Free Viking Boy by Tony Bradman Page B

food for the fishes now, and good riddance.”
    Come on, Rurik, thought Gunnar, where are you? Suddenly a dark shape rose from the water beside him. It was Rurik, and the big man took a deep breath and squeezed Gunnar’s shoulder. Above them people laughed and called out to one another, but it was clear the crowd was leaving. When it seemed that everyone had gone, Gunnar made as if to head for the quayside steps. Rurik held him back.
    “Wait,” Rurik hissed. There was a sudden flare of light and Gunnar saw that somebody was directly above them. He looked up through the planking – and drew in his breath sharply. Ari was holding a torch out over the water.
    Gunnar’s heart pounded. What if Ari had guessed what they’d done? But Ari walked away at last, his heavy footsteps echoing in the space beneath the quayside, and Gunnar breathed out. Rurik squeezed his shoulder again, and they made for the steps. Rurik hauled Gunnar up beside him, and they lay there gasping like a pair of dying salmon in the bottom of a fisherman’s boat.
    After a while Gunnar sensed a light above them and raised his eyes. A dark figure was standing at the top of the steps, a man holding a torch, his face in shadow. Gunnar groaned again, sure Ari had found them.

F OURTEEN
A F INE -L OOKING C RAFT

    G UNNAR WAITED FOR Ari to yell, for the alarm to be raised. But it wasn’t Ari – it was Thorkel.
    “Quickly now, come with me,” Thorkel said, and reached out a hand.
    Gunnar didn’t stop to ask questions. He scrambled up the steps, Rurik behind him. Soon Thorkel was hurrying them across the empty quayside and through the dark alleys to his own hut, dousing the torch in a barrel of water outside and pushing them through the door. He lit an oil lamp and hung it on a rafter, its pale glow chasing shadows into the corners.
    “How did you know we weren’t dead?” said Gunnar.
    “I didn’t,” said Thorkel. “I came just in case, and you appeared at my feet. You nearly frightened
me
to death.” He opened a chest, pulled out a couple of tunics and tossed them to Gunnar and Rurik. “You’d better get out of those wet clothes. If the Gods are willing, you could be in the mountains before the sun rises and people wonder why you’re not still tied to those posts.”
    “No,” said Gunnar. “I’m not going to the mountains.”
    “But you have to get out of Kaupang!” said Thorkel. “You can’t hide from Orm for long, and he’ll think of an even worse way to kill you next time.”
    “I know all that,” said Gunnar. “But the only way I’m leaving Kaupang is by sea. I have an oath to fulfil, and I want you to find someone who will give me passage to the Land of Ice and Fire. Rurik is coming, and so should you.”
    “What in Odin’s name is the boy talking about, Rurik?”
    “It’s a long story,” sighed Rurik. “You should just do what he says.”
    Thorkel scowled. “I’m too old to go voyaging,” he said, shaking his head. “But I’ll do what I can. Although finding anybody who’s mad enough to take the pair of you out of Kaupang on a ship won’t be easy.”
    Gunnar smiled. “You know who to ask though, don’t you?”
    “You’re right, I do…” Thorkel said, rubbing his beard. “Mind you, I have a feeling the ship I’m thinking of will be leaving very soon.”
    “We’d best get on with it then, hadn’t we?” said Rurik.
    Thorkel nodded, opened the hut door and re-lit his torch. “I’ll make the introduction. After that you’re on your own.”
    Soon they were hurrying through the alleys again. They saw no one at first, but then they turned a corner and bumped into a couple of Orm’s Hounds.
    “Is that you, Thorkel?” said one of the men. His gaze moved to Gunnar and Rurik, and his eyes widened. “Hey, you two are supposed to be dead…” They both grabbed their sword hilts, but Thorkel beat them to it, drawing his blade in one deft movement. He swiftly chopped down the man who had spoken, but the other