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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

“Runolf Ragnarsson, is that you?” He chuckled, a phlegmy, liquid sound. “If you are surprised to see me with life, I am more so to see you breathing before me, unless my old eyes deceive me.”

“Your eyes were never that sharp, old man,” said Runolf, returning Audun’s grin. “But your ears and your mind are as keen as ever, it seems to me. Now tell me,” he said, his voice suddenly serious. “What happened here? Who did this thing? Who destroyed my father’s farm?”

Audun shook off the hands of the men who held him and walked with a surprisingly firm step towards Runolf. Reaching up, he gently patted Runolf’s meaty arm.

“It is a dark tale I must tell,” he said, his expression sombre. “One filled with horror and sorrow. I will tell you what I witnessed, and who did this thing.”

Thirty-Two

I picked up a log and threw it onto the blaze. Sparks and embers flew from the fire, drifting up into the starless sky. The flames lit our faces, warming them, but the clouds had closed in at nightfall, hiding any light that might have come from the night sky.

I rubbed my hand against my breeches, smudging soot on the wool. The timbers that the thralls had collected came from the remains of the buildings and many bore the reminder of their first burning. If Runolf cared that his kin’s homes were being used as fuel, he said nothing. He had spoken little since we had met Audun on the hill.

The old man had been keen to tell his tale immediately, but Runolf had held up his hand, silencing him.

“It will soon be dark,” he’d said. “Let us build…” He’d hesitated a moment, looking down at the destruction of his past life. He swallowed. “Let us build a fire, and make camp. Then you can tell us everything.”

With that, he had strode away down the hill between the burnt bones of the buildings. We had traipsed behind, none of us daring to speak to him.

“The men will need meat after your voyage,” Audun said, watching Runolf’s back. “I am a goatherd,” he went on. “I still have a few beasts over the hill. If I hurry, I can bring one, and we can have it roasting before dark.”

I explained to Mancas, who frowned.

“Can we trust him?” he whispered to me.

Runolf was some way off, but his hearing must have been sharp, or perhaps he merely imagined what we had stopped to discuss.

“You can trust Audun,” he called, without halting or turning back.

Mancas shrugged, but he was a cautious man and still sent Beorn and Arcenbryht with the old man to fetch one of his goats.