Page 58 of Edge of the Wild

“Hmph,” Askr snorted into his ale horn. He thumped it down hard on the table, and fixed Erik with a fierce look. “I still say we take the offensive. If they want to sneak around in the woods, then let us sneak first – let us lay a trap. We’ll slaughter them all and mount their heads to ward off anyone else who would dare. Ha! Like the good old days.”

Despite himself, Erik felt the tug of a smile threaten. “Pikes, huh?”

Ragnar said, “I obviously approve of that.”

Erik sighed. “I’ll think on it. We’re staying here for two nights, to rest the animals. For now, hold fast, and get some sleep. The walls are well tended in Redcliff, are they not, Lord Askr?”

The man snorted, offended to have even been asked.

Servants came in toting trays heaped with savory pastries, and the gathering broke up; men sought more food, more ale, and their own tables.

Erik had his ale horn refilled, caught Ragnar’s eye, and tipped his head toward one of the fireplaces. He noticed that when his cousin pushed up from the table and moved to follow, he was limping.

When they were settled in two leather chairs before the hearth, well away from the conversations of others, Erik said, “All right. What really happened out there?”

Ragnar froze, horn halfway to his lips. “Sorry?”

Erik snorted. “You only pretend to have good manners when you think you’ve done something to anger me. Something attacked your men, and someone did a good job roughing you up. But what really happened? Since when do Beserkirs pick fights with the Úlfheðnar within sight of an Aeretollean castle?”

Ragnar stared at him a moment, then took a long swallow, and glared at him, afterward. “Nice to see my own flesh and blood doubts me.”

Erik gave him a look.

Ragnar sighed. “I’m telling you the truth this time. We realized we were being stalked two days out of Aeres. I didn’t want us to get to the mountain pass before they attacked us – that’s a good way to get your whole fucking clan killed.”

Erik nodded.

“So we decided to make camp outside Redcliff – that was where I’d left all those who wouldn’t come to Aeres anyway. When we arrived…” His hand tightened on his horn, and his gaze shifted toward the fire, bright from the flames, pupils small – scared. “My own men very nearly shot us. It was dusk, and they were – they weren’t just ready, Erik. They were frightened.” His gaze returned, entreating. “They said that there was a beast who’d been stalking them for days: a big shape, branches shifting, always out of reach of the firelight. Every time a hunting party ventured out, one man failed to return.”

“There are wolves and bears in these forests. Spotted cats.”

Ragnar sat forward, firelight glinting off his teeth, now, as he snarled. “My boys know how to handle wolves, and bears, and spotted cats. This was something different.”

Erik thought of Oliver’s face gone slack, his eyes huge and glassy.Something, he’d said. Something he couldfeelin the back of his mind. It was too easy to recall that pale shape passing by overhead, the press of wind from wings too large to belong to any bird he knew. And the thing in the water…

He took a slug of ale. “Something different like what?”

Ragnar leaned even closer, his voice a low hiss. “You heard the stories at last year’s festival.”

“Beserkir stories.”

“And from theJotunns as well. Cold-drakes have been spotted in the mountains. Raiding goat pens and fishing in the lakes.”

Erik shook his head. “Unproven stories. It’s been a very long time since drakes of any kind lived out in the open, here or anywhere.”

“Unproven stories until now,” Ragnar pressed. “Ask your Drake lover – ask him if he can talk to them. If he can hear them singing.”

He thought of Oliver falling; the dead weight of him, dripping and freezing. His blue lips forming soundless words that were not in any spoken language.

He frowned.

And Ragnar perked up, brows lifting. “Hehas, hasn’t he?”

“No.”

“Look at your face – he’s heard something, or he’s felt something. Therearedrakes, but…” He grinned humorlessly. “You don’t want to believe it. Is that what happened earlier, by the lake? Did the beast call out to him and he tried to walk across the ice to get to it?”

“No,” Erik growled, his chest tight, seething suddenly. “No, he slipped. There was nothing in the water – a trick of the light.”

---