Rune Legacy (Runebound Book 3) by Sandell Wall

Author:Sandell Wall [Wall, Sandell]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2018-02-17T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

AVENTINE SCREAMED. HOLMGRIM LAY face down in the dirt, blood seeping from the gruesome wounds in his torso. Goregash’s sightless eyes stared up at the darkening sky. His massive body seemed smaller in death. Aventine dropped to her knees, trying and failing to flip Holmgrim over onto his back. He was unconscious, but his chest still rose and fell. Aventine abandoned her attempts to revive him and instead got to her feet and sprinted down the hill toward the Volgoth camp.

Tears blurred her vision, and Aventine stumbled as she ran. At the front of the tents, she found the crowd still assembled. She made straight for Holmgrim’s sister, who looked up in alarm when Aventine appeared. Aventine skidded to a stop in front of the woman.

“Holmgrim’s hurt, and he needs help!” Aventine said.

The Volgoth looked at her blankly and then shook her head to indicate that she did not understand. Exasperated, Aventine whirled around to scan the crowd.

“Can any of you speak imperial?” she shouted.

“A few of us speak your vile tongue,” a decrepit voice said. “But none will step forward to help you. If Holmgrim has fallen, Goregash remains our chieftain.”

Aventine turned toward the voice and saw the old crone hobbling her way through the crowd.

“A pretty young thing you are,” the crone said with a sneer. “Did you share Holmgrim’s bed in his exile?”

Red fury filled Aventine’s vision. She stepped forward and smashed a gauntleted fist into the wretched woman’s mouth. The crone dropped to the ground in a heap. She cackled as Aventine stood over her, blood pouring from her smashed mouth.

“Goregash will peel the skin from your back for that,” the old woman crowed.

“Goregash is dead!” Aventine shouted so the whole crowd could hear her. “Holmgrim slew him on the hilltop, but he suffered a mortal wound in the battle. Please, if any of you can understand me, help me save him!”

The old woman’s expression turned from glee to horror in the blink of an eye. “No, no, no,” she moaned. Her next words were a shrill scream, “None of you answer her! You know the laws. Holmgrim must survive his wounds by his own power if he is to be chieftain.”

Aventine had a dagger pressed to the old woman’s throat before she realized what she was doing. When she spoke, her voice was as cold and unyielding as steel. “You will help me, or I’ll water the dirt with your blood.”

“Enough of this, Ursteth,” a voice said from somewhere in the crowd. “The ancient traditions be damned, I’ll not stand here while Holmgrim bleeds out and dies up there on that hill.”

The crowd parted as a gray-haired barbarian stepped forward. He said something in the Volgoth tongue and several other barbarians responded with nods and words of affirmation. Holmgrim’s sister did not wait an instant longer. She launched herself at the hill where Holmgrim lay. Aventine and the other Volgoth ran to catch up.

Back at Holmgrim’s side, Aventine could do little to help. She

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