Shield-Maiden: Under the Blood Moon (The Road to Valhalla Book 4) by Melanie Karsak

Author:Melanie Karsak [Karsak, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clockpunk Press
Published: 2020-11-30T16:00:00+00:00

The evening passed peacefully. Bjorn sang and told wondrous tales while we all sat by the fire. Yrsa pulled Blomma onto her lap as we listened to the skald.

“Any news from Uppsala?” she whispered to me.

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

“I hate all this damned waiting.”

I nodded. “As do I, but it is as the All-Father wills. We can’t rush the will of the gods.”

“Or King Gudmund.”

I chuckled. “Well, he is king.”

“You are looking the part of future queen tonight. Too bad Eydis can’t see you.”

“I can hear her from afar.”

“Any particular reason for the scrubbing up?”

“I grew weary of someone’s haughtiness.”

“You need to find her a husband, so she gets her eyes off Hofund.”

“Who has their eyes on Hofund?” Blomma asked, a sharp tone in her voice.

“Nevermind that,” Yrsa told her.

“There are mushrooms that can make a person blind,” Blomma said, causing both Yrsa and me to look at her. “I saw them at the hof today.” She shrugged. “I’m just saying.”

“Some matters require a more delicate hand,” I told Blomma.

“All right,” Blomma said, then turned her attention back to Bjorn.

Both Yrsa and I smothered a laugh.

“Any suggestions for a husband for her?” I whispered to Yrsa.

She bobbed her chin at Thorolf. “Kill two problems at once.”

“She won’t take the younger brother. His reach is too low, even if he’s much better looking.”

Yrsa chuckled then considered. “Hmm. Well, there are always Blomma’s mushrooms.”

We both laughed.

The night passed on, and soon, I grew very tired. Magna had already taken Blomma to bed. Finally, all of the aches from the day’s labor cropped up, nagging at me.

“Come,” Hofund told me. “You look like you’re about to fall asleep in your seat. Let me take my beautiful wife to bed.”

I nodded then turned to Yrsa.

She yawned tiredly then stretched out. “The ale is good tonight. I’ll linger a bit longer.”

I set my hand on her shoulder. “Goodnight, Yrsa.”

“Goodnight, Hervor.”

With that, Hofund and I left the hall.

As we did so, I marveled. Between Rök and Tyrfing, I had managed to subdue much of the conspiring against me in that hall. But in the end, it had taken a blue dress and a head full of pretty braids to silence the one person who still hoped to take something precious from me.

As we turned and left the hall, I looked back over my shoulder.

My gaze met Revna’s.

I smiled lightly, then looked away. My husband loved me. And while I found the use of such weapons distasteful, I had allure enough to win any man I wanted. The old Hervor would not have seen that or even wanted to admit it, but it was wise to accept the gifts given to you and use them when you must. Revna would never have Hofund. Tonight, I made sure she understood that.

“So, Hervor has finally learned how to play the game… Well done, shield-maiden.”

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