Page 60 of A Curse Carved in Bone
“I’ll relay the orders to a jarl I trust,” Harald said. “On your command, Freya, we set sail. As planned, Tora, Skade, Guthrum, and Bjorn will sail with you and me under the power of my Nameless on the oars. We will disperse the rest of the Unfated among the jarls to aid if it comes to battle.”
“See it done.” My throat was painfully dry.
Harald adjusted his sword belt, then said, “By dusk, it will be over.” Then he headed into the trees where many of the jarls still gathered, Skade and Tora shadowing him.
I toyed with the hilt of my sword, feeling as though I should be doing something more as warriors and Nameless moved to make sure our vessels had the supplies we needed.How many of them will die if this plan doesn’t work?I couldn’t help but wonder.How many Skalanders will die in Snorri’s pursuit of power?
“I think it’s a mistake to not try to kill Ylva before we do this,” Bjorn said.
I turned to find him sitting in the sand. He held a small piece of driftwood, which he flipped over and over again in his hands. “Put Skade in sight of her, and Ylva will die swiftly. Cleanly. Then you can kill Snorri with a blade, no need to use Hel’s powers.”
“Harald is sending someone to take her,” I muttered. “You heard the conversation.”
“Takeher, notkillher.” Bjorn threw the piece of wood down on the sand. “I understand you don’t wish to kill her. That you don’t think Ylva deserves death. But this is the wrong time for allowing morality to guide your decisions. Hundreds might die if this goes wrong and your oath prevents you from cursing Snorri. If she’s dead, there is no uncertainty.”
“Kill her or don’t kill her, it doesn’t much matter,” I snapped. “Snorri will be halfway across the strait by now. What do you propose we do? Ask him to sit and wait while we murder his beloved wife so it will be easier for us to defeat him?”
“We could attempt to negotiate. Buy time on the open seas forSkade to do what she does best.” He climbed to his feet. “Snorri is not so fanatical that he’ll throw away countless lives when there is a chance he can get what he wants with negotiation. It is worth putting a white flag on a mast and trying to stall while we get rid of Ylva.”
“Negotiate in bad faith?”
“Yes. Don’t allow honor to make decisions for you—it will only put you in a grave.”
When I didn’t answer, he said, “If you won’t kill her, then at least let Skade or Tora make an attempt at killing Snorri from afar.”
“Your mother said it has to be me. You may not trust the Allfather, but I do. And so does Harald.”
Bjorn made a face of disgust. “This plan is madness and I do not understand why Harald has agreed to it. There are easier ways to kill Snorri. Cleaner ways.”
“It must be Freya.”
With a start, I whirled around to find Saga approaching. She was dressed in trousers and a tunic rather than her usual flowing dresses. Her black hair was in a plait, and a seax was sheathed at her waist.
“The Allfather says it must be Freya,” Saga said. “I’ve seen it, Bjorn. Why do you insist on arguing?”
“Because it doesn’t make any sense!” he shouted, and the vehemence caused me to take a step back.
“There are countless better ways to rid ourselves of Snorri, but because of a vision you had in your mind, we pursue the most illogical!” He kicked at the sand. “I should have ignored you and killed him myself, because the gods know, it would have beenfucking easy! Yet I listened and now I find myself going along with a wild strategy that makes sense to no one!”
“Exactly what are you saying, Bjorn?” Saga demanded. “Are you accusing the Allfather oflying? Or do you merely deny his wisdom?”
“I am saying that this does not feel like wisdom.” The muscles in his jaw stood out against his suntanned skin. “It feels like we are pieces in a game played for amusement. That everything we are doing is a great joke. Make of that what you will.”
“Sacrilege!” Saga hissed and lifted her hand as though to slap him. “I cannot believe my own son is speaking against Odin himself. Not only do you jeopardize your place in Valhalla, you risk the lives of everyone by trying to turn Freya away from the Allfather’s guidance.”
“I’m trying to turn her away from lunacy. I’m trying to turnall of youaway from lunacy!”
“Perhaps Bjorn is partially right.” I stepped between them before the argument escalated. “Perhaps this is a game devised by the gods. A way to make us all dance for their amusement. It only means that wemustdance or else we risk displeasing them.”
“Who can say for sure.” Saga crossed her arms. “All I know is that the Allfather has never led me false before.”
“Do what you will.” Bjorn crossed his own arms, meeting her glower with his own. “I have said my piece.”
The tension was awful and to ease it, I asked, “Saga, why are you here?”
“I have decided to sail with you.”
“I don’t think that is wise,” Bjorn muttered, and I was inclined to agree. “You are no warrior and all it would take is one stray arrow and Snorri would finish what he started all those years ago.”
