The crowd answered with a roar of approval, men and women dispersing into the trees to where bonfires burned and jugs of mead awaited.
“Are you all right?” Bjorn asked, his hands squeezing mine.
“I…I…” Twisting out of his grip, I barely made it to the edge of the altar before dropping to my knees to vomit. Bjorn pulled the raven mask off me, then held back my hair as I heaved for the second time today, the muscles in my stomach aching from the abuse.
Spitting, I turned to look at him. “Why? Why are they watching me?”
Before he could speak, Snorri and Ylva were upon us.
“There can be no denying the foretelling now,” Snorri said. “We must get Freya back to the hall until reinforcements arrive, for she is prize enough that some might tempt the peace of Fjalltindr.”
Easing to my feet, I didn’t resist as Snorri led me past the dozens of bonfires, those surrounding them laughing and dancing as they ate and drank. We made our way to the hall Ylva had warded, warriors taking up posts around it as I was brought inside.
The moment I was through the doors, I broke away from Snorri. “I need to sleep.”
What I needed was to think, to ask questions, to understand what had happened. But days with little rest had more than caught up with me and I knew none of those things would happen without a few hours of unconsciousness. Thankfully no one argued, Snorri, Ylva, and Bjorn speaking in terse voices as I went to the curtained area where I’d dressed and used the basin of water to scrub the blood from my face.
Not bothering to take off the dress, I collapsed on a cot, using the last vestiges of my energy to pull the furs over my body.
Freya Born-in-Fire, child of two bloods, we see you.
The unearthly voices repeated in my head, and I shivered, rolling so that I was looking at the curtain. Through it, I could make out the shadows of the three.
“Now is the time to form alliances,” Snorri said. “Now, with the appearance of the gods and their validation of the prophecy fresh in their minds.”
Had the gods validated the seer’s foretelling? All they’d said was that they were watching, which could mean anything.
“A matter of hours ago, these same men were trying to take Freya or kill her, and you think this is enough for them to accept your rule?” Bjorn snorted in disgust. “If anything, they will only try harder.”
“Which is why I must convince them of the imminent threat Harald presents to us all,” Snorri answered. “Alone, no clan can stand against him, but united? He will think twice about raiding our shores again. Especially once we turn to raiding his territories.”
“That is your intent, then?” Bjorn asked. “To move immediately against Harald with Freya in the center of your shield wall?”
Silence, then Snorri said, “Such a proposition should enthuse you, my son. Harald didn’t raise you out of the kindness of his heart. He hid you from us so as to deny me my destiny as king. To deny Skaland the strength it needed to stand against his raiders. You should be screaming for vengeance.”
“I do wish revenge,” Bjorn snapped back, the venom in his voice suggesting that he wished that revenge very much indeed. “But until quite recently, Freya’s days were spent gutting fish and keeping house. Yet you think magic and prophecy enough for her to lead your warriors into battle despite her knowing nothing of war. It seems an ideal way to get everyone killed.”
I winced, but given Bjorn was correct, taking insult seemed foolish.
“For once, Bjorn speaks reason.” Ylva’s voice startled me, as I’d half forgotten she was there. “You speak of warring against Harald when we’ve yet to form a single alliance with another jarl. Let us look to the first step before the second, lest we stumble.”
“Which is precisely what I proposed to do, yet instead I stand here listening to you two prattle!” Snorri made an aggrieved noise. “You remain here with Freya while I pursue conversation that will achieve our ends.”
“Take our warriors with you,” Ylva said. “You need a show of strength when you meet with the other jarls.”
“They need to remain to protect Freya.”
“The wards will prevent anyone from attempting to come in.”
Snorri shook his head. “It’s too risky.”
“You need the jarls to believe you have the strength to deliver on what you have promised,” Ylva said. “Besides, Bjorn will be here with her.”
Snorri hesitated, then said, “Fine. Stay within the wards.”