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Chapter One

June 795—off the coast of Northumbria

The possibility of returning alive to Rauhing the odds, Valdar Nerison figured he was never going to see his nephews again, never going to sit under the rafters of his hall and never going to breathe the sweet air of hoain He knew that in his heart He’d known it ever since thehis friends, including the leader of the felag

Girmir, the leader of the mutiny, would strike before the ship reached Raumerike’s shore, most likely when the faht now they needed Valdar alive to navigate with the sunstone Girmir’s mistake was that he assumed Valdar believed his bland reassurance about how valuable he was

The only question in Valdar’sof the escape When should he make his move? They watched him like ravens and had taken all his weapons

Valdar bent double over his oar as the rain and the waves lashed hi first one plan then another as unworkable With each passing day, it became clear that the men believed Girold and slaves beyond their wildest is if they followed him

As the gale intensified, Girod, Ran A human sacrifice ‘Better one should die than the entire boat,’ he announced It chilled Valdar’s blood

Valdar glanced to his left as a flash of lightning lit up the sky In the distance he spied the shadowy shape of land For the first tio summer, he and his brother had learnt to swim Even after all this time, he reckoned that he just about reht

‘The storm increases Ran and Thor are both in a terrible temper,’ he shouted as another blast froh the sky ‘If you are serious about a sacrifice, do it before the entire boat is swamped’

‘Do you wish to challenge for the leadership?’ Girainst Valdar’s neck ‘You knohat happened to Horik the Younger e fought And to Sirgurd’

‘Your boat now, Gir and stared at the usurper, who had attacked at night, killing Horik before he could reach for his sword Then forced Sirgurd to fight when he was clearly ravaged by fever ‘The storm may be difficult to ride We should put to shore’

‘The only hich will quiet the gods in this weather is a life I’ve seen it before’ Girest ive one’s life for one’s friends Someone should volunteer’