Beyond the Sea Mist (9 page)

Magnus started walking again, his muscles tight with irritation. “I’m not freeing the woman so I can possess her for myself. I hope to return her to her home on the other side of the isle.”

“And then what will happen to her?” Orm persisted. “If her kin are all dead, how will she maintain her freedom? She’ll end up a captive all over again and your efforts will be for naught.”

“I’ll think of these things later, after I’ve rescued her.”

They reached the quay. Magnus stopped and gazed down the dock at Croa’s three dragonships, their tall, dark shapes outlined against the silvery hue of the overcast sky. He thought of the woman for a moment, conjuring her lovely face in his mind. Then he turned to Orm. “Go ahead and board the
Waverunner
. Have a bite to eat and gloat about your winnings. When it gets dark, come back here and we’ll make our final plans.”

“What about you?” Orm asked. “Aren’t you going on board? Aren’t you hungry?”

“I haven’t an appetite,” Magnus said.

“Now I know you’ve lost your wits.” Orm’s mouth quirked into a smile before he started down the quay.

* * *

The gods had favored him, Magnus decided as he watched the fog roll in, the billowing mist like a white blanket unfolding along the river bank. If his adversaries couldn’t see him, his daring plan might succeed. Then another thought came to him and his pleased mood vanished. What if the fog hid the fire until it was out of control? If it spread to the other warehouses, the whole dock might go up in flames.

He pushed the worry from his mind. The area around the warehouse was well-patrolled. The blaze wouldn’t go unheeded for long.

He shifted position, then forced himself to move back under the thatched roof of the warehouse. Between the growing darkness and the fog, he could barely make out the tall mast and curved ends of the vessel where the Irishwoman was held. Soon he would see her again. His heart seemed to beat faster at the thought. Or maybe it was the anticipation of the danger he would soon face that made him feel so keenly alive.

He glanced up at the sky, trying to gauge how long it had been since he sent Orm off with a torch and instructions on what to do. Orm was to approach the warehouse through the narrow walkway on the side, set the fire in the back of the building, then circle around and appear to be approaching from the opposite direction. If he encountered a guard or any of Croa’s men, he was to try to engage in them in conversation and distract them as long as possible.

Magnus’s stomach clenched as he worried what would happen to his friend if he were caught. He told himself that Orm was quick-witted and clever, despite his passion for dicing and other games of chance. Unless he was discovered in the actual act of setting the blaze, he should be able to talk his way out of trouble.

The mist thickened, until Magnus could no longer make out the shape of the ship, nor scarcely anything around him. Although it wasn’t cold, the dampness of the fog seeped through his heavy wool tunic and settled with uncomfortable clamminess on his skin. He shivered. By now Orm should have started the fire. Why had no alarm been raised?

A moment later, he detected shouts and cries in the distance. The noise grew louder. He heard men running toward the dock shouting “Fire! Fire!” The previously quiet dock came alive. Men began to disembark from the ships, the sound of their hobnail boots loud on the plank walkways that had been set up to make loading the vessels less arduous. They cursed and muttered as they made their way through the fog. Several men passed Magnus carrying torches, the flames glowing pinkish gold in the haze.

He heard the cry to bring buckets. The warehouse was too far away from the dock to make it feasible to put it out with water from the river. But there was a cistern for collecting rainwater not far from the warehouse. Magnus envisioned the men forming a line and passing buckets along it to quench the blaze. If they were organized and efficient, it wouldn’t take them long to gain control of the fire. The thought spurred Magnus into action. It was now or never.

It seemed he’d been staring at the ship so long its exact location should be carved on his brain. He moved forward slowly. After a quick search he found a mooring rope and scrambled on board. As soon as he reached the deck, he paused, listening. Sounds always seemed to carry better in fog. He could hear the creak and groan of the timbers as the ship shifted in the water, but otherwise, it was deadly quiet. Was it possible all the crew had left the vessel?

From the deep pocket of his tunic, Magnus withdrew a heavy wooden stick and held it at the ready. Then he crept forward, trying to guess at the distance to the opening in the center of the ship leading to the hold. He nearly tripped on a pile of mooring lines. A moment later he ran into a wooden cask and banged his shin. He froze, listening. Around him, all was silent except for the normal sounds of the ship. He let out his breath in relief and took another cautious step forward.

“Who’s there?” a man's voice called out of the murk. Magnus went rigid once more, then ducked down and sought to hide himself behind the cask.

“Probably the cat that’s been prowling around ever since we docked,” a second man answered.

The first man grunted.

Two guards, Magnus thought with sinking heart. That made things more difficult. He would have to deal with them separately.

Magnus sensed one of the men moving towards him. He waited, every muscle taut. Gradually, he made out the silhouette of the guard. He waited until the man turned to move away, then rose from his crouch and with a quick, downward blow, struck the guard on the head.

The man fell slowly, mumbling to himself. Magnus held his breath, wondering if he would have to strike another blow.

“Jorund?” the other guard called.

Magnus resumed his crouched position behind the cask. The second guard approached. “Jorund?” he called again, his voice uncertain. Magnus could hear the man moving toward him, his breathing fast and irregular. He waited until the man was very near, then jumped up and struck. The man went down as the other had.

Magnus started towards the cargo opening. He was sweating profusely, and he had a panicked sense of time passing.
Hurry! Hurry
! The thought drummed into his mind. Finding the opening amidship, he let himself down into the hold and whispered, “Lady Ailinn.”

There was a gasp. Then she answered, “Aye. I’m here.”

“There’s not much time. We must get all of you off the ship and quickly.”

“What about the guards?”

“They’re both unconscious for now.”

“You’re mad,” she whispered. “We’ll never get away.”

Magnus gritted his teeth in exasperation, then answered, “I’ve taken a lot of risks to give you this chance. When we spoke earlier, you promised to trust me. You promised to do as I asked.”

“I didn’t think you’d come up with a scheme like this. Even if we manage to get to free of the ship, what will we do then?”

“There’s a small boat moored a short distance away. I plan to get you onto that and take you down river. When they discover you’re missing, they’ll search for you in the longphort, not on the river.” When she didn’t respond, he added, “Aren’t you willing to try? If we’re discovered, I’m the one who will suffer. You’ll simply be returned to your current circumstances.”

She seemed to be thinking about it. Finally, she said, “I’ll tell the other women to gather their things.”

“Please hurry. There’s little time.”

There was a commotion in the distance.

“Men are coming!” Ailinn exclaimed. “You must be away at once!”

Magnus strained his ears. Hearing the sound of voices growing nearer, he cursed loudly.

“Go!” she cried. “Save yourself!”

She’s right. There’s not time to rescue her and get away
. Although his mind knew these things, his body wouldn’t seem to obey. How could he leave her? He’d vowed to help her.

He reached out and clasped her delicate hands in his. “I won’t abandon you, lady. I vow it.”

“Go!” she repeated, her voice desperate. “You must be away now or you’ll pay with your life!”

“Would you care if I were killed, lady?” He could almost hear his heart beating as he waited for her answer.

“Of course, I would care. I’m not heartless.” Although the words reflected her usual prickly manner, her voice trembled and she squeezed his hands.

Magnus felt longing well up inside him. “Until we meet again.” He gently compressed her dainty fingers.

Releasing her, he climbed out of the hold and made his way to the mooring rope on the end of the ship. He slid down the rope and landed on the dock. A moment later, he saw the glow of torches through the mist as a large group of men advanced toward the ships.

Magnus moved a little way down the dock, so he would be out of the torchlight. As the men began to board the ship he’d just been on, Magnus let out a sigh. He’d come so close. If only she hadn’t hesitated. But even if they’d left immediately, it was unlikely they would have gotten off the ship in time.

He’d tried. Done the best he could. No one could blame him for failing in his vow. Even she had urged him to leave, to save himself. The memory of holding her hands in his filled his thoughts and senses. Her skin like silk. The fine, small bones of her fingers.

The image of a beautiful, trapped bird came to him once again. Except she wasn’t a bird, but a woman. His inner vision filled with the image of how she’d looked the first time he’d seen her. Those haunting green-gray eyes. The red-gold richness of her hair. Her pale, perfect skin. The soft, graceful curves of her body. She was as fair as the rainbow he’s seen glinting in the mist earlier that day.

But it wasn’t only her beauty that aroused him. Or her desperate circumstances that brought about this intense need to rescue her. There was more to his feelings. He also admired her pride, her stubborn will, her loyalty to her companions. She seemed to him a princess not only because of her elegant appearance, but because of the way she faced her terrible circumstances with courage and bravery. That was the reason he couldn’t abandon her to her fate. She deserved much more.

Resolve filled him. He wouldn’t give up.

He left the shadows and made his way down the dock towards the
Waverunner
. Halfway there, he encountered Orm. In the light from the torches set around Sigurd’s vessel, Magnus could see the surprise on the young crewman’s face.

“What are you doing here?” Orm cried. “I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

“There wasn’t time to get the women off the ship.”

“So, all my trouble was for nothing? I almost got caught.”

“How did you get away?”

“I hid. Thank Odin I’m a skinny fellow, or I would never have been able to manage it. Not all the buildings around here are as stout and well-made as Croa’s warehouse. Right after I set the fire, a guard came around. I was able to wriggle through the broken wickerwork of a nearby shed and get out of sight. Later, when the fire really caught, there was so much commotion I got away without anyone noticing. Curse it.” Orm shook his head. “I’d hoped you’d make it. But maybe it’s better this way.”

“Why is that?” Magnus asked.

“Now you’ll see your cause is hopeless and give up this crazy notion to rescue the Irishwoman.”

“I haven’t given up.”

“What do you intend to do next? Perhaps you mean to swim after Croa’s ship once it leaves dock and follow them all the way to York to rescue her there.” Orm made a rude sound through his teeth.

“Nay. I won’t have to swim after the ship. I’ll be on it. I’m going to join Croa’s crew. That way I’ll have other opportunities to rescue the woman.”

“What about the
Waverunner
?” Orm demanded. “I thought you had an agreement with Sigurd.”

“I’m going to speak to him now,” Magnus answered. “I’ll explain that I’m not ready to return north, that I want to do more traveling this sunseason. Sailing with Croa will offer me that opportunity. I’m hoping Sigurd will be sympathetic. I’ll remind him that in a place like this, he’ll have no difficulty hiring more crew.”

“This is witless. You despise Croa. How will you tolerate being near him on a sea voyage? And what makes you think you’ll have any better opportunity to rescue the woman in York than you had here? At least here you had someone to help you. I doubt you’ll be able to convince any of Croa’s crewmen to set fires for you.”

Hearing the note of bitterness in Orm’s voice, Magnus put his hand on the young man’s arm. “I do thank you for your help. I know you risked much to aid me, and I’ll not forget it.” Releasing Orm, Magnus pulled out the money pouch on his belt and spilled some of his dwindling supply of hacksilver into his hand. He thrust the precious metal at Orm. “Here. Take it and buy yourself a night with a pretty whore when you reach Hedeby.”

“Nay.” Orm took a step back. “If you mean to do this, I’m not going to leave you destitute. Indeed, perhaps I won’t leave you at all.”

“What?”

Orm grinned. “I have a fancy to go with you...to see the sights of other longphorts and also how this tale turns out.”

“Nay. You can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Orm asked.

Magnus set his jaw. “It’s too dangerous.”