Hallow wood, p.23
Hallow Wood, page 23
part #4 of The Furyck Saga Series
Draguta spat in fury, looking up and down the wall.
Symbols.
Her magic could not pass those symbols. Sabba could not pass those symbols.
She smiled and crawled around the side of the fort, clambering over the ship sheds and buildings, smashing everything with her enormous, clawed feet and fiercesome tail.
‘Follow me! Quickly!’ Ulf shouted as he ran and slipped across the ice.
It felt hard underfoot, and normally that would have given him confidence, but he had seen the serpent break through that ice, smashing his ship, taking Haegen Dragos. He didn’t know what was lurking beneath their feet. It was dark, and the storm was too loud for him to hear any warning of what might be coming next. But he knew that whatever happened, they had to get off the ice.
‘Mother!’ Karsten cried as Bayla slipped, falling to her knees. He rushed forward, adjusting Kai in his arms, reaching out a hand to pull her up. Ulf was there too, lifting the queen back onto her feet. ‘Hurry!’ Karsten implored, his face numb from the cold, his son frozen in his arms; the terror of his brother’s death too shocking to acknowledge.
He could barely breathe.
They had to find land. They had to get off the ice.
Jael ran around the ramparts, following the path of the serpent, trying to keep out of its line of sight.
It was crawling around the walls, slapping its spiky tail in irritation. She needed it to stay still. In one place. The sea-fire would be wasted if they shot at a moving target.
Eadmund joined Jael on the ramparts, his eyes popping open at the sight of the colossal serpent. Jael put a finger to her lips. ‘It can’t get in. The symbol is working,’ she whispered, though she didn’t look confident.
Eadmund nodded, as worried as his wife.
They both knew that the symbol had not been added everywhere yet. There were parts of the eastern wall that were missing the new symbol entirely.
‘I have to kill it with my sword. If I can get it where I want it.’
‘How?’
Lightning shot down into the harbour, and the serpent shrieked, swishing its tail. They could hear another building shatter as the storm rumbled with renewed fervour overhead.
Jael grinned. ‘We’re going to take out its foundations!’
Eadmund blinked in surprise, remembering how worried he had been about her fighting Tarak. Yes, she had taken out his foundations, but Tarak had nearly killed her. And Tarak Soren had been as big as one of the serpent’s fangs.
‘Come on!’ Jael called, running around to the western side of the fort. ‘Hurry!’
Entorp had a firm hand on the puppies’ ropes as he stood by the mouth of the bigger of the two caves, trying to soothe Ido and Vella who couldn’t decide if they wanted to go inside the foul-smelling, dark hole.
Entorp knew that he didn’t. He’d never liked caves, having been lost in one as a child, so he was happy to watch from the entrance, despite the bitter cold.
Wondering what was happening down in the fort.
Hoping that Jael would stay safe.
He could hear the great roar in the distance. As could everyone else who passed him by, shaking and shivering, wishing they’d stopped to find furs and cloaks, their boots thick with ice, their hands and faces chapped, their beards frozen.
They could all hear the roar.
‘It’s just thunder,’ Entorp smiled encouragingly as Amma hurried past, leading her horse with one hand, gripping Eydis’ hand with the other. ‘Just a bad storm.’
Eydis turned towards his voice, hearing his lie, knowing that what was attacking the fort was no storm.
Jael knew that she had to draw the serpent away from the one place it could get into the fort. ‘You want me?’ she shouted, trying to make herself heard. The thunder quickly died away, and Jael shouted again. ‘I’m here! Over here!’ Her heart was banging in her chest with such force that it felt as though it would burst through her mail shirt. Not one part of her wanted to call that creature closer.
She unsheathed Toothpick, hoping that it wasn’t some form of dragon.
A fire-breathing dragon.
The serpent didn’t hear her. It kept sliding away, towards the eastern wall. Jael swallowed, shaking her head, watching her frozen breath stream out before her.
Down in the fort, Aleksander had everyone pulling the catapults into position in front of the harbour gates, loading more sea-fire jars. They were blind, though, and could only hope that Jael would lure the serpent back. It was hard to know where it was, though the screeching, hissing noise certainly helped.
Aleksander picked up his bow and held his breath, frowning as Jael tried to get its attention. ‘Jael!’ he cried, though his voice was lost under another shudder of thunder. ‘Jael!’
She turned, staring down at him.
‘The piece of wood I gave you! Throw it down to me!’
Jael looked confused, then realisation dawned. She sheathed Toothpick and dug into her pouch, pulling out the rough piece of wood that Aleksander had carved the symbol onto. Stepping to the edge of the ramparts, she threw it towards him.
Sabba’s nostrils were in the air, quickly smelling her.
‘I’m here!’ Jael shouted, flapping her arms. ‘You want me? Draguta? Morana? You want me? I’m here! Come and kill me!’
At last.
Draguta could smell her. See her. She could feel Sabba’s heavy body swing around, surging back towards the tiny, helpless figure of Jael Furyck as she peered over the rampart wall, glimmering in her helmet and mail.
Draguta could feel the serpent’s enormous jaw unlock, her fangs prising themselves apart.
Salivating.
Gobs of thick saliva dripping from her spear-like teeth.
She paused, confused, then smiled.
Jael Furyck had a secret.
The ice was melting. Cracking. It was no longer safe to stand on, and Karsten was doing everything he could to move his family and Hanna towards the shore as quickly as possible.
They could see it now: the dark shapes of hills in the distance. The promise of a beach. Solid land. Karsten could feel it getting closer, but the ice was softening rapidly, and no one was moving fast enough. ‘Hurry!’ he yelled, catching Ulf’s blinking eyes. ‘Mother, give me Eron! You’ll go faster without him. Pick up your cloak. Watch your footing!’
And as Karsten reached for his eldest son, he heard the cracking. He only had the one arm free to grab Eron – Kai was in the other – and he had no way of snatching his mother as well. But in a heartbeat, she was gone, dropping through a hole, straight down into the icy sea. ‘Mother!’
‘Mother!’ Berard cried helplessly, too far away to reach her.
But Ulf was there, sliding down onto the ice, reaching into the hole for Bayla, who had thought quickly enough to push her arm up as she sank. Wrapping his fingers around her wrist, Ulf plucked her sodden, frozen body out of the water in one big rush.
Bayla was spluttering, shaking, and very much alive, but not for long if they didn’t get her in front of a fire. None of them would be safe if they didn’t get off the ice.
‘Move! Go! Go! Go!’ Karsten urged, hurrying forward. ‘We need to get to shore. Hurry!’
Aleksander’s eyes were up on the ramparts, waiting for Jael’s signal. ‘Hold!’ he called to Ivaar, Thorgils, and Bram; to the Arnesson brothers and Torstan; to Eadmund, who had come back to join them, and the men who were waiting by the gates, ready to lift the beam. He held up his hand, preparing to drop it when Jael did, his eyes never leaving her. ‘Hold!’
The storm was holding too.
The only noises anyone could hear were Jael’s taunting screams and the serpent’s shrieking hiss.
‘You will not defeat us!’ Jael yelled, trying to lure the serpent closer, but it had stopped, not quite where she wanted it. She needed to irritate it into moving just a little more to the right. ‘That’s what the prophecy says, doesn’t it, Draguta? That I will be victorious over you! You think this little worm can hurt me? Ha!’ she laughed. ‘You do not know me!’
And Sabba edged closer, her nostrils flaring angrily, her black head rising up to meet Jael.
And Jael threw down her arm, running for the stairs.
‘Now!’ Aleksander shouted. ‘Fire! Archers, light your arrows!’
The sea-fire jars soared over the walls, crashing onto the jagged ridges of the serpent’s flicking tail, smashing into its spitting mouth, breaking as they hit the ground.
‘Archers! Fire at will!’ Aleksander cried before turning back to his men. ‘Load the catapults! Again! Again!’
Jael ran out of the guard tower as the serpent reared up, screeching furiously, snapping its head around. Lightning pierced through the clouds, helping to spark the sea-fire alight; flaming arrows following quickly.
Fire exploded across the serpent’s back.
Jael knew that she didn’t have long, but if the catapults and the arrows and the lightning kept up, the serpent would have little time to notice her. She ran for the gates, where Aleksander was already waiting. Eadmund was quickly beside her, sword drawn. Thorgils, Aedan, Aron, Beorn, and the Arnessons hurried to join them.
‘Keep it busy!’ Jael yelled to Ivaar who was running all of the catapults now with Oleg and Bram. ‘Open the gates!’ she called to the men who waited, ready to lift the wooden beam.
‘Hold!’ Ivaar bellowed at the catapult crews. ‘Hold!’
And above their heads, the storm exploded, lightning striking Sabba over and over as thunder rumbled menacingly in the distance.
The serpent appeared so distracted by trying to put out the fire along its back that it didn’t notice their approach at first. But it felt the tear of flesh as Jael and her men rushed around, slicing through each one of its four solid legs.
Sabba roared, head back, jaw open, spittle flying everywhere.
They scattered as another bolt of lightning lit up the sea-fire along the serpent’s back.
‘Move!’ Jael cried, not wanting her men to be crushed as it spun, swinging its flaming tail towards them. ‘Back to the wall!’
And when they were flattened back against the stone wall of the fort, watching the serpent screech and twist itself into angry knots, Jael called out. ‘Ivaar! Arrows!’
More arrows shot over the ramparts, stabbing into Sabba’s face; one piercing her eye. She swung her head in pain, trying to put out the flames, but the lightning struck again, keeping her alight.
Blood was leaking from the serpent’s legs now, and Jael hoped that it wouldn’t simply freeze in the cold, but she realised that it was not as cold anymore. She wasn’t shivering, but perhaps that was merely the heat from the flames that rose up from the ground all around them. The sea-fire was burning everywhere. ‘Again!’ Jael yelled, running for the serpent’s back legs, conscious of its sharp claws digging into the melting ice, trying to keep its balance.
Dropping her head to the ground, Sabba swept it quickly to the left, trying to hit her attackers as they approached again. But they were too fast. Eadmund, Aleksander, and Thorgils ran, sliding to the left, swords out, slashing the serpent’s leg. Jael, Erl, and the rest ran to the right.
‘Again!’ Jael cried. ‘Again!’
Gant stood at the entrance of the smaller cave, watching the storm rage over the fort. Kormac waited anxiously next to him, worried about his sons. Wondering what was happening. Listening to the strange, screeching noises.
Surely that wasn’t the storm?
Biddy and Edela joined them, unable to stay still inside the cave.
Anxious to know what was happening.
Biddy swallowed nervously. ‘What is that?’ It sounded as though something was in pain.
‘That,’ Edela said quietly as she gripped hold of Biddy’s shaking arm. ‘That is Toothpick.’
Jael could see that only Toothpick was making any headway. The other swords didn’t appear to have any bite as they jabbed and sliced the serpent’s legs. It was only when Toothpick’s blade cut its skin that the serpent would roar in pain.
She knew they didn’t have long before the giant beast tired of their game, but there was only one Toothpick. So everyone took turns trying to protect Jael as she ran around the serpent’s legs, chopping into its thick, scaly skin with her sharp blade.
Sabba, furious and in pain, dropped her head to the ground, lashing out to the right, knocking Thorgils flying into the fort wall.
‘Thorgils!’ Jael yelled as Sabba flicked her head again, screeching in frustration, swinging to the left. Aedan ran to avoid getting hit, but he smashed straight into Erl Arnesson, who was not as fast as him, and they both tumbled to the ground.
Jael watched as the serpent opened its jaw, aiming for the fallen men. ‘Draguta!’ she screamed. ‘I’m here! Come and get me!’
Sabba swung back quickly.
Jael wrapped both hands around Toothpick’s hilt and ran towards the serpent, dropping to the slippery ground, sliding underneath its head, just before it smashed down onto the ground.
Lifting Toothpick as she slid, Jael stabbed the tip of her blade through the underside of the serpent’s long throat and tore it open. Pulling Toothpick out, Jael rolled away, slipping under its legs, feeling its enormous body shudder in shock, tilting to the right.
‘Back!’ she cried, wiping the foul-smelling blood and muck out of her eyes; waving her men back to the gates; checking that everyone was on their feet. ‘Into the fort! Ivaar! Now!’ And running for the open gates, Jael could feel the rush of air as the serpent spun around, blood and bits falling out of its throat, splattering over the white ground.
Sabba was weak from the leaking wounds in her legs, and now, the gaping hole in her throat. The sea-fire jars crashed against her hard body, cracking open, and then the lightning and arrows followed, and she tried to turn her head, but it felt so heavy now. She tried to open her mouth, desperate to extinguish the exploding fire as the flames fanned towards her face in a sudden gust of wind. But when she wrenched open her massive jaw and tried to blow, she couldn’t.
No air would come from her ruined throat.
And she wobbled, spent, her legs failing. Turning, she slipped, her claws stuck in the ice, twisting awkwardly; her body tangling like a slithering black knot, falling to the ground in a heap of skin and fangs and exploding flames.
‘No!’ Draguta roared, on her knees. ‘Get up! Fight! You must kill her! We have her! She is there. Right there! Get up, you stupid creature!’
She was squeezing Meena’s hand so tightly that Meena jerked out of the trance, wincing, trying to rip her fingers away before her bones shattered. But Draguta only clamped down more tightly, still lost in the trance, swaying, trying to help Sabba hold on to her fading lifeblood.
‘Wait!’ Jael called as her men moved to shut the gates. ‘Aleksander! My symbol!’ Jael spun and grabbed the little piece of wood from him, slipping it into her pouch. And squeezing through the smallest hint of a gap between the gates, she ran back across the melting ice, towards the dying serpent whose long, black tongue had flopped out of its mouth. One big, golden eye was fixed open, dilated, leaking blood from the arrow speared through it.
But Jael had to be sure.
The flames were burning up the serpent’s back, charring its hard shell, burrowing into the arrow holes, scorching its soft flesh.
Jael ran up the serpent’s wide, spiky nose, not feeling any reaction. And standing between its eyes, feeling the intense heat from the flames all around her, she lifted Toothpick into the air and brought him down with a crack, spearing the sharp blade straight through its head.
21
Draguta held out her hands. They were long and pale and covered in blood.
Shaking with fury.
She turned her head up to the sky. ‘This is just the beginning!’ she seethed. ‘You think that you can stop me? That she can? Your little puppet?’ Spinning around, she watched as Morana and Meena tried to blink themselves out of the trance; wet through, shivering, suddenly aware of the intense cold.
Jaeger held the drum, frustrated that he hadn’t seen anything.
Not invited into the circle, he had been left drumming again like a servant. His head was muddled with the herbs from the fire, but he had not seen a thing.
‘I will find you!’ Draguta yelled as she spun away and stalked towards the book, scooping it into her arms, and hurrying away from them all. She was desperate to get back to her candles, her lamps, her bright, warm fire.
‘What did she do?’ Jaeger asked throatily as Morana approached. ‘What did she do?’
‘She raised a creature,’ Morana murmured, still in shock. ‘Raemus’ serpent. Sabba.’
‘The book showed her how to do that?’ Jaeger was incredulous, watching Draguta’s white dress disappear into the darkness.
Morana nodded her head slowly. ‘She knows the secrets of the book. Everything Raemus hid in there. It all belongs to her.’
‘And so do we. For now,’ Jaeger muttered, his mind quickly turning to thoughts of capturing the book with Meena.
Defeating Draguta. Ruling Osterland.
‘But not if Jael Furyck gets her way!’ Morana spat, tugging her hood over her face before turning into the rain.
Meena let Jaeger grab her hand without protest as they followed Morana, eager for a fire, a fur; anything but this incessant, icy rain. How did she ever stand a chance of getting the book away from someone as powerful as Draguta? Meena sighed, thinking of Berard. Wishing that she’d sailed away with him.
What had she been thinking?
‘Aarrghh!’ Another man fell through the ice.
Two of the crew ran back to help him, dragging the shaking man out of the water before the cold took him.
Karsten didn’t turn around as he urged Nicolene on. For once she was quiet, too terrified to complain. She gripped Lucina’s hand, pulling the little girl along; both of them stumbling and shaking. Utterly silent.
