mind. I’m certain Sigurd would willingly have you back on his crew.”
“Nay, I want to go,” Orm responded. “Besides, you’ll need my aid when we get to York.”
“Very well,” Magnus said. “But be careful. These men aren’t like those on Sigurd’s crew. They’re hardened sorts who only look after their own interests. Remember that in your dealings with them.” He fixed Orm with a fierce look. “I won’t be able to rescue you if you get into trouble.”
“And I won’t be there to guard your back either,” Orm responded, glaring back at him. “So don’t do anything stupid. No woman is worth dying for.”
“I don’t intend to die,” Magnus answered. “As for my plans, other than trying to spook the crew, I really can’t do anything until we reach York.”
“And then what?” Orm challenged. “Even if you get her free of Croa, York’s a very long way from the western coast of Eire, which is where you said she hails from.”
Put in those terms, his goal did sound impossible. But Magnus wouldn’t let himself think like that. He’d managed to remain near the Irishwoman. Now he had only to wait for a chance to free her.
“Have a care for yourself, Orm,” Magnus said as the two prepared to go their separate ways. “Although your skill with a knife is impressive.” He motioned to the dagger tucked into Orm’s belt.
“When you’re ‘a puny fellow’ you have to find ways to even the score.” Orm gave Magnus an affectionate punch in the shoulder and said farewell.
* * *
Magnus boarded the ship and looked for a place to stow his supplies. The opening to the cargo area was on the prow side of the mast, but on the other side there was a small hide shelter where the women would probably be moved before they set out on the voyage.
He made his way toward the hide shelter, carefully avoiding the rolled up sail and rigging. The deck was lined with large sea chests that were nailed down so they wouldn’t slide around if the sea was rough. Magnus went to the one nearest the shelter, and saw that some other man had already claimed it by laying his sheathed sword on top.
“Looking for a place to settle in?” someone called.
Magnus looked down the deck and met the gaze of a sturdy man with wheat-colored hair. Recognizing him as the warrior he’d talked to before boarding the ship the first time, Magnus knew a tinge of unease. Would this man remember all the questions he’d asked?
Magnus approached the man and nodded in greeting. “Magnus Gunnarson.”
“Asgar Ranaldson. I guess you decided to hire on with Croa.”
“Aye.”
“Good thing, too, or we’d be an oarman short. Lost another one just a bit ago. Heard about the fire, did you? And the attacks on the men?”
“Aye.”
Asgar nodded, looking thoughtful. “I don’t believe any of that nonsense about a curse either. If you ask me, some man set the fire and bludgeoned the two crewman to make Croa look bad.”
Magnus’s mind raced as he tried to think how to respond. “Does Croa have a lot of enemies?” he asked.
Asgar shrugged. “Any man with wealth and power is going to have enemies. No one’s using that sea chest,” he added, pointing to the one across from his.
Although this chest was farther down the deck than he would have liked, Magnus decided it would serve. He put down his bag of supplies and sleeping sack. Opening the bag, he began to take out his things and stow them in the chest Asgar had indicated. “I hired on with Croa because I didn’t want to return to Hedeby,” he said. “But I really don’t know what to expect as a member of Croa’s crew.”
Asgar nodded. “He’s said to be a harsh captain who doesn’t tolerate anyone questioning his orders, but he makes up for it by paying his crew very well. And he has the means to do so. This is a big ship, and the hold is filled to the top with valuable goods: casks of wine, crates of glassware, hides and grain.”
Asgar didn’t mention the women, and
“Nay, I want to go,” Orm responded. “Besides, you’ll need my aid when we get to York.”
“Very well,” Magnus said. “But be careful. These men aren’t like those on Sigurd’s crew. They’re hardened sorts who only look after their own interests. Remember that in your dealings with them.” He fixed Orm with a fierce look. “I won’t be able to rescue you if you get into trouble.”
“And I won’t be there to guard your back either,” Orm responded, glaring back at him. “So don’t do anything stupid. No woman is worth dying for.”
“I don’t intend to die,” Magnus answered. “As for my plans, other than trying to spook the crew, I really can’t do anything until we reach York.”
“And then what?” Orm challenged. “Even if you get her free of Croa, York’s a very long way from the western coast of Eire, which is where you said she hails from.”
Put in those terms, his goal did sound impossible. But Magnus wouldn’t let himself think like that. He’d managed to remain near the Irishwoman. Now he had only to wait for a chance to free her.
“Have a care for yourself, Orm,” Magnus said as the two prepared to go their separate ways. “Although your skill with a knife is impressive.” He motioned to the dagger tucked into Orm’s belt.
“When you’re ‘a puny fellow’ you have to find ways to even the score.” Orm gave Magnus an affectionate punch in the shoulder and said farewell.
* * *
Magnus boarded the ship and looked for a place to stow his supplies. The opening to the cargo area was on the prow side of the mast, but on the other side there was a small hide shelter where the women would probably be moved before they set out on the voyage.
He made his way toward the hide shelter, carefully avoiding the rolled up sail and rigging. The deck was lined with large sea chests that were nailed down so they wouldn’t slide around if the sea was rough. Magnus went to the one nearest the shelter, and saw that some other man had already claimed it by laying his sheathed sword on top.
“Looking for a place to settle in?” someone called.
Magnus looked down the deck and met the gaze of a sturdy man with wheat-colored hair. Recognizing him as the warrior he’d talked to before boarding the ship the first time, Magnus knew a tinge of unease. Would this man remember all the questions he’d asked?
Magnus approached the man and nodded in greeting. “Magnus Gunnarson.”
“Asgar Ranaldson. I guess you decided to hire on with Croa.”
“Aye.”
“Good thing, too, or we’d be an oarman short. Lost another one just a bit ago. Heard about the fire, did you? And the attacks on the men?”
“Aye.”
Asgar nodded, looking thoughtful. “I don’t believe any of that nonsense about a curse either. If you ask me, some man set the fire and bludgeoned the two crewman to make Croa look bad.”
Magnus’s mind raced as he tried to think how to respond. “Does Croa have a lot of enemies?” he asked.
Asgar shrugged. “Any man with wealth and power is going to have enemies. No one’s using that sea chest,” he added, pointing to the one across from his.
Although this chest was farther down the deck than he would have liked, Magnus decided it would serve. He put down his bag of supplies and sleeping sack. Opening the bag, he began to take out his things and stow them in the chest Asgar had indicated. “I hired on with Croa because I didn’t want to return to Hedeby,” he said. “But I really don’t know what to expect as a member of Croa’s crew.”
Asgar nodded. “He’s said to be a harsh captain who doesn’t tolerate anyone questioning his orders, but he makes up for it by paying his crew very well. And he has the means to do so. This is a big ship, and the hold is filled to the top with valuable goods: casks of wine, crates of glassware, hides and grain.”
Asgar didn’t mention the women, and
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