Ghost Ship (7 page)

“Because Flood has set a reward for your capture. The royal children are worth a thousand gold coins each.” Hallgird indicated Una. “If I’d known who the baby was, I would have handed her over months ago.”

Una kept babbling and Rollo wished she would shush. He couldn’t think straight and he had to work out how to get past Hallgird so they could escape to
Northseeker
.

Then there was an odd scuttling sound and a shadow moved above him.

Spiders!

Thousands of them, pouring in through the windows, from the cracks in the walls, gathering around them. What was going on?

The first one landed on Hallgird’s head. She shrieked and tried to brush it off. Then they began to rain down on her, a black skittering, scuttling cloud of spiders.

“Run!” Asa called, and they dashed past Hallgird and the river of spiders out into the corridor.

“What happened?” Rollo asked, glancing back over his shoulder.

“Una,” she shouted. “I bet it was her. She may not be able to talk to us yet, but it seems she can talk to spiders.”

They ran back the way they had come the previous day, only to find that the heavy gate was closed.

“No!” cried Rollo, shaking it so that it rattled dully.

Asa had backed up a few paces. “Here,” she said. “This rope, help me pull it.”

She put Una down and they pulled on the rope as hard as they could. Gradually, the gate began to rise.

“I’ll hold it while you and Una slide under,” Rollo said.

Asa grabbed Una and slipped under the gate.

“Now you,” Asa called.

He looked at the rope, which ran over a pulley. The second he let it go the gate would fall. But if he didn’t let it go, he couldn’t get out. On the stone wall, a single jutting rock caught his eye. He wrapped the rope around it, tied a tight knot, crossed his fingers, and started to run.

The knot slipped. The gate started to descend.

He doubled his speed, sliding to fit underneath.

Slam!
Just as he made it through, the gate crashed to the ground and took the hem of his shirt with it. Asa grabbed his hand and they ran for the stairs.

The stairs were slippery and they had to slow down to prevent themselves from falling, and by this time, Una was upset and crying. With one hand stretched out to the damp wall of the tower to steady herself, Asa tried to quiet her.

Rollo followed close behind, conscious that they had to hurry. Were Flood’s spies behind them on foot? Or had they realized the children were gone and
decided to take to the skies after them once more?

Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
.

His answer came in the horrible hiss of evil lungs. Rollo and Asa wound around the tower and the bottom of the stairs came into view. The rising sun just above the cliffs shot beams of light across the sea and one of them caught
Northseeker
’s mast. She was visible.

“Oh no!” cried Asa.

“Quick,” Rollo said. “We have to get her into the shadows.”

They half ran, half slid down the muddy bottom stairs. There was a malevolent hiss as the top of the balloon appeared behind the tower. Asa pushed Una on board ahead of her and the little girl began to wail. Rollo hauled on the anchor and they set off, hearts pounding, and steered for the shadow of the cliff.

Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
.

There it was, a huge balloon directly above them.
Northseeker
’s mast gleamed orange in the sun, then suddenly grayed as they disappeared into darkness.

“We did it!” Rollo shouted. “We got away!”

Asa looked serious and pointed at the balloon. “She didn’t.”

Rollo looked up. Margritt was on board, her hands tied behind her while Flood’s spies gripped her arms tightly. Two spies hung from the balloon and turned their brass telescopes in all directions, mystified by the disappearance of the longship.

Rollo couldn’t take his eyes off Margritt. She was screaming at her captors and shaking her head.

“We have to rescue her,” he said. “She helped us, she—”

“We can’t rescue everyone. I’m sorry,” Asa said, turning the tiller for home. “Now we have to get Una back safely.”

Sick with guilt, Rollo watched the balloon disappear into the sky.

Rollo’s own warm bed at Two Hills Keep was the best place in the world, especially with the sound of little Una breathing gently in the cot next to him. Katlatucked
him in and kissed his forehead, and he had never been so glad to be home.

“Thank the stars that you two are home safely,” Katla said, sitting on the edge of his bed. “The cottage was so empty without you at night.”

“We had such an adventure, Aunt Katla,” Rollo said.
“Northseeker
is fantastic!”

“Well, let’s just hope that Egil Cripplehand comes back for his longship soon.”

“I hope he
never
comes back,” Rollo said, disappointed as he realized that they might not be able to keep the ship. “I thought
Northseeker
was a gift—to us. From our father.”

“I won’t have you going away again, Rollo,” Katla said, a look of concern furrowing her brow. “I’m keeping you safe here with me.”

Asa sat up in bed and gazed at the Moonstone Star, which lay there in her hands.

“Time for sleep now, Asa,” Katla whispered.

“What shall I do with it, Aunt Katla?” Asa asked, holding out the Star.

Katla considered her answer for a long time. Finally, she said, “With your mother gone, you are the Star Queen. I know that you have no lands to rule now. But perhaps you should wear it, as your mother did.”

Asa shook her head. “I couldn’t.”

“Yes, you could,” Rollo said.

“I …” Asa gazed at the Star sadly. “I’m no queen. I’m just a girl.”

Katla rose and moved across the room to her bed. “Then let me keep it safe for you, until you are grown.”

Reluctantly, Asa let the Star slip into her hand. “Yes. Maybe in a year or two …”

“I’ll store it with our other treasures, in the Keep.”

“No,” Rollo said, sitting up. “Don’t lock it away down there. Let’s hang it over the fireplace so we can think of Mama every day.”

“I already think of Mama every day,” Asa said softly. “It’ll be safer locked away.”

“Please, please.” Rollo pressed his lips together hard so that he wouldn’t cry. “Asa, I’m starting to forget her. I’m starting to forget what she looked like and how
her voice sounded and how her hair smelled when she’d just washed it. But when I see the Star, I can remember.”

Asa looked across the room at him and her face softened. “Of course. Let’s hang it over the fireplace.”

Katla smiled and nodded. “I’ll do it tonight. Now—time for sleep.” She picked up the candle and left, whispering, “Sweet dreams,” behind her.

Rollo lay down and closed his eyes.
Sweet dreams
. He knew exactly what he’d dream of tonight.

Once he’d thought that Una was dead, but she wasn’t. If she was alive, King Sigurd and the Star Queen might be alive, too.

He closed his eyes and dreamed of finding their parents.

The water split open four feet in front of Asa and a longship heaved out! It was wooden, black with algae. Water poured off its bow, seaweed streamed behind it. This was no little fish: this was a band of tide stealers. Asa screamed and jumped backward. Seventeen men were crowded onto the boat. Their faces were dark, their teeth crooked, their clothes wet. The leader, a brawny man with a circlet of gold on his head, pointed to the Moonstone Star.

“Give it to me!” he shouted.