The Bear Banner: A Novel of Germania (The Goth Chronicles Book 2) by Alaric Longward

Author:Alaric Longward [Longward, Alaric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hardhill Productions
Published: 2016-11-30T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

For two weeks, I healed, sat in the corner of the hall, watched Tor’s builders toil away, and dropped hints to every one who came to see me of the wrath the gods felt for Magni, and his ally, Bero.

That day, Halli, with his long face and black, oily beard, leaned over the runes I had cast. Patience was growing thin, as he tried to see what I saw.

I could well understand him. I had been staring down at the runes for the better part of an hour, and, if nothing else, Shade Hall had taught me patience.

Halli, apparently, had learned his patience in Skallagrim’s band, and breathing very softly, he sat back, not moving an inch after.

“I see it,” I said at length. “I see it, and it is there.”

“It is there?” he breathed. “My boat is there?”

“Yours, and Gunni’s, boat,” I answered. “Caught from the enemy. A fine boat.”

“Thank Woden for that,” he said finally. “Yes, thank you, Woden. And yet …” He shrugged, and looked over to Gunni, who was purposely keeping his eyes averted. “I might not want him in my crew. He has been … odd.”

“Battle is coming, Halli,” I said. “Nerves, eh? You pray to Woden? Not Donor?”

His face paled, and he stammered. Then, he straightened his back proudly. “A man can revere many gods, can he not? As long as he mocks none.”

“Yes,” I said, and brought my eyebrows together. Luckily, the black, strange pebble had settled over the piece of amber, and while I could basically spin any lie I wished, as long as I made it good, it was fortunate. “This,” I said, with a subdued voice.

“That?” he exhaled hard, looking like a child robbed of laughter. He was twitchy, sulking and angry. “Is that a problem?”

“It could be,” I said. “It will be …” I hissed, and sucked in my breath.

“What?” he whispered.

“The boat, the boat you might take—”

“Might?” he cut in.

“Might,” I said. A vitka, as I had learned the past weeks, can give and take away, at will, and the new, twisted part of me enjoyed torturing the man. “It is possible it is not the boat of the enemy. But, a traitor.”

He sat there, frowning.

In the end, it didn’t matter to him. “But, it is a fine boat? Skallagrim has told us if we take a boat from the enemy lord, we may keep everything in it. I’ll have my own crew, but my boat is leaky and old.”

My eyes glinted. “And do you wish for me to see if he keeps his word?”

He shook his head. “He might betray most men, but not the Pack. The Wolves, and the Bear, are one.”

“He calls himself the Bear?” I asked incredulously.

“He is Donor’s son, and his true name is the Bear,” he answered, eyes glinting. “Skallagrim, ugly skull, for the obvious reason.” He smiled at me. “That’s why he didn’t split your head, when you told him he is the son of god. He wanted to believe the man who also carries the name of the Bear.

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