FLOOD

Threat in the Darkness

I made sure to keep a good distance behind Bolthur as he made his way through the forest. Maybe I hadn't noticed up until now, or maybe I'd just been stubbornly ignoring it, but my sight wasn't as good as it should have been. I was used to being able to see in the dark, all jotun could. But the forest around me was dimmer than it should have been.

Dim and cold. I shivered and rubbed at my arms, trying to tread as quietly as I could. My night vision may have faded, but something else had taken over. In the stillness, without daylight to distract me, I realized I could sense the water in the trees around me. It was nothing like the amount of water humans or jotuns had inside them, but enough so that I could make my way through the forest and know exactly where each tree was. And Bolthur might as well have been glowing, I could sense him so clearly.

His footfalls were light, crunching on the packed snow. He moved like a tracker, and occasionally he would glance back over his shoulder. I ducked behind a tree each time, heart pounding in my chest.

This was not the behavior of a man who was going out to relieve himself. He was too jumpy, acting too cautious. Almost like he expected someone to be following him. Not to mention, he was going way too far into the forest. But what on earth was out here for him?

Finally Bolthur reached a small clear patch and stopped. I hung back, pressing my back against the trunk of the nearest tree. I didn't have to see him to know he was standing still. What was he doing?

The wind started to pick up, whipping my hair in front of my face, chilling me through the thin sweatshirt I was wearing. A faint crackling noise reached me from downwind, and this time I had to peer around the tree trunk. Whatever it was sounded...electronic. That was highly unusual, since jotun usually avoided human technology at all costs, unless it was absolutely necessary. During times of war for long distance communication, perhaps.

The thought made my gut churn.

In the clearing I could make out his silhouette, crouched down in the middle of the clearing. He had something in one hand, a box-shaped thing with a glowing red light on top.

Another burst of static made Bolthur's head snap up. His voice drifted through the clearing. "Come in Echo base, are you there?"

What was echo base? The churning in my gut intensified. Whatever this was, it couldn't be good.

More static, and then a tinny voice projected from the box in Bolthur's hand. "We're here. Report."

A click, and then he spoke again. "I tried to contact you yesterday, where were you?" He sounded irritated.

"We were tied up with the search for that damned wolf, we told you that. Now report, Bolthur. Don't keep him waiting."

My blood felt like ice. That wolf. They had to be talking about Fiske. Which meant the man that Bolthur was talking to was back on the island with the humans. He was working for them. My nails bit into the palms of my hands, and I clenched my teeth together. I wanted nothing more than to launch myself at him.

Technically from here I could rip the water out of his body. But would Gunny and Ake believe me when I told them he was a traitor, or would they haul me in as a murderer? It wasn't like they knew me well enough to vouch for me. And I'd obviously made it clear I hated Bolthur. Best to wait and see how this played out.

"She's convinced my commander to take her to the king and queen. She's got an audience with them tomorrow."

"Will they take her seriously?"

"Hard to say."

"Not good enough." The voice on the other end was curt. "You wait until she's alone and you take her out."