Erlan gazed out beyond the banks of the wide river. It had been nearly two weeks since the portage. The land it cut through was vast beyond imagining. He slouched against the tiller and tipped back his head, closing his eyes to the sun’s caress, letting his mind drift into dreams of golden halls and the king who ruled them. He inhaled the river air, its muddy scent mingling with the sweeter smell of pine sap drifting from the trees. It smelled like. . . freedom.

He noticed a change under the hull. The bubbles running faster. He opened his eyes. The river was narrowing some distance ahead. He got to his feet, trying to see further.

‘What’s up?’ asked Leikr, rolling his head over his shoulder towards the prow.

‘I don’t know. Maybe nothing.’ He climbed onto his sea chest to get a better look, steadying himself against the mast. Aska pricked his ears.

He could see the banks drawing closer, rocks breaking out along the shoreline. On the western bank, the tree line, normally a constant, came to an abrupt end. He swore, seeing why.

The land was dropping away.

‘What is it?’ Adalrik scrambled to his feet.

‘Secure the gear.’

‘What’s going on?’

‘Just do it!’ Erlan turned back to the tiller. But everything was moving faster now. The twins scrabbled to do as he said while he levered his way over the thwarts to the stern.

‘Lash it all down, whatever you can. There’s faster water ahead.’

Leikr tossed his brother a coil of hemp rope and Adalrik squatted down to secure the sea chests and weapons. Before Erlan could reach the tiller, the boat slewed sideways. The force of the current against the strakes rolled it to larboard. Erlan lost his balance and stumbled, twisting his foot. Pain streaked up his leg from his crippled ankle like fire. Adalrik rolled, too, banging his head on a thwart and cursing.

Erlan snatched the tiller. The noise was growing, the water roiling like the sea. Aska was standing in the bows. He barked and a roar of water answered him.

‘Hel,’ Erlan muttered. ‘We need to get to shore. Now.’ But it was too late. The banks were closing in, encasing them in high walls of rock. There was a bang and an angry scraping noise. The boat listed violently to larboard again.

‘Rocks!’ yelled Leikr.

‘Go forward and steer me round them. And get that bloody sail down!’