Raven Girl

Chapter 15

Nadine fed Kutkh worms every two hours for the next week as they travelled into Jötunheim. Elias kept casting dark looks at the raven, but she liked him. He was beginning to trust her, sometimes sitting on her shoulder as they rode, sometimes flapping and wheeling about in the sky overhead. She knew he wouldn't fly off now – he saw her as a source of food. She'd never had a pet before.

Jötunheim was a land of rippling grasses and hills that seemed even more vibrant now they were travelling in daylight. Nadine wasn't used to it yet – the light scalded her eyes and shocked her whenever she woke up. It took a while to adjust to this new pattern of sleeping. Gylfi pointed towards the dark purple shape of mountains in the distance. "That's the Hexagon. They used to be volcanoes before they went extinct, and they were formed by lava. The way the lava sets is different to most types of rock, so it's formed interesting shapes."

"Oh, I've heard about them," Regina said, leaning forward in the saddle. "I've always wanted to visit."

"It's a wondrous sight," Gylfi said, "but not as good as the Great Fjord."

Nadine nodded. Jötunheim was crisscrossed by fjords, and the largest and widest actually split the country in two. Bordered by cliffs on both sides, the Great Fjord was how Jötuns travelled.

"Will we be sailing along it?" she asked.

"Of course," Gylfi said. "We'll head to my home city, Havneby, then sail out to sea."

A jolt of nerves hit Nadine. She wasn't ready to steal the sceptre from the shrikes. They needed to lie low, prepare, make a good plan. On the other hand, she itched to be free. Even Regina had gotten into the habit of constantly looking over her shoulder – Nadine wanted to not have to do that, for the first time. She didn't care what the sceptre was, or why it was so important. She'd give anything to Kostin as long as he kept his word.

She wondered what kind of life she'd lead with Gavriil when – if – she returned. Hopefully a happy, content, one. But would Kostin really let her go? It was hard to believe.

One night, as they settled down to rest – which still seemed so wrong to Nadine, she still searched the skies for daylight horrors – Gylfi seemed uneasy. He fidgeted by the fire. Kutkh had flown off to explore, and Nadine was scanning for signs of his return when she noticed Gylfi steeling himself to speak.

"I don't have my ship," he said.

The reaction was immediate.

"What?" Elias thundered.

"But you told me you had one!" Regina said.

Nadine sucked in a breath. "Why not? What kind of pirate are you?"

Gylfi raised both hands. Kutkh gave a warning croak, alighting on Nadine's shoulder. He rustled his feathers in agitation. "It was taken away from me when the politiet officers caught me. You think they'd just leave it untouched? So..." He swallowed. "When we go into Havneby, we need to break into the politistasjon's harbour. And steal it back."

The police station's harbour?

"Great," Regina groaned. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

He shrugged, biting a nail. "I'm not happy about this, either, you know! I love my ship. It is mine – I built it."

"You built it?" Nadine edged closer to the fire.

He glowered at her. "You assumed I stole it? No. As a boy, I'd always been a good fisherman and a great woodworker, so I took an apprenticeship with a ship builder. He helped me build the Stormdanser, the best thing I ever did. Then a pirate broke into his home and murdered him. He was like a father to me – I never knew my real papa, he spent all his time in the taverns."

They had all gone silent, listening to Gylfi's story. He stared into the fire, as if he could see things in the flames.

"So I used my boat to track down the murderer. Found him in Skull's Reach, the northern pirate town. I killed him for what he did – first life I ever took. When I returned home, word had already spread. Someone had seen me do it, and I was a wanted man. I'd stolen the man's loot – he'd been a captain himself – so I ended up taking to the waves, finding a crew, becoming a pirate myself because I had no other choice. I was already hunted, and there was no profession left for me anymore. Built quite a reputation for myself, too, as Captain Skarsgård of the Stormdanser. Until my quartermaster led the politiet to me. Wanted a bit of money, didn't like how much I paid him. Scum of the sea, that one – I should've never trusted him." Gylfi spat into the fire.

Nadine gazed at him. She found herself seeing him in an entirely different light – forced into exile by pursuing justice. She could imagine herself doing something similar, if Gavriil was killed. The thought sent ice down her spine.

"I'm so sorry," Regina breathed, her cheeks coloured. Nadine was wondering if she was thinking of the times she'd looked down her nose at him, because she certainly was. If only she'd known the truth behind his façade. She remembered meeting the boys, practically spitting on them and calling them murderers. There was more to them than that. There was more to Elias, too, even if he refused to tell her.

Regina put a hand on Gylfi's shoulder. He blinked, looking confused and uncomfortable, but eventually put his hand on top of hers. "So am I, princess. The ship builder should've lived the rest of his life in peace. He'd had two kids. I have no idea if they're still alive, but it's not fair that they got their father taken so soon. They were one of the reasons I went after that pirate."

"Life isn't fair," Elias rumbled from the other side of the fire. He nodded at Gylfi, a look of approval on his face. "But at least you avenged him."

"Did you take the quartermaster down with you?" Nadine asked, unable to stop herself.

Gylfi grinned, although it wasn't as bright as his usual smiles. "I did. Managed to get him arrested, too – and I thought it'd be better than gutting him, which I did consider at first. I didn't want two murder charges on my head."

Regina seemed to notice her hand was still on Gylfi's shoulder, and snatched it back with a stifled yelp. Kutkh hopped down to Nadine's knee – she winced as his sharp talons cut through her leggings – and then onto the floor. He strutted about looking for food.

Elias, to everyone's surprise, flicked a scrap of meat to him – a leftover from the rock ptarmigan they had caught earlier. He gobbled it up, and the assassin watched.

"How's your wound?" Nadine asked, forcing her voice to stay light. She hadn't forgotten the danger and darkness that had glinted in his eyes when he'd threatened her, the way he'd risen so readily to the challenge. He'd gut me in my sleep, she thought, remembering her first reaction to being told to travel with him.

"Healing. I have to be careful when riding, though," he admitted. Then he sighed through his nose. "I'm sorry I grabbed you. When you first brought the bird into camp."

"I'm sorry I said what I did. I'd never hurt you – we're each other's only chance of getting through this mission alive."

Elias nodded slowly, his expression dark.

We'll end up tearing each other apart before this is over, Nadine thought helplessly.

The next day they reached the top of a hill to see the Great Fjord. It cut through the land, a deeper colour blue than the sky, sparkling and beautiful. Framed by two earth cliffs, it looked like a long ribbon stretching into the distance, or the tail of some mighty creature.

Gylfi let out a breath. "Now we follow it to Havneby."

Eventually the cliffs sank down to become riverbanks, and they rode into the port city built on them. Havneby was a sprawling mass of buildings, its cobbles slick with river water and its air heavy yet sharp with mist. Gulls screamed overhead and countless boats bobbed in the harbours – traditional longboats beside huge ships with three masts. The only way to get to the other side of the fjord was by boat, and from the city it looked like a very long way. Jötuns bustled through the streets, transporting fish or other cargo on carts pulled by horses.

"Most of Jötun cities are built on trade, aren't they?" Nadine said, but Gylfi wasn't listening.

He'd stopped in front of a house overlooking the harbour. "This is my home."