Page 79 of Alien Viking's Plunder

They got out of the caves and headed for the shortship.

Josie reached out a thin, freshly-Marked arm to point. A thin wisp of smoke rose from it. “Mine is over there.”

“I’ll get it,” Heidran said as he placed Tornado in their shortship. “Chief, the farmstead of huskarl Gunarr is not far from here. His wife will help with clothing and food. That way.” He nodded down the hill.

“Then we will go there,” Bragr decided. “And then we shall go on to the oracle and stop Gornt.”

“Chief, I can do more good at the battle. Josie, are you strong enough to speak?”

“Speak about what?” she asked.

The shaman came closer. “What did Gornt do in the caves? With the skrymtir?”

“He had a black stone in his hand. It looked as if he was using it to draw power from the caves and send it to the skrymtir. Some of them couldn’t handle it and fell over. Like those.” Josie pointed at the several lifeless but undamaged skrymtir on the ground.

“He must have a crystal of his own, like the one at the oracle,” Heidran said. “Now that I know, I can work against the unholy powers in the skrymtir at the battle. See you at the victory feast, Chief. The Meistr has finally shown herself. And a mighty warrior she is, too. She will help you keep your lands within the clan, as prophesied.”

“I don’t care about that,” Bragr said calmly. “As you know.”

Heidran adjusted his sword belt. “Josie, Earl Bragr has known for a few days that you are the Meistr. He told me right after he tried to send you away and you escaped in the shortship. And knowing who you were, he still wanted to send you off Gardr and get you out of harm’s way before any battle took place. It means that you mean more to him than the earldom itself. But that’s appropriate for Karestir, the fated mates.”

The shaman gave a shallow bow and walked away fast, looking determined.

24

- Josie -

Josie frowned. “Huh?I’mthe Meistr? From the Prophecy you talked about?”

Bragr squeezed her. “I have suspected it since you defeated the dfergir without spilling their blood. You fight like a whirlwind, and you come from the outside.”

“But you told me to get the hell away from the planet!”

Bragr carried her over to the shortship and carefully set her down. “I don’t remember using those words. But yes, I wanted you away from any danger. You promptly countered by seeking out the worst danger on Gardr.”

She drew Heidran’s robe close around her. “So when you said I was a worthless female, that wasn’t what you really meant?”

He sat down beside her. “Of course not! But it seemed that was the only thing that might work to get you into a longship and off Gardr. I think we can say now that it didn’t work.”

“My love, you’re filthy,” Josie said and put one hand on his thigh. “There’s skrymtir-blood all over you. But it’s fine. You’re a warrior.” She put her thigh against his. “Look at our Marks! So pretty! So that’s how they’re made. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have gone in there. I’ve never felt worse pain. And I’ve had a lot.”

“You would have gone in there anyway. Your friend was there. Anyway, you will never experience pain like that again, my love,” Bragr promised as they skimmed the snowy rock.

“Are you sure? They say childbirth can be pretty bad.”

“They do say that,” he agreed. “But they also say it doesn’t encompass your entire body, like the burned Marks do. I have had many injuries after I got my Marks. But none were nearly as painful as they were.”

“Thanks for coming to get me,” Josie said. “I didn’t have the energy to get out of that cave. I would have frozen to death.”

Bragr had the shortship speed down a steep hill. “I’m astonished you survived the Marks. Many big warriors don’t. Some do freeze in there, unable to drag themselves out. Ah, that must be Gunarr’s farm now.”

It was a mountain farm, clinging to the hillside with snow-covered fields around it. Smoke rose from a low, wooden house.

They were received as honored guests by the women and children at the farm. The men had all gone to the battle at the jarlagard.

“But you’re not at the battle, Chief?” Froydis, Gunarr’s wife, asked carefully when they were all sitting by a long table and food and drink was being brought in.

“Gornt is behind the skrymtir and the war,” Bragr said. “If we can get rid of him, the battle is over. Now we shall go and kill him.” There was a dark determination in his face.

---