As we came closer, I recognized the families of my men who were eager to greet them. As it so happened, Hilgrid had no family to speak of and this would hopefully help to conceal him a bit longer. Among the faces of villagers was that of the wife and child of Rekkr. I looked down at his covered corpse and closed my eyes for a moment, lamenting over the terrible news I must now give. The men threw their lines to the warriors standing dockside and we were pulled tightly against the wood planks.
“Where is Rekkr?” his wife Taina called to me. I stood there silent waiting to disembark the ship so I could give her the news in private but the look of dread had already overcome her when she did not see her lover pulling an oar. “Audan? Where is he?” I dropped my head for a moment and gazed toward
