulfrik slumped at the high table, gazing mournfully at the broken sword on his lap. At least the hilt was still intact.

Next to him, Auden leaned over and stared at the hilt. For a long while neither spoke.

“That boy is a wild one,” Auden eventually said, shaking his head. “Every bit his mother’s temperament. She would’ve done something just like this.”

Ulfrik shook his head. His mother had died when he was just a child, but he didn’t remember any cruelty or spite in her. From Ulfrik’s earliest memories, Grim had been trouble: mean, petty, and jealous.

“I will have a new sword made for you, finer than this one,” Auden said, his voice weak from the night of drinking. “We can probably reuse the hilt. I’ll have the blacksmith look at it. Don’t worry, lad.”

Ulfrik sighed, accepting it was all that could be done. He never got to wield the entire blade, but the hilt, with its dazzling gem, was still a prize. He would treasure whatever Auden could do for him.

Auden took the broken hilt and left Ulfrik alone with his thoughts. Hours passed. He paced the hall as he waited, stepping over men still lost in drunken stupor, wishing his cousins and aunt might return to listen to his complaints. When he felt he could take no more, the hall door opened and Grim appeared. Flanking him on either side were Orm and Auden. Grim’s face was red, puffy as if he had been crying. Ulfrik wanted to pound it into the filth of the floor, but his father must have read that intent and held up his hand.

“Your brother has admitted to stealing and breaking your sword.” Orm nudged Grim forward. With his head bowed, Grim stopped just inside the door. He said nothing, simply wiped the snot from his nose and gazed at the floor.

“He stole a man’s property; worse yet, he stole and destroyed a man’s sword.” Orm turned back to Grim. “I’ve told Grim what that means, how that crime is handled in my lands.”

Orm’s expression was hard. Inscrutable. “But since it was your property, and you are a man now, I will let you decide how to punish your brother.”

Ulfrik sucked in his breath. He hadn’t expected a chance to dole out punishment. His first instinct was to beat Grim’s face in with the hilt of his ruined sword, but despite all of Grim’s trouble, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He looked at his sniveling brother, who hung his head in shame. The redness of Grim’s face deepened the longer Ulfrik scrutinized him. Three years younger than myself, Ulfrik thought, and he looks a pathetic child. He hesitated.

Grim stole a look under his brow, snapping his eyes away when Ulfrik’s eyes met his.

“Out with it, Ulfrik.” Orm strode up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “What do we do with your brother?”

“He needs to apologize,” Ulfrik said, surprising himself and apparently everyone else who heard.

Grim looked up now, a furious expression twisting his red and swollen face.

“That’s all I want from him, Father.”

A disapproving scowl bloomed in the crags of his father’s face. Ulfrik expected a rebuke, but none came. Instead, Orm faced Grim, hollering in a voice he reserved for chasing dogs out of his path. “You heard it, boy. Apologize!”

Grim hesitated, the words trembling on his lips. He snarled like a wolf with its leg in a trap. When Orm drew breath to order again, Grim let the words rush out: “I apologize.”

“For what?” Orm snapped.

“For stealing Ulfrik’s sword and breaking it. I am sorry.”

Ulfrik had never heard a more insincere apology. He immediately regretted not taking sterner action, but he merely nodded his acceptance.

“And to make sure you remember your words, you will take three lashes across your back. You’ll get them from me,” Orm said.

Grim’s flush faded to white fear. Even Ulfrik wanted to protest, but the words caught in his throat. Ulfrik had seen his father lash men who had broken the law. He had even seen his father hang a man for something terrible; he could still remember the wails of the man’s family.

“Take him outside!” Orm ordered one of the warriors.

Grim struggled, but the man jerked him around with a curse and dragged him to the exit.

“I’ll not forget this, Ulfrik.” Grim grabbed the door and scowled back at his elder brother. “Neither will you! None of you!”

Orm shook his head as Grim was dragged away. Turning back to Ulfrik, the scowl still in place, he asked, “Do you think mercy will make things easier?”

“I couldn’t think what to do, Father.” Ulfrik winced at his own childish words.

“Your mercy,” Orm said, spitting out the words like they were foul in his mouth, “will only make men despise you, take you for a weakling and fool. Your brother would love you better had you broken his hands.”

Ulfrik recoiled from Orm’s anger. How could his father be right? If the situation were reversed, he would’ve wanted mercy.

“Orm, you know that’s not always the case.” Auden intervened. “Grim is his brother; leniency is understandable.”

Orm gazed over Ulfrik’s head at Auden. Neither spoke for an uncomfortable length of time. When Orm found his words, he spoke evenly. “Get me a lash, Auden. Leniency is intolerable.”

His father and uncle turned away from each other, leaving Ulfrik caught in the draft between them. Eventually, Orm fetched the lash himself.

Grim whimpered as the first lash struck his bare back. On the final two, he screamed like a babe in front of everyone, including all of their cousins. When it was done, he lay face down, rivulets of blood staining the grass beneath him.

Throwing the lash away, Orm then stormed off.

Unable to look any more, Ulfrik turned away. He wanted to vomit; when he was alone, he almost did.

***

Grim sobbed alone at the edge of the trees where the track ran south toward Grenner, his home. He cried for the throbbing, convulsing pain in his back, but he cried more for his desperate confusion and loneliness. He had spent all day in the woods, alone, and no one even cared that he had gone.

Finally mastering his tears, as the last drops streamed down his cheeks he scrubbed the snot from his nose and tried to stand tall. He wanted to appear dignified when he strode from the woods and into his uncle’s hall, wanted to seem as if nothing had happened.

Grim dreaded facing his father and brother again. Ulfrik would try to make things better, but Orm would just find something else wrong with him. They both hated him-Grim had always known that. He worked as hard as he could to change it, but it never worked. It had been Grim who had killed Orm’s wife, and his and Ulfrik’s own mother, in childbirth. Grim tried to imagine the mother he had never met, but even that nearly set him crying again as he arrived outside the hall.

Passersby him gave concerned looks, as if a foreigner had wandered into their midst. One woman, carrying a load of firewood, gave him a weak smile. Unable to match it, Grim kept walking until he stood before the guard outside the main hall.

“Is my father inside?”

The guard nodded soberly.

Grim placed his hand on the door and heaved a sigh before pushing it open.

Inside, the hall yawned black while Grim’s eyes adjusted to the dim light. Servant girls were clustered in a corner and his father was stooped over a mug at the end of the high table. He became of aware of the girls’ chatter only once it stopped. They backed away as he passed them, and then fled, like rabbits before a hound, out of his sight. His father didn’t move. Orm remained a dark lump, hunkered over his mead, black hair hiding his face like a cowl.

Grim cleared his throat. “I’ve returned, Father…” His voice trailed off. He had not thought of what else to say.

Orm stretched out his arm and beckoned his son closer. The boy wavered, hoping to find someone willing to intercede for him, but the hazy, smoke-filled hall was otherwise empty. Grim warily stepped toward Orm’s outstretched hand. His father’s arms were as thick as Grim’s legs, maybe thicker. Beneath the gold bands that encircled Orm’s biceps, white scars snaked over the muscles. Grim stepped up the short rise to the high table, and stopped … just out of reach. His father let his arm drop to his lap, but did not raise his head, or even look at Grim. The scent of mead hung over the jarl as he sat in silence. Finally, he drained his mug and threw it across the hall before speaking.

“How is your back healing?”

“Like nothing ever happened.” Grim tried to infuse his voice with power and dignity, but even to his own ears he sounded like a child.

“Like nothing happened,” Orm repeated, then returned to his silence.

Orm sprang up, his arm shooting out like a thrown spear. The chair skittered away from him as he leaped from the table and seized his youngest son by the throat, shoving him against the wall. Grim grabbed his father’s arm, flailing against its iron grasp. Agony exploded across his back, and sharp pain shot through his ears and neck.

“Like nothing happened!” Orm roared into his face, following with a sour belch of mead. “Maybe I need to repeat the lesson until you notice something happened?”

“N-no,” Grim managed.

His father’s bloodshot eyes bulged with rage as he thrust Grim against the wall.

“Something is always happening with you, Boy. Do you know that? Ill luck follows you like a lost dog-from the day you were born! Do you think I want that in my army, in my hall? With you at my side I can’t fail to lose, can I?”

Orm’s grip tightened on his throat, and Grim’s vision hazed brown. He kicked and grunted, his eyes rolling back in his head. Then his father released him. Grim slumped against the wall and gasped, his hands reflexively clutching his wounded neck.

His father stood over him, heaving as if he were the one nearly strangled. Grim glared up at him, as defiantly as he could manage, but Orm just pushed his hair from his face and walked back to his fallen chair.

“I married your mother in this hall, on a day like today, sixteen years ago. Not a finer woman in the whole circle of the world. Until you pulled out her guts, killed her. Why did the gods trade her life for yours?”

Grim staggered to his feet, unable to contain his tears. Wanting to be manly, he tried, at least, to suppress the largest sobs, yet even they escaped. “It wasn’t my fault! I didn’t ask to be born!” he cried, like the child he was.

“I’d lash you to ribbons if it would bring her back.” Orm picked up his chair, but kept his back to his son. Drunken anger still quavered in his voice. “Just get away from me! Go find your brother. He’ll deal with you now that he’s a man.”

Grim fled, all pretence of dignity and manliness choked from him. He exploded out the front door, wailing like a baby, and nearly careened directly into Auden and Ulfrik. Not daring to look at them, he threw his arm over his face and ran blindly, wishing the gods had killed him instead of his mother. His life was a torment to everyone, including himself.

***

They remained at Auden’s hall after the attack to ensure no other raiders followed. None came. Ulfrik mingled with the men, enjoying being treated as an equal. Snorri trained him to throw axes and shoot arrows.

“When you go to battle, always keep a throwing ax in your belt,” Snorri, who was renowned for his martial skills both in the shield wall and at a distance, advised. “A good throw can split a man’s skull at thirty paces. It can mean the difference between fighting one enemy or two.”

When he wasn’t hurling axes or sparring, Ulfrik spent time with his uncle and cousins. Only Grim stayed apart. Ulfrik did not care at first. He was not eagerly anticipating seeing his brother again, but after witnessing him flee the hall, and learning what had happened, Ulfrik knew that making peace would become his responsibility.

Torn between resenting his brother for denying him a mother he could no longer remember and protecting his younger sibling, Ulfrik had always felt bad that Grim bore the blame for something he had no control over. Orm, on the other hand, had no trouble blaming him, and never seemed to care if Grim disappeared. When Grim had not shown for several days, Ulfrik sought him in the woods.

He and Grim always took to the woods when they needed time alone. It was dangerous- wolves prowled its depths-but it felt natural. The solitude was comforting. Ulfrik had no trouble locating his brother. Grim had left signs everywhere, pointing to where he could be found. Ulfrik located him hunkered against a tree, a small black shape in a brown cloak. He was scratching something in the dirt with a stick when Ulfrik approached.

“Come home now, Grim. Are you trying to starve yourself to death?”

Grim continued to slash and scratch the dirt. Ulfrik looked down at the muddy ground, but could make no sense of the violent scribbles.

“I heard Father was hard on you, and I’m sorry for that. Uncle Auden tore him down for it too, called him a beast. I think Father regrets what he did. Why don’t you come back now?”

Grim tossed his stick away, and pulled his hands back under his cloak. He finally looked up, his face dirty, streaked with dried tears. Ulfrik spotted the bruises on his neck, but averted his eyes.

“You just want to be the big hero again, bringing me back. Why don’t you go fall on a sword.”

Ulfrik stiffened and his fists balled. “Seems you’ve taken care of my sword, Grim. Now, I’m done fooling around. I told you to get home. Your going to starve out here, or wolves will scent you. Let’s go.”

“So you’re a man now! You’re the big warrior? A killer. Well, I could’ve done what you did. I bet Father did all the work and let you take the glory, just because you’re his favorite.”

“Shut your mouth, Grim! I did all my own fighting. I saved Father’s life!”

“That’s even worse! I wish the both of you died!”

The words froze the air between them.

Grim glared out from beneath his shock of black hair. Glaring back, Ulfrik grit his teeth and stepped back. His eyes felt hot. His arm drew back and snapped forward before even he understood what he intended, slamming his backhand into Grim’s cheek, his knuckles dragging across his brother’s face. Grim sprawled out, facedown in the dirt.

“You dare to speak to me like that! If Father heard you, I don’t know what he would do. You are a child-a brat! I’m sick of you feeling sorry for yourself all the time. I’m sick of chasing after you whenever you act like a baby. I’m the only one to come for you, and that’s what you say to me? That’s my thanks? Now get up. You’re coming with me.”

“I hate you!” Grim screamed into the dirt. “You take all of father’s attention, all of his praise! I get nothing!”

Ulfrik paused at the accusation, knowing Grim was right. He shrugged. Then he stooped to help his brother up.

In an instant, Grim flipped over and his arm arced out.

Ulfrik’s vision flared white and pain burst in his head. What had happened? The salt-sourness of blood leaked into his mouth and Grim’s face, muddy with dirt and fresh tears, hovered in the milky blue sky above him. Grim’s eyes bulged and his brows knitted together. Ulfrik could see his brother’s lips move, but the words were as if spoken through a wall. Whatever Grim said, Ulfrik did not understand. His brother backed up and flung a rock at Ulfrik. Then he turned and ran, leaving Ulfrik lying on his back, staring at the sky.

***

Ulfrik stood beneath the high table where Orm and Auden sat. The two men looked cold and fierce-expressions Ulfrik seldom saw, and never for anything good. The hearth fire crackled behind him, and mumbled voices came from outside the hall. Everyone else had been urged out when Ulfrik had staggered back with a bloodied head.

Orm had grabbed Ulfrik’s face in one giant hand and twisted it back and forth, contenting himself the wound was not serious, but Ulfrik still felt about to vomit. Then, Orm had sent a man to find Grim. But Grim had not been found; instead, he had actually surrendered himself. He now stood beside Ulfrik, staring down at his feet.

The silence continued until Ulfrik could stand it no longer. At last, Orm’s gravelly voice broke the quiet. “You could’ve killed your brother, do you understand that?”

“He didn’t mean…”

“Silence, Ulfrik! Not a word from either of you, unless I ask for it!”

Ulfrik lowered his head, chastened.

“Did you want to kill your brother?”

Grim nodded without hesitation. “But I’m sorry now. I was just angry. I didn’t think…”

Orm slammed the table, and everyone jumped, including Auden. “There’s no such thing as sorry for murder, boy! Your own brother, by the Gods!” Orm fell into a dark silence, folding his arms across his chest. He shared a glance with Auden, who nodded.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. The two of you need to be separated. Ulfrik is a man now, and you, Grim, are a child with a jealous mind. I had hoped you would learn from your brother, become like him. I was wrong.

“Grim, you will foster with your uncle. Perhaps he can do better with you than I have.”

Auden snapped around to face Orm. “No, that is not what I meant, Orm. I cannot take this one. With all my daughters? Grim is too much trouble, not fit for my hall.”

Orm’s expression clouded, but he nodded. “Very well. He is my responsibility. My burden to bear. Ulfrik you shall stay here.”

Both men looked down at them. Ulfrik did not know whether to thank them, or say anything at all. He didn’t dare ignore his father’s order to remain silent.

But Grim did. “Uncle Auden is better. Everyone says so. I want to stay here instead,” Grim said.

Ulfrik fought his impulse to cringe. But the explosion from Orm didn’t come. Instead, Auden simply smiled, and Orm shook his head. “There’s no more to be said.”

***

Orm and Grim prepared to leave Auden’s hall, along with the men who had traveled with them. Gathered outside, they were met by Auden and his hirdmen. Grim stood dutifully behind his father. Ulfrik noticed he looked changed, harder and colder somehow. His black eyes registered nothing when they met Ulfrik’s. Somehow, Ulfrik thought, Grim has become a man on this trip too. But what measure of a man?

Orm’s and Auden’s men exchanged kind words and farewells.

“Keep practicing,” Snorri said with a wink, and gently punched Ulfrik’s shoulder. “And maybe you’ll beat me at the ax-throwing contest one day. Though I doubt it.”

“Don’t let your daughters soften him up. Keep him strong for me,” Orm told Auden, not taking his eyes off Ulfrik. Then a hirdman guided Orm’s gray Fjord horse to him, and he prepared to mount.

“Wait.” Auden ushered Ulfrik forward to where Auden’s blacksmith stood waiting. The smith passed a sheathed sword to Auden, a brilliant green gem glinting in the sword’s pommel. “It’s a finer blade than the original.” Auden transferred the blade to him.

“It’s my best work,” the smith added.

A smile split Ulfrik’s face as he stepped backward to draw the blade. It hissed gently, and then sang as it left the sheath. The sword felt weightless in his hands, and its newly polished edge gleamed in the sun. Ulfrik waved it carefully in the air, thrilling at the balance. “This is wonderful. I can’t thank you enough.”

Orm looked impressed too, and gestured that he might test it. He weighed it in his palm and stroked the air several times. “Sure enough, it’s a good blade. Your smith needs to work for me, Auden.” He returned the sword to Ulfrik as the assembled men laughed. “Something this fine deserves a name. What will you call it?”

Ulfrik peered down the brilliant blue length of the sword, its blade thin and sharp as a needle. “Fate’s Needle,” he said. “That’s its name.”

Approving nods bobbed around the crowd. “Use it to sew a strong destiny,” Orm said. Then he turned and mounted his Fjord horse. Ulfrik looked again to Grim, his smile fading. Grim’s face was blank. Saying nothing, his brother blinked and turned away.

Two

The years passed quickly, and Ulfrik grew to manhood in Auden’s hall. He returned to Grenner often. On those visits, Orm would test him, setting him menial tasks. But he also taught him how to run the land and how to be a leader who made people feel confident.

“Raiding is for desperate men with nothing to lose at home,” Orm used to say-until one year when he returned with a boat full of treasure, making Ulfrik wonder if raiding was as bad as Orm described. The riches had been shared among the men and Orm buried his share in the hall. Orm also ensured Ulfrik mixed with the men, learning their names and getting to know their families. Even as Ulfrik grew taller and stronger, his father never appeared any older.

The years changed Grim little also. When he visited Grenner, Ulfrik still found him unimaginative, envious, angry and unsatisfied, traits that had now grown from childish drawbacks to man-sized defects. His temper was explosive; only Orm could keep him calm. Grim had not grown much taller, but his stout body rippled with ropy muscle. At nineteen years old, Grim was a physical match for any man. He seemed afraid of Ulfrik, yet avoided him all the same. Ulfrik did not mind.

In the seven years Ulfrik had fostered with Auden, raiders had come only once more to Auden’s lands. A band of ragged men from Vestfold-new faces, the same old threats. Unrest in the north produced roving bands of men who had lost their livelihoods and homes. Those men had met the same end as the first Vestfold raiders. Ulfrik had wielded Fate’s Needle for the first time in battle and sent three men to Valhalla, cementing his reputation as a war leader.

One sullen day in late autumn, a messenger from Grenner arrived at Auden’s hall.

“Your father has taken ill,” the man told him, his blue lips quivering in the cold. “Healing broths, magic-the wise woman attending him has tried everything. He is not expected to live.”

After rushed good-byes to his uncle and cousins, Ulfrik hurried home, deciding against the full day’s walk and riding one of Auden’s few horses instead.

Later that same night, he saw up ahead the beams of golden light shining from the hall’s shuttered windows, pulled taut against the night’s cold air.

“We thought you might come tonight,” said one of the guards.

“Gods keep your father,” said the other, as Ulfrik dismounted and gave Auden’s mount over to his care.

After a few strides, Ulfrik stopped and turned to the guards. “I don’t recognize either of you.”

“Your father is expanding his forces,” the other said, patting the horse’s neck as he spoke. “You know, the problems with the Vestfolders.”

“How did you know me?”

“A messenger was sent north to summon you.” He pointed to Ulfrik’s side. “That’s the green-gemmed sword we were told you’d be carrying. Who else would you be?”

Ulfrik nodded. The two new men smiled. It made sense, although he had not heard of Orm’s plan. He wondered why his father would enlist more men and not speak to Auden, since Vestfold always attacked through Auden’s lands. Giving it no more thought, Ulfrik threaded his way between the barracks to the hall.

He threw open the hall doors, and heat and light bathed him instantly. Tables were shoved to the sides, leaving a wide avenue to the back, where his father’s rooms were. Ulfrik did not bother to remove his weapons. The few men dozing in the hall stood at his approach.

“Your brother is keeping vigil,” a seasoned veteran of long service to Orm said as Ulfrik strode across the hall, passing two listless slaves who tended pots at the central hearth and looked away at his approach.

Ulfrik nodded, making for his father’s quarters. When Ulfrik reached the door, Grim stepped out.

Both men bristled. Pulling back, they assessed each other. Grim’s lip curled, kindling Ulfrik’s immediate agitation. Ulfrik flexed his fists and noticed Grim’s eyes drawn down to them. Neither spoke.

“How is Father? I want to see him.” Ulfrik decided their father was more important than their feud.

“He’s with the healer woman now.” Grim’s black eyes glittered in the low light and he folded his heavy arms across his chest. “You can see him in the morning. He is ill. He needs rest.”

“I did not ride all day to see him in the morning, Brother. Let me through.”

Grim did not waver. A smirk twisted his lips. “Relax for the night, Ulfrik. It’s not my orders you’re following. The healer woman threw me out, too. Father needs undisturbed rest.”

Ulfrik sighed and rubbed at his thin beard. “Then tell me what happened at least. How did he become so sick?”

Grim shrugged.

The gesture compounded Ulfrik’s irritation. This was their father-a man who commanded the respect of honorable warriors-such a dismissive gesture was an insult.

“How would I know?” Grim finally said. “Some whisper it is elf-shot.”

“Elf-shot? You think it is elf-shot? I want to know what happened.” Ulfrik’s voice rose in anger, drawing the eyes of the few men in the hall. He didn’t want a confrontation, but Grim’s answers stung him.

“It’s what’s whispered, Brother. I don’t know any more about these things than you. Why come home to start a fight? Do you think this will help our father, your yelling at his door?”

“I’m not yelling!” Ulfrik yelled. Then he felt his face redden.

Grim’s smile was smug and mirthless.

Ulfrik looked away, shamed by his easy provocation. “It has been a long ride.” He shook his head to clear it. “At least get me something to eat. I can see Father tomorrow.”

Grim stared at him. “You can stay in the front room. Why don’t you put your precious sword away there, since you shouldn’t have carried it this far anyway. There’s a stew on the fire; one of the slave girls can fetch you some.”

Ulfrik did not like his brother’s tone. Grim spoke as if it were his hall, but Ulfrik had long been away. Grim might well consider the hall more his own than Ulfrik’s. He turned aside, to the hearth, where the heat tightened his skin as he sat on the floor beside the fire.

Ulfrik unbuckled his sword, enabling him to sit better, but still kept it close to his leg. He wanted to remind Grim of his shame, though he guessed such subtleties would elude his brother’s intelligence. Standing over him, Grim barked at one of the slave girls to serve the stew.

“Since when does Father keep so many slaves? Wasn’t one enough?” Ulfrik asked his brother as the girl ladled the stew into a wooden bowl and held it out to him. He accepted it from her with mumbled thanks. The curly haired girl glided away, her smile genuine and out of place in the tense atmosphere. Grim continued talking.

“He’s a rich man now, Ulfrik, ever since he came back with all that treasure. Though you wouldn’t know; you don’t visit often. Not that I’ve minded your absence.”

Ulfrik wanted to fling the bowl at Grim, but instead placed it down and rubbed his eyes. “I’m not hungry, but tired. To bed; I will see Father tomorrow.” Rising to his feet, he then snatched up Fate’s Needle and strode to the small rooms at the front of the hall. He did not need to look back to know that Grim’s eyes followed him all the way to the door.

***

Orm’s face was pallid and slack on his deathbed and his breath rasped in his throat. Ulfrik would not have recognized him, this man dangling over the pit of death, had he not known it to be his father.

“How did this happen?” Ulfrik put his head in his hands.

“He fell one day and vomited in the hall, screaming of a pain in his guts worse than being stuck with a sword,” Grim elaborated. “Soon he could no longer move or speak. After that day’s end, he was mostly unconscious, feverish.”

The healer woman was typical for her sort: ancient, fat, and short of stature and of patience.

“Where did she come from?” Ulfrik asked.

Before Grim could answer, the old woman spoke. “I have lived in Grenner all my life. My husband was a friend of your grandfather. I live alone, away from irritating fools who get in the way of my work.”

Ulfrik had never heard of her, or her husband, but he didn’t assume to know everyone. Glancing at Grim, he shrugged.

“Halfdan suggested her. Said she knows healing magic.”

“Is it working? He seems in poor condition.”

The old woman clucked, and stood. “He’s alive, isn’t he? Better than if you had not called me. He’d be dead by now. And your constant questioning will kill him if you hang over him much longer. Go away.” She waved them off. “I will tell you when you may return.”

Ulfrik bristled at her order, but the rheumy-eyed crone held his gaze, her splotched face trembling. Ulfrik shook his head and turned to leave, but before he did, he leaned down to his father’s ear. “Rest, Father. I am here now. I will see to things.” He did not expect Orm to have heard him, but the Jarl’s eyes flicked open and his lips cracked apart. His voice gurgled to the surface, fighting to be heard. Only “Guh … guh … guh,” issued forth. Ulfrik stepped back in surprise, realizing his father was trying to focus on him.

“Be gone now, before you cause him more harm!” the old woman shouted, ambling around the bed to chase Ulfrik away.

Orm’s eyes focused momentarily as he looked as his eldest son. “Gruh … grig ngh hhur,” escaped his lips. But Ulfrik swore he heard his father’s true voice cry, “Grim and her!” Then the old woman was on him, swatting him like a fly and Grim grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door. “Let’s not get him excited. He is weak.”

As Ulfrik was led away, he kept his eyes on his father. The gurgling sound died in Orm’s limp throat, and the labored breathing resumed. The last thing Ulfrik saw was the hag’s pale eyes as she slammed the door in his face.

***

The next day was no improvement. Orm fell into a sleep from which he could not be roused. Leaden skies spat rain in fitful bursts, the land reflecting the slow death of its lord. Ulfrik sat with his father whenever the hag allowed it. She had placed a block of ash wood beneath Orm’s head to draw away evil; otherwise, she spent her time preparing odoriferous brews that forced Ulfrik leave the room. But no one else knew how to care for the sick, so Ulfrik had to settle for her work.

Grim followed Ulfrik like a hound at heel. It was irritating, but at least he said little. It was as if his brother were expecting something, watching him, waiting. His father’s words from the day before rang in his head. Grim and her.Did he truly say those words? Ulfrik considered accusing his brother, but thought better of it; fighting would not heal his father. Instead, he placed a sword in Orm’s hand to be sure he would go to Valhalla if he passed.

Orm’s breath was shallower and fainter again when he next visited. Ulfrik could stand no more. When the healer shooed him once more, he felt ready to strike her. “Touch me, hag, and I’ll break your arm!” he growled.

The old woman’s crinkled eyelids drooped. Her smile revealed a graveyard of gappy teeth as she smiled, as if in challenge. Grim stifled a laugh.

Ulfrik felt the blood rush to his face. Ignoring the itch in his hand, which yearned to slap her, he stood and stalked from the room. This time, Grim did not follow.

In his room, Ulfrik pinned on his green cloak and grabbed Fate’s Needle. Then, knowing the sword would only hinder him in the woods, he laid it down again. He had to escape. To be in any place free from the pall of death.

Outside, the air was frigid and the land a mushy gray-green bog beneath his feet. Warriors gathered in groups, kitted for war. Ulfrik recognized few of them; however, they all seemed to know him. When he reached the barracks, he met several men he knew. All said the same things: they were glad he had returned and that the new men had arrived recently. They all believed Orm was preparing for war in the north, or at least preparing a defense against Vestfold incursions. Surely my father would have planned a defense with Auden? Ulfrik thought. None of this made sense. Orm, barely alive, could not answer for his decisions. Perhaps soon he would inherit the remnants of his father’s plan; Ulfrik’s guts knotted at the thought. Had Father shared some of this plan with Grim? Ulfrik wondered. But he had no stomach for talking to Grim either. In fact, he had no stomach for the hall, or for Grenner itself. It was like an alien land to him, filled with strangers who smiled, and placated, and moved him along as fast as they could.

In his youth, Ulfrik would escape to the wood to avoid Grim, or to seek peace. As he marched toward the trees, already anticipating the secret realms of childhood, he realized that today he needed their refuge more than ever.

Three

So predictable, Grim thought, as soon as his men reported Ulfrik had retreated into the forest. And he says I have no imagination. Today, Ulfrik would learn the measure of his brother’s mind. The hall was empty, but for Grim’s sworn men and the two slave girls.

“Contact Vandrad and his troops camping in the north.” Grim called a warrior aside. “The rest of you, wait for my word,” he ordered. Then he hurried to his father’s room. Aud, the ancient “healer” he had met by chance almost a year ago, stood poised over his father’s shriveled body. She raised a single brow, and Grim nodded. No need to discuss a plan they had reviewed so often.

Aud removed the sword Orm clasped upon his chest, but Grim batted her away and replaced his father’s hands on the blade. She was only doing as he had instructed, but Grim now felt it was too much. As despicably as he had treated Grim, Orm had been a great warrior and had earned his place in the feasting hall of Valhalla.

Grim felt his knees weaken. He began to fear he couldn’t follow through on the plans he had set in motion. But when Aud stared at him, he gestured her on. Shutting Orm’s mouth with one hand, she pinched his nose with the other. The Jarl’s breath was already feeble; it was hard to know the exact moment when he finally suffocated. He didn’t even flinch.

Aud poked a needle into Orm’s big toe, deep into the quick of the nail. He did not move. “Lord Grim, he is dead.”

Grim found himself suddenly sitting down. It is done, he thought. I can’t step back now. I couldn’t have stepped back before-not without risking High King Harald’s wrath.

Then Grim smiled. Lord Grim. It would be true soon enough, once Ulfrik was removed. Grim’s mind raced over the plan again. The poisons Aud had slowly fed Orm made him easily manipulated. Grim only had to suggest he build up fighting strength and the word was given. Now those men owed their allegiance to Grim. It was time for Grenner to submit to a new power-the power of High King Harald, who ruled from Vestfold. Grim would hold Grenner in the name of that power, making him more powerful than either his father or uncle.

Grim looked at his father’s corpse. He didn’t even appear the same now that the poison had ravaged him. Did I have to kill him like this? he wondered. But there was no other way. His father would never recognize him as a warrior, let alone a leader. “Forever ill luck from the day you were born,” Orm always said. “I don’t need that around me.”

So Grim had left home, and traveled to Vestfold, where he met Vandrad-the cousin of High King Harald. At least the king had uses for men with noble blood, even those from small kingdoms like Grenner and in return for Harald’s attention, Grim had sworn to deliver these lands to the king’s hands. As always, his father never even noticed Grim’s absence. Now, he paid with his life for the inattention.

Aud coughed, rousing Grim from his thoughts. “Lord Grim, I kept your father at the edge of death, as you had asked. No one will suspect the poison, but do not forget our agreement.”

“Yes, yes.” Grim waved her away as he turned to leave. “You killed my father. Your family is avenged now, right? And I will pay your gold.”

Looking back, he saw a tear hang in the old woman’s eye. Nodding, she hobbled to her chair in the corner. Grim rolled his eyes, not caring for the old shrew’s emotions-some nonsense between her husband and Grim’ grandfather that had ended in a child being hanged, unjustly she claimed. Whatever the case, Grim had profited from it. Now to eliminate any challenge to my claims on Grenner. He returned to the hall, where loyal men waited to help him achieve that end.

The men, seven of whom were awaiting his orders, rose from the benches when Grim entered. These were all his men-Vestfolders and other foreigners who came to his promises of wealth. He paused before them and presented the confident face he had practiced for this moment.

“Orm the Bellower is dead. You have all sworn your oaths to me, and I am Jarl of Grenner now. You know the plan. Vandrad will be here by tomorrow. I need three of you for special work.” Grim did not wait for volunteers but picked the three who looked most competent. He didn’t know their names, only the fierceness in their eyes. “You three, remain here. You others, spread the word of my father’s death. Summon the hirdmen to see the body and pay respects. He must be buried swiftly and with honor, or the old hirdmen will grumble.”

Nodding, all but the selected three left the hall. They didn’t move as fast as Grim would have liked; he remembered that for some future time. Then he turned to the three who remained. “Kill my brother while he is frolicking in the trees. You, with the bright teeth,” Grim said, pointing, “I’ll give you a foreign-made ax. Put it through his head. We’ll say raiders or outlaws got him.”

“Three men are necessary for this?” asked one.

Grim noticed he had a wide forehead, which made him look stupid. He wondered if he had chosen the wrong person.

“Yes,” Grim stated flatly. “He may have left his sword here, but Ulfrik is the luckiest brat I’ve ever met. Make sure he’s dead. Bring the body back, and by tonight we will only have one obstacle in the way.”

“What about the old hirdmen? Two deaths in one day would be suspicious even to a child,” the man with the white teeth said.

“They are sworn to Orm, so their oaths pass to me,” Grim explained. He did not add that Vandrad was bringing enough men to outnumber any dissenters. “Let me do the planning. You do the work. Now get moving, and try not to be too obvious. Make this good and there’s gold in it for all of you.”

The men departed to their black task. Leaving a lone slave girl cowering in the corner of the hall, Grim returned to his father’s room. It would be his now, and he wanted the corpse out before the stench of death took hold.

Four

Ulfrik meandered through the trees, his boots crunching on the debris of the forest floor. All day he had wandered without purpose, reflecting on his father’s impending death. He felt ready to assume leadership, had felt ready for some time, and yet somehow he imagined the transition would be more gradual, more joyous. Instead, he was inheriting strangers at a time when trouble appeared ready to split the seams of Vestfold and spill toward Grenner in force. With all this in his mind, the trees delivered none of the relief he desired. As twilight fell, he propped himself against a tree trunk, dampness seeping up from the ground to further chill his bones.

Something crashed through the brush, a rabbit perhaps. Ulfrik had not moved for a long time; something else had frightened the creature. Night and cold squeezed through the trees and everything became still, silent. Slowly, he pushed himself up against the tree and stood, his hand reaching for the sword that was missing from his hip. Ulfrik silently cursed himself. He could taste danger in the air, sour and gritty.

A branch cracked. He whirled in the direction of the sound but could see nothing in the muted light of dusk. Without a weapon, not even a knife, he folded himself into the shadow of a tree. His mind assembled a plan-it all hinged on remaining hidden.

The silhouettes of three men detached themselves from the darkness. They crept slowly, combing the shadows. That they were stalking him, Ulfrik did not doubt. He dared not breathe as the shadowed forms closed, fearing his heartbeat would betray him.

One of the men crossed a shaft of golden light to reveal an unfamiliar face. Ulfrik noticed the men were dressed for war: mail coats, helms, one man carrying an ax and the others bearing swords. The stranger’s face was taut and nervous, his eyes shining in the half-light. The other men’s faces were in shadow, but each dropped to a fighting crouch. Ulfrik held his breath. Cold sweat stung his eyes, each drip a crashing wave.

“There he is.” One of the men spotted him and pointed. “Let’s go!”

The man with the ax whirled, his iron blade flashing in the murky air. But the blow did not come for Ulfrik; instead, the ax buried itself above the knee of the pointing man, just beneath the hem of his mail coat. The man collapsed, screaming, his bulk crashing into the forest brush.

“Run, Ulfrik!” yelled the axman. “They mean to kill you!”

The other swordsman stood motionless, apparently in shock.

Ulfrik did not wait, turning he ran deeper into the woods. But fleeing prey brings the predator to chase, and the swordsman bounded after him.

Ulfrik was lighter, faster. Unencumbered by mail or helmet he outpaced his pursuer, who bellowed curses as he crashed through the trees behind. In his haste, Ulfrik caught his cloak on a branch; it yanked him around, and then tore. There was no time to consider what was happening. Behind him came screams and the clang of blades.

Ulfrik pitched forward, his foot caught on a root or rock, and tumbled off a drop into a muck of pine needles. He landed on his stomach, and a stone drove out his breath. A man’s roar and the swishing noise of a sword being pulled overhead brought him to his senses. Instinctively, he rolled into the feet of his attacker. The man bellowed and kicked at Ulfrik, too close to strike. Pushing into the attacker’s legs, Ulfrik forced him into the muddy embankment and staggered to his feet. His attacker scrambled to stand. Leaping on top of him, Ulfrik slammed his assailant back into the mud. The man was strong, but Ulfrik was fast, and speed controlled the fight. He locked one arm across the man’s throat while the other hand searched the man’s belt for a dagger. Every man worth the title of warrior carried one. Only Ulfrik, petulant as he had been that day, had left his behind. The warrior bucked beneath him, nearly throwing Ulfrik free. Spinning, Ulfrik stopped the man’s sword arm with one knee, and his free hand finally found the knife fastened at the man’s side. Ulfrik unsheathed it with a smile.

The blade flashed silver as Ulfrik plunged it into its owner. His assailant’s mail did not match the quality of his blade, and the chain links parted easily as the knife sank up to the hilt in soft belly. Black blood bubbled up with the man’s wail.

Ulfrik stood and yanked the dagger up with him. Beneath him, the man rolled over and wheezed. Ulfrik placed the blade to his throat. “Who are you and what is happening? Speak!”

The man made no sound. Ulfrik felt tension flow from the man’s body like the pool of blood that widened with every moment. With a shrug of disgust, he kicked the dead man’s leg. “Grim, you coward,” Ulfrik cursed. He did not need to think too hard to determine what was going on. “You couldn’t come for me yourself?”

Footfalls and the snapping of underbrush were followed by a man’s voice calling his name. “Ulfrik, I am with you. Hold on!”

Dissatisfied with his position on lower ground, Ulfrik wanted to get back over the ridge, but the axman burst through, following the trail he had left. They both stood motionless, neither knowing what to do. The axman broke the stare first. Glancing down at the dead man beneath him, he relaxed his stance. “That’s good work there. You were unarmed.”

Ulfrik threw the blood-dabbled knife on the ground between them. “He lent me a weapon. Don’t think I can’t borrow that ax from you. Drop it.”

Unexpectedly, the man casually flung the ax into the mud next to Ulfrik. “It’s a good one, too. Your brother wanted me to put it through your head.”

“So it was Grim!” Ulfrik roared, his voice echoing through the trees. “He hired you to kill me, didn’t he?”

“Not so much hired as ordered,” the man said, gesturing that he wanted to jump down to Ulfrik’s level. Ulfrik nodded consent and the man leaped down before continuing. “We’re his hirdmen, according to what he thinks. So maybe we’ll be rewarded for good work. Of course, I won’t now.” A derisive smile lit his face. Then he straightened up and the smile dropped. “Your father is dead, Lord Ulfrik. I am sorry. He was a great warrior.”

Ulfrik knew it already. He had been preparing for it all day, but to hear it was another matter. He had planned to show no emotion, to be strong and unflinching. Yet now he felt himself sway, his breath and eyes burning. His father was dead. Grim and her. Orm had known what was happening. He died in the grip of his enemies, betrayed by his own son. And Ulfrik had failed to act.

He turned his head aside, not knowing what to do next, his vision filled with nothing but images of Grim standing over Orm’s wasted body. Blood from the corpse of the enemy wet his feet, and he danced away as if it were fire, shaking his thoughts back to the present.

“What is your name? Why did you betray your friends?” Ulfrik struggled to keep his voice steady; it wavered nonetheless.

The man stood with his hands clasped before him, relaxed but attentive. “I am Yngvar Bright-tooth,” he said, smiling to reveal the whitest, straightest teeth of any person Ulfrik knew. “These were no friends of mine. Fate put me with them to help you, I would guess. I gave my oath to your father only months ago. I don’t consider that it transfers to your brother. Besides, your brother is an ass and a fool.”

“And a murderer,” Ulfrik added. The words sounded false in his ears, despite the evidence written in blood at his feet. Is this really happening? he wondered.

“But for a fool,” Yngvar said slowly, drawing out his words, “Grim is canny. He has bought the men with your father’s gold. You won’t get close to your brother, not alive at least.”

“I am not concerned with the scum he has hired. My business is with Grim. I will challenge him to defend his name. The others will stand aside.”

Yngvar frowned, as if he smelled foul air. “You should be concerned, Ulfrik. All of those men are part of the plan, and more are coming-camped not far from here.”

Ulfrik rubbed his temple, closing his eyes to think. The matter was far more complicated than he wanted to admit. Reality dawned on him just as night pulled the shades of the forest down around him. Grim had grabbed everything for himself, and he intended to hold it. This was not like the scuffles of their childhood. This was war-real war, with land and men hanging in the balance. And of men, Ulfrik had none but for Yngvar. “Can I trust you?” he asked.

“Yes,” Yngvar answered immediately. “I will make my oath to you. Your father, for the short time I knew him, was good to me. I think you are your father’s son, more than Grim.” Yngvar knelt in the mud with his head bowed and his brown cloak covering him, resembling a dark boulder in the dim light.

Ulfrik did not know how to take a man’s oath, but he didn’t dwell on it long. More important was that he had an ally. Yngvar had already risked much to help him. Ulfrik found words he thought would bring dignity to the muddy, blood-smeared surroundings. “Do you swear to serve me, your lord and my father’s rightful heir, loyally?”

Yngvar replied, but Ulfrik did not hear the words. By chance, he had glanced up as he spoke. Framed against the gloom of the forest was a curly-haired boy in a tattered white shift. He was staring fixedly at Ulfrik. When their eyes met, the boy, startled, darted into the forest. Leaving Yngvar kneeling in the mud, Ulfrik tore after him.

Five

The boy dashed through the underbrush with Ulfrik on his heels. Branches crackled and snapped as the boy fled, and Ulfrik rushed through the still-quivering bushes after him, keeping on the boy’s tail.

The trail was erratic, and Ulfrik stumbled more than once. He guessed the boy was a slave, likely Grim’s. He could not let him return to Grim with news of the foiled plot, not when he first needed to devise his own plan.

He could hear Yngvar lumbering along and cursing behind him, slowed by his mail shirt. Ahead, he spotted a flash of the boy’s grubby rags through the trees. The boy was closer than he thought. Then a high-pitched screech was followed by the sound of the child rolling through the underbrush. Ulfrik smiled, and halted. As expected, the underbrush concealed a sharp drop a few steps ahead. The boy had pitched headlong. Ulfrik leaped down in two bounds and tackled him as he made to rise. Together, they crashed back to the ground, Ulfrik’s body slamming the boy flat, driving out his breath. Straddling him, Ulfrik flipped him onto his back.

Ulfrik immediately saw the slave collar affixed to the child’s neck, but the slave was a girl-one not much younger than himself. She gave him little time to appreciate any other aspect of her appearance. Her breath returned, and her dark eyes widened in terror. She screeched, flailed and kicked, ignoring the impediment of Ulfrik, who still pinned her arms.

Yngvar’s heavy footfalls and ragged breathing signaled his approach. “By the gods, you caught him. I thought he’d get away.” He stepped up to the slave’s head. “So now I know why you’re just sitting atop her.”

The jibe registered with Ulfrik too slowly for him to respond. The girl squirmed and kicked, spitting and swearing, wasting her strength. Ulfrik remained on top of her, allowing her to thrash until she subsided. “I can let you up if you’ll be good. You won’t run?”

“I’ll have your head, girl, faster than you can run.” Yngvar adjusted his grip on the ax. The girl quivered at the words but nodded in silent agreement.

When Ulfrik stood, the girl remained flat on the ground, as if waiting to be assisted to her feet. “Well, you can’t run off if you lie there.” Ulfrik smiled. “Now, tell me what you saw.”

The slave did not answer immediately. She collected herself delicately, as if embarrassed by her behavior. Her white shift had bunched up nearly to her hips, revealing shapely thighs. Ulfrik felt himself react to the sight. They were not the legs of a slave, at least not of a laboring slave. He immediately felt ashamed for noticing and shifted his gaze back to her scowling face.

“I know you,” he said. “You are the slave who served me the other night. Am I right?”

The girl dropped her head and pulled her shift back into place, ignoring the question.

“Maybe she can’t talk. Let’s just be certain.” Yngvar kicked the girl gently, and she recoiled in fear.

“Stop it!” Ulfrik shouted. “She can talk.”

The girl looked sheepishly at Ulfrik. For a slave, she obviously held herself in high regard; Ulfrik could sense it even before she spoke.

“Your father bought me this summer, at Kaupang. I have seen you, Lord, only recently, but I’ve heard your name many times,” she said gently, with a refinement not found in country girls.

She reminded him of his cousins back in Auden’s hall. Ulfrik glanced at Yngvar, who was watching him with a cocked eyebrow. He turned back to the girl. “Your accent is from the south. You are a Dane?”

“My name is Runa. My father is … was Svein Agnarson. Svear raiders kiled him in his hall. I was taken captive and sold at market.”

“This is a slave’s babbling,” Yngvar interrupted. “Grim will be impatient to know if you’re dead, Ulfrik. We must escape before he sends men to investigate.”

Ulfrik nodded at Yngvar’s common sense. “Let’s hear what Runa has to say.”

Yngvar sighed, and the girl glanced at him and then continued. “Lord, I fear your father died today. It happened soon after you left.” Her eyes searched Ulfrik’s face as she spoke. Whether she found what she looked for, Ulfrik did not know. “I was your father’s slave. I don’t think Grim knows all of your father’s slaves. He did not take action to secure us, so I fled for my life.”

Yngvar snorted. “As if you will live long with that collar, girl. Better to accept your fate and be burned with your master.

“I heard the sounds of a fight,” Runa said, ignoring Yngvar. “I followed it to where I found you, Lord Ulfrik. You frightened me, and I ran.”

“We waste time with her.” Yngvar shouldered his ax. “We can’t take her with us, and if we let her go she either runs back to Grim or spreads our story to every corner of Norway. She’s a slave, Ulfrik. Let’s silence her and get away from here.”

Ulfrik understood, but he did not act. Runa turned to him, her eyes wide with horror and leaking tears. Her small hands were clasped to her chest and the thought struck him that he did not know how he had mistaken her for a boy. Her hair was matted and curly, but framed a bold, clear face flushed pink now with fear and exertion. She certainly appeared in fine shape for a slave.”

“She will come with us,” Ulfrik said, returning his gaze to Yngvar. “Fate has tied us together. This cannot be anything other than the work of the gods.”

Yngvar shook his head and let his ax slide to the ground.

“Thank you, my lord!” Runa collapsed at his feet, crying. “My life is yours!”

Ulfrik ignored them both. “We will go to my Uncle Auden,” he said. “He will want justice for his sister’s husband. He has a large household, at least as strong as Grim’s. He will provide protection and a means to bring Grim to justice.”

“Your brother has contacted the Vestfolders. They’re bringing a strong army to join with his.” Yngvar let the words hang, his eyes searching Ulfrik’s.

“Then you think Auden’s men will not be a match?”

“Not an even match,” Yngvar said, hefting his ax to his other shoulder as he spoke. “But if he is warned, he can prepare.”

Runa remained kneeling at Ulfrik’s feet. He extended his hand to her, and she took it as if it were made of gold. Ulfrik helped her up, again amazed he could have seen a boy in such a beautiful woman. He wondered how Grim could have overlooked her.

“And if we do not get away from here soon,” Yngvar said as he frowned at Runa. “Grim will be welcoming us back to his hearth, something I think no one wants. So let’s take what we can from the dead and get moving. I can’t stand axes. I want the big one’s sword.”

Ulfrik realized for the second time that day that Fate’s Needle was still sitting in his room. He kicked the ground with a curse. Would Grim strip him of everything today?

“I must get my sword,” he said. “I cannot allow Grim to have it.”

“I don’t think Grim will be inclined to give it back.” Yngvar started up the drop-off to find the trail back. “Do you plan to ask nicely?”

Rage snaked up Ulfrik’s neck and pounded in his temples. His muscles tensed, but he could not release the tension as his mind sought a way out of the trap, a plan to strike back. All of his thoughts focused on the problem of his sword. When he did speak, his voice was slow and measured. “My honor would be lost if Grim were to take the sword my father gave to me. I’m not going to debate that with anyone. It’s the plain truth. I’m going to get it tonight, and the two of you will help.”

Yngvar and Runa stood before him, gray shades in the gloomy light. The air thickened with cold, and the scent of it promised rain. With no reply from either of them, Ulfrik continued. “Grim expects three warriors and one corpse to return. I intend to meet that expectation. There were three of them. We have two bodies from which to pick. It is cold and rainy, so the three of us will draw our hoods, pretending to be the returning men. A corpse wrapped in my cloak will serve as my body.

“Yngvar will speak for us, since he’s expected to return. Once we’re past the guards, we’ll hide the body behind the blacksmith’s forge. You two make your escape while I sneak to the hall for my sword. Then we’ll meet by the northern track.” Ulfrik was smiling by the time he finished.

The silence expanded, broken only by the fading squawks of birds and the occasional stirring of underbrush. Ulfrik regarded his two companions. They looked blankly at him, as if he had not spoken.

Finally, Yngvar shook his head and looked to Runa. “You have a lot of faith in this slave. It’s a fair plan, and I like it. It has guts, surprise-like something out of a saga. But all this girl has to do is start screaming and our saga will end right there.”

Ulfrik turned to Runa. Even as a slave, she preserved an air of sophistication. No amount of dirt or ragged clothing could hide it. Her jaw was boldly set for a woman, but it matched her bearing. Even her hair and eyes, with their mysterious dark tone, defied the ordinary. Only the rusted slave collar clutching her neck marred her beauty.

“Runa, I am my father’s rightful heir, to his throne and to his property as well.” Ulfrik stepped toward her. “If you will do this for me, aid me in the recovery of my sword, I will grant your freedom.”

Runa again collapsed to her knees, grabbing the hem of his mud- and blood-splattered cloak. “Lord Ulfrik, I swear to do as you say! I swear before the gods! Let them strike me dead if I fail you.”

That was enough for Ulfrik, although Yngvar smiled mirthlessly and said, “I will be the sword of the gods, then, if needed.”

Despite the storm-swift change in his life, Ulfrik laughed away Yngvar’s dig and pulled Runa to her feet, clutching her hand a little longer than was necessary. Once standing, Runa gently tugged her arm free and smiled demurely. Embarrassed by his ill-concealed intentions, Ulfrik turned his mind to other matters: Grim’s patricide must be avenged. Silently, he vowed to perform that task, even if Grim cowered behind a thousand men. For now, he had to satisfy himself with once more swiping his sword away from Grim-a symbolic action, and one that risked much for little reward. Yet, Father would agree, he thought, with sadness.

A fitful rain pattered through the pines as they began the grizzly work of finding and stripping the corpses. The rain and the early evening gloom would either help or hinder them in escape, but Ulfrik was not bothered, rather filled with the vigor of a spontaneous plan.

When the work was done and the corpse wrapped in Ulfrik’s cloak, he donned the man’s mail and cloak, and took up the ax.

Yngvar laughed. “It’s a fine weapon. Can’t we settle with that and be gone?”

“You know it’s not the same,” Ulfrik chided. “Now, find me something to tie my hair back beneath the cloak’s hood. I don’t want to be given away.” Blonde hair was common enough among his people, but Ulfrik’s hair was paler than most and could be easily spotted in the dark.

Runa, clumsily dressed in the mail and cloak of the other dead man, used a piece of cord to help him tie his hair back and push it into the hood of the cloak. The weight of the mail on her slight frame made her stagger.

“She must play the man injured in the fight,” Yngvar wisely suggested, gesturing to the bloodstains on her cloak and armor. “That’s how I’ll explain her staggering, if asked.”

As Ulfrik and Yngvar stooped to lift the corpse between them, a horn sounded in the distance. The two stopped and looked at each other. It blasted again.

“You don’t know what that means,” Ulfrik said flatly. Yngvar shook his head.

“Your brother must be impatient to discover what happened. We can still change our plan.”

Ulfrik refused. Grabbing one end of the dead man’s cloak, he said, “This is the only chance I’ll have to get back in the hall. I’m not missing it. We don’t even know if that is Grim’s horn.”

Yngvar grunted.

“Remember, Runa,” Ulfrik told the slave, who resembled a frightened hare, ready to run, “you will have your freedom when we are safely away with my sword. Take heart in that!”

Turning from her, he focused only on controlling his own fear as the horn sounded impatiently for the third time.

Six

No one spoke as they lurched toward the hall. The cloak-wrapped corpse bounced and swayed between Ulfrik and Yngvar as they hauled it toward the torchlight. Fat, infrequent raindrops broke over their drawn hoods. Ulfrik had placed Yngvar in the lead and Runa alongside himself, guessing that her disguise would fail if anyone looked closely.

Two men stood on the outskirts of the hall, searching the darkness. Yngvar called out to them, startling the guards, although they had made no effort to hide.

“I recognize one of them,” Yngvar muttered. “Just let me talk to him.”

“Grim’s waiting,” said one, a horn clutched in his free hand. “Said you were taking too long.” The man and his companion peered toward the bloodstained package Yngvar and Ulfrik held between them. Yngvar merely nodded and continued to pass.

The other man held up his hand, stopping Yngvar, and pointed at their burden. “He told us you can’t take that into the hall. He’ll come out and see it.”

Both guards, their torches guttering in the drizzle, flanked them. Ulfrik’s arms trembled. Runa was standing too close, more than was manly, and Ulfrik worried it would attract attention. A raindrop splashed the edge of his hood and rolled down his nose. It was as if the droplet were a beacon, drawing the guards’ eyes directly toward his hood.

“Are we just going to stand in the rain and wait for him?” Yngvar snapped, diverting their attention.

“Bring it behind the blacksmith’s then,” said the man with the horn.

Ulfrik smiled; the gods favored his plan. Neither man seemed interested anymore and waved them on. Ulfrik drew a sharp breath, taking in the scents of smoke and pine-the smells of home. Only faded orange light spilling from the barracks provided any visibility. Ulfrik knew the paths well enough, so he was surprised when Yngvar led them in the other direction.

Ulfrik hesitated. Then he understood. The plan needed revision, and Yngvar was in step with that need. Guiding them, he trudged behind the smokehouse to where a pine tree leaned almost to the ground. They laid the body beneath the tree.

“Now I’ll go exchange this for my own sword,” Ulfrik said, pulling the ax from his belt. Knowing they had little time, Ulfrik addressed Runa and Yngvar in low, clipped tones. “Yngvar you look out for Grim, and try to stall him. I only need a moment to get to the hall. I’ll make noise and draw attention my way. Use that to make your own get away. Runa, you will be my look-out.”

The two nodded and he waved them to action. Yngvar stepped into the light and headed toward the main hall. Ulfrik and Runa joined him, but kept to the shadows thrown by the thatched eaves of surrounding buildings.

Grim, flanked by two mail-clad hirdmen, stepped into Ulfrik’s path. Grim carried a horn in his left hand. Torches held aloft destroyed the shadows, washing the blackness of Ulfrik’s hood with flickering light.

The moment tightened, becoming a frozen instant in which Grim’s stout body directly opposed his own, as if the Fates themselves compared the two. No sign of recognition or comprehension flickered in Grim’s coal-black eyes. He seems happy-even elated, Ulfrik thought, involuntarily weighing the ax in his hands. It would have been easy to hurl it straight into Grim’s chest, yet he delayed. No matter what had happened, Grim was still his brother. Looking at him now, Ulfrik couldn’t see Grim as the mastermind of two murders, his own included.

Runa broke the moment, darting from Ulfrik’s vision as everyone turned to Yngvar, who charged from the left, his sword raised. The blade took the hirdman to Grim’s right straight in the neck. Yngvar crashed against the man, ramming Grim and his other hirdman aside.

Grim reacted faster than Ulfrik expected. Recovering from the jostle of the melee, he put the horn to his lips and let it blare. His other guard, equally collected, tossed aside his torch and drew his sword, placing himself directly in front of his lord.

The rain became fiercer, mirroring the violence as the standing guard screamed and leaped at Ulfrik. With rain in his eyes, he barely sidestepped the plunging blade. An ax was the wrong weapon for this fight; there were no shield walls to crack, no supporting spear or sword to help him. Even a knife would have been better than an ungainly ax. Ulfrik stepped through the guard’s thrust and raised the ax for Grim’s head.

“Traitor,” Grim screamed. Throwing aside his horn, he then reached for his scabbard.

“Murderer! You poisoned our father! You’ll answer for that, dog!” Ulfrik’s strike quailed as his thoughts flew away from the fight, to Orm’s death.

Grim ripped out his own sword to deflect his brother’s blow, but his defense was inept. Ulfrik’s ax clanged off the inside of his younger brother’s blade and swiped Grim’s broad face, where it caught in his mouth, wedged in his teeth as blood gushed from Grim’s jaw.

Partly from the tangled confusion and partly from the force of Grim’s deflection, Ulfrik lost his grip on the ax. Grim took the ax with him as he splashed facedown into a puddle, blood pouring from between his fingers as both hands clasped his face.

With a bellow, Yngvar yanked Ulfrik aside, nearly tripping him as he pulled him away from a strike by Grim’s recovered hirdman. The hiss of a sword sounded an inch behind his neck. “Run, Ulfrik, or we’re trapped!”

Ulfrik swung about and saw the truth of it: men with spears and shields tumbled out of the barracks, their heads turning in the direction of the danger. Several were already slogging toward the fight. Ulfrik heard men shouting that raiders were attacking. Yngvar intercepted the remaining hirdman as Grim began to scream, as if only now realizing his pain.

The hirdman pressed Yngvar so furiously that he could not disengage. Ulfrik dove at the guard’s legs, tackling him, hearing the crack of bone as the force of Yngvar’s blade struck the guard’s trunk. Then Ulfrik flipped over and bounded to his feet.

More men closed on them. Ulfrik and Yngvar fell back, between the buildings, into the dark. It was the wrong direction, heading toward the open farmland, but it was their only path.

As they fled, a spear hissed between them, but the blackness enfolded them. Within moments, they were away. Grim’s screaming must have delayed some of the arriving warriors. Through the thumping rain, Ulfrik could hear horns blasting and men shouting. They ran on, through the dark and the rain.

Seven

As fast as was safe, they sprinted on through the night until, after what seemed like hours, a breathless Yngvar suggested they circle back toward the woods. Ulfrik huffed his agreement. Behind them, yellow points of light bobbed and gathered, coming together then separating. Some clustered and began to weave toward them.

The woods were black as pitch against the night sky and Ulfrik’s side ached as they ran into the forest. At least the rain struck them with less intensity beneath the trees, but the darkness was absolute and tree roots tripped them, forcing them to slow. Ulfrik, soaked with equal parts rain and sweat, slumped against a tree. Beside him, Yngvar wheezed and fell against a log.

“A bloody business,” Yngvar moaned. “Five men dead, four by our hand. All for your damn brother’s ambition.”

Ulfrik did not reply; he was too winded. He knew it was true, and yet he could muster little concern. The men they had killed had all been given a warrior’s death-a place at Odin’s table in Valhalla. It was more than they had planned for him.

“I don’t think I killed him,” Ulfrik said as he rolled over in the mud, his chest heaving. “He’ll have a scar. Maybe lose some teeth. It’s not enough.”

They saw the bobbing torches before they heard the men. The enemy must have guessed their hiding place. Silently, they hunkered into the underbrush. Their few pursuers likely feared forest spirits, elves in particular. Had necessity not overwhelmed his hesitation, Ulfrik might also have worried. Instead, he and Yngvar remained where they were. No one approached, neither elf nor man. All Ulfrik could see was an errant gleam from Yngvar’s mail-covered shoulder. Soon, the rain ceased, lingering only in the drips that plopped from branch to branch. The mud and leaves beneath him warmed, even began to feel comfortable. Ulfrik nodded, and then, eventually, slept. He did not dream.

***

He woke to birdcalls in the trees above him. Light slipped between the pines, touching him with vague warmth. The scent of moist earth against his face made him wonder what had happened to his bed, but when he stirred and the leaves above spilled their load of rainwater on him, he remembered.

Fighting the instinct to leap up, Ulfrik lay still, listening to the woods: the erratic drips falling from high branches, the rustle of underbrush in the breeze, the birdsong all around. No sound of men, he thought. But that did not mean men were not watching.

Yngvar still lay where he had the night before. Ulfrik prodded him, generating a snort as Yngvar rolled over onto to his other side. Assured, Ulfrik extracted himself from the muck and underbrush. He was wet, chilled, and sore, but he ignored it. One of Grim’s men could be within arm’s length, waiting for him to make a mistake.

He scouted the surrounding area. Since his youth, he was seldom without a weapon, even if only a knife. He had the ridiculous sensation that being unarmed would make him easily spotted. But his scouting revealed no one, only boot prints that led away from his hiding spot. The men had come close, but not close enough.

“They’ve probably caught the girl by now.”

Ulfrik jumped at Yngvar’s whisper, and stumbled among the branches.

Yngvar laughed. “Calm yourself, Ulfrik. We’re probably not far from a lookout.”

The thought quickly sobered him. Ulfrik brushed down his legs to divert attention from the heat that flushed his face. “They probably know we’re in the forest. We must’ve left good tracks in the mud last night.” He pointed to the tracks he had just found.

The woods in autumn were stitched with empty branches and littered with leaves and fallen hazelnuts. Farmers would soon be driving pigs in to graze on them. Coupled with the likelihood that the woods were being searched, Ulfrik knew they had to find a better hideout.

“Let’s follow them,” he said. They stalked the trail of footprints, which was easy to follow: whoever left them had been blundering in the night. It seemed an aimless path until other trails converged, and then one large trail plowed to where Ulfrik was ambushed. As they approached, Ulfrik waved Yngvar to a stop. A man was guarding the area-Grim’s man, Ulfrik noted. The two fell to a crouch. Already covered with mud and forest debris, they blended into the brush. The man was dressed for war and carried a spear and shield. He was posted where Ulfrik had killed the second ambusher last night, but appeared bored, scratching his nose and wandering in a circle among the sunbeams. Ulfrik saw a second man propped against a tree nearby, and then Yngvar pointed to a third man beyond.

Quietly, they retraced their path, doubly on guard for their pursuers. Grim, or whoever was in charge now, had evidently concluded they were hiding in the forest. They picked their way into the heart of the trees and up the main hill until there was no evidence of human trespass. Only then did Ulfrik feel at ease to speak.

“Even if Runa has been caught and has told them we plan to seek Auden’s help, it is no matter. Grim would guess it himself. The way north is closed now.”

Ulfrik squatted on his haunches and Yngvar sat on a moss-stained rock and scratched roughly at his head. “You’re right about that. But Grim probably can’t speak with that ax you put in his mouth.”

The two laughed as Yngvar drew a circle in the dirt with his index finger. “Grim doesn’t have a force large enough to surround the forest. We could escape by night through the far side, but we’ve got to get to Auden. It’s an early snow this year, too many nuts on the ground so soon. It always means a hard winter.”

“The track north will be blocked.” Ulfrik did not want to speak his thoughts, fearing it would make them real. “I think Grim will try to ambush Auden. You say he has more Vestfolders joining him-they’ve always been after Auden’s land. Grim’s plans will be served if we stay trapped here. You said it yourself: hard winter coming and all we have are rain-soaked clothes and mail. We’ve nothing for the overland journey, especially going the long way around.”

“We can fix that,” Yngvar said. “I think we have a friend among those two other sentries. You saw the third one I pointed out? That was Magnus; you should know him.”

“I knew there was a man there, but I didn’t recognize him.” Ulfrik sprang to his feet. “Magnus farms the Eastland, right? I think I remember him from years ago. What’s he doing here?”

“Your brother called up all the freemen before you arrived. Your father was dying anyway, so it made sense,” Yngvar explained. “Magnus beat me in a wrestling match, the cheating bastard. We were friends from then on. He spoke highly of you. He’s the one who convinced me you would be a better leader than Grim.”

Ulfrik’s thoughts jumped to the plan Yngvar had not yet laid out. “So Magnus will smuggle us the supplies we need and get us out of here. I’ll go down and set it straight with him.”

“I’ll go,” Yngvar said, standing. “You will stay here. This is a risk without glory, Ulfrik. Let your sworn men handle things like this. If I’m caught, you will know soon enough. I won’t leave a trail back here, and you can get away without me.”

Ulfrik raised his hands to disagree.

“All of your army agrees with me, Ulfrik.”

Ulfrik could only drop his arms and chuckle. “The men win this time, then. I already owe you too much, Yngvar. Why should you risk so much for me when you hardly know me?”

Ulfrik anticipated a witty rejoinder, but Yngvar’s smile faded. “I will be gone a good while. I’ll have to catch Magnus’s attention. Planning with the others around will be tricky. If I’m not back by dusk, assume I was caught. In the meantime, gather something edible, and find clean water.”

He said nothing more, just threw his hood over his head. Ulfrik watched him dissolve into the green and brown patchwork of the woods. When Yngvar had vanished, Ulfrik kicked out the circle he had drawn in the ground.

***

By twilight, Ulfrik had returned to the spot after gathering nuts and locating a nearby creek. The nuts were laid out on the ground, his cloak spread beneath them. If he had a spear or a bow, he might have caught a squirrel or a rabbit, but now only one sword remained with Yngvar. A fire would be nice, he thought, though smoke would betray him. So he waited as the evening settled into darkness. Soon, even the birds singing from the branches would fall silent, and only owls would patrol the woods.

“I spoke with Magnus.” Yngvar appeared like a spirit out of the forest, making Ulfrik leap in surprise. Yngvar spoke as if it had been as easy as sharing a drink at the hall. “Grim survived,” he continued, “but apparently something else is going on. It’s all confusion with your father’s death. Magnus knows nothing more than that Grim is watching the north road, and that they guessed we are hiding here. They’re to search the woods for the next few days until more men can be spared.”

“So,” Ulfrik began as he stood. “Is Magnus going to help us?”

Yngvar nodded. “He has agreed to get his companions drunk tonight, steal their gear, and hand it over to us. The other men are young, and new, and he thinks he can out-drink them. I think he can, too.”

Ulfrik clasped Yngvar’s shoulder. “Then we can be away by dawn. Even the long way around should still leave us time to get ahead of Grim.”

Their course now decided, they ate the gathered nuts and Yngvar cleaned his face at the creek, as Ulfrik had done earlier. They both took a deep drink before seeking out Magnus.

It took longer to find their way back in the twilight, but Yngvar was a sure-footed woodsman, navigating the trees without stumbling. Ulfrik let him lead, and his thoughts wandered to Runa. He hoped the girl had not been caught. If she had, she’d probably be raped until her mind was broken and then thrown on his father’s funeral pyre. His father’s pyre-he had not even thought of that! If Grim intended to act the victim, he’d have to give their father a proper funeral. Ulfrik felt his chest tighten at the thought that he would not be there to witness it.

Distracted, he tripped, bucking Yngvar as he did.

“Odin’s balls!” Yngvar cursed in a low voice. “Keep your mind on your footing. You’re like a man walking through a dream.”

Ulfrik apologized, feeling his face grow warm with shame. He shook his head to refocus. Motioning for Ulfrik to stay, Yngvar crawled forward and gave a convincing owl hoot. In reply, a large shadow rose up and began to move toward them. It was Magnus, carrying a cloak full of supplies over his shoulder.

He was older than Ulfrik remembered, his curly black beard now shot with gray. But at nearly a head taller than Ulfrik, and with heavy shoulders and a face full of furrows, he still resembled a bear. His eyes glittered in the dark, and he smiled.

“Yngvar and Lord Ulfrik,” Magnus whispered. “There wasn’t enough mead to get them all drunk, but I took the first watch and they’re sleeping now. Here’s everything we will need.”

Ulfrik thought he misheard. “You are coming with us?”

“I can think of no reason to stay with these two fools. Besides, I don’t like Vestfolders. Your brother brought Vestfolders in and then Lord Orm dies conveniently, I won’t be part of that evil.”

“But your family,” Ulfrik put in. “What are you going to do with them?”

“My son is good with a sword and a bow.” His smile revealed his few remaining teeth. “They are out east. Grim won’t look for them so soon, not now that his face is wrecked. Besides, he’s looking for you two, not me.”

“We are headed north, to Auden,” Ulfrik said, glad of Magnus’s help. “We cannot go directly, so the trip will take longer.”

Magnus shrugged. “I’ve already done this much. My family will hold up until I can send for them.”

Ulfrik nodded. As they slipped back into the trees, Magnus glanced back just once. Then he handed them two swords and two skins of water from his makeshift sack.

Ulfrik smiled. All they needed to do now was get to Auden. With Magnus’s help they could make the journey without delay. Maybe, he thought, the Fates have spun me a better strand than I imagined.

Somewhere an owl called in reply.

Eight

Runa shivered, remembering the clang of metal as Yngvar had drawn his sword. Every time she heard that sound, it meant disaster. It meant: run. So she had run-first to the shadows between the buildings, and then onward as the rain became fiercer. As she ran, she heard a horn blast and the shouting of men, and then Yngvar’s roar and the collision of swords. She did not look back, instead fleeing to a storage shed that was close enough to allow her to see. Through the rain and wind, a shriek reached her. Her stomach boiled with shame, hoping it was not Ulfrik. Her disguise now useless, Runa wriggled out of the bulky mail and sloughed off the sodden cloak. She fingered the slave collar that chaffed at her neck and a rusty tang filled her nostrils. So close to having it removed, she thought wistfully.

Pressed up against the shed wall, Runa closed her eyes to the rain that streamed into her face, having half a mind to add to it with tears. She had nearly escaped, and now she was back. She cursed herself for trusting such a foolish plan. Why did I let Ulfrik dazzle me?He probably never intended to honor his promise.No doubt he would have just raped me and given me to Yngvar as a reward. That’s all I am now: property to be handed out. Booty.

Horns blasted again and Runa saw torches blooming in clusters around the barracks. She folded herself against the wall and begged the gods to keep her hidden. Men fanned out in all directions, some toward her.

Her heart thumped and her breath was short, but she knew running would only expose her. The torchlight jogged closer. Two men were approaching.

“Search that shed,” one called to the other.

“A waste of time,” the other shouted over the rain. “It’s locked.”

They hurried to the corner of the shed, the light from their torches casting a yellow ring that almost illuminated her feet. She heard one of them try the door. Locked. Runa held her breath.

“So is Lord Grim dead? Will we still get paid?” one of them asked.

“I didn’t see if he died. They dragged him into the barracks too fast. But he was screaming and cursing. So-”

“Hey, there they go!” the other voice interrupted.

Runa heard them splash off through the rain, calling to other men. She smiled. Ulfrik had escaped, and Yngvar was still with him. It seemed that Grim might even be dying. The gods are certainly involved, she thought.

Runa knew where Ulfrik’s room was in the hall. She merely had to grab the sword and escape to the northern track. From there, she could meet up with them and travel to Ulfrik’s uncle’s hall, where he would restore her freedom. If she recovered his precious sword, Ulfrik would have to honor his promise. After all, warriors valued their oaths, even if made to slaves. And Runa was certain Ulfrik was better than most. He reminded her of her brother-the same proud gait, the same stubborn resolve. He had even thanked her when she served him stew a few nights ago. He would grant her freedom, as he had promised.

Yet still Runa stood rooted to the spot, listening to the men shout through the darkness. A blind run would end in her crashing into one of them. Tentative steps led her away from the shed, toward a lone pine. She shivered as she scuttled beneath it. The main hall was ten paces away, bathed in pale light from behind shuttered windows. Thin smoke fought the gusts as it rose from the smoke hole.

Crouching as low as she could manage, Runa hurried toward the hall. She pitched against the darkest shadow of its walls, slumped, and caught her breath. The slave pen squatted in the darkness opposite. It was a low, windowless building, huddled against the night like the slaves within it. The door bore a heavy lock and the key always remained with the guard who herded the slaves in at the end of the night. Just last night, she had been locked in with them.

When Runa had fled earlier, she had simply seized an opportunity-every girl for herself. But now, she could remedy that. She could free them. The hall was in confusion. Even without the key, there had to be a way to free the slaves.

Runa’s family had owned but one slave. Her father had treated him well, so well that at times Runa thought he was her father’s friend. Only when she became a slave had she realized the horror of slavery. The Svear raped her, barely kept her alive, and sold her like an animal. Orm had found her at market and treated her marginally better than his livestock. None of Orm’s slaves would be mistaken for his friends.

She shook her head, scattering the memories. First, she had to get inside the hall. Slipping her fingers beneath the unfastened shutters, she cracked one open enough to see within. She saw no movement. Trusting that Ulfrik’s commotion had drained the hall of occupants, she opened the shutters and hauled herself through the window.

Runa had always been small, but in slavery she had withered further. She flopped through the window easily, if not gracefully, landing on her rump. The thud of her descent was like a peal of thunder to her, but there was no one to hear it. The hall was empty, but for curling smoke, quavering shadows, and the dead jarl’s corpse. Orm lay stretched out on a table in the center of the hall, lit by amber light from a low fire in the hearth. Runa stood and studied his corpse. He was dressed in mail, with a sword over his chest. She half feared he might rise up as she walked around his body, until her nostrils were met with the rank scent of death and she drew a hand to her face to block it.

Dripping water across the dirt floor as she moved, she headed for the far end of the hall, where Ulfrik had slept in a side room reserved for honored guests. His sword would be there.

She had reached the doorway when an old woman stepped out. With a scream, Runa fell back, a myriad thoughts in mind. Should she attack? Should she flee? Should she try to beguile the woman?

The old woman released a startled croak and Runa recognized her as Orm’s healer, Aud.

“Oh, you frightened me, child! I wondered who could be in here,” said Aud, putting her palm to her chest. “And look at you, sopping wet!”

“I … I returned too late,” Runa stuttered, choosing guile.

Aud had never been Runa’s friend, shouting at her and often striking her for being slow, but at least she was not hostile. She peered at Runa through baggy, squinting eyes, holding the look for a long while before remarking, “Why you would return is a mystery, child.” Aud went to Orm’s corpse and adjusted the pall that covered his face. “With your master dead, you should be burned with him.”

Runa’s eyes snapped to Aud, but the old woman merely continued to prepare Orm’s corpse, seeming uninterested.

Runa drew a breath before speaking. “I didn’t know he was dead. When I came back it was raining, and all the guards were running about. I feared raiders.”

Aud only nodded, and then took another peek beneath the shroud, as if ensuring the corpse was not eavesdropping. Then she sat next to the fire and let her hands collapse in her lap.

“We should gather at the hall if raiders come, right?” Runa said in a rush. She felt her face flush hotter every moment she was under Aud’s rheumy-eyed gaze.

“Of course, the best way to enter the hall is by throwing yourself through the window,” Aud noted, a smile bisecting the sagging folds of her face.

Runa opened her mouth but could not speak. Her hands began to tremble.

“You are a slave.” Aud gestured that she should sit by the fire. “And I’ve no mind for slaves, but you are different from the others. You’re quite a beauty; that’s why this one bought you.” Aud jabbed a thumb toward Orm’s corpse. “But you are also a Dane, and from a good family. I’ve seen it in your manners, child. You are too well bred to be a slave. Now, will you sit here a moment? I think no one will be coming along soon.”

Runa smiled and sat, relishing the fire’s heat. Now that Aud had casually brushed aside the excuse she had offered, she knew her best hope was in making Aud an ally. She glanced at the old woman, who guarded her thoughts behind crinkled eyelids. For an instant, Runa felt her hands itch. Her brother would have told her to throttle the crone and escape. Now was the time. But Runa doubted herself-doubted she could be so ruthless.

“So you know the truth,” Runa whispered. “I came back when I heard the commotion. I thought I could steal something of value, something to help buy my freedom.” She did not trust Aud enough to speak the truth.

Aud merely nodded. “There is little here, child,” she said. “Lord Grim has taken everything of any value. The old jarl will be buried with very little of his wealth.”

Runa shifted in her seat to face Aud directly. “Then will you let me go? I will take just some food, maybe a cloak. Will you allow me that much? If I ever get back to my family, I can repay you.”

Again, Aud nodded. Then she struggled up from her chair.

Runa’s heart pounded. It seemed Aud had assured her freedom. She had not yet retrieved Ulfrik’s belongings, but she would find another way.

Aud hobbled a few steps, and then began to walk more steadily. Waddling to one of the tables at the side of the hall, she gathered two cups and filled them in silence as Runa sat.

“It’s a cold night. You’ll need something to keep you. Here is some mead, and a bit of cheese. It’s not much, but better than what you’ll be eating in the future.” Aud held a wedge of cheese in one shriveled hand and a wooden cup of mead in the other.

Runa had not eaten since the night before. The scent of cheese stoked her appetite. Only after she drained the mug and stuffed the cheese in her mouth, did embarrassment overcome her. Aud laughed, and Runa’s shame deepened.

“Thank you, for your kindness.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I did not expect it.”

Aud laughed again, only harder, her laughter rising to a wicked timbre, and her smile warping into a leer. Immediately, Runa knew she had been duped: either the cheese or mead had been poisoned.

Now, she would throttle Aud. Her hands shot out, seeking the old woman’s scraggly neck. But she found that her fingers curled before her like a hag’s claw, her sight blurred, and Aud’s laughter became a ringing bell in her head. Somehow she found herself crashing face down toward the dirt floor.

“You’ll send me a reward, will you?” Aud cackled. “You stupid, bitch! You’ll burn with your master, like the slave you are. Your beautiful face will be ruined, you whore!”

So this is death, Runa thought, cold and black, and filled with the echoing laughter of a crazed hag. Then, even those sensations fled and she floated in a field of utter numbness.

Nine

Grim’s head throbbed and his face burned where the ax had cut. A day had passed since Ulfrik had given him the wound. The cut was not deep, except where the blade had cleft his bottom teeth, but one tooth had been dislodged in the blow and another fell out later. Grim’s tongue groped the bloody space continually, tasting raw flesh.

He was at rest in his room in the hall, which until yesterday had been his father’s. Soon, dawn would break and Aud would come with fresh bandages and a bitter poultice to stick into the gap of teeth. For now, he listened to the sound of warriors readying for battle: the clack of spear shafts and the crunch of mail, and all around the grumble of stern voices. Grim would have to stand before the men today, no matter how his wounds grieved him. The attack on Auden had already been delayed a day.

He heard Aud’s murmurs beyond the door, coupled with Vandrad’s sonorous voice. Grim dropped his bandaged head to the side. Would Vandrad give a moment’s respite? The answer was clear enough; Vandrad forced his way into the room ahead of Aud’s protests.

“Grim, we will be ready to march by noon. King Harald’s men have arrived.”

Grim stared up at the gauzy darkness.

With a muttered curse, Aud came to his side, placing a lit candle beside the bed while she removed his bandages. Grim tried to read her reaction to the sight of his wounds. Not a single wrinkle or fold twitched or tightened in her face.

“Your men are confused,” Vandrad continued, glancing over Aud as she worked.

Grim noted that his face registered nothing but concern for his damn plans.

“You must address your warriors, let them know you are ready.”

“Do not give orders to me!” Grim jerked to his elbows, knocking Aud away. Pain flamed in his jaw, only angering him more. “I know what I have to do.”

Vandrad did not balk at Grim’s outburst, but smiled. He was a tall man, broad shouldered and handsome with tawny hair that was oiled in place and a carefully attended beard-the embodiment of High King Harald’s court. “Then, Lord Grim, act on what you know. And I will remind you that I am King Harald’s agent and his cousin. Save your shouts for the battlefield.”

The pain vanished, and Grim felt anger rise in its place. He was still treated as a child, even now that his father was dead and he was the new jarl of Grenner. Why does everyone consider me so incapable? Why must every ally become a thorn underfoot?

But Vandrad had duly impressed his logic, and Grim had to surrender to it-for now.

“I will address my men at sunrise,” Grim said, lying down again so Aud could resume fussing with his bandages. “I’m going to sound like a drunk with this poultice of shit in my mouth, but I will get them to march.”

Yet Grim doubted he could motivate Orm’s men. He had changed their world in the space of days. He gave them gold from his father’s hoard in return for their oaths, gold that he wanted for himself. Then the bungled assassination of his brother ushered in contention. Some of the men were grumbling; he could hear as much through the walls.

“Your King commands the attack,” Vandrad explained with a smile. “And he will reward it. You’ve already tasted the wealth and power of his court. Your lands will double in size when Auden is crushed. King Harald has provided the men you will need to hold the land. But what is your plan for your father’s hirdmen? They must have kinsmen there?”‘

“They don’t know the plan and will stay behind. They think we go to reinforce Auden,” Grim explained. “A few have kin there, I suppose. If I suspect anyone, they will die.”

“Very well, but they will have to know the truth sooner or later.” Vandrad walked out of Grim’s line of vision. “Anyway, without a successful attack, you will not have the worry of an expanded domain. Provided Ulfrik has not reached Auden, we should strike with total surprise by nightfall.”

Aud completed her re-bandaging with a nod, and Grim brushed her aside as he sat up. She looked at him with disdain as she snatched up the rust-colored bandages and waddled from the room. Remembering the hag’s command of poisons, Grim reminded himself not to mistreat her. “Ulfrik has not reached Auden,” he spat, his brother’s name tasting more bitter than any poison. “He and that swill-bellied traitor are hiding in the woods. Snorri is leading the search.”

Vandrad did not face Grim, but stood inspecting a mounted bear head set upon the wall. “When did Snorri report last? Has he not told you that one of your sentries disappeared and stole his companion’s gear?”

Grim sat motionless for several seconds. Then, ignoring the pain in his face, he shot to his feet and charged into the hall screaming, “Someone fetch that bitch-born dwarf!”

Grim paced the hall as he waited. It felt like an age. His mind was a jumbled mess, bristling with thoughts of tearing Ulfrik to bits. Snorri entered, along with another man Grim did not recognize. Pink light from the rising sun streamed in behind them. Grim’s yelling had reopened his wound, and he tasted coppery blood on the bandage that wrapped his mouth and part of his head, concealing his right eye. Snorri and the other man looked at his mouth, and not at his eyes. Grim felt his head tighten in anger.

His punch landed square on Snorri’s jaw, throwing him backward. Even wounded, Grim maintained his strength. “I had to find out from another that Ulfrik has turned two of my men, and that I was robbed! Why did you not report to me?”

The men in the hall stood, reaching for their spears to defend their lord. Grim felt immense satisfaction at that, which dulled the edge of his anger.

Snorri recovered, holding his jaw and righting himself. “Aud sent me away. She said that your wounds were too serious for you to be disturbed, Lord Grim.” Snorri spoke carefully.

“I don’t need men who take orders from old hags,” Grim bellowed. “I need men who take orders from me! Who was the traitor? Why is his family not begging for mercy at my feet? Don’t stand there with your mouth open. Answer!”

“His name is Magnus,” Snorri said in a near whisper. He looked past Grim, at a point behind him.

“Magnus means nothing to me!” Grim pointed to the man beside Snorri. “What’s your name?”

“Konrad, Lord Grim,” he said with a slight bow. Grim liked the man’s gesture of deference.

“Konrad, you lead the search now. You bring me Ulfrik and his traitor friends and I will put a gold band on your arm.” Grim turned back to Snorri, who continued to stare past him. Snorri had always been a favorite of his father’s; Grim should have known gold would not buy him. “Snorri, you listen to Konrad. I bet he won’t be put off by an old hag. Redeem yourself and find me Magnus.”

When Snorri did not reply, Grim found himself smiling. This was the way to lead. Konrad smiled faintly as well. Grim knew this was right, was what men respected. The situation improved his mood, so much that he wanted an extra show of lordliness, just to stick it in Snorri’s face. “Konrad, to show you the kind of lord I am, I will present you with something. Wait a moment.”

Grim strode to the far end of the hall, dripping blood as he walked. His wound bloomed red across the bandages; he could feel hot wetness there. The pain was not as troublesome as the poultice, which had mostly fallen out anyway. When he came to the space where his brother had slept, he snatched up Ulfrik’s beloved sword from where it rested against the wall and marched back to Konrad.

“This is Ulfrik’s sword,” he said cheerfully, extending it. “Keep it. Use it to take Ulfrik alive. He loved this weapon. Just seeing you with it will probably drive him mad and make it easier for you to capture him. Anyway, I think it looks better on you.”

Konrad knelt and accepted the sword. Snorri did not even turn to face them. At the end of the hall, Vandrad stood, arms folded, his face wooden. Grim dismissed the men to their duties.

“You are a strong leader,” Vandrad said, a flat look still upon his face. “Snorri will undoubtedly work twice as hard for you now.”

Grim smiled through the pain of his wound, ready to congratulate himself. Then he realized the compliment was backhanded. “My brother, and anyone aiding him, intentionally or otherwise, will find no mercy in me.”

“If you had dealt with him as I originally advised, you would not be dripping blood down your shirt this morning.” Vandrad finally pushed himself off the doorjamb and stepped back into the hall. “Get your face bandaged again, Lord Grim. Then get your men assembled and be ready for a hard march north. If you can manage to keep on plan, we will burn Auden in his hall tonight. The surrounding lands will fall or surrender. All you have to do is point your men’s feet north.”

“Hell take you!” Grim cursed. “I will lead my men and do my part. And when our deal is done, you will get out of my sight.”

Vandrad did not look back as he strode through the hall to the main door, two of his hirdmen falling in behind. Grim had not even noticed their presence.

Over his shoulder, Vandrad said, “Remember your oath, Lord Grim. You came seeking our aid. Now you have it, and all that comes with it.”

A rectangle of light winked as Vandrad pulled the door shut behind him. Grim stood at the far end of the hall, atop the platform at the high table. He grabbed a chair, his knuckles whitening. The men in the hall stared at him, but when his eyes met theirs they snapped them away, suddenly busy with work. Only Aud sat looking at him, like an ancient toad upon its log. Grim feared that her witch’s magic could see the weakness in his heart. With a mumbled curse, he retreated to his room.

Vandrad had been right, and that rankled worse than any ax cut. He should have poisoned Ulfrik, as he had his father. But he had feared the men would suspect him and rebel. To use poison was to surrender your honor and manliness, or so the men would think. Besides, his father had been popular, else he couldn’t be their leader. Ulfrik is popular too, Grim thought, scowling. But Grenner is mine, not his.

He sat on his bed, mustering the courage to call Aud, knowing he relied on the witch too much. He would have to find a way to dispose of her, especially since she knew his secret. Vandrad was the only other person to know, and he was above attack. But Aud had no honor to lose; she could control him too easily with what she knew. Grim cursed himself for rushing into this den of wolves. He now had the land, the gold, the men, and a sled of worries to accompany them.

Orm, still lying on his funeral bed, flashed into his mind, and Grim realized that he had yet to deal with his father’s corpse. Men like Snorri were likely upset with the delay. There would be no time for a proper burning at sea. Instead, Grim planned to bury him in sight of the hall with his war gear, some gold, and his slave girls. Then he could march north. It would be far from glorious, but he had to keep his agreement with Vandrad. One did not break faith with Harald and expect to survive long afterward.

Still, Grim remained positive about his plans. Auden was more a threat than Ulfrik, and Vandrad was right to prioritize Auden’s elimination. Ulfrik had a claim to Grenner, a claim far better than his own, but currently he lacked the military power to enforce that claim. Grim could deal with him later. He touched his bandages and scowled at the wound his brother had dealt him. One last insult, he thought. But you’re out of allies, Brother. Now you’re the one who has to hide in the woods. And I own the woods and everything around it.

Grim smiled, felt the pain flash, and then summoned Aud again. She said nothing, simply started undoing the bloodied bandages that moments ago had been fresh and white. Grim stared at her, searching for a sign that she suspected he would kill her. As always, Aud’s blank expression gave him nothing.

Ten

Runa hunkered in a corner of the slave hut. Another slave, Cara, lay sleeping on the dirt floor. The hut was hot with the stench of filth. For the two days Runa had spent locked inside, Cara mostly slept. There was nothing else for them, except to wait for death. Cara claimed she had not been freed since the day Runa fled.

The poison Aud fed Runa had not been strong, Runa had vomited most of it out the first night. Her head ached and her vision sometimes blurred, but she was otherwise unharmed. The lack of food kept her weak, but the plan for escape lent some strength to her pulse. Runa never stopped thinking about escape.

She had tried to tell Cara her plan, but the other girl was like a starved rat in a cage-more interested in snatching Runa’s moldy cheese than in escaping. In the days since Orm had died, Cara had grown skeletal. Runa never imagined anyone could waste away so fast. She knew she had also withered, but hope kept her flesh clinging to her bones.

This morning, Runa could hear Aud’s voice beyond the walls. Soon, a man unlocked the door and shoved in a tray. Runa regarded it with a raised brow. Nothing but bowls of murky water and hard wedges of cheese, and no doubt both poisoned to make her more compliant when the men came. Then they’d twist her neck and throw her on Orm’s funeral pyre or into his grave.

Runa crawled to the tray, poured out the water, and buried the cheese in the corner. Cara might dig it out, but Runa guessed that the men would come soon. She planned to act drugged, since they would expect it, and when she had deceived them she would run. The plan was simple-likely doomed to failure-but she could not devise anything more sophisticated. She wished she had more strength, despite trusting fear to give her legs for the escape.

Runa waited and watched. Beside her, Cara flinched and mumbled in her sleep. Runa tried to rouse her, but Cara just swatted at her and turned over. The hours passed. Soon, Runa heard voices approaching.

“Are you sure about this, Konrad?” asked a young man. There was a jingle of keys and the clank of the lock. On cue, Runa sprawled out as if in a stupor. She hoped they would not feel her throbbing heart when they picked her up.

“Just shut up and do what you’re told. Lord Grim put me in charge,” said the other voice, the man called Konrad. The lock ground open and white light peeled inside. “It smells like a dog’s ass in here! I just want the pretty one. Where is she?”

Runa dared not open her eyes. She could feel the two men encroaching on the cramped space, filling it to capacity. Rough, sweaty hands grabbed her leg. Reflexively, she pulled away. “Ho! Here she is, and still with some fight! The other is a hag. Leave her. Anyone looking?”

“No, sir,” said the young man. “I hope we don’t get caught.”

“No one’s going to care anyway,” Konrad said. The hands climbed up her back and hauled her over one of the man’s shoulders. Runa let her head flail and her limbs slacken. She faked a drugged smile and dared a peek. All Runa could see was the door to the slave hut as he carried her outside.

Konrad ran a short distance with the other man in the lead, seemingly headed for the barracks. Her body stiffened in fear. She had known Konrad’s mind the moment his lascivious hands grasped her legs, but had hoped it was not so.

Inside the dim barracks, Konrad threw her on a pallet. Her head thumped against the wall and she became nearly as dazed as she was pretending to be. Desperate, Runa spread her legs and laughed, holding her arms out, beckoning Konrad to come her. She knew this was her final chance at escape; success depended on her acting.

She squinted at her rapist as he dropped his sword to the floor with a clunk and grappled with his pants. All she could see was his yellow hair and wicked smile, and beyond, in her peripheral vision, the blurry shadow of a figure in the doorway.

Konrad, his breath and beard rank with the stench of mead and fish, wasted no time. Pushing up her skirt, he exposed her to his over-eager flesh. Runa had experienced this horror repeatedly from her Svear captors. She recoiled when Konrad shoved himself into her, and when she cried out, he laughed. “Feels good, don’t it, Princess?”

She thrashed her head as he pressed himself on her.

It was time.

As Konrad’s leering face lifted up momentarily mid-thrust, Runa snapped her head forward, flattening his nose with her forehead. Dazed as she was, she heard the sharp crack of bone followed by the spluttering of snot and blood. Konrad did not cry out. Rolling off her, both hands cupping his face, he hopped to his feet. Then he staggered and collapsed, screaming out a curse.

Runa dropped back onto the pallet. Now to get his sword, she thought. The other man rushed to Konrad’s aid, sparing no glance for her. He was frantic, asking repeatedly what had happened. While he did, Runa reached to the floor and grapsed the hilt of Konrad’s sword. She yanked it, drawing it out half way.

Then Konrad was on his feet again. Blood and spit smeared his beard and his eyes were black. “That whore headbutted me! I’ll strangle her!”

Runa did not fear the threat. She pulled out the sword to its full length as he lunged for her.

“Don’t do it, Konrad! The other man tried to stop him. “Lord Grim will be furious. You’ll get us both hanged.”

Shoving him away, Konrad jumped at her again. But he was careless. Faster than he could react, Runa braced the sword in front of herself. This time, his screech filled the barracks and he slithered to the floor. He was on his back, blood flooding from his gut where he had impaled himself.

“You killed him!” the other man screamed, standing over Konrad’s half-naked body and heaving as if he had run a mile. Leaping up, Runa scrambled for the door as the man tore his sword from its sheath. He was faster, pulling Runa up short, the sword’s point at her throat.

“You killed him!” The young man’s eyes relayed his terror. As he raised his sword to strike, Runa screamed.

“Stop!” Another, older warrior appeared in the doorway and Runa’s assailant froze, his sword still raised overhead. Runa crawled back onto the pallet, pulling her rags down over her hips. The two men blocked the only exit.

Practiced in his motions and confident in his stride, in one step the older man disarmed the younger.

“K … Konrad made me do it,” the younger stammered. “He was in charge. He told me to be his lookout.”

“Well, Konrad’s dead,” the man said flatly. “So you will be listening to me now.” He jerked the sword out of Konrad’s stomach, and wiped the blood on Konrad’s cloak before draping it over the man’s corpse. Then he seized Runa’s leg. She squealed and thrashed, but he yanked her flat with force enough to quiet her.

“Go get someone from the hall,” he commanded the other man, never taking his eyes off her.

She would be raped again, and then tortured, Runa knew. Tears leaked from her eyes; her gambit had failed. The other man did not linger, seemingly eager to escape the scene.

“You killed a freeman, slave,” the man said as he dropped her leg. He sheathed Konrad’s blade. “I’ll give you credit. It was done like a true Dane. But you’re going to pay now.”

“I’m going to die anyway,” Runa cried. The man yanked her up by the arm, tugging her off the pallet. She crumpled to the floor, dissolving in sobs, but he did not let go, nor did he release the sword in his other hand.

“Stand up or I’ll make it worse on you,” he threatened.

What use was fighting? She would never return to Denmark, never see her brother again. Everything her parents had planned for her had been shattered when the Svear came. Runa complied, and he led her from the barracks, heading for the slave hut. She had achieved nothing at all. I should have fought harder. Maybe they would have killed me then, instead.

“I don’t know what you were planned to do after you killed him,” the man said as he pulled her along. “You’re a marked slave; you would never get anywhere, not with winter approaching. Would you prefer to freeze?”

“Freeze or burn, what’s the difference?” Runa said. “Lord Ulfrik promised me my freedom if I rescued his sword. That’s what I fought for.”

He stopped at those words and turned to face her. “You have spoken to Lord Ulfrik?”

“Yes, when I fled the first time. I met him in the woods.”

The man seemed excited and Runa’s hope revived. “He promised freedom if I could get his sword and mail. That’s why we returned. I fled when Grim appeared, but that creature Aud caught me. Otherwise I could’ve done it.”

“What does Ulfrik plan to do? Is he nearby?”

Runa realized she had already said too much. The hope she felt vanished. This man wanted to be Grim’s hero, to find Ulfrik and kill him. Although she owed Ulfrik nothing, she would not betray him. She squared her jaw as the man awaited an answer.

Releasing her arm, he held up the sword. “This is Lord Ulfrik’s sword. Did you even know? Or are you as poor a liar as you are a slave?”

Runa gasped and unconsciously raised her hand to grab it, but the man snatched it away. “Please,” she begged. “I only knew it was kept at the front of the hall. Please, Lord Ulfrik will free me for returning it. I swear it.”

The man stared at her impassively.

Runa felt heat on her face and a trembling hopelessness in her joints. The man grabbed her arm again, firmly this time and without aggression. As he pulled her toward the slave hut, he began to talk in a hushed voice. “If you can get this sword to Lord Ulfrik, as you say, you can send him a message then?”

“Of course,” Runa said, loud enough to elicit a hiss from the man. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Of course I would do so, if it meant my freedom.”

“Deliver my message and I can hand you the sword when it is done,” the man said, tightening his grip on her arm.

“No,” Runa said before she could even consider her response. “I must have the sword to prove my trust. Otherwise, he will think I am working for Grim.”

“Won’t he think you’re working for Grim if you have the sword? How else could you get it so easily?”

“You call this easy?” Runa was finding her confidence again. “Anyway, I have to try. He’s my only chance in this cursed place.”

The man smiled and relaxed his grip. “Then here is my message. Tell him that Snorri has no love for Grim, and that he would swear a true oath to Lord Ulfrik. Many others would do the same. We see through Grim’s treachery, but our homes are here and we have little choice. If Ulfrik sends word, we will join him.”

Runa repeated the message to Snorri and he nodded in satisfaction. Then he handed her the sword. “Now take this, and bite my arm as hard as you can.”

At first, Runa did not understand, but Snorri pushed his wrist up to her face. “Go on. After all, you were strong enough to kill a warrior. Why not escape from me as well?”

So Runa bit, sinking her teeth in until Snorri could bear it no more and finally screamed. Then he released her. She stood for just a moment before starting to run.

Snorri gave chase, swearing. As she ran, Runa wondered if he meant all the curses he sent at her. But he let her outpace him, and soon she could see the tree line ahead. When she entered the trees and looked back, Snorri was gone. Resting on her haunches to catch her breath, she noticed a column of men assembling outside the village. They were kitted for war, moving with the gravity of men readying for a fight. Another column marched to join them and drew Runa’s attention to a less orderly group of men appearing over a rise to the far left of the village. There must have been more than a hundred men gathering, bringing mail and flashing spears.

Not waiting to count them, Runa fled to the trees. Now to find the northern path, and hope Ulfrik waited there, as he had said. Clutching Ulfrik’s sword to her breast, she vanished into the shadows of the trees.

Eleven

Black smoke coiling in the clear sky-Ulfrik and his men knew what that meant. They had been making progress in the forest, held back only by a night of cold and heavy rain, which they cursed as they trudged through it. When they turned east to join the northern track, the trees thinned to reveal smoke where Auden’s hall should have been. On the track, scores of jumbled, blurred footprints in the mud marked the passage of an army. Grim’s army.

Ulfrik ran the last few furlongs, charging ahead of the others. Black fingers of despair climbed into the clouds above Auden’s hall, and as he approached Ulfrik heard the fluttering and cawing of crows, arguing over their spoils. He did not slow his run, rushing past the burned remains to where the hall door still held, three spear hafts laced into the handles to trap the victims while the hall burned. Where windows were intact, charred corpses draped over the sills. Some were affixed to the wood by spears, impaled as they attempted to escape the firestorm. The hall burning had been well planned; it seemed no one had escaped.

His mind’s eye saw the hall as it was: wide and warm, filled with boastful songs and roasting meats. Auden and his wife at the head table, raising their horns to toast a warrior’s exploits. Auden asking the riddles he loved; everyone else groaning that they had been heard too many times. His aunt smiling patiently as Auden questioned their guests. Then, warriors banging their tankards on the tables, calling for a song, drinking themselves into a stupor.

Now the tables were corrugated black embers. Ulfrik went around the door, jumping into the ashes and sending the crows screaming. The drinking horns and tankards were lost amid the ash and the hands that once gripped them now clawed from beneath scorched and fallen beams. The white leg of a girl jutted from beneath the debris. Ulfrik thought of his cousins, and his stomach churned. The stench of burnt wood and the tang of burnt flesh seemed to thicken in his nostrils as he began to sift through the ruins, his heart pounding. Perhaps Auden has escaped.Maybe he burst through the burning walls, sword in hand, bellowing curses, and hacked a path out of the men who ringed his hall, Ulfrik thought. Or hoped.

But the more he searched, the more the vision paled. He found mail coats fused into useless clumps, weapons melted in their sheaths-all abandoned as their terrorized owners struggled to escape. Corpses strewn close to the hall were skewered by arrows, archers having picked off those who escaped or who came to extinguish the fire. There had been no bold escape, only panic and death. Beneath the cinders, Ulfrik knew Auden’s bones mingled with the ashes of his men and his family.

Yngvar and Magnus stood apart, their heads bowed, their countenances inscrutable. All stood in silence amid the blowing ash, listening to the crow’s gleeful caws belying the bright afternoon sun. Ulfrik watched as the place he had called home for decades, the people he had loved and defended, blew away on the wind.

“I will not die until I have avenged Grim’s crimes. All of them,” Ulfrik said, strangely calm. “I swear this by Odin’s one eye.”

Yngvar and Magnus nodded in somber agreement. For long moments, Ulfrik anticipated the hot tears that threatened his eyes. But they did not flow. They would not, although he did not understand why. The two men held his gaze and tacitly assured him they would pledge their swords to the deed.

Suddenly disturbed, the crows and ravens scattered with angry shrieks, and the three men instinctively gripped their sword hilts as someone stepped from the forest and crossed the cleared field before them.

Runa!

Ulfrik relaxed his stance. A breeze puffed out her ragged shift as she neared and he noticed she clutched something to her chest, something that shone and sparkled green in the glaring light-Fate’s Needle. At last, the tears washed the ash and grit from his eyes.

No one spoke as Runa walked directly to him, moving with a confidence no slave possessed. She stood before him, a queen greeting her warrior, and presented the sword. Ulfrik held her gaze as he reached out and gripped the scabbard with one hand. She looked tired and thin, but her eyes flashed with hope and she smiled feebly as she released the sword.

At last, she lowered her head. “This is your sword, Lord Ulfrik. As I swore to you, I have helped you find it again.”

“Thank you, Runa.” Too many emotions overwhelmed him. He dared speak no more, lest his words were foolish. Instead, he flashed a smile and looked away, fastening the sword to his belt.

“The sword comes with a message,” Runa said and relayed Snorri’s words.

They should have heartened him, Ulfrik knew, and perhaps some corner of his soul did gladden. Yet the day still remained a loss, and the roster of losses increased daily. He merely nodded his head to Runa’s message, and patted her shoulder in thanks.

“So you managed to keep your word. I guess you’re not a faithless liar.” Yngvar joined them and nodded toward the sword.

Ulfrik had not bothered to mention Runa to Magnus, assuming she had been either captured or killed. The big man seemed to accept that Runa was his slave anyway. Ulfrik did not pursue it.

“So let’s hear it. What happened?” Yngvar turned to more practical matters.

With a smile at Yngvar’s shrouded apology, Runa told her story, omitting nothing, not even the stark detail.

Ulfrik doubted parts of it, but the bruises on her body vouched for her and he felt a twinge of guilt. Runa had endured much. When she came to the end, and her encounter with Snorri, she had captured even Magnus’s attention. They all stepped closer, anxious for details.

“When I saw all those warriors gathering, I knew I had to find our meeting place,” she said, evidently relishing the attention. “But you weren’t there. So I trekked north along the track, guessing you would go that way.

“I spent some time gathering nuts and looking for water, and when I was done I heard the men marching. I followed them through the forest-hard when they had men scouting all around. I think one mistook me for a forest spirit.” She giggled at this, but then caught herself.

“How many were there? Was Grim there?” Ulfrik’s patience with her long tale finally snapped.

“At least one hundred men. I saw Grim from afar, always with another important man. That one seemed to be the real commander. I was so tired that, when they stopped the advance for some reason, I fell asleep. I’m sorry I did. When I woke, they were gone.

“Up the track, the night clouds were red with fire, so I ran as fast as I could. When I got here…” Runa surveyed the devastation around them.

Ulfrik nodded, avoiding a description of the obvious. He did not want to hear how Auden died in his den like an abandoned pup. The trap had been well laid, and complete in its execution. He focused instead on the future. “When did this happen? What did they do after this?”

“Three days ago.” Runa’s gaze returned to him. “A downpour put out the embers yesterday, or this place would still be burning. I didn’t dare get too close. The fire made too much noise for me to hear clearly, but the important man shouted some things and left with most of the men. They had captured horses from the stables. Many rode off in another direction. Grim yelled something about the surrounding farms. I did hear both of your names.” She turned toward Magnus. “And if you’re Magnus, I heard that name, too. Then they all ran off in different directions. I had to hide under leaves to avoid them.”

Ulfrik considered all that Runa had described. The men of Grenner would not attack their own, so Grim must have commanded one hundred Vestfolders. Auden was an obvious threat to Grim’s new alliance, one they had dispatched before it could materialize. Such foresight was unlike Grim. Ulfrik guessed Grim’s Vestfolder commander planned for him. Dealing with his brother now seemed impossible.

Runa continued to describe her trials following the raid, but Ulfrik’s attention was half-hearted. Yngvar and Magnus had both left to examine the wreckage of the hall and surrounding buildings.

“I guess no one cares.”

The smallness of Runa’s voice drew Ulfrik’s attention back to her. Her expression was plaintive and her queenly presence had vanished.

Ulfrik smiled and thanked her again, more earnestly this time. She returned the smile, but her eyes were downcast. Whether or not she accepted the thanks, Ulfrik had to consider their next step. They were outlaws hemmed into hostile country. He unbuckled his old sword and extended it to Runa. “You will probably need this in the coming days. Do you know how to use it?”

Her eyes widened as she accepted the blade, nodding. Ulfrik doubted she could wield a sword, but if she truly was from a noble family, her father or brothers might have taught her the basics. Ulfrik needed everyone armed and fighting, even half-starved slaves.

Stepping from the ruins of Auden’s hall, he finally wiped his eyes and looked for the others. Magnus and Yngvar had already begun to salvage a few useful items from the surrounding buildings. There was scant food, but enough had been left untouched to feed them for a few days. In an open area between the ravaged buildings they had also piled some heavy furs, which would stave off the approaching winter. The greatest find, however, was two hunting bows and eleven arrows. Yngvar and Ulfrik took these and divided the arrows.

“They haven’t fully looted the place,” Magnus observed. “Which means they’ll be back soon, maybe today.”

Ulfrik nodded, understanding it was time to vanish. “Magnus, we had better collect your family. Runa said she heard your name. I fear what Grim might do.”

Magnus held his gaze and Ulfrik read the emotions behind the man’s eyes: fear, anger, desperation. But, taciturn as always, Magnus just nodded his bushy bearded head in agreement. Ulfrik didn’t understand why these men had made the sacrifices they had, but he was grateful. He hoped Fate would allow him to repay them.

“We will have to stick close to the road to make good time,” Yngvar said, cupping a hand to his rugged brow as he scouted the horizon. “No smoke plumes, which means our scab-faced grub and his men might already be finished with their mischief.”

Magnus grabbed Yngvar’s arm. “You don’t think they would leave without taking everything from here?”

“If I knew the place was in hand and thought my mortal enemies were prodding around my hall, I’d head straight back.”

Ulfrik felt his guts tighten at the thought of Yngvar’s words. Of course, the man was right. All around the cold ash attested to what Grim could do and the speed at which he could move. Though Magnus’s farm was to the east, a detour from Grim’s direct march, the mounted men Runa had observed could easily have reached it by now. Ulfrik did not doubt Grim would extract revenge for Magnus’s defection. And a son come of age would be no defense against warriors. Yet it would take them nearly two days to reach the farm on foot, and it would require them to pass directly through Grim’s hall.

“I must go,” Magnus said. It seemed he had already made the calculations himself. Staring at all of them, but appearing to see no one, he added, “If that dogshit has harmed my family, I’ll have his heart on a slab.”

Ulfrik gestured to Yngvar and Runa to help him gather the furs and spears, but Magnus was already stalking down the road. The cool breeze lifted ash into the air, bringing a bitter taste to the tongue. Ulfrik watched Magnus charge through eddies of debris. They would have to catch him up, tame him enough to maintain a degree of stealth. For now, they gathered what they could, with Ulfrik shouldering Magnus’ load. In the coming days, he feared he would have to shoulder more than just spare furs.

Twelve

Magnus quickly outstripped Ulfrik and the others. They caught up once, but he brushed aside their attempts to coax him off the path and into the cover of the woods. Realizing he would not yield, Ulfrik let Magnus choose the course. He crashed down the path as they followed in the trees, trying to flush out potential ambushers. When afternoon dimmed to evening, their steps turned to stumbles and Ulfrik called a halt, surrendering the notion of keeping up with Magnus. Runa collapsed immediately, and Yngvar looked not much better. Hot blisters stung Ulfrik’s feet, and he longed to stick them into a cool stream.

No one spoke as they made camp off the path, choosing to bed in the boles and black folds of trees. Had they been able to continue at their previous pace for another hour, they would have arrived at Grim’s hall. Ulfrik no longer thought of the hall as anything other than the den of his treacherous brother. Rather than ever own it, he planned to burn it with Grim inside.

They dared not strike a cooking fire, so ate hard cheese and nuts instead. Streams, ponds, and lakes cross-hatched the region and Yngvar located a nearby creek for drinking water. Had they a longboat, they could have made excellent time down one of the deeper streams.

Ulfrik suppressed useless hopes, thinking instead of the next step. If they saved Magnus’s family, there would be even greater responsibility for him. Where would they winter? He had lost count of the days, but the night air felt like early November. An untimely snowstorm would be punishing, and would most likely mean the death of them. He sat apart, on a patch of dry ground with his back to a tree, thinking. Yngvar was strangely quiet, sitting in the gathering night with his head bowed. Probably wondering the same things, Ulfrik thought. A hard wind had blown away the fair weather of the day. The forest whined and rustled with it, sighing in resignation at the onset of winter.

Runa had bundled herself in furs and curled into the knotted roots of a tree. Ulfrik watched sleep overtake her before the night hid the forest in shadows. She must come from a hard family, to keep her wits and spirits with all she has experienced in recent days, Ulfrik thought, watching her admiringly.

Eventually, Yngvar stood and threw a fur toward Ulfrik. He wrapped the fur around himself, planning to watch over the others for a while. But in moments he was buried in dreams deep as snow.

***

They were all awake before dawn and resumed their journey. Looping north around Grim’s hall to reach Magnus’s farm would only add more time, but Yngvar thought he knew the way and they assumed Magnus had not stopped for the night. By now, he must have reached his home. Fate’s work would have been complete.

Following Yngvar’s directions, they soon came to a deep stream close to the farm. As they made to ford it, Ulfrik had a horrible realization. Pulling up short, he turned to Yngvar. “This is a trap. Grim must know we would come to protect Magnus’s family. Yngvar, you said it yourself. Grim would head straight back if he knew we would be around.”

Considering that, Yngvar stood speechless and Runa put a small hand to her mouth.

“We are leaping right into his damn trap!” Ulfrik kicked the ground in frustration

“He’s probably got men encircling that farm,” Yngvar agreed, recovering from his surprise. “We converge on the house and he pulls the noose tight around us.”

Ulfrik ran through the scenario in his mind, concluding that Yngvar was right. But with knowledge comes choice-his father and uncle had often said so. Now he could choose to reverse the situation.

“We scout the area. If we find Grim’s men first, we can strike with surprise. All I need is to get close enough to my brother to finish what I failed to do last time.”

“Lord Ulfrik.” Runa hesitated. “What if they have more men? Won’t we all die there even if you can get to Grim?”

Yngvar snorted. “We’re all going to die somewhere, girl. Don’t follow us if you are afraid of dying in battle.” With a more serious tone, he told Ulfrik, “She is right about their numbers. I doubt Grim will give a fair fight. It’d be easier for him to pelt us with arrows and then toss our corpses in the lake. Let’s be sane. If you can isolate him and kill him first, his men might surrender, especially if any of Snorri’s number are with them.”

Ulfrik nodded his assent, and they doubled their marching speed but kept their swords loose in the sheaths.

Soon, Magnus’s farm was before them. In the thin morning light, it looked squat and quiet. There was no sign of damage, but neither was hearth smoke rising from the main house. No bleat of sheep nor crowing of roosters sounded. In fact, nothing moved but branches swaying in the breeze. Ulfrik glanced about, stringing his bow. Yngvar did the same. Behind them, Runa gripped her sheathed sword like a stick.

Ulfrik spotted the enemy first.

As expected, green-cloaked men with strung bows and slender throwing spears crouched in the shadows of the trees. Ulfrik counted three, but Yngvar alerted him to at least two others. The sentries were dividing their attention between the farm and the woods.

A cry came from the direction of the farmhouse. Ulfrik glimpsed Magnus not far away, bent over and digging in his field. His hulking body quivered with sobs. Ulfrik immediately understood what had happened, and his anger seethed. The sentries lazily turned back to watching the woods.

Yngvar signaled that they should split up and take their shots. Archery in the woods was difficult, but with a few good shots they could whittle down the opposition.

Wordlessly, Ulfrik guided Runa behind a tree, placing a finger over her lips. She nodded, her eyes wide, her face pale. He could spare no more care for her; she must watch out for herself. Yngvar shifted left, and Ulfrik, right. After finding a good spot, he knelt to steady himself, drawing an arrow to his chin. A stout, apple-cheeked man-one of the Vestfolder thugs-lined up for him.

A swoosh of air behind his head and the thunk of an arrow striking a tree caught him off guard. An unseen sentry had found him. He loosed his own arrow, but the shot was ruined. Dropping the bow, he sprang forward, anticipating the next arrow as it sliced past him.

A call went out, but Ulfrik still had not spotted the attacker. He was flat on his stomach for what felt like minutes, his mind a scramble of disconnected thoughts. Shouts echoed through the woods. Then the attacker revealed himself and pointed out Ulfrik’s location to the others. “One in the grass here! Get Magnus!”

Ulfrik raised his head to see the apple-cheeked man turn his bow to Magnus, who was weeping as he dug graves for his loved ones. Before the man had drawn back the bowstring, an arrow thumped deep into his exposed armpit and brilliant blood poured out as he screamed. Yngvar, still unseen by the enemy, had saved Magnus.

Confusion reigned on both sides as Ulfrik stood and fled, ducking a scatter of arrows. Falling back, he grabbed Runa, seizing her so hard she cried out. “Stay in the trees and go to the stream up ahead,” he said. “Do you know the way?”

She shook her head, her eyes wide and dark with fear. Ulfrik snorted in frustration, knowing well that she was a stranger here. He let her go, hoping she would follow.

The deep stream they had passed earlier ran north of the farm, and he was certain Magnus would have a fishing boat there. If he could get everyone to the boat, the current rushing down from the hills would ferry them to safety-to a nearby lake where local farmers supplemented their income with fishing. The difficulty was the open field between himself and Magnus, who continued to dig and sob, despite the shouts from the trees.

Yngvar patiently lined up another shot at the confused sentries. A second man fell, clutching his throat. But the shot also revealed their location, and one sentry alerted the others. Hasty shots were wasted among the trees and they dropped their bows to draw swords.

“Split up again,” Ulfrik said.

With a nod, Yngvar leapt away.

“Get to the stream north of here.” Ulfrik called after him, and then turned his attention to shouting challenges. Two men took after him while Yngvar drew away another group. Both Ulfrik and Yngvar had the advantage of knowing the terrain; the foreign warriors from Vestfold likely had no idea where Ulfrik was headed. Foreign they may have been, but the men were experienced. They did not lose sight of Ulfrik as he danced away, and soon seemed to realize the ploy. Soon, Ulfrik had lost sight of them, and he slowed to take stock.

A spear flew instantly out from an unexpected angle; the tip crunched against his mail, but although it hurt, Ulfrik was unharmed. Had it been better placed, it would have pierced his unarmored leg. The thought galvanized him into a run, but another man halted his escape by leaping at him, brandishing a blade.

Ulfrik tripped, guided by Fate, and spared death a second time. The man stumbled, then recovered. The fight lasted for a few brutal clashes of their weapons, and then the metallic clank and hiss died along with Ulfrik’s attacker. How he made the strike true, Ulfrik did not know. But his assailant now lay at his feet with both hands pressed to the slash that bled his throat dry.

Runa appeared behind him, clutching his sword, still in the sheath. Her lips quavered, as if she might speak or cry. Ulfrik, though, had no time to listen. Shouts rang through the woods, and a horn sounded from the opposite side of the farmhouse. Figures wove between the trees, and where the yellow sun struck them, metal flashed. Some collided-swords raised to meet axes-and he realized some other force was attacking Grim’s men.

Ulfrik had no time to count his fortune, only time to seize the advantage it afforded him. Grabbing Runa’s arm, he yanked her to a run, heading for Magnus. The burly man, still racked by convulsive sobs and oblivious to the mayhem encircling his farm, was shoveling the last dirt over the grave he had made for his family. Ulfrik’s sudden appearance did nothing to rouse him from his grief.

“We must get away, Magnus,” he said, dropping Runa’s arm to put a hand on Magnus’s shoulder. His gaze did not follow Magnus’s down to the occupants of the grave; he did not want to look upon any more death or loss. “We’re in danger here,” he continued. “The farm is surrounded.”

Magnus stared blankly at Ulfrik, and the emptiness of his expression amid the unfurling chaos and violence stole Ulfrik’s words. Over Magnus’s shoulder, he saw flitting tableaus of men fighting between the trees. Once all combatants had found each other, the fight would resolve quickly, and any advantage Ulfrik had would die with the last warrior. Magnus was his responsibility. He had to get him safely away, but grief had stolen the man’s reason and his sense of urgency. Then it occurred to him how to jolt Magnus into action.

“Grim is this way.” He pointed north, toward the stream. “Yngvar spotted him moving north. We can catch him if we hurry.”

“I’ll rip out his guts!” Fury reddened Magnus’s face, and he threw down his shovel and wrenched his sword from its scabbard. “I’ll dance in his blood. I swear it!”

Ulfrik grabbed Runa. Her face was etched with disgust, but she gave no voice to it and let Ulfrik drag her to action. They fled from the clangor of battle just as another horn sounded. Before them, a stretch of cleared land led to woods that would shelter them from arrow fire. Magnus outpaced them, bellowing, his sword winking the sun back at them as he ran.

Ulfrik prayed Yngvar was making his way north as well. He had lost him in the confusion of battle. Every scream worried him that Yngvar’s blood might be seeping into the grass behind them. Yet he had the feeling Yngvar would not die easily; like a fox he would slip any trap set for him.

Upon bounding into the tree line, tugging Runa along behind him, Ulfrik adjusted his direction and headed for the open land to his right. The slope of the land showed him where the water would run, and he urged Magnus in that direction. “This way, I think I see him making for your boat!”

Magnus howled and crashed onward, taking them directly to his fishing boat, which was beached in the white sunlight ahead of them. Magnus slid to a halt. Looking about for his enemy, his sword held before him, he ran to the small boat and peered in. Although the boat was gnarled and scoured, Ulfrik judged it large enough to bear them down the current to the lake. As Magnus leaned into it, cursing Grim to the gods, Ulfrik let go of Runa and took his chance.

Magnus did not react to Ulfrik’s thudding footfalls. Reversing his sword, so the pommel impacted squarely into the back furrow of Magnus’s neck, Ulfrik threw all his weight into the strike. A smaller man’s neck might have snapped with the force, but Magnus simply fell forward into the boat with little more than a grunt. Ulfrik tumbled over the side with him, landing atop Magnus and pinning him to the floor between the benches. Although dazed, Ulfrik grinned at the quick wit of his work.

Runa threw her sword and a fur into the boat and hauled up her ragged shift, exposing a flash of white skin as she dove into the boat alongside them. Curses gurgled in Magnus’s throat as Ulfrik sprang out of the boat to launch it from the shore. Ulfrik pressed all his weight against the boat, but it would not shift. Firmly dug into the sand, the boat resisted any movement.

“Runa, get out and push with me!”

She did not respond. Ulfrik screamed at her again until she, too, threw her light frame against the bulk of the vessel. Magnus’s hand fumbled along the sides. Ulfrik put his back to the side and dug his heels into the earth. Feeling some give, he shoved harder.

The boat broke free and caught the current, popping downstream and leaving Runa and Ulfrik to run alongside. Runa leaped first, and Ulfrik splashed alongside for several strides before jumping in after her. Despite Runa’s smile, Ulfrik’s brow was furrowed in dismay. Yngvar had not showed, and the boat was swiftly carrying them away from the farm. He considered calling for Yngvar, but quickly discarded the thought, afraid of reporting their escape to Grim and his men.

The sounds of battle had vanished, and in the distance a horn sounded-three short bursts signaling that the battle was over. The victor Ulfrik could not tell. The boat edged into a deeper channel of the stream and the strong current carried them on. Ulfrik listened, hoping to hear Yngvar’s voice. He could not be sure if the noises in the woods on either side were the calls of birds, or the laughter of the gods.

Thirteen

Sitting on the lake’s shore, Runa sighed and shivered in the sharp evening air. Her clothes were still wet, and although she had taken the only fur, she had let it drag in the water where it became soaked and useless for the oncoming night. The band of pale yellow at the horizon would soon sag behind the trees, leaving her in the dark, with only the wind and the vast purple expanse of lake for company.

She twisted around when she heard Magnus grunt and flip onto his back. He stared straight upward, arms and legs splayed as if he had fallen from the sky. Magnus had recovered his senses only after traveling too far downstream to do anything about it. He and Ulfrik had growled at each other like angry wolves, and although Magnus was the bigger man, Ulfrik was more ferocious. He had managed to wear Magnus down to silence. From that moment, Magnus had not spoken, and Ulfrik still angry, had stormed off to search for Yngvar. Runa sympathized with Magnus. She had not dared look at what Grim had done to his family, but she knew it was monstrous.

Runa drew her arms tighter around her body as the wind strengthened. She wondered if the lake would freeze; certainly, a frost would ice the shallow surrounding ponds by morning. A few more nights like this and they might all die. Ulfrik had lost his furs and supplies in the chaos of the fight. Magnus also carried nothing but what he wore and his sword. Yngvar might already be dead. Runa’s confidence in their survival sank even lower than the setting sun.

Pushing back the thought, she stood and walked to the trees. It would be warmer among them now that the sun had sunk. She passed Magnus, hoping he might speak or move, or otherwise indicate he wanted to live, but he remained sprawled on the beach, exactly where he had fallen when they made shore.

Ulfrik still had not returned. Runa supposed he had either found Yngvar or been captured in the process of searching. As much as she wanted to feel anxious, she could not. She set about raking together fallen leaves to make her bed and cover her against the cold. Thinking too far ahead creates more worry, she told herself. And she had completely overindulged in worry since her capture months ago. There were simply too many bad things awaiting her to consider them all. For all she knew, she could be a feast for wolves before sunrise. Satisfied with the leaf pile, Runa dropped into it and scooped some over her lap.

Despite her affected calmness, she shrieked when a heavy shadow drew up beside her. Runa put her hand to her chest and then forced a laugh. Magnus did not move, just stood as a hulking black shape. She wondered if he had lost his mind. Visions of herself being strangled by Magnus’s giant hands filled her head. Instead, he turned and crunched through the leaves to a tree opposite hers. Leaning against it, he slid down the trunk and slouched, as forlorn as a child’s abandoned doll.

“They cut off his hands so he couldn’t hold a sword.” Magnus let that statement linger.

Runa sucked in her breath, knowing that Grim and his men had denied Magnus’s son a warrior’s death. It was the death of an animal, not a man.

“What was the purpose?” Magnus asked, after a deep sigh. His voice rasped. “What kind of man does this? We were farmers. Just one family. Were we that threatening?”

Runa could not answer his questions, could not fathom the cruelty. There were no answers that could be given, no reasons for Grim to have tormented the boy even in the otherworld. Grim, she knew, acted out of hate and anger. He was the same kind of man who had come to her own homeland, murdering and destroying for no better reason than to take what he thought he deserved. He would plunder and destroy everything, anything he could.

“He would’ve fought bravely. Certainly the gods will not be blind to that.” Runa was surprised at her own words. Through the darkness, she sensed Magnus’s eyes upon her. Now that she had created an opening, she had to fill it with more words, words she feared she could not find.

“I know about loss,” she continued. “My parents were both murdered in their own hall. Only my brother still lives, somewhere out there.” She waved one hand, assuming she was pointing to the sea, but not knowing the true direction. “My sister died after our capture. The future I had expected will never come. My grand husband, whomever he would have been, will not have me now; none but a swineherd would take me for a wife.” Runa stopped, realizing she had said too much. Although she had thought the last of them spent, she found tears upon her cheeks and swiped them away with a small laugh. “I guess I’m not helping much.”

Magnus’s shadow had still not moved. He was inscrutable in the darkness. Runa assumed him to be either angered by a slave’s rambling or lost in his own thoughts. She crunched down into her pile of leaves, feeling stupid and ashamed. Six months or more had passed, yet she still had not accustomed herself to slavery.

“So why do you want your freedom?” Magnus asked. He sat motionless, but his tone was curious. Runa was surprised.

“You have no family to help you, it seems. So why do you care?”

“Because fate has left me but one strand to weave my hope upon,” she found herself replying.

Magnus merely laughed. She did not know if it was from derision or admiration.

“My brother was out with my father’s ship and crew when the Svear came,” she said. “If I can be freed, then I can find him. It is a small hope, but the only one I have.”

“You are a strange girl,” Magnus said with an empty chuckle. “Finding him will convince me fate has a special plan for you. The world is wide, and a homeless man with a ship and crew can become lost within it. I don’t think you will find him.”

“Now you are not helping,” Runa said, thinking she had overstepped her station. But Magnus remained as he had throughout their talk: a rough bulk of shadow seated opposite.

When he spoke, it was thoughtful and calm. “Do you really have such belief in fate?” “Yes.” She composed herself. “I believe my fate is not to die a slave. I have no reason to believe I can escape this, but I am unable to accept that I will not. My father raised me nobly, and I was to be a noble’s wife. As the Fates weave my strand, whatever is woven into it will always be part of my thread.”

This time Magnus laughed genuinely.

Runa raised her eyebrows. “You may laugh, but I believe in what I have said. I will not be a slave. Lord Ulfrik has promised me as much.”

The mention of Ulfrik’s name silenced Magnus’s laugh upon his lips. His last talk with Ulfrik had not been friendly.

He likely blames Ulfrik for his family’s death, Runa thought. Whatever positive work she had begun with Magnus now crumbled. He folded his arms and shifted away until only the silhouette of his wide shoulders was visible.

Runa leaned back and shored up her leaf blanket. She closed her eyes, hoping sleep would find her soon and half listening for Ulfrik’s footfalls.

“He will give you freedom if it suits him,” Magnus said suddenly.

“He has sworn it!” Runa lurched up, feeling anger flush her face. “I got him his sword and he promised me freedom if I did. As soon as we are safely away, he will remove my collar.”

“I heard about that promise,” Magnus said, still hidden within the shadows. “But he’s not beholden to a promise made to a slave. So what if he breaks it?”

“He would not do that!” Runa yelled, forgetting that they were supposed to be hiding. “Ulfrik would never do that to me. He…”

Runa stopped short, surprised by what she was about to say. Did Ulfrik have feelings for her, or was she merely imagining it? This was a terrible time for her to consider that he might. Her feelings ended whatever it was she had intended to say. Instead, she huffed and fell back to her bed of leaves.

Magnus laughed, but suddenly clamped his laughter off into silence. Runa glimpsed motion to her left. The shadows of two men, intertwined, appeared. Before either Runa or Magnus could react, the men disengaged and one toppled to the ground between them.

Fourteen

A bonfire cracked in front of the hall as Grim approached, throwing orange light out into the moon-bright night. Men patrolled the perimeter in pairs, with one holding a spear and the other a torch. Grim took no chance on his safety.

Returning to the hall had not consoled him as he had hoped. In fact, he dreaded having to take up the high seat. Certainly, he deserved it-after all, he had murdered for it. But now he discovered all of the other nuisances that attended it. For one, the unexpected trouble of pacifying his own men. He had paid some in silver, some in gold, and had given them all the bloodshed a warrior could want, yet they grumbled and murmured the entire march back from Magnus’s farm.

Things had not gone as he had hoped. Grim knew Vandrad would be waiting in the hall, drinking his wine and eating his food, ready with a stupid smirk and an insult about the failure of Grim’s trap. But at least Ulfrik had showed, and Magnus had served as an example to the other men. They had all escaped him, true enough, yet how could he have anticipated a surprise attack from the stragglers of Auden’s forces? How they even found him was unfathomable. Yet, for this, Grim expected nothing less than derision from Vandrad. He could hardly wait for Vandrad to return to High King Harald.

Halting before the bonfire, Grim ordered the bodies of the fallen to be laid beside the hall. Truly, the trap had not gone as well as he had hoped. Fifteen men had followed him to the farm and only nine returned. Grim promised extra pay for their troubles, which seemed to settle most of the men, but now, as he pointed to the side of the hall, the few men he could see were glowering at him, clearly wanting the dead laid out in the hall before they were properly cremated. Tradition be damned! He needed no reminder of his failure laid out in his own hall. “The bodies will be fine there. I’ll have sentries posted, and the fire will keep animals away,” he told them. “Besides, they will be burned with honor soon.”

The men fidgeted and shook their heads, but laid the bodies out as directed. Grim paid no further attention. With a small bow, the guards opened the door to the hall and Grim strode from the bracing night into the bright, rosy light inside. To Grim, the hall seemed abnormally long and wide, seeming to stretch beyond its true size. Grim rubbed his eyes to set them right, yet the place still looked alien to him. The main hearth blazed, projecting a happy glow throughout the vast hall. Fresh rushes were on the floor, and a clean, smoky scent filled his nose.

Vandrad and his two bodyguards sat at the far end, at the high table. Grim felt the wound on his face pulse the moment his eyes met Vandrad’s across the smoky expanse. He detested the easy manner in which Vandrad read him. Pulling his shoulders back in defiance, he strode toward him.

“Lord Grim!” Vandrad hailed him loudly, as if he were standing atop a mountain and looking down on him. “I assume your prey has eluded you.”

Grim stopped before Vandrad and his men, but did not face them. His shoulders slumped as he brought his booted feet together. “They all showed, as I planned, but we were ambushed by stragglers of Auden’s men, whom you were responsible for gathering up. We lost Ulfrik after the fight.” Grim stared at the floor and put one hand to his bandaged face, feeling the throb of pain and anger as he clenched his jaw. He pushed the rage out of his voice, affecting the fierce calm of a seasoned ruler. “If I did not have to complete your work, I would have succeeded. But instead we were taken unaware and lost several men in the fight.”

At last he looked up at Vandrad, who sat between his bodyguards, his hand gripping a silver cup filled with mead. Ignoring Grim’s accusation, Vandrad took a sip from the cup in reply. Then he carefully placed it aside and fixed his neatly trimmed beard, offering nothing more than a smile as an excuse for his failure.

Grim leaped up to the high table, smacking away the cup and slamming his fist on the board. “You were supposed to kill anyone you found! But you left half an army for me to deal with! I should send your head back to Harald for your fucking stupidity!”

Grim had barely ended his torrent before Vandrad’s men were on their feet, hands to their swords. In response, several of Grim’s warriors stepped forward with their hands on their hilts. Vandrad remained seated, a twisted smile playing on his face. Holding Grim’s stare, he wiped the splash of mead from his face. “Everyone stand down. Lord Grim is merely expressing his frustration.”

In the face of Vandrad’s calmness, Grim bit back his fury. He pulled up from the table and looked around. Not all of his men had come to the ready, he realized angrily, and several held sheepishly to the shadows. With a grunt, he waved them off. Somehow, Vandrad was winning, but he couldn’t figure out why.

“Now, if Lord Grim would like to know the details of my operation, I’d be happy to explain.” Vandrad, still smiling, appeared to be restraining a perverse glee. “We found several men who had been away during our raid. We eliminated them, along with any farmsteads that did not immediately pledge fealty and offer hostages. I cannot believe we missed half of an army, though I will admit a determined group could have avoided our search.”

“You’re calling me a liar!” Again Grim raged. He threw both arms in the air and spun away from Vandrad’s smirk. “You insult a king in his own hall!”

Behind him, Grim heard Vandrad rise. He turned to find the tall Vestfolder already grasping the back of his arm. His jovial demeanor vanished. Vandrad’s voice was little more than a hiss in Grim’s ear. “If you call yourself a king, behave like one. Honor your dead and let the living know they fought for a man worth their lives. Or soon there will be a new king of Grenner.”

Vandrad released his grip and backed away. With his usual practiced smile and bright voice, he added, “Such is my advice, Lord Grim. Please find some value in it.”

Grim stood dumbfounded, feeling anger beat in his head and throat. But he realized the worth of Vandrad’s advice. The man was a cousin and advisor of High King Harald, and he was assumed instrumental to Harald’s rise to power. Grim had forgotten this, in his rage. He softened his stance and let his voice drop to a normal tone. “You two,” he indicated men at the far end of the hall. “Bring the dead inside and make preparations for their funerals. If they had family, send runners to tell them they can see me for their gold.”

He dispensed his orders petulantly, like a child forced to his chores, but it was enough to make Vandrad smile and nod his agreement. Grim looked away, the exhaustion of the day finally weighing him down. With a wave of his hand, he indicated he would be in his room. For now, it felt the only safe place for him to forget what a fool he had made of himself.

***

Once inside his room, Grim unstrapped his sword and let it thud to the floor and then pulled off his armor and collapsed on the bed. The bandage on his face was old and dirty, but he hesitated to remove it. The wound was healing better than expected, but the hole created by his missing teeth still festered and hurt. Aud’s poultice worked if kept in his mouth, but the foul thing would not stay in place when he had so much to say. He had not expected to have to explain every detail to everyone. His father had never seemed to do anything but drink, eat, and take his share of plunder and whores. Grim had expected as much, too. Not this, he thought morosely. Not this.

Sometime later, he lay half-sleep atop his furs when he noticed his lone candle was ready to flutter out. He was feeling the night’s cold or he would have slumbered by now. Stiff and sore from fighting and marching, he rose and hobbled over to the plate of dried fish and cheese that someone had set out. Eating was both slow and painful, but if he mashed up the food it went down easier.

Grim lingered at the table, the events of the last days playing over in his head. I’ve really done it, he thought. Auden is crushed. All of Grenner is mine. I thought this would feel better than it does. But he knew what nagged him; he had been avoiding the thought for a while.

Aud. She had to be eliminated. The witch could easily betray him, just as she had done to his father. Killing her was not as simple as putting an ax through her head. If she saw the blow coming, she could curse him. Grim feared nothing more than a witch’s curse. Men you could fight with sword and shield. But magic? Only other magic was proof against it.

In the dying light of the candle, Grim decided how he would rid himself of her. The same poison she had fed Orm could be fed to her. One big dose ought to do it. He only had to secure the poison from her. Of course, she wouldn’t just hand it over, but he had seen her stash it in a sack amid the pile of junk gathered in the hall where she slept. Every morning, he had noticed, Aud went for a walk. During that time, he would exchange the poison in the sack with sand. The poison, she had told him, was tasteless and odorless; getting her to imbibe it would be the least difficult part of his plan. The old hag would die without ever seeing the blow coming, unable to curse him, or his hall.

Grim shoved his plate away and returned to his bed. He felt better already.?

Fifteen

Ulfrik threaded his way back to Yngvar, confident he could return to Magnus and Runa. The cold of evening rattled the trees and painted the woods dull gray and yellow. Evidence of a chaotic fight abounded. Arrows hung from trees. Branches were broken and underbrush trampled. The crimson of blood and the glint of lost weapons caught Ulfrik’s eye wherever he looked. He slowed, concerned enemies might still remain. Only the flutter of woodland birds returning to their nests reached him. He circled the woods, wanting to call Yngvar’s name, but not yet ready to risk announcing himself.

Eventually, Yngvar found him.

From the gloom, Ulfrik heard his name-weak and distant at first, but distinctly his name. He turned to the source, dropped to a crouch, and glided through the underbrush. Yngvar’s silhouette appeared from the surrounding trees. He held up a hand, and then Ulfrik saw his brilliant smile gleam from the twilight. Ulfrik crouched beside him, asking if he had been hurt.

“One of those goat turds got a lucky hit to my head.” He pointed to a trickle of blood on his face. “The ax handle, not the blade. Bastard wasn’t so lucky, though. Someone ran him through.”

Yngvar was strong enough to stand and walk, but was unstable and dizzy, so Ulfrik slung his friend over his shoulder, grabbed Yngvar’s sword, and began to pick a path back to others.

Now confident that no enemy dwelt nearby, they detailed the events since they had parted. Ulfrik warned of Magnus’s mood.

“His family was murdered with as much cruelty as Grim could muster. All to set an example and to bait him. Give him time to recover, at least.” Yngvar sympathized.

Ulfrik grunted in agreement and then listened to Yngvar’s account. Yngvar had found himself in the center of an attacking force-Auden’s men who had survived the hall burning. They screamed Auden’s name as they attacked, and Yngvar had been mistaken for one of Grim’s men. His protests made no impression, and he ended up fighting everyone until the melee ended and he staggered under the blow of an ax haft. Yngvar had fallen, but one of Auden’s men had killed his assailant in that lucky moment. He decided to remain hidden, since Auden’s man had thought him dead. Eventually, Grim’s horn sounded three times.

“Later, when I struggled to my feet to look for you, I fell down and heaved until I came up dry. I hoped you’d come for me eventually. Grim’s men almost found me while searching for their own dead.”

As the light faded, their progress slowed, but soon both could hear the low rumble of Magnus’s voice not far off. Ulfrik increased his pace, still cautious of his footing. Yngvar was heavy, and Ulfrik was ready to drop him. When he came to where Runa and Magnus were huddled, he let Yngvar fall between them.

The concussed man crawled to a tree and propped himself up, assuring the others he had suffered only a minor blow. “Really, being dropped like that was worse than the knock to my head,” he said with a chuckle.

Relieved to be free of his burden, Ulfrik dropped Yngvar’s weapon next to him and sat on the cold ground to rest, as Magnus and Runa hurried to Yngvar’s side. While the three clustered together, speaking in hushed, excited voices, Ulfrik took a moment to finally consider the situation.

He immediately panicked.

As he reviewed the events of recent days, his stomach fluttered and his breath grew short. We are doomed, he thought, trying to stop his thoughts from registering on his face. The appearance of Auden’s surviving men had been fortuitous, saving Ulfrik from the trap Grim had set for him. But their allies were now scattered and destroyed. In the chaos of the fight, they had lost the furs and other vital supplies salvaged from Auden’s village. As if to remind him of the horror to come, a cold wind rushed between the trees. An early, murderous winter was coming. Fat clouds squatted low on the horizon; they would deliver rain again soon, and if the cold worsened, they would bring snow and ice.

Yngvar was retelling his adventures for the entertainment of the others, delighting Magnus with every death he reported. Runa was fussing over Yngvar’s head, even as he repeatedly waved her off.

How can I provide food and shelter for all of them? Ulfrik thought. The gods gave him no sign. Even as his stomach rumbled, he knew tomorrow they must hunt, gather nuts, and find food, although probably not enough for four people, before moving off. Grim would surely return, or at least send men to scout the woods. His lips trembled at the thought of his brother. How did I let Grim destroy our home?

Yngvar finished his tale and everyone fell to their own thoughts. Ulfrik knew each must worry as he did, but he was their lord. As Auden and Orm had shown him, he must be strong for them. No doubts. No fears. Only certainty of victory. He sat among them, still and silent, hoping he looked braver and more certain than he felt.

***

Dawn slipped in barely recognized behind a pall of sullen clouds, and Ulfrik awoke from a cold and fitful sleep. Magnus and Yngvar still snored beneath their beds of leaves, although Runa had been up a while and was returning with hazelnuts carried in a fold of her tattered skirt. Ulfrik smiled at the sword strapped around her waist. He doubted she could draw it in a fight, but the belt cinched in her waist, revealing the curve of her hips that defied her time in slavery. “There are still fallen nuts that the pigs have not eaten.” She smiled as she approached and then poured the nuts to the ground in the center of their camp. “I saw a rabbit, too. But I couldn’t do much about it. These will have to carry us until we can get to safety.”

Ulfrik laughed at Runa’s simple assessment of their plight, but he was glad for her work. She beamed when he thanked her, and flushed pink as she lifted a rock to shell the nuts. Ulfrik knelt beside her and helped, the two working in a companionable silence. When half of the hazelnuts were shelled, Runa said, “Is there something you want to ask? You keep looking at me.”

Ulfrik felt his face burn, only then realizing he had been sneaking glances. He could see enough flesh beneath her ill-fitting clothing to know he would enjoy seeing more. He mumbled an explanation and focused on shelling the last of the nuts. This was the first quiet moment the two had shared alone, and he still couldn’t understand why he had mistaken her for a boy on that first day. She was delicate and thin, but she had a woman’s shape. Only the rusted collar that chafed her neck marred her beauty.

“Thank you for saving my life, Lord Ulfrik,” Runa said, giving him a gentle smile. “You could have left me to die yesterday.”

“You are of my household,” Ulfrik said, and then winced at his poorly chosen words. “I had to take care of you.”

Runa’s hand hovered over a nut and Ulfrik anticipated a reprimand, but instead she focused on her work as she spoke, mashing the nut and ruining it. “Well, once you lead us to safety and return my freedom, I will ensure you are repaid for your sense of duty. When I find my brother, I will tell him how well you treated me.”

Ulfrik put down his stone and straightened his back. By Odin’s one eye, the girl had pluck! Whatever she was before, she was now a slave, but her pride was noble.

She cracked the remaining nuts, studying each one with exaggerated care. Ulfrik admired the way her curly hair, although now matted and greasy, fell across her face. Once washed, he imagined it would smell beautiful and form exquisite ringlets in his hands. She was his slave, his possession. He could take her and make that happen, but he wanted her to want him, and not just for the freedom that she desired, for himself, as a man. That-he decided while she separated shells from nuts, as if unaware of his stare-was what he wanted from her.

“You’re so confident you will find your brother, but the ocean is wide, and he’s probably gone roving in other lands. You shouldn’t waste your time searching.”

“As you say, Lord Ulfrik.” She gathered the shells and threw them into the underbrush. Then, before leaving, she stood and bowed, something she had never done before.

Ulfrik remained seated, watching her return to the woods. The heat on his face doubled. To his horror, he turned to see Yngvar reclining against a tree trunk and watching. Their eyes met. His enigmatic friend smiled, but then turned away to study the skies.

Ulfrik took some hazelnuts in hand and stood. Popping one into his mouth, he walked to Yngvar and dropped the others in his friend’s lap. “Eat. I hope you can keep some down. I’m not sure how well we’re going to be eating on the run. Magnus is still asleep?” He trusted Yngvar to get the hint and not to comment on his blundered exchange with Runa.

Yngvar did not disappoint. “Yeah, like a hibernating bear.” He picked up the hazelnuts and held out an arm out for a hoist, which Ulfrik provided. Yngvar swayed, then controlled himself and stood. “The sky promises snow. The rain a few days ago was wicked. Had that been snow…”

The words died between them. Only the rustle of empty branches and dead leaves filled the space.

“Rouse Magnus and call Runa. We have to get moving before my brother regains his senses and comes for us.”

Yngvar did not move to the task. “No.” He shook his head. “With those clouds, if your brother had sense he would stay away. Let us die, then come find our frozen corpses. We need to get moving, but we’re running from that, not from Grim.” Yngvar stabbed a finger to the sky.

Ulfrik saw blustery clouds beyond the claws of branches. A lone flake landed on his cheek, melted, and chilled him more thoroughly than any winter gale. Their furs were lost or ruined, only a few nuts between them, and enemy territory from the ocean to the steep hills on the western horizon.

“We could stay at Magnus’s farm,” Ulfrik suggested. “At least until the storm blows over.” He expected Yngvar’s rebuttal, but his friend just rubbed his chin like it ached. “I know it would be hard on Magnus,” Ulfrik continued. “But the other choice is to find shelter in the woods, and we don’t have furs.”

Yngvar remained silent, still rubbing his chin. They both looked at Magnus, snoring beneath a heap of forest debris and leaves. To ask him to suffer more was wrong, but Ulfrik could see no alternative.

He made to crouch down beside him when Yngvar put a hand on his shoulder. “Let me talk to him. I know you think it’s your duty to ask. But you’re out of form this morning.” Yngvar guided Ulfrik back, stepping in front of him and flashing his full smile. “It’d be better if you go to find the other one. When you return with her, I’ll have this hibernating bear persuaded. Go on. You’ll just be in the way here.”

Ulfrik started to protest, but Yngvar put up his hand, silencing him.

Perhaps he is right. Perhaps I do need to apologize to Runa. Ulfrik tightened his sword belt, ate a nut and took a handful of others, and went in search of Runa.

***

More flakes fluttered down between the trees, melting on Ulfrik’s face and shoulders. The first were frail and tentative, hesitant to leave the clouds so soon, but soon they would fall in droves, blanketing the ground. The first snowfall of winter was at hand. All across the land, men were bringing livestock into their halls, shoring up walls, and piling up furs. In happier times, Orm had met the first snowfall with a feast of hot fish soup. Ulfrik wished for that now as his tongue eagerly prodded his teeth for any hazelnut trapped between them. Those morsels were all he would likely eat until tomorrow, which would see the last of the hazelnuts as well.

Runa had not made it difficult to follow her; her trail was obvious. From what he could see, she had walked at first, and then started to run. She did not know the land, and she seemed to have little woodlands sense. He half expected her to be lost and feared she may have tripped and twisted an ankle. It would be typical of recent luck, Ulfrik thought. But she had not.

Her dirty white shift contrasted with the blacks, browns, and wet grays of the winter woods, making her easily spotted atop a tall stone covered in milky green lichen. Its flat top was made for sitting and brooding, but the ground beneath was spongy, and Ulfrik’s footfalls made enough noise to alert the forest. Still Runa sat oblivious, swinging one leg and gazing into the distance.

Only when Ulfrik was close did she startle enough to pull her leg up with a gasp. Then, recognizing him, she let it fall again and returned to her study of the horizon. Ulfrik said nothing. He hadn’t planned what to say, and his awkwardness and silence embarrassed him. A man falling in love with a slave was not uncommon, he knew, especially not with one made from a high-born woman. But the men who took slaves to their beds were jarls or lords. They had legitimate wives and they could free their slaves and have that freedom recognized by the world.

Ulfrik failed on all accounts. His mouth opened, and all he could do was hope the right words would come out. “Yngvar is going to ask Magnus to let us weather the storm at his farm.”

Runa shifted at the words and it seemed as if she would speak, but she just continued looking away. Ulfrik kicked at the soggy earth, folding his arms against the cold air. “We should probably go now, before the storm hits. No telling how bad it will be.”

Still no reaction beyond a sniff.

Ulfrik felt his patience slipping. Why couldn’t the girl understand what he was doing? Why couldn’t she see he was apologizing? And a master never has to apologize to a slave. Doesn’t she realize she is the least important member of this group? Ulfrik gave no voice to these last thoughts. Instead, he tried to consider what she felt. She must be cold, wearing only tattered rags. He removed his own cloak and draped it over her shoulders. He smiled, anticipating Runa’s gratitude for this thoughtfulness.

“Hmph! Wouldn’t want one of your household possessions to get sick from the cold? Maybe you’d have to gather your own nuts then?”

The smile dropped from his face. “Well, you seemed cold. Now you will be warmer, and I will be colder. Sounds fair, right? I mean, you’re better off now that I’m here, so you could feel a little grateful for that,” he said, aware he was not speaking the words he intended. His mind screamed for him to halt this march to confrontation, but his mouth produced only high-handed garbage.

Runa did not react as poorly as he expected. She pulled the cloak tighter and at least looked at him before nodding in agreement. Such a simple thing, but it encouraged him.

“Well, then, that’s all I wanted,” he said. “Now we can return together. Magnus’s farm will be a safe place to weather the storm.”

“His family was murdered there,” Runa whispered. “We can’t ask him to go back there.”

“There’s nowhere else to shelter from this storm, nowhere close enough.”

“They were slaughtered like pigs. It was his home, but now it is a place of terror and death, of blood and sadness. I know what that is like. No one can go back there. For him to see it like that, dead and dark, would be too much. Too much to see again.” She shook her head.

Ulfrik opened his mouth to speak into the silence Runa had left, but paused as a tear stretched down her cheek. Words failed him; anything he said now would be like defiling a grave. He had not said what he had come to say. But speech was not necessary now, and perhaps not helpful. He put his hand gently on her shoulder.

Runa did not move away but leaned in to it a little. Neither looked at the other, but Ulfrik could see loss etched on her face. The snow became heavier, the air colder. The woods were silent with the exception of branches dueling overhead. Winter’s first storm would hit hard, and hit soon. Ulfrik guided Runa off her stone perch, held her close against the cold, and led her back toward the camp. A dark, dead hall would have to serve as shelter, no matter how many ghosts dwelled within.

Sixteen

The storm arrived that afternoon. Disorganized flakes soon gathered in formation and enshrouded the woods. The air tasted sharp and wet, and the wind lashed them with icy gusts. Ulfrik and the others sheltered in Magnus’s hall. Grim had not burned it, having done his murder outside, and the snowfall soon covered the grisly evidence of his crimes.

It was a mistake to call it a hall, although Ulfrik felt it honored Magnus to call it such. The farm building was only large enough for the family and some livestock, yet they were all grateful for it, and for Magnus’s sacrifices. It was sturdy, and it kept the wind out and the weak fire alive.

They passed the time in silence at first, everyone stealing furtive glances at Magnus, waiting for him to break down or rage. He did not. He had agreed to the plan and while his home had been plundered-and his iron cooking pot taken, along with his tools and supplies-a pot of ale, a wheel of cheese and a single fur had been overlooked. Magnus grabbed the fur for himself, holding it close. No doubt it has value for him beyond its warmth, Ulfrik thought.

Runa began to divide the cheese into portions, and as she did so, Yngvar began a tale. No one acknowledged him at first, preferring their own thoughts, but he continued telling tale after tale, each more improbable than the last. Soon everyone had at least something to say, to laugh at, or to question. The winds beat at the door and window battens, but inside warmth flourished.

***

“Thor has provided us with an escape?” Ulfrik shook his head in wonder when he opened the door the next morning and glanced outside. The snow had stopped early in the evening and barely covered the ground. He laughed, not realizing he had spoken aloud until Yngvar encouraged the thought.

“The weather has lifted enough for us to move again,” Yngvar agreed. “Thor has seen us and holds the winds back to make our way easier.”

Ulfrik suspected everyone knew Thor’s involvement was sheer optimism. The gods, thus far, seemed to let them live just long enough to encounter their next disaster. But he also understood the importance of morale. So everyone nodded, stepped out into winter’s first snow, and raised their eyes to the sky. The fearsome clouds still pressed down, blue and gray whales swimming in the sky.

Ulfrik put his hands skyward, but felt no precipitation. “It’s dry enough, even if there’s no sun. We’ll have a few days of good weather, and this storm is moving toward the sea. We will be fine.”

“A sacrifice to Thor,” Magnus suggested, standing in the doorframe, almost as if he were seeing off guests. “That’s what we need. That’ll guarantee good weather.”

“A fine idea, but for the lack of anything to sacrifice,” Ulfrik said.

Yngvar looked at him, and Ulfrik immediately read his thoughts. A slave could be sacrificed, and human blood was the most potent sacrifice known. Yngvar’s eyes remained on him as the unspoken thought flashed through all of them in an instant. Runa stepped back, a confused, twisted smile forming on her lips.

“Not the girl! It’s not what I meant.” Magnus leaped, growling, from the doorway. Grabbing Runa’s arm, he yanked her toward him. She seemed weightless in his grip, flying over the snow to him. Magnus stepped in front of Yngvar, his beard waggling as he yelled, “No more killing on my lands. Do you hear me?”

Ulfrik stepped between them. “Runa belongs to me, Magnus. She returned with my sword, and at great risk. I would offend the gods if I repaid loyalty with death.”

Runa, shaking and ready to cry, hid behind Magnus’s bulk until Ulfrik extended his hand and smiled. Magnus did not move, but Runa came forward and Ulfrik felt her small hand trembling and cold in his own. He guided her to his side and released her hand.

“Still, a sacrifice to the gods would be a good idea,” Yngvar continued. He remained unmoved, as if nothing had happened. “But we will have to take our chances without one.”

“Our need is shelter.” Ulfrik, anxious to change the topic, began to outline their next move. “Grim will have declared us outlaws, but the news could not have traveled far. The inland kings won’t have heard yet. They will not yet kill us on sight.”

The group listened as Ulfrik explained. All the while, he paced before them, reminiscent of his father lecturing the men before a battle drill. “If the weather holds, Grim will send men straight here, but if we leave now we can make a fast march to the southwest, to the lands of King Frodi. He visited my father once, years ago. He might even remember me. We could ask hospitality from him.”

Both Magnus and Runa nodded their agreement. But Yngvar’s expression was flat-a look Ulfrik was coming to understand meant he was wrong in some detail. Pausing, he waited to hear the flaw.

“We could ask hospitality,” Yngvar began, “but what is our explanation for wandering the lands during a winter storm? And we don’t look prepared for a winter journey, do we? We look like outlaws.”

“Curse it, Yngvar! What choice do we have? However we look, Frodi would have to declare us liars to say so. His honor would prevent that. Even if he has heard Grim’s declaration, on his own land he is the judge. I’m trusting Frodi to be evenhanded enough to consider what really happened. We would be bringing him news of trouble at his borders. He should be grateful for that.”

His outburst over, Ulfrik finally looked to his companions. Surprise registered on their faces. Yngvar was smiling, his impossibly white teeth a match for the freshly fallen snow. Magnus folded his burly arms, but seemed to be signaling his approval. Runa wore a small smile.

“So, then, I assume you all agree? Let’s collect what we can and make haste.”

Not much remained to be gathered from the farm. A striking steel in the shape of a coiled dragon was by the hearth. They also gathered a few drinking skins and a whetstone. Yngvar hacked a table to kindling wood. Everything else had been pillaged or broken when Grim raided the place. Ulfrik searched the woods for the dead, hoping to find a cloak or useful item such as a bow or spear, but could not. He found a few bodies of Auden’s men, their flesh now blackened and frozen, but they yielded nothing beyond scraps of cloth, which he cut away.

Before they departed, Magnus visited the hasty grave he had dug for his family. Snow had caved in the unpacked earth, leaving a wide depression. The three watched him from a distance as he stood over it and said his farewell.

Not wanting to rush Magnus in his private moment, Ulfrik fidgeted as he waited. Grim would arrive soon, he was certain, and their tracks in the snow would be impossible to conceal. He wanted to have a good lead.

Eventually, Runa went to Magnus and stretched a thin arm around his shoulder. She stood with him a moment before guiding him back, and they struck out for the southwest.

Strong men in good condition could expect to make the journey in several days. But the tired, hungry group had expended their energy before starting. Ulfrik estimated it could take as long as a week to make the trip, but he shared his calculations with no one. With no forage and no time to hunt or fish properly, a week would be too long. He had to drive them and pray the weather held off.

They remained vigilant as they stumbled toward the far border with Frodi’s lands. By the middle of the first day, they were on the outskirts of Grenner, where Grim likely squatted around the hearth of his hall, with hot food in his bowl and his hand up a slave girl’s dress. Ulfrik resisted the desire to march straight back to the hall and demand justice. He and his pack moved on, like starved wolves, in search of food. If Grim had men out, no sign revealed them.

The following days were hard. The weather had remained gray and sulky, with the scents of pine and damp in the air. They all wore deerskin boots, rather than better-insulated sealskin, and the snow numbed their feet. Ulfrik reinforced their boots with the cloth he had scavenged from the dead. It helped, but soon became wet with melted snow. Runa and Magnus wore the only two furs: Runa because she was the frailest, Magnus because no one dared ask him for it. The men all wore mail hauberks, but they offered no insulation. Once safely away from Grenner, they dried their feet before pitiful fires lit with the remains of Magnus’s table.

Each night they made a rough camp with a lean-to of pine for shelter, and the men took shifts at watch. Ulfrik let Runa sleep; her constant tripping proved how exhausted she had become. On the third night, Ulfrik thought he heard movement in the woods and glimpsed a ragged gray shape skitter away on four legs. The next morning, he and the group found wolf tracks in the snow. No one spoke, but Ulfrik spat on the tracks as they continued.

As they day progressed, they saw the wolf tracking them, its scraggly form appearing and disappearing amid the gray and white of the woods. Ulfrik threw a stone at it, and the wolf darted away, but returned soon enough. Ulfrik was not worried until another wolf appeared on their opposite flank.

“Even a pack won’t take on the four of us,” Yngvar said, answering the unspoken question.

“Everyone stay close,” Ulfrik said. “And don’t let them separate us. If there are two, then there will be more. They’ll go after Runa if they can. So stay close to her.”

Runa’s eyes were wide, following the ghostly shapes that darted and trotted along beside them. Ulfrik offered her a smile.

The wolves followed all day, but by night they disappeared. Runa declared they went home bored, but Ulfrik and the others were less optimistic.

“You have no sense, girl,” Yngvar said. “They’ll be back with the pack tonight, to catch us while we sleep.”

Runa fell silent, and Ulfrik knew it was true. They would have to build a big fire and stay alert. It would waste the last of their kindling, and he was still not certain of the days ahead. He thought they were close to Frodi’s border, but the snow made an already unfamiliar landscape indecipherable. He watched the sun, and ushered them all southwest. It was all he could do.

Night came, painting the forest black. Their small supply of kindling made a decent fire and the few dry branches they gathered helped. The fire crackled and sparks hissed into the air. They sat close to it, enjoying a warmth they would not find again for the rest of the trek.

Ulfrik had never been attacked by a wolf. When he was a boy, a freeman’s son had been killed by wolves. The parents took the boy’s body to Orm’s hall, where his father had paid the freeman silver for his loss. Ulfrik could not recall the details, but he had not forgotten the boy’s corpse: the face had been chewed right off.

The first wolf howled. Nothing followed. Then another howl answered the first. Ulfrik and Magnus were sharpening spears out of the straightest branches they could find. The spears would not pierce mail but might injure a wolf enough for it to retreat. They were still sharpening when the first luminescent eyes appeared at the edge of the firelight.

The men stood with their spears in hand and Ulfrik ordered them to form a circle with Runa, holding a burning branch to defend herself, in the middle. All around, growls ringed them. When the first wolf appeared he was shaggy and grizzled, with a scarred snout and yellow fangs. The growls became throaty howls as others emerged from the ring of darkness. The whole pack had come, five in all, to pull down a meal.

“Insistent bunch,” Yngvar commented. “Must be poor hunting these days.”

“The deer herds have been getting smaller,” Ulfrik said. “These pups probably haven’t been getting their fill. But we could use their furs.” The chatter, Ulfrik knew, was to calm them all, to make light of the danger encircling them. Then maybe they would become as confident as they appeared.

The first wolf leaped, coming straight at Ulfrik. But it was a feint; the real attack came from behind him, at Magnus. He heard him bellow and then stagger. Runa screamed, flailing her smoky brand. Yngvar jumped forward and thrust with his makeshift spear, scoring a jab to a wolf’s snout, ripping its flesh and gums. It yelped in pain. Then confusion was upon them.

The wolves sprang up at them, seeking to unbalance and overwhelm. Runa screeched louder than the wolves howled, and Ulfrik and the men roared into the onslaught, matching the ferocity of the beasts. Ulfrik sidestepped one, and it landed in the fire, its fur exploding into sparks and spinning flames. The next took him down with it, and his spear fell from his grip.

He punched it in the eye as it pounced down on him, but somehow its teeth still grazed his hand, tearing the flesh. The beast snarled and slid off him. The world was a jumble of snow, mud, foul breath, and flame. Runa windmilled her flaming branch. Yngvar sprang at the creature, thrusting and screaming. Ulfrik could not see Magnus, but heard his bear-like bellowing.

Before he could stand, the wolf pinned him again and bit for his face. Ulfrik blocked it with his mailed arm. The force of its jaws crushed down on his forearm, but the fangs were warded off. The stench of the beast was like spoiled meat, and its slaver splashed across his face as it savaged his arm. Fire blossomed in his left calf as another wolf seized his exposed leg. Ulfrik kicked and thrashed, screaming and pounding the wolf on top of him. But his unprotected leg was like mutton to the second wolf. He felt wetness trickle down his calf and pain bore into his ankle. He screamed, his pain and anger combining in one brilliant blast as he kicked out.

Suddenly, the wolf atop him disengaged and fled. The pressure on his leg released, and as the second wolf fled, Ulfrik saw Yngvar leaning into a spear thrust through the side of the first wolf. With its death, the others fled. The attack was over.

It was darker and colder now. Their formerly blazing fire was scattered and dying. Runa stood, lank and disheveled, holding her torch as if it weighed as much as a mace. Magnus, sweating and breathing hard, was still standing. Underbrush swayed where the wolves had bolted. It took long moments to register what had happened, then Ulfrik looked at his leg. His deerskin pant leg was torn and brilliant red blood pooled in the muddy snow. A throbbing, burning pain flared in his calf and he fell back, sucking in his breath against the agony.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Yngvar said, kneeling by Ulfrik’s side.

“You don’t sound convincing.” Ulfrik looked away as Yngvar tied off the wound to staunch the blood. He bit back a scream as his friend packed the wound with snow to clean it and deaden the pain.

“We’ll have to make a stretcher for him,” Magnus said, inspecting the bite. Ulfrik’s arm throbbed as well, but it was nothing compared to his leg. “

“No, I’ll walk. It’s not serious, like Yngvar said. I’ll just need some help, that’s all.” Despite his talk, he made no effort to move.

Runa appeared above him. Her hair fell about her face, casting it into shadow, but Ulfrik did not need to see her expression to understand the worry she felt. He just hoped her frown was for him, and not for the loss of her freedom. As soon as that thought arose, he pushed it away. Why do I doubt her?

She floated there for a moment and placed a trembling hand to his cheek. His scream sent her falling backward, startled. Yngvar had begun stitching the wound, and Ulfrik had not braced for it.

“Where in Thor’s name did that come from?” Ulfrik asked.

“Magnus took his wife’s kit. There was a bone needle and thread there. Lucky for you.”

Better prepared, Ulfrik lay back to endure the sutures in silence. They had been weakened; the wolves would know that, too. No doubt the beasts would return to try to finish him. He mused that the animals must be as desperate as he was. Is this, too, a sign from the gods? he wondered. Are they showing me the desperation of the land, warning me to flee?

Hot pain gripped his leg and cold took the rest of him, but he suppressed his discomfort as best as he could. He had to lead these people to safety-on one leg if he must.

Seventeen

Grim took the snowfall as an evil sign. He stood in the door of his hall, watching the snow pile up around the barracks. Snow was infrequent in the south, unlike in the north and west. He had never traveled there, but some of his new men came from those parts and said that winter meant death for the old and weak. No doubt, this winter would mean death for someone. His hall smelled like death, even with the bodies of his slain warriors recently removed for burial. Only one was a local man. His family had arrived through the snow that morning to collect his wergild. Men were always reaching for his gold, now that he had some to give.

Grim held aside his bloodied bandage to spit into the snow, as much to curse it as to rid his mouth of the flavor of the poultice. Winter had come earlier and fiercer than expected; yet another challenge to his plan. This rankled him, since his plan was brilliantly simple: eliminate his father and brother, neutralize Auden’s threat, enjoy Grenner’s wealth, and kiss the ass of some far-off king. How had it become so complex? Grim wondered. Don’t the gods love a bold plan?

He scanned the woods in the distance, a black gash below a gray sky. The falling snow intensified as he lingered in the doorway. Maybe the snow will finish Ulfrik where I couldn’t, he thought. He had sent a scout back to Magnus’s farm to search for signs of Ulfrik’s fate. Now the storm threatened to foil even that simple plan. At least the snowfall had been light enough this morning for Aud to take her walk.

His hand moved to the pouch of poison in his tunic pocket. He fingered the plump deerskin that brimmed with instant death. All he needed was the nerve to slip it into Aud’s food. What’s one more death after all I’ve done? Better to tie off these loose ends right away.

Grim turned back inside his hall, snow-blind for the first few strides. Sheep had been herded indoors for the storm, and they bleated and nudged each other as they chewed the floor rushes. Women were preparing a breakfast of eggs and cheese at the central hearth. The hall reeked of smoke, shit, ale, and sheep. The household guards were settled at long benches, their spears placed up along the walls and their helms parked astride. His men nodded as he passed. More out of duty than anything else, Grim surmised. But he didn’t care, as long as they nodded.

Taking his seat at the high table, he beckoned a slave girl to his side. She came slowly, a dull-witted smile on her face. Probably hit on the head too many times, Grim thought. But he wanted her for warmth. Too bad Snorri let the pretty one escape. Grim had been looking forward to bedding her until he got an ax in the face; he hadn’t felt much like rutting after that. But with the warmth of the slave girl pressed to his side, he was beginning to feel those stirrings again. That was a good sign, and it encouraged him enough to work his hand down the front of her dress and squeeze her breast. She flinched and squeaked, then gave him a wan smile, which Grim returned, even though it pained him to do so.

A serving girl placed his meal before him and he gulped down the soft eggs. The slave girl ate nothing, just looked expectantly at him. Or was she looking at his wound, which he had exposed in order to eat? He didn’t care anymore. A jarl does not need to look handsome, after all.

From her accustomed spot along the bench to his right, Aud watched him with pale, inscrutable eyes. It was a good spot, between two windows where a deep shadow concealed her. She would sit there, her elbow leaning on her leg, for hours watching him intently, as she had watched his father before him. Did she suspect? Grim wondered if her magic allowed her to hear his thoughts.

On finishing his meal, Grim shoved away his plate, belched, and forced his dim-witted companion away. The men had returned to talking. The sheep wandered around them, bleating, and one even chewed at the hem of a man’s jerkin. Grim took all this in while still trying to observe Aud where she hovered in the shadows.

He saw her rise with some effort, resembling a swaddled babe in her wraps and blankets. She paused after standing, then stepped into the yellow light and began to hobble toward him, warding off a ewe that refused to move out of her path. Grim’s poultice had already been changed at sunrise. She had no business with him, and usually stayed away unless it was time to change his bandages.

When she had waddled too close to ignore, Grim gave a feeble smile. It appeared to stop her, and Grim realized he had probably never smiled in her presence. He tried to act more surly. “What? Is it time to fill my mouth with shit so soon? If I wasn’t feeling better, I’d swear you were letting this take too long.”

“No, Lord,” Aud wheezed, as she resumed her arduous journey to his table. “In fact, this morning I was considering discontinuing the treatment. You’re healing quickly enough. Watching you eat breakfast and fondle the girl made me think I was right.”

She arrived at his side and put her cold, shriveled hand to his face to inspect his wound. Her small eyes told him nothing, as usual. She twisted his face to one side and then the other, and then let it go. She picked up the bandage he had left on the table. “It’s dry,” she said, throwing it back down. “I thought as much this morning. You don’t need the treatments anymore. Does it hurt?”

“Only if I smile or scream,” he said. So the treatment worked, he thought. For a moment, he felt like abandoning his intention to kill the hag.

“It hurts only half as much as it could,” Aud said, sitting down at the table. “You’ll have a scar, but that suits you anyway. Just keep it protected and clean. If you can manage that, my lord.”

“I can manage that! By all the gods, if it means no more bandages, or that bag of shit in my mouth, I can manage.” The wound stung as he smiled.

For once, Aud smiled back, revealing two brown teeth remaining in livid gums.

Does she suspect the plan in my mind? Grim wondered. His left hand fell to the pouch in his pocket. Now would be the most natural time to slip her the poison. He stood up, palming the pouch and holding it to his leg. “Aud, you have worked great healing magic.”

Grim raised his voice, calling for the hall’s attention. The men fell silent and the women stopped their work at the hearth. A sheep bleated into the silence.

“Aud has proclaimed me healed,” he announced, pointing to her. The hag winced at the attention. “I am deeply grateful to her service. As well as she tended my father in his illness, so she tended me. Let us all drink to Aud’s health!” He turned to the slave. “You, girl, fetch a cask and mugs.”

“You do me too much honor, Lord Grim,” Aud said, slouching as if to slink toward the shadows beneath the table. The shrew has a weakness after all, Grim thought. This is turning out to be an excellent plan.

“Nonsense!” he protested, knowing he was over-acting his part, but enjoying it still. “You must join us in a drink. Just one gulp, woman. I’ll get your cup.”

He leaped from the high table down to the floor. One woman rolled a small cask of ale to the hearth while another brought mugs, bowls, horns, anything that could hold the drink. The men were smiling and laughing; who would not enjoy starting the day with a round of drinks? Grim waded through the animals and grabbed a bowl. Placing it beneath the cask, he filled it with ale until it brimmed. “Hurry up, boys! Get here while I’m pouring!”

Eager for a taste of the lord’s reserve, the men crowded around and Grim pretended to enjoy serving them. But he got what he counted on. The women were handing out bowls and horns, the men were gathering around, the ewes bleated and wove in and out of the press. In the confusion, Grim dropped the poison into a bowl of ale. He jerked his head up to see Aud watching. Did she see? Did she hear? It was impossible to know what a witch might be able to do.

Grim pocketed the empty pouch and took up Aud’s bowl along with a horn for himself. The bowl splashed as he carried it to Aud, his hands cold and trembling. His heart was pounding, but Aud seemed to suspect nothing. He placed the bowl before her. She looked at it like she had never seen ale before.

“Everyone has a horn now? Good! Let us drink to honor the one who healed me.”

Grim raised his horn, and the men of the hall needed no more encouragement. Some praised Grim’s health; others praised Aud’s skill. Grim held his toast until the last. He could feel his arm shaking, as though he held a boulder over his head, and his voice quavered too, before he got command of it. “Thank you, Aud. Your healing magic is a great blessing for Grenner. To Aud!”

The others echoed him and stamped their feet on the wooden floor or banged the tables. Then Grim and his men guzzled their ale. Grim watched Aud down the side of his horn as he drank. She just stared at her ale, her ancient hands on either side of the bowl. Did she know?

“Come on, Aud,” he coaxed. “Just swallow it down fast. We’re waiting on you.”

She nodded, to the bowl rather than to him. At first, she seemed to pause, and Grim expected her to fling the bowl away. Then she snatched it up and gulped down the ale as he had insisted. It poured over the side and down her chin until she put the bowl down empty.

Nothing happened. Aud wiped her mouth with the back of her arm. Still nothing. Grim expected a poison so lethal that she would die immediately. He felt the heat return to his hands. Did I not use enough?

With a sudden jerk, Aud bolted upright and her eyes widened. She opened her mouth and made a gurgling sound as bloody tears sprang to her eyes. Grim watched in horror as she staggered from the high table to the floor beneath it, clawing at her throat.

He swung his head in the direction of the men, but they were more concerned with refilling their drinks than with Aud. Only the idiotic slave girl was watching, her hand over her mouth and her eyes wide with fear.

Aud vomited, shooting forth a pool of brown ale along with the rest of her stomach contents. She gasped. Ropes of spittle hung from her jaw and her hair straggled in the vomit. Then she howled.

Grim looked around again. The men were beginning to notice.

Turning back, he saw Aud sitting on her wide rump, staring at him with bloody eyes and wiping her spittle-flecked mouth. “You think that can kill me?” she screeched. “After my years spent handling poison you’d have to do better than that.”

“What happened?” Grim affected concern. “Why, you’ve fallen, have you? How unfortunate.” He had to get to her before the men crowded around to hear her. She had to die, even if he had to strangle her.

She stood much faster than Grim thought she could, and coughed up blood. Seeing her bloody face, the men gasped and recoiled and the women screamed.

“My own poison.” Aud spat. “You surprise me, Grim.”

Grim leaped towards her and reached out to clamp a hand over her mouth, but she was not as frail as she seemed. Knocking his hand away with one hand, she reached into the folds of her blanket with the other.

She screeched as a plume of black smoke puffed around her. Grim fell back, dissuaded by the horrid stench. The hall was in panic now, and most of its inhabitants were running for the door; only a few reached for their spears. Witchcraft was not something men could fight with weapons.

“You want to kill me, do you?” Aud appeared from the smoke. It had stained her face gray and formed muddy streaks where the blood and drool covered her face.

Grim toppled involuntarily at her approach. As her quivering fingers stretched for him, he kicked back across the cold earthen floor, his heart a fury and his breathing short.

Aud fell before him, and more blood gushed from her mouth. Facing him, her eyes level with his across the floor, she said in a wet croak, “You are cursed, Grim Ormsson. Your life is cursed.” She dropped her head and wheezed. “You will know no peace, no woman. You will have no children. Your brother will return to dance in your guts. You will die by his hands. I make this your doom.”

Grim backed away to the wall benches. A spear fell over his shoulder and he snatched it up. This has to end.By Odin’s one eye, this will end now. Finding his courage, he sprang to his feet and loomed over Aud, who crumpled in a puddle of bile and blood.

“You are doomed,” Aud whimpered into the dirt.

Grim slammed his spear down with such force that it impaled her to the floor. With a rattle of breath, the old hag was no more.

Releasing the spear, Grim skipped away from the expanding pool of black blood. His trembling hands reached for the silver hammer of Thor that hung about his neck and his knuckles turned white around the amulet as he clutched it. A curse. A curse of death made with the blood and ash of a dying witch. As the thought rolled through his mind, he staggered back to the benches that lined the wall.

Moments ago, men were toasting and smiling; now, they cowered at the far end of the hall. A ewe bleated as the stench of sulfur filled the room, turning every face to disgust.

Did they hear Aud’s final words? Did they understand what had happened?

Vandrad appeared from the room he occupied at the front of the hall, his hair wild and his furs haphazard as if he had just roused from sleep. He grimaced at the smell, fanning his face as he approached. Men and sheep parted for him, but when he saw Aud’s corpse, framed in the morning light from the windows, he stopped. “Thor preserve us.” He searched himself, finding his own silver amulet. “You killed the witch.”

Grim nodded, breathing as though he had run up a mountainside. And he kept nodding, unable to think of anything else to do. He wanted to scream, or to weep. The poison had failed. The curse had been laid. Now his doom was certain-and Ulfrik would bring it. Grim stopped nodding and dropped his head to his hands. Then he wept.

Eighteen

The wolves did not return, and Runa thanked every god she could name. The attack-snarls and fangs, screams and blood, all swirling amid yellow firelight-had been nearly as terrifying as the day Svear raiders enslaved her.

She watched as Yngvar used a bone needle and gut thread to pull together the ragged tear in Ulfrik’s leg. When the work was finished, Ulfrik staggered to his feet, leaning on Yngvar. But when he tried to stand unaided, wrestling with Yngvar to break free, he stumbled. After that, he accepted the support without fuss.

Later, when they resettled for the night, Ulfrik checked on her, patting her shoulder with his bandaged hand.

“I’m glad you were not hurt,” he told her, smiling.

“Thank you, Lord Ulfrik. I only wish you had not been.”

She worried for him. If he died they would be lost. She did not trust Yngvar not to burn her along with Ulfrik’s body, and thoughts of funeral pyres and savage wolves kept her eyes wide all night. The others, exhausted from the tension, had no trouble sleeping.

The next morning, the stitches in Ulfrik’s leg looked taut in the flesh, but so much dried blood caked the wound that Runa couldn’t tell if it was festering. When she put her hand to it, she could feel heat. Many of her father’s men had lost limbs from wounds gone septic. She knew of some salves that would help, but none of the plants needed could be found in winter. Frowning, she packed more snow on the wound. Ulfrik did not stir.

Everyone still slept, so she sat beside Ulfrik and waited. She placed her hand on his and studied him. Though asleep, his brows were drawn in worry. She could only guess at his nightmares. She had lost her home and family at the hands of invaders. Ulfrik had his world stripped away from the inside. You and I are not so different, she thought. Only I wear a slave collar. Will you free me as promised? I can’t fall in love with a man keeping me prisoner, can I? She chuckled at her thoughts. Perhaps they must be spoken or else remain forever in my head. She decided to press him for an answer. Maybe when they reached Frodi’s hall Ulfrik would have the means to remove the collar. For now, she waited patiently for him to awake.

Eventually, everyone awakened, although none seemed to have benefited from the sleep. Magnus sat up wrapped in his fur, looking like a bear pondering the forest. He gave her a gentle smile, which she returned. He was a good man and Runa admired his dedication to his oath. She also understood his loss. The feeling of being adrift, alone, was probably what drew them together. He stood, snow and sticks clinging to the fur, and stretched, which made him seem even more like a bear. Runa laughed.

It would be a long time before she could laugh again.

Two mounted men emerged between trees in the distance. To Runa, they resembled gray hulks heaped with grizzly fur and leather. Long sealskin cloaks flowed over the flanks of their horses. She could not see their faces, but she imagined they were lined, scarred, and evil-just like the Svear. Each had one hand wrapped in the mane of his horse and the other clutching a spear.

Yngvar cursed, and Magnus sprang to his feet. Ulfrik, unable to see them, struggled to stand but was unable to. Runa felt ready to run, but forced herself to be still; there was no point to it. She reached for the sword Ulfrik had given her. The horsemen approached, their spears lowered as they guided their steeds carefully through the snowy ground. She could see the steaming breath of the men and their mounts in the flat morning air.

Runa pulled at the sword in its sheath, but it would not free. Glancing up, she saw Yngvar had the same struggle. Rust and cold had made the blades hitch on the sheaths. Yngvar flung his blade behind him, missing Runa by a hand’s breadth.

The horsemen advanced to the edge of a small clearing.

“So here are our visitors,” said one.

Besides his cloaks, he wore a fur hat, and looked warm and comfortable atop his horse. His spear was straight, blazing in the light. No rust or cold for these men. Runa moved behind Magnus, who clutched his crude spear. She doubted it could pierce furs and leather; maybe he was going to use it like a club. Whoever the horsemen were, they looked too well outfitted and too well fed to be outlaws. Their eyes were not kind, but not malevolent either. Still, Runa felt better cowering behind Magnus’s bulk.

“Thanks for lighting that beacon last night. We were able to get a good night’s rest after we marked your position,” the first man said.

The other rider laughed. Their spears remained leveled, but they made no other threatening moves. The speaker’s horse started to prance and sidestep, and he tugged the animal back into line.

“Glad to be of service,” Ulfrik said condescendingly. “Now, who are you?”

“One of Jarl Frodi’s men,” the leader said, stroking his horse’s neck. “Here to clear the woods of vagrants and spies. You four will fit one of those two descriptions, I bet.”

Ulfrik gestured to Yngvar, who helped him to his feet. The horsemen watched, their only movement the wind lifting their cloaks. Runa heard Magnus grumble under his breath, and he widened his stance. The riders noticed the shift immediately, and their blades flashed to the ready.

Leaning on Yngvar, his injured foot raised off the ground, Ulfrik was defenseless. Runa tugged at Magnus’s arm, hoping to alert him. There would be no fight, only slaughter. She hoped Magnus had enough sense to understand that. But he did not yield.

“I am Ulfrik Ormsson.”

He speaks like he is addressing a feasting hall, Runa thought, not men two spear lengths distant.

“The rightful Lord of Grenner and the lands surrounding.”

The riders’ expressions turned from impassive to amused. They looked at each other and laughed.

“So, Lord Ulfrik,” the leader said, twisting the title mockingly and gesturing to their ragged band. “You and your hirdmen are touring the lands, are you?” He paused, but Ulfrik did not rise to the taunt. “Took a slave girl to keep the men happy, I see.”

Magnus lost his patience and stormed forward. Runa squealed, stumbling back from what she thought would mean his swift death.

The riders stopped laughing but did no more. Magnus checked himself, standing just out of striking distance. “Enough with this horseshit! He is Ulfrik, Lord of Grenner, and we are his hirdmen! You two are piss pot cleaners on ponies. Take us to your jarl. He will recognize us.”

The riders let the wind fill the silence as they considered his words. Runa, trembling, feared they would all be killed, but instead the leader straightened his back, raised his spear, and guided his horse forward. “As you say, then. If you are the Lord of Grenner, you would know that you are still in his territory. We riders watch the borders for trouble, which is what this group looks like to me.”

“It has been a hard journey.” Ulfrik nodded to Magnus that he should back down. Then he scowled at the riders before stepping back and continuing, “We’ve lost much and suffered much along the way.”

“And why journey now, at the start of winter?” The other rider spoke at last.

Runa saw that he was older: the furrows of his round face were deeper and streaks of gray marred his blonde hair. He threw the sealskin cloak off his shoulder to reveal a gold armband.

“We bring urgent news to Jarl Frodi.”

“Urgent enough to come personally, with two men and a slave girl, through a storm, abandoning your hall, and carrying nothing to protect yourself from the winter. I will overlook all of that as something too difficult for a piss pot cleaner to understand. You must have good reason to travel so.”

“That we do,” Ulfrik said.

A smile twitched at Runa’s lips at the understatement. The older man must realize that Ulfrik left much unsaid.

“Surrender your weapons and we will take you to Jarl Frodi’s hall,” the older man said, pointing to the slushy ground between them. Runa caught herself stepping back. The riders are taking us prisoners, she thought. If I run now, I might still have a chance on my own. She stopped upon hearing Ulfrik agree.

“I agree. We will surrender all other weapons, but I will not surrender my sword-not until I reach Frodi’s hall.” His tone declared he would not negotiate. The sword he so loved, and for which Runa had risked and suffered so much, was not to be lightly held.

The man nodded wordlessly and Runa, Yngvar and Magnus moved forward and stacked their weapons on the ground, Runa placing hers last. The older man grinned as she dropped her weapon on the pile. But Runa was surprised to feel relief at surrendering it. She prayed there would be no more need for fighting.

“Here.” The older man threw Ulfrik his sealskin cloak as the other man dismounted to collect the weapons. Without hesitation, Ulfrik swept the cloak over Yngvar. Runa respected his selflessness; her brother would have done the same. Ulfrik’s small gestures gave her hope that he would honor his promise to her, and that she had not misplaced her feelings for him.

One of Frodi’s men gave up his horse for Ulfrik; no one wanted to move at an injured man’s pace. Runa felt her stomach rumble as they set off for Frodi’s hall, eager for any food, even slave slop. Anything would be better than stale hazelnuts.

***

They were closer to the hall than she thought. Incredibly, Ulfrik had guided them accurately. To Runa, every tree, rock, or frozen stream looked similar. She had no skills for surviving in the wilderness, unlike Ulfrik, and she only now understood that had she not met up with Ulfrik and Yngvar, her escape would have meant death.

Her misgivings about Jarl Frodi increased as the journey progressed. Skulls and bones dangled from branches, dancing in the frigid air and clacking a warning to trespassers. A severed arm nailed to a tree held her attention momentarily. It was rotten and black, but birds had not yet picked it clean, which she took to mean it was somewhat fresh. Is this what awaits us? She lingered to gawk while the others forged ahead in silence. Then she ran after them, glancing back as if the arm might seize her as she fled.

Eventually, they came to a muddy track that led to the main settlement, an odd collection of houses and barracks, similar to Grenner but on the coast. Jarl Frodi’s people took their livelihood from the sea, and Runa knew boats would be housed nearby. No place in this land was ever far from water or a fjord.

The long, gray-timbered hall, with its snow-covered thatch, leaned over the surrounding buildings from the top of a hill. Plumes of chimney smoke spun up from its center as the small group trudged toward the hall, stumbling through mud created by the melting snow. It was the largest hall Runa had ever seen, but if any of the others were impressed, they gave no sign.

Their captors led them along a track guarded by a watchman, who raised his hand in recognition. As they passed, his look was of disgust. Ulfrik had been sagging on his horse during the journey, but Runa saw him straighten now.

Some children with a dog rushed forward to see them.

“Run ahead,” the gray-haired man told them, “and let Rolf Roundhead at the hall know that we are escorting visitors.”

Runa laughed under her breath at that as the children ran off giggling and yelling. If children can be happy here, she thought, maybe Jarl Frodi is not the monster I imagined.

Yet Runa still felt they were being paraded like captured enemies. People stopped their work and lined the road to watch as they passed. Being a slave, she drew no attention, but the onlookers appraised Ulfrik, Yngvar and Magnus carefully, probably considering them a sign of trouble to come. She did not like the looks they received, but could understand the reasons. But she didn’t want any more trouble, even if it was woven into her fate; she was still a slave, after all.

Finally, mud-spattered and weary from a long march through the snow, they came to the hall. Their two captors herded Runa, Magnus and Yngvar between them. Another man awaited them outside the hall doors, who Runa assumed was Rolf. He helped Ulfrik dismount. Now standing again, with Yngvar for support, Ulfrik thanked Rolf and surrendered his sword. Runa saw the green stone in the pommel glint as the weapon passed from his hand. That sword represented her freedom-if only freedom could be as easily granted as passing over a sword.

“I’ll see these weapons are cared for,” Rolf said. “If you want, I can have them scoured and shined. Looks like they need it. Thorvald can put an edge back to them, if you don’t mind him doing so.”

They shrugged their consent. Their captors were soon joined by other men-hirdmen, judging by their physique and gear. There was mumbled conversation and indecision. Rolf ducked back into the hall while the others gathered the surrendered weapons.

Runa pulled her fur tighter, feeling colder now that she had stopped moving. As she watched Ulfrik shiver, she was ashamed for not having done more, for having held on to the only fur even when Ulfrik needed it. Now he was about to be introduced as the Lord of Grenner, and his slave would be better outfitted. Pulling the fur from her shoulders, she draped it over him. Both he and Yngvar looked startled, but Ulfrik gave an appreciative nod and smiled. Runa wished he hadn’t; he had to appear commanding and fearsome to Frodi’s men, even with a ruined leg and a gaunt face.

The hall doors swept open, and cold air blew across the men who came to greet them. A thin man, no older than Runa, stood flanked by the hirdmen who had fetched him. His golden-red hair was long and plaited, and his beard carefully groomed. He wore expensive clothing in shades of brown and gray trimmed with fox fur, and a gold broach pinned his cloak at the shoulder. His smile was immediate, his face unsullied by hardship.

“I am honored to have the Lord of Grenner as a guest.” He threw his arms wide in welcome and his tone was sincere, although he was addressing Yngvar in error.

Ulfrik cleared his throat. “Thank you, Jarl Frodi. Your welcome warms me greatly.”

“Oh, you are Ulfrik of Grenner?” His fair skin flushed red. “I am sorry, but I am Bard Frodason. My father is visiting with a neighboring jarl. Let’s not stand in the cold. Please, come inside.” He stood aside to let their small troupe enter.

Runa’s face tingled as she entered the warm hall. The hearth at the center of the hall filled the room with the welcome scent of firewood. Women in green and russet dresses fussed about the hearth. Jarl Frodi must be a wealthy man, Runa thought. He either had many wives, slaves, or daughters, or all three. There were more women at work in the hall than there were men to serve, and all were well dressed. Runa tugged at her slave collar and smoothed down her ragged clothing, wishing she had kept the fur, if only to hide her shameful appearance. Once, she had dressed in greater finery than these women, but now her filthy garments looked as if they had been dug from a grave.

“Lord Ulfrik, you are wounded,” Bard said. He knelt beside Ulfrik’s leg, examining the injury. “This needs immediate attention. Place your lord over by the hearth. I will have a healer fetched.”

Yngvar led Ulfrik to the fire, leaving Runa and Magnus among Bard’s hirdmen, who followed at respectable distance. She noticed Magnus nodding with approval as he studied the hall. The floor covered with fresh rushes. The hall posts carved with dragons and serpents. The well-made wooden furniture set with ceramic mugs and plate-something Runa hadn’t seen since leaving Denmark.

“It’s a fine hall, girl. Is it like your father’s?” Magnus asked.

“Better. Are those slaves or wives, do you think?” Runa nodded to the women at the hearth.

Magnus shrugged and sat down at a bench, unwrapping the fur and folding it into his lap.

“You all look weary from your travels.”

Runa jumped at Bard’s sudden appearance behind her. Intent on studying the women, she had not heard him approach.

“Would you like some time to wash, and perhaps a change of clothes?”

“Don’t need no new clothes,” Magnus grunted. “I’d like to scrub my face and comb my beard. But honestly, I’m hungry.”

“Ah, yes!” Bard laughed at Magnus’s artless statement and gestured toward the fire. “A stew is boiling as we speak.” Then he returned his attention to Runa. “Yet I am sure you would welcome a change of clothes. It will cheer your master to see you freshly attired.” He let his eyes wander the curves of her body beneath the grubby shift.

Runa understood Bard’s look all too well-the look of a man eager to plow her field. Even in her disgraceful condition, she could attract a man. In better times, Runa had prided herself on it, but now she regarded her looks as a curse that led to rape and slavery. Runa took a cautious step back and nodded in agreement.

To her surprise, Bard noticed her apprehension and also stepped back. His ears, peeking from his pulled back hair, turned red. “I’ll have one of the women bring you something suitable and show you a place to clean up,” he said, averting his eyes. Turning, he walked back to where Ulfrik and Yngvar were being joined by a fat man, who must be the healer.

Runa watched them examine Ulfrik’s ravaged leg, the healer rubbing his chin.

“He’ll be all right, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Magnus gave her a quizzical look. “His leg might be as red as raw meat now, but it’ll heal, girl. No worries there.”

Runa smiled and thanked him. Then she looked back at the pale, thin man who called himself Bard, hoping his was just a passing attraction and nothing more. He played a refined and gracious host, but Runa had an instinct for men’s intentions. Perhaps she was wrong in this instance. Remembering the skulls and severed arms in the surrounding woods, she thought, but perhaps I am right.

Nineteen

Ulfrik was relieved to finally be under a roof again. He knew little about Jarl Frodi and his son Bard, other than that they kept to themselves and raided overseas. He had taken a risk coming to them; however, Bard was proving a generous host, treating them as royal guests. In fact, he thought, the welcome felt a little overzealous, like a boy trying to impress everyone with his manners.

Ulfrik’s leg still burned, but the healer had cleaned and redressed the wound daily, and propped his leg up on a block of fresh-hewn ash wood that had been adzed to a rough finish. The ash wood, the healer had explained, would draw out the evil. A salve was also applied, and healing runes brushed over the bite. Within days, the redness receded and the pain dulled.

During those few days, Yngvar kept him company most of the time and Bard often sat with them and traded news. Frodi was visiting the lands of Agder, to the west, and planned to return with the Jarl of Agder’s son. Bard kept the reasons for the visit vague, and Ulfrik did not press him. Talk of his father clearly agitated Bard, who blushed often although he said nothing embarrassing.

In return, Ulfrik shared his news with Bard as honestly as he thought prudent. Sometimes, Yngvar would cock an eyebrow, warning Ulfrik to not reveal too much as he told Bard about Orm’s death, Grim’s rise to power, and the burning of Auden’s hall. Bard nodded throughout, offering platitudes in response until Ulfrik dropped the subject.

Magnus was less at home, appearing rangy and gaunt, unlike this former self. His eyes searched everywhere, and he wore his fur even when seated by the hearth. Any mention of his family made him surly and silent. Runa was more hospitable. She had come several times to inspect his wound and to bring him food.

When she had first appeared dressed in the green and red broadcloth worn by the other women, Ulfrik and Yngvar had mistaken her for one of Bard’s slaves. While still too thin, her delicate figure was enhanced by the dress and she had washed and combed her hair, which settled in ringlets every bit as beautiful as Ulfrik had expected. He noticed she was taking care to play the role of loyal servant, lending legitimacy to his lordship. But they traded smiles in secret, and Ulfrik wished for time alone.

Bard had not stated as much, but Ulfrik knew he was waiting for Jarl Frodi to return with a decision on their fate. With that delay, and the rest needed for his wound to heal, there was nothing to do but wait. A squall had arrived the day after them, and continued to howl outside. Ulfrik was glad to have missed it.

“Bard is an anxious pup,” Yngvar said, his voice hushed by the wind and his eyes scanning the hall. A few hirdmen threw dice and Magnus watched over their shoulders; otherwise, they were alone. “He’s treating us nicely because he doesn’t know what to do. When his father gets here, things will change.”

“I’ve been thinking the same. But maybe Jarl Frodi will be reasonable.”

“Merciful, is what I’m hoping for. What are you hoping for?”

Ulfrik had been lying down with a blanket covering his legs, but raised himself on his elbows at Yngvar’s question. He wanted to lay out a detailed proposal, but instead heard himself say, “Well, I’m hoping my damn leg will heal.”

“It will heal, just like your brother’s face will. What is your plan to see that face again?”

“So you’re not letting me off that easily?” Ulfrik laughed, and then he flattened out again, facing the beams above him and watching smoke from the hearth curl around them. “Runa said Snorri and others would come if I sent word. That would be the plan, then.”

“Brilliant. Just walk back into Grim’s hall and ask if they can leave with you?” Yngvar stretched his legs out and sighed. “I was supposed to kill you, remember? But gave you my oath instead. That’s not going to happen again with the others. How many will come to you? Enough to threaten Grim, do you think?”

The air soured between them. Ulfrik knew these were the right questions, and that the right answers would only anger him. He felt rage twisting in his chest already, a black worm boring into his heart. Vengeance would not be swift, if it came at all. His fists clenched at the thought.

“So why did you change sides?” The question was out of his mouth before he even realized he would ask. “We’ve got time now for you to explain it.” He sat up straight again.

Yngvar rubbed the back of his neck, seeming to search for the right place to begin. “I told you-your brother has no honor.”

“So you sullied your own honor? I mean no disrespect, but in the eyes of others you are now an oath breaker.”

Yngvar smiled but did not meet his eyes. “I’m not worried. I was an oath breaker before that.”

“Then you had better explain.”

Yngvar slumped back on his elbows, looking at nothing in particular. One of the dice players shouted in victory while the other cursed his luck. The wind rattled at the shutters and Yngvar laughed to himself before saying, “I came to Grenner at the invitation of your father. We met at Kaupang while he was buying that lovely slave girl.” Yngvar pointed his chin at Runa, who whispered to Magnus as he watched the dice game. “I was in Kaupang on the run from my former lord. I had given him my oath of service, but later found keeping that oath was impossible. So I ran. Orm and I shared some drinks, I explained myself, and he said he could use a man like me. It was a perfect fit, since I needed someone respectable for protection.

“I heard all about you from Magnus, Snorri, and others whose names I can’t remember. What I heard about your brother was exactly the opposite. Anyway, when I saw him and that hag sneaking around together, I guessed what was going on. Your father got sick, and I knew that meant I was going to have to move again. Then your brother picked me for his plot against you-not the best judge of loyalty, that one.”

“Why ally yourself with me? Why not just keep running, like you had planned?”

“Well, you said ‘plan,’” Yngvar said the last word as if it were bitter on his lips. “I had no plan, other than to escape my problems. Running into your father was the work of the Fates. I wanted to keep my oath to him, since he had readily accepted it from an outlaw. You are your father’s true successor, so I would transfer my oath from him to you. Besides, without my help you would never have returned from the woods that day. I had some pity for you, too.”

Both men reclined again, considering the ceiling, as if the answers to their troubles were hidden in the rafters. “Why did you break the oath to your first lord?” Ulfrik asked.

“I’ll tell you what I told your father, but then you must ask no more of it. My explanation was good enough for him and should be good enough for you.”

“Agreed. I’ll judge your words for myself.”

“My family is from Vingulmark. When I was thirteen, I joined the felag of the hersir my father served. He gave me my nickname, Bright Tooth. He was a good man and taught me all about war, and there was plenty of it in that troubled land. I became his hirdman, fighting with him against one king or another. But there was one king who set himself above all others, Harald. Harald and his uncle Guthorm had claims to Vingulmark, and they rolled across our lands and killed anyone who resisted. My family resisted Harald, but my lord swore fealty to him. I loved both.”

Ulfrik swallowed, dreading what he knew Yngvar would reveal.

“Harald’s men butchered my family. My mother and grandmother, my three little sisters, even our dog. My father died defending his home. I don’t know if Harald massacred them himself, or if it was one of his men, but no matter. It happened because of him. The news reached me only after my lord had us all swear an oath to the murderer of my family.”

“Thank you for your honesty, and your oath. I will do my best to live up to the honor you do me.” Ulfrik bowed his head, humbled by Yngvar’s candor.

Yngvar cleared his throat. “There’s more to tell-the most important part, in fact.” He sat up and then climbed to his feet. “It hasn’t mattered until now. I was never sure we would make it this far alive.”

Still lying down, Ulfrik looked up at Yngvar, now illuminated by the light of the hearth. The short pause was filled by the laughter of the dice players. “Don’t keep secrets from me, Yngvar. We have too few allies for that,” Ulfrik said.

“That’s why I’m telling you.” Yngvar dusted down his pant legs, then raked his beard with his fingers. “Harald sent his cousin, Vandrad, along with men from his levies to assist Grim in destroying Auden.”

“What?” Ulfrik tried to stand, his leg toppling the block of ash.

Yngvar put his foot to Ulfrik’s chest to keep him down. “Mind your leg, Ulfrik. You’ll interfere with the healing magic. Let’s get the rest of this spoken. Your brother has sworn an oath to Harald in return for the kingship of Grenner. If you fight Grim, you fight Harald and Gutthrom. If you fight them, you better have more men then we had in Vingulmark.”

The words settled on Ulfrik, pushing him flat on his back. He looked up, but he saw nothing, his vision consumed with the images in his head-images of his defeat.

“I had no better way to say it,” Yngvar said gruffly. “Your brother bargained off your lands so he can play king. While Harald claims Grenner for himself as High King, you will never take it back by force. Not without an army equal to his own. You needed to know that before speaking to Jarl Frodi. I’m sorry, Ulfrik. I am.”

***

Ulfrik’s leg healed quickly and soon he could stand and walk. But his thoughts continued to limp in confusion. Yngvar’s revelations had dissolved plans of reclaiming Grenner. His brother had betrayed their family and his people when he surrendered power to Vestfold. Ulfrik cursed himself for having not seen it coming. He had always found excuses for Grim’s excesses: their father bullied the boy; Auden and his family ridiculed him; he was just a child. But no more. Whatever Grim thought he was doing, Ulfrik could find no fit excuse.

Ulfrik’s bitter mood kept everyone away. He longed for a walk in the woods of his youth-impossible of course. But at least the weather had cleared, even warmed. He decided to chance a walk outside.

Runa hovered in the shadows by the door. “Lord Ulfrik, we must speak,” she said formally, probably for the benefit of anyone listening. “May I accompany you?”

Ulfrik agreed and she smiled. She let him pass through the door and then followed. He had wanted time alone, but Runa appeared anxious and he had neglected her since they arrived at Frodi’s hall. They walked along the track leading from the hall, in silence. Then Ulfrik turned north, past the main dwellings to a cleared field of tree stumps and knee-high grass that was brown and dead from the cold. Runa stepped up beside him.

“Lord Ulfrik.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not a lord of anything, although I’ll try to convince Frodi otherwise. Call me Ulfrik when we are alone.” He glanced at her as they walked, and she smiled at his reply.

Runa had blossomed into a rare beauty since their arrival at Frodi’s hall. Better food, clean, well-fitting clothes, and a place to bathe had driven away the ravages of her face and body. Washed and brushed, her hair sprang around her face as she walked, in ringlets more beautiful than he had imagined. Even her movements were more confident, more beguiling.

“Ulfrik, you promised me freedom if I delivered your sword.” She stopped, her smile gone, and her hands were gripped together at her waist. “Are you going to keep your promise? I know we’ve been through much since that day. But I have to know.”

Ulfrik turned to her. That issue had been hovering in his thoughts, although he had not let it surface. He smiled, but Runa’s expression remained flat, maybe even unfriendly. He knew what had to be done, but hesitated. She was a slave, and easy to keep as slave. If she had her freedom, she could leave him. So beautiful, he thought, gazing at her. Surely leaving me would be her best choice. I have nothing to offer her, and many rich men would welcome her to their halls. He sighed.

“You are right, Runa.”

“I know I am. I’m not stupid, even if I have been starting to feel that way.”

Definitely unfriendly, he thought. Why can I say nothing right to this woman? He shrugged and resumed his walk. She remained behind, as if daring him to turn back, but he ambled on until she caught up to him again.

“I am sorry. Forgive me for being so bold.” Formality slipped back into her tone.

“Don’t be so damn proper,” he snapped. “I want it to be different between us.”

“Formality is necessary between a master and his slave.”

Ulfrik wheeled around to her. A smirk of defiance drew a slight curve at the corner of her pink lips. He found it irresistible, and irritating. As her eyes flashed defiance, Ulfrik found himself even more drawn to her. Only the slave collar at her neck marred her beauty-and yet it kept her bound to him. If I can’t have her on my own merits, keeping her as a slave will be a sham. He knew that was beneath him, even in his impoverished state. But like Runa, he had questions that burned for answers.

“If I remove that collar, what will you do? Will you go looking for your brother?”

Her eyes widened and her wry smile vanished. Her hand absently touched the rusty collar. “I will stay with you, Ulfrik. I would have only freedom, nothing more.”

“Then you would leave me, once you had something more than just freedom?” He stepped closer to her, his body trembling. He feared her answer more than anything he had ever feared before. Such a rare beauty and a rare spirit, so close but so distant.

“I would not repay kindness with such callousness,” she said gently, her defiance dissolving. “Not if you remained the man you are, and become the man you could be.” Her voice was hushed, as if the wind might carry her words to prying ears

Ulfrik frowned in confusion, but she drew close to him until her face hovered only a hand’s length from his. Her eyes softened, wetness glittering in their darkness. She placed her hands on his hips. “You are a leader who cares for his people. You are bold, strong. I think you are honest. That is a rare thing in men.”

“And what will I become, then?” His heart thudded in his chest. Her clean scent filled his nostrils, and the heat of her body warmed his own. He put his hands on her arms and felt himself stirring with desire, his need threatening to overtake his clumsy restraint.

“You will become like the kings of old, like our fathers and those before them. A man who rebuilds greatness from ruin, brings justice to evil, offers freedom to the enslaved. I would want to help such a man to that greatness.”

“Then I’ll tear that collar from your neck with my own hands.” Ulfrik could not resist. The moment had passed beyond thought or words. He pulled her to him, kissing her passionately. Runa pressed into the embrace, traveling with him to a place beyond words.

He guided her down to the grass, lying beside her on the cold, wet earth and searching his mind for something profound. But words would not come. Instead, he just smiled and gently stroked her cheek. “I have wanted this since we first met. I was afraid to let you go, that you might flee me. I was wrong. Forgive me.”

Runa’s eyes searched his, her expression serious. “Fate has brought us together for a reason. I believe it is a good reason.”

Then she smiled, took his hand, and guided it to her breast. From there, Ulfrik felt his confidence return. Dropping all pretense, he fell into Runa’s welcoming embrace.

***

Ulfrik and Runa returned to the hall hand in hand. The sun hung in a clear sky, warming their faces and enhancing the glow of satisfaction that emanated from them. Ulfrik felt charged with the same thrill he experienced after battle, but this was a battle of his own doubts, and overcoming them was more glorious than defeating any army.

Runa laughed and brushed her dress. “These mud stains are going to give us away.”

“Then let the world know you are free, and that you’ve chosen me for your own. After all, I’m now only jarl of mud and grass. It’s almost fitting, isn’t it?”

They laughed, and Ulfrik kissed her once more. But when they arrived back at the hall, Ulfrik’s mood withered.

Jarl Frodi had returned.

The entire village was gathered outside the hall, along with all the hirdmen in freshly scoured and shining mail. They flanked both sides of the track leading to the hall, with Bard in the center, his arms outstretched to his approaching father.

Ulfrik and Runa joined the back of the group, then found Yngvar and Magnus. “So ends our good times,” Yngvar quipped. “I thought Bard was going to piss himself when he learned his father was here. And where have you been?”

Yngvar glanced past him to Runa, with a knowing smile. Ulfrik snorted a laugh in answer. “Just working out my leg. So that’s Jarl Frodi? I don’t remember him looking so grand.”

Jarl Frodi led a column of fighting men. His hair and beard were pure white, but their thickness was undiminished by age and both were worn in fat braids. Age had, however, creased the hard planes of his face, and scarred them with battle. Frodi, clad in shining mail and golden armbands, resembled a hero from a saga-a man who knew how to get things done the way he wanted them done. Ulfrik disliked him on sight.

Next to Frodi stood a man who made Magnus seem a bear cub. So much unkempt hair covered him that it was impossible to tell where his beard ended and his bear skins started. His belly protruded like a sack carried over his lap, but fearsome muscles twitched beneath the man’s swarthy skin. An engraved ax-big enough for Ulfrik to wonder if it was useful in battle-was swung over one shoulder. His eyes, underscored by dark circles, squinted at the crowd as if he had smelled a dog fart.

In columns behind were the rest of the traveling force. Frodi’s men were easily identifiable by their green cloaks and careworn mail. Ulfrik counted twenty behind Frodi, and another twenty men, all carrying axes and spears and sporting blue tattoos in place of armbands, behind the other man.

Every man, woman and child bent his knee to the arrival of their jarl. Ulfrik wavered; to bow would diminish his own rank as jarl. Suddenly, Yngvar yanked him down. “Get on your knees!” he hissed in Ulfrik’s ear. “You have to kiss this man’s ass until your lips can take no other shape!”

Frodi waved his men to their feet and walked to Bard with open arms. They embraced, Bard disappearing beneath his father’s bulk and emerging looking as if he had been struck by a felled tree.

“Such a fine welcome.” Frodi addressed the group. “It is good to be home again. And I bring guests. Here is Thor Haklang, the Bear of the South Country and the son of Kjotve the Rich, King of Agder.”

The assembled men stamped their feet in welcome. For his part, Thor raised his hand in peace and spoke with more finesse than his appearance would seem to allow. “It was my pleasure to have had the noble Jarl Frodi as a guest in my father’s hall. I am equally pleased to be invited to his land and welcomed by his people. It is good to be among friends.”

Again, the assembled men stamped and applauded the words.

Yngvar leaned in to Ulfrik. “Tell me he didn’t rehearse that speech the whole trip here.”

Frodi turned directly to face Ulfrik, Yngvar, and Magnus. The noise should have masked Yngvar’s comment, but perhaps Loki made sure it was heard. Ulfrik had grown convinced the only god watching him was the trickster himself. Frodi’s smile fell like thatch from an old roof as he stepped toward Ulfrik. “So, I have another royal guest.” Frodi’s shadow enveloped them all. “I hear the Jarl of Grenner has decided to pay a hasty visit to sample my hospitality. Last I met the Jarl of Grenner, not long ago, he was much older than you. Perhaps memory plays tricks on my old man’s mind?”

Ulfrik considered his response. The moment stretched out for what felt like hours as he stared into Frodi’s hazel eyes. “This is no trick, Jarl Frodi. My father, Orm the Bellower, Jarl of Grenner, is dead. I am Ulfrik, my father’s heir and rightful Jarl of Grenner.”

Frodi did not move or change expression. Chickens clucked in the distance and the clatter of dropped crockery sounded from the hall, but otherwise Ulfrik’s announcement produced no reaction.

When Ulfrik drew breath to speak again, Frodi cut him off. “We will speak of this later.” He spoke out of the side of his mouth, aiming his words at Bard, who was shrinking into the shadow of the doorway. “Tonight is the welcome feast for my guest. We can discuss your circumstances later. For now, Bard will see to you, as he has been.” Evidently finished with Ulfrik, Frodi wheeled around and led Thor Haklang by the arm into his hall. Thor’s men followed.

Frodi’s men broke up to return to their barracks, greeting their fellows with back slaps and bear hugs. The women rushed in to attend the guests and Runa was swept inside with them. She looked back to Ulfrik, still standing where Frodi had left him and flanked by Yngvar and Magnus. Bard followed the women, and did not look back.

Yngvar smiled. “How exciting, a feast.”

***

Men filled the hall, sitting shoulder to shoulder on long tables, eating lamb and fish, drinking and spilling ale. The hall smelled of roasted meats and sweating bodies, and in places, of urine and vomit. The hearth blazed, making men’s eyes glint in the light. Boasts, laughter, arguments, and curses created an endless cycle of noise that was occasionally punctuated by the squeals of a serving girl being groped.

Ulfrik and his companions were seated as far away from the high table as possible. Nevertheless, Ulfrik enjoyed mead and food, thinking it would be his last good meal before Frodi expelled him. He still hoped to bargain with the jarl, but held no great hopes. Instead, he turned a bone over in his hands and remained silent.

“You’re worried about Frodi?” Yngvar said as he chewed.

“No, he was clearly not impressed with me this afternoon. We’re done here. I’m thinking about the future. I want to rebuild. Forget Grenner. I can start over somewhere else, maybe as a tenant on Frodi’s land.”

Yngvar threw his food down on his plate. “Revenge for your family and name? Just forget that?”

“You said yourself that I can’t do it, not with King Harald’s forces at my brother’s back.”

“But I didn’t say you shouldn’t try.”

“I will have to trust Fate. If ever I can challenge Grim, I will. But I have to take care of my people, all three of you.”

Yngvar nodded and smiled. “And Snorri and the others? They’re not your people?”

“I will find a way to send word to them. They can join me whenever they like.”

They fell silent again, Yngvar’s expression betraying nothing of his thoughts. Ulfrik wanted to question his friend more, but then he met Runa’s stare over Yngvar’s back, and her smile erased all thoughts of vengeance. Next to her, Magnus guzzled beer and frowned. Runa turned back to him, whispering as he drooped his head in drunkeness.

She believes in what I want to do. That is enough, Ulfrik thought.

As the night wore on, Frodi and Thor grew red-faced. Frodi’s wife, her hair still blonde despite her age and her skin even fairer than Bard’s, sat between her husband and son. Ulfrik noted that both she and Bard shared the same fake expression of happiness.

Soon Frodi and Thor called attention for rounds of toasts. Then they exchanged elaborate gifts, which made Ulfrik feel ridiculous given that he had nothing to offer. Frodi presented Thor with a gilt box with a symbol of Thor’s hammer on top. Thor gave a statue of Freya carved from walrus ivory, although he lacked fine words this time. Too sodden with drink, Ulfrik thought.

As the hearth fires died, men were falling asleep drunk. Magnus was face down on his plate, and Yngvar was red-faced and wobbly next to him. Ulfrik moved to sit beside Runa, who made room at the bench, shoving Magnus over.

“You’ve cleaned the mud off your pants,” she noted, and smiled.

“Yes, but I am getting a headache from all the noise and smoke. Looks like things are dying down here. Maybe we should go outside again.”

Runa smiled sheepishly and blushed. Ulfrik, suddenly embarrassed, looked away. “I mean just to get some air, and to find someone to take off that collar.”

“Ulfrik, it can wait for tomorrow.”

He leaned toward her, anticipating the softness of her lips.

“Ulfrik Ormsson, Jarl of Grenner and Glorious Vanquisher of Foes! Honor humble Frodi with your presence!” The shout made the few conscious men in the hall jump, and Frodi accented the command by banging the table.

It was enough to shatter the moment with Runa. Ulfrik found himself at his feet before he knew it. Yngvar, too, leaped up.

Frodi and Thor sat at the high table, awaiting him. Men slumbered around them, and Frodi’s wife had gone. Ulfrik assumed Bard was under the table, sleeping off his mead.

“Faster, Jarl Ulfrik, faster! We have matters to discuss,” Frodi thundered.

Ulfrik wiped his mouth and beard with the back of his sleeve and placed one hand on Runa’s shoulder as he stepped around her. She held it in her own for a moment as he walked to the high table. Though his leg had mended well, Ulfrik still limped when he walked, which made him feel like a beggar crawling for a handout. Which is true, he thought.

He stood below the high table, staring up at Frodi and Thor. Frodi drank like a king, but seemed sober enough, although his eyes gleamed with impish glee. Thor sat slumped in his chair, hair and face damp with sweat. Remnants of his meal and drink peppered his beard and clothes. His eyes had become small with drink, and he appeared to be looking without seeing.

“I know your situation well enough, Ulfrik.” Frodi spread both arms out on the table, as though he were holding a ship’s rail in a storm. “Well enough to say you are no jarl. I learned of your father’s death before I returned. Surprised? Nothing happens in or around my borders that I don’t know of.”

Ulfrik realized his face must have betrayed his shock. Had Frodi already known, or was he pretending?

Frodi left Ulfrik no time to consider. “Even your father was hardly a jarl in his own right. I mean no dishonor, but he could only raise thirty men worth taking to battle, and his brother-in-law Auden could add just twenty more. There’s more men and more gold in this hall than in all your father’s lands on his best day. Orm was a good man, and a good neighbor who buffered me from the wolves of Vestfold. But now he is dead, and his brother-in-law is dead, and his pup comes crawling to my hall to proclaim himself a jarl.”

Ulfrik felt his jaw grind, but he said nothing. That Frodi knew of Auden’s death was proof enough that he understood events better than Ulfrik had known.

“Can’t find the words, can you? Spare the effort. Let me tell you what you should be saying. You should be going to your knee, thanking me for my generosity, and begging me to hear your oath of fealty. But you’re not going to do that, are you, Jarl Ulfrik? You are, after all, royalty. Your smiling friend here had to pull you to your knee, and to your senses. You owe him much. I have never tolerated such an insult as you have dumped on me by showing up here. Your hesitation to recognize me in my own hall should have cost your life.” Frodi shot to his feet, his teeth flashing in the firelight like the canines of the wolf that had ravaged Ulfrik’s leg.

Ulfrik’s fists tightened, his throat constricted, and he blinked away anger. But he kept silent. No words would help him here.

“My son, Bard, was over-eager to display the wealth and generosity of our family. But you have been a poor guest. You and your foolish companions have camped in my hall, availed yourselves of my precious winter stockpiles, benefited from my healer, and adorned yourself in new clothes. And yet, you will not kneel! What gifts have you brought for me, for all that I have given you? If you want to play at royalty, then gift me as a jarl should.”

Frodi thumped down into his chair, exhausted. His eyes never moved from Ulfrik’s.

Burning with humiliation, Ulfrik looked to the ale- and vomit-stained floor. Yngvar also hung his head, but remained standing. Those who had not fallen in drunken stupor looked on and Ulfrik could sense their eyes driving home every point Frodi made.

Frodi glowered at him and folded his arms. “No, Ulfrik, you are no jarl. You are an ill-mannered rogue, lacking both shame and a place to call home.”

“I call Grenner home.” He was surprised to find his voice. It encouraged him to continue. “My brother invited those wolves from Vestfold, and poisoned my father to let them in. I am the rightful heir of those lands. As small as you make them out to be, I am still proud of the men who live there. They do not deserve forced servitude to Vestfold.”

“Well, I am touched.” Frodi put a hand laden with gold and silver rings to his chest. “But your pitiful claim to the land diminishes all your brave posturing. Oldest son or not, the land goes to the one strong enough to keep it. Neither you, nor your imbecilic brother, are strong enough. So now I have no more buffer from Vestfold. Ah well, it was fated to be so.”

“The day will come when I reclaim that land or build something greater, Jarl Frodi.” Ulfrik meant it, believed it. He had to believe, had to be strong, even if just for one drunken follower standing next to him.

Frodi clapped his hands slowly and a few men laughed. Even Thor chuckled, spit running from his mouth. “I can hardly wait to see the clash of shield walls. The forces of Vestfold arrayed against Jarl Ulfrik, his hirdman, farmer, and slave girl. The skalds will sing of it till the end of days.”

Ulfrik stepped forward, but Frodi was on his feet again. Several men stood and reached for the knives in their belts. That stopped Ulfrik, although he had not intended violence. Frodi put his hands on his hips. “You may stay here tonight. Keep the clothes you’ve received. Tomorrow I will have your weapons returned, and you will be marched back to the border. If you ever return, I will have horses drag you the length of my lands and then I will put your head on a pole and drop your body in a bog.”

“As you say, Jarl Frodi.” Ulfrik had expected as much but had prayed for more.

“It is as I say,” Frodi said. “Now, before I retire, we must settle the matter of your gift for my hospitality.”

Ulfrik looked up from the patch of floor he had been studying. Foreboding gripped him, holding his guts tight. He had nothing to give, yet Frodi expected something.

“The slave girl,” Frodi said, as if having finally settled after careful thought.

Ulfrik almost thought he had misheard, until Runa cried out behind him.

“Jarl Frodi, she is no slave. I have freed her.”

“I’ll take the slave girl or I’ll take your head on a spear! Which will it be, Jarl Ulfrik? Will you continue to insult me? Will you? If I don’t like the next word you speak, I will sever your insolent tongue and feed it to the pigs. Now, it has been a good feast and my guests have found you entertaining. Let’s not end the night with bloodshed.” Frodi stood, flexing his hands as if awaiting a weapon to grip. “You men, take that girl out of the hall. I don’t want her stolen from me. Now, sleep well.”

Runa shrieked as two men staggered to her, grabbing her as she wrestled and screamed for freedom. She called Ulfrik’s name over and over again, her calls audible even as she was hauled out with Frodi following.

Thor, understanding the show had finished, dropped his head to the table and began to snore. Ulfrik sat down where he stood, his tears coming hot and easy on his cheeks. As beaten as he was, he cared not at all who might see him. His defeat was final.

Twenty

Grim spent the days after Aud’s death in a spiral of confusion and desperation. He had been cursed. Never to know a woman and to die at Ulfrik’s hand: he could think of nothing worse. Neither could his men. News had spread, and men did not want to be sworn to a cursed jarl.

No one understood this more than Vandrad. He summoned a man from his ranks who claimed the ability to ward off evil magic. Twisted in old age and bone thin, the man, Lini, was of Vandrad’s personal household.

“Sever the witch’s head before burning the body with ash wood until there is nothing but soot,” he instructed Grim, pointing at Aud’s corpse. “Bring me her hand and something of your brother’s. I’ll make a charm against the curse. Then bury her ashes in an open field and pile it with twenty stones to keep her spirit in the grave.”

Grim hung on Lini’s words, nodding incessantly as he spoke. The hall was cleared of everyone but Vandrad and his two bodyguards, who sat at the benches, a few feet from where Aud’s corpse lay covered in a gray sheet.

“Why would you do this, Grim?” Vandrad had asked the question at least seven times. Grim had stopped answering him. “The men are ready to revolt, even my own. Of all the stupid things. Bah, there’s nothing to do but to repair the damage.”

Grim felt as it was his father, Orm, berating him again, but he dared not speak up. Vandrad had every excuse to kill him. If it were not for his usefulness as a puppet jarl of Grenner, Grim expected Vandrad would have done so already. Maybe I killed he wrong person, he thought as he watched Vandrad thinking.

“Lord Grim must show his men that he is not affected by the curse, and that the gods favor him.” Lini mopped his sweat-beaded forehead with a cloth, even though cold night air invaded the hall through unclosed windows.

Grim wondered if Lini feared him, or feared the spirit of the dead witch. It made him shudder to think Aud’s ghost might be hovering over him. His hands closed around his amulet of Thor’s Hammer. “How can I do that?”

“Killing your brother would be the best,” Lini offered. “But if you lie with a woman, it will prove the curse is untrue. When I make my amulet, it should allow you to take a woman to your bed.”

“We need more than that,” Vandrad said, throwing his hands into the air. “That could all be faked. You must make things right with the gods. The men need to see you do it. Sacrifice your slaves and a tenth of your wealth to the gods. Nothing is more powerful than human sacrifice and gold.”

“A tenth of my wealth,” Grim repeated, not thinking at all about the slaves. “Why so much?”

“Because the men need to see you do it!” Vandrad sprang up from the table. “You made this mess, and you will fix it. King Harald’s orders are that I keep you here as jarl as long as I see fit. And I’d rather you rule this dung heap so I can leave and rejoin my king. But test me once more, and I will put another in your place. Understood?”

Grim let go of his amulet, and rose to face Vandrad. He tried to prevent his lips from snarling, but the menace in his reply was clear. “I understand, Vandrad. I’ve earned my title, and I won’t let it go so easily.”

Vandrad smiled. “Then I’ll leave you with Lini. I expect you to do as he instructs.”

Vandrad’s gaze swept across Lini and Grim to Aud’s corpse. He frowned and spat at the body, a ward against evil. Then he spun around and left the hall.

***

Grim owned only four slaves, and at dawn the next day he hanged them all, getting them drunk on ale before taking them to their deaths. Even in their condition, they panicked, screamed and struggled when they saw the noose. Grim’s favorite slave girl vomited on him when he hauled her up, so he let her dangle and kick. But he pulled the legs of the other three to hasten their end. Grim implored Odin to see the sacrifices given in his name, and the men in attendance, including Vandrad, nodded approvingly at his prayers.

When it was finished, the shadow of a bird, gliding high in the flat winter sky, passed over them. All agreed it was a positive omen, and that Odin had seen the work Grim had done. As they turned to leave, the slaves’ corpses swayed on ropes behind them; they would remain there until they rotted.

Sacrificing his gold to Frigg took place in the evening, and was much harder. Grim invited Vandrad and only his closest men, not wanting lesser men to estimate his wealth, lest they demand more of it. His father’s treasures were kept in a secret compartment in his room at the hall. Grim spent hours selecting the pieces for sacrifice. He pulled out a silver chain and dropped it into the bag, only to replace it with a gold ring. Moments later, the gold ring would be replaced by another trinket. The treasure was beautiful; he cringed to part with any of it, but he had to buy Frigg’s favor. Eventually, he filled the leather bag with gold and silver tribute.

At the lake, Grim stood on a rocky outcrop surrounded by hirdmen holding torches. Vandrad carried the treasure and handed it to Grim when his prayers to Frigg were completed. The weighty bag of precious metals swayed in Grim’s grasp. He hesitated. One tenth of his wealth was about to be dragged to the bottom of the lake by the spirits within and whisked away to Asgard. After another moment’s hesitation, he spun the bag out over the lake. A dull plop reported that the sacrifice was made. Grim waited for some sign, but received none. He hoped his reluctance had not undermined his efforts. But Vandrad and his hirdmen seemed pleased.

“Well done, Grim.” Vandrad clapped him on the shoulder. “The gods will favor you now. I am sure.”

Grim had a feast prepared to celebrate, but with the slaves gone, his hirdmen’s women had to cook. If it displeased anyone, he did not notice. With his hall bright again and filled with boasting, laughing men, Grim guzzled mead happily. The aroma of roasting meat and fish hid the stench of death and sulfur Aud had left behind. By the end of night, warm with drink and food, even Grim had forgotten what everyone was celebrating. And when the fires died and the men returned to their beds, Grim returned to his and slept a drunken, dreamless sleep.

***

You are absolutely certain of this? You followed their tracks and saw Ulfrik yourself? You swear to this?” Through a bitter wind, Grim strode to the edge of a clearing before the woods. Above him, blue and gray clouds promised a storm. He was swathed in heavy furs, so the cold did not touch him; in fact, his brow was damp with sweat. What had begun as a walk to clear away the fog of feasting had become something far more exciting. The scout he had sent to Magnus’s farm had returned.

“I swear it, Lord Grim.” The man was breathing hard.

“This is incredible,” Grim said, as he turned and bounded over the muddy ground toward the hall. “They left a path to follow-how stupid!”

Grim laughed all the way back to the hall. It was midday, and Vandrad would either be there eating with his hirdmen or with the levies camped nearby. He planned to get Vandrad and his men onto Ulfrik’s trail immediately, to put those idle, wealth-sucking pigs to work on something other than his nerves. He crashed into the hall, throwing wide the doors, not seeing anything as his eyes adjusted to the dimness. The tracker plodded in behind, panting.

“I have found Ulfrik,” he shouted to the few shapes he saw in the murk. The shutters were closed against the wind and only dull hearth light illuminated the forms of Vandrad and his hirdmen at the high table. Grim stomped across to them. “Not only has he been found, but he has been injured. The gods are truly with me now!”

He halted before Vandrad, looking up at his own high table as if he were a guest. Vandrad sat with three of his closest hirdmen-strong, vigorous men clad in winter clothing lined with fox fur. Gold glinted on Vandrad’s hand when he raised it to stroke his beard. “The gods certainly do seem more inclined to you now. But tell me the story. Is this the man who found him?” He beckoned to the tracker. “Come forward, man. Tell me your name and your tale.”

Grim’s brow furrowed. It was his hall and his man, but Vandrad was sitting above him, giving orders. For once, Grim did not complain, wanting to get the tracker’s story out so they could get on with hunting Ulfrik. “Go on. Tell them what you told me.”

The tracker came forward, removing a fur cap and unslinging his pack of traveling gear. “My name is Orlyg, Jarl Vandrad.”

Grim noted the man’s name, committing it to memory, since this man had done some good. Despite having lived in Grenner all his life, Grim knew few of his men’s names. Most of his few friends were now gone, dead, or no longer talking to him. The few he had trusted proved useless, like Snorri and Konrad.

So Grim listened as Orlyg described finding clear tracks in the snow that led southwest. Ulfrik had made no effort to conceal his passing, leaving tracks, campfires, and other debris.

“I knew they were moving with purpose,” Orlyg said. “I could see where they noted the landmarks and I guessed they were making for the border of Jarl Frodi’s territory.”

Vandrad leaned forward at that. “And was that where they went?”

“Yes,” Orlyg removed his bowstave and leaned on it as he continued. “I followed for a few days, to be certain of their destination. They were not prepared for winter travel and I thought they would die before crossing Frodi’s border.”

He went on to describe the wolf attacks and how Ulfrik’s leg was torn. Grim chortled again at the news, but Vandrad waved him to silence. Orlyg told them about Frodi’s scouts disarming them, although he was too far away to hear what was said. When asked how he avoided the wolves, Orlyg smiled. “The forest spirits have always favored me. It is why I am a tracker and hunter, Jarl Vandrad. But I was far enough behind Ulfrik’s group to avoid the wolf pack, and I stayed up in the trees.”

Grim stepped in front of Orlyg to speak, and the tracker stepped back in surprise.

“So now we take your levies and march to Frodi’s hall. Ulfrik will not be ready for us, and he is weakened.”

Vandrad’s nose wrinkled with distaste, as if Grim had just shit his pants in the hall. The other hirdmen seemed equally repulsed. Grim wheeled around, expecting to see someone behind him, but found only a few women fussing by the hearth. Ignoring Grim, Vandrad spoke past him to Orlyg. “You’ve done a fine job of tracking. It is brave work to be the eyes of your masters in places where they cannot go. Take this for your service.” He twisted a silver band off his finger and tossed it down to Orlyg.

Grim watched in annoyance. Does such a simple task as following a straight track in the snow require a reward?

Orlyg bowed low enough to make Grim hope he might hit his head on the corner of the high table. After hearty thanks to Vandrad, he nodded curtly to Grim as he shouldered his bag and left. Silence followed his exit.

Grim turned back to Vandrad. “As I said, Ulfrik is at his weakest now. So we strike…”

“We do nothing of the sort, Grim.” Vandrad and his hirdmen looked down on him, and shadows etched furrows in their hard faces as they refused Grim’s commands in his own hall.

“Your adventure with Ulfrik is over. He is a broken, homeless man. He has fled and is no longer a threat. It’s likely Frodi will enslave him and sell him back to you.”

Grim stood dumbfounded, as if someone had pulled away his cup just as he was about to tip it to his mouth. His stomach burned, his face grew taut, and a scowl pulled at the still-healing wound on his cheek. “I do not need your say, Vandrad. Ulfrik is my sworn enemy. Your man Lini even said that killing Ulfrik would secure the men’s loyalty. Now is the chance to catch him before he disappears forever.”

“Well, start chasing him.” Vandrad waved his hand in the air dismissively, and then leaned back and laughed with this hirdmen. “He’s out there somewhere. I’m sure you can march all around the world looking for him. Good luck paying for that journey.”

They laughed again, and continued laughing as Grim shouted back at them, “There’s no search! Frodi has him. We will march in and take him, or Frodi will hand him over. Why are you laughing?”

“Because you are humorous, Grim. Would we laugh otherwise?” Vandrad slapped the table. His sycophantic companions joined him, making Grim’s head pound with the racket.

“I have my own men,” Grim continued. “They will follow me. We will tear down Frodi’s hall with Ulfrik inside if we have to.”

Vandrad shot to his feet, ending the effusive laughter. “I am your better, Grim. You have sworn oaths to High King Harald and I am his law in this land. Now understand this: you will not waste any more scant resources pursuing this argument with your brother. King Harald sent me with men from his levy to pacify this shitheap and the over-proud farmers who wallow here. I’ve done that. Now you have one simple task: keep this place quiet while Harald consolidates in the north. That’s it. That’s all you do. No marching around like warriors. No threatening your neighbors. Nothing! Sit here and play king for a while. The true king will arrive soon enough.”

“Then give the true king more than what he expects to find. Give him Frodi’s lands too.” The plan came to Grim’s mind and exited his mouth before he understood it himself. He was surprised at his words. Vandrad apparently felt the same. His expression softened.

Figuring the gods were providing his words, Grim pressed his advantage. “Those are rich lands that will yield many gifts for High King Harald.”

Vandrad sat down again, considering Grim’s suggestion. Then he smiled. “It is a worthy idea. But do you suppose I had not already considered it? Let us face reality, Grim. I know you have spent little time with reality, but it is necessary for successful rulership. The levies are men culled from the farms of our territories. Some are seasoned fighting men, but most are exactly what they are: farmers with old weapons and rusted armor. Many of your best men were expended fighting off the rebels in your own lands, and the rest are inexperienced recruits like my levies. Jarl Frodi, however, is a rich man with a vital core of raiding men. He can put to sea three full ships of well-armed hirdmen this very night. While you are marching to his lands, he will be sailing up your backside and tearing this place to the ground. Then he’d march back and put you and your men into early graves.”

Vandrad thumped the table again to emphasis the point, and then fell quiet. His hirdmen stroked their beards and nodded in agreement. But Grim was sick of these fools. The gods were on his side. Now was his time to act.

“You talk as though Frodi knows we are coming already,” he said.

“He’s no fool. By now he knows what happened here, and he’ll be expecting us at the first sign of lasting good weather.”

“So we go during bad weather. It’s not so far to march. And if he is not expecting us, his levies will be at their farms and his hirdmen will die burning in their hall. I’ve given the gods a generous sacrifice. They are on my side!”

Vandrad’s hand idly thrummed the table. He gave no sign of his thoughts, his face flat and dark. Even his own hirdmen began to give him sidelong glances, searching for how they should react.

Grim just held his breath. He felt the gods telling him to be still. Wind bucked the shutters and Vandrad’s thrumming matched the rhythm. He looked right through Grim for a long moment before he spoke again. “The gods favor you, you say? Would you wager on that?” Vandrad suddenly clenched his fingers, as though snatching up coins from the table.

“I would wager. They have shown me signs. The bird in the sky-we all saw it. It was a raven.” Grim smiled. The gods were speaking through him, he knew it.

“The bird was too far off to tell. But let’s talk about my wager. I will lead the levy with you to Frodi’s hall. If we succeed in capturing it, then you will have the first pick of the spoils, as well as your brother’s head. However, if there is any serious resistance or things turn bad, I will call the retreat. And, if you survive such a failure, I will end your rule of Grenner and exile you from these lands.”

Grim stepped back, holding up his hands. It was an absurd wager. Why should he have to stake his rightfully inherited land for assisting in an effort that was to the High King’s advantage? Vandrad smiled coyly, awaiting his answer.

But Grim wanted this. There would be enough men to bring Ulfrik to heel and prevent his escape. Grim wouldn’t even have to face him, and if he did, well, Lini was making a charm against the curse.

“I agree,” he said without thinking further. “We leave at once, and we will catch Frodi unaware, asleep in his hall. It will burn to the ground, you’ll see.”

“You swear it, with these men as witnesses?” Vandrad gestured to his hirdmen. All four men looked down on Grim with slit eyes and twisted grins. Seeing them all at the high table of his hall suddenly made Grim reconsider. Maybe they will be seated there permanently after this raid. He thrashed his head, rejecting his own thoughts. “I do swear it,” he said, louder than he meant to. “You lead the levies as you described. If we fail, I forfeit my right to rule here.”

“To rule anywhere,” Vandrad added.

“To rule anywhere,” Grim agreed.

Vandrad laughed again, jubilantly this time. One of the hirdmen poured mead for all of them, handing a cup down to Grim. They all drank on the wager. Grim wiped his mouth with his sleeve. The mead tasted like revenge to him: warm and sweet.?

Twenty-one

Ulfrik awoke to someone kicking him. He rolled onto his back and squinted up at the black rafters of Frodi’s hall. Things melted into focus and he became aware that men were rushing around him while others shouted orders. As sleep drained away, he was kicked again. One of Frodi’s warriors hunched over him, cradling Fate’s Needle. “Get up. Invaders are coming.” He dropped the sword at Ulfrik’s side. “Find a shield and form up outside. Jarl Frodi is leading the defense.”

All around, men were roused from their dull slumber. Women, children, and the elderly filed into the hall, their eyes bright with panic.

He found Yngvar shaking Magnus awake.

“Who’s attacking?” Ulfrik asked the man who woke him.

“Frodi will tell you. Just get yourself ready.” The man left to wake others.

“It’s Harald’s man,” Yngvar told him. “I was awake when scouts came with reports.”

Magnus leaped to his feet, pulling Yngvar by the shoulder. “Then Grim is with him. Time to gut that pig once and for all.”

Ulfrik had nothing to say; Magnus had said it all. The Fates have strange plans for men, of that much he was certain. He was less certain of how Grim knew where to find him. Was his brother coming here because of him, or for some other plan?

“Come on, Ulfrik,” Magnus roared, his breath stinking of ale and sleep. “The gods will grant us revenge today. Look, we’ve got our weapons and armor back.”

Yngvar snatched some plain shields from the wall. They were sturdy, rimmed with leather and with an iron boss. He handed them out and they shoved through the stream of commoners crowding the hall.

The morning sun was just staining the sky, creating a yellow stripe on the horizon, and the cold breeze carried a taste of the sea. A few paces from the hall, Frodi and Thor were conversing with their closest hirdmen. Around them, men in leathers and mail checked their shields and spears, laughing as if still at a feast. Here were men who relished war; a battle after a night of drinking was a gift to them.

Bard appeared between the men. His eyes met Ulfrik’s and he had no choice but to acknowledge him with a slow nod. Bard looked pale and frightened, although girded for war in shining mail and leather. A sword with a silver inlaid hilt was strapped at his waist and an iron-rimmed shield, painted yellow and black, was slung on his arm. Ulfrik stalked straight to him.

“Where have you taken Runa?” He seized Bard’s free arm.

Bard pulled it away, and several men gave Ulfrik a warning look. But Ulfrik didn’t care. “What have you done with her?”

“It is not my choice.” Bard refused to meet Ulfrik’s gaze. “But she is safe.”

Ulfrik was about to reply when Frodi stepped up to them. Standing beside his son, he stared Ulfrik in the eye. His mail gleamed brighter than any other, and he wore an iron helm with a face guard. It made him look like an eagle.

“So, your brother is even more stupid than you, if that is possible. After years of peace, with no provocation your family brings war to my land. Had you left a day earlier, I’d have taken you for a spy come to count my spears. But you are here, and your brother is bumbling through the woods, not even sure of where he is. You must not be working together, eh?”

“My brother deserves death,” Ulfrik said, coldly. “He murdered my father and burned my uncle.” Ulfrik met Frodi’s pale eyes. “Let me stand in your shield wall, and I will show you that I mean to avenge my family.”

“I love a good family fight,” Frodi said and laughed. “You may stand in my shield wall, but it changes nothing. Do not think it will.”

“Grim’s death is enough for me.” Ulfrik looked back to Bard, who recoiled at the statement. Frodi held Ulfrik’s gaze until he turned away to rejoin his men, taking Bard with him.

“Bard is a weakling, don’t you think?” Yngvar suddenly appeared at his shoulder. He was bright-eyed and limber, as though he had not been staggering with drink the night before. “He’s going to stain that fine mail coat yellow with piss.”

Ulfrik glanced quickly at Yngvar, then focused on the distant tree line. There was no sign of an attacking party yet, but he knew Grim would be marching from that direction. The only other approach was from the sea, and Grim didn’t possess enough ships for that. No, he thought, the attackers will emerge from the trees and form up before marching the final distance. Grim will likely be at the center of the line. Ulfrik was grinding his teeth in anticipation. He would not get Grenner back, but he would avenge his father, Auden, and his honor. No more running now.

Frodi shouted orders to his men, telling them where to stand and where to fall back. He had a fighting core of sixty men in good armor and weapons, along with a group of farmers with bows. Fortunately, all the men had all been present for the feast or gathering them would have been impossible at such short notice. Added to Frodi’s men were Thor Haklang’s twenty guards. Thor was apparently ready for a fight. Although it was not his land to defend, he had an alliance to consider. He and his men stood apart, shouting and growling like beasts. Thor wore heavy bear skins that would serve him as well as any mail. His men passed about a bowl, from which each drank. Thor took it last and drained it before throwing it down with a howl. He thrashed his head like an angry bull.

“A berserker,” Yngvar noted. “He and his men are worth three of every one of Frodi’s. We’ll be lucky to get to Grim before he’s hacked to ribbons.”

“He’s mine,” Ulfrik said, watching Thor striking out and screaming at unseen foes.

“He’s mine.” Magnus echoed Ulfrik’s words.

Ulfrik and Yngvar both swung their heads towards their own bear warrior. His eyes were bloodshot with drink, and his face taut with hate. He wore his furs around the shoulders and his plain shield on his back. “My family will be avenged in blood.”

Ulfrik turned back to the tree line. The sun was climbing the eastern horizon, throwing the edge of the woods into shadow. Soon, men will emerge there, Ulfrik thought, and only the gods will know who will have vengeance.

***

The attack did not come with dawn. Despite all the men arranged for battle, there was hardly a sound. Only Thor Haklang roared and cursed, and his men shielded him in their midst to prevent him from fighting Frodi’s men. They all stood loosely arrayed on the hill before Frodi’s hall. Ulfrik appreciated its strategic location. From this vantage point, every approach to the hall could be observed. Leather and metal creaked and clanked as they waited. When no invaders appeared, Frodi had sent scouts, and one was running back now.

When he reached Frodi, there was a ripple of activity. Then Frodi’s yellow and black banner raised above the men. “The rats are wary,” Frodi called out to his line. “They saw us ready for them and thought about running back to their holes.” Laughter flowed from the men. “But they’re moving again.”

Frodi drew his short blade and pointed it at the tree line. The dawn sun illuminated the trees, pointing to the shapes of men shambling from the forest and forming a block of warriors bristling with spears. Into the light came the banner of Ulfrik’s father-black elk antlers on a flag of green. Ulfrik winced at the sight of it being carried into battle against him, but this was Fate’s decree. Bobbing even higher than it was King Harald’s banner, white with a huge raven dominating the center. As it came into view, Thor Haklang screamed as though impaled.

With the enemy in sight, all of the men began to jeer and call out. They banged their weapons on shields, stomped the earth, screamed curses. Ulfrik joined in as well, shouting for Grim to come and find his death. He could not see Grim, but he knew his brother must be close to the green banner.

The invaders marched halfway up the road to where squat barracks huddled to the left, but otherwise Grim and his men would have to approach without cover. Archers were moving behind the building, apparently unnoticed by Grim’s men.

Frodi’s forces raised such a clamor that Ulfrik’s ears were already ringing. Next to him, Magnus was screaming himself hoarse. Yngvar had lost his smile, but made no sound at all.

Soon, Grim and two other men separated from the group and came forward for the customary parley before a battle. Frodi, Bard and another warrior stepped out to meet them. Thor was too delirious to be of any use. Ulfrik ran out as well, but Frodi rounded on him. “Get back in line. You’ve no business speaking for me on my land.”

“Let me count the enemy for you,” Ulfrik suggested, though he only wanted a better look at Grim. Suddenly, the prospect of killing his brother felt repugnant. Grim had committed indefensible crimes, and Ulfrik was honor-bound to extract justice, but looking at his younger brother’s dark shape opposite, he felt weak. Will I be able to do this when my moment comes?

“Get back in line,” Frodi commanded, moving forward again.

Ulfrik obeyed, but pointed his sword at Grim before going. The black shape of his brother was inscrutable.

The parley was brief. Grim appeared to yell immediately, only being restrained by another man Ulfrik guessed was Harald’s man, Vandrad. Frodi was shaking his head while Vandrad gesticulated. Grim pointed to Ulfrik, and for a moment Ulfrik thought Frodi might surrender him, but instead the parley ended with both sides stalking back to their lines.

“Probably told Frodi they would go if he surrendered us,” Yngvar yelled above the roar of the men. “If it were just Grim, Frodi might’ve considered it. But Harald’s man would make a fine prisoner. Imagine the ransom.”

Ulfrik knew it was true. Grim and Vandrad had probably anticipated a smaller force and the benefit of surprise. Now they faced a superior, sizable and better-equipped foe, and Frodi knew he stood a good chance of capturing a wealthy hostage. Grim had marched too close to turn back without the risk of being overrun. Besides, the loss of honor would be so staggering he would lose the support of his men.

Now came the waiting game. Frodi would not leave the advantage the high ground afforded, and Grim would not want to attack uphill. Both sides called curses and insults across the fifty yards of open ground. Grim had no archers, but Frodi’s were moving around the back of the barracks house to reappear behind Grim’s line and drive the enemy forward. Slaughter awaited Grim.

Maybe I won’t even have to fight him, Ulfrik thought. But Fate has not been so kind to me yet.

He could see the sturdy, muscular form of his brother dressed in mail, black furs and a new helm with a metal visor like Frodi’s. Ulfrik imagined he could see whites of Grim’s eyes behind the visor, and he laughed at the fear he saw there. His peal of laughter started the battle.

On Grim’s left flank, men began to detach from the line. Eight or ten men, some hirdmen by the looks of their armor, rushed forward with their arms held up. The largest one, at the front, called out, “Lord Ulfrik! We fight for Lord Ulfrik!”

Ulfrik lowered both shield and blade as the men ran forward, calling his name. It was Snorri, and the men he had promised. Ulfrik felt his eyes grow hot at the sight of them.

Realizing the betrayal, Grim screamed to the ranks behind him. “Kill them! Don’t let the traitors go!”

Thor Haklang charged, his men unable to restrain him any longer. The rest of Frodi’s forces followed. Answering Thor’s berserk scream, Frodi’s archers emerged from the cover of the barracks house and fired into the enemy’s flanks. Grim’s men were launching spears toward the traitors, but they could not reach the bowmen. The time for combat was at hand. Grim and his men lurched forward.

Ulfrik jumped back to his place in the line, with Yngvar to his left and Magnus on his right. Calls to lock shields ran along the line as each man protected the warrior to his left. The rear ranks raised spears to fight over the shield wall in front. Men on both sides howled battle cries. Snorri and the other deserters from Grim’s forces were squeezed out of the rapidly diminishing space between the two armies. Thor hit the left flank of Grim’s line like a boulder dropped from the sky. His massive ax shattered a shield, and the warrior behind him speared the exposed victim through the guts.

Ulfrik stole one last look at Grim. His brother was a head shorter than the men around him, which made Ulfrik laugh again. Every man reacts differently to the pressure of combat; for Ulfrik, it created a sensation of carefree, heady joy.

“Spears!” someone screamed, and Ulfrik saw the enemy skid to a halt. Men in the first and second ranks hauled back their spears and let fly. Ulfrik ducked behind his shield as he heard the swoosh and thud. Some fell short; others sailed overhead. Nothing landed on Ulfrik, but to his right Magnus stepped back as a spear impaled his shield. The wooden shaft snapped, and the long spearhead bent. Spears-designed to break after one throw, denying the enemy a chance to reuse them-were not expected to kill, only to add weight and encumbrance to enemy shields.

Ulfrik looked up again. For a moment, the world was without sound. Ulfrik could not even hear his heartbeat, although he felt it in his chest. The enemy line silently locked shields. Their faces contorted by battle cries as they charged uphill in a pantomime of war.

Then came the explosive din as the lines clashed. Louder than thunder, wooden shields slammed together and the peal of battle cries washed over the combatants. The men behind Ulfrik shoved him forward, while the foe in front pressed into him. Ulfrik plunged his sword beneath his shield, knowing his enemy would do the same. But Ulfrik was faster, feeling his blade catch on his foe’s arm and seeing his antagonist’s eyes become pale and wide with pain.

Spears punctured the front ranks, seeking flesh. Along the line, men shoved and stabbed, and mashed at each other with shield and ax. A spear blade grazed Ulfrik’s cheek before it was hastily pulled back for a second stab. Magnus raised his shield higher, preventing the spear’s next jab, and Ulfrik did the same to protect Yngvar. Short swords and long knives worked beneath and between the shields. Men screamed and blood flowed as the real work of battle began.

The faces of Ulfrik’s enemies appeared only momentarily in the gap between the shields. But Ulfrik’s muscles were fired by battle lust, and he struck like a snake. Fate’s Needle slid into his foe’s exposed white face, sending a spray of blood up its length as it tore cheek and eye. The man screamed and reeled backward, and Ulfrik pushed forward to finish the man. As each enemy warrior crumpled, more pressed forward, impeded this time by the corpses of their comrades.

Beside him, Yngvar and Magnus grunted out punishment to the men before them. The enemy now stood on the slope of the hill, their footing uncertain. Ulfrik’s part of the line bulged forward, he noticed, as did other sections. It resembled a serpent of glinting steel and thrusting spears. Banners from both sides waved above the tossing heads of the warriors, but the Raven and Elk banners were now lower down the hill.

Exploiting Ulfrik’s inattention, his new opponent hooked his ax over Magnus’s shield, yanking it down. Ulfrik crouched, not having to see the spear to know it would come seeking the opening. The enemy spear cleared his head, and Ulfrik returned with his own sword beneath the shield. He gouged an enemy, but could not tell whom he had struck.

The axman continued to hold the gap open. Magnus roared against it, but his shield was already weighed down by the broken spear. A renewed shove came from behind-Frodi’s men driving their own spears into the gap. Just as Ulfrik thought he would trip on the corpse before him and be forced to drop his own shield, the ax released with a howl and Magnus snapped his shield arm back into place.

The crush of the enemy eased. Ulfrik found himself being shoved downhill by the men behind him. Then a horn blasted at the center of the line. The Elk banner toppled like a felled tree, eliciting cheers from Frodi’s men, who burst into the gap in the enemy shield wall. The line had been broken. The foe were in retreat. Before him, the retreating forces broke, and scattered. Yngvar plunged forward, calling for Ulfrik to follow.

“Griiiiiiiim!” Magnus screamed, reminding Ulfrik that the true work was still ahead.

***

The enemy stumbled down the hill with Frodi’s men in pursuit. They could flee to the sea, where they would die, or to the woods, from which they might escape. Frodi anticipated the woods and bellowed to the men around him to cut off that route. The archers were in position to send shaft after shaft into the retreating enemy, driving the fleeing warriors toward the sea, but there were too few of them. Frodi’s men were also more concerned with spoils than tactics, a lapse in discipline that allowed the enemy to escape annihilation.

Through the mill of screaming men, Ulfrik hunted for Grim. The Elk banner had fallen, obscuring his brother’s position in the turmoil. But the Raven banner still flew, and Grim would be close by; Magnus realized that too, and ran toward it.

Both men ran diagonally through the retreating force, like struggling up a fast-flowing river with a flood of warriors in pursuit, all with the same goal. Everyone wanted Harald’s man as a hostage. The chaos slowed Ulfrik down. Magnus, in his rage, struck out at anyone in his path and Ulfrik had to pull him back more than once.

At the bottom of the hill, the Raven standard stopped and shook violently above the fray, probably being held aloft while the bearer fought on. It was at the center of a throng of men, all leaping into the melee. Ulfrik despaired. How to get to it?

Magnus stopped too, heaving, and then screamed his frustration. Men were fleeing all around them, and pockets of combat erupted wherever retreat had failed. A brawny man in black furs, who was a good head shorter than the three others who ran beside him, hurtled away from Ulfrik.

“Grim! Grim, I am coming for you!” Magnus was running before Ulfrik could even start. Grim was pulling far ahead, bolting faster than Ulfrik imagined he could. With death fast behind, Ulfrik supposed that he could run just as quickly. Grim glanced over his shoulder just once, and his fine helm clattered from his head, such was his velocity. Ulfrik and Magnus were closing the distance. Ulfrik felt his wolf-bitten leg burn with the strain, but he was gaining on his brother and a smile adorned his face.

Still running, Grim waved toward the woods, and Ulfrik’s smile bent to a frown. He did not have long to wonder at the meaning. A handful of men in brown furs and green capes stepped from the trees, arrows already on their bowstrings-the archers that had not come to the fight. Without thought, Ulfrik dropped to his knees. A starburst of pain exploded in his leg as he crashed into the stony earth. He pulled his shield over him as the first arrows hissed down, one catching the leather edge of his shield.

Grim, or more likely Vandrad, had expected the likelihood of retreat and left bowmen to cover their escape. With yards of open ground to cover, it would be death to press on. Ulfrik screamed curses beneath his shield until he was sure blood would spray from his hoarse throat. A lone arrow hit the ground an arm’s length away, and Ulfrik knew he had to back up or die. He and Magnus had rushed far ahead of other pursuers. They would be the archers’ only targets until reinforcements arrived.

Magnus! The name flashed to his mind. The fool had not stopped running. Ulfrik peered around his shield. The big man was shambling the final distance to Grim. The archers, realizing they faced no opposition, calmly strode out and paused to fire off shafts as he came. Magnus already had three in him, at least that Ulfrik could see. Two more hung on his shield. Grim and his three companions watched in silence. The quality of one man’s mail and helm identified him as Vandrad. Over the distance, Magnus’s roar was dull and small, even if still laced with revenge.

Ulfrik stood, thrust his shield before him, and began to run. He could see Magnus ahead, squaring off with Grim, but it was not going to be a fair fight. Three more combatants fanned out around them. Ulfrik redoubled his efforts to run, his injured leg throbbing. An arrow slammed into his shield with such force that he staggered backward, glancing down to see the arrow had completely penetrated the wood.

When he looked back up, Vandrad had knocked away Magnus’s shield as easily as one would from a child. Magnus hurtled forward with a ridiculous swipe at Grim-so wild and ineffectual that Ulfrik wondered if Magnus had given up. Grim’s laughter carried as he struck forward with a flick of his muscled arm and sliced Magnus’s throat with his sword. A jet of blood arced over Magnus’s toppling body. The other men jabbed him with spears as he fell. As a final insult, Vandrad hammered down with his sword, cleaving Magnus’s skull with a wet crack.

Ulfrik slowed, screaming Magnus’s name. Another arrow skipped across the ground before him, but where the bowmen had advanced before, now they retreated. The rest of the pursuers were arriving, Ulfrik realized. Their fattest game was escaping.

Grim and Vandrad eyed each other, both standing over Magnus’s ruined body like black-garbed devils. With his bloodied sword, Grim pointed to Ulfrik and held up a string of bones that hung about his neck. Ulfrik did not understand the significance, but he understood the challenge.

He did not bother to pursue it, only howled impotently; there would be no justice today.

Grim kicked away Magnus’s sword before turning to run. All around, fleeing men passed him, slipping into the safety of the woods. The pursuers slowed, fearing the arrows that came screaming at them from the shield of trees. It had been a glorious victory for Frodi, but to Ulfrik it was the most bitter loss imaginable.

“Magnus,” Ulfrik whispered to himself. “Your revenge is mine, my friend. Your name will be sung in my hall for all my days. I swear it on my life.”

Birds fled the commotion in the woods, their wings a rain of shadows over Ulfrik’s head. He might have considered it a good omen, had he not already decided the gods’ portents were unreliable. Only when Grim was dead at his feet would he place any more trust in omens.

Twenty-two

Ulfrik made a litter out of Magnus’s cloak and rolled his friend’s corpse into it. Yngvar, who arrived with the rest of the pursuers, still splattered with sweat and gore, said nothing as he helped Ulfrik prepare the body. Ill-aimed arrows sailed past the two while they worked in quiet dignity to place a sword on Magnus’s chest and fold his hands across the hilt. Together, they carried him through the stream of men who were either fleeing or pursuing in the opposite direction. Somewhere, a horn blew, presumably to call the men back to Frodi’s hall before they became overextended.

The trip back was long, slow drudgery. When they came to the place where Grim’s abandoned helm glinted on the ground, Ulfrik grunted to Yngvar to stop while he retrieved it. He looked at it long moments before scooping it up and placing it on his head. It fit well enough. I will wear it as a reminder of this day, he decided.

The morning air smelled of salt and blood when they finally returned to the hall. Where the shield walls had collided, bodies were littered, strewn about like flotsam washed ashore on the tide. A few of Frodi’s men prowled the fallen enemy with knives, slitting throats for good measure. The injured gurgled a final protest. The dead just stared with the accusatory gaze only corpses can manage. All in all, the dead were less numerous than the chaos had warranted.

Finding a place away from the carnage, Ulfrik and Yngvar placed Magnus’s body on the ground. His face was unrecognizable, cleft in two and caked with gore. Yngvar covered it with the cloak. “He was a good man,” he said.

“He has gone on to the feasting hall,” Ulfrik said, looking at nothing but seeing Grim’s face taunting him, over and over, in his mind’s eye. “He died a warrior’s death, and we’ll see him again.”

They bowed their heads, unable to say more.

“Ulfrik!”

The call came from further up the hill. Turning, he saw Snorri waving to him. Three of Frodi’s spearmen guarded Snorri and the seven other men who had betrayed Grim. All were seated, with their weapons stacked outside the triangle of spearmen. Some were simple farmers who had drilled with Orm; others, like Snorri, were hirdmen. All of them were now without a lord or a home.

Ulfrik clasped Snorri about the shoulders in greeting. “I heard I have you to thank for the return of my sword,” he said as they parted again.

“The girl was true to her word, then. I had my doubts. There came no word from you until Grim learned you were here. When he mustered us for battle, I knew it would be our only chance to join with you.”

The other men stood, and Snorri turned to introduce them. Ulfrik missed the first few names. In battle, all thoughts of Runa had faded, but her mention renewed the pain of her loss. Snorri stopped talking, alerting Ulfrik to his rudeness. He shook his head and apologized. “You all know Magnus. Grim killed him today.”

The men dropped their heads, murmuring their anger. Snorri nodded toward the covered corpse. “I suspected that was your burden. He was a fine man, and he died a brave death. He will be avenged.”

The other men echoed their agreement, but when their words faded they stood in awkward silence. Ulfrik felt his eyes mist again. He did not want to shame himself before men who had braved so much to come to his aid. He should be glad for their loyalty, but losing Magnus and Runa seemed a poor trade. Wrong as it was to think so, he could not shake the feeling. He needed time to think, or to forget; for now, he did not know which would lead to a clearer mind.

“Grim has no honor,” a broad-faced man wearing a dull expression said.

Ulfrik recognized him as Dan the Stone Thrower, who won the rock-throwing contests every autumn without fail. “He turned on the families who served his father. Killed them or burned them out of their homes.”

“He burned Auden in his own hall,” added another. Ulfrik could not recall the man’s name, but knew him nonetheless. “He invited the men from Vestfold to the job, gave our land to some far-off king who wants to collect taxes on top of what we already pay to Grim.”

Complaints rumbled through the group. Grim had disenfranchised the men of Grenner and while many more were unhappy, they feared switching allegiances.

“Grim can call on reinforcements from Vestfold,” Snorri explained. “Their power is fearful and far-reaching. Only us hard-headed fools, too dumb to understand the danger, risked making the move. Some of us have already paid in blood.” He pointed to a few corpses, throwing spears jutting from their backs.

Ulfrik forced himself to look. Although already tired of seeing corpses on his behalf, to avert his eyes would dishonor their sacrifices.

“Lord Ulfrik,” Snorri said, dropping to one knee, “We came to you because you are your father’s heir-the noble blood of Orm and Auden. You can lead us against Grim and his foreign king. Accept my oath and the oaths of these men.”

The others followed Snorri to their knees, bowing before Ulfrik.

He was surprised to find himself shaking his head. He needed the men, it was true, but he felt incapable of doing them the honor they deserved. “I can only offer you the life of a homeless wanderer. Pain, poverty, and suffering are all I own now.”

“I would offer you my blade, were it not being withheld from me.” Snorri cast a glance at a spearman, who looked on as one might watch children at play. “But I swear, and my companions swear with me, to serve you as the inheritor of the oaths we gave your father. My blade is yours, Lord Ulfrik.”

“Put your hand upon my blade, Snorri Sigurdarson.” Ulfrik drew his sword and Snorri laid his hand upon it. “I am your lord from this day forward,” Ulfrik said. “I take your oath and in return swear to protect you and your kin. Now stand, all of you, and be welcomed.”

As the men stood, Ulfrik sheathed his sword and smiled. The men appeared pleased. In better circumstances, their oaths would be greeted with cheers and feasting, but the mood was soured by the dead still bleeding into the earth around them, and by their weapons still under guard. Ulfrik embraced each man with a strong clap on the back and a word of thanks; it was all that could be done for the moment.

“There you are!” Frodi, his mail bedewed with blood and his white-braided beard clotted with rusty stains, strode across the open field, pointing at Ulfrik all the way. “Look what you brought here. Look at this!” He pulled up to his full height before Ulfrik and his watery blue eyes gleamed with anger.

Ulfrik met Frodi’s gaze with a contemptuous look. He could care little for Frodi and his mood. The man had robbed him of his honor when he took Runa as a slave. Ulfrik was not going to lie down any longer, nor be humiliated before his men. “I see I brought you a chance to show your might to Thor Haklang,” Ulfrik said. “I brought you a chance to smash an enemy power on your border before it grew.” Ulfrik glared out from the visor of Grim’s helm, refusing to take Frodi’s bait.

The old jarl appeared to soften, even if barely. “What is this business here?” Frodi hooked his thumb at Snorri and the others. “You are taking oaths from enemy prisoners? Maybe you should join them?”

Ulfrik and Frodi stared at each other for a long while. The threat was real, and Ulfrik had to choose his words carefully to avoid worsening matters. At last he shrugged and let Frodi stare him down. “If you would make prisoners of men who fought for your home-died for your home.” Ulfrik jabbed a thumb toward Magnus’s corpse. “Then you must make prisoners of us all. This is your land, Jarl Frodi, and your law.”

They fell silent again, and Ulfrik raised his sheathed sword for Frodi to take.

Frodi did not look at it, but threw his hands up in disgust. “Bah! You test my patience. They can have their weapons and go with you. But everything I said last night still holds today, and extends to your men too. Do not return to my lands again. You will not be welcomed.”

“Neither will you be welcome in my hall,” Ulfrik retorted. “Think on that, Jarl Frodi.”

Frodi appeared to consider it a moment. Then he laughed, deep creases appearing at his eyes. “I will be up all night thinking about it. And by the way, that’s a fine helmet. How did you come by it? Found it in the mud?”

Frodi left and Ulfrik watched him stalk off. The three guards looked at Ulfrik with expressions that ranged from disinterest to minor admiration. Rather than return the weapons, they wandered off, leaving the pile unattended.

Yngvar appeared at Ulfrik’s side. “He’s got the personality of a speared boar.” He snorted at Frodi’s departing back. “But he’s done with. I hate having to bury Magnus on his land. Seems something of a dishonor, doesn’t it?”

Ulfrik nodded, looking back at Magnus’s body. They had dressed him in the fur he so cherished, and placed a good sword in his hand for the feasting hall, but his grave would be shallow and hastily dug. Ulfrik hoped it was enough to deter animals.

The other men sorted out their weapons as Ulfrik considered their next move. Some of the men had families, whom he hoped were aware of their men’s decisions. Food and shelter were their priorities, and finding a winter camp had to come next. His mind immediately began mulling over the details.

But there was one last thing he had to attempt. While Yngvar conversed with Snorri and the others, Ulfrik slipped away.

***

Ulfrik found Bard sitting alone in the hall, slumped against the wall. He stood over him, glowering down with the sternest face he could muster. Bard appeared small and scared. He was smattered with blood, but instead of wearing it like a man, he wore it like a boy with a nosebleed.

“Before I leave this land, you must return Runa to me,” Ulfrik insisted, assuming the commanding stance his father had used when giving orders, both hands on hips.

Bard squinted up at him, as if staring into the sun. He said nothing. Ulfrik repeated his demand.

Finally, Bard hauled himself to his feet with deliberate slowness. Still squinting, his face crimson with exertion, he said, “That is not possible.”

“Of course it is possible,” Ulfrik countered. “You bring her to me, and I leave with her.”

“She is my father’s slave now. Don’t be foolish.”

“Your father’s slave?” Ulfrik laughed. He had been controlling himself, but felt his discipline unraveling. “You took her from me within hours of my arrival. Your father hasn’t the interest in her that you do, Bard.”

Bard looked away from Ulfrik, his face flushing even redder. He folded his arms like a child, but did not speak.

Ulfrik snorted at the silence. “Very well, I’ll put that aside. I granted Runa her freedom, and your father condemned her to slavery-that is unjust.”

“Really? She still wears the slave collar she had when you bought her.”

“I never bought her; I found her.”

“And who witnessed this freedom you granted her? As far as I can see, she is a slave. You owe me much, Ulfrik, for all I did for you. I cannot be responsible for what my father does. I treated you well, respect that.”

Ulfrik was shamed by the words, and surprised to find that Bard had backbone when pushed. For a moment, he hesitated, thinking. Then he said, “You are right, Bard. You were good to me. There is no witness to Runa’s freedom, but it does not change that I granted it to her.”

Bard turned to leave. “I’m done here.”

He was stopped by Ulfrik’s hand on his chest. “We are not done. If you won’t accept that she is free, let’s talk of her slavery. Frodi took her as payment for what I cost him. Let me buy her back from you.”

“Buy her?” Bard stepped back and Ulfrik’s hand dropped from his chest. “How could you buy her?”

Ulfrik hated that this had come to be, but it was his only choice. He held up Fate’s Needle and the green gem on the pommel glittered between them. “I will trade you this. It is well made, a gift from my uncle. It is dear to me, but I would surrender it to you for Runa.”

“It is not enough,” Bard said in a clipped tone, and turned away.

Ulfrik stung from the rejection. “This is a fine sword, inlaid with jewels. All that for a slave girl? It’s more than enough.”

Bard continued to walk.

Ulfrik grabbed his shoulder, roaring, “Do you have any honor? You offer hospitality that ends in slavery!”

Bard rounded on Ulfrik, batting away his grip. Loud enough to bring onlookers, he screamed, “You forget yourself, Ulfrik. You are no longer welcome here. Leave me now, or you will die a dog’s death.”

“Is that so?” Ulfrik said through gritted teeth. “You will give me a dog’s death? Will you piss your pants until I die of laughter?”

Bard scowled and the shadows of armored men drew about him. “You will not be laughing when you die,” he said coolly.

Ulfrik knew he had botched his last chance. Bard’s protectors were closing in a ring, and if Frodi came, the jarl would not hesitate to kill him. “Peace, peace.” He put up both hands. “I understand you, Bard. I will go now. Keep your protectors at bay. But I will return for her; and if you won’t sell her we will have to discuss other terms.”

“Leave!” Bard commanded. “Another word will be your last. I was a fool to extend courtesy to a beast like you.”

Ulfrik rankled at the accusation. But now warriors gathered, and one lowered his spear. He walked backwards, both hands up before him, until he was away. Bard stood watching as Ulfrik turned and started back to Yngvar and Snorri. From a safe distance, his rage bested his judgment.

“You will regret this,” he called back to Bard, with as much iron in his voice as he could muster. “I am not as weak as you think. There are other ways to settle this, Bard. No one makes slaves of my people. No one!”

***

Ulfrik stalked back to his men, visualizing the night raid he would lead to rescue Runa. They would loop back after Frodi’s men had escorted them to the border. No doubt Bard would be trying to bed her. He would catch him in the act, then hack him down before he could touch her. He envisioned it clearly in his mind, to the exclusion of everything else, so much so that he walked without seeing. Poor Runa, he thought. Free for just a few hours. This cannot stand. Better we all die frozen in winter as freemen, than one of us die a slave.

Approaching his men, he finally looked up. He did not understand what he saw. Only when he felt the spear point in his back, did it make sense.

Thor Haklang’s fierce men ringed Yngvar, Snorri, and all the others at spear point. Yngvar bore an expression equal parts exasperation and rage. The spear at Ulfrik’s back jabbed him, and the pain pushed him forward toward the others.

He still held Fate’s Needle, but someone behind him quickly grabbed it. Ulfrik released it, knowing to fight would be to die, and turned to see Thor himself gripping the sword.

“So you’re my take from this shitty adventure.” Thor’s deep-set, beady eyes flashed as he spoke. “None of your brother’s friends took anything good to battle. What do the men of Grenner fight with: twigs and rocks? What am I supposed to take for booty?”

“We are freemen,” Ulfrik said, surprising himself with the evenness of own voice. He could feel his knees trembling. “No one can award us as booty. Put up your spears and stop shaming yourselves.”

Thor’s thick hand clobbered him, sprawling him out before he understood what had happened. He hadn’t felt so dazed since Grim had cracked his head with the rock. The spear point followed him down, resting on his stomach.

“Shut your rotten mouth if you don’t want my man here to let the air out of your belly! You’re all outlaws here, landless and masterless. Your lice-ridden hides belong to me now-the lot of you. There wasn’t shit worth to pick over on the battlefield. Only that helmet you’re wearing looks fine. I think I’ll take that too.”

Another man hauled Ulfrik up and knocked off his helmet. Dazed as he was, Ulfrik realized Thor had hit him through his helmet. He shuddered to think what the bear-warrior could do with his ax.

Ulfrik was spun around and his hands tied behind his back. His men were being tied as well. He looked over his shoulder and spotted the silhouettes of Bard and Frodi watching in the distance. His heart burned, but he could do nothing but turn away.

“Get these mongrel bastards aboard ship and on an oar. At least we won’t have to row home ourselves.”

Ulfrik hung his head, unable to meet the eyes of the Grenner men who had just joined him. All of you would’ve been better under Vestfold, he thought. He could think of nothing else. He felt numb, senseless. His captor pulled on his bindings to test them, then shoved him forward.

“Let’s get going before Frodi tries keeping you for himself. Greedy bastard.” Thor turned and waved at Frodi, who raised his hand in reply. “Not even one day here and I’m ready to go. What about you, Jarl Ulfrik? I guess you can’t wait to leave, too!” Thor burst into laughter.

Ulfrik merely stumbled ahead, into a life of slavery.

Twenty-three

Grim sat at the high table, staring at the thin light the hearth threw out. Since he had hanged all his slaves, no one tended the hall. Candles leaked wax, the floor rushes were old, and the tables were stacked with debris from the last meal they had eaten before marching on Frodi’s lands. Many of the women who had cooked that meal were now grieving widows, crying alone in the cold night; Grim felt like joining them.

Several days had passed since the battle. Grim absently toyed with the charm that hung around his neck, a necklace of Aud’s hand bones hung on one of Ulfrik’s childhood bowstrings. Lini had presented it to him the day of the battle. The charm seemed to work, since Ulfrik never reached him. But that was all the good Grim could find for himself.

For days he thought of little else beyond his defeat and loss of leadership. Vandrad had yet to formally strip his titles from him, but Grim knew he had lost all authority with the men, knew it as soon as they regrouped. Their averted eyes and silence told him all he needed to know. His command had been weak to start with, but the outcome of the battle had destroyed it completely.

“The retreat was necessary!” Grim told anyone who would still listen. “We were wise to break off rather than continue at a disadvantage.” But even if anyone had grasped his logic, he had hobbled himself by later pointing out that few men had died. “Maybe only fifteen or so,” he had insisted. By now, Grim had stopped mentioning the death toll, had stopped talking at all.

Vandrad had allowed Grim to remain in his room and live as he had been, but no one visited the hall after the first night. On the first night, the families of the hirdmen came to the hall to reunite with their men. The seriously injured were tended to in the hall, and two of them died. One man had lost his eye to a spear. When his wife and children saw him, they screamed as if they shared his wound, and continued their dirge long into the night. Grim was silently relieved when the man died. At least then the screaming family was paid in silver and sent home to bury their dead, returning the hall to silence. The other man was from the levies. He died with only a few friends to mourn him. Grim was grateful for that dignity.

If anything could compete with his brooding over the defeat, it was his concern for his wealth. Vandrad would claim everything-that much Grim understood. He had hidden the gold and silver rings, which were small enough to keep on his person, but the rest of the treasures his father had accumulated would become Vandrad’s. I will seek out Aud’s hut and find the gold I paid her, he thought. The old hag seemed to place no value on it anyway. She probably only took it because I valued it.

His stomach growled. No one would serve him, and he did not know how to cook. He feared the humiliation of asking someone to prepare a meal for him, and frowned at the thought. Perhaps I should just order them to do it.Why should I need to ask?

A door opened across the hall. Grim momentarily hoped it was a woman come to cook for him, and sat up to see, but then slumped down when he saw it was Vandrad with his three sycophants. They strode across the hall, wasting no time. Grim wished they would linger-let him enjoy sitting at his own high table one last time. He had worked so hard to get this seat, had held it such a short time.

“So, Grim, you understand why I am here?” Vandrad unclasped his fox fur cloak. A dusting of snow sprinkled the floor as he folded the cloak over his arm. Grim answered the question by first spitting on the floor, then speaking over Vandrad’s head, as if addressing an audience at the far end of the hall. “You have come to hold me to my promise. Of course I know why you’re here. I expected you earlier.”

Vandrad smiled and looked to his hirdmen, all of them dressed in mail, as if expecting a fight. “Now I am here, and you are right: I’ve come to hold you to your promise.”

“You called the retreat too fast,” Grim said. He could feel his temper twisting his chest. So what if he offended now? He could lose nothing more than he already had. “We could’ve broken their shield wall. I could have, if you had let me take the archers. I could’ve forced them to move first.”

“Keeping the archers back was the one thing that prevented a complete defeat.” Vandrad held up one finger in emphasis, as if Grim might otherwise miss his point. “Since you insisted on pushing ahead even after our scouts reported Frodi was prepared, I had to ensure a safe retreat.”

“You wanted me to fail!" Grim yelled, leaping to his feet.

The three hirdmen dropped their hands to their swords.

“You are the one who should be blamed, not me! You let the men go to a fight they couldn’t win,” Grim screamed.

Vandrad shook his head, and his eyes were nested in wrinkles as he smiled. “Grim Ormsson, I come to hold you to your oath. These men witnessed it, and will witness its fulfillment. So I ask if you will step down, or dishonor yourself?”

The hirdmen kept their hands ready. To break his oath would give Vandrad reason to kill him where he stood. Grim’s hand itched to grab his own blade, to put it through Vandrad’s smug face, and then die as he killed as many Vestfolders as he could take, but he had left his sword in his room. Even if it had been at his side, he would die before he could put it to good use. Dropping his head, he let his arms slacken. “I step down,” he mumbled. “Take what you want.”

Vandrad looked at Grim for several seconds, then nodded. His hirdmen relaxed, appearing disappointed. It gave Grim some measure of happiness to think they expected him to fight. They could still kill me, Grim thought. There would be no witnesses, and no one would care. I would do it, were our positions reversed.

But Vandrad only beckoned him down from the high table. “You will remain unarmed from now on, and these men will protect you as you prepare for your journey.”

“Journey?” Grim’s black eyes glittered with surprise. “What do you mean?”

“There’s too much history here,” Vandrad explained, walking to a bench and sitting down. “Besides, do you want to stay?”

Grim had not thought so far ahead. He had spent more time mourning his treasure than considering practicalities like where he would live. It appeared Vandrad had planned that for him as well. “No, I don’t want to stay here. But where are you sending me?”

“You are still sworn to High King Harald. You will go north, to Vestfold, and accompany some men who are too injured for their duties here. You should present yourself to Guthorm, the King’s uncle. You are a fighting man, Grim. That much you’ve shown. They’ll have use for your sword arm, and you look the part of a warrior. Make up a good story for that scar on your face.”

Vandrad and the men laughed.

Grim was lost in thought. Vandrad was giving him another chance. If he distinguished himself in Harald’s service, he could be rewarded with land and title. I might even get something better than this shithole my father so loved. The gods favor me after all. “Very well, I will do as you say, Vandrad.” Grim tried to hide his excitement, but his voice quivered with the anticipation of glorious battles in the king’s service.

“Yes. You will do as I say,” Vandrad said, still laughing but ensuring that a threat was present in his eyes. “I’m glad my decision pleases you. But before we part tonight, we have to discuss payment. Your adventure was costly in both blood price and materials. You will have to provide compensation; your treasure will do nicely.”

Grim had a pinch of hope that Vandrad might overlook that detail. “I will need silver for my journey. I cannot give it all.”

Vandrad shifted on the bench, propping his elbows on both knees as he enunciated. “You can give it all, and you will. You will not need silver on your journey. Provisions and transports are prepared.”

Grim hesitated for effect, and then agreed. “I don’t like it, though.” His hand unconsciously pulled at his tunic, where he had concealed some of the rings.

Vandrad nodded approvingly. “And you will also need to give up what you’ve hidden on yourself,” he added.

“What? I have nothing hidden!” His words were a lie, but his shock was genuine. How did he know I concealed the rings?

“Really, Grim! Do you think this is the first time I’ve had to do this?” Vandrad pointed to his three hirdmen. “They will hold you down and search you. If they find anything, I will force you to walk naked to Vestfold. Or you can shorten our unpleasant evening and give me what you’ve hidden.”

Grim stared at Vandrad as the hirdmen stepped forward to emphasize the threat. Grim recalled the gold he had planned to retrieve from Aud’s hut. With Vandrad forcing an escort on him, obtaining that gold would be impossible. In the silence that hung between them, Grim saw his wealth slipping from his hands into Vandrad’s. He was being forced to start over with nothing, no matter how he struggled. He looked away, staring at the near-dead fire. In its light, Vandrad looked as yellow as the gold he was sucking from Grenner.

Grim reached into his tunic and pulled out one of the gold rings. “All right. I will give you every scrap.”

Vandrad’s smile became a grin. “That’s a good start. Be sure to take them all out. Or you will lose your enthusiasm for your journey. I promise.”

“Aye,” he replied in a whisper. Must the gods require all my wealth to grant their favors? He took out the other rings and placed them on the table.

***

Grim sat on a sledge with two other injured men who both looked about to die. He hoped they would last the journey to Vestfold, since he probably would have to dig their graves otherwise. They were all heaped with furs, and Grim also had mail, a sword, and a few personal items. All this worry and I ended up with a bag of old clothes and a free trip north. He snorted a laugh as he reclined at the back of the sledge, waiting for the driver.

“Guthorm is harsh. But he is King Harald’s uncle and his closest man.” Vandrad came to see him off. “Do well by him and your fortunes may change.”

“No thanks to you.”

“All thanks to me. When you finally become a man, you will understand how generous I’ve been. Go now, and don’t let me see you here again.” Vandrad strolled off to find someone else to irritate.

“Go fuck a goat.” Grim called after him, then looked away. Vandrad merely chuckled. Who is Vandrad to judge whether I am a man?

The driver mounted the sledge and drove them north. Grim watched Grenner slip by, passing his father’s burial mound as they took the track headed for Vestfold. A chill gripped him, and he reached for Lini’s amulet.

“Good riddance to you, Father. Stay in your grave and let me leave this place forever.”

He turned away, his home falling behind the stand of trees and disappearing from view.

Twenty-four

Runa had been imprisoned in the stables since the night she was dragged from Auden’s hall. Although barred in, she could have escaped had she felt inclined, but only death awaited if she fled. At least here, she had warmth and the companionship of the horses. She was comfortable around them. Horses, she believed, were better company than people. A groom came daily with food and water for her and the horses, and then rode the animals out for exercise, which was more than she got. The guard who accompanied the groom glared at Runa whenever she asked for news.

The first night had been horrible: the loss of her newfound freedom, the absence of Ulfrik’s embrace. Even with everything against them, she had felt so much joy and potential. Ulfrik would rebound. They would start a new life together in a new place.

Then Frodi had spoken, and her joy was obliterated. For a few short hours she had tasted liberation again, but now she wished she never had. The rusted collar about her neck abraded her skin; nothing had changed.

The morning after Jarl Frodi had made her his slave, Runa had heard the roar of colliding armies. Who had come to fight, or why, made no difference to her. All that day she had waited for the stable door to burst open and Ulfrik to rescue her, but even when the sounds of battle diffused, he still had not come. She had even hoped Magnus would come. By sunset, no one had.

By the third day, her confinement had grown too much. She wept constantly, huddled in a corner, thinking that Ulfrik and the others must have died in battle. Even the horses shied away from her as she cried. If Frodi was defeated, she thought, the conquerors will come to claim the horses. Yet no one came besides the silent groom and his angry guard.

In their absence, Runa reached the limits of her patience and began to pound the walls and kick the doors, which made the horses nervous. She would bring someone to her, or force the horses to kick down the stable walls. She was pounding so furiously that she did not hear the bar lift. When the door opened, her fist flew through the opening and slammed into Bard’s chest. It was nothing to a grown man, and Bard grabbed her arm and yanked it down. “Quiet, girl! You are going to drive the horses mad.”

“The horses? What about me? I’m no better than a horse to you!”

Bard’s face flushed, but he wore a stern expression as he pulled her out of the stable into the wan light of day. He was dressed as he had been on the first day Runa had met him. His fine clothes and golden pin in sharp contrast to her soiled dress. The air was crisp, and the breeze was like cool water on her face. She had become so used to the fetid air of the stables that she had forgotten the clean taste of the outdoors.

Bard ignored her question. “I’m sorry you had to be kept here alone for so long,” he said in a low voice. “It was the safest place for you.”

Runa stopped resisting, blowing her matted hair out of her eyes before she spoke. “I heard the sounds of battle. Where are Ulfrik and the others?”

Bard looked away, his face deepening red. “They have left.”

Runa’s shoulders slumped and her expression froze. She wanted to believe she had misheard, but she knew she had not. Her mouth formed a few words, but no speech came. Frodi had banished Ulfrik. She had been left behind.

“I would have come to you earlier, but I was recovering from my injuries,” Bard said.

If he has been in a battle, Runa thought, he looks well rested for it.

He put his arms on her shoulders, as if to comfort her, but the coldness of his hands made her more anxious.

“Ulfrik’s brother came, and a terrible battle resulted. I led the men in the defense and drove them back to the woods. I took a serious blow to the head. Were it not for my helmet I might have died.” He paused, searching Runa’s face for sympathy or admiration.

He found neither.

“Ulfrik lived?” she asked. “What of the others? Magnus?”

Bard’s grip on her shoulders tightened for a moment. He looked at the ground and then attempted to pull her into a comforting hug as he told her of Magnus’s death. Runa remained stiff, her face slick with dirty tears. The news flashed hot anger through her joints. She shoved Bard back, not caring whether she offended a noble. “You imprisoned me in a stable while my friends fought and died! You wouldn’t even let them see me before you chased them off. How dare you try to comfort me!”

“It’s not like that, Runa,” Bard said. “I was recovering from my wound. And there were still enemies about after the battle. They scattered everywhere. You had to be kept safe. I couldn’t come to you.”

“Keep me safe? By putting me in a stable where any enemy would come to steal a horse?” Runa’s dark eyes glinted in the sunlight. “I am not an ignorant farm girl; I am the daughter of a lord ten times more noble than your father. You kept me here because you thought it a safe place to prevent me from going with them.”

“You’re not thinking clearly. Everything is as I said. It was for your protection.”

Runa snorted, folding her arms across her chest. “No one was attacking the night your guards threw me in here like a bale of hay. You wanted to keep Ulfrik away.”

To Runa’s surprise, Bard had not struck her yet. She was ready for it, her cheek itching where she expected the blow, but he merely shook his head and laughed. “Do you think he cared one whit for you?”

“He loved me, and he gave me my freedom.” Runa turned up her chin defiantly.

“I was ashamed of my father’s actions that night,” Bard said, looking around as if to be certain no one listened. “I told Ulfrik that myself, and I presented a bargain. I offered your freedom in return for his sword. He wouldn’t do it; the weapon was too precious to him. So I offered him an opportunity to rescue you. He said he had already risked too much and could chance no more. You see? I tried to help, but Ulfrik was not willing.”

Runa kept her arms folded as she listened to Bard’s ranting. When he finished, she glared at him, her face stony, before saying, “That was a lot for someone who barely survived a blow to the head.”

Bard stepped back as if he had been struck, and Runa smiled in satisfaction. Slave or not, she would not tolerate being treated like a fool. Not only did the facts not align but neither did Ulfrik’s supposed actions; he would love a daring plan if offered one.

Bard’s face glowed like a red-hot coal, and his hands flexed. Expecting violence, Runa unfolded her arms and stepped back, but Bard gave nothing beyond a prolonged sigh. “He feared my father, and he was right to,” Bard said. “He left and asked that I take care of you. I promised I would.”

Tears began to bead at Runa’s eyes. Maybe Bard is telling the truth.Maybe Ulfrik toyed with me. He loves his sword beyond understanding, and Frodi is too powerful to challenge. She found herself shaking her head at the thought, and sniffed back a sob. It was an ugly sound to her, made more so by her desperation. “He gave me my freedom,” she croaked. “I am not a slave. I am not.”

Bard again placed his hands on her shoulder, the redness receding from his face. “You will be well treated, Runa. But while my father’s mood is dark, it is best you remain out of sight. After a time, we can speak again of freedom.”

She looked up into Bard’s eyes at those words; they were clear and blue, as Ulfrik’s had been the day he promised her the same thing. But her freedom had to wait then, as it had to wait now. Runa wiped her nose and face with her sleeve. No man would give her freedom. She knew Bard lied, even as he smiled and made empty promises.

Enfolding her in his arms, Bard began to murmur words of comfort, but she did not return his embrace. She stood weeping as Bard’s hand slid up her back, finding the slave collar, then entwining her hair. His other hand slipped to her waist, then to her hips. Runa stilled, feeling him press against her. He was still whispering, although she did not listen. Slowly, he had led her back into the stable and shut the door with his foot. His hand had gathered up her tattered dress at the back and was working beneath it. Runa could find no strength to resist. What would be the point?

Bard did not even look at her as he pulled her to the ground. Runa shuddered once before surrendering to him-surrendering hope of ever gaining her freedom.

***

Ulfrik had not been on the open seas for more than a year. Under different circumstances, he would have been exuberant. This day, however, he frowned as he manned the oars of Thor Haklang’s longship, the War Dragon. It would take two days of good weather to reach Thor’s home. They hugged the coastline, Thor singing a coarse song as he steered. His men joined in, laughing. Ulfrik, his head held low, remained silent and rowed all the harder. Seated on a chest next to him, Yngvar also maintained a grim silence. Ulfrik could feel the accusations of his men at his back. Paying taxes to a foreign king paled beside actual slavery. Their lives had been destroyed for their loyalty to him.

Night approached, and Thor guided his ship to the shore. Ulfrik heard the splash of men leaping overboard into the shallows to haul the boat onto the shingle. Once they beached the ship, their captors leveled spears and guided Ulfrik and his crew to Thor, who waited up where the beach met the dune grass. He stood with arms folded over his heavy belly, a black bulk in the dying sunlight. All around him, men started making camp.

Ulfrik stood defiantly before Thor.

“Now that we’ve left Frodi behind, we can talk clearly.” The berserker gave a thin smile then unfolded his arms as if to welcome him. “For starters, the lot of you can stop sulking. None of you are slaves any more than I am.”

“What does that mean?” Ulfrik asked. One of Thor’s men approached with a bundle of weapons taken from the ship, dumping them in the grass before returning for another load. Ulfrik recognized his men’s gear.

“Just a bit of acting to save your lives. I like you, Jarl Ulfrik. You’ve got guts.” Thor laughed before continuing. “That conniving brat of Frodi’s planned to have you all killed when you reached the border.”

Ulfrik stood amazed. Why would Bard plot my death? Then he realized the extent of Bard’s grasping lust. “He wanted Runa, and didn’t want me returning for her.”

“Something like that,” Thor said airily. “I knew about the plan even before the battle started. Figured if you looked a good fighter I’d take in you and your followers. Too bad about the big one. He seemed to have a touch of the bear god in him.”

“And Frodi agreed to this?”

“You might’ve noticed he didn’t like you. He had no trouble seeing you go as slaves. I suppose even his brat was fine with the idea. After all, he just wanted your woman.”

Ulfrik turned to Yngvar, who shrugged. “If it’s not a man’s time, something will save him.”

“Why not just invite us to join you?” As Ulfrik spoke, a man knelt beside him to cut the ropes tied to his ankles.

“Because I have plans for you, Ulfrik. It’s better that Frodi and Bard put you out of their minds for a while. For now, let’s get you and your men out of those bonds.”

Morale immediately lifted and the men began to chatter excitedly. Ulfrik’s ankle came free and the man crab-walked to Yngvar to cut his bindings as well. Thor unhitched Fate’s Needle and presented it to Ulfrik. The emerald in the pommel reflected the last rays of light as Ulfrik took the sword into his hands, its weight reassuring him. His mail and helmet were also in the pile with all the other gear. Ulfrik was about to smile when he realized.

“The families of my men have fled Grenner and are heading for the southern coast. We have to fetch them before Grim does. He will be merciless.”

His men ceased talking, each turning an expectant face toward Thor. The berserker’s expression flattened, the night pooling shadow into the sockets of his eyes. He stroked his beard. “My plans did not include old women and runny-nosed kids.”

“This is not something to negotiate. Their families will be saved.” Ulfrik folded his arms, mirroring Thor’s reaction. The two stared at each other while their men stilled, awaiting Thor’s decision. He grumbled to himself a moment.

“I understand you, Ulfrik. We will see what can be done to save them.”

“You have my gratitude, Lord Thor.” Ulfrik bowed low, feeling the tension drain as he did.

“I’ll have that and a bit more before the night is done.” Thor laughed again and his men returned to their duties. Ulfrik smiled wanly, wondering what terms Thor would press on him in response. No one does good for the sake of good anymore, he thought. Ulfrik had learned that much. Maybe no ever has.

***

Several campfires had been lit and men gathered around them to eat and drink. Ulfrik huddled with his men around their own fire. They had spoken excitedly about the turn of events. Only the more experienced Yngvar and Snorri maintained a cooler attitude.

Across the dark beach, Thor beckoned. Nodding, Ulfrik rose and tapped Yngvar on the shoulder. Together they approached the giant man, who was perched by the fireside on a log dragged from the forest. The night was mild, and Thor had tossed off his heavy furs, revealing arms glinting with coils of gold. His enormous hands glistened with grease as he gestured for Ulfrik to sit on the sand next to him and proffered a skin. Ulfrik accepted it more from courtesy than any desire to drink. He wanted to be clear-headed when dealing with Thor, who was proving more intelligent than Ulfrik had first thought.

“Now it is time to talk about our deal.” Thor took back the skin and held it out to Yngvar, who guzzled the last of the mead. “You’re going to like my plan, Ulfrik. But you’re going to have to swallow that pride of yours.”

“I’m ready to hear it,” Ulfrik said, sitting up straight and ignoring the reference to his pride; ironic, since he had felt nothing but shame for weeks.

“It’s a simple plan. I’m going to let you and your men live on my lands. You will build a ship, fill out your crew, and take them raiding. You can raid anywhere except where I have allies. I’d wager you’ll want to prick at your brother’s lands. There’s plenty of men who will help you with shipbuilding, and many young men who crave adventure. As long as you earn silver and treasure, you’ll attract plenty of followers.”

Thor illustrated his points with elaborate gestures, and Ulfrik learned forward, knowing the catch had yet to be revealed.

“You will have a full raiding crew, and as you are building up men on my lands, you will swear an oath to me and to my father-a binding, lifelong oath, as all oaths are. That oath will require your men to serve in my army if I call them. I will be happy to see you prosper, Ulfrik, because I will own your boat, and one third of all treasure you take with it will belong to me. Eventually, you’ll be able to buy the boat from me for a price we’ll agree upon later. I want there to be no misunderstanding. So what do you say?”

“What about Frodi? You said it’s best he forgets us. Why?”

“Because then he won’t know I’ve added strength to my army. He was just in my lands, counting my spears. Frodi and I are allies of convenience; we’re not family. If I ever need someone to keep him from growing too strong, you would be ready for that work. Am I right? So, I’ll ask you again: what do you say to my offer?”

Ulfrik leaned back on his elbows, his hands in the sand, his eyes focused on the fire. This was the most he had heard Thor say at once, and given how thoroughly Thor had laid out the plan, he suspected Thor had made this offer before. He felt Yngvar nudge him, and realized Thor and others were awaiting his response.

“A generous offer,” Ulfrik said slowly. “I would be a fool not to accept.”

“Yes, a fool,” Thor rumbled. “So, it’s settled. Tomorrow we’ll reach my father’s hall and you will kneel before us. Then you will have a busy winter ahead of you.” Thor gestured for another skin, which his tattooed men passed around the fire to his waiting hand. He took a drink and pressed the skin to Ulfrik.

“To your generosity,” Ulfrik said, raising the skin but speaking as if proclaiming his own death. Thor’s offer was better than anything he could have hoped for, but a sense of loss-of Orm and Auden, of Runa and Magnus-hung over him like a pall. He sipped from the skin and passed it to Yngvar.

“Give up this idea of being a king,” Thor said, misreading his expression. “Look at your friend there. He’s smiling ear to ear, and so should you.”

Yngvar drank deeply and returned the skin to Thor. “I am happy for my lord,” Yngvar explained.

Ulfrik smiled at the comment; never had Yngvar referred to him so respectfully.

“But we have lost friends on the road here,” Yngvar added.

Thor grunted in agreement, gazing thoughtfully into the fire for a moment. Then he shifted on his log and continued. “The girl was a pretty one, too. But too thin to bear good children. There is always another one out there. Geitir has a comely sister-big and strong.” Thor chortled and his men followed.

Geitir glowered at Ulfrik, which only made Thor laugh harder. With a forced smile, Ulfrik concentrated on the shadows dancing on the sand before him. He found nothing funny about losing Runa; a deep guilt washed over him.

Thor and his men carried on, oblivious. “But remember, no raiding our allies, like Frodi,” Thor cautioned. “We need that old fool to keep Harald’s dogs off Agder’s borders.”

“You are not fond of Frodi?” Yngvar asked. “You fought for him, after all.”

“I fought because there was an easy fight to win.” Thor’s pitch lifted in excitement, his expression animated at the mention of a fight. He belched, then continued, “But most importantly, I got the measure of Frodi’s strength, and he got to see how the men of Agder rule the battlefield.” Thor looked to his men, who thumped the sand and growled their approval. Thor beamed at their affirmation. “Frodi is still a good war leader. He organized the defense well, kept the high ground. His archers drove the enemy onto our spears. But he failed to control the battle. When the enemy fled, his men took up the chase and would not heed him. They ran into a trap of archers. If the enemy had more strength, more discipline, they could have turned on Frodi and torn him apart. He won because the enemy was weak and afraid-and they should have been, for the Bear of Agder was among them!”

The men hollered, startling Ulfrik and drawing curious stares from the other campfires. He was surprised how much Thor knew about the battle, given that the big man had appeared delirious throughout. “How did you fight so ferociously but keep such a careful eye on the battle?”

“Do it enough and you learn how,” Thor answered with a chuckle. “When the bear god is in me, I am full of his power. It makes me crazed, but my men know what to do. We drill and train, drill and train. No one so much as breathes out of step with what we have trained. So in battle, I only have to consider myself. After the bear god leaves me, I am spent, but the men tell me what happened.” He passed around another skin.

This time, the mead began to improve Ulfrik’s mood and he forgot his worries, or at least put them aside. Laughter erupted again as they were joined by more men from the other campfires.

“This man has the whitest teeth of any man I have ever seen,” one of them said, gesturing to Yngvar. “Did you paint them?” He guffawed, spraying spittle that glistened as it arced through the firelight.

“They call me Yngvar Bright Tooth.” As much as Ulfrik knew he hated the name, Yngvar displayed his smile for all to see.

“You could blind an enemy in combat with those teeth,” Thor agreed, laughing. “Always fight facing the sun, Yngvar. And what of your lord here?” He gestured to Ulfrik. “Should we call him Ulfrik Long Face?”

“Please no,” Ulfrik said, holding up his hands but realizing he had earned the name. “Call me anything but that!”

“I’ll have to come up with something better,” Thor said. He leaned forward. “Now here’s something, do you know what they call Frodi’s son, Bard?” He looked at them expectantly, stalled laughter puffing out his cheeks. “Bard the Blue Face. He gets seasick just looking at a boat.”

Thor rollicked back on his log, clapping his hands. Everyone else snorted and shook their heads. But the mention of Bard’s name ruined Ulfrik’s rising mood. “How did Bard fare in combat?”

“Like a boy. Always in the way,” Thor said. “Bard is Frodi’s weakest and his youngest. I swear he still sucks his mother’s tit. He hid behind his shield and his father’s strong arm. Honestly, Frodi should just give up trying to make a warrior of the whelp. But he must think Bard is capable of becoming what he wants him to be. He’ll have to succeed, because Frodi’s other sons are dead. He just doesn’t know about the second one yet.”

Ulfrik and Yngvar shared a look.

“Frodi doesn’t know one of his sons is dead, but you do?” Ulfrik asked.

Thor nodded as he reached for more mead, which seemed to be in endless supply. Upending the skin, Thor let the sweet drink stream down his beard before swallowing and answered, “Yes, but I won’t be the bearer of that news. With Harald making noise on the border, I need a strong, focused man to deal with him. If Frodi learns his heir is dead, his spirit might break. Can’t have that now.”

“How do you know he’s dead?” Yngvar asked.

Thor wiped his mouth on his arm and belched several times, blowing foul air over them. “It’s my business to hear things. Travelers are welcome in my hall. Frodi keeps his doors shut to everyone, thinking they come only to steal, so he doesn’t hear what I hear. The boy was wintering in Anglia until the next raiding season. But he won’t be coming home after all. Thrown from a horse, I heard. Broke his neck. That’s why I’ll never ride a horse to battle.” Thor jammed a finger into his mouth to pick food from his teeth. Flicking his findings into the fire, he called an end to the night. “We set out at dawn. I want to be sleeping in my hall tomorrow. Ulfrik, you look like you’re not going to sleep anyway, so take the watch. Someone will relieve you later.”

The groups separated and drifted off to their duties. Men pulled blankets up to the fires and prepared for sleep. Ulfrik stood, and Yngvar rose after him. “It is a great offer, Ulfrik. Many men make their fortunes this way, and you already have a core of loyal men. Be glad for that, at least.”

Ulfrik gazed out at the black, moonless sea. Waves purred in the background, and the sea breeze lifted his hair. Where Fate had taken, it had also given. His thread had not yet been spun to the finish.

“I do have much to be glad for,” he said, speaking as much to himself as to Yngvar. “But I just don’t feel it yet. Maybe I will tomorrow.”

He left Yngvar to his rest and went to stand by the ships. Even if someone came to relieve him, he would not sleep that night.

Twenty-five

Ulfrik leaned on Wave Spear’s rudder, guiding it through the waters, toward home. A dense fog obscured the sea, but local crewmembers helped him navigate the rocks and currents. The ship skipped over the waves as the men rowed, a bracing wind at their backs. Their daring first raid in winter had been a great success.

Yngvar had broken into song and the crew followed along. Snorri, rowing next to him, sang louder and stronger than anyone else. Ulfrik usually joined them, but today his mind was on threading the fjord safely.

The harsh winter was nearly over, and four months had passed since Ulfrik had given Thor his oath. The Wave Spear had been completed and Thor had awarded it to Ulfrik, and after feverishly constructing homes, a hall, and a storage house, Ulfrik and his men left to test themselves on a raid. Their first target had been Grenner, but finding the route full of ships carrying spearmen and bowmen to escort the knarr merchant vessels, Ulfrik had turned away, pressing further east. There, they fell upon Svear lands, raiding farms but finding little more than livestock and common items. By trading his spoils, Ulfrik learned where the local jarls made their halls.

Striking at night on a hall that hardly knew danger, Ulfrik and his men made away with silver, iron, weapons, and a mail coat, and received few injuries in the bargain. He had refused to take slaves, his mind on Runa.

“Victors should have women,” Johan-barely fifteen summers old but stubborn as unworked iron-had grumbled. Although the youngest man on the crew, he had been brave, often foolhardy, in their skirmishes. “What are these Svear to us? We should take some of these barbarian women for ourselves.”

“I expected barbarians,” Ulfrik admitted, his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “But these are not them. Are they so different from us? They even speak the same language.”

Johan grunted. “With that accent? Can’t understand a word of it. If they came to our lands, you would see barbarians.”

“Maybe. But I will not make slaves of their people, no matter what they would do to us.”

He continued to press his attacks along the coast until the local leaders united against him. By then the men had already filled the hold with treasure and could return home satisfied. The entire raid took just weeks. And even the journey home had been fortuitous; however, days ago he’d had to outpace another dragon-headed longship that had pursued the Wave Spear for a time.

A viridian tree line emerged from the fog on the right, and Ulfrik could make out a fishing boat bobbing on the fjord waters. It was Troke, Ulfrik recognized-a fisherman who had lived here since long before Thor had even been born. The fisherman waved and Ulfrik lifted a hand in reply. Further inland, long houses squatted in the field he and his men had cleared of trees. Fog clung low to the ground, and Ulfrik imagined he saw smoke curling from the hearths. He guided the ship to the shallow waters and some of the men jumped off to tug it ashore. Ulfrik pulled up the rudder and gave a shout of triumph to his crew. Smiling and laughing, they dragged the ship up the sand, but it was heavy with spoils and hard to beach.

Yngvar slapped Ulfrik’s back as he watched families hurry to the beach to embrace the men. “It was a good raid,” he said. “After Thor gets his share we should have enough for armor and livestock. And now that you have a name for yourself more men will come in spring.”

“The gods have been kind,” Ulfrik agreed, watching Dan, who had followed Ulfrik into Frodi’s lands and beyond, scoop up his young lad into his arms. “But there is one kindness I need more than any other.”

“Revenge,” Yngvar finished for him. “We all want it. But we want to enjoy it when we find it. Can’t do that with this small crew-not if all those spearmen are making a base in Grenner.”

Ulfrik smiled, but Yngvar had mistaken his meaning. He looked eastward again, thinking of Runa trapped in Frodi’s hall. He had to find a way to her. Without Runa at his side, any victory was diminished. “True words.” He decided not to correct his friend. “Let’s get the treasure ashore and put aside Thor’s share. Then we can drink and get fat for the rest of winter. Come springtime, we will be prepared for true raiding.”

Both men shared a smile.

“Dan,” Ulfrik said, ruffling the blond hair of the boy Dan carried, “take your boy and tell Thor we have returned.”

The boy, who shared his father’s ever-serious demeanor, was visibly excited at Ulfrik’s request. Thor’s rich hall impressed all of them. As they left, the boy leading his father by the hand, Ulfrik climbed back on Wave Spear and surveyed his hoard. Treasure bulged beneath the leather covering, but it was nothing compared to what he would need to fulfill his revenge. Yngvar jumped in to untie the ropes that held the leather tarpaulin down, and Ulfrik stepped down to begin the work with a sigh.

***

“Longboats! Longboats!” Troke pulled his fishing vessel close enough to yell the warning. The spindly old man and his son were windmilling their arms, pointing and waving frantically, nearly falling overboard to get the attention of Ulfrik and the men ashore.

Ulfrik dropped a bag of hack silver and leaped over the gunwale of his ship to wade out and hear Troke’s report. They had been ashore for only an hour, unloading and admiring the spoils. Now, Ulfrik cursed their slow pace. Half the treasure was laid on the beach and the rest remained in the hold. Troke and his son were already rowing away from him, heading for safety. “Two boats just rounded the rocks,” Troke called back as his son rowed. “Small, with no sails or shields, but they have dragonheads on the prow and look in good repair. They’re trouble.”

“How many men did you count,” Ulfrik yelled, discarding one plan after the next even as he listened.

“Five oars a side. Gods keep you!”

Ulfrik waded back to where Yngvar and his men had gathered in the surf. If the ships were fully crewed, Ulfrik would face twenty men or more to his twelve.

“They have pulled in shields and put out dragonheads. They come to fight,” Ulfrik explained to his men, attempting to keep the quaver from his voice.

Yngvar scowled and spat into the cold surf. “They’ve sniffed out our treasure. Could be the ship that followed us a few days ago.”

Ulfrik had no time to consider that. A plan cobbled together in his mind. Already regaining his confidence, Ulfrik said, “There’s no time to meet them at sea and we can’t get the treasure hidden or out of the ship. We must either retreat or make a stand here.”

The younger men without families growled at the mention of retreat, but Ulfrik sensed most would have preferred to run. “We worked too hard for this. The gods are with us, men. Believe that. You,” he said, pointing to one of the younger men, “go send the women and children to Thor’s hall. Then come back and join me on the beach. The rest of you listen to me.”

The man set off running while Ulfrik shared his plan. Yngvar and some of the men would hide beneath the leather tarpaulin that covered the treasure on the boat. The other nine, including Ulfrik, would line up at the edge of the shoreline, and surrender. Lastly, he turned to Snorri. “Prove to me you are still good with your hunting bow. Fetch it from the ship and take a position on the rocks nearby. We have to break their will to fight, and you must do it for me. When I call your name, send shaft after shaft into their leader until he is dead. If you cannot kill him, kill his second. Keep them confused, and join us when your arrows are done.”

The men nodded and Ulfrik grinned, relishing the cunning of his plan. Ulfrik would keep most of the raiders occupied in the surf, where footing was less certain. Yngvar would surprise any raiders who tried to steal the treasure. Ulfrik hoped to look just weak enough to be enticing, but not so weak he looked like bait.

The men took up their positions as black smudges of boats appeared through the fog. They resolved into the familiar, curved forms of longboats and came on quietly, slipping through the waves. Had Troke not spotted them, Ulfrik would have been taken unaware. When the ships closed on the shore, the oars banked and silhouettes appeared at the prows. One man, probably the leader, stood on the railing, gripping the neck of the dragon-headed prow. The ships seemed well cared for. These raiders are not desperate, Ulfrik thought. I hoped as much. Desperate men are harder to dishearten.

The ships glided straight for Ulfrik and his line of nine men, who had pulled together their shields but had not had time to don mail or leather. The ships veered right, putting ashore down the beach. Ulfrik adjusted his line, keeping the shields facing the boats, and anchored his left side to the Wave Spear. The ship closest to them held twelve men, most of whom carried bows with arrows already strung. The second ship was obscured by the first as the men disembarked. Ulfrik’s heart hammered out its own doubts about his plan. Ten more men emerged, each bearing a shield and clad in leathers and furs for armor. The leader wore a mail coat and a leather helmet.

Snorri remained hidden; Ulfrik hoped he could get a clear shot. With a mail coat in the way, the arrow would have to be guided by Odin himself.

Both groups assembled. Ulfrik’s thin line faced a jumble of ten men, all backed by archers on the other boat.

When the time comes, we’ll fall back behind Wave Spear, he mentally consoled himself, counting on the fact that he and his men fought for their homes while the raiders fought only for profit. His hope was to break the raiders’ will to fight.

The leader, a bronze-skinned man with a face weathered by life at sea, turned his dark eyes to Ulfrik and then to the sacks and boxes further up the beach. He drew his sword. “Who’s the leader of this sorry group?” he croaked, his voice hoarse.

Up close, Ulfrik could see the man’s mail was rusted and his sword, notched and dull. His dark beard was short and patchy, as if had been burned away and grown back wrong.

Ulfrik spat at the man in answer. Holding to the line, Ulfrik kept his expression blank-to reveal neither confidence nor fear-and held the man’s dark stare. A man fears not knowing the mind of his enemy, he thought, and in this case, the dark-eyed leader seemed irritated. He stepped forward, as Ulfrik had hoped.

“I am Koll and these are my men. Up there is Toki, with his crew.” Koll hitched his thumb at another dark-haired man who stood on the rail of the closest ship. Toki waved and his seven archers laughed. A few spearheads bobbed behind him-the rest of his crew preparing to disembark. “So do you just spit, or do you have a name?”

“I am Ulfrik, and these are my warriors,” he said. “You are on my lands, which I hold for King Kjotve the Rich. Leave now or die where you stand.”

“I know where I am, and the names don’t scare me.” Koll pointed with his sword toward the treasure on the beach. In doing so, his shield slid away, leaving his neck exposed. “Put down your weapons and start loading…”

“Snorri!” Ulfrik bellowed, falling back. “Get behind the ship!” he ordered his men.

Snorri’s arrows hissed overhead as Ulfrik and the others threw up shields to cover their retreat behind the Wave Spear. Koll appeared dumbfounded. An arrow hit his mail hauberk, below the throat, and bounced away. Toki yelled the command to fire, and his bowmen wasted their shafts as their targets disappeared behind the ship. Koll looked down at his chest, then screamed as he charged. His men followed, struggling for traction in the sand.

“Form up here. Let them come to us!” Ulfrik pulled back his line, parallel to where he knew Snorri hid, and anchored the left flank to the ship. That forced the attackers to round the prow, preventing them from rushing forward all at once and leaving their shields facing away from Snorri’s arrows.

Snorri sent a second shaft whistling into the crotch of a man rounding the prow, who screamed as he collapsed facedown in the sand. His bulk formed a hurdle the man behind could not leap in time, and Ulfrik saw one of his own men rush forward to finish him.

“Stay in line!” Ulfrik commanded, right as Yngvar sprung his trap.

He shocked even Ulfrik as he leaped up from the Wave Spear, one hand clasping his ax, and a spear hefted in the other. Yngvar’s gleaming teeth were barred and his eyes wide with fury. He hurled the spear down as Koll approached the prow. Koll looked up, startled, as the spear’s point buried itself in the soft flesh of his neck, plowing three hands deep into his body. Koll’s feeble scream became a gurgle as he fell back on another man.

Not wasting time, Yngvar dove into the enemy bunched around the ship, immediately taking two men down with him. The remaining five men danced wide of the prow, Snorri’s third arrow catching one in the chest, stopped only by a leather jerkin.

Ulfrik saw the opportunity. “Kill them all!” He sprang forward and drove his sword into the back of one of the men Yngvar had tackled. The others charged forward, screaming, and fell upon the five enemies. As a raider braced his shield to block another blow, Ulfrik pulled out his blade and stabbed beneath the shield. Blood flooded his blade.

Yngvar leaped to his feet and killed the man beneath him with a mighty swing of the ax, as if he were chopping firewood. Glancing up, Ulfrik noticed two of his other men aboard the Wave Spear were taking bow fire. One was rolling over the rails, avoiding the missiles; the other vanished for a moment and then returned to yell down into the fray, “They’re coming around the other side.”

Ulfrik had feared the enemy from the second boat might round Wave Spear and attack from the rear. The fight was not over, but his men were prevailing. He prayed Snorri would hold his position. The first line of enemies was nearly broken. Yngvar was already moving forward to threaten them when the remaining four men called to surrender.

“With me!” Ulfrik shouted, then turned to charge the next wave.

The man named Toki was already halfway to meeting him, and four other spearmen were also moving toward the stern of the Wave Spear. Beyond them, the archers had trained their bows on Ulfrik. Two arrows hit the sand before him, and one glanced off his shield. Then he crashed into Toki.

Ulfrik towered over his dark-haired enemy and rammed him with his shield, staggering him. One of the four spearmen had doubled back, but rather than attack he shuffled to the side to flank Ulfrik.

Toki recovered, grunting as he thrust his spear forward. Ulfrik stepped away and avoided it, then responded with a clumsy backhanded strike that took the second man at the elbow. The man howled and spun away with the force.

Toki’s blade hammered on his shield, but Ulfrik was strong enough to absorb it. Behind him, the howls of his own men drew Toki’s eyes away from the fight. In that moment, Ulfrik slammed the iron rim of his shield into Toki’s face. The raider’s nose crunched and he flopped down unconscious, blood and snot slicking his beard.

The remaining attackers, including the injured spearman, ran for their ship, which two of the archers had hauled back into the waves. Relief washed over Ulfrik as his attackers took to the oars. His men howled and roared, waving their bloodied swords in the air. From the corner of his eye, Ulfrik saw a movement beneath him. Fast as a striking serpent, he crunched his foot down on Toki’s sword arm. “Surrender or die, although I hope you choose death.”

Toki let his bloodied sword arm fall to the side, and his body went limp. “Then I surrender, if that will anger you.”

“I may still kill you anyway.” Ulfrik smiled mirthlessly. “I should have no mercy for what you intended to do here.”

Yngvar appeared at his side. He spat savagely on Toki, and then leaned in to whisper in Ulfrik’s ear. “Johan is wounded-badly. Go to him before he leaves for the feasting hall. I’ll take care of this scum.”

Johan lay on the sand in a slowly widening stain of blood. A local boy, he had joined Ulfrik seeking adventure when Wave Spear was ready to sail. Now he lay dying in the shadow of that ship, trying to hold his guts inside the ragged cut in his belly. Someone had already laid his hands over his sword. The others made room for Ulfrik to kneel by his head. Tears streamed from Johan’s eyes and he shuddered with pain, but he made no sound.

“You are a fearsome warrior, Johan,” Ulfrik whispered.

“I thought he was dead,” Johan said, barely audible. “The spear, came up…”

Ulfrik quieted him, and watched as the life faded from Johan’s eyes. “We will meet again in the feasting hall, friend. Why have women when you can have Valkyries.” He removed Johan’s hands from his wound and placed them on the hilt of the sword on his chest.

Ulfrik stood and spoke over Johan’s corpse. “We will bury him and pay his share of the wealth to his family.” The others nodded and a few farewelled their dead companion. Then they turned to Yngvar. He had disarmed Toki, who was seated on the beach with his hands on his head. The bodies of the dead raiders were scattered about like a quiver of spilled arrows. Shields half buried in the sand resembled seashells. The raiders were gone, one man was lost, and the rest were no worse for their injuries. The treasure had been preserved. Best of all, Ulfrik now had a captive for ransom and a ship to claim. Were it not for Johan’s death, he would have counted it a perfect ending to his first raid.

Ulfrik returned to Yngvar’s side and looked down on Toki. “You are my prisoner.”

“I’ve noticed,” Toki replied. His accent was still distinctive, even if now nasal and distorted from his smashed nose.

“You’ll be digging a pit for your friends first. Then you’ll dig a grave for my man. While you’re digging, I’ll be looking over my new ship. What did you call it when it was yours?”

Toki turned away, spitting blood and snot onto the ground. “The Raven’s Talon. Now that it’s yours, you might as well call it the Dog Fucker.”

Ulfrik laughed at Toki’s insolence, but Yngvar kicked the raider hard enough to flatten him to the sand. He lay there as though he never intended to rise again. “Get this one working, Yngvar. Take another man with you, to help Toki concentrate. Karvi was a good friend of Johan’s. He should be eager to keep him focused.”

Ulfrik laughed again as he pulled himself up into the ship. He did not expect to find much of value, beyond the boat itself. He would have to include it in his take for the year and let Thor decide how to portion it out. While he waited for the berserker lord to arrive, he imagined Raven’s Talon and Wave Spear sailing together, returning home filled to the gunwales with gold and silver.

***

By the time Thor arrived with ten spearmen and several slaves, the raiders’ heads were on poles, lining the approach to the beach. Ulfrik did not enjoy the task, so had delegated it to a few men who had seemed happy to do it, knowing that ten rotting heads would give enemies pause before attacking. The bodies would be burned en masse in the pit Toki had dug, and whatever remained would be buried to deter scavenging animals.

“I heard about the battle,” Thor yelled as soon as he came within earshot. “What a victory for you, Ulfrik. Tell me all about it.”

Ulfrik smiled and met Thor halfway to the pit. “The gods were with us today. That is all. My men have discipline and were more than a match for sloppy pirates.” He turned Thor away from the pit, guiding him back along the beach as he explained. Thor listened, but his brow was furrowed and he occasionally ran his thick, gold-ringed fingers through his beard. Ulfrik finished the account just as they approached the gathered treasures and the Raven’s Talon. Both men stared out at the waters of the fjord. The morning fog had rolled back to unveil a flat gray expanse of water.

“I see you portioned out the treasure already.” Thor nodded to the bags and boxes stacked to the side. “My men will recount it, all the same. It looks like a good raid for you.”

Ulfrik nodded and pointed at Toki. “I have captured him and his ship. How do you want to handle them?”

Thor knelt down to peek into the nearest bag and withdrew a figurine of a dolphin carved from jet. He admired it as he replied. “The ship is too small for me. You can keep it. But if you want to crew it next season, you better have a good plan to pay all those men.”

Ulfrik again nodded. He had hoped the ship would not interest Thor and was glad to keep it. “The prisoner was one of their leaders. Will you take him as a slave?”

“I want him to tell me where his men went. Then I’ll skin him alive and throw him into the sea with a stone about his neck.” Thor replaced the dolphin, apparently pleased that it had been included in his pile. Then he drew out a silver torc that must have come from some warrior of the western islands. “No one raids my lands and lives. The heads on poles was a good idea, too.”

Ulfrik paid no attention to the compliment. He watched as Karvi shoved an exhausted Toki with his spear butt, making him stumble toward the pit. Ulfrik felt a sudden pang of sympathy for the man; after all, he had only been attempting to do what Ulfrik had just done to the Svear. He reminds me of someone, Ulfrik thought, although he could not say whom. The thought of presiding over Toki’s gruesome death made him uneasy.

“I want him for my crew,” Ulfrik said, on a whim.

Thor replaced the torc, raised himself up on one knee, and clapped the sand from his hands. “You can have his skin.”

“No, I want him to replace the crewman I lost.” His stare met Thor’s sunken eyes-onyx eyes that were unused to holding another man’s gaze. Ulfrik felt Thor’s mood growing as dark as the berserker’s eyes.

“I have told you what my plans are for that scum. Do not speak of him again.”

“I will pay you half of my own share to keep him.” Ulfrik eyes remained locked on Thor’s. It is important to show strength to those you lead, and even more important to show to those you follow. The words that sprang into his head were Auden’s. His uncle had told him that years ago, but Ulfrik only now found use for the advice. Thor’s face remained unmoved, but his left eyebrow jerked upward. “You really intend to take him on your crew?”

“He will be grateful, loyal to me for sparing his life and preserving him from slavery. Not only do I need loyal men, but I need a man who can pilot my extra ship. If he fails me, I will tie a stone to his neck and kick him into the sea.”

“And skin him first?” Thor asked, a smile pinching the corners of his mouth. Ulfrik grinned in agreement. “Then I’ll have half your take added to mine and the prisoner is yours. But he must tell me where the other raiders are hiding. I have to destroy them before they regroup.”

They concluded their deal with a handshake and a smile.

“Yngvar!” Ulfrik gestured for him to bring Toki to where they stood. Karvi hauled the raider up and shoved him forward.

“I think you overpaid me, Ulfrik.” Thor snorted at the ragged prisoner. “But you are a wise leader and an interesting man.”

Toki stumbled to his knees in the sand before Thor and Ulfrik. In their shadows, he appeared smaller and weaker. His face was crusted with blood and black circles rimmed his eyes. He lowered his head, and dark hair hung over his face and curled from the sweat of his efforts.

“I have paid Thor Haklang one half of my take in return for your life,” Ulfrik announced. Karvi sucked in his breath at the words, but Yngvar folded his arms and looked amused. “Before I make that payment, you must swear an oath of loyalty to me. If you do, I will make you one of my crew. When you have worked off the money I paid for your freedom, you will take an equal share, like the others.”

Toki raised his eyes, and Ulfrik read the gratitude there.

“You will have my oath. And gratitude for my life,” Toki said.

“Ulfrik is sworn to me,” Thor interjected. “That means you serve me as well. So the first test of your word will be to tell me where your men fled.”

Toki grimaced at the order. Then he lowered his head again. “I will tell you. They were mostly Koll’s men anyway. All of my men are dead now.”

So Ulfrik heard Toki’s oath, sworn with his hands upon Ulfrik’s sword. Then Ulfrik raised Toki up and gave him over to Thor to reveal the location of the remaining raiders. Karvi left, disgusted.

“Saw yourself in him, did you?” Yngvar’s smile was quizzical.

“Do you think I was wrong?”

“No. You let wisdom lead and put vengeance aside. We lost a good crewman today, but perhaps you got one back who will be just as good. And probably smart enough to realize he had better reward your faith.”

Yngvar patted Ulfrik’s shoulder and gestured to the pit. “Let’s burn those scum and lay Johan to rest.”

Twenty-six

Runa remained in the stables for several weeks. After Bard raped her, he vowed he would care for her, see her dressed in better clothes and have her working in the main hall. Days later, he returned to tell her she would care for the horses and live in the stables “until things improved.” She understood this to mean she was still Bard’s toy.

Runa continued to hope Ulfrik would return for her, so she waited, expecting him every time the stable door opened. He never came. As foolish as she felt for it, she continued to expect him. It was all the hope she had.

“He has fled to suck what he can from another hall, this time from Thor Haklang and his father,” Bard told her, sensing that she held out for him. “He took his men to their next meal, and he won’t be coming back here.”

The horses alone gave Runa the warmth and acceptance she received from no other source. She learned how to groom, feed, and exercise them, and although she was made to clean the stables, she was also allowed to keep a small corner for herself; Bard required somewhere away from the horses when he came to deliver empty promises and force himself on her.

She stubbornly fought him every time: screaming, kicking, spitting, anything short of leaving a mark on him. It discouraged Bard enough to reduce his visits, but it did not stop him completely. Runa knew resistance only complicated her life, but she had learned her lesson at the hands of the Svear. Now, she vowed to fight every time, no matter how futile.

As she waited for the winter to pass, Runa plotted her escape. She would steal one of the horses and ride into Thor Haklang’s land, after Ulfrik. But by the end of her first month of captivity, mornings left her weak and sick. Her monthly flow ceased, and she slept whenever she could; often when she should not have.

Runa’s grandmother had always said that a mother’s instinct was right, and Runa’s instinct was that she was with child. She did not know whose child it was, but instinctively felt it was Ulfrik’s. It comforted her to believe that. Her belly did not yet show, but it soon would.

Runa often talked to the horses, sharing her thoughts and plans with them. One Fjord horse, named Reykur for his smoky gray coat, was the most responsive. Stroking his neck, she whispered in his ears, “My dear friend, you’re going to have to take me away sooner than I planned. Can you do this for me? Even if the snow will freeze us? You are a brave horse, Reykur. You will save this woman and her baby.”

Reykur whickered and nuzzled her hand as she stroked his nose. Runa smiled, but it faded quickly. She had horse blankets for warmth, Reykur for transport, but not enough food stored for a journey. Also, she did not have any directions other than knowing she needed to head southwest.

The slave collar at her neck irritated her as she returned to her corner. As long as it remained, anyone finding her besides Ulfrik would take her for a slave. But the gods loved a bold plan, or so she had once heard.

***

Runa placed the tiny onion from her last meal in a sack under a saddle blanket, storing it for her journey. She would have to withhold food today for eating later, if she wanted to escape and survive. When the guard came to watch her exercise the horses, Runa paid close attention to him. He had grown morose, the routine boring him. He bore a scowl the entire time. Runa guessed he disdained the lowly nature of his task.

The day was bitterly cold, and Runa wrapped herself in a blanket as she walked the horses. She looked enviously at the smoke streaming from the main buildings to the south. Up on the hill, the hall where Bard and his family feasted looked gray and faded in the overcast light. Snow flurries, combined with the cold, would keep people indoors unless duties drew them outside. Runa thanked the gods for that small mercy.

She had five horses under her care, and Reykur was the last one she had to exercise. Her inattentive guard tucked himself deeper into his faded cloak, putting down his spear so he could warm his hands close to his body. Puffs of breath obscured his face. Runa smiled, and touched her belly. She carried Ulfrik’s child-some of his bold blood was in her now. She thrilled at the prospect of a daring escape, more certain than ever that the child was his.

The guard had positioned himself so that he could watch her whether in the stable or at work in the field. Runa glanced at him, and hot fear gripped her. She led the current horse back into the stable. Once inside, she did not put the horse away but instead fetched Reykur from his stall, tossed her makeshift sack of supplies across his back, and pulled herself up onto his back.

Reykur whinnied, surprised but easily calmed. With a deep breath, Runa leaned down close to Reykur’s mane, and reached across to slap the other horse in the rump.

“Now’s the time!” she screamed. Despite being weak from hunger and pregnancy, the moment flushed her with power. Panicked by her slap and the scream, the other horse bolted out the door. Runa kicked Reykur forward after him, throwing herself flat over his neck as they charged out the stable door.

Clearing the exit, Runa pinpointed the guard. He was not watching as the two horses burst out. Runa pointed Reykur at him and kicked the horse harder. He snorted at her insistence, the whites of his eyes showing. The horses had been bred for drawing sledges and light riding, not for barreling into an armed warrior.

“Just this once,” she called to Reykur. “Knock him down and we are free!”

The guard’s head snapped up as he heard the pummeling hooves of two horses galloping towards him. As Runa expected, the other horse followed Reykur. The two animals bore down on the guard before he could reach his spear.

Balking, the other horse screamed then pulled away, but Reykur, guided by Runa’s trembling hands, galloped onward. Runa shrieked in excitement. The guard dropped, scrabbling for his spear as Reykur pounded over the earth toward him.

Then the guard shot to his feet, his hand gripped tightly around his spear. Runa’s magnificent charge ended in that moment.

Reykur skidded in an attempt to avoid the guard and Runa’s furious kicking only adding to the animal’s terror. Her bag of supplies was flung to the ground as Reykur veered hard to the right and the guard scrambled out of the way. The horse reared, and Runa fought to keep her hands twisted in his mane.

“Bitch!” The guard sprang forward, wielding his spear like a club. He swiped at Runa, missing, as Reykur twisted and bucked in terror. Runa called his name and tried to calm him, but she had overestimated their rapport. Reykur continued to thrash.

The spear shaft connected with her shoulder, the heavy blow numbing her entire arm. Runa let go of Reykur, and her world tumbled upside down. She landed on her back, moaning beside her screaming, kicking horse. Reykur’s hooves thudded into the ground a short distance from her head, spraying mud across her face.

“Get up!” The guard slapped the horse with his spear and Reykur leaped forward and charged off behind the other horse. Runa lay still, facing the gray sky. Snowflakes alighted on her face, and a cold wetness seeped into her back. The guard appeared over her, the point of his spear glinting in the milky light.

“You crazy bitch! I should stick you right here. What were you thinking?”

Runa did not look at him, her eyes remained on the sky. “Lucky for you, I didn’t kill you like the last guard I slipped.”

“Well, you almost did.” He reached down and seized her arm. She followed limply as he yanked her up. “But no horse is going to charge a man with a spear, you fool. You better pray Frodi’s horses come back or I think Bard’s playtime with you is over.”

“I carry Bard’s child.” She said it easily, surprising even herself. The guard stepped away from her as if she carried the plague. “You better hope you didn’t kill his baby when you knocked me off the horse.”

The guard stood wide-eyed and still. Then he shook his head and cursed. “If he wants a bastard slave child, it’s not my business. You explain that to him. My orders are to keep you from running like the rat that you are, and I did.”

Runa smirked and swiped the mud from her face. It took all of her strength to appear uncaring. Despite her efforts, her bottom lip trembled and her eyes grew hot at the thought of losing Ulfrik’s baby. Behind the guard, she watched Reykur’s silver-gray rump as her only hope galloped away.

***

“A child? You are certain?” Bard’s face had flushed completely red and tears threatened to erupt from his eyes. “This news is … well…” He put his arms around her. “It is the greatest news of my life. It must be a son. That is what I want-a boy I can shape and teach.”

Runa nodded, refraining from saying anything more. The guard who had dragged her up to the hall stared bewildered over Bard’s shoulder to where Runa sat on the bed, her muddy skirt spoiling the clean linen. She let Bard ramble.

“You must be cared for, Runa. No more time in the stables. You will serve me in the hall, and sleep here as well. You need fresh clothing and a bath.” His nose crinkled with disdain. “You smell like a horse.”

“Do you wonder why? I should smell more like horse shit, since that is what you have left me with.” Bard flinched backward at her biting words. “What good is the bastard son of a slave to you? Take this collar off my neck. Make your son a freeman.”

Bard backed further away, his blush deepening. “My son will take my status and not yours. I get to decide that. If you want the collar off, then behave like a lady and not some wild woman trying to run my guards down with a horse. First, you bear my child, and then we talk about freedom. I don’t want you fleeing, and in the middle of winter … that’s mad.”

“I wouldn’t run if I were free! Don’t you understand?”

“And where were you going? Still dreaming about Ulfrik, I bet. But he has gone. Will he even have you, with your belly full of my child?” Bard smirked, as if his logic was irrefutable. Runa played along and bowed her head. She was not making any progress, and she still hadn’t faced Frodi or his wife, Svala. They were the real powers to persuade.

Bard dropped to one knee beside her. “This will be my first son. I will ensure your duties are light and you live in comfort. Deliver my son, and I will free you. Perhaps then there can be more between us. Perhaps even marriage.”

Runa could not hide her repulsion. “You are the stupidest man I have ever met. I suffer your terms because I am enslaved to you. There will never be more between us.”

She knew the words were stupid, wrong. What choice do I have but to manipulate? she wondered. Still, the one thing she could not bear was his blatant disregard for her intelligence.

Bard threw his head back and laughed. Rising to his full height, he looked down at her lovingly, as if she were a misguided child. “Let fate decide what shall be between us. I will send someone with clean clothes. When you are presentable, return to the hall for your new duties.”

He left and his guard followed. Runa stood, and slowly walked to the door. “Fate has already decided, you fool,” she mumbled to herself. “You are an idiot and a rapist, and someone I must flee.”

***

Despite her unhappiness, life in Bard’s hall turned out better than Runa expected. She slept in a corner of the main hall, in a deep pile of new furs and she had clean clothes, better food, and more companionship, although the other slaves mostly treated her with cool indifference. Runa attributed it to jealousy. Svala and Frodi were also indifferent, unimpressed by the news of Bard’s child. But Runa knew Svala disliked her. The jarl’s wife made that evident whenever Bard or Frodi were elsewhere.

“Fetch more firewood for the hearth,” Svala commanded.

Runa put her hand over the bump that showed at her belly. “Bard has forbade heavy lifting.”

Svala’s eyes flashed, blue ice in her finely carved face. She stood by the hearth, next to the empty firewood bin. The other slave girls slinked away to leave Runa suddenly alone. “My son has forbade you from your share of the work? That is interesting.”

Svala moved closer, like a predator, and Runa stiffened at her shift in mood. She was a striking woman, sternly beautiful and hardly touched by age, but now angry wrinkles pulled down her thin brows.

Runa bowed her head. “I will fetch the wood, as you command.”

Svala’s anger only flared brighter. She seized Runa’s face in a thin, cold hand and her nails dragged into Runa’s cheeks. “You had better deliver a boy after what I’ve put up with from you. Do you think I don’t understand your game?”

Runa’s eyes widened, but she held herself still in Svala’s grasp. “I am merely a slave.”

“A smart, pretty slave, and a whore on top of that. What a dangerous toy for my son to play with. Do you think this child will benefit you? I’m already tired of the privileges you take, even if I stomach them for my son’s sake.” Her eyes narrowed. “Once you deliver your child, you’re done in this hall. My son can ride you night and day if he wants, but you’re not finding a way into my family by dropping bastards from your filthy slave crotch. Do you understand?” Svala shoved Runa away, and she stumbled back and rubbed her cheeks. “I understand, ma’am. I will get the firewood now.”

“You’re carrying too low for the child to be a boy.” Svala pulled her woolen cloak around her shoulders, nuzzling the fox fur trim against her face. “I wonder if that’s really my son’s child to begin with. Better hope for a strong family resemblance.”

Runa darted from the hall, not wanting to hear any more threats. The few months of peace had calmed her, but it took only one such comment to loose the worry in her. Outside, the bracing air slapped her stinging cheeks. The woodshed was not far, but she planned to take extra time on the task. An empty wood box, fitted to a sled and attached to a rope, stood beside the hall. Runa wound the rope around her arm and pulled the sled to the woodshed.

Snow covered the ground a few hands deep. Snow was common enough in Denmark, but here on the southern coast the locals were unused to so much snow. Many cursed the year as the worst winter in memory. As Runa trundled across the snow, her breath cloudy, she felt fortunate that she was not homeless this winter. She would be dead by now. Her continued enslavement had at least guaranteed her life a little longer.

She dragged open the shed door, fighting the piled snow. Once inside, Runa tossed a split log into the cart and then sat down on a pile. Out of the wind, the cold was bearable and it was still more desirable than the hot aggression Svala poured into the hall.

Again she rubbed her belly. The night before she felt the baby kick for the first time-a strange sensation, like a tic that lacked conscious thought. Yet the movement had excited her. She wondered whether the child would resemble her family. Perhaps it would have her curly hair. Her entire family, her mother and all her brothers and sister, had curls.

Runa suddenly felt the sharp pang of their absence. All dead, and a brother lost forever, she thought. What would mother say about me now? She stood and pitched another log into the cart. It landed with a hollow thud. Maybe the boy will look like Ulfrik. Damn what Svala says! I hope the baby looks just like him.

Her child would come in summer, and along with it, a new chance to escape. If a chance to flee arrives earlier, I will take it, she told herself. But now she had to focus on having the baby. She entertained the vague notion of convincing someone to travel to Thor Haklang’s land to deliver word to Ulfrik. Surely he will return once he knows he has a child to save.

She stood, about to start her work in earnest, when she heard a horn sound. A single blast put the fighting men on alert, but it was not a call for battle. Runa stepped out of the shed. Two of Frodi’s mounted scouts were leading a line of men dressed for war. Ten men, she estimated, more then enough to overtake Frodi’s two scouts if they wanted to. She sighed and leaned against the doorway. For her, armed strangers normally led to disaster.

As they neared, Runa caught a glimpse of the man leading the line. She clenched her teeth, and automatically ducked into the shed. She recognized the man. The real power behind the downfall of Grenner, the man they called Vandrad.

Twenty-seven

“What’s this all about?” Grim asked the hirdman next to him, who shrugged without replying. Jarl Guthorm had summoned all the hirdmen and hersir to him at the mead hall. Grim had followed Vandrad’s orders and reported to Guthorm, who had taken Grim’s oath and put him to work as a spearmen in the shield walls. It was less than Grim had expected, but Guthorm was grizzled, gray-haired, gigantic, and ill-tempered, so he dared not complain. There was immediate work for him as the armies pushed east toward Varmland. Grim did his work and distinguished himself in the fights, getting the highest reward a recruit could expect in Guthorm’s command: a grunt of thanks. More tangible rewards-pieces of silver-soon followed as Grim earned his way to the front rank, and then the center of it.

Grim enjoyed the work-free from complaining men, weeping wives, and restrictive obligations. His reputation for ferocity in combat gave him joy. Kill and move forward, that was it. It was beautiful. Grim soon forgot why it had been so important for him to rule. Even if he had thought it his birthright, it was certainly not his forte. Had he known life as a warrior would be so carefree, he would have left Grenner to join Harald’s army in the first place. After the winter campaigns finished, Grim pushed Grenner to the recesses of his mind. He still wore the amulet Lini had made for him, and it was a rare night when he did not dream of the old hag’s dying curse, but he rutted with any woman he could find to prove the amulet held off the curse. For now, it seemed Lini had done all that could be done. Still, Grim continued to give as much honor to the gods as possible, hoping they would strike down his brother. Grim learned Vandrad had razed Grenner, turning the place into a staging ground for attacks to the west. Hearing Vandrad’s name returned the sting of shame he had felt when Vandrad had stripped him of his rule. If I ever see that arrogant fool again, he thought. I will be sure to let him know Grim Ormsson has not stayed down.

The hall clamored with men boasting, laughing, and just as often arguing. Despite its enormous size, it was packed with men and Grim jostled for a space. The hall had been built when High King Harald lived here. He was now far away to the northwest, in Trondheim. All throughout the area, magnificent halls, the likes of which Grim had never imagined possible, were a reminder of King Harald’s former presence. At least now Grim understood why Vandrad had considered Grenner a petty country hall of no value. No carved dragons adorned the posts of Grenner’s hall. No graceful arcs softened Grenner’s roofs.

Guthorm appeared at the high table. He was clad in mail, which had been scoured to a brilliant finish, and wrapped in a cloak pinned with a gem-studded golden broach. With his powerfully muscled arms folded over his chest, he scowled until the men fell silent, group by group.

“Before winter ends, High King Harald has commanded we seize Ranrike.” Guthorm’s voice boomed in the expansive, smoke-hazed hall. Grim wondered whether he ever spoke like he wasn’t commanding an army. “I have already chosen the men for this attack. But I want a rearguard, especially with matters just settled in Grenner, across the fjord. You men gathered here tonight will be that rearguard. I don’t expect trouble, but we should be prepared. You will have three days to organize yourselves, then be ready to sail.”

Guthorm frowned out over the heads of the men. A few sycophants clapped for him, but otherwise no one made a sound. Grim gritted his teeth, angered by the prospect of being a guard dog. But he feared Guthorm more than any man he had ever met, and kept his silence. Guthorm unfolded his arms. “Good, I will divide up your duties with the hersir. But tonight, I would not call you to this hall if I did not plan to get you drunk.”

All of the men cheered at that. Grim had learned to play along. He knew that someone’s eyes were always watching in this great army. So he clapped and cheered, looking forward to the excellent mead Guthorm always ensured was in ample supply. By the end of the night, he knew, at least ten of the hundred men who filled the hall would be injured in a brawl and would be unable to travel. For the first time, Grim wished he could be among them, but the talk of Grenner had soured his mood, and tonight he would be the one causing the injuries.

***

Grim cursed the rowing. He had been assigned to one of three ships to patrol the waters near Grenner and while he never minded marching, rowing felt like something a slave should do. Yet, all along the benches, strong men rowed and sang to kill the monotony. The winds seemed to always blow contrary to where the pilot wanted to go; thus the rowing.

Grim shook his head as they rowed south, shaking from his head the visage of Aud, which had come to him again in a dream. He knew it was absurd to be frightened, but something about returning filled him with trepidation. He felt the amulet of bones, laced about his neck with Ulfrik’s bow string, swaying across his chest as he rowed, but even that provided him with less comfort than usual.

He was not among friends on this ship. Most of his companions had drawn duties on land. Guthorm’s army organized men into a felag that learned to fight together. And the men on the ship were such a group; Grim was an intruder on their camaraderie. Being sullen and preoccupied had not helped his welcome.

The hersir at the rudder was called Hrut the Hard. When Grim first met him, he had eyed Grim’s amulet with a skeptical frown, similar to the look he was giving Grim now. Grim spat to show his displeasure at being studied. Hrut smiled, and gazed back out to sea. The longship jumped and crashed over the choppy waves, foamed up by blustery winds. Grim returned to his worries.

By the end of the first day, the ships had rowed past Grenner and into Frodi’s territory. They pulled up on the beaches to camp for the night. Hrut shouted orders to his men, but when he came to Grim, he just looked at the amulet and then turned away. It suited Grim: he wanted to rest his aching shoulders anyway.

He sat apart from the others, eating his rations and listening to waves slam the beach. His arms trembled-with the effort of rowing he presumed, or was it just Aud’s curse chewing at him? Eventually, Grim found a spot close to the fire and lay down with a blanket to defend against the night air. He slept with his hand upon the amulet.

***

“Grim!”

Grim jerked up straight in the cold night. It was unnaturally silent; not even the sounds of the ocean, which should have been roaring over the beach, provided a distraction. All about him, men were gray, slumbering lumps in the silent dark. The fire burned as bright as when it had first been lit, but threw no warmth.

“Grim.”

His name came again, thin and shrill on the dead night air. It came from the black tree line, and Grim knew he would have to go to it.

His blanket slipped away as he stood, and sand dropped from his body as he started toward the woods. One hand clutched his amulet and the other was held out before him, as if he feared an invisible wall.

“Grim.”

The voice came again, closer and stronger this time. It raised the hackles of his neck in fear. No other sound penetrated the leaden dark, not even the creak of leather and mail that should have made enough noise to wake the other warriors. He stepped over the sleeping men until he came to the grass that led to the trees. He strained his eyes to see into the green-gray murk, but saw nothing.

“Come to me, Grim.”

The voice rushed all about him now, sibilant and low-pitched. A sensation of cold washed down his neck and spine, like icy water poured beneath his clothes. In the woods, a faint light shimmered. Grim’s feet carried him on, toward the light, although he did not want to go.

The trees seemed to close about him as he entered. Snow flaked the ground, but the branches were bare. Turning around, he saw nothing but trees and darkness. The voice that had lured him to this place broke into peals of laughter. Grim’s free hand dropped to his sword and pulled it from the scabbard. His other hand maintained a white-knuckled lock on the amulet. The yellow glow flared beyond the trees. His sword thrust forward, Grim padded toward the source.

As he entered a clearing, his heartbeat soared and cold sweat dripped into his eyes, blurring his vision. In the center of the clearing was a tall, heavily muscled man. He wore rusted, rotting mail, and a tattered cloak danced from his shoulders. Both of the man’s heavy hands rested on the shaft of an ax held head-down before him. But it was the man’s head that arrested Grim’s attention. His wore a helmet exactly like the one Grim had lost to Ulfrik, and long gray hair streamed from beneath it. Behind the mask, two spots of yellow light wavered. A thin smile broke out on the man’s face when Grim met those baleful points.

“You have come to see me at last, my son,” the man said, his voice as thin and empty as air blown through a hollow trunk. “Come, embrace your father.”

Grim’s mouth worked in a wordless reply. The man remained in perfect stillness, though his smile widened to reveal black and yellow teeth. Grim’s legs reflexively made to run, but he was rooted to the spot.

The revenant laughed, throwing his head back, and hefted the ax into both hands. He kicked out a foot, as if freeing it from an invisible restraint, and said, “You won’t come to me, will you boy? Always the baby, weren’t you?”

Grim shook his head, eyes wide in terror. He could not speak, move, or think. He was fixated on the ponderous approach of the thing that called itself his father. Its footfalls thudded on the ground as it neared. The ax came up to its shoulder, in position to fall once the thing got close enough.

“Poison? You poisoned me?” The thing lumbered closer, one foot slamming down before the other. The points of light became slits behind the face guard. “Only a weakling kills with poison. You can no longer hide from your cowardice!”

Orm’s ghost pulled up before him, and Grim felt himself shrink. The ax gleamed above the helmeted head as a wave of frosty air engulfed him, and his father leaned back to strike. The ax descended. Grim found his voice in a sudden rush, screaming in bare terror.

He did not know how or when, but he found he had put his sword hilt deep into his father’s chest, halting the ax in mid strike. Orm tilted to the side, and then fell to the snow. The points of light beneath the helm blazed, then went dark. Grim yanked back his sword. Dry, powdery snow gushed from the wound and his father’s body soundlessly disintegrated into snowflakes, falling away before him. Only the helmet remained upturned on the ground, an eddy of snow twirling inside it.

Grim was shaking all over, even his teeth chattered. Sweat poured in rivulets down his chest as he stood heaving over the helmet. Without understanding why, he gingerly lifted the empty helm and placed it on his head. It slid into place as if it were his own. When he stood up again and looked through the faceplate, he leaped back in shock.

He was in the old hall in Grenner, facing the high table from the entrance. The hearth fire was nothing more than embers, throwing only enough light to outline everything in red. A continual low hum filled the room and a gray smudge of a figure-small, hunched and still-was seated at the table. Grim shook his head in disbelief. It couldn’t be.I killed her. I killed Aud. That could not be her seated at the high table.

But each time he shook his head in refusal, he found himself creeping closer to the quiet figure. He pressed his eyes shut, expecting to open them again and find her gone. But now he was closer than before and still the figure appeared, although only as a gray smudge, as if seen through murky water. “I killed you, Aud! I cut off your head and buried your ashes!”

He stood beneath her at the high table now. Aud was ashen and sat at a tilt, streams of bloody mud seeping from her eyes as she stared out across the hall. Her mouth was slack, and flakes of snow spun from her breath and melted before reaching the table. A continual hum filled Grim’s head, so loud that he couldn’t think or concentrate. It was as if a hive of bees swarmed in his skull. He pressed his hands to his ears.

“That’s my helmet,” a voice said from behind. Grim whirled, keeping his sword before him. Somehow it was in his hand again, and he was glad for it. Behind him was his brother, Ulfrik, carrying an ax and bearing a shield on his arm. “Take it off and let me see your face. Let me see if I can get it right this time.”

He lunged. Grim parried the strike, fumbling to the side. The hum droned in his ears, making him feel worn and distracted. Ulfrik recovered, spinning around with an evil, wolfish grin. He slammed his shield into Grim’s face then slid his foot behind Grim’s and tripped him, knocking him to the floor. For a moment, Grim could see nothing as the helmet dislodged and covered his eyes. When he knocked it away, Ulfrik leered down at him. “No amulet will keep me from you. Vengeance is mine, dog!”

The ax blade bit between the base of his neck and his shoulder. Grim lurched at the concussive force, hot blood shooting forth like a geyser. Ulfrik laughed, and Grim screamed, clutching at his shoulder where the ax had lodged. His flesh sucked the blade, making awful noises as he wrestled. When the ax finally released, spitting a trail of blood through the air, Grim howled. The last thing he saw was a twisted visage of Ulfrik smiling as he hacked down.

“If you don’t wake up, I’ll silence you for good!”

Grim heard himself screaming. He felt pain in his shoulder, but realized it was a hand dug into it-not an ax. Someone was shaking him. He stopped screaming and, in the dim light of the dying campfire, the angry face of Hrut the Hard came into focus. “By the gods, boy, if you don’t stop screaming I’ll cut your throat!”

Grim shoved himself upright, knocking Hrut away. The sound of breaking waves greeted him. Sleepy-eyed men were sitting up all around him, frowning. He had been screaming in his sleep, he realized, embarrassed.

“Awake now, are you?” Hrut sat back on his haunches and stared at Grim. “I swear you are worse than my girls. Are the monsters all gone?”

Still addled from the experience, Grim rubbed his face. Ignoring Hrut, he put his hand up to feel for his amulet. It was missing. Fire leaped in his gut. He shot to his feet, spinning around, frantically patting his body. Sometimes the amulet would get tangled in his hair or flipped to his back while he slept, but now it was not on him. He dropped to the sand and searched his blanket.

“Looking for your bone necklace? What is that for, anyway?”

“Protection,” Grim replied. It was not in his blanket, but he soon found the finger bones hidden in the sand. The bowstring was not attached. He began sifting the sand, throwing it everywhere.

“Be quiet and let the others sleep,” Hrut said as he stood up. “It doesn’t protect you from nightmares, I see. So stay awake.” Men grunted in concurrence, but Grim paid no attention. On his hands and knees, he scrabbled in the sand for the missing bowstring.

The men around him watched in amusement as he searched in the feeble light.

“Like a dog burying a bone,” one remarked, drawing some laughter from the others. But Grim wasn’t listening, and they soon grew bored and drifted back to sleep.

Eventually, he gave up. He rocked back in the sand, his head in his hands. The amulet had broken. In the dream, Ulfrik had cut his throat. In life, Ulfrik’s bowstring had snapped. Are the gods abandoning me? Is the amulet useless? He did not know, and there was no one to tell him. Had coming back to this foul land somehow given the curse more power? He held the bones, orange now in the firelight, in his left hand. Without the bowstring, would they be enough?

Grim decided to search the sand again in the daylight. Maybe it would be there in the morning. He sat up, pulling the blanket to him, huddling with the remains of his amulet to await the dawn.

***

In the morning, the bowstring was still missing. It never would be found. Grim saw how he had thrashed, how his frantic searches had scattered the sand. The men laughed at him, and Hrut ordered him back to the ship. He sailed out, lost in fearful thoughts.

The rearguard patrol lasted a week, and Grim hardly slept for any of it. He moved as if in a daze. Where men at first mocked him, they eventually shunned him. Grim was consumed with fear about being so close to Ulfrik. If the curse were pulling them together, he needed to escape.

When the ships returned home, Grim used a silver chain to restring the bones. Then he insisted on a meeting with Guthorm. The jarl often heard complaints and disputes, and Grim used his time to plead that he be sent as far away as possible. Guthorm questioned his motives at first, but found nothing suspicious. Several sledges were being sent through the mountainous passes to Trondheim, where King Harald lived.

“Go as one of the caravan guards,” Guthorm told him. “And ask for a position in Harald’s standing army. Here, this will show him my approval.” He handed Grim a piece of elk antler with his mark on it.

Grim thanked Guthorm until he was ejected from the hall. Then he put his hand on the amulet, and sighed. Trondheim was high up the northwest coast, too far for Ulfrik to travel alone. The gods had not abandoned him after all.

Twenty-eight

Runa watched from the woodshed as the women were ushered out of the hall and Frodi’s hirdmen filled it. For all of Frodi’s grand posturing, his household was in disarray, fumbling like apprentice jugglers trying to deal with Vandrad’s arrival. Runa relished that. Hirdmen who should have been present had to be summoned. Bard and Frodi were away and runners had to be dispatched to fetch them. And Svala had to deal with Vandrad and his men, who needed to be disarmed. They handed over their weapons willingly, but only the two scouts remained with them as guards. No one even came for their horses.

Outside, the group of women idled in the cold until Svala led her slave girls away to find work in another building. Runa hung back in the woodshed, forgotten. After a long wait, during which Vandrad and his men grew obviously anxious, Frodi and Bard trotted up the road. Dressed in plain winter clothing, they looked significantly less grand than usual. Runa giggled, knowing it would be an affront to Frodi’s ego.

Everyone filed inside and a single guard remained at the door. Runa chose that moment to leave the shed, dragging the fresh firewood behind. At the door, the guard stopped her. “No one goes inside.”

“Nonsense,” Runa snapped. “I was sent to get firewood and attend Frodi. Do you want to go ask him if I can enter?”

The guard’s face slackened. “Well, no. I don’t think I have to do that, do I?”

Runa shook her head and took up the cart’s rope. “Of course you don’t.”

The guard even held the door and helped her drag the firewood-laden cart into the front room. “Thank you,” Runa said. “You better not leave your post. I’m used to hauling the wood alone.”

The guard closed the door behind him and Runa left the firewood beside it and slipped into the main room. No one noticed her pressed against the back wall and she wore the shadows like a cloak, hardly even daring to breathe. Frodi, Bard, and several important-looking men sat at the high table. Vandrad and his ten bodyguards stood before them, maintaining a stony silence. Frodi’s hirdmen, dressed variously in winter cloaks and lighter clothing, lined the walls and muttered. Much less imposing without mail and leathers to bulk them up, Runa thought.

At last, Frodi addressed his guests. “So you come to my hall now under the sign of peace. Only months ago you came under the banner of war. I should take you prisoner and execute your men.”

“What you should do and what you will do are two different matters.” Vandrad, his hair and beard combed and oiled, gold armbands glittering beneath a fine woolen cape, looked more like a jarl than Frodi.

“Bold words from a man who ran for his life.” Frodi’s men laughed, and Vandrad even smiled.

“That was not a good day for me, I freely admit. But I think Fate has better plans for us. That is why I am here today, and why you are listening to me rather than killing my men and binding my hands. Am I right?”

Frodi’s face crumpled into a scowl, but he didn’t answer. Vandrad did not wait on the silence for long. “Let us come to the point. I traveled here because our personal agents have arranged this. I’m surprised you were unprepared for my arrival.”

“Notice of it would have demonstrated some courtesy. Or is courtesy another dead tradition under the High King’s rule?”

Vandrad dropped his head in mock disappointment. “You are every bit as ill-tempered as men claim. Let me begin anew. I am here to conclude in person what we have started through intermediaries. As High King Harald’s representative in these lands, I am here to take your oath of loyalty.”

The room exploded into shouts. Runa’s suppressed gasp passed unheard in the riot of protests. She looked at Bard, whose face remained impassive and uninterested. He’s known all along, she thought. But even his father’s closest men are shocked.

Frodi stood and slammed on the table, demanding silence and attention. He got it only after he had banged his hand red. “Silence! We have to be realistic. Times are changing and we can’t be on the wrong side. I’ve considered this all winter, and I don’t see another way.”

“Fighting is another way,” countered one of the hirdmen at the table. Runa recognized him as Rolf Roundhead, from when she had first arrived here. “Why surrender to a beaten foe?”

Nods and cheers met the Rolf’s words, but Vandrad waved his hands dismissively. “That was a different army, one I cared little for. I came to test your strength and found it lacking.”

More men roared and Rolf stood to the insult. Frodi shoved him down as Vandrad fought to be heard over the din. “Grim Ormsson is banished from Grenner; any traitors were hung and their families enslaved. Grenner is now fully under Vestfold’s power and, as Frodi knows, veteran troops now garrison those lands-troops that claimed Vingulmark, Varmland, and even now pummel Ranrike into submission.”

The hall fell silent and Vandrad let his words simmer in the minds of his audience. Runa peered at Bard, who shifted uncomfortably. She thought he glanced at her, and she fought the reflex to jerk away, but his eyes glided past and settled on Vandrad, who resumed his speech.

“I like the lay of this land, the position of this hall. I like Frodi and his leadership. High King Harald asks only that you accept him as your lord. He has no desire to fight where words will suffice. That has been my mission since I arrived here.”

“You made sure all the heirs of Grenner were dead or scattered.” Frodi’s words lacked their usual iron. Bard stirred at his father’s comments, finally taking an interest in the ongoing drama.

“Expediency was all,” Vandrad said with a shrug. “They are a stubborn lot, and less sensible than you. But that is of no account, the place once known as Grenner no longer exists.”

The silence resumed and men studied their feet or the ceiling. Eventually, Frodi made his decision. “We will make formal oaths to the High King. Anyone not willing to follow me in this will be an oath-breaker.”

Runa saw the men sharing glances, some amazed, most searching for support. Her heart fluttered at the news. Ulfrik, if he really were sheltering in Agder with Thor Haklang, would want to know this. Surely, Thor, that bear of a man, would never bend a knee to Harald. War would spark at the borders, and Ulfrik might be on the other side.

The men continued to talk, but Runa turned and slipped out of the hall. The guard at the door asked what was happening inside.

“I don’t know,” she said, and meant it.

***

By spring, Runa had grown large with child. Svala had shown no mercy for her, always assigning the hardest tasks, and Runa dared not cross her. She bore every hardship in silence, smart enough to know when to bend and when to hold firm. Better to appear beaten until it comes time to reveal otherwise, she thought.

Life was no different, despite the land now being a holding of King Harald’s. Frodi’s lands had at least been spared war and destruction, which rumor said was the fate of any jarl who resisted. Runa’s main concern was the arrival of new troops from far away. A unit of twenty-five warriors had arrived only weeks ago. These men frightened Runa. Their faces were scarred by battle, and they were closed and distant. It was clear they would think no more of killing a person than of killing a squirrel.

Where winter once barred her escape with snow, spring’s burden was the increasing weight of her baby, which made running difficult. In spite of that, Runa knew she must do it. Soon, war would come; the new troops could be here for no other purpose. All she needed was the chance of a headstart.

Guards no longer followed Runa; everyone considered that her pregnancy made flight impossible. But other slaves often accompanied her in her tasks. One girl, several years older than Runa, was friendlier than most, but most of the slaves still kept their distance.

“Your baby grows big,” the friendliest girl told her, gesturing to her belly as they hauled laundry to a stream for washing. “I had many babies, but they all died in their first year. I don’t make strong children.”

“You poor thing,” Runa said, her eyes on the stream.

“I was carrying a child when I was taken into slavery. But the raiders knocked me to the ground, and the baby was killed,” the woman said without emotion, as if the horrid event had happened to another woman.

“The stream is growing warmer,” Runa said, as she stooped to wash one of Svala’s skirts, and deliberately guided the conversation back to trite comments on the spring weather.

They completed the rest of the chore in silence. As they finished and loaded the wet clothes into the basket, Bard arrived.

“You, you’re needed in the hall.” He ordered the other slave away then stood over Runa as she wrung out a shirt and dropped it into the basket.

“You shouldn’t be given such hard labor,” he said. Bard had been distant for a while, but now that Runa was in her final months of pregnancy his interest renewed. “This is heavy. Let me carry it.”

“So kind of you to occasionally think of helping me,” Runa’s said, her tone sarcastic. “I’m flattered by your attention, but I can carry these fine. Been doing it in the snow too, but I guess it’s not so easy for you to help me in bad weather. And I’ll have to come back for the other basket, now that you’ve chased off my help.”

Bard’s face turned a familiar shade of red, and Runa rolled her eyes and blew a curl from her face. She snatched up her basket and began walking away. Bard didn’t even bother to take up the other one, leaving it for her to retrieve. This man lives in his own world, she thought.

“I came to see how you are feeling.” Bard followed her. “You should go easy until my son is born.”

“Why are you so sure it’s a son? Your mother thinks it’s a girl.”

“It’s a son. I have no doubt.”

Runa didn’t bother replying, not to such nonsense. She walked on, easing her load by carrying the bulk of the weight on her hip. She felt her baby kick as if in protest. When alone, she would speak to it and soothe it, but for now she tried her best to ignore it.

“Runa, I have something important to tell you. With these new alliances, things have changed. I am to go to Vingulmark this year to serve in the King’s army.”

She stopped, feeling instantly cold. “Vingulmark is far from here?” she tried to feign disinterest. “Isn’t it in the north?”

“Yes, north of Vestfold. Once you have my son, I will travel there.”

“Again, so thoughtful.” Runa’s heart thumped, dreading her next question. “Does that mean you are taking me?”

He laughed, squinting ahead into the bright sun. “Of course! I can’t nurse a baby.”

Silence followed them as they walked. There’s not going to be enough time to escape, she thought, and her temple throbbed. Then she realized Bard was staring at her.

“One more thing. You see, with all these new alliances, it’s important my family is part of the new power structure. My father has arranged a marriage for me in Vingulmark…” He let his words trail off, and glanced away, his expression guilty.

Runa caught his meaning. “I’ll be your son’s wet nurse. Your new wife will be the mother?”

“I don’t really know the details. Something like that.” He laughed, and his face was as red as a boiled crab.

Runa nodded and her child kicked again. Fear and doubt gripped her, but she armored herself in a shell of indifference. “As you say. I suppose you will do what is best.”

Bard smiled and his blush receded. “Of course I will! You can count on me.” He put a hand on her arm.

Count on you imprisoning me in the stables, starving me, working me till I drop? What a deluded fool. I must escape before this child is born, or who knows what will happen to us? Runa recalled Bard’s bland reaction to Vandrad’s proposal of an alliance. He had probably known all of this months ago. What else is he keeping from me? Worse, what will he do if my baby is a girl?

She shivered at her guess, as she accompanied Bard back to the hall.

Twenty-nine

Ulfrik watched the dawn spread pink along the horizon. Waves lapped the beach only a few paces away as he drew in a breath of salty air, sharp and clean. Up the slope to the left, the hall and buildings of his new community clustered together. Smoke curled up from some, his people beginning their day.

He gripped Fate’s Needle, still sheathed, in his left hand and held it up to the rising sun, recalling his father’s words: Sew a strong destiny with it. Ulfrik’s brows tightened as he remembered that day. Such happy times were now lost to him. But a strong destiny remained within his power. Spring had banished the punishing winter, and more men came to fill his ships for the start of a new raiding season. Thor and his father, Jarl Kjotve, had encouraged the young men of Agder to join him. In return, Ulfrik would discipline them, blood them, and turn them into hardened troops.

He lowered his sword and whispered, “I will rebuild the spirit of Grenner on these lands, Father. What I cannot avenge in blood I will avenge in glory.”

Ulfrik had repeated this ritual numerous times over the winter. The vision of his homeland reborn in honor and independence warmed him in those bitter days. He looked once more to the east, recalling the faces of Orm and Auden, Runa and Magnus, and of all the others left behind under the sword of Vestfold and its High King. Even Grim featured in his meditations. Regret haunted Ulfrik for what Grim had become. If Fate put them together again, he would have to carry out the justice Grim’s treachery deserved. But he still doubted himself, still feared he would dishonor his father and uncle when the time came. If only my ax-blow had killed him, back when I had less time to think.

Summoning the ghosts of those to whom he owed so much was the final part of his morning ritual-his way of honoring them, and reminding himself of his duty-but this morning, the ritual did not finish.

In the winter months, Ulfrik and his men had cleared the trees from around their hall to harvest lumber for construction. But they had yet to clear enough. Men dressed in mail emerged from the trees and assembled in the clearing, and a few pointed at the hall.

Alone and unarmored, Ulfrik did not want their attention, but his people had to be warned. Ulfrik tilted into a sprint up the slope, cursing as he ran.

***

Six men in mail hauberks and iron helmets stopped before Ulfrik’s hall. Their shields were at their backs, and trailing behind them were women and children, all bearing sacks or backpacks. One of the older boys lowered a large cooking pot to the grass, and wiped his brow.

Ulfrik slowed to a jog, his urgency fading. The men came from the east, and Frodi’s border was not far. He guessed they were messengers traveling to Jarl Kjotve. But why have their families accompany them? he wondered.

The warriors formed a line before their families. They bore spears, but laid them flat in the grass, and their swords remained sheathed. Keeping their hands at their sides, they waited.

As Ulfrik approached, one man stepped forward, gold armbands on both his arms. He removed his helmet, and gray streaked hair fell about his broad, heavily lined head.

Yngvar rushed from the hall with Toki and a few others who had all hastily grabbed up shields and spears. Ulfrik joined them just before reaching the new arrivals. “Glad to see you weren’t asleep.”

“Toki saw a gleam through the window,” Yngvar said, catching his breath. “So we came running.”

Ulfrik turned to face the leader and his band and raised his hand in greeting. “Heil, I am Ulfrik Ormsson, and these are my lands.”

The leader raised a brow and inclined his head. “You have done well since we last met, Jarl Ulfrik. I am Rolf Roundhead, and these are friends and family behind us. I know you from Frodi’s hall, where once I served.”

“Once served? You have news, then?”

Rolf nodded slowly. “News of grave importance. I come seeking Jarl Kjotve the Rich, and Thor Haklang. We are here to pledge our swords to him.”

“You are oath-breakers then,” Ulfrik flashed a devilish smile. He did not remember Rolf, but he would enjoy the chance to return the humiliation he had suffered under Frodi. “Kjotve and Thor are allied with Frodi. I should just bind you all up and march you back to him for a reward.”

Rolf laughed from deep in his belly. “A fine sight that would be. And you would quickly find yourself his prisoner as well. I see I must be clear with you, although I had intended to speak only to Kjotve and Thor. Frodi is no longer your ally. He grovels to the throne of the new High King.”

Rolf paused to let the words sink in. Ulfrik did not mask his surprise although he knew that would be sensible. One by one, the petty kingdoms fall to Harald Finehair, he thought, until only the big kingdoms remain to swallow whole.

“So you rule here now? Surely Thor is you lord? Last I knew you were his slave.”

“Aye, both are true. But that story is not so interesting as your own. Thor and Kjotve are close. Rest here this morning and I will escort you to their hall.”

Rolf bowed, and his men and their families followed. “You are a gracious host. We have little to give in return but our gratitude.”

“I understand. I’ve been in the same position myself.”

Polite laughter followed Ulfrik’s comment. He smiled, thinking to himself. You have given me much. Runa, I will be coming for you soon.

***

Ulfrik wasted no time escorting Rolf and his band to Kjotve’s hall. Along the way, Rolf revealed the details of Vandrad’s offer and Frodi’s over-eager acceptance. “Most of Frodi’s men are paid well enough that they don’t care who they fight for. But I’m not willing to bend a knee to a High King. I barely bent a knee to Frodi-that ass! Once new taxes were ordered, well, I was done. So were all of these men.”

Rolf had his own questions as well, which Ulfrik answered honestly.

“I admire Thor’s trickery,” Rolf admitted. “It’s why I’d rather serve him. He’ll appreciate me, I promise. Got these armbands from Frodi; each is worth three from any other lord, that stingy bastard.”

The day fulfilled the promise of the morning with clear skies and mild weather as they tracked northwest into sparse woods. The children darted into the trees to scare rabbits or birds, or just to play and Ulfrik noticed Toki watched them with a wistful smile.

“You watch them. Why?” Ulfrik couldn’t help but ask what he was thinking.

“Nothing really, just remembering my family. The girls remind me of my sisters.”

Ulfrik left Toki to his thoughts. On winter’s long cold nights in the hall, they had bonded over drinks, but Toki had been reticent to discuss his family or his past, and Ulfrik never pressed him. He spoke openly of his life at sea, which he relished more than anything.

“They’re too young to know they should quietly follow their leaders.” Rolf chuckled at his own joke, then had no hesitations inquiring deeper. “You have sisters then? Are they back in Denmark?”

Toki looked up, surprised. “You recognize my accent?”

“I’ve been to Denmark many times. Your accent is mild compared to some Danes I’ve known.”

Toki fell silent and watched the track ahead as they walked, his dark hair falling in tight waves across his face as he looked down. Ulfrik looked at him and felt a sudden chill.

“Rolf, I planned to ask you about this later, but it cannot wait. One of my people was falsely enslaved for Bard’s pleasure. Do you remember her?”

“The girl?” Rolf said. “Sure, how can I not? She made quite a stir trying to escape during the winter. Almost rode down poor Garet here.”

A younger man perked up at the mention, but then his face soured. “She didn’t know what she was doing with that horse. I was never in danger.”

“That’s not what you said back then.” Rolf and his men laughed.

“Was she hurt? Is she still Frodi’s slave?”

“She was not hurt, nor was her baby. She is still a slave. Carrying that baby probably kept Frodi from having her lashed to death. She must be due to have the child any day now.”

Ulfrik stopped short, his mouth dropping open. The travelers came to a halt with him, although the children continued to dash forward on the track, playing their games.

“So you didn’t know when you left her?” Rolf also seemed surprised. He glanced back at his wife, who used the break to push her hair back beneath her head cover. “Hear that, Gerdie? It might be Bard’s child after all.”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Ulfrik felt a rush of jealously grip him. “Runa is pregnant and Bard is the father?”

“My wife thought she might have been pregnant before she came to Frodi’s hall. Gerdie has nothing better to do with her time than gossip. Many women considered she was fooling Bard for her own advantage.” Rolf shook his head and frowned. “Bah! Now I’m starting to sound like you, Gerdie! Gossip like this is for women. All I can say is that Bard claims it is his own. I don’t pay attention to those things.”

Ulfrik stood lost in thought. What if Gerdie is right?This child could be mine. The thought of Runa pregnant with Bard’s child sickened him.

“We need to make better time.” Yngvar’s words broke into his thoughts. “Standing here with your mouth open is no help. Let’s get moving.” Under his breath he said, “I can guess what you’re thinking. The timing is about right.”

Ulfrik blushed, and Rolf seemed to realize and gave an embarrassed smile. Gerdie and a few of the women tittered behind them.

“Yes, let’s keep moving.” Ulfrik said. “We will talk of this later.”

The group set off again, but Ulfrik was lost in his own thoughts. He kept glancing at Toki, wondering. The Danish accent had grown familiar to Ulfrik’s ear, and he never bothered to connect it to Runa. But the resemblance was strong, both in features and attitude. Nothing more than coincidence, he told himself. He did not want to uncover the truth now, on the road to Jarl Kjotve and Thor’s hall.

But if Toki really were Runa’s brother, the gods had not finished with him after all.

***

Shadows were growing long by the time the band of travelers arrived at the hall. Jarl Kjotve moved his family season by season, to keep watch over various regions within his domain. This was only one of his homes that dotted Agder.

Jarl Kjotve and Thor were the richest men Ulfrik had ever known. Much like Frodi’s hall, their hall was atop a hill and dominated surrounding barracks and houses, but unlike Frodi’s hall, Kjotve’s hall was enormous. Finely carved dragons entwined the doors, and graceful arcs decorated the rooflines. It was as sturdy as it was large. Ulfrik doubted anyone could burn this hall with just a few hurled torches. His own ancestral home seemed a hermit’s shack in comparison.

Familiar men greeted him and his band as they climbed the hill, and the tattooed guards at the hall hailed them, although they gave Rolf and his men dubious looks. After clasping arms with Ulfrik and trading small talk, the guards collected their weapons, as was customary, and opened the doors.

“They have come with news for Jarl Kjotve, and they desire his protection,” Ulfrik explained and Rolf stood straight, trying to appear dignified. “I have guaranteed their safety.”

The guards nodded in agreement. “But all these bags and … is that a cooking pot? All that can’t be taken into the hall. Place it in the front room, inside the door. It will be safe.”

Rolf nodded his agreement.

Ulfrik, Toki and Yngvar, entered the hall first, followed by the ragtag band of travelers with their wives and children. Inside, the aroma of roasting meats greeted his nostrils and the bustle of slaves and women preparing the meals felt welcoming. A guard inside greeted him and pointed to Jarl Kjotve and Thor at the far end of the high table.

Picking a path among tables, and among men coming to their dinner, Ulfrik approached Thor and Kjotve. Both were so involved with eating that they simply waved in recognition, rather than pause to speak. At the far ends of the table sat Kjotve’s wife and four daughters. His wife was passably attractive, but his daughters were a study in homeliness, each sibling uglier in turn, as if attempting to out-do the others.

Thor looked up and scanned the ragged new arrivals. “Why did you bring me old women?” He said, wiping his mouth with the back of his arm. “Not enough ugly girls here already?”

Thor’s mother clucked at her son’s jibe, but none of his sisters even recognized. Ulfrik knew any response to that question would be unwise. He gestured towards Rolf. “Rolf Roundhead, from Frodi’s hall, arrived in my lands this morning with dire news. I led him and all his people here immediately.”

One of the young children suddenly laughed, and Ulfrik cringed at the noise. Thor had no patience with children.

Thor took a gulp from his mug, the liquid running over onto his beard. Then he slammed it to the board, and stared. Kjotve also put down his food and looked on expectantly.

“The news should be relayed in private,” Ulfrik said. “And it must be heard now. You will not want a delay in this. I promise.”

“Lucky for you we’re done eating,” Thor said. “Let me clear the hall.” He stood and slammed the board with his maul-like fist. His sisters squealed as their plates and mugs jumped and Kjotve picked up his mug to keep the contents from spilling. “Clear the hall! We need privacy.”

Slaves and serving girls put down their burdens and left. Thor even waved away his personal slaves. His mother and sisters made an irritated display, huffing at Ulfrik as they left for their rooms. The hirdmen, however, remained, always staying with their lord unless directly ordered away. A handful of them still sat before their meals. Satisfied, Thor gestured to Rolf with an extended palm, and Ulfrik stepped aside for him to tell his story.

Rolf approached the high table and bowed. Both Thor and Kjotve recognized him, but gave no sign of their thoughts at his sudden appearance in their hall.

Rolf spoke plainly as he told them everything that had happened, and Thor and Kjotve let him speak, only interrupting to ask for details or clarifying questions. When Rolf finished, he and his men stood with their heads bowed.

“This Vandrad and his High King, they bring taxes and laws that steal from freemen to fill the king’s treasure horde,” Rolf told them. “Frodi let his fear best him. But I cannot stand it. My men and I want to fight this so-called High King. We bet our lives that you do, too.”

Thor and Kjotve faced each other in silence. Ulfrik still marveled at how alike father and son looked, even down to the calculating expression they gave when considering a proposition. It seemed Rolf’s offer did not even require words.

Kjotve stood. “You have bet wisely, Rolf Roundhead. We had learned of this news from our spies some weeks past, but you have much additional information that will be put to good use in battle. Give me your oaths and your families will be bound to me.”

Rolf again bowed. Ulfrik understood Kjotve’s words to be a warning: the families would be hostage to Rolf and the men’s good behavior. It was an unsavory but necessary action. Though Ulfrik guessed Rolf and his men were honest, it could still be a clever trap.

“Ulfrik, it is good you have come as well.” Kjotve, holding his hands gripped tightly behind his back, began to pace. “Matters with this Harald Finehair have become serious, a threat to freemen everywhere. He has grabbed the entire coast with the exception of my kingdoms and those of my western neighbors. Through marriage, he has even secured Halogaland for his own.”

“Fucking sneaky pig,” Thor added, his words mangled as he picked at his back teeth with a stout finger. “Got it without a fight. Who can dig him out of there now? So far north, the place is locked in ice ten months out of twelve.”

“I thought Harald was the Jarl of Vestfold?” Ulfrik hadn’t realized how small his world-view had been until he had come among great jarls like Kjotve. He felt no shame for it, although others might look down on him. Thor laughed at his question, but Kjotve was more patient.

“He started that way, but his uncle Guthorm has guided him to victory since he was a child. Now he is the High King, with only a few of us left to resist. With Frodi changing loyalties, Harald’s armies are sitting on my borders, eyeing my land.” He pummeled the table again with a fist for emphasis.

“I’ve been in discussions with my neighbors, making plans to fight. King Eirik of Hordaland thinks we can bait Harald south and catch his fleet by surprise. I agree with him. We will join that fleet-every vessel that we have. Harald has been destroying us kingdom by kingdom, like pulling the legs off a bug. But if we stand together, we will defeat him.”

Kjotve stopped and reviewed his audience. Everyone was focused on Kjotve, their faces taut with concern. Beside him, Ulfrik noticed Yngvar nodding and snarling; he had a long-standing grudge against Harald. Toki seemed attentive, although less concerned.

He is right, Ulfrik thought. Only a coalition of jarls can face an army the size Harald can now muster. In many ways, Harald was at the root of all Ulfrik’s troubles. Even in his youth, Vestfolders and Varmlanders fleeing Harald had marauded his homelands. Ulfrik wanted this fight, but he could not begin it until he had settled another matter: Runa.

I will not sail off to war in the northwest and leave her further behind. Not knowing what I do now… Before he even finished his thought, he was addressing Kjotve. “As your sworn man, all of my fighting men are ready to sail-this day, should you command it. But first, we must deal with Frodi. Frodi is threatening your borders.”

Kjotve stared at him, his face flat and hard. Thor suddenly turned away. “That is where you will aid me, Ulfrik. I will need someone to guard my borders while my main force is away at battle.”

“It would be my honor.” Ulfrik inwardly flinched at the dishonor of being left behind. But confidence in his idea buoyed him. “But you will need every ship, every sword to beat King Harald. We don’t want Agder to lose the glory of being the one to bring down Harald. With so many vying for the chance, even two ships could be the difference.”

“I will cut my way to him first!” Thor burst to his feet, making everyone but Ulfrik and Kjotve jump in surprise. Ulfrik knew he had hit the nerve he wanted. “Agder will be first in glory.”

“I do not doubt it, Thor. But two more ships to escort you will make that task easier. How many ships will your allies bring? When it comes to dividing spoils, each jarl will claim he contributed more than the others. They will count ships to end the quarrels that will result from such rare treasure.”

Like his father, Thor began to pace, but even more angrily. Thor’s rage, his greatest asset on the battlefield, was a liability anywhere else. He punched the air with a growl. “I’ll skin the man who says we contributed anything less than all we had!”

“Calm yourself, my son. Ulfrik raises many good points.” Kjotve turned a complicated smile to Ulfrik, suggesting he understood but disagreed. “But he has not solved the threat on our border with Frodi.”

“There is an answer for that, too, Jarl Kjotve. We attack first. I am familiar with that land, and Rolf knows the details of Frodi’s warriors. We strike now. Destroy Frodi and every man. We breaks his every spear, blunt his every sword. Every usable thing between Agder and Grenner burns. Then Vandrad will be forced to draw more strength from other lands before he can strike. During that time, we will have made away and killed his king.”

Kjotve’s expression changed. He became pensive, his dark eyes darting back and forth as he calculated the benefits of such action. Even Thor, who looked ready to fight anything that stepped in front of him, looked at this father, awaiting his agreement. Ulfrik felt the mood of the room with him. Even Yngvar wore a small grin and nodded appreciatively.

“We could pull the families and farms further west, just until we return.” Kjotve’s voice was soft, meant only for his own ears. “Vandrad wouldn’t hear the news of his king’s defeat until much later. But it won’t matter once Harald is gone.” He looked up at the assembled men. “Ulfrik’s idea has merit. I like your thinking. Bring me success and there’s a reward in it for you.”

Ulfrik merely inclined his head; no more words were needed to achieve what he desired. He could save Runa, and then join in the glorious fight against the High King. The hall filled with animated talk, boasts of a great victory. Rolf and his men added their voices, but appeared less enthusiastic.

“Well done.” Yngvar put his hand on Ulfrik’s shoulder, then whispered, “It will be a good test for your crews, too. Sort out the weak before we take them to the real fight.”

Kjotve and Thor drew on the men’s excitement, ordering a feast for the following day and setting aside the evening to plan the details of the attack.

My morning ritual must have been more effective than even I imagined. Ulfrik touched Fate’s Needle for luck. I am coming to save you, Runa. His heart felt light in his chest.

Thirty

Following the celebration, and Thor and Kjotve’s near rabid desire for destruction, Ulfrik was surprised that Jarl Kjotve set the attack date more than two weeks in advance. Once calmed, Thor revealed a talent for careful and meticulous planning. The operation was laid out as if he planned to invade all of Europe, rather than a petty border kingdom.

Thor was to lead the attack, which Ulfrik felt was a risk. But at least Kjotve had also called in his hersir, and Ulfrik counted as one. Even if Ulfrik was not officially named as a hersir, Kjotve showed him the same deference. The other hersir were less accepting of Ulfrik; nevertheless, their strong tactical sense gave Ulfrik some relief that Thor would not just lead a berserk charge into the enemy.

Rolf and his men were interrogated for every detail. Kjotve wanted them to prove their loyalty in the attack, which made Rolf blanch. He admitted he still had friends in Frodi’s ranks and Kjotve solved this problem by keeping the families of Rolf’s men hostage to the valor of Rolf’s band. If any man faltered in his duty, his family would die.

It was decided that Ulfrik’s lands would be the jumping off point for the attack

“For some this will be your first true battle,” Ulfrik informed his men, once back at his hall. “So, we will drill together. We drill until we fall from exhaustion, and then we will drill some more.” He presented his sternest face to the men who crowded his hall. “Remember the man next to you in the shield wall. Listen to the orders of veterans, like Snorri, Yngvar, and Toki. And fight with an eye for glory. Do all this and you will have success.”

Nearly forty men-almost all of them young and inexperienced-were under his command. They roared their delight, toasted Ulfrik and Kjotve, and reveled in dreams of earning a name for themselves.

“Celebrate tonight, and tomorrow at dawn, assemble in the field with all your war gear.” Ulfrik stepped down from the high table and pressed through his men, who greeted him and praised him. He was the man who had defeated two ships of raiders with only a handful of men. The story had grown beyond the truth but had attracted even more men to serve under him.

He found Toki and Yngvar in the crowd. The two men had developed a friendship, despite their rough start.

“This hall was not built for so many,” Ulfrik said as he approached.

“Six months ago I thought we’d die alone in the woods. Now look at this!” Yngvar’s bright smile stretched across his face. “The gods love you more than you think, Ulfrik.”

Ulfrik could not help but smile as well. “It has yet to be proven if the gods know me at all. But this is a good start. I need you to make these men warriors in two weeks. Can you do it?”

Yngvar thumped his chest. “They will be warriors in half that time. They’ll be looking forward to the battle, just to get some rest!”

They all laughed. “That is good. Now Toki, Raven’s Talon was yours once. Can I trust you not to sail off with her?” Ulfrik had meant the comment in jest, but Toki’s face grew serious.

“You have my oath, Lord Ulfrik. I am not false,” Toki said.

“Good. You will pilot her, as no one knows her better.”

Toki nodded, but Ulfrik thought he saw defiance in his eyes. He looked so much like Runa in that moment that Ulfrik had to know for sure. “Come.” He put a hand on Toki’s shoulder and led him outside. “I want to talk to you in private.”

They moved just far enough away from the hall to dull the roar of the celebration inside.

“Toki, I’ll come to the point,” Ulfrik said. “I think I know your sister.”

Toki’s expression registered shock at first, but then he laughed. “Then you know only ghosts. All of my sisters are dead.”

Ulfrik shook his head. “Her name is Runa-a Dane. I see her every time I look you. Your expressions are so similar. How did I ever miss it?”

“Runa is dead! My entire family is dead.” Toki’s eyes flashed in the dark, and he bared his teeth like a wolf. “I saw her body with my own eyes!”

“I do not know what you saw, but you will find Runa at Frodi’s hall. She never mentioned your name, but she spoke often enough of a lone brother who was at sea the day Svear raiders came. She always hoped to find you. So tell me, how would I know so much about your family when you have said so little about them to anyone?”

Toki looked away, his hand clamped over his mouth. He shook his head, squeezed his eyes shut. Ulfrik did not press Toki’s silence, instead empathizing with the struggle that must be taking place inside of him and hoping he had not pushed Toki too far.

“Runa was my father’s slave,” Ulfrik continued, “and then mine for a short while. She fled Grenner with me and helped retrieve my sword.” He paused, his eyes downcast, wondering how Toki would take the words he was about to say. “She became my lover, and I have vowed she will be reunited with me. I had to know if you were her brother, and I believe you are. I apologize if this has upset you. I did not mean to cause you any pain.”

Toki again shook his head, then he dropped his hand. “All the bodies were burned. I never thought any of them survived,” he said, his voice thick with grief. “I couldn’t even tell my father from my mother. I thought I had buried all of them. But … perhaps Runa lived?”

“She lives, and she carries another life-one that might be my child. It makes me even more eager to have her freed and at my side.” Ulfrik ran out of words.

Toki shook his head and appeared disturbed by that news. Already regretting his words, Ulfrik patted Toki on the back. “Go and rest, and think on this. I am sorry I’ve upset you.”

“No. You are right. I’d rather know now than find out in the thick of battle. What if I saw her and was distracted? It could end my life. You did right.”

They parted after a brief silence, Ulfrik to rejoin his men in celebration, and Toki to order his thoughts in the dark night.

***

Silver moonlight traced delicate outlines of the men as they rowed in silence. Ulfrik piloted Wave Spear, with Raven’s Talon gliding under Toki’s steady hand only a few oar lengths distant. Six more ships spread out on the water, all following Thor’s high-sided vessel. Two hundred warriors in mail and helmet closed on the bay where Frodi’s three ships bobbed at dock. Only the dip of oars made any sound.

Marching overland to join the attack were two columns of men that would add another one hundred warriors to Thor’s army. Their strike was to be timed to take place at the same times as the main body’s assault, dividing Frodi’s attention between two forces.

Ulfrik’s pulse quickened. He was not worried for his crew, not with the support they had from Kjotve’s veteran forces. He was worried for Runa. He had entreated Thor to tell his men to watch for her, and Thor had mentioned it in his final address before they set out, but Ulfrik doubted anyone would pay heed.

I must find her before anyone else does.

They did not land directly at the docks, choosing a patch of beach further up the fjord and moving in silently, like night spirits. Once everyone assembled, ten men were left to guard the ships while the remaining force organized into columns and marched the remaining distance to the docks.

Frodi’s ships were guarded-to Ulfrik’s surprise. Thor sent three men to deal with the sentries, instructing them to return once the way was clear. There must be two or three times their numbers in guards, Ulfrik worried. I doubt three men are up to the task.

After an agonizing wait, Thor gave a signal to move ahead. There was no sign of violence as Ulfrik passed the docks. He saw a man watching from a ship’s rails and feared a sentry still lived, but then he noticed the man was dead, propped to make it appear he kept watch.

The spring air was cold and cricket song filled the night. The moon winked in the northern sky, beyond the tops of high pines, and painted the world silver and gray. Between the pines, the wide, rutted track crawled away to Frodi’s hall. Thor stood in the center of the track, silently arranging his men into groups. He and his berserkers would lead the main attack, up the center. Rolf and his small band would stay with them. Ulfrik’s men would join a flanking force to loop around from the east. Frodi’s home would be hit from every direction but the north, where only mountains and wolf packs awaited him.

They set off at a jog. Someone drew his sword early and earned a smack against the skull from Yngvar. An errant flash could alert Frodi’s sentries. Ulfrik had divided his forty warriors into groups of ten, taking one himself and giving leadership to each of his veterans: Yngvar, Toki, and Snorri. Each group had drilled together until time had run out. Ulfrik hoped the training paid off as the column of men snaked toward the hall.

In the distance, a horn blasted. Someone had spotted them. Ulfrik was glad it was not his troops that had given away the attack.

“This is it,” he hissed. “We run now. Kill without mercy, for you will be shown none.”

No one shouted, but their blades sighed as they were pulled from their sheaths. Footfalls thudded on the soft ground as the men shot forward. Ahead, lights flared in windows and the main hall brooded on its high mound, only its rooftop visible as they ran. Ulfrik wanted to get there first, not for the glory of killing Frodi or Bard, but to locate Runa. Rolf had claimed she slept there, in the hall.

Ulfrik heard a swish and felt air rush past his face. Then someone behind him screamed and tumbled. Arrows clattered among them, one even caught in his gray cloak. In the dimness, he could see a line of archers forming between buildings and shooting frantically as his group flitted past.

“Shields!” he screamed. Yngvar repeated the order to the men behind him. The group rushed together, unslinging shields from their backs. More arrows flew toward them, shrieks erupting where the shafts found flesh. “Scatter the archers! Forward!”

Ulfrik led the charge. The archers were not prepared, and knew it. They fell back, melting into the shadows between buildings. Already, a blaze had started, illuminating the night. “We have to get to the hall now, before it is burned down!”

He led his men after the archers, spilling into the maze of buildings. He wanted to gain control over the main track and push on to the hall. “Yngvar, lead your men as planned,” he yelled. “I’ve got to get to the hall before it burns.”

Not waiting to acknowledge Yngvar’s response, he burst onto the main road.

Then he stopped.

Frodi had not been surprised. On the same hill where Ulfrik had fought only months ago, warriors stood bristling with spears, held out from locked shields. This time, however, Frodi had twice the men, maybe even more. Flying over their heads was a white banner with a black raven at its center-High King Harald’s standard.

Thor’s main force was already sweeping up the track to charge the hill. Before they had left, Ulfrik had thought it humorous, attacking Frodi after so recently declaring friendship. Now, Ulfrik wondered whether Thor would still laugh.

The berserker lord didn’t hesitate. There was no parley, or chance for surrender. Thor bellowed a war cry and charged. His men thundered up the hill to where the banner flew. The crash of shield on shield filled the night.

“Finish off the archers!” Ulfrik shouted as he started toward the fight. He would have to skirt the battle line to get into the hall. There would be more men inside as well, and his men would have to stand their own.

Ulfrik joined the line on the far right flank. Thor was at the center, hacking with his tremendous ax. The clash of the battle was the loudest sound Ulfrik had ever heard. His ears were filled with screams of pain and rage, with the rasping metal and the shattering of wood. He slammed his shield into the enemy before him, Fate’s Needle slipping beneath it to return slicked with gore.

The battle line tottered back and forth, spilling corpses out as it rolled on until the earth was sopping and dark with blood. Ulfrik and his men pressed into the enemy’s gap, folding up on their flank and wrapping around. It felt like bending a thick iron bar braced in a rock, but slowly they forced the flank.

Then the western flanking group from the woods struck. Their timing was not as planned, but it was perfect. Reinforcements filled the gaps and formed a lap around the enemy. Frodi’s line broke, men scattering like hens from a fox.

The Raven Banner fell. Ulfrik glimpsed Thor raising the banner in one hand and Frodi’s severed head in another.

Now is my chance. The enemy before Ulfrik pushed past him and fled, leaving the way to the hall open.

Ulfrik did not hesitate. “With me, to the hall!”

Men were already battering down the door. Ulfrik threw himself on their backs just as the door splintered and collapsed. The screeches of women and children met them. Hirdmen stood before guarding their weak charges, grim-faced, their spears leveled.

Ulfrik and the men at his back leaped into the fight. The foeman Ulfrik found blocking him stabbed down at Ulfrik’s exposed foot. But he stepped too far. Fate’s Needle slithered into the man’s belly, easily parting the chain links of his mail shirt. He fell forward as Ulfrik, already looking ahead into the bright hall, withdrew his blade.

“Runa! Where are you?” Ulfrik called. All about him, men struggled and died, but Ulfrik just pushed on into the crowd of old men, women and screaming children. He seized a woman by the arm, his bloody hand staining her sleeve. “Where’s Runa? Where are the slaves?”

The woman stared at him with crazed eyes. When she didn’t immediately respond, he jerked her up to his face and repeated his demand. “I don’t know!” she cried. “She went with Bard and Lady Svala to the back rooms!”

Ulfrik shoved through the crowd and into the back rooms of the hall. Riches were strewn over Frodi’s quarters, as if the place had already been ransacked. He could have made himself wealthier than he ever imagined, but he was not searching for treasure. Where a bench had been pushed aside, a small door, which looked like part of the wall, hung open.

Ulfrik rushed through it, out to the back of the hall. He scanned from side to side. In the moonlight, he saw a gray horse with people bustling about it.

Ulfrik’s side ached and his temple throbbed, but he sprinted to it regardless. As he ran, he saw a shadow of a man hitching the horse to a sledge, and two other men hoisting a pregnant woman onto the sledge.

“Runa! Runa, jump off!”

The three men whirled around at his foolish announcement. Suddenly, Ulfrik realized he was alone.

“Kill him!”

Bard gave the order; Ulfrik recognized his voice and saw his red hair in a sudden beam of moonlight. The two other men drew their swords, silver blazes in the night, and stalked toward him. Bard mounted the driver’s seat and took up the reins.

“Ulfrik!” Runa shot to her feet, but Svala yanked her down. Runa pushed her away, but Svala was stronger.

Ulfrik had one chance. He dropped his shield and stuck his sword in the grass. Pulling a throwing ax from his belt, he ignored the two approaching enemies. He lined the ax-head up with Bard, who was flicking the reins, and let the ax fly.

Svala was still grabbing at Runa and they stumbled around like two drunken dancers. Runa wrenched her arm free and kicked Svala, just as the ax hurtled towards them.

Time stood still, the next moments stretched out before Ulfrik. Everyone moved as if the air was as thick as pinesap. The ax splintered Svala’s head and she fell backward onto her son, spilling her brains into his lap. Bard had just jerked the sledge into motion, and Runa, standing off balance, tumbled backwards onto the ground as the sledge lurched forward.

Ulfrik yanked Fate’s Needle out of the grass, then scooped up his shield with the other hand as his two attackers started their charge. He flung the shield at one, the metal rim crashing into the man’s teeth. Ulfrik parried the other man’s attack. Still hunched over, Ulfrik punched the man in the groin.

The attacker tumbled aside as the first man recovered from the shield bash, but Ulfrik was in control again. The sap that had slowed time evaporated. The second attacker roared forward and took a wild swing. Ulfrik skittered away and carved a deep slice into the back of the man’s thigh. He crumbled, with a howl that persuaded the other attacker to leap to his feet and flee.

Ulfrik whirled to see Bard’s sledge vanishing into the night. He did not care, as long as Runa was unhurt. She lay crumpled on her belly, and he ran to her, tears threatening his eyes. “Runa! Are you hurt?”

Gingerly, he flipped her over and put his head to her chest. When he heard the strong beating of her heart, he nearly cried for it. But she was unconscious and blood leaked from her mouth and nose. Ulfrik wrapped her in his cloak and took her into his arms. “My Runa,” he said, rocking her. “I will keep you safe. You will be all right.”

Buildings everywhere were ablaze, and the screams of the dying and wounded echoed in the uncaring night.

Thirty-one

Grim was practicing with his ax, not far from the main hall and barracks. Sweat streamed down his back and his massive muscles ached with the repetition of practice strikes. Months of constant warfare had beaten Grim into a warrior notorious for rabid ferocity and sheer strength, but now, following Harald’s long campaign in Gautland, Grim’s days were idle.

Jarl Guthorm had sent Grim with honor, which meant much to Harald and his closest men. After several battles, Grim had come to the direct notice of the king and was appointed to Harald’s guard, standing with him in the front ranks of the shield wall.

Harald soon rewarded Grim with gold and silver, far more than he could have obtained squatting in the farmlands of Grenner. Grim had picked the finest weapons and armor from the spoils of battle, and had no responsibility other than protecting the king and killing his enemies. It was a life more glorious than he could have imagined; the only blot upon it was Aud’s curse.

Being close to the king, Grim heard news from men who had visited distant places. He learned that Ulfrik had sworn himself to Kjotve the Rich and Thor Haklang, building ships and a hall of his own. But Grim also knew the curse was still upon him; he could feel it tugging at him while he slept. Fell shapes shambled through his dreams, ghosts that threatened and chastised him. He kept the bone amulet, but doubted its efficacy without Ulfrik’s bowstring. No one but his brother had so much as ever nicked him in a fight. Would the power of the curse guide Ulfrik’s blade to his heart? Grim regularly begged the gods to keep his brother at bay, desperate to ensure he never met Ulfrik in battle.

The king had settled his sizable army in Trondheim, and tended to his family. Grim cared nothing for children, but particularly disliked Harald’s twin sons. Both were named Halfdan, one the White and the other, the Black. Grim could not tell the difference between them, other than their clothing. All four of Harald’s children were brats, which Grim supposed was the case for all princes, but the king’s sudden desire to spend time with them left his troops bored and irritable.

Grim kept occupied by drilling the younger men, or sparring whenever he could find a reluctant opponent. He had nearly killed a spindly armed boy for failing to keep up his shield. Unfortunately, the boy had been a friend of Harald’s twins, and Grim had been forced to apologize and pay for the injuries.

“There you are.”

Grim set down his ax and drew his thick forearm across his brow as two men approached across a field of waving blue-green grass. The day was clear and cool, right at the meridian of spring and summer.

“The king is calling his men together,” the taller of the two men said. “You must return to the hall immediately.”

Grim gave a short nod and a grunt. “I’ll go right away.” Grabbing the ax high on the haft, he started to walk. “What’s it about?”

“He’s not calling us to chat about the weather,” said the other man. They turned back the way they had come, to walk with him. “But it’s big news. He’s calling for everyone.”

Grim didn’t fill in spaces in the conversation. He didn’t like to talk. He had discovered that keeping his mouth shut helped him avoid trouble. The other two traded jokes as they walked.

“So are you always practicing with that ax?” the tall one addressed Grim again. “Don’t you ever relax?”

“I like to be ready.”

“For what?”

“For cutting out the tongues of fools who ask too many questions.”

After that, the two men fell behind and let Grim walk alone to meet the king.

***

Harald’s men were arriving from all over, herded together by runners, slaves, or, as was Grim’s case, other hirdmen. Harald’s eldest son stood next to his father as they waited outside the hall doors. Where the sun touched Harald Finehair’s lustrous, well-groomed hair, it turned to blazing gold. His son had inherited something of it, but nothing as magnificent as Harald’s.

As Grim arrived, he recognized the grizzled, hardened faces of Harald’s best warriors. Sweat flowed down his face and into his mouth; he blew it away angrily.

Once the group had assembled, Harald raised his hand for silence and attention, both of which he received immediately. He scanned their faces, his gaze as sharp as a bird of prey’s. When he spoke, his voice was sonorous. “I have had news from the south. The false jarls of the coast have made an alliance against us. Of this news, I am completely certain. Even now, they gather their men and ships and sail for our lands.”

Growls rippled through the men. Grim ignored them, concentrating on Harald. He felt his chest tighten at the news.

Harald nodded, acknowledging the group’s anger, and continued. “They expect to catch us unaware, dozing in the summer sun like old men. But we will be ready; we are always ready! Prepare yourselves to sail at dawn. We will move first, and move fast, gathering up the levies as we sail down the coast. We will spring upon them and destroy them before they ever reach our homes.”

The men roared their approval and Harald pumped his fist in the air, roaring back at them. Grim joined in, although hesitant. The jarls of the southern coasts would include Agder’s Kjotve the Rich; Ulfrik could be among the enemy sailing to Trondheim.

Clusters of men drifted away, boastful and animated. Harald remained, speaking to his son and a few of his hersir. Catching his eye, Grim approached and bowed. “King Harald, may I ask if the Kjotve the Rich is among the men we will destroy?”

The hersir with Harald gave Grim a cool look, but Harald always made time to speak with his men, particularly those who guarded his flanks in battle. Harald raised his brow at the question. “He still calls himself King of Agder, so I believe he is.”

“Who is strong among his men, Your Majesty?” Grim had to know for sure.

“His son, Thor Haklang, is as much a leader as his father. He is a berserker, and a great warrior. Is that who you are asking for?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Grim said, bowing as he backed away. “I will not bother you any longer. It will be a pleasure to kill them both.”

King Harald nodded and turned back to his son and the hersir. Grim walked until he rounded the far side of the hall. Then, when no one looked, he threw himself back against the wall, clutching the amulet in his left hand and bracing himself with the right. He felt dizzy. The curse was coming for him. There was no escape. To flee would turn him into an outlaw-a short life. To sail with Harald would bring Grim to the only man who could stand against him. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that when he opened them, the curse would be gone.

But nothing felt changed. He imagined he heard Aud chuckle. Sinking to the ground, his back to the wall, Grim knew that tomorrow would sail him to his doom.

Thirty-two

When Runa was a child, she had fallen into a pond while stretching to catch a dragonfly. She remembered the cold slap of the water embracing her, the muffled bubbling of air rushing from her mouth, and the stark terror of death enveloping her. Then her brother had snatched her from the water’s frigid embrace, and she had lived. She felt the same way now.

The fall from the sledge evoked the same horror, the same muffled struggle to breathe, the same coldness surrounded her as she floated in blackness. But this time, it was Ulfrik pulling her back to the world.

She had landed on her stomach and passed out. When she came to, it was to deliver her baby. It had been a boy after all, but he was dead. The delivery was a jumbled mess of memories and unfamiliar faces hovering over her. Only Ulfrik’s worried face appeared once. He had spoken soothing words to her, although she couldn’t recall what he had said. She felt it best that she didn’t remember too much. She had been delusional, sure she had seen the faces of family members, and of Toki.

Runa lay on a timber bed that was thick with furs and blankets. She couldn’t remember the last time she had experienced such luxury. It was Ulfrik’s bed-she remembered that much. The room was small, unadorned, and still smelled of fresh timber, which creaked and popped as the structure settled. An older woman named Gerdie cared for her and insisted that Runa remain in bed for at least a week and eat only special broths. Runa did not protest. She had spent the past few days in comfortable silence, mostly asleep, weary with grief.

The sun began to peep through the window and roosters announced the new day. Within moments, the door opened. She had expected Gerdie to deliver her soup. Instead, Ulfrik carried the bowl inside.

He held the bowl of steaming soup carefully in both hands, and closed the door with his foot. Before the door shut fully, Runa glimpsed men gathering at the tables in the main hall. Ulfrik’s hall was modest enough to not even have rooms separating the main hall.

“Gerdie says you are now strong enough to talk to me.”

“That’s true.” The words sounded foolish to her. She had been well enough since yesterday, and had been dreaming up the right things to say. Runa did not want to gush, nor to sound ungrateful. She sat up to receive the bowl, smiling dumbly at him and taking comfort in the knowledge that he didn’t know what to say either.

Ulfrik handed the bowl to her, sat on Gerdie’s stool, and smiled. To break the awkward moment, Runa sipped the bland broth.

“Runa, there’s so much to say, but I don’t know how to begin. I’ve never found the right words when it comes to you.”

“I’ll agree to that.” She refrained from jabbing him a little harder. Part of her wanted to punish him for all she had suffered, for the nightmare of the past nine months. But one look at his pained expressions stopped her. “But my tongue has grown wooden too. I’ve had no practice with fine words these days.”

Ulfrik lowered his head. More silence passed as Runa continued to sip from the bowl. Finally, he looked her in the eye. “I am sorry about the baby. I wish I could have saved both of you. I know he might have been my son.”

“I doubt that,” she lied. “Bard raped me so many times in those first days. Your seed never had a chance. Do not worry for me. I was not attached to the thought of that child, especially if it was his.”

“But it was half of you. And that is still precious to me.”

Runa suddenly felt the surge of emotion she had been keeping at bay. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Well, you’re beginning to find some right words.”

Ulfrik removed the bowl and embraced her. How long had it been since she was last held with love and tenderness? How long since anyone wanted her as a person? She stiffened, not remembering how to respond, and then softened and began to weep. Tears for the pain of losing her son, the joy of reunion with her lover, and the glorious satisfaction of being freed from slavery.

Her hand reflexively searched for her slave collar but felt only bare flesh. Pulling away, she looked into Ulfrik’s eyes, astonished. She had not even realized the collar had been removed.

“It was the first thing I did once I knew you were safe.” Ulfrik said, his own tears gathering. “You will stand at my side as a free woman, if you will agree to stand with me.”

“I said I would, and I will.” Runa’s tears turned to laughter, exuberant laughter at the removal of the last vestige of her slavery.

Ulfrik’s laugh joined hers as he gathered her again into his arms. She buried her face in his shoulder, allowing herself to experience the sense of safety, the myriad happy feelings. But still there was an undercurrent of uncertainty, as if Ulfrik wanted to pull away but was hesitant.

She pushed herself back instead and said, “You want to say something. There’s bad news.”

“Not bad news, but news that is hard to explain.” He separated from her, sitting again on the stool. “I think you will find it good news.”

“You’re wrapping fish bones in fine cloth. Don’t patronize me.” She straightened her back, felt a twinge of pain from it, and grimaced. Ulfrik seemed to be appraising her, and she wanted him to see her pride. I have to set the pace for this man from day one, she thought. He must deal honestly with me or not at all.

“I’m not patronizing. I just don’t know how to do this so I will let it be. Fate has drawn you all to me in this place. I will trust in Fate’s plan. What else can I do?” He stood and shrugged. Despite his smile, Runa felt the security she had just experienced draining away. “One thing you could do is to get this over with. Please, Ulfrik, you’re frightening me.”

“Don’t be frightened. What comes through this door next is not a ghost.”

***

“Toki!” Runa screamed his name, and then a second time. She tried to leap from the bed, but her soreness pulled her up short. Toki spared her the pain and dashed to his sister, sweeping her into a hug.

The two embraced and sobbed together, shuddering tears of joy and pain. All the death and loss never grieved, all the hopes and dreams never fulfilled, the multitude of feelings welled up and spilled out. Runa had already wrung herself out with Ulfrik, and now Toki’s appearance placed her on the verge of collapse.

She could barely keep her swollen, weeping eyes open. As she rocked in Toki’s embrace, she saw, through a watery film, Ulfrik standing in front of the closed door and smiling.

“Don’t excite her! She needs rest!” She heard Gerdie protest from outside. Runa closed her eyes again, inhaling the scent of her brother, thinking she did not need rest: she needed this.

“I never thought to see you alive,” Toki said. “I swear I counted the bodies.”

Runa shook her head, not knowing what to say. “I could say the same for you, Brother, but we are reunited. Fate is as often kind as it is cruel. Father always said that. Do you remember?”

She felt Toki nod and his grip tightened. “We are a family again, no longer alone in the world.”

***

Runa’s physical recovery astonished Gerdie, but Runa had endured far worse than comfortable beds and hot meals. All up, she had spent a week in Ulfrik’s room while he slept on the floor in the hall. Gerdie had slept with her, and cried in the night, weeping for her husband who would never return from the battle at Frodi’s hall.

This morning, Runa rose with the dawn, moving slowly and without help. The hall was already busy with people. Snorri and Yngvar seemed to pass all their time drinking in the hall, she noticed. She felt the men treated her nicer now that she was freed, although Yngvar seemed to harbor some reservations. He had befriended Toki, and the two apparently had much in common; Runa couldn’t see what.

She wandered outside where she found Ulfrik and her brother with several men. Their voices were low and grave. Spotting her, Ulfrik excused himself to join her.

“You look radiant. How do you feel?”

“Ready for you to return to your bed. Gerdie can move out.”

They drew together and kissed, then Ulfrik took her arm and guided her down the slope toward the beach. “Gerdie’s husband was a brave man, and probably saved his family a great deal of suffering. Nothing is left of Frodi’s holdings. All the people there are dead or enslaved.”

Runa trembled at the memory. “I think she has been keeping me over-long in my bed. She misses her husband.”

“Caring for you has given her purpose. Her son is fiercely independent and won’t indulge his mother’s tears. He is much like his father, Rolf, was.”

They arrived at the beach, the gentle gray sea unfurled at their feet. Neither spoke for a long while, but Runa could guess that Ulfrik had more news. The great alliance of jarls was all anyone spoke of, even Toki seemed eager to join in the plunder. She listened to the rhythm of the waves, and waited. Ulfrik finally started the conversation, moving his arm over her shoulder.

“I was so close to Grenner that night. I wanted to keep pushing, especially once you were safe aboard ship. But I could not let you wake in such a dangerous place.”

Runa nodded and slipped her arm around his waist to demonstrate her appreciation. “From what I know, Grenner is gone,” she said softly, not relishing having to deliver the news. She understood what it meant to have ancestral homelands razed; this would be another common thread that bound them together. “After your brother’s failure, Vandrad killed all the hirdmen’s families, destroyed all their homes, even burned down your father’s hall.”

“What? Are you sure?” Ulfrik withdrew his arm, spinning to face her. “What about Grim?”

“I’m sure. I served in Frodi’s hall and heard all sorts of news. Your brother went north to serve Harald Finehair. I heard he has done well for himself, that he stands with the king.”

Ulfrik folded his arms and stared out to sea. “He serves Harald Finehair,” he repeated, seeming to speak to no one.

“You think you will meet him when you sail north to attack?”

“How do you know of the attack?”

“Even the mice here have heard of the attack. When will you all sail off to glory?

“Very soon, in fact.” Ulfrik appeared to relax, lightly touching her shoulder. “Messengers from Kjotve’s hall arrived just when you came. The call is going out to gather the men. We will sail within two days.”

“I am ready to leave today.” Runa smiled at him, already hearing the protests in her mind.

Ulfrik did not disappoint. “You will remain here, where it is safe. There’s no place on the battlefield for you.”

“I was not asking your permission, simply letting you know I am prepared. You have no choice in where I go.”

“Runa.” Ulfrik dropped his head in frustration and then pinched the bridge of his nose. “You have just lost a child. And I have to focus on a battle, and not on protecting you.”

“I’ll stay on the ship, of course. I wasn’t planning on holding your shield for you. But you will need a woman to cook, and to help with the wounded.”

Ulfrik still shook his head in refusal. “I cannot risk you.”

“Nor I you. I’ve come how far with you? That sword at your hip returned to you from whose hands? I am coming with you. Only two people matter to me in the world. I won’t watch them jump aboard a ship and leave me among strangers.”

Runa felt a tear on her cheek and swiped at it in frustration. She had never cried so much, and hated to show such weakness. Ulfrik’s face held no expression. He reached out and wiped away another tear with his thumb. Then he kissed her forehead. “You must do what I say and keep yourself safe. I cannot rebuild Grenner without you to give me strength.”

“Then why go at all? Why not sail away, take all these people and find a new land?”

“Because I am sworn to Thor and Kjotve. If they command me to join them, I must.”

“Come on, they would not have time to search for you if you sailed off. Why bother with this at all? This place belongs to Kjotve still, not you.”

He pulled away from her and strode into the surf. Runa watched him thinking as the breeze tossed his hair. She wanted to approach, but felt he needed space to make his answer.

He eventually replied, “Because I have to know, Runa. It’s the last thread that Fate dangles before me. I have to know that Grim comes to justice. I failed to bring justice once. The second time, I was a coward, hoping to not meet my brother in battle. But now, I feel Fate leaning on me. I have to make this journey and fight this battle. I must be the agent of vengeance, for my father and for Magnus, and of honor for my men. Then, it will be done, one way or the other. Grim will fall when his king falls. Then can I begin again with only peace in my heart; but not until.”

Runa suddenly felt the chill in the morning air, but the shiver that ran through her was not from the cold.

Thirty-three

The Wave Spear led Raven’s Talon on the western flank of Jarl Kjotve’s fleet. Ulfrik manned the rudder as his men rowed. Dolphins stitched through the waters. Ulfrik waved to Toki, aboard Raven’s Talon, signaling him to pull closer to the main group of ships. Evening was approaching and they would soon put ashore in Rogaland, where Jarl Kjotve planned to meet Jarl Sulke’s force. They planned to gather allies as they sailed north, growing the size of their assault fleet on the way. Then the entire force of allied Jarls and their men would deploy to Trondelag and strike Harald’s center of influence. The so-called true leader of the alliance was King Eirik of Hordaland. Coming from the north, and having the greatest threat from Harald’s nearby military, he had waited for news of the fleet from the south. Only when he received it did he dare join the force, bringing with him eight large warships bristling with men. In total, the fleet numbered thirty ships, each filled with fighting men. No jarl wanted to be left out of the chance to pick over the spoils of Harald Finehair’s treasure hold.

Ulfrik had never navigated those coasts and fjords before. He hoped the fleet would be able to achieve surprise. His ships were small compared to those of the other hersir who served Thor and Kjotve, so they took the flanks and watched for signs of the enemy, or were used to chase down fishermen who might sail ahead to warn of the fleet’s advance. Ulfrik did not mind the menial duty. The real fight would happen on land, where he and his men would have a better chance at glory.

As Ulfrik leaned into the rudder, he considered the strong backs of the men before him, and wondered if he was leading them to their doom. Jarl Kjotve and Thor’s plans seemed too simple to succeed. They planned to sail into Harald’s homeland and destroy the king and his army. Ulfrik had not yet seen the final size of their army, but he wondered if it would be sufficient to overthrow a man who had won power through guile, politics, and conquest. In order for them to win, the gods would need to be on their side. Certainly, both Kjotve and Thor made enough sacrifices of cattle and wealth to buy some attention, but wouldn’t Harald be doing the same? And Harald had far more wealth and fame to offer.

Salty air filled his nose as the wind nudged the ships toward the coast. Ulfrik also doubted his own decisions. Runa had insisted on accompanying him. The men felt having a woman to cook and tend to the wounded was a good idea, and Ulfrik conceded it made sense. But he feared for her safety. She sat quietly on a chest, wrapped in a blanket and smiling with the wind in her face. Maybe she doesn’t understand the uncertainty of the battlefield, he worried. If this adventure fails, she will again become a slave. And I will be dead and unable to save her.

He pushed the thought away and started a song.

***

After several days of sailing, Ulfrik was uneasy about the quality of ships and the men the alliance had assembled. When he said as much to Thor one night, he received a cuff on the head for it. Neither Jarl Kjotve nor Thor wanted to hear of anything besides victory. King Sulke and his brother Sote were of a similar mind, although their ships and men were clearly inferior to the others. At least Eirik’s men appeared competent and their boats in good repair, which gave Ulfrik some confidence as they closed the distance to Trondelag. Yngvar and Toki shared Ulfrik’s view, but all learned not to voice their opinions. “If they keep toasting their future victories every night, we will have nothing left to celebrate when we burn Trondheim,” Yngvar quipped.

The day was bright, and King Eirik’s ship set the pace of the fleet. Ulfrik did not know where they were being led, but Jarl Kjotve had assigned him a man named Ari, who knew the way. Ari was gnarled and stubborn from years at sea, resembling a twisted old root. He did not row, but stayed with Ulfrik to guide him. A command signal was making its way from boat to boat. From Toki, aboard the Raven’s Talon, Ulfrik received the signal to head east.

“Where are we sailing?” Ulfrik asked Ari.

The old man scanned the distant blur of islands, reading them like rune stones. Then he spat overboard and scratched the back of his head. “Looks like Hafrsfjord.”

Ulfrik had not heard of it but trusted it was just one more fjord on the way to Trondelag. He hauled he ship around and the oars dipped and splashed as Wave Spear followed the fleet.

***

“Row harder!” Ulfrik commanded as he steered the ship toward Raven’s Talon. He had not yet seen the enemy ships, being on the far western wing of the fleet, but the frantic orders were clear. Hostile ships had struck from behind an island, catching the rear of the allied eastern flanks. His men were straining to see, and to row, and like Ulfrik they could see nothing from this vantage point.

“What can you see from there?” Yngvar, impatient as always, yelled for Ulfrik to be his eyes. “Raiders, do you think?”

Ulfrik did not hold out the lame hope of a raiding ambush. A fleet of thirty warships, all teeming with men, spears, and bows, would cause pirates to flee, not to attack. Harald’s men had ambushed them. He had no doubt.

The Wave Spear turned and pulled alongside the Raven’s Talon. In a defensive battle, Ulfrik and Toki would each lash their ships to another to make a platform from which to fight. Although Ulfrik had seen it done before, he had never had to do it himself. The boats glided together, the oars drawing in like men pulling their arms into their shirtsleeves. Toki and his crew had already taken up their shields, and a few were slipping on their mail hauberks. They all looked over the starboard rails; Ulfrik followed their gaze.

A fleet of splendid warships materialized like a fist before them. The beast-headed prows caught the sun, shadows filling their open maws. Several ships of the allied fleet had already been captured, and Ulfrik saw the distant shapes of men boarding the unlucky vessels. Those ships and crews were already lost, having been isolated from the main formation. At the center of the enemy fleet was a red-hulled, high-sided ship with a mass of oars. It streamed towards them, as graceful and predatory as a crane hunting in the water. Its sail filled, adding to its speed and revealing the great raven of High King Harald Finehair. The king himself had come to battle. Ulfrik swallowed hard at the sight.

Shouted orders came weak and thin out of the distance. Ulfrik understood, even without hearing the words. Their fleet was already striking sails and beating oars to flee the approaching enemy. Ulfrik shouted for his men to raise the sail and start rowing. “We will form up and make a defensive line to receive the enemy. Now row, you dogs! Your lives depend on it.”

The men had started the tasks before Ulfrik had finished commanding them. The wind grabbed the square sail and the Wave Spear shot forward. Ulfrik’s smaller, lighter boat would outpace the heavier ships, but the enemy also had their share of pursuit vessels. He looked over his shoulder, seeing Toki guiding his ship just behind. The blocky shapes of enemy sails were not much further away, and he could already hear the distant howls of the closing enemy.

Runa stood in the rear of the ship, gazing over the back as if she were on a pleasure trip. Her thin voice floated up to Ulfrik. “They’ve pulled up their oars.”

Ulfrik looked back again. The ships were even closer than they had been before. He saw a hint of movement, read it instinctively. “Arrows! Arrows!”

The first gray-feathered shaft plunked into the boards between Ulfrik and Runa. He pushed her down against the gunwales. Then all around he heard the thump of arrows. Someone on Toki’s ship screamed, and one of his own men yelped as a shaft nicked his arm.

“Keep rowing,” Ulfrik bellowed. “If anyone stops, I’ll stick him myself.” Ulfrik’s threat was unnecessary; the angry thwack of arrows drove them forward. Ulfrik chanced a look at Toki: he was urging his men on the same way.

Ulfrik wished he could get down and row with the men. The energy of a fight in the offering was building in him, and he ached to take his blade into battle. At least rowing would release the tension. More horns blew and orders rushed from ship to ship. Ulfrik leaned into the rudder, turning the ship suddenly and shouting orders to take in the sail. Two men jumped to the work.

The lighter vessels had shot too far ahead of the jarl’s larger ships. They were being ordered around to join a main line, forming a defensive barrier to those high-sided ships. Ulfrik planned to take his ships to one flank, where he could either lash to the line or seize an opportunity. The ships at the center would be protected from boarding, but they also surrendered their mobility. Ulfrik wanted to ensure his ships, and his men, were able to move-if not to seize an opportunity to attack, then at least to find an escape.

The larger, older vessels of the allied jarls were clunky and not lining up fast enough. Jarl Sulke’s ships were already boarded. Across the sparkling indigo water, the shouts and clashes of battle came like a wave. Ulfrik urged his men on. Fate’s work would soon be done.

Thirty-four

“We’ve still got arrows,” Yngvar shouted, barely able to finish his words from the exertion of rowing. “We’ve got to get into this fight, Ulfrik, or we’re done for!”

Both the Wave Spear and the Raven’s Talon had low sides-too low, leaving them vulnerable to arrows and to boarding action from the higher-sided ships of the enemy. Ulfrik kept the two ships close together, for support and to discourage boarding attempts. Harald’s forces were preventing them from joining the defensive line formed by King Eirik’s vessels, and already the Wave Spear had been swept off the flanks by a fast-moving ship and a storm of arrows. One of Toki’s crew was already dead and several others injured.

Ulfrik looked out across the fjord. Ships were scattered like seedpods thrown on the water. Everywhere, fights raged on decks. Harald’s magnificent sail billowed as his ship circled the allied line, preparing to hit it at the center. Other vessels were already lashing to the flanks, aiming to board the floating battlefield. If Ulfrik did not commit to the fight now, Harald would pull apart their main force and then prey on the Wave Spear at leisure.

“Toki,” Ulfrik called across the water. “Pull in to those ships on the flanks. Put up oars and pour arrows into them until we’ve nothing left.”

The men rowed and the two ships shot toward the embattled flanks. When he judged the distance close enough, Ulfrik ordered the oars taken in. The boats glided forward, the detritus of battle bumping their hulls as they slowed. Enemy sailors leaped from their ships to mill on the decks of allied vessels, leaving Ulfrik a slim window to put arrows in them before they were lost in the pandemonium onboard. On the prow, men vied to position their shots.

“Don’t make it pretty, just shoot! Fire as fast as you can!” Ulfrik yelled.

Even Runa had found a bow, although she was struggling to draw it. Ulfrik had no time to stop her wasting their arrows. He shot furiously, arrows screaming overhead and disappearing into the water or into the chaos and confusion of the fight. The thrum and swish of constant bow fire was reassuring, but Ulfrik guessed their shooting was ineffective. Regardless, some enemies did fall under the missile fire, and some halted their boarding action, but within moments most of their foe had overrun the other ships, leaving their own lashed and unoccupied.

“Stop!” Ulfrik ordered, setting his mind to capturing the enemy ship before him. Just as he yelled, Runa finally managed to draw back her bow and fire a lone arrow. It made a clumsy arc before splashing into the water, but Ulfrik’s eyes had followed the arrow’s path toward the stern in time to see a high-sided ship slicing for them, spearmen and axmen thronging the forecastle. He had no time to don his mail, or do any more than shout, “Boarders at the stern! Be ready!”

The enemy ship slammed alongside, expertly enough to deliver an unsettling jolt. Long-hafted axes bit into the rails to pull Wave Spear close, and hooked ropes flew out to snare the ships together until one of the crews prevailed. Eager, bloodthirsty men jumped from the enemy ship onto the Wave Spear’s deck. Ulfrik, Yngvar, and the rest of the crew rushed to push them overboard, but the combatant ship’s high sides offered the attackers protection as they boarded.

A wild-eyed man shoved Ulfrik with his shield, following up with a stab. Ulfrik stepped backward with the force, leaving the over-eager assailant exposed. Ulfrik’s blade found soft belly, and the man screamed as he fell. At least these men had also forgone their mail. Looking up, he saw that Yngvar had thrown his shield, instead chopping with his ax as though he were splitting firewood. He had already sent one attacker overboard, and the next took the full force of the ax blade in his leg.

From behind, Toki and his crew roared as they joined the defense. Even without looking, Ulfrik knew that the Raven’s Talon was lashed to his ship and its crew had rushed to his aid. On either side of him, Toki and Snorri flashed their bloody weapons. Pain flowered up his thigh, and he turned to the front again. A foul-smelling, yellow-toothed man had jumped into his path and cut him above the knee. Battle lust deadened the sensation, and Ulfrik swatted at the man with his shield and then took him high in the throat in retaliation.

Everywhere, bodies rolled on the blood-spattered deck, but the battle had turned against the boarders, and Ulfrik knew his men would prevail. He prayed for time to reorganize before other enemies took advantage. The attackers sensed defeat as well, and the few men still aboard the opposing ship were cutting the lashings and using their spears to pry apart the ships. They called for their comrades to return, and some did. Others plunged into the sea to escape. Runa, finding a spear, took aim at the swimming men.

“Forget them!” Ulfrik was already calling in his men, not wanting to waste time in pursuit of the crippled ship. “Don your mail, if you have it. Toss these bodies overboard.” Ulfrik scanned the waters all around. King Harald’s ship was gone, but the defensive line now resembled a straggled dead snake, a cluster of ants crawling all over it. All along the line, boats were lashed together and disgorged enemy troops onto the decks of allied ships. Ulfrik’s ships drifted alone, but for the fleeing attacker that had just pulled away. Corpses and body parts bobbed like jetsam on the waves, some men having hacked off limbs for the gold or silver bands that could be removed from them later. Amid the ruin, Runa sat on a bench, a small smile illuminating her face. Strangely, Ulfrik smiled back. Her calmness made him wonder if he wasn’t acting in haste. Snorri, seated close by, held his head and blood fell from his nose in fat drops. Toki was already overseeing his crew’s return, straddling both ships and waving his bloody sword to direct the men back to the oars. Abandoning the scene, Ulfrik turned to finding his mail hauberk. He feared drowning less than a sword in the guts, and the pain in his leg reminded him that his mail could have prevented the wound. Around him, other men struggled into their armor too, having understood the same thing.

The calm did not last. From the west, aided by the bright sun, another large ship appeared. The dragon prow snarled down and Ulfrik stared at it in shock while his men scrambled and grabbed their bows. Yngvar ran to the rails, in front of the men, his hands outstretched. “It’s Haklang’s ship. Don’t fire!”

Ulfrik recognized it now, the War Dragon. He blinked as sweat rolled into his eyes. Standing with one foot on the rail of the prow, Thor Haklang, clad in bear skin, glowered down at them. Even from a distance Ulfrik could read the frenzied battle madness in the men’s faces. Thor appeared to be trying to push his ship forward, unsatisfied with the speed. The dragon ship pulled alongside, and oars were shipped as it closed. Thor leaned down and growled, “What are you two doing out here? I need you to cover my ship. Keep these shit-eating flies off me so I can get to the real fight!”

Ulfrik nodded acknowledgement to Thor, who was passing around the drink Ulfrik knew the berserkers used to enhance their battle craze. A man thrust the mug back into Thor’s hand, but he did not drink, using the opportunity as his ship slid past, to yell, “King Eirik and the others are all dead. Men are fleeing in every direction. This is my last chance of getting to Harald’s ship and gutting that whoreson in front of his men.”

Ulfrik quailed at the news of the dead leaders. Without strong leaders, men did not hold together. “What about Jarl Kjotve?”

“Haven’t seen him,” Thor shouted back, then gulped from the mug. He roared like a bear and threw the drained mug into the water. The oars hit the water with a splash, and he led the drive to find King Harald’s ship.

As Thor’s ship pulled ahead, Ulfrik shouted orders to his crew. Next to him, Yngvar put a hand on his shoulder. “This has been a hard day, Ulfrik. We’ve handed Harald his kingdom.”

Ulfrik did not acknowledge the words, simply slapped Yngvar on the back. He had a final duty to Thor-one last chance to destroy Harald’s power.

***

Grim mopped sweat and blood from his brow. The clang of battle made his head ring. The sun was sinking in the west, and Harald’s ship had drifted such that the light struck his eyes, blinding him. Fighting aboard a ship was an unfamiliar experience to Grim, and one he did not like. He had prevailed thus far, taking only a small cut over his eye, which bled more than it hurt. But the footing was difficult and room in the forecastle was limited. He was accustomed to more space to vent his battle rage. Twice he had nearly toppled into the sea, which would mean death while wearing mail. Some men had stripped off their mail, but when Harald saw, he ordered them to wear it again.

Harald was shouting and laughing in his mail coat, now bedewed with gore that sparkled like garnets. Word that Eirik and Sulke had fallen, and that the enemy were fleeing had made him giddy. All of Harald’s men were cheering, but Grim did not join them. Snorting away sweat that rolled down his nose, he looked to where Harald was pointing.

Across the water, Grim saw men dancing on King Eirik’s ship. One twirled a head-which Grim assumed was Eirik’s-in the air. Spread out between that ship and Grim, the debris of battle bobbed and swirled. Shields clanked together on the waves, forming patterns like a sea serpent floating on the water. Small longboats slid through the crimson water, their decks empty but for the dead piled in the forecastles. Ships were scattering everywhere, with King Harald’s forces in pursuit. Harald roared his victory, and all around, men cheered. But one voice called an alarm.

Harald’s head snapped around and he dashed to the starboard rails. Grim followed, joining the throng about the king. A large dragon-prowed ship rowed for their position, the two small boats rowing astride it forming a screen. The group approached at an oblique angle, presumably to counter bow fire. A banner was nailed to the mast of the larger ship and caught the wind-a yellow crown over a black bear.

It meant nothing to Grim. King Harald, however, clapped his hands as if he had received an unexpected gift. “Men, get your bows. We’ll end this day with a fat prize. Thor Haklang has come to find his death. Fill his decks with arrows. Let no one escape!”

Grim shivered at the words. Thor Haklang was Ulfrik’s lord. His brother would be leading one of the ships. Grim stood frozen in terror. Aud had cursed him to die at Ulfrik’s hand, and now that hand was reaching for his throat. Grim, hero of many battles and a personal guard of the High King, stood trembling like a boy in a dark wood.

“Don’t stand here like you’re sightseeing.” Someone cuffed him, cursing him for a fool. “You heard the king: get your bow.”

One of Harald’s slaves shoved a quiver of arrows into Grim’s hands before moving to the next man. Grim returned to the starboard rail, searching for an open spot from which to shoot. Finding a gap, he jostled his way into it and set his bowstring. As he felt for an arrow, he saw the vessels had shipped oars and were gliding the final distance. Men on the smaller boats crowded the forecastle, all drawing back to fire. Archers were poised on the prow of Thor Haklang’s ship as well.

“Get down!” someone yelled as enemy bows thrummed and arrows hissed like rain among them, forcing Harald and his men to take cover. Men stumbled, and some died, but most of the enemy arrows did nothing more than buy the approaching ships time.

Grim popped back up, an arrow already nocked on his string. His eyes sought the fair-haired head of his brother amid the boats. Lustful screams rang out, loud and near as Thor’s ship plowed on too fast. It would likely ram Harald’s ship, but all along the dragon-headed vessel men in animal skins howled from the rails, eager for blood. Grim swept his bow over the small boats. Ulfrik was not at the rudder of either ship. The distance shortened again. He would get only one shot.

He thought he spotted Ulfrik in the front ship, but too many men blocked him. Then he saw Yngvar, recognizing the face before recalling the name. That was Ulfrik’s friend, and killing him would draw out Ulfrik. Without further thought, he drew back his arrow. His shoulders burned with the fatigue of the day’s fighting, his arm trembled, and sweat blurred his vision. Yngvar’s neck danced at the point of his arrow.

Grim released.

Then Thor Haklang’s ship collided, hurtling Grim back from the rails. Boarding ropes streamed from both ships and wild men began to dive into Harald’s ranks. Grim hurled his bow away and slung his shield from his back onto his arm. The amulet swayed on his chest. By the gods, let its magic be true.

***

Yngvar’s head snapped back and he fell to the deck, one hand at his throat. Ulfrik, who had just released his second arrow and was turning to order the men to prepare for boarding, could not understand what he was seeing. Yngvar sprawled on the deck, his legs kicking as if he were trying to run, his back arching. A black-fledged arrow jutted from his neck, and blood flowed over his hand and puddled under his head.

Ulfrik was next to him in a moment. Yngvar’s eyes, although wide, looked up into nothing. He gurgled and spluttered, his brilliant white teeth now coated in pure red. His other hand swiped at his side or spastically clutched at the deck.

Ulfrik grabbed Yngvar’s shoulders, sweeping his friend’s body with his eyes, as if searching for a cure to his pain. But the arrow had taken Yngvar directly through the throat and protruded from the back of his neck. The only cure for such a wound was death-and that was all Ulfrik saw in his friend’s eyes.

The clutching, empty hand found Ulfrik’s leg and tugged at it. Then he realized. Only gargled wheezes escaped Yngvar’s mouth, but Ulfrik understood them. He drew Fate’s Needle and placed it in Yngvar’s clutching hand. “Go on ahead, to the feasting hall,” Ulfrik said, closing Yngvar’s grip on the hilt. “I will meet you there, and we will drink and brawl and laugh. Forever. Go, my brother.”

He wanted to say more: to tell him that he loved him like a brother, that he respected him like no other man. To thank him for saving his life. So much emotion gushed through his mind, seeking an outlet, but all he could do was choke back a sob as Yngvar’s eyes stopped searching and grew dull. A bubbly hiss escaped Yngvar’s perforated throat, and Ulfrik’s friend lay dead.

“You better join the others, they need a strong leader.” Runa leaned over his shoulder, speaking as gently as she could above the din of the fight.

Ulfrik looked up. Hair flew about Runa’s face and a sprinkling of blood spotted her cheek. She held a long dagger in one hand, and her other touched his shoulder. He pulled her hand down, nodded at the wisdom of her words.

Looking up, Ulfrik saw his men fighting to board Harald’s ship. Thor and his berserkers were in front, and Toki was leading Ulfrik’s men. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Then, unable to bring himself to remove Fate’s Needle from Yngvar’s grasp, he took up his friend’s ax. He looked at Runa. “Stay here, and pray we win.”

“We will not win, only escape. Lead your men in glory, and come back to me here. I love you, Ulfrik.”

Ulfrik could not find the words, just brushed her cheek before standing. Then he turned to the fight. Shoving his way to the front, he roared, “With me, men! With me to glory and riches! We eat from Harald’s table tonight”

***

Heedless of death, the wild berserkers threw themselves on Harald’s men, screaming for blood. Grim saw one tattooed man lose his left arm and respond merely by shoving the bloody stump into his attacker’s face. Fortunately, Grim faced only warriors attempting to board from the rails, and was protected by the ship’s higher sides. He had only to keep up his shield and slash beneath it, but with three boatloads of men to their single ship, enough berserkers soon found their way on deck.

“Fall back! Fall back to the forecastle,” Harald called. Grim put up his shield, felt a weak blow glance off it, and backed away to join his king.

He was going through the familiar motions of battle. The ebb and flow, the repositioning and maneuvering, all calmed his jangled nerves. He had done this dozens of times, each time following Harald’s directions to victory. He told himself this battle would be no different.

The attackers flowed over the undefended rails, jostling to be the first to fight the king and his best warriors. Grim searched the faces-some wild, others desperate, all splattered with the bile of battle. Bear pelts, wolf pelts, mail coats, bare chests, plain wooden shields, brilliant silver helmets, blood-caked blades-all rushed forward in an undisciplined throng. Grim stood by the rails at the far end of Harald’s line, waiting to receive the charge. The men who held the line with him seemed patient, certain of victory, but Grim’s certainty vanished as his eyes settled on a man in a mail coat who leaped over the rail behind the others.

Ulfrik landed as easily as a cat. A green shield hung from one arm and he held aloft an ax in the other. An ember burned in Grim’s guts as his brother’s eyes met his from across the forecastle. Time froze; the two brothers locked in one gaze. Ulfrik’s eyes had grown colder, harder than when Grim had last seen them. A blue flame flickered there, and Grim thought he heard distant, hollow laughter. For a moment, Grim saw his father tramping across the deck-a ragged black shape filled with worms and rot-but then the vision vanished and Ulfrik leaped from it instead, crashing through the intervening men to reach him.

Grim threw up his shield but felt his jaw slacken. The ax head caught the sun and Ulfrik’s face contorted with the force of his strike.

The curse had come for him.

***

“You murdered our father,” Ulfrik screamed, as he threw his first wild blow at Grim. The ax slammed on his metal-rimmed shield, cleaving into it. Grim cowered behind the shield like a child as Ulfrik pulled out the ax.

“You poisoned him, gave him a dog’s death! For what?” The anger Ulfrik thought time had buried poured out of him. At last Grim was backed against a wall, literally trapped in the forecastle. One of them would die; Ulfrik was determined it would be Grim.

Grim seemed bewildered, hiding behind his shield and not returning the strike. As Grim threw his shield up, Ulfrik noticed his brother’s amulet, the human bones that swung around Grim’s neck-further proof of the monster his brother had become. Ulfrik slammed his shield into Grim and swept the ax beneath it, at his legs.

Anticipating that blow, Grim stepped back. Ulfrik’s injured leg seeped blood and pain, but he ignored it. “I will avenge all you have murdered. You face justice today!”

Grim shoved back at that, and sliced out with his sword. Over their shields, their eyes met. Ulfrik read fear, determination, and strength. Faster than he thought Grim could move, the blade came back at him, ripping over his arm; only his mail sleeve saved a grievous wound.

For long moments they traded blows, neither gaining an advantage. Grim was strong, and he did not move once he set his feet. Ulfrik had hoped to drive him over the rails, but instead Grim was pushing him back. Only the chaotic fighting behind them kept Ulfrik from being hurled out of the forecastle. He chanced a glimpse around, noticing Thor Haklang clutching a blood-smeared ax and carving a swath of death toward Harald. Then Grim came at him again.

“You killed Magnus,” Ulfrik shouted. “I avenge him, too. You are a murderer. A gutless poisoner!”

But Ulfrik’s posturing did not serve him in the fight. Grim remained silent, his eyes wide and his teeth set. He was working a fighting plan, and Ulfrik saw it too late. Grim’s sword looped up under Ulfrik’s shield. The blade deflected off his mail, but came up under his chin, slicing the flesh and carving up his face, splitting his left nostril and eyebrow. Had he not pulled back, the blade would have pierced his throat.

Pain bloomed across his face and blood hazed his eyes. Ulfrik staggered, blinded, and Grim kicked his shield forcefully, knocking him to the deck. Ulfrik rolled away instinctively, and Grim’s sword thumped the deck where his head had been. Other men continued to fight around them, and someone fell heavily across Ulfrik. The man screamed, and Ulfrik felt a waterfall of hot blood wet his back. A man on the ground was as good as dead, Ulfrik knew. He thrashed to free himself, gripped by an icy panic. The body on him suddenly lifted away. And Grim screamed.

Ulfrik rolled forward into Grim, sending him tumbling. He stood, bumped by other men engaged in their own personal battles, and looked for his ax and shield. He could find neither amid the shoving, flailing men who surrounded him.

Ulfrik’s face throbbed. He could barely keep his eyes open through the stream of blood, but he could tell that Grim had fallen on his face, probably on top of his ax and shield. Ulfrik could not lose the advantage. He leaped on Grim’s back, driving his knee into the small of it. With a scream, Grim flattened out onto the deck. Ulfrik locked his arms about Grim’s thick neck and pulled back on his head, driving his knee further into Grim’s spine.

Grim’s neck would have snapped were it not for his incredible strength. He gagged and struggled, bucking while Ulfrik held fast. Then Grim put his powerful arms beneath him and shoved the two of them up.

Ulfrik hung on as Grim wobbled to his feet, his breath rasping in painful bursts. Then, with surprising energy, he launched them both back, hurling them toward the forecastle. Ulfrik felt himself crash into other warriors as, using all his power, Grim twisted to face his older brother and broke the hold.

Both were weaponless now. Grim smiled, his white scar rippling like a snake. He landed a punch even before Ulfrik could put up his fists. The blow crunched into Ulfrik’s wounded chin, tearing the flesh back and spraying blood down his chest. Ulfrik screamed, his vision a sheet of white-hot agony. He reeled back, and Grim’s thick fingers seized his throat and slammed him against the ship’s rails.

Ulfrik’s vision blurred until only his brother’s black hair and wicked sneer were visible. Grim was grunting with the effort, but Ulfrik could not breathe. Terror wormed its way into his heart. His hands searched for a weapon, but found none. Grim would deny him the feasting hall as well. He closed his eyes, blood and sweat now making vision impossible.

Grim laughed, a cackle like a crazed man. Thinking of nothing, ruled only by panic, Ulfrik clawed and pawed at his brother, his lungs afire as he thrashed. One hand landed on Grim’s face, shoving it weakly, but as it fell away it caught on the silver chain that held Aud’s bones. Through the fog of blood, the necklace of bones danced before him. In a final act of defiance, Ulfrik ripped it away and threw it to the deck.

Grim screamed, and his grip relaxed for an instant. Ulfrik reflexively took a draught of cold air and his vision cleared momentarily. Grim still held him, but his brother’s eyes were focused on the deck, where he searched for the scattered bones.

In that moment, Ulfrik hooked his leg behind Grim’s and swept him off his feet. His brother’s grip faltered and he tumbled to the deck. Desperate power, given by the gods for men to make their last stand, propelled Ulfrik back to his feet. As his brother scrabbled to stand, Ulfrik noticed the dagger at Grim’s belt.

He snatched it out of the sheath and swung the cold iron edge under Grim’s throat. All around men jostled in combat, blood and sweat fogging the air, but as Ulfrik hunched across Grim’s back, the dagger promising death, their world became a cold, quiet bubble.

Snorri had broken through, and was running for Ulfrik with sword ready, though he seemed to not move at all. Grim struggled beneath Ulfrik like a calf about to be slaughtered. Ulfrik felt his own hand trembling.

Grim let out a cry-a sniveling, familiar cry. A cry Ulfrik had heard so often in their youth. Grim had cried like that whenever he knew he had misbehaved. It was a more powerful stroke than any blow Grim had just given him.

My brother. A baby once: innocent and deserving of love. Ulfrik knew Grim never got that, not from Orm, or from anyone. He has done so much evil for it, but now he weeps. At the edge of death he understands the wrongs he has done. Knows the guilt. Surely that is justice enough. If he understands, then he suffers.

“I am no coward,” Ulfrik said, his voice oddly normal and almost lost in the thunderous chaos of battle. “And I am no murderer. You were my brother once. I will not kill you.”

He removed the dagger from Grim’s neck. The world started to move again, and his brother whipped around and sprang to his feet.

Grim’s eyes flashed, and his lip drew into a snarl. Yet another familiar reaction; Grim never gracefully accepted mercy. He held up a fistful of the bones that Ulfrik had pulled from around his neck and opened his mouth, as if to proclaim something.

Then he screamed, and the bones clattered to the deck before him. Ulfrik did not understand at first. Then he saw the blade protruding from his brother’s chest.

Grim fell forward, and Ulfrik skittered away.

“My lord is avenged!” Snorri placed his boot on Grim’s back and yanked out his sword. “Justice is done today!”

Ulfrik faced Snorri, both men smeared with gore, but only one still wild with rage. Ulfrik had never considered the depth of Snorri’s need for revenge. Hirdmen were sworn to avenge their lords, and Snorri had carried that duty with him.

A feeble battle continued in the forecastle. To Ulfrik’s left, Thor Haklang knelt before King Harald. Despite the ax embedded in Thor’s forehead, he still appeared alive. King Harald raised his blade and struck down twice on the giant berserker’s neck, severing Thor’s head with the second strike. With a howl of victory, Harald held the head aloft.

The day is lost. Ulfrik knew it then. Thor’s men would die with him, but Ulfrik saw no need to waste his men on this cause. He screamed for a retreat, gathering any of his men who still lived. Toki guarded them as they leaped down to the boat.

“Give me your arm.” Ulfrik reached out for one of his men who was crawling on the deck, his hand clutched to his stomach. As he raised his arm to Ulfrik, a coil of guts slid out. The man was lost, but Ulfrik refused to leave anyone behind. Toki grabbed the man’s feet and helped Ulfrik get him aboard the Raven’s Talon.

Harald’s men were distracted by their celebration of Thor’s death. On deck, the remaining berserkers continued to fight, which gave Ulfrik time to escape.

They dropped the crewman onto the deck, and he screamed as he landed. The ropes were already cut and the men piled in, Runa tumbling in with them. The Wave Spear would have to be abandoned; Ulfrik no longer had crew enough to pilot it, but he said nothing as he pushed the ship-the first he had built with his bare hands-away.

Some men took to rowing; others helped aboard men who had jumped into the sea. Ulfrik walked among his crew, counting them. Seventeen of his men were dead or lost. Turning back, he put a hand to his brow, staring at Harald’s fleet.

The deck of Harald’s ship was still alive with warriors, but the battle there was over. Beneath the dead, Harald would find Grim and throw his corpse into the sea.

No land. No father. No brother.No son. Ulfrik thought. There is nothing left for me in this place.Nothing at all. Ulfrik turned away again, catching a glimpse of Runa, who stood unsullied amid the bloodied men. At least she remains with me. On the deck beside her lay Yngvar’s corpse.

The men rowed as fast as their war-weary bodies allowed, enemy ships falling away like a wake as they fled. Toki took the rudder as Ulfrik moved to the two men-one living, one dead-who lay on the deck.

***

Ulfrik wept for Yngvar, his tears turning red as they bit through his fresh wounds. Runa’s small, warm hand massaged his shoulder.

There was no time for a proper sea burial; instead, Ulfrik motioned for men to help him commit the corpse to the sea. As they lifted, a gleam of green flashed from Yngvar’s chest. In death, Fate’s Needle lay firmly in Yngvar’s grip.

My sword. Ulfrik considered keeping it, but Yngvar deserved to be sent to the sea grave with riches and a weapon in hand; the blade served both purposes. Their friendship had been sealed with that blade, it was right for Yngvar to take it to the feasting hall. Yngvar would put it to good use in Valhalla, and stand proud among Odin’s heroes with a fine weapon of his own.

No land. No father. No brother. No son. No sword.

The sword and the body fell overboard with a splash, and Ulfrik turned away. Beside him, Runa gave a small sigh and her expression eased. She seemed about to speak, until interrupted by Ari coming to Ulfrik’s side.

The wizened old man was splattered with blood and sporting a gashed cheek. “Jarl Kjotve lives. He is making a stand on that island.” Ari pointed to a blur on the horizon. “Should we join him?”

What is an oath to Jarl Kjotve now? Ulfrik thought. What is left, now that Harald has defeated his opposition? The island was not too distant, but men were scattering in every direction, and Ulfrik knew Harald would pursue the remaining jarls first.

“Ari, do you still serve Jarl Kjotve?”

“I suppose I do.”

“Then I can drop you off on the island.”

“Where would you be going, then?”

“To a place where men and women are free to rule themselves. Where no greedy or vengeful hand can reach.”

Ari was silent. Ulfrik listened to the distant cheers of Harald’s men proclaiming their victory. All around ships scuttled away like roaches from a lit candle. Runa had joined her brother at the prow, and her hair bounced behind her in the wind. She looked back at Ulfrik, her eyes brimming with tears and hope.

“Do you know such a place?” Ari asked.

“No. But I will make one.”

Content

Jerry Autieri
Fate's Needle

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