Page 128 of Edge of the Wild

Leif circled his pony, grinning, bowing from its back, showing off. The other young lords gathered round him, shouting their congratulations, eventually pulling him down to the ground so they could take turns delivering crushing hugs.

Oliver’s gaze flitted to the clan boy – a Beserkir, he saw now, as he noted the cowl that hung down his back. He slid down off his pony and left it standing, reins dangling, walking off into the dark without looking back.

The Beserkirs who’d been sitting in front of them the past few hours stood, abruptly, and left the field. Again, Oliver felt the hostility emanating from their stiff backs, from their ground-covering strides.

“That didn’t win us any favors,” Birger said.

“No,” Erik agreed. “But I don’t think we had any to begin with.”

~*~

The race had been the night’s big finish, and, afterward, a feast of roast pig, hard bread, and strong ale was served. The drinking and talking would go on ‘til dawn, Erik said, but when Oliver yawned and made a face, Erik ushered him up and back toward the King’s Hall. Some ribald comments were thrown at their back, but Oliver was too tired to care.

Erik steadied him with a strong arm as they left behind the roar of fire and manmade noise, and trod the slippery, trampled path that led back up the hill to the main longhouse.

It was another moon-bright night, its silver glow picking out flecks of glitter in the snow, shining on the distant lake, and on the snow mantles in the trees.

“You were right,” Erik said, and it was an effort to focus.

“Hm? About what?”

Erik chuckled at the sleepiness of his tone, and patted his hip. “About the luck changing this year. The lads will be talking about this victory for years.”

“Glad to” – he yawned again – “have been right about something useful, for once.”

Erik sighed. “We’re not back tousefulness, are we? I thought we’d discussed that.”

“I’m too sleepy to discuss anything.”

“Clearly. Straight to bed with you, young sir.”

“Ugh, you sound like my mother.”

“Then she was a wise woman. Here, in we go.” They’d reached the longhouse, and Erik opened the doors and shooed him inside.

Fires had been banked and left burning in the pit, warmly glowing coals that left the whole building much warmer than it was outside. Oliver shrugged gratefully out of his cloak and, for once, didn’t protest being coddled as Erik steered him to their compartment and urged him down onto the pallet, covered him over with furs. He dropped off right away, blessed unconsciousness.

When he woke, some time later, he realized that two things were wrong.

One: something wasactuallywrong, judging by the stirring and hurried whispering around him.

Two: he had a fever.

The moment he cracked his eyes, he felt the unmistakeable weakness and inner chill, the pounding head and exhausted body, that had heralded every single flare-up of marsh fever. It was early, yet – his temperature had spiked during the night, and how stupid he’d been not to have realized what his exhaustion yesterday had been about – but by tonight, he’d be sweating and insensate. And, here, there would be no Olaf, no assistants; no feather mattress, or hot springs, or Tessa to wipe his brow and fuss over him. No solid stone walls to keep outside threats at bay.

His hand trembled when he wiped the grit from his eyes. The platform seemed to tilt when he sat up, body already sore and achy. Gods. This was a disaster.

One that got worse when Erik appeared in front of him and said, “You’re awake.”

Oliver blinked his vision mostly clear and regarded his lover – then the doorway, where Birger stood holding the flap aside, backlit by built-up fires, a worried-looking Leif at his side. “What’s going on?”

Erik said, “There’s been an attack.”

Oliver decided that vague comment was more troubling than details would have been. He glanced from face to face. “An attack where? On who?”

Erik sighed. “I wouldn’t have wakened you, but they want your opinion.”

“My opinion?” He wished his head was clearer, because in his current state, this wasn’t making any sense.

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