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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

We were halfway round the circle for the final time and I remembered Gwawrddur’s words. I recalled how the Norse had chased me through the forest. I felt again the bite of the hand axe that had struck my shoulder. I had been the faster runner then and I would not let this Norseman beat me now. With a roar, I surged forward, pushing myself to greater speed. For a few heartbeats I was beside Varin. I could hear his breath, rasping with each step. I had not needed to run through the wind, thus conserving enough energy to outstrip him now. With a savage grin, I powered forward and passed him. An instant later I caught the rune-staff in my hand, tearing it from its hole in the tall stone.

Such was my speed, that I lost my footing on the trampled grass. Toppling over, I tumbled across the grass, bruising my shoulder as I fell.

A shadow fell over me. Looking up I saw it was Toki, his hand outstretched. I allowed him to pull me to my feet.

“We have a winner!” he yelled, holding my hand aloft.

The onlookers clapped and cheered. I scanned their faces until I saw Thurid. She waved and grinned, and the day seemed to brighten.

“Well run,” said Varin, slapping me on the back. “Clever,” he continued, panting.

“You are the faster runner,” I said, bending double and drawing in great lungfuls of the cool air that blew in from the North Sea.

Varin offered me a lopsided smirk. “The outcome of the contest would say otherwise.”

“I had to use my head. I could not have beaten you otherwise.”

He nodded his thanks, his expression doubtful. Perhaps Varin believed my words were false modesty, but I knew the truth in them. I watched as he made his way back to the crowd, where his friends and family gathered around, commiserating with him on his loss.

Twenty-Six

The rest of the day was spent in more trials. First there was a spear throwing contest. Almost everyone joined in and it took a long time for them all to take their turn. I was surprised when Thurid stood and took a spear from Toki. She tied up her skirts, to better be able to run, and I knew I was not alone in revelling in the sight of her bare slender legs as she sprinted forward and let her javelin fly. She did not win, but her throw travelled further than many, easily beating my own attempt that fell somewhere in the middle of the pack.

“That is why I should not be peeling onions with the womenfolk,” she said, returning to sit near me in the shadow of one of the stones.

Both Gamal’s and Gwawrddur’s spears had landed close together, several spear lengths beyond most of the competitors. But the winning throw came from Toki’s hand, much to the delight of the locals.