Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Ivar

As I sat in the throne room, watching the men being judged by Erik, we heard a commotion outside, and everyone turned their heads toward the door.

I stood up from my chair, but Papa pulled me back down.

"You shall remain here," he said before turning to Ake. "Keep watch over her."

My Mama and Papa left, followed by the others. Some of the prisoners tried to escape, but the guards struck their backs with whips.

The screams brought others rushing out of the throne room. Through the window, I saw my Papa. His nostrils flared. He was angry. Something bad must have happened. I wanted to leave, but with Ake standing here, it was impossible.

A scream rang out again, louder this time, and I quickly ran toward the entrance before Ake could stop me.

"Ivar—"

I saw people gathered around something—or someone. I knew it was a person because I could see a leg on the ground. I pushed through to see a woman lying on the ground, her face drained of color. I recognized her instantly. She was a thrall who worked in the house. Her gown looked wrinkled, as if she had been fighting. I didn't need to be told to know she was dead.

One of the men near my father turned the woman's head, and I saw two puncture marks. Her neck was twisted at an unnatural angle. My breathing hitched.

My Papa's jaw clenched. He was furious.

"Ivar!" Ake called, rushing to my side. "You must return to your chamber."

He grabbed my arm, and this time I didn't resist. I didn't push him away because what I had seen made me feel sick.

Ake led me to my chamber, where I found my maid sweeping dirt from the floor. Sitting on the stool, my heart raced.

"My lady," Ailis said softly, "what troubles you?"

"Did you see what befell the thrall in the hall?" I asked.

"I heard whispers from two maids not long ago," she replied, "but I saw naught myself."

"The thrall was bitten by a wolven," I said. "It had to be a wolven." (thrall is a slave girl in the Vikings society.)

"You think a wolven did such thing?"

"Who else could it be, except those beasts?" I said. "The beast showed her no mercy. It took her life. Otherwise, my Papa would have called for me to heal her."

I shook my head, haunted by images of her. "I tell you, Ailis, she was so pale. It was as if the beast had drained her of her very blood."

"Has the beast been found?"

"That, I do know not of," I said. "But tis hard to catch a beast."

(Tis– it is)

Ailis nodded silently, returning her attention to sweeping the room. Just then, the door opened, and Ake entered, bowing his head.

"Every inch of this house has been searched, yet no trace of the beast remains," Ake said.

When Ake and Ailis left my room, I could not rest. How could the wolven have gained access to the house without killing any guards? Or were there no guards around? But what if the wolven had been in the house all along?

No, I shook my head. There was no wolven in the house. They were beasts that stayed in the forest and only came out at night to kill my people.

….

With the tradition of my village, the servant girl was to be burned today. But because she was a thrall, my Papa would not attend the burning. Only those who were like her would attend. Ailis attended, and I decided to join her. I had spoken to the girl only once, and she was kind.

Seeing her lying dead on the floor last night made me feel truly ill.

The final beam fell onto the pyre.

I stood close to Ailis and other servants dressed in black. Two guards joined for the funeral—Ake and another guard.

The servant girl was wrapped in woolen cloth, looking so thin beneath it.

I couldn't overlook the two puncture wounds on her broken neck. I barely slept last night because, every time I closed my eyes, her image appeared in my mind.

The maids looked solemn. One of her close friends was crying profusely. I watched as she threw the burning wood onto her friend's body. The flames quickly took hold.

Taking a step back, I turned to Ake. "We must hunt and slay that wolven. There may be more in the forest."

Ake nodded, drawing his sword before leaving with the other guard. He disappeared into the forest. Just as I continued watching the body burn to ashes, I glanced toward the woods where Ake had gone and saw a wolven—a big grey wolf with icy blue eyes.

I blinked, and it was gone. My eyes widened in shock. Was that really a wolven or my imagination?