Page 61 of A Curse Carved in Bone
“My thread is bound to Freya’s,” she replied. “I must see this through.”
“Harald will never agree to it,” Bjorn said, eyes searching the beach full of warriors for Nordeland’s king. “He values you too much to risk you.”
Saga’s eyes narrowed. “Harald doesnotdecide what I do or where I go. He will abide by my choice to sail with him. And I think you will find that I am not as helpless as you seem to believe, my son.”
Bjorn cast his eyes skyward, but I sensed his irritation hid fear that he wouldn’t be able to protect her. That she’d lose her life to a plan he very clearly did not support.
“Have you seen more?” I asked. “Anything that might help us win this fight?”
“No,” Saga said. “Which tells me nothing has changed. But if we are victorious today, I believe that the Allfather will show me a glimpse ofthe future we fought for.” Her lip curled. “Even if it is nothing more than a reward for playing his game. Now if you will excuse me, I intend to find my husband and tell him how this will go.”
Saga strode off in the direction Harald had gone.
Warriors were pulling longships and the larger drakkar off the beach and rowing out to deeper water where yet more vessels waited. Sunlight gleamed on the sea, casting a golden glow on the curved prows of the ships, many carved with fierce figureheads. Weapons of every sort sent flashes of light with each rise and fall of a ship over a wave, and every shield mounted to the side was painted in Nordeland’s blue. A fleet of incredible size, hundreds upon hundreds of Nordelanders ready to fight. My eyes went beyond them to the strait, and though I knew it was impossible, I imagined I could see Skaland’s fleet, just as large and dangerous, flying toward us. I blinked, and the waves turned crimson with blood, bodies floating in the froth and foam while weapons slowly sank to the sea floor.
“You can still stop this,” Bjorn said. “You can—”
“Just get me close enough to him to finish this,” I interrupted. “Let’s not pretend you have any other role in this.”
Bjorn shook his head and looked away, both of us standing in angry silence until Harald appeared. He stormed toward us, a scowl on his face, and I said, “It seems Saga got what she wanted.”
“Your mother has made it clear how this will go,” Harald said to Bjorn as though it was all his fault. “I don’t like it, but never has Saga led me astray.”
He closed his eyes, seemingly seeking calm, then he added, “I will sail on another of our drakkar with Skade and my wolves. Tora will remain with you and Bjorn, for her lightning will be of great advantage against the other ships. I—” Harald broke off, shaking his head. “It is my instinct to give you a strategy, but Saga believes every decision must be yours, Freya. So instead, I say this: Know that Nordeland is at your back. We will not abandon you. Now I will leave lest I influence your course and ruin everything. Bjorn, keep your mother safe.”
He left, leaving me with Bjorn and Tora. The latter’s expression was grim as she stared out to sea, but she offered no insight into what she was thinking. We made our way to Harald’s drakkar, which was surrounded by his thralls. The Nameless were dressed in their typical black attire with hoods concealing most of their faces. None were armed, but if they feared what was to come, they did not show it. They took down Harald’s banner, blue with the white wolf, a boy running off with it, though I did not see which ship it went to. The Nameless then began pushing the vessel out into the gentle waves.
Saga joined us, now wearing a mail vest over her clothes. I recognized it as Harald’s; Nordeland’s king obviously cared enough about her safety that he was willing to risk his own. “The longer we tarry, the closer Snorri comes. If he lands on these beaches, it will be the moment in which all that I foresaw will come to pass.”
“We leave now.” I pushed as much confidence as I could into my voice, and then waded out into the water and climbed into the drakkar. The Nameless rowed us through the surf into deeper water, then we lifted the blue-striped sail. The rest of the fleet did the same, and soon we were all heading across the strait toward Skaland, Kaja leading the way.
Silence stretched for minutes, then hours as we sailed farther into open waters. There came a point when I believed I’d been misled. That Skaland was not on the verge of attacking us and that this had all been a ruse to get me to fight for Nordeland.
Then Saga called out, “I see the fleet.”
Heart in my throat, I joined her. What I saw took my breath away. All across the horizon were ships. Dozens of them, the sails a rainbow of colors reflecting all the clans who’d sworn allegiance to Snorri as king. But at the center was a grouping of Snorri’s ships, their black and green banners raised high.
“We are outnumbered,” Bjorn said. “If it comes to a fight, there is a chance that Nordeland will lose.”
Turning, I stared behind us at Harald’s fleet. It was large, but Skalandwas substantially more populous than Nordeland, and that meant something. Yet there was determination on the faces of the Nordelanders. These warriors would fight to the bitter end, and unlike Snorri, Harald had many Unfated in his service with weapons of magic. All the years he’d spent gathering them from across various nations had the potential to be Nordeland’s salvation if I failed them. But if it came to that, it would be the bloodiest of victories.
“Guthrum,” I said, “we need to find Snorri’s ship.”
“Kaja is looking,” he answered, and I shivered as his eyes changed to the same shade of yellow as the bird’s. “There. She has found it.”
His eyes changed back to brown and he lifted a hand to shade them before pointing. “In the middle.”
It took me a minute, but eventually I saw Kaja’s small shadow circling above one of the Skalander vessels. It flew Snorri’s green and black banner, and as we drew closer, the details of the familiar carved figurehead came into view.
“He’s here,” I whispered, swallowing the fear that rose. It had all felt so distant until now, but with Snorri almost in my sights, the weight of what I needed to do threatened to drag me down.
“Get me close enough to see him.” I cast a backward glance, noting that the fleet had lowered their sails, allowing us to press ahead, just as we had planned. “I need to be able to see him.”
The Nameless at the helm did not acknowledge me, but the drakkar turned, heading directly toward Snorri’s vessel. Saga moved from the fore to sit near the mast. She pulled the hood of her cloak up to obscure her face, then gave me an encouraging nod.
Sails were dropping now, the Skalanders running out oars and moving closer together. The Nameless did the same, the drummer hammering a vigorous beat, and behind us, Harald’s fleet fell farther behind. I moved to the front of the vessel and stood on a sea chest to ensure I was in full sight of the Skalanders, with Bjorn at my elbow. My hope was that, in his desire to possess me, Snorri would have relayed orders to every warrior that I wasn’t to be harmed. But in case Iwas wrong, I held my silver shield in my left hand, magic already blazing acrossit.
“Where is he?” I searched the faces, hunting for Snorri’s even as the Skalander fleet slipped around us. “Guthrum, where is he?”
