Ship of the Dead by James Jennewein Read Free Book Online Page B

Niflheim’s hag in some sort of nefarious business. He must be stopped.”
    â€œWhy can’t you just snip Thidrek’s thread of life again?” Jarl asked.
    Skuld looked at Jarl as if that were the stupidest question she had ever heard, but she answered anyway. “Once a man has met his mortal fate, he is outside of our dominion. That is why Hel uses draugrs—the un dead—to sow her mischief on earth.”
    â€œSo basically, all you want is Thidrek dead for good,” Jarl said, interlocking his fingers, casually cracking his knuckles. “You’ve come to the right man. Because I will personally dispatch the draugr Thidrek. Tell me where he is and the deed is all but done.”
    Again Skuld gave Jarl a withering glare. “Do you have any idea how to kill a draugr? Your weapons are useless against the undead. Draugrs are an altogether different animal, and to kill them you must use this.” From the folds of her robe Skuld produced a plump and shiny golden yellow apple, holding it aloft in the palm of her hand as if it were something of awesome magic.
    â€œWe hit him with fruit?” Jarl asked.
    Skuld sighed in exasperation and said to Jarl, “I’m so glad you’re not the brains of this outfit.” She turned to Dane and Lut, continuing. “Ordinary steel will not cut a draugr. Only an enchanted blade of otherworldly strength and sharpness will. There is but one man alive with the wile to craft such a blade. Déttmárr the Smith is his name. He is an aged dwarf who hovers near death. Bring him this apple of youth from Goddess Idunn’s tree. Once he eats it, his youth will be restored and he will have strength again to forge your weapon. But you must not delay; his days dwindle.”
    From Norse myth, Dane knew that Idunn’s apples of youth were what kept the gods perpetually young. “Where do we find this Déttmárr?” he asked.
    â€œGo to the Passage of Mystery,” she said. Before Dane could say another word, her image shimmered and became blindingly brilliant, forcing them to shield their eyes. An ear-shattering crack of thunder sounded, accompanied by a sudden rush of wind that almost knocked them off their feet. The light faded, and when they looked back she was gone—and so was the Book of Fate. For a moment all of them just stood there, bedazzled by the effects.
    â€œShe couldn’t just disappear quietly?” said Jarl.
    â€œGods have to make big exits,” Lut explained, “so as to leave us puny humans in awe.” Dane looked down and saw he was holding the apple in his hand. Lut crossed to him, reaching for it. “Give it to me.”
    Dane pulled it back from Lut’s grasp. “Why?”
    â€œBecause our mission depends on its safe delivery to Déttmárr, and you will have enough on your hands leading us.”
    â€œWho says he’s leading us?” Jarl said.
    â€œ I do,” Dane said. “Because Astrid’s fate depends on us killing Thidrek.”
    â€œAnd if we don’t kill him, I’m doomed to die of old age,” Jarl countered. “I have bigger stakes— I’m leading.”
    This was the same argument they’d had since they were boys, vying for dominance, and Dane knew nothing would be solved until they were actually out on the quest and his leadership skills proved superior, as always was the case. So he proposed they share the command and Jarl grudgingly accepted. That settled, Dane said to Lut, “Where is this Passage of Mystery?”
    â€œIt is north of here, a week’s ride.” Lut regarded the apple, and for an instant Dane saw a look of hunger flash across his face. “It would be safer in my custody,” Lut repeated.
    â€œShe put the apple in my hands,” Dane said. “Besides, we have to move fast. Which means, I’m afraid, you’re not coming, Lut.”
    â€œBut I’m the only one who knows the