Viking! by Mason Connie

Author:Mason, Connie [Mason, Connie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Ten Talents Press
Published: 2012-05-06T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“I suppose you’re feeling quite smug right now.”

Fiona started violently. She should have expected Bretta to be waiting for her to return to the hall.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Fiona retorted.

“If not for your interference I’d still be Thorne’s betrothed. Our marriage would be taking place very soon.”

“You tried to kill Thorne,” Fiona spat.

“ ’Twas a mistake,” Bretta argued. “I never intended to kill Thorne. I was angry at him for caring so little for me, and for giving me to his brother. I meant only to make him mildly ill.”

Fiona knew better, but decided to hold her tongue as long as she was a guest in Bretta’s home, vowing to eat and drink nothing that she hadn’t prepared or served herself. And to remain vigilant. She hated being here but had to make the best of it until Thorne returned for her.

Fiona was grateful for Tyra’s presence. Bretta had put the slave to work immediately, but it was still comforting to see a friendly face in the crowd. Fiona recalled with a shudder how she’d been subjected to Rolo’s crude pawing in this very house. But God had been kind. Thorne had lived, and Rolo had been rendered impotent by her herbal concoctions. She shook her head as if to rid it of unpleasant thoughts and turned her mind to prayer.

Thorne and the combined Viking forces crept through the forest toward the enemy camp. Thus far they had encountered four sentries, and all were dispatched with speed and finesse. The invaders were sleeping. Thorne could see them stretched out on the ground, wrapped in their fur pelts, their weapons lying within reach. Their numbers were daunting, but Thorne had great faith in the strength of his Viking warriors.

“Do you see Thorolf?” Rolo whispered as he knelt beside Thorne on the mossy ground.

Thorne’s gaze made a thorough sweep of the campsite. He spotted two guards walking along the perimeter of the camp but he failed to locate his brother.

“Nay. ’Tis too dark to see beyond the small campfire.”

“Perhaps they took him aboard one of their long-ships,” Rolo offered.

“Aye,” Thorne agreed. “I’ll take ten men and circle around to the fjord. If Thorolf is on one of their ships, I’ll find him. Can you and the others handle things here?”

Beneath his droopy mustache, Rolo’s lips flattened in a parody of a smile. “The invaders will rue the day they set foot upon our land. Find your brother, Thorne. I’ll take care of things here.”

Thorne nodded and silently disappeared into the darkness to select the men who would accompany him. He chose Ulm and Aren and several others from among his own warriors. They circled around the sleeping Norsemen and were headed toward the fjord when sounds of a fierce battle broke out behind them. Thorne spared but a glance back at the ensuing battle, concentrating instead on finding and freeing Thorolf.

Thorne saw four dragon ships bobbing in the surf and counted about twenty men left behind to protect the ships.

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