Chapter 46 Freya
I had no doubt that we painted a picture of Helheim itself as we walked out of the trees and stalked toward Grindill. An army of rotting dead pulling swiftly built war machines, torches held in the hands of many of the warriors.
And the Hel-child, eyes burning crimson and shield ablaze with magic at their head.
I had called the power of both goddesses into my veins, though I had no intent to use Hel’s magic against my own people. Never again would it be a weapon of war, but those on the walls didn’t know that.
And I could all but smell their fear in the glow of the setting sun.
Skade was among them, bow and arrow glowing bright, though she did not shoot. No doubt she’d been ordered not to so that Harald could have the satisfaction of my surrender. Except Skade was no fool—she knew that I was not yet defeated, and her bow wavered.
Leaving my draug to ready the rough catapults, I approached on foot to stop in the same place where Harald once had. Back then I’d stood in Skade’s place, defending Grindill.
“Here to surrender, Freya?” she called down. “Or did you just wish to be close enough to hear Bjorn’s screams when they split him open like a hog?”
“I do wish to be close enough to hear the screams, Skade,” I called back. “Though it will not be Bjorn’s lips from which they come.” I gave her a feral smile.
Vaguely I could hear a drum beating, audible because the crowd of hundreds within the fortress had fallen silent.
“He has misjudged you, hasn’t he?” Skade’s braid fell over her shoulder as she tilted her head, considering me. “You know that surrendering yourself will not keep Bjorn alive, for he’ll never accept your death. So you’ll kill your own people to save him, won’t you? Is it your oath that forces you or do you love him that much?”
“Does it matter?”
“No.” She drew her bowstring. “It doesn’t.”
Her magic arrow sped toward me with a god’s deadly accuracy, but I did not move my shield to block it. Instead, I moved my magic from the shield to my hand and caught the arrow midair.
Skade gaped at me in shock as I covered her arrow with my magic and held tight. A war of wills, a war of gods, as she tried to call it back and I refused to let go.
“Now, Geir!” I screamed, and the draug raced into range. Working swiftly, they launched loads of smoldering pine boughs over Grindill’s walls. “Again!”
More smoking fuel was hurled through the air, but as it flew over the heads of the warriors on the wall, I stiffened. They were not watching me or the draug. Instead, they were turned inward, focused on whatever was happening within Grindill. Arms slack at their sides.
The war for control over the arrow in my grip lessened, and as my attention shot to Skade, it was to discover that the huntress had turned her back to us as well.
Her bow disappeared and her arms slackened. Like she was lost to everything that was going on around her, not the least of which was the undead army at her back.
“Freya!”
Guthrum’s shout caught my attention. He burst between the line of draug, racing my way. “Stop! Steinunn is singing! She has them in thrall!”
Which meant none of the people inside the fortress, not even the skald herself, were aware of the choking smoke rolling over them.
Guthrum staggered into me, catching hold of my arms. “Kaja is caught in Steinunn’s magic. She’s caught in the smoke.” His eyes abruptly turned the same yellow as his familiar’s, and his body stiffened. “I can see the visions.”
“Hold!” I shouted at Geir. “Everyone inside is in thrall!”
As I turned back to the fortress, I knew my orders were in vain.
Because through the clouds of smoke, I saw the first flickers of flame.