Page 111 of A Curse Carved in Bone
It was neither the time nor place for this conversation, but I refused to lie to him anymore. “Yes.”
“I want to hate you for killing him.” Tears ran down Leif’s cheeks. “I want to hate you for being tricked by Harald all these years and doing the things you did, and yet how can I judge you when he had me just as fooled? I never questioned why he wanted me waiting to command Freya using the oath when she surrendered—he made me feel like it was an honor.”
“He’s a child of Loki.” I spat the foul taste of the gag onto the platform. “He tricked us all and we will have his blood for it.”
Leif gave a sharp shake of his head, then unfastened the strapsholding my fists in the metal gauntlets. “It is clear to me now where the blame lies.”
I pulled my fists free. “I’ll hunt him down. But you need to get everyone out of Grindill. Freya is not the enemy here, nor her army. They are your allies.” I clasped his shoulder, and beyond, I saw Ylva watching. “Make Snorri proud.”
Stepping away from my brother, I shouted at the Unfated on the platform. “Harald has manipulated us all and must be stopped, but it will not be an easy hunt. He can take any face, any form, and he has Tora bound against her will with oaths. She will fight to the death to protect him, but not by choice.”
Their eyes blazed with fury, but their wrath was no longer directed atme.
“Those of you who cannot fight, lead the people out of Grindill before it burns,” I shouted, only for a Skalander warrior to approach, his eyes the glowing green of the draug.
“This is an attack on Harald, not on the people of Grindill.” His voice was like knives to my ears. “We will help you flee even as we hunt him down!”
Ylva was the first to react. Her voice reached above the tumult, filling the ears of all. “The enemy is within Grindill, not without! Leave through the gates! No harm will come to you from Freya Born-in-Fire or her army!”
The crowd mercifully obeyed her, following the draug toward safety.
“Those who can fight, we must hunt down the child of Loki!” I shouted, and the Unfated moved aroundme.
“How do we find him if he can take the form of anyone?” Gyda demanded. “He could have disguised himself as a crone and be fleeing with the masses as we speak. Once outside the gates, we’ll never be able to find him again.”
“Look for Tora.” I scanned the fleeing crowd for her tall form. “He’s a coward. He’ll keep her to protect him. Go!”
We dispersed in all directions, everyone with murder in their eyes.
And weapons gifted by their gods in hand.
“Tyr,” I growled, and my axe burned bright. The smoke had grown so thick it was difficult to see, but I pressed on through the crowd. It was possible he was hiding in one of the homes, but instinct told me that Harald would escape while he had the chance.
Through the smoke, the crowd was slowing ahead. I wiped away stinging tears and saw that Freya’s draug were holding them back and allowing them through only a few at a time. I understood immediately when I saw Skoll standing among them. The wolf was sniffing everyone who passed, and while Harald could lie with his form, I was willing to bet he could not alter his smell.
“Clever, Freya.” I searched for her among the draug, but she was nowhere in sight. Part of me wanted to seek her out, ensure she was safe, but Harald had to be my priority. Cutting down an alley, I scanned the crowd gathered around the other gate, which was controlled by Hati and the draug.
But there was no sign of Tora or Harald.
I cursed, then coughed on the thickening smoke as I picked my way through the fortress. Searching.
Only to see a familiar tall figure duck down a narrow path between buildings.
My chest tightened because the last thing I wanted to do was hurt Tora, but there might be no other way.
I broke into a run, great wafts of black smoke drawing coughs every few steps. Rounding a bend, I slid to a stop at the sight of Tora and an unfamiliar man dressed in a gray tunic trapped at a dead end.
I did not hesitate.
My axe flipped through the air, end over end, embedding in the back of the man’s head. He dropped like a stone, but as he did, a blow struck me and I staggered back.
Pain lanced down my arm, and my gaze latched onto Skade’s arrow, which was embedded in my right shoulder.
A trap.
The arrow disappeared, and blood welled to a stream down my arm.Tora stared at me with miserable eyes as Skade jumped down from the rooftop to land with catlike grace next to the dead man. “Don’t feel too badly, Bjorn,” she said, nudging the dead man with her foot. “The Nameless all have done things that earned them inglorious deaths. They serve a purpose, but I’ve always hated them.”
“Where is he?” I recalled my axe to me, holding it in my left hand. Well aware that I was at a heavy disadvantage against her. Especially if Tora had been ordered to help.
