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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

“Perhaps the elves will bring me luck once more,” he said, rising again to his full height. Squaring his shoulders, as if with this act he had made a decision, he stared for a while northward, out over the waters of the island-dotted fjord. The sun was low now, the shadows dark. Clouds still brooded, heavy and dark, but the rain yet held off. In the distance we could see the shadows of mountains across the water.

Eadmaer stepped forward, taking a breath, but Runolf silenced him with a raised hand before he could utter a sound.

“I swear on Óðinn’s one eye, if you ask once more what has happened here, Eadmaer, you will not live to find out.”

Eadmaer opened his mouth, and for an instant I wondered whether he would be foolish enough to blurt out the angry retort I could see bubbling in his mind. Then, after a brief silent struggle, he clamped his mouth shut and turned away.

Lord Mancas cleared his throat. He had remained silent all the while, respectfully waiting for Runolf to speak. But now that the Norseman had broken his silence, it seemed the Lord of Uuiremutha could remain quiet no longer.

“The man is not wrong to wonder what happened here,” he said. “I am sorry for your loss, Runolf. To find your home in such a state is a bitter draught to swallow. Perhaps…” He hesitated. “Perhaps we will never know what happened here,” he forged on, “but maybe the king will know. We must not forget the mission our lord King Æthelred has sent us on.”

Runolf growled.

“I do not forget my oath or my duty,” he said. “But there is a way to discover the fate of my people. It is getting late, and we must camp now, but in the morning we will take Brymsteda along the island to the land of Oddløg. He is a good man, and has always been a friend to me. Yes,” he said, as if perhaps seeking to convince himself, “Oddløg will know what took place here.”

“Remember,” said Mancas, his tone harsh, “that it is I who leads this mission. You said it yourself, on land, my word should be obeyed.”

“But maybe not on my land, eh?” said Runolf with a sigh. “Perhaps tomorrow I will obey your word, Mancas. But not today.”