Troll Blood by Katherine Langrish Read Free Book Online Page A

eagerly.
    “Oh, I just cut the fellow’s hair for him. With this,” said Harald with a lazy wink, patting his sword. Sigurd laughed out loud, and Ralf grinned. Astrid studied her nails, and Gudrun shook her head. Peer stared at Harald in deep dislike.
    Harald twitched. He brushed at his shoulder, frowning. A moment later he shook his head, combing his fingers through his hair. Then Peer realized. The Nis, perching in the rafters, was amusing itself by dropping things onto Harald’s head—dead spiders and bits of grit and cobwebs. Brilliant! He tousled Loki’s ears, grinning.
    “Anyway, tell us about your settlement,” exclaimed Ralf. “What’s it called? What’s it like? And how’s my old friend Thorolf?”
    Peer looked up. It would be good to hear news of Thorolf; he remembered him as a tall, pleasant-faced man who had often spoken to his father in the boat sheds at Hammerhaven.
    A glance passed between Harald and Gunnar. “We’ve had no news of Thorolf since we left him in Vinland last year,” saidHarald, yawning. “Have we, Father?”
    “How could we?” Gunnar shivered suddenly, and the cup shook and splashed in his hand. He set it down. “Harald’s right. We left him there last year. Haven’t been back since.”
    “Ah, then you don’t know what he’s up to now,” Ralf pointed out. “He may have come after you.”
    Gunnar mumbled something. Peer, who was sitting near him, saw in surprise that his face was beaded with sweat. He noticed Astrid giving her husband a sharp, curious glance.
    Harald shook his hair. “I think we’ll find Thorolf and his men right where we left them,” he said, smiling. “I don’t think he had any plans to leave.”
    Ralf leaned forward, rubbing his hands. “Didn’t he, now? Maybe you’re right. It’s a wonderful land. Those green forests, full of game—the rivers bursting with fish. No wonder Thorolf wants to make a home there. And you, you’re on your way back?”
    Harald nodded. “We have two good solid houses in a sheltered bay, with a river running out of the woods, and good anchorage in the river mouth. We named it Serpent’s Bay—because of the two ships,
Long Serpent
and
Water Snake”
    And I suppose that was your clever idea
, thought Peer, watching mesmerized as a dried bean bounced off Harald’s shoulder and skittered across the table. Sigurd noticed it this time. He nudged Sigrid, and the pair of them glanced upward and giggled.
    Arnë broke in eagerly. “Ralf, why don’t you come with us?That’s why I brought Gunnar here. He’s looking for another man, and I told him you’ve always talked about another voyage.”
    Gudrun, who’d been going around the table with the jug, knocked Arnë’s cup over. Ale washed across the table. Sigrid jumped up for a cloth, but Gudrun stood stock-still, eyes fixed on Ralf.
    “Arnë’s right.” Gunnar wiped his face and looked steadier. “It’s like this, Ralf: My old crew split up over the winter. On the profits of the last trip, some of them got married or bought land, and didn’t want to set out again this season. So I’ve been looking for new men. Picked up a couple in Hammerhaven—Arnë, for one—but there’s room for another. Interested?” He didn’t wait for Ralf to reply, but went on: “Here’s the plan. Setting out this early, we ought to reach Vinland by midsummer. The Greenlanders will pay anything for good timber, and it’s there for the taking, great tall oaks and pines. Spend the winter trapping—fox and beaver. The place belongs to no one. No kings, no laws. It’s all free. You can carve yourself a piece of land and be absolute master. Think about it. You could come home and buy Gudrun a gold necklace. Or a couple of cows or more land, whatever you like. What do you say?”
    “I knew you’d ask,” said Ralf slowly. “I’ve been thinking about it all evening, deciding what to do …”
    Gunnar sat back. “Good! Let’s drink to it.”
    “…but I’m needed on the farm,”