Page 3 of The Magic of Vanaheim

Startling awake, Talvi sat up. He shied away from the large hand grabbing his shoulder, getting himself tangled in the sheets and almost falling out of his bed.

“What’s going on?” Talvi yelped, even as he realized that the person towering over him was nobody else than Arngrim.

“We’re under attack!” his bodyguard and mentor barked.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the sleep still clinging to him and his lingering confusion, Talvi peeked at the window. Behind Arngrim’s broad back, the red glow of fires could be seen. A cold shiver ran down his spine.

“Have theÆsirfound us? Where are mother andäiti?”

Something like sorrow crossed over Arngrim’s face, fueling Talvi’s unease.

“Not theÆsir. But I can’t find your mothers. Nobody must know of their absence, your Highness. Your presence is needed on the battlements.”

Talvi was already on his feet, summoning his leather armor with a wave of his hand. This couldn’t be. He had shared hisnattmalwith his mothers only a few hours ago before heading to bed. They were the queens, the most powerful sorceresses, and mighty warriors, both. They couldn’t have justvanished.

“Lead the way and please tell me Perhonen is with us.”

By the stars, hehopedPerhonen was with them.

A flicker of a smile crossed over Arngrim’s bearded face.

“Don’t worry, your Highness, the old hag is holding the first line of defense.”

Releasing a long breath, Talvi grabbed for his sword. He slipped on his boots, almost toppling over as his armor still attached itself.

“Hurry up,” Arngrim grumbled. His mentor’s habitual impatience calmed Talvi’s nerves to some extent. This he could handle.

They rushed through the corridors of the citadel, deserted and eerily quiet in the depth of night. But as they neared the battlements, the raging of the fight far below could be heard.

“They’re already within the harbor wall, landing their longboats and swarming into the lower town,” Arngrim wheezed. “You must call the defenders into the citadel. Close the gates and keep the raiders from sacking the castle and the higher town.”

Stepping out on the battlements, Talvi found them unmanned. Only a few archers lingered indecisively, staring worriedly down at the city. Talvi’s breath caught in his throat as he followed their gazes. The fjord was glimmering with hundreds of lights,the torches of warriors manning dozens, maybe hundreds of longboats. What inHel’sname was going on?

“The raiders are already in the town below, my Prince,” Arngrim repeated. “We have to—”

An earthy smell tickled Talvi’s nose, compelling him to tune out Arngrim’s rambling. It was Perhonen’sseiðr.He could feel her power raging somewhere down in the labyrinth of the harbor town. But there was something else, the scent of snow and metal.

“Get down!”

Grabbing Arngrim by the shoulder, Talvi pulled him to the ground in a graceless tangle of limbs. Only a second later, the citadel shook under the impact of a magical onslaught. Sharp splinters rained down on them from where a huge block of ice had smashed into the wall.

“Fuck!” Arngrim yelled, bringing up his round shield.

Talvi hastily covered them with a protective globe. The magic felt sloppy, almost slipping from his grasp, but it served its purpose.

“What in the Nine Worlds?” Arngrim spluttered.

“Frost magic,” Talvi breathed. “It’s theJötnar.”

“Oh,Hel.”

Running through the streets of the lower town, Talvi cut down any raiders who stood in his way with a swing of his sword or a blast of magic. Arngrim followed on his heels, cursing up a storm.

Burning arrows rained down on them, and Talvi managed to ready his defenses at the last second. The projectiles clatteredharmlessly to the ground around them, and Talvi extinguished their fire with awave of his hand. A growl behind him had him turning in mid-run, only to see Arngrim taking out aJotunnwarrior charging towards them from an alleyway.

“I wanted you to show your face up on the battlements. To encourage our warriors. You weren’t supposed to risk your royal neck by rushing into the heart of battle!”

“We’ll be as safe as we can be when we find Perhonen.”