His heart soared from the depths it had been in seconds before and he let out a loud sob of relief. He silently thanked the gods: she was unconscious but still breathing. Still fuelled by both his own adrenalin and the power provided him by the Dreadblade, he easily picked Fleya up. Pausing only to retrieve the sword, he carried her back to the cabin.

Stromgard

9

The young queen was beautiful. Sitting atop the throne in the great longhouse, dressed in all her finery, she looked every inch a ruler, despite her sixteen summers. It was hard to imagine this was the shield maiden who had, until recently, been swinging axe and sword as leader of the kingdom’s most elite fighters.

In truth, Astrid felt anything but a queen. It’s not for long, she told herself over and over. Just until Erik is freed. Remember that. Be strong. Be fierce if you need to, but most of all, make everyone remember you are Mirvar Rivengeld’s daughter and that you intend to rule as long as it takes to prove your brother’s innocence. She shifted on the great chair, adjusting her ridiculous clothing.

Her father had always called her his little ‘svartrsvanr’ – black swan – and it was true that she possessed the grace and elegance of that animal. But that was not the reason Mirvar had given her the nickname. The sable-feathered birds that lived in the waters around Stromgard were also famed for their courage, and it was this quality above all others that the young queen knew she needed right now.

Because Astrid was a warrior, not a ruler.

Stromgard had suffered its fair share of raids from neighbouring kingdoms over the years, and because of this, all Volken people, regardless of status, were schooled in combat skills. Astrid Rivengeld was no exception to this rule. What had surprised many, however, including Astrid herself, was what an apt pupil she’d turned out to be. When her compulsory training was finished, she’d begged her father to allow her to try and enrol as a shield maiden. Mirvar had baulked at the idea at first, but eventually he’d given his consent.