Thor's Revenge (The Charlemagne's Cross Series) by Donovan Cook

Author:Donovan Cook
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2024-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

17

Charles felt the air being sucked out of the church, or perhaps it was just sucked out of him, and he struggled to hear the words of Duke Liudolf as he asked him something. Charles had heard of the Abbess Hildegard. He knew who she was.

‘Charles?’ Duke Liudolf said.

‘You’re lying!’ Charles jumped to his feet, his clenched fists trembling. ‘You’re lying!’ The few people in the church scowled at him for his outburst, even the priests, but they soon turned away when he glared at them. ‘She can’t be my mother! My mother was a handmaid! My grandfather said so!’

Duke Liudolf gently shook his head, but he did not force Charles to sit down again. ‘God knows I wish that was true, Charles. Your father might have still been alive if your mother was a handmaid. As God is my witness, Charles, Abbess Hildegard is your mother.’

‘No!’ Charles lost control of himself and struck out at the duke. Duke Liudolf barely reacted as Charles hit him in the chest, again and again. After a few heartbeats, Charles’s fury was spent, and he just dropped back onto the bench and stared at the statue of Christ. Duke Liudolf just sat there, not saying anything, until Charles took a deep breath. ‘Father Leofdag believed my mother was an important woman.’

‘Father Leofdag seems like a smart man. A pity I can’t say the same for Father Egbert.’ Duke Liudolf smiled, but Charles could not return his smile.

‘If the abbess is really my mother, then why was I told that she was dead? Why could I not be with her?’

‘Those are questions only she can answer, Charles.’

Charles looked at the duke and saw his downturned face. He remembered something Duke Liudolf had said before. ‘But she went to Ribe? Why?’

Duke Liudolf smiled, but to Charles, it looked like a sad smile. ‘Because she is a stubborn woman, and she believed we weren’t doing enough to find you. She took my ship and set off for Ribe so she could find you herself.’

Charles looked at his feet and wondered if his grandfather had met her and what he would do. He also wondered if Sven would give her the cross. Charles frowned when he remembered the large golden cross. ‘What about the cross? Why did she give it to my father? Does she know it got him killed?’ The questions came out faster than Charles could breathe, but he needed to know.

‘I’m afraid I know little about the cross. I didn’t even know your father had it until after he was killed, when Abbess Hildegard told me about it. But, by God, I don’t know why she gave that cross to your father, that⁠—’

‘That is something I should ask her,’ Charles interrupted the duke, who nodded. ‘How long has she been in Ribe?’

Duke Liudolf looked worried for a heartbeat before he glanced at the statue of Christ. ‘For too long, Charles. I expected her back days ago. I fear Sven the Boar might have harmed her.

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