Blood on the Blade by Griff Hosker

Author:Griff Hosker
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Sword Books Ltd.
Published: 2018-11-17T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

I heard the seabirds crying before Arne shook me awake. The birds were the spirits of men who had died without a sword in their hand. They were to be pitied. “Here, brother, ale and salted meat.”

I looked to the east. The mountains had gone and were replaced by rolling hills. I saw sands stretching to the east to meet the hills. I swallowed some ale and as I looked at the sky saw that it was noon. I chewed on the meat. “Is there any sign of the drekar?”

“Siggi thought he saw a sail but as we did not catch it then it must have been a drekar heading south and west. Olaf has sailed due south since you fell asleep.”

I went to the steering board and took the helm. Olaf stood and stretched. “My back and shoulders ache. If you need relief again then speak.”

I pointed to the land, “If those are the sands then the River Loyne lies just a couple of hours away.” He nodded.

Asbjorn was asleep. The others sat by the mast. Siggi and Arne were with the goats. There would be mess at the prow. The goats should have been landed. It could not be helped. It was easier to clean a snekke than bring the dead back to life. We had escaped a trap and helped to save the snekke. I moved the steering board over. We had a shallow draught. ‘Jötnar’ would warn me of danger.

As the sun passed its zenith, I edged us close to the shore, “Siggi, climb the mast. See if you can see the estuary.”

He quickly shinned up the mast. The ship’s boy who had appeared so clumsy just a couple of years earlier now reached the spar in a few heart beats. “Aye, Erik.” He pointed south and east. It is a wide river. The sands are to the east of us.” He slithered down.

Asbjorn rose and looked east. “There is no sign of the drekar and there are still sands. I will head due south and then sail due east. We will have to use oars for I do not know these waters.”

Asbjorn nodded, “We are all well rested.” He made water and then after eating and drinking, like the others, he took an oar and sat on his bench. Only Olaf and Leif remained standing. They would have to lower the sail and secure the mast.

Our course south and east meant that I could see where the river met the sea. The water bubbled. Even as I prepared to turn, I noticed the bluffs above the river. They had trees upon them. On the north side of the river there appeared to be a ruined stone building. It was a good marker. “Down sail, out oars!”

As soon as the sail came down, I began to put the steering board over. The movement made us bob up and down and the goats bleated plaintively. I heard Siggi sing to them and they calmed. Asbjorn shouted,

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