Beowulf's Ghost by R. J. Madon

Author:R. J. Madon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Juvenile fantasy fiction
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2022-05-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Once Adam was settled at his new quarters in Heorot, he decided to go down to the beach, which was rapidly becoming his favourite place to get away from everybody. As soon as he set off, the goat appeared and trotted at his side, floppy ears hanging down, beard moving rhythmically as it chewed on something. ‘Look, I’m glad you’re alive, and it was lucky you were in the sand dunes the other night, but that makes us quits, right?’ The goat just carried on chewing and followed a few paces behind.

Adam sighed and looked out to sea. He felt bad about how he’d left Hrūta. He couldn’t understand how they both seemed to agree that the marriage thing wasn’t right, then she’d taken offence with the idea. It was also making it more difficult to see Erik.

Leave him alone, Voice said.

But I don’t want to, Adam thought. Erik knows something about Ellie; if I could just talk to him properly then maybe—

Don’t be ridiculous. That’s the last thing you should do. Voice sounded defensive.

Why should I listen to you? Adam waited, but Voice didn’t respond.

Dark thoughts about that day a year ago swirled in his head, but he forced them down, locking them away. Adam walked a bit further and found Jubal looking towards the island of Lindisfarne, known as Yns Medrault in this world, which was now surrounded by water with the high tide. Sheru was high in the sky, above the shoreline, motionless in the wind. The breeze flapped around Jubal’s kaftan. He stood with his hand on the hilt of his scimitar, looking out to sea.

‘What are you doing?’ Adam asked, walking over.

Jubal pointed. ‘Look, beyond Yns Medrault. Dolphins. They have come to feed.’ He spoke in that strange, stilted way, pronouncing every word carefully and fully. In the distance a pod of dolphins jumped and raced through the sea.

‘What is it that troubles you, Bee-Hunter?’

Adam pulled his bearskin tighter against the chill. ‘Nothing troubles me.’ Sheru twisted on a gust and dropped, then let the wind slowly push her back so the falcon hovered over the dunes. Her sleek head darted one way then the other.

Jubal continued watching the dolphins dance out of the water. The wind made him narrow his eyes. ‘Are you sure?’

Something about Jubal made Adam want to talk, to tell him about Ellie, what had happened and how every day it threatened to overwhelm him. Instead he just said, ‘Grendel is dead. I saved Erik from being taken prisoner.’ He puffed himself up a little. ‘The Scopa has made a poem about it all.’

‘You are indeed a great warrior.’ He tipped his head as if making a small bow. ‘We are all grateful for what you did.’ Jubal turned and looked straight at Adam. ‘But I didn’t ask what you did; I asked what troubles you.’ He made a fist and touched his chest. ‘In here. You are like a sandstorm in the Great Desert. You can see it coming, but you cannot see into its heart, you cannot see which way it will turn.

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