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Chapters (76)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise forMATTHEW HARFFY
  3. BY MATTHEW HARFFY
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright
  6. Dedication
  7. Maps
  8. Epigraph
  9. Contents
  10. Place Names
  11. One
  12. Two
  13. Three
  14. Four
  15. Five
  16. Six
  17. Seven
  18. Eight
  19. Nine
  20. Ten
  21. Eleven
  22. Twelve
  23. Thirteen
  24. Fourteen
  25. Fifteen
  26. Sixteen
  27. Seventeen
  28. Eighteen
  29. Nineteen
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Twenty-Six
  37. Twenty-Seven
  38. Twenty-Eight
  39. Twenty-Nine
  40. Thirty
  41. Thirty-One
  42. Thirty-Two
  43. Thirty-Three
  44. Thirty-Four
  45. Thirty-Five
  46. Thirty-Six
  47. Thirty-Seven
  48. Thirty-Eight
  49. Thirty-Nine
  50. Forty
  51. Forty-One
  52. Forty-Two
  53. Forty-Three
  54. Forty-Four
  55. Forty-Five
  56. Forty-Six
  57. Forty-Seven
  58. Forty-Eight
  59. Forty-Nine
  60. Fifty
  61. Fifty-One
  62. Fifty-Two
  63. Fifty-Three
  64. Fifty-Four
  65. Fifty-Five
  66. Fifty-Six
  67. Fifty-Seven
  68. Fifty-Eight
  69. Fifty-Nine
  70. Sixty
  71. Sixty-One
  72. Sixty-Two
  73. Author’s Note
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. About the Author
  76. An Invitation from the Publisher

“If you must do something, Hunlaf,” he yelled, his voice tight, “pray! Pray that God will remind Gwawrddur to draw air into his lungs once more. That He will not take him just yet.”

I did not reply. Leofstan’s tone was hoarse and rasping. I am ashamed to admit now that I thought him moon-touched to allow Ahmad to assail Gwawrddur so. I believed the sight of Gwawrddur’s corpse had brought on a madness within him, as it had caused me to stare and gawp, unhearing and inactive. And yet Leofstan had long been my teacher in Christ. He had taught me the Scriptures, and led me in prayer more often than I could recall. And so, despite my misgivings and outrage at what Ahmad was doing, and almost without knowing I did so, I began to recite the paternoster.

My lips moved as I muttered the familiar prayer. On the deck at my feet, Ahmad continued to administer to Gwawrddur and I watched on, unsure how to stop this folly.

Over the years, I have often berated myself for my lack of faith, but never have I felt more humbled in the power of prayer and belief than in the moments that followed. As I finished the paternoster, stating as I had so many times before that God’s was the power, the kingdom and the glory, so Gwawrddur began to move.

At first I was not sure what I was witnessing. Water from the waves and rain sluiced the deck, so when the Welshman vomited up the water he had swallowed, it mingled with that already slopping around him. A moment later though, it was clear enough. Gwawrddur spasmed, voiding a great gush of liquid, and began coughing. He was alive! I made the sign of the cross, still unable to believe what I was seeing. Ahmad pulled Gwawrddur onto his side. Leofstan called for a cloak or a blanket.

Gwawrddur was coughing uncontrollably now, spitting and puking, while Ahmad rubbed his back. I snatched my own blanket from my sea chest, marvelling for a moment that it was still dry to the touch, protected as it had been by the oak chest made with Wihtgar’s craftsmanship. Leofstan took the blanket from me without comment, wrapping it about Gwawrddur.

“We need to get him warm,” said Leofstan.

Now that Gwawrddur was breathing again, Ahmad rose and stood awkwardly to one side, unsure of himself. I could scarcely believe what I had witnessed and the black-bearded thrall seemed dazed.

The rain still lashed down from the dark clouds, and Brymsteda regularly ploughed through waves, dousing us all in salt spray. Scurfa shouted for help and, without a word, Ahmad moved to obey, joining the struggling Aft crew at the ropes.