Brotherhood Saga 03: Death (78 page)

I
’m going to have nightmares for weeks,
Odin thought.

Shivering
, he reached down to make sure both of his swords were secure before tightening the drawstrings on his cloak in hopes of fighting off the chill that seemed ever so present within this part of the country.

In his bedroll, Virgin shifted, rolling over on what Odin assumed had to have been his pack.

“Are you awake?” Odin decided to ask.

When no reply came, he bowed his head and closed his eyes, though doing so did little to discourage the reality of the situation.

One more day and you’ll be out of here.

Tomorrow, by dusk at the latest, they would
be out of the Great Divide and coasting the Western Shore, which was said to be easy travelling with little to worry about.

In the near distance, another branch snapped.

Movement came from Odin’s left side.

“Was that you?” Odin asked.

“Yes,” Virgin said.

“Do you see anything?”

“It’s here again.”

“What is?”

“That thing.”

“Do I—“

“No. Just keep your sword out. It’s looking right at you.”

At me?
Odin thought.
Why me?

He could just imagine it now—a creature, tall and emaciated, hunchbacked
, watching him with eyes that gleamed yellow in the darkness when reflecting the light of a white fire. It                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    would, he knew, be watching his hands, his black sword, his silver hilt, and it would be examining his face for any kind of emotion: fear, possibly, or maybe even terror, which plagued his heart to the point where he could barely breathe. This creature would take slow, deliberate steps toward them and open its mouth, dead or not, into a twisted yawn, and it would reach out to try and embrace him, for all things dead and human and devoid of companionship wanted to be loved.

At his side, V
irgin shifted from his bedroll. The sound of a dagger being drawn rang through Odin’s ears.

“Stay back,” the older Halfling said.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
 

Something moaned.

Odin’s heart stopped beating for one brief moment.

When it began
anew, the most horrible pain he felt in his entire life sparked within his chest and began to race up and down his arms.

No.

His breathing, once languid and slow, now came in short ragged gasps he could barely control. His knuckles tightened, his fingers curled to where they felt like they would snap free of his hands, his feet began to fall asleep. As the figure approached, and as Virgin began to step out onto the road, every ounce of confidence Odin had up until that time disappeared in one finite moment.