The Abomination of Asgard by James Malcolm Elrick

Author:James Malcolm Elrick [Elrick, James Malcolm]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780992005702
Publisher: Somerset and Elgin Press
Published: 2019-05-02T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

The King’s Widow

Rickters shook Sihr awake.

“What is it, Rickters? I feel as if I just fell asleep.”

“You did, Master Sihr, but there are very important guests for you to meet. You need to get dressed.”

Sihr yawned, got dressed, and followed Rickters out to the main entrance. Who he saw made him forget all his fatigue.

Farling grinned, said: “Good to see you again so soon, Sihr,” then introduced everyone who had come to call the Master of the Hunt.

Sihr stood for a moment dazed wondering if he still dreamt. “Welcome to the Paupers Temple,” he managed to say. “How may I be of service?”

Einar stepped forward, said: “Put your boots on, priest, we are off to make a bargain with the Master of the Hunt. We need you to show us the way through the hidden tunnel that leads from the basement out to the forest.”

“You jest,” said Sihr but then noticed Farling and others gently shaking their heads. “You are serious. You cannot be serious.”

Farling said: “The Master of the Hunt wants the Necklace of Freya returned before the full moon. We have decided to return it early. Then we will ask the Master of the Hunt to find King Frederick for us as he has been kidnapped and has been taken out of the city.”

“Impossible.”

Grum chuckled, said: “Not impossible, just improbable. We will tell you more, Sihr, as we walk through the tunnel.”

“We will need torches,” said Sihr as he gathered some of his wits. “Lots of torches as we will need some on the way back as well.”

“Good, then let us be off,” said Einar.

Sihr led them down the stairs and found the latch that opened the secret door. Sihr entered first, followed by Farling, Grum, and Arastead. Two of the Aarlund brothers walked in front of their king and his daughter, while the other two walked behind. Nas, Conall, and Einar were at the very back.

“Mind the stairs,” said Sihr.

The light from the many torches danced across the ceiling and the smoke gathered at the highest point in the arch. Everyone marveled at the building ingenuity that must have gone into creating the tunnel and the brickwork.

By the time they reached the far end of the tunnel, Farling had told Sihr about how King Frederick had been kidnapped, that it had been an imposter on the throne the last couple days wearing a scarf, and how Princess Margret’s new circlet gave her the power to see through the imposter’s illusion.

“All too much to take in,” said Sihr. Then, as they stood at the door: “To warn you, the Master of the Hunt’s hounds may be just outside this door. It would be best to hold out the necklace to placate them just in case they are there.”

Einar pulled the Necklace of Freya out of bag. The torchlight sparkled deep inside the jewels. He looked at the necklace for a moment, then handed it to Farling.

“It would be best for you to put it on the statue of Freya,” said Einar with a slight grin.

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