Page 101 of The Viking in the Vault
Before I can answer Elena, Fenrik barks, tail wagging frantically, and he bolts down the stairs in a blur. All eyes turn to us at the sound of Fenrik’s bark, and the answering chorusof barking reminds me that we were not the only ones who went into that long sleep together; there are at least ten other skarnhounds among the crew, all with white fur painted in light, icy tones.
For a moment, it’s chaos. Fenrik descends into a mass of wagging tails, wet noses, licks, and excited yips. They all begin to smell each other, Fenrik looking right at home. A ripple goes through the camp; antlers lift, eyes widen.
And one of them, with one broken antler and a burn scar trailing down their cheek, smiles in disbelief.
“Captain?”
They step forward, stopping halfway between the fire circle and the stairs, their gold-flecked eyes locked on mine, searching, disbelieving.
“Ragnar…” they say again, but this time it’s not a question—it’s a breath stolen from somewhere deep in their chest.
“Axl,” I say, my voice rough with emotion.
They surge forward, and I meet them halfway. My arms wrap around them before I have time to think, and they cling to me just as tightly. It’s not a commander’s embrace. It’s a reunion long overdue—one born of frost and fire, sleepless nights and whispered prayers. This brave warrior and I grew up together, trained together…they mapped the Stormcaller's path across the stars.
I feel them shake in my arms.
“I thought you were dead,” they murmur against my shoulder. “Ragnar…I thought we lost you in the descent.”
“I know,” I whisper. “I thought the same. But I wasn’t. I’m here.”
Axl pulls back, just enough to look at me. “Yrsa preserve us. Look at you. You haven’t aged a day.”
“You have,” I say gently, and their lips quirk up.
“Rude,” they murmur, but there’s a brightness in their expression I haven’t seen in years—not since before Boreans began to lock down on our village, kidnapping people from our clan.
Their gaze shifts to Elena, who’s still standing just behind me, watching with quiet curiosity.
“And this?” they ask, one eyebrow lifting. “A strange little alien…where in Yrsa’s name did you find such a creature?”
I huff out a laugh. “She is my fenvarra,” I say.
Axl’s jaw drops.
“You…” they pause, shaking their head. “You must know where we are, then. Is this the planet we hoped to find? This creature seems friendly–”
I take a sharp breath as I realize the horrible truth: my crew has no idea that they have been trapped in the ice.
Others have gathered around now, all regarding me with questions in their eyes, and it occurs to me that I am not equipped to answer them. I was angry when I first realized what had happened…shocked. I will have to deliver this need to my crew, and not all of them are as even-tempered as I.
“We should talk,” I murmur, addressing Axl but looking around at the others. “How many of you are there? Any missing?”
Axl frowns, but doesn't question me. “A few…Eivan, Syf…”
They pause at my grimace.
“What…?” Axl’s voice drops, wary.
I sigh. “Syf’s pod failed. I found her in a chamber further back, separated from the rest of the crew. She’s…she’s dead.”
There’s a heavy silence. Axl’s shoulders stiffen. Around us, the gathered Skoll are quiet, one letting out a choked sob while another mutters a prayer to Yrsa.
“And Eivan?” Axl asks.
“No trace,” I murmur. “Not yet.”
It is a promise I cannot guarantee, but I need them to have hope. I need them to know I am still their captain, even as my allegiance—my heart—belongs to the female beside me.
