“A draugr.” He said it like he expected me to know exactly what he was talking about.
I gave him a blank stare.
“A draugr. You know, the Norse undead.”
That didn’t really clear things up for me.
The sorcerer must have sensed that. He scrubbed one hand through his hair, leaving it to stick up in all different directions. It would have been adorable if he hadn’t followed the action with words.
“I really don’t know how you made it through the selection to become a vampire,” he muttered. “You’re as dumb as a rock. They usually only pick the best.”
“Hey, cut me a break. This stuff is pretty new for me. I’ve only been at this for a little over two years.”
“That’s plenty of time to learn something. I knew more than this in the first year of my apprenticeship.”
“Sorry that my mythical education didn’t include Norse mythology. We’re in the frickin’ states. It didn’t exactly make the list of creatures I was likely to encounter. Quit belittling my lack of knowledge and just explain what the damn thing is.”
His face was mutinous as he said, “Fine. The draugr can be traced to the Norse. The name literally means ‘Again Walkers’. They rise from the dead. Usually they’re former warriors, but nobody is quite sure what gives rise to them.”
“So, they’re basically zombies.”
“Not at all. The draugr retain their intelligence and aren’t contagious. The stories contradict each other, but most agree that the draugr possess certain talents, including the ability to change their size, possess animals and drive them mad, ride the dead, walk in dreams and control the weather.”
I didn’t like the sound of the last two. It’d been hard enough dealing with the draugr when he was reanimating dead bodies and making them two times their natural size. I didn’t know what I’d do if he was suddenly able to throw a twister at me or invade my dreams. How did I guard against that?
“How likely is it that a draugr can do all of that?”
The sorcerer bent over the book and flipped several pages before straightening. “It doesn’t give a clear answer. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s based on the level of power it has obtained and how long it’s been dead.”
And Brax and I had already established it was getting more powerful with every victim it claimed.
“It couldn’t be the draugr,” the sorcerer said, snapping the book closed in frustration.
“What? You just said it sounded like one. All of the pieces fit.”
“I know what I said.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Draugr don’t run through cities attacking people willy nilly. They’re bound to their graves and guard their treasure with an obsessive jealousy. No way would one leave its treasure to go on a rampage.”
“What if its treasure had been stolen?” I asked, slowly.
The sorcerer frowned. “What makes you say that?”
“Every time I’ve encountered this thing, he’s accused me of stealing something. He seems convinced I have whatever it is.”
“That could be it. It would explain why it’s not bound to its grave and is free to gallivant around the city. But it still doesn’t address how it’s picking its victims or how the item in question went missing in the first place.”
That was true. Our theory only half made sense. Still it was more than I had before I barged in here.
“We need more information,” the sorcerer said.
I agreed.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I dug it out and groaned. My mother. Shit. Ignoring her would mean repercussions when she finally got ahold of me.
I pushed answer as I stepped away from the sorcerer. “Hey, Mom. It’s a little late to be calling.”
