He took a step forward, until the point of the sword was inches from his throat. “If you think a little girl with a sword will keep me from my quest, then you have made a grave error.”
There was something about the look in his eyes, like a cornered lion, that gave me pause. “Your quest . . . do you mean you have been searching for the giants? Is that what brought you to our land?”
“Yes.”
I took a step back so my sword was no longer at his throat. “Why you? What can you do to stop them?”
He met my gaze. “There is no one stronger. I paid the ultimate price to ensure this was true.”
“You’d go to such lengths to protect this land?”
“I care nothing for your land.” A muscle in his jaw flexed. “I came for revenge.”
Vengeance. This was something I could understand.
Above us, the crow circled. “Well, the crow was right. I want to stop them, same as you.”
His look was wary and calculating both—before it turned into a defensive sneer. “And what can you do about it? I’ve fought many Celts and heard much talk of their infighting among clans. Your band of Celts would not stir themselves to join our fight—not until it is much too late.”
I thought of the way my father had dismissed the Morrigan’s vision. If he didn’t believe me, no one would.
I couldn’t go home, and even if I could, I knew my clansmen would never join with me on a quest like this. The Northman was right.
My hand shook on my sword as the weight of that realization sank in. I couldn’t go home. I couldn’t see my sisters again.
The only way I could redeem myself was to save them.
I swallowed my pride, my disgust, at joining such a hated enemy. “My clansmen may not join you, but I will.”
His gaze traveled the length of me, as though taking my measure. “A brave offer, to be sure, but you could not even keep a single man captive, much less battle enemies who can level entire villages.”
Frustration and anger at his insult—no matter how true it was—erupted within me. I brought my sword up in a sweeping arc, nicking his throat in the same place as I had on the battlefield. To his credit, he did not flinch, only brought his fingers to the small trail of blood.
“I was also the one who brought you to your knees, Northman.”
His scowl melted away, and he threw back his head in a laugh. On edge still, the bark of laughter nearly caused me to attack him again. “You may have imprisoned me, warrior maiden, but I can’t help but like you.”
“My name is Ciara of Mide,” I corrected, my tone waspish.
“Ciara, then,” he said, mirth still visible in his eyes. “I am Leif Olafsson. You would prove an interesting distraction, it is true. But what use can you be against giants?”
I could see he was wavering. I would have to explain to him—and pray he believed me. “I can take possession of someone’s mind and force them to do whatever I command.”
His eyebrows rose. “Impressive. Though, if you have such an ability, why haven’t you used it on me?”
“How do you know I haven’t?”
He grinned. “Because you wouldn’t have had to waste time begging me for answers.”
I shifted briefly from foot to foot. “You are the first person I haven’t been able to take control of,” I admitted grudgingly.
“I would call you a liar or mad, but I have to admit I saw what you did on the battlefield. I didn’t understand it at the time—I only knew someone had cast some dark spell on one of my men to make him turn on his own. You did that. You made my men turn on each other.”
“It’s not a spell,” I said, though to me, the truth was much worse.
“It doesn’t matter how you do it—only that you can—and there’s no doubt it would be useful.” He nodded as though he had finally found me acceptable, and I felt sweat bead on my forehead with the effort to not bash him over the head again.
“More useful than brute strength,” I said heatedly.
“You sound jealous,” he said, and then laughed as my grip tightened on my sword. “I can see you want to attempt to use that on me again, so I will relent.” He glanced at the crow still flying above us. “You wanted answers from me—what is it you wish to know?”
“What is your plan? How do you intend to stop the giants?”
“My men wait for me in Dyflin, and so I must reunite with them and speak with the king.” I crossed my arms over my chest at the mention of the Northman word for the city of Dubhlinn. They had changed the name when they had conquered the city, and it still rankled me to hear it called thus. Worse still was the fact that he was referring to King Sigtrygg, my kingdom’s enemy.
“Sigtrygg won’t help you. He doesn’t care about anything but raids and amassing riches. I’d be more inclined to agree with you if you said your plan was to attack him and take over Dubhlinn.”
Leif grinned. “And you called my people bloodthirsty. Sigtrygg will help us because he is bound to; my father lent him ships and men for his raids, long before he was king. Now he owes us the same—ships and men. I need his help if I am to defeat Fenris, the leader of the j?tnar.”
“I still don’t understand why it has to be Sigtrygg of all people, but I will admit that having ships and men could be useful. Will you tell me about Fenris? How do you plan to defeat him?”
“Fenris was the leader in the j?tnar’s own realm. Fenris entered into our realm and now that he is here, he has gathered more of my people to his cause, naming himself Jarl of Skien—one of our most important ports. The j?tnar Fenris brought with him from J?tunheimr have set up camp in Skien, along with many men. But man or j?tunn, I will fight them. I must gather as many warriors as I can and return to kill Fenris and whoever tries to get in my way.”
A direct attack and a show of force of the magnitude Leif was suggesting would certainly intimidate any mortal Northman raiders—it was simply not their preferred method of war. Did that hold true for monsters? “When will you set sail?”
“As soon as I am able. Though from what I heard, it might not be that easy.” When I stared at him blankly, he said, “I have heard talk of men like giants here in éirinn.”
A cold wave of fear hit me. “You mean the . . . j?tnar are here already?”
His eyes met mine, his grim expression answer enough.
I shook my head. “They cannot be allowed to wreak their destruction here.”
“You will join me, then? Leave the comfortable trappings of your castle, your family, your clan, and follow your enemy?”
He didn’t know that I’d already left all that behind—that I couldn’t return if I wanted to. I couldn’t even bear to utter the truth aloud. The crow had perched on a boulder, watching us, eyes bloodred in the light. My mind was quiet, both of the Morrigan’s voice and of visions.
By now áthair would have already announced my exile. How much worse would my punishment be when he discovered the Northman was alive? But knowing what I did about the j?tnar, how could I possibly stand aside when I had the power to stop them? I would join forces with a murderous raider, a man who had killed many of my own people. Would stopping the greater evil of the giants negate the sin of aiding my enemy?
I didn’t know how successful Leif had been in his quest so far, but I did know he was right about one thing: my clan would never lend their aid until it was too late. It was I who had been given this vision, and it was I who must make a stand.
I returned my sword to its sheath. With my right hand in a fist, I placed it over my heart. “I will join you in destroying the j?tnar here in this land.”
“I cannot say you have made the right decision, but I won’t turn away from your offer.” He strode toward Sleipnir. “Now come. All this talk has wasted too much time.”
He grabbed hold of my warhorse as though it was his and hauled himself astride. It took Sleipnir only an instant to realize it wasn’t me on his back. His ears flattened, and he bucked and twisted, his powerful muscles taut as a bow.
Leif’s jaw was tense with concentration, but he managed to stay astride. Grudgingly impressed, I let it go on for another moment or two before finally saying, “Sleipnir.”