Runes of Fate by Lena North

Author:Lena North [North, Lena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FAB Publishing
Published: 2016-06-23T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Motive

I decided to include my whole family when we talked about how Mother and I thought someone might be using poisonous plants. I wanted to hear their view, find out if they knew something, or had any ideas of what it all meant. That night I brought it up after our evening meal. When I told them about my suspicions that Disa had been poisoned both father and Ulf were astonished, and when I explained that someone might have put something in Heidrun's food they just sat there, gaping.

"Sissa, it can't be true? Who -" my father said, finally, but I interrupted him.

"I don't know if it's true, Father." I looked at Mother who still hadn't said anything. "It's possible, though, isn't it, Mother?"

"I don't want to believe it, but yes. It is possible," she replied heavily. Then she sighed and continued, "I would even say that it's likely."

Father nodded slowly, turning to me.

"Who knows? Einarr? Ingolf?"

"Einarr knows about Disa, but only Mother and I know about Heidrun," I whispered.

"Gudrun will be suspected then," Father stated calmly.

"Maybe," I replied just as calmly, but it was all pretense. I was really worried that this would blow back on my parents somehow.

"I could have poisoned Disa, but I was not near Heidrun that whole day. I was with you, Sissa, and then I was with others," Mother said. "Someone other than Disa must have witnessed something, or known something," she added thoughtfully. "It's strange that Heidrun was seen in the village through the afternoon, though, because -"

Ulf had been quiet, but suddenly he straightened and stared at us.

"What?" he asked, lowered his voice, and asked again, "What? Heidrun was missing that afternoon after she'd left Disa at the storage house and they were looking for her. She wasn't seen by anyone I talked to."

We stared at him, and a faint blush colored his cheekbones. I wondered like I'd done once before if he'd felt something for Heidrun, but decided that if this had been the case, then it was his business so I wouldn't pry.

"You know that Freyja had me bring back rushes for the floors?" Ulf asked. "I brought them to the area just behind the storage, so I saw Heidrun and Disa walk in there, and Freyja was in and out of the house through the afternoon. Then I think Heidrun went back to the longhouse because I heard them call out for her. Freyja was incredibly annoyed when they didn't get any reply. I saw Disa walk off and later a couple of the other women came to help to carry things when they couldn't find Heidrun. Though, by then I was busy handing rushes to Josteinn so he could get them into the shed next to yours, Sissa."

I frowned and thought about it for a while.

"How fast would Henbane work on Heidrun, Mother? If she somehow got it with her lunch, when would she have been getting sleepy, or getting belly aches?" I asked, finally.

"That's why it

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