The Burning Sea

by A. E. Rayne

  Morana looked at her mother as though she had gone mad.

  ‘If you kill Jael Furyck while she is here, in Hest, in Haaron’s castle, it will cause chaos in all of Osterland,’ Varna said slowly. ‘To kill a queen? A Furyck? Especially that one. Everyone will assume that Haaron did it. It would unite the other kingdoms against him.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So, we do not need to weaken Hest and put ourselves in unnecessary danger before we have even touched the book,’ Varna explained carefully. ‘Hest is where all our power lies. We cannot destroy what has been so carefully constructed here, especially now that the book has been found.’

  Morana glanced at Meena. ‘He still has the book? You did, at least, find that out?’

  Meena nodded. ‘He talked about it.’

  ‘But not its location?’ Morana wondered sharply.

  ‘No...’ Meena started, then swallowed as Morana glared at her. ‘But he will. I told him I would be able to read some of it. He wants my h-h-h-help.’

  Varna smiled, ripping the tunic into pieces. ‘Well, that is good to hear.’ She picked up a small pewter bowl and shoved it at Meena’s stomach. ‘Now, go and kill something. We need some blood.’

  ‘Stop thinking,’ Eadmund grumbled softly. ‘I can hear it.’ He kissed the top of his wife’s head, which, despite a thorough wash, still stunk of evil sea-fire smoke.

  ‘I’m not thinking,’ Jael murmured as she lay there, in a place she had missed: her head just under his chin, her hand teasing the soft, golden hair on his chest.

  ‘There is no way to help Amma,’ Eadmund yawned. ‘Not yet. Not while we are here, weakened, with only two ships and 60 men. While Lothar is king and he is Haaron’s ally. While we are Haaron’s ally.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Jael whispered. ‘I wasn’t thinking.’

  Eadmund smiled. He felt a welcome sense of peace as he held her. His mind, though weary, was clear, and he could see a straight line between this moment and the next, and even the one after that. He thought of his father and felt an overwhelming rush of loss. ‘I owe Eirik a lot,’ he said haltingly. ‘Forcing us together as he did. Neither of us wanted it, did we? If he hadn’t listened to Eydis, swallowed his pride and made that alliance with Lothar, we wouldn’t be here.’

  Jael thought about that, her mind wandering to Aleksander. She tried to ignore the guilt that always accompanied thoughts of him. She loved Aleksander, there was no doubt of that, and it would never change. But her feelings for Eadmund were different somehow.

  He was just hers.

  ‘Well, I think your father would have been happy you thought that,’ Jael said sadly. ‘And perhaps...’

  ‘Perhaps?’

  ‘Perhaps even... me too.’

  Eadmund propped himself up in shock, staring into her eyes. ‘You too?’ He blinked. ‘Are you trying to tell me that you love me?’

  ‘No, not that,’ Jael said quickly, squirming away from his wide-eyed gaze. ‘I’m just happy to think that you’re happy. It’s good that... you’re finally happy.’

  ‘Ha!’ Eadmund laughed and lay back down again in frustration. ‘You’ll never say it, will you?’

  ‘Not likely.’

  ‘Impossible woman.’

  ‘Always.’

  She sat up and leaned over him, her eyes soft, her face kind, her lips almost touching his. ‘Always.’

  Aleksander listened to Axl tossing and turning. He wasn’t asleep, he knew. He knew everything Axl was feeling. The sense of helplessness and fear and frustration. The desperate need to do something, to stop them taking away the woman you loved.

  But it was no use.

  And now he had to tell Axl that, as everyone had told him. Yet he was still there, in that place where pain and hope fought each other and pain always emerged the victor. What comfort could he truly offer? What hope could he provide?

  It didn’t matter, Aleksander sighed. Not in the end, because Amma Furyck was about to be sacrificed by her father, so that he might become an even richer, more powerful king.

  Jael was right. There was no justice for the many against the greed of the few. Not unless they could all find a way to turn the tide.

  Jaeger couldn’t sleep. His right ankle was festering, making him irritable. Egil kept coming to check on him, worried that he was turning feverish. Jaeger was determined to hit him if he felt his forehead one more time.

  He groaned, wondering how he was going to stand at his wedding. He thought of Elissa and felt the loss of her, the regret of her death. He had never meant to hurt her. But his temper... it had become difficult to control of late. His bursts of rage had started to overwhelm him, drowning him in fury. He couldn’t find a way to stop them, or himself, once in the grip of them.

  And now, being forced into a marriage so quickly... to a Furyck? It was his father’s idea of revenge, he knew, and after his embarrassing defeat, Haaron was perfectly entitled to exact it.

  But soon it would be his turn, for his own revenge upon his father was many years overdue.

  ‘Egil!’ he groaned, sitting up.

  ‘My lord?’ Egil had just fallen asleep in his bed at the other end of the chamber. He hurried up, stumbling down towards Jaeger. ‘Are you unwell, lord?’ he asked groggily. ‘Is it the fever you feel?’

  Jaeger batted away Egil’s eager hand as it approached his forehead. ‘No! There is no fever. I’m fine. I just want you to leave for Skorro,’ he grimaced, pain shooting through his ankle again. ‘I need you to bring back the book before someone finds it.’

  ‘Of course, lord. I will leave at first light.’

  ‘No!’ Jaeger growled. ‘You must go now. If someone sees my servant leaving on a ship, there will be questions asked. Go now. Find someone to take you and pay them well to be discreet. You must not raise any suspicions,’ Jaeger insisted. ‘If my father were to find out about the book, he would take it and destroy us both.’

  Egil nodded, trying to wake himself up. ‘And Varna Gallas?’ he wondered. ‘What will you do now that she knows about the book?’

  ‘Varna?’ Jaeger smiled. ‘I am yet to determine if I need Varna, because if I don’t... well then, we can’t have anyone else knowing about the book, can we Egil?’

  ‘Oh, my poor Axl,’ Edela murmured, tears in her eyes as she rolled over in the darkness. ‘Poor, sweet Amma.’

  She had felt his pain, seen her tears. Broken hearts, both of them.

  She had known, of course, that with Lothar, theirs was a love that was always going to hit a wall of his making. He would not give his daughter to Axl. Never.

  Not Ranuf’s son, the one who would take his throne.

  For she had seen it in her dreams.

  That is why Edela had been the one to convince Ranuf not to make Jael his heir. The Brekkan throne, she knew, belonged to Axl Furyck.

  37

  ‘You look cleaner!’ Jael smiled as she walked up to Fyn. He was shuffling about on the cobblestones next to Aleksander and Gant, who, ignoring him entirely, were muttering about Axl.

  ‘I had a swim,’ Fyn said, looking incredibly awkward. ‘The water is not as cold as on Oss.’

  ‘But not as warm as in Eskild’s Cave,’ Jael said wistfully, nodding at Gant and Aleksander. ‘Or in Eirik’s pool.’

  ‘Eirik’s pool?’ Fyn frowned, confused.

  Jael bit her tongue. ‘Never mind,’ she mumbled. ‘Where’s Axl?’

  ‘That’s what we were just discussing,’ Gant said quietly. ‘I haven’t seen him this morning. No one has.’

  ‘Oh.’

  A small crowd was gathering at the entrance to the piers, waiting for the ship from Saala to pull in. Jael saw Karsten coming towards her with Berard. She frowned. No Jaeger, thankfully, but no Axl either, and that was a problem.

  ‘Someone needs to find him,’ Aleksander insisted. ‘In case he decides to go and kill Jaeger Dragos. That would be one way to stop the wedding.’

  Fyn, shuffling his feet, looked anywhe
re but at Jael.

  ‘Fyn can do it!’ Jael suggested cheerfully. ‘And when you find him, bring him to us. We’ll have to watch him over the next few days. He’s not going to take any of this well.’

  ‘And who can blame him?’ Gant sighed. Axl was growing up, he knew, but that temper of his was still raw, reckless, and certainly not under control.

  ‘Ahhh, my new family!’ Karsten mocked, his arms open wide. ‘How I have missed you since last night.’

  Berard looked away, embarrassed.

  ‘How are you, Berard?’ Jael smiled, ignoring his one-eyed oaf of a brother. ‘You seem happy to be home.’

  Berard’s eyes brightened. He found it hard not to like Jael Furyck, which was difficult, as no one else in his family did. But she noticed him and was nice to him. It was rare and surprisingly pleasant. ‘Well, after what happened on Skorro... yes, it is good to be back.’

  ‘And how is your brother?’ Jael wondered, her eyes serious now. ‘Will he be well enough for the wedding?’

  ‘I hardly think that’s any of your concern, considering that you’re the one who crippled him!’ Karsten sneered, cutting across his brother whose mouth hung open, words waiting on his tongue. ‘You worry about your cousin. We’ll take care of our brother.’

  Jael didn’t even blink as she turned to her husband, who had somehow been trapped by Bayla, and was now being dragged towards them on her arm. Bayla’s smile quickly vanished at the sight of Jael, and she released Eadmund and walked towards her sons. ‘Well, come along then. We can hardly greet the girl properly from all the way over here,’ she grumbled, and with a swish of her long, golden dress, she stalked past them all.

  Axl watched from the balcony, wondering at the wisdom of joining the welcoming party. He wanted Amma to know that he was there, but at the same time, he wasn’t sure he trusted himself. Not yet. Not until they told her.

  Thorgils had grown so sick of the company on board Fire Serpent that he was almost looking forward to seeing Odda again.

  Otto had been like a fly, buzzing around him, complaining about everything and everyone. And stupidly enough, he had let Morac travel with them as well, and his company had been even worse. A constant stream of airy turds blew out of his mouth all day long.

  As the ships navigated their way into Oss’ harbour, Thorgils’ whole body sighed with relief at the sight of those sharp, angry cliffs, half-submerged beneath low, misty clouds. Seabirds perching on invisible ledges called to the returning Osslanders, before dipping down towards the beach of thick black stones.

  Thorgils smiled. It was good to be home.

  Gisila had a bad feeling as soon as she saw Lothar’s face. He was glowing like an ember, ready to burst with happiness. She doubted it was just for her.

  ‘My dear! My love!’ he cried, reaching out a hand to assist her over the edge of the ship. ‘You look well!’ He pulled her towards him as soon as her boots touched the pier, dragging her into his arms, inhaling her salty, dark hair as he nuzzled her neck. Kissing her quickly on the lips, he smiled. Relieved.

  ‘I am pleased to see you,’ Gisila lied mutely. She forced herself to smile while he looked her over, his eyes devouring her in a way she had not missed.

  ‘And Amma!’ Lothar smiled as his daughter turned to watch Eydis being helped over the side of the ship. He stepped towards her, gripping her hand, bringing it to his lips. ‘Are you alright?’ he frowned, ignoring Eydis entirely. ‘You don’t look alright.’

  ‘I did not enjoy the journey,’ Amma admitted weakly as she wobbled around on the pier. ‘My stomach is ill.’

  ‘Oh,’ he shrugged dismissively. ‘Now, come along, come along, and I will introduce you to our hosts, and then we can discuss everything that has happened since we last saw each other!’

  ‘You’re not going down?’ Fyn asked gingerly as he approached Axl, who had stayed, watching from the first-floor balcony.

  Axl shrugged. ‘There’s no point, is there?’

  Fyn looked uncertain. ‘I suppose not. But... perhaps Amma would like to see you?’

  Axl felt embarrassed to realise that he was right. If he loved Amma, and he did, then he would have to stop thinking about himself.

  She was the one about to be fed to the giant angry bear.

  It had taken Jaeger a while to hobble from his bedchamber down to the piers.

  Haegen had been patient, helping him, taking his weight for the entire, arduous journey, but Jaeger was too big, even for him. ‘We need to have someone make you a crutch,’ he groaned, struggling to a stop. ‘I’m sure there’s a tree trunk large enough somewhere!’

  Jaeger frowned, irritable, having barely slept at all. His mind had been too full of Meena and Varna and the book to relax, and his ankle had not stopped throbbing.

  He hoped that Egil would find where he had hidden the book.

  Haegen smiled appreciatively as Amma walked towards them. ‘At least she is worth looking at. That’s a start.’

  Jaeger hopped on his less injured ankle, trying to stand up taller, peering at the pretty, brown-haired girl who stood there nervously in a long, damp cloak. She looked tired, he thought. And scared. He tried to picture Elissa again, remembering the first time he had met her. She had looked scared too.

  Of him.

  How right she had been.

  The men hurried to drag the ships onto the beach, desperate for the arms of their women and children, their mothers and sisters. Thorgils smiled as he jumped out into the freezing water, not noticing as it seeped into his boots. His eyes scanned the beach for his own mother, but she wasn’t there.

  No one was there for him.

  He looked back to his ship, making sure they didn’t need another pair of hands but his men had it under control, so he waded through the water and onto the stones.

  ‘I imagine you’re feeling rather hungry?’ Biddy said as she came towards him, her eyes scouring every ship.

  Thorgils smiled. ‘Well, I imagine you’d be right!’

  ‘Where are Jael and Eadmund? Where’s Eydis?’ she asked anxiously, her attention suddenly diverted to the women who were sobbing, being told that their sons or husbands had died.

  That their king was dead.

  ‘Hest,’ Thorgils said quickly, his shoulders heavy. ‘They’re all in Hest. It’s a long story, but I shall happily tell it to you over a bowl of stew!’ He gave Biddy a cheerful wink and snatched at her arm as she went sliding on the stones.

  Biddy frowned, worried, but at least Thorgils was here, and he would surely know what had happened. ‘So, it’s true then?’ she asked quietly. ‘Eirik is dead?’

  Thorgils nodded, his lips tight. ‘Did Edela dream it?’

  ‘She did,’ Biddy nodded. ‘We didn’t tell anyone though, not without knowing the circumstances, or who had done it. Not for certain.’

  ‘That would be Ivaar, of course,’ Thorgils growled. ‘Eadmund has plans for him when he returns, but in the meantime, we need to get the gold inside and prepare the fort.’

  ‘Gold? Prepare the fort? For what?’

  ‘For whatever Ivaar may have in mind,’ Thorgils warned. ‘Now that Jael and Eadmund are King and Queen of Oss, Ivaar is not very happy at all.’

  They walked past Runa, who stood on the stones, her eyes going over all the ships again. There was no sign of Fyn. ‘Morac!’ she called urgently, hurrying towards her husband, panic throbbing inside her chest. ‘Morac!’

  He grasped her hands, smiling wearily, happy to see her.

  ‘Where’s Fyn?’ she asked desperately.

  Morac frowned. ‘Fyn? Fyn is in Hest with the new king and queen.’

  Runa froze, relieved and then confused. ‘What do you mean, new king and queen?’

  ‘Eirik is dead. He was murdered in Saala.’

  Runa covered her mouth in horror.

  ‘Eydis!’ Eadmund pushed his way through the crowd towards his sister, who stood, holding Gisila’s hand, her head spinning around as she tried to get her bearings.

&
nbsp; Gisila released her and Eydis fell into Eadmund’s arms, sobbing with relief.

  Jael was there too. ‘Eydis!’ she smiled, squeezing her tightly. ‘It’s alright, it’s alright.’

  Eydis couldn’t stop crying, though, as she held onto Eadmund and Jael, never wanting to let them go.

  Gisila sighed and hurried to join Lothar who was gesturing impatiently at her. Everything about him was ridiculous. She had not missed him at all. Her eyes wandered over and around the crowd, spying Aleksander and Gant, neither of whom seemed happy.

  But no Axl.

  ‘My wife, Gisila,’ Lothar said regally, pushing Gisila forward. ‘And my daughter, Amma. This is King Haaron and Queen Bayla.’

  Haaron barely looked at Gisila, Ranuf’s wife, now Lothar’s wife. He smiled at the thought of that. As for the shaking little girl before him, barely a woman... he didn’t care that she was pretty. The last one had been pretty, and she had ended up dead. Pretty wasn’t important. Land was important. And alliances to get land were important. What Jaeger thought or didn’t think of Lothar’s daughter meant little to him. ‘My dear,’ he rasped, his lips barely moving as he clasped Amma’s hands. ‘Welcome to Hest. We hope that you’ll be happy here.’

  Bayla smiled at the girl, whose eyes were big and terrified, retreating beneath thick, worried eyebrows. She was not plain at all, which would please Jaeger, but she was a Furyck. Her presence here would be difficult. For her.

  Amma flinched, confused.

  Gisila frowned, disturbed by the way the king and queen were inspecting Amma. In fact, as she looked around, everyone’s eyes were on Amma. She turned to the large man who was limping awkwardly towards them, her stomach suddenly clenching.

  ‘And this is my son,’ Haaron barked. ‘Jaeger. He is to be your husband.’

  Amma’s mouth fell open and stayed there.

  ‘Father!’ Evaine was beside herself as she rushed into his arms. She had not wanted to remain in the house, but Runa had suggested that it would be unfair on Eadmund to present herself to him as soon as he returned, in front of his wife.