Chapter Seventy

Njord and Tyr spotted the caves at the same time. They approached with caution, two young men trained in a fighting culture. The berserkers weren’t far behind. He felt a kind of pride in being their unacknowledged leader, though he supposed the Icelander would have something to say about that.

“Still here then,” he commented, as he had done countless times since they’d set off on this mission so close to both their hearts.

As usual Tyr chose to ignore his levity. The two of them were firm friends and a bit of ribbing wasn’t about to change that.

In the past his cousin might have asked if he wished him gone so he could stake a claim to be Jarl. Not any more. He knew Njord wasn’t interested. There hadn’t been any talk of Beyla until now.

Njord had come clean about his intentions and, given the circumstances, Tyr had not voiced any objections.

“You love her,” he stated. “I never knew.”

And that was that.

They didn’t find her in the caves, just signs that someone had been held there and r