Agnar chuckled, but then he spotted the terrified eyes of Skadi above. He gritted his teeth and pushed onwards. He couldn’t relax until Astra was safely in her arms.
He knew he was close when Astra’s weight was lifted from his shoulders and pulled over the top. To his surprise, more arms reached for him straight after, and not just Vali and Brenna’s. Skadi yanked him up and over the precipice, falling on to her back with one arm tightly wrapped around Astra’s cloak, pulling her weeping child close to her side, while her other hand clutched at his tunic, unwilling to let either of them go.
He flopped on to his back, so as not to crush her, and she dragged him to her. The three of them clung to each other with white-knuckled grips, still panting with relief and exhaustion.
The glow from the campfire was bright enough to see the relieved expressions of Brenna and Vali above them, Brenna curling into Vali’s arms with obvious relief.
Agnar sighed, grateful that the gods had been kind and just. He would never have forgiven them if they’d taken Astra from them. There was a break in the snow-filled clouds and he was struck by how small they must appear to the gods, no bigger than one of the many stars scattered across the darkness.
One star fell, shooting through the sky in a sweeping arc and disappearing into the clouds and horizon.
‘Did you see that?’ gasped Astra.
‘Yes,’ whispered Skadi, her voice sounding raw from all the shouting she must have done.
‘Agnar, did you?’ Astra asked, her voice hesitant with hope.
‘I saw it,’ he said, unable to deny the smile that spread across his face, as he lay across Skadi’s pounding chest. Astra reached across to hold his hand.
‘The gods sent us good fortune,’ whispered Astra and he couldn’t agree more.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The royal family sat with their backs against the heat of the campfire, staring out into the darkness. Skadi didn’t want Astra to see the bodies, she was already worried about what witnessing the skirmish and deaths would have done to her young mind. Not to mention the terror of her kidnapping. But they couldn’t stay here, it was too cold and open, even with the campfire, and soon the smell of blood would attract beasts and vermin.
In a way, the snow had helped. It was falling so thickly now, that the bodies were covered in a white blanket.
‘We should leave soon,’ said Skadi. Then, with a little more curiosity, at the sounds of shouts below, she asked, ‘What is happening down there?’
Vali walked over to the cliff edge and glanced down. ‘Looks like Sven’s crew are trying to save him. They are throwing up hooks and rope… They are making slow progress.’
Skadi didn’t comment. Like Astra she did not care if the man spent the rest of his days on that ledge, fell to his death or even escaped. As long as he never saw Astra again, she would be content and at this moment she was more concerned about getting Astra home safely than seeking revenge. One day, hopefully soon, she would seek vengeance against Sven, but she would do so in an honourable way and with the support of her people.
On the other hand, she’d taken a dark satisfaction in watching Oddmund’s body break against the rocks. She had trusted him and he had failed her more than once. But was he any better than Heimdall? Both men’s sole purpose in Thrudheim had been to please and serve King Sven. They had never supported her, never believed in her and she had accepted their lies.
Agnar in contrast had been honest, proving himself with his actions. He’d even risked his life to save Astra. There were so many moments when she’d feared for both Agnar and Astra and watching them climb the rope had crushed her heart. She’d not been reassured until she’d pulled both of them over the edge.
Nausea churned her stomach like one of her whirlpools below and she knew she had allowed all this to happen. Agnar had not trusted Oddmund and she’d ignored his doubts. Refusing to trust him when he’d done nothing but prove himself to her. While all she’d done was doubt him at every step.
Brenna draped a couple of blankets from the men’s camp around their shoulders and handed out food and drink from their supplies. Astra and Skadi refused and Agnar gave her a disapproving look. She couldn’t help it, she was so sickened by what could have been, and Astra was swaying against her with exhaustion.
‘Why don’t you try to rest, Astra? You must be tired.’
With a nod Astra curled up in Skadi’s lap.
The glow from the fire lit up the resolve in Agnar’s expression. ‘Tell me what you want me to do and I will arrange it.’
Skadi’s heart ached at his devotion—she did not deserve it—and she pulled Astra’s body closer. ‘Let her rest a little… But we should go home soon. The snow has stopped falling and it will take less time to get to Thrudheim if we go down rather than up. Then…’ she paused ‘… Sven must answer for this. But winter will be soon upon us and I am still worried about the lack of grain.’
Agnar nodded, as if in silent agreement with her fears and worries. ‘I will make arrangements.’ It was oddly comforting to hear his reassurance, although she wasn’t completely sure how he would manage it. Perhaps he just would…the idea of relying on someone else felt strange, but with Agnar she knew he meant every word.
‘I am sorry, Agnar, about your axe. It was the one you used to protect your mother with, wasn’t it?’
Agnar nodded, but his smile was gentle. ‘She would be proud of how I lost it.’
‘She would… Thank you, Agnar, for everything.’ Tears filled Skadi’s eyes and it didn’t feel as if she’d said enough, but emotion threatened to engulf her and she knew she had to be strong for the journey back. She lowered her head and kissed Astra’s hair, comforted by the scent of her.
* * *
