A movement across the table drew her attention to Gunilla, now standing once more, her wand held before her in an oddly combative manner. The older woman bore an expression of panic, her eyes wide and her skin almost ghostly pale. Katrin had theoddest sensation that Gunilla knew more about the vision than was clear to herself.
"Can you do this again and see more?"
Thorfinn's voice scattered the questions racing through her thoughts. She blinked to regain her focus.
"Not right now. I need time to recover and offer more prayers to the gods for clarity."
Hradi's hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Can you see visions of other people in the meantime?"
Katrin gave a half-shrug, half-nod, trying to ignore the way the warmth of his touch spread a very different sort of tingle through her veins.
"Perhaps. But I will still need a short time to rest first."
"Of course." Hradi sat beside her, his body pressed close. Katrin sucked in a deep breath and faced the jarl.
"Once I have regained my full strength, I will be happy to see others' fates, if they so choose. I will be able to see yours again tomorrow."
Thorfinn nodded. "We must plan so we are ready at all times. Based on what you say, if this battle is imminent, attacking during our Winter Nights celebration is when any invaders would think us vulnerable. We will prove them wrong."
"Unless their intentions are as Katrin said, not to attack, but to seek an alliance," Hradi said.
Thorfinn gave a thoughtful nod. He stood and faced the restless crowd. The murmuring hushed once more.
"We must be prepared to face this unknown invader. We will make another sacrifice to the gods before tonight's feast to ensure we protect our village. And if it is as the Seeress hints, we will make a new alliance that will make our town stronger and still more prosperous."
He turned and motioned to Kori and Hradi to accompany him toward the back of the hall. Katrin felt cold when Hradi stood and she held his gaze for several moments before he turned away. Shewondered at the pleasure she read in his eyes. Before she could question it further, Gunilla slid onto the bench and yanked on her arm.
"What did you see?" the older woman asked.
Katrin glanced at the group of girls still huddled at a nearby table. Would this battle place them in danger? If only she had seen more. She faced her mistress.
"Just Thorfinn, fighting off attackers. I do not know who they are." Did she dare ask? She had to know. "Gunilla, you understand what my vision means, don't you?"
"How dare you question me!" Gunilla's grip tightened almost painfully on her arm. The anger darkening her eyes alarmed Katrin. But instead of merely accepting Gunilla's intimidation, Katrin straightened her spine.
"You have been keeping secrets for many months now. Perhaps longer. When we arrived in Grindafell, I sensed you had brought us here for a reason. I want to know what that is."
Gunilla released her. "You are turning against me."
"No, I am not. But we both know that my remaining time with you is short. I must know all you do so I can understand these visions and what they might mean to my future as well as Grindafell's."
Skepticism mingled with the remaining anger in the silver-haired woman's eyes. Katrin's excuse for asking Gunilla to divulge her secrets was true, but only half of the reason. If the older witch meant harm to Grindafell in some way, Katrin had to stop her.
"You are mistaken, Katrin. I do not know why you are seeing visions of battle."
Another thread of their long-standing bond unraveled. Gunilla still lied, of that Katrin was sure.
"Very well. But know this – I intend to do what I can to help protect Grindafell, should this battle come to pass."
"What has he promised you?"
"Nothing. But I feel a certain… affection for this clan and this village. I don't wish to see any harm done to them."
"You are a fool. He has tricked you somehow, and you will pay for that with the loss of your gift. And when it happens, you will see I was right."
"He has done nothing."
"He has you besotted. You are too unfamiliar with the ways of men to understand. I do not like this bargain you have made. It makes you depend on him too much."
