Viking Passion by Speer Flora

Author:Speer, Flora
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Flora Speer

Chapter 17

Lenora passed through Hedeby’s north gate by mingling with a group of people with carts who were arriving to trade. They were hurrying to reach the town before nightfall and thus paid no attention to her. Once inside the town she moved cautiously, not wanting to meet Snorri or any of his friends. She made her way to the waterfront and then found Holgar’s warehouse.

The door was unbolted. She tiptoed inside. It was so silent in the building that for one terrible moment she thought Erik and Halfdan had already left, or worse, that Snorri had come and gone, leaving them dead.

She took a step, then another, and hesitated. A familiar arm caught her about the waist and a long, supple hand stifled her scream.

“Erik,” she whispered against his fingers. “Oh, Erik.”

He dragged her into a storeroom at one end of the building, where an oil lamp was burning and he could see her.

“By Thor’s hammer,” Halfdan exclaimed, “what are you doing here? Where is Freydis?”

“Well away. I came back to warn you.” Her news was quickly told.

“What now?” Halfdan asked Erik. “You said you think Snorri will come after us at dawn and we should leave before then. With Sven to help him, he may come sooner. Shall we stay and fight them?”

“We dare not. There will be too many of them. They will kill us and then discover Freydis is gone. Snorri will search until he finds her, and our deaths will be for nothing.” Erik thought a moment before continuing. “We have to draw Snorri’s attention to us so he doesn’t notice that Freydis has slipped away. Then we must make him follow us and keep him occupied long enough for Freydis to get to Limfjord.”

“How can we do that?” Halfdan asked.

“By taking my sister and my friend with me as far as Bornholm. Lenora, come here.” Erik took a silken cloth from a bundle in a corner of the room. It was a pale, creamy color, almost the shade of Freydis’ hair. “Wrap this around your head. Be sure you cover all your own hair. Then put the woolen scarf on top of it. There. Your name is now Freydis.”

“Erik, you can’t make her do this,” Halfdan objected. “She’s not your slave any longer. She has the right to refuse.”

“I forgot.” Erik’s bright smile flashed, dazzling Lenora. “Will you help us?”

He’s enjoying this, Lenora thought. He thinks it’s fun to outwit Snorri and the others. She had to admit her own heart was beating faster with excitement.

“I’ll help you,” she said, “but I’m not as tall as Freydis.”

“It doesn’t matter. Just keep your hair covered. If anyone catches a glimpse underneath the scarf, he’ll see the silk and think it’s your hair.”

“You hope,” Halfdan said doubtfully.

“It will be dark. I’ll call her Freydis once or twice in front of others, just before we go aboard ship.”

“You will bring Snorri’s men down on Rodfos’ ship. We will never get away.” Halfdan was still uncertain.

“I don’t think so.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.