But not too quick for Geir.
Whether it was luck or some preternatural speed, he caught the skald around the waist even as he clapped a hand over her mouth. I hurried to shut the door, then lit a lamp. Steinunn thrashed and kicked in Geir’s arms, thumping her bare heels against his shins.
“I’m here to talk, and I want you to listen,” I told her. “And believe me, you should quit trying to bite my brother because you’re going to come away with a bigger mouthful than you hope for.”
Steinunn stared at me, then rolled her eyes up to look at Geir. Immediately she began thrashing about in a panic, no stranger to draug given she’d followed me and Bjorn through the tunnels beneath Fjalltindr. I waited for her to give up trying to escape, exhaustion forcing a degree of calmness back into her, then I said, “It’s true what you’ve been told. In the battle on the strait, I used Hel’s magic to pull the souls of most of Snorri’s army down to Helheim. What you don’t know is that it was Harald who manipulated me into doing so.”
Steinunn stared at me, eyes filled with angry skepticism.
There was no good way to explain everything, so I carried on. “Harald is a child of Loki. A trickster and a shape-shifter. Snorri is dead. I know this, because I watched Bjorn kill him.” As quickly as I could, I told her of what had happened on the island, the truth about Saga, and how Ylva had taken Bjorn. My throat was dry as I explained how I’d gone into Helheim and brought back the souls of the warriors I’d cursed, promising them another chance at Valhalla. When I was finished, I said, “I need your help revealing the reality of what hashappened when everyone gathers tomorrow for Bjorn’s execution. Your song will reveal the truth. Now, if Geir removes his hand, do you promise not to scream?”
Steinunn gave a tight nod, remaining silent as my brother moved his hand, though she scrubbed at her mouth. I didn’t blame her for that.
“Harald is wearing Snorri’s face,” I continued. “It’s a clever way for Harald to rule both nations. He’s manipulating you and everyone else.”
“That’s impossible. They are both here. I’ve seen them with my own eyes, and Harald—” Steinunn broke off, likely unwilling to reveal to me that Harald still intended to kill Snorri, little knowing that Geir and I had overheard them.
“But have you ever seen them together?” Geir asked. “Has anyone seen them together?”
“Ylva—”
“Ylva knows the truth.” Sweat was pouring down my back because I’d been so sure that Steinunn would believe me. “I can only assume that Harald has secured her cooperation with threats against Leif’s life.Think,Steinunn. Have you once seen them together since the battle? Or if that is not compelling enough proof, ask yourself this: Did you ever see Harald andSagatogether?”
Silence.
“You’re a skald, Steinunn! You know the lore. You know what Loki’s children can do!”
For a moment, I thought that I’d have to slap her to get a reaction, but then Steinunn whispered, “So Snorri is dead? Dead by Bjorn’s hand?”
“Yes.” My fingers balled into fists of frustration because this was not the reaction I’d hoped for. “Harald is a child of Loki and he has worn many faces not his own. Compose a song about what happened to me on that island and you’ll see the truth. That is the power of your magic.”
“The man who killed my family is dead,” she breathed. “Killed by his own son. The son he was trying to steal back when he attacked my village. Justice has been done.”
My stomach dropped and I abruptly realized that I had erred. None of Harald’s trickery mattered to Steinunn because he’d given her the thing she wanted more than life itself: revenge.
“He’s lying to you! We overheard your conversation—Harald lied to your face.”
“Freya, keep your voice down,” Geir hissed. “You’re going to get us caught.”
“But did he lie?” Steinunn stepped closer to me, breath hot against my face. “He said I would have my justice, I needed only to be patient. He planned to tell me the truth.”
“He doesn’t tell anyone the truth!” It took concerted effort not to shout, because why didn’t she understand? “But you can help us reveal what he is to everyone. You can help me fix this.”
“No,” Steinunn whispered, then she opened her mouth and screamed.
Geir clapped his hand over her mouth, but I knew that it was too late. Someone would have heard her scream and would come to investigate. Worse still, Steinunn had proven my brother was right.
No one cared about the truth. No one cared about the lies that had been told. Because it was in their best interests not to. “Let her go.”
Geir looked ready to argue but Steinunn wrenched away from him. “Snorri and Skaland took everything from me when they killed my family,” the skald snarled. “I swore vengeance, and now I have it.”
I shook my head and stepped back, my heart filled not with fear or anger, but sorrow at seeing how grief had eaten her up inside and turned her cruel. Turned her selfish. “Then all the Skalanders have the right to know the reason you hate them so much. Compose your song, Steinunn. Show them why Snorri deserved to die. Show them why you deserved vengeance.”
She blanched.
“That’s what I thought.” I shook my head. “Coward.”
“Freya, we must run!” Geir hauled on my arm, dragging me out the door. Shouts were sounding in the great hall, voices demanding that the scream be investigated.
