Jotnar Snare by Rachel Ford

Author:Rachel Ford [Ford, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-01-26T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

The problem with a job like ours was that it involved a lot of time on the road. That worked out fine when we traveled alone as a couple. You could make a lot of magic in a tent – no spells required.

But we’d been travelling in company these last weeks, without any time to ourselves. The one night we’d had in a private room in Athvarf, both Idun and I had fallen asleep almost as soon as we stumbled into bed.

So we did bathe like we’d said. But we didn’t sleep until much, much later – not until we’d made up for our lack of privacy, more than once.

Then, laughing and breathless, she settled into my arms, and slept. It took a little longer for me to sleep. But holding her close, listening to the quiet intake and exhale of her breathing, I drifted off too – as happy as could be, with no thought of evil wizards or dark magic anywhere in my mind.

We rose late the next morning, but it was no matter. Njál’s estimate proved very conservative. The council didn’t break by morning. They didn’t even break by midday. They barely emerged, looking something like a group of half-starved cats, before dinner. They ate and went back to their council chambers without so much as a how-do-you-do.

Which worked okay by me. It meant Idun and I could retire early again. Which we did.

The next morning saw the emergence of an even rougher-looking council. They breakfasted and retired – but not before summoning select members of the university, and visitors, to a noon conference.

“I take it you got the invitation?” Njál asked.

Idun nodded. “Me and Liss, and Grethe too.”

He glanced over at the jötnar matron and snorted. “They’ve got no choice there, unfortunately. She’s the one who knows the way.”

She grinned good naturedly. “At least I know something. Which is better than you can claim.”

He lifted a letter. “And yet, I still got an invitation.”

“My gods, things must be more dire here than I thought.”

Idun laughed. “That’s fantastic: that means you’re going to be going with us, Njál.”

“You and I have different definitions of that word, little mage.”

Njál grinned too. But he said, “It’s going to be a punishment. But for the sake of the jötnar, I suppose I have no choice.”

“Are you sure your arch mage isn’t working for Galdursen?”

I groaned. “Odin’s teeth. This is going to be a long trip.”

Njál was right: he was going. So were Aage, and Tanja the witch, and Lucius the elven wizard. And so were Idun and I. “You made first contact with the king of the jötnar. It has been many long years since anyone of our order has had dealings with Athvarf. The king already knows you. So you will continue to act as spokesman of our band, Idun.

“And you will represent Jarl Knut, Liss. We had a rider this morning.” He handed me a letter bearing Knut’s seal. “The jarl wrote me a letter as well. Your instructions are here.

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