Loki's Wolves (30 page)

Matt knew he couldn’t just sneak into the tent and expect Baldwin to
know
he should stand guard. Fen would; Laurie would. Baldwin had to be told, but once he was—in a brief, whispered exchange—he got it, and Matt had no doubt he
would
watch his back.

Matt crept around the tent with Baldwin. Then he undid the ties on the flap, lifted one, and slipped in while Baldwin stayed outside. The only thing inside the tent was a pile of blankets. As Matt walked over, he swore his amulet was practically jumping with excitement. Sure enough, under that stack of blankets, he found the shield. He smiled, clutched his still-twitching amulet. Another power, then. Something that must have “turned on” after Hildar had told him what he needed. It would be nice if she’d explained. But, he had to admit, it did feel good, figuring this stuff out for himself.

He pulled out the shield. It was definitely the one from the longship. It was lighter than he expected, the wood smoother, too, as if polished by years of handling. He imagined it in the hands of a real Viking warrior, setting off to battle—

A nice fantasy, but this really wasn’t the time for it. He hefted the shield and, without even thinking, swung it over his shoulder, arm through the strap, letting it rest on his back. It felt good there. Comfortable. Protective, too, like he had someone at his back. Now all he needed was Mjölnir, and he’d be set. He grinned to himself and headed from the tent.

Baldwin was right there, waiting, on guard like a pointer,
scanning the horizon for trouble. When Matt whispered, “Got it,” Baldwin stumbled, nearly tripping over his feet.

He saw Matt and looked almost disappointed for a second, like he’d been hoping for a real threat to fight off. Then he saw the shield and his eyes rounded.

“Is that…?” Baldwin said. “Wow. That is so cool.” He grinned. “Looks good on you.”

“Thanks. No sign of trouble?”

“Nah. Cancer boys are still down by the steam, sharing a smoke.” Baldwin paused. “I didn’t think kids smoked anymore.”

“Only the evil ones,” Matt murmured.

Baldwin started to laugh, then swallowed it and settled for a grin. “That’s so we can recognize them, right?”

Matt smiled. “Right. Now let’s head out. Mission…”

A figure stepped from behind a tent across the circle. Then another and another. Matt wheeled. More were behind him. A Raider stood in every gap between two tents. In every escape route. He turned fast, evaluating the least threat, ready to barrel through—

A familiar figure strolled between two tents. Skull—the biggest of the Raiders, the one Matt fought outside the fair. Matt looked over his shoulder to see a girl about Skull’s age. She was even taller than Reyna, with wide shoulders and blond braids. That must be Hattie—Fen had mentioned her. A half dozen of the biggest Raiders followed them.

Y
ou wouldn’t be stealing from me, would you?” Skull said. “Not Matt Thorsen, son of Blackwell’s finest.”

“You’re the one who stole it!” Baldwin said, jumping in front of Matt. “You swiped it from that longship.”

Skull laughed, Hattie echoing him. “Is that what Fen said?” He leaned around Baldwin to look at Matt. “Ask Fen again, Thorsen. Ask who really stole the shield. Better yet, ask why he sent
you
to get it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Baldwin said.

Skull’s laugh rippled through all the Raiders. “Really? Huh. Fen delivered the shield… and now he’s delivered the
champion.” He looked at Baldwin. “You can go. Tell Fen he’s all paid up.”

Matt replayed Skull’s words. He’d misunderstood. He must have. He could believe Fen stole the shield—this whole thing had started when he’d caught Fen trying to swipe it—but delivering the champion? Matt couldn’t believe that. It must be a trick.

It’s not. That’s why he agreed with Astrid about getting your stuff. That’s why he didn’t want to come into camp with you. He wasn’t helping get the shield; he was turning you over to the Raiders.

Baldwin stepped forward. “If you want him, you have to go through me first.”

Matt heard a noise behind him. He turned, but too late. A half dozen of the Raiders were running at him. He took out the first with a left hook as Baldwin raced in, fists flying.

“Ignore blondie!” Skull called. “You can’t hurt him, so don’t bother trying.”

Matt hit another Raider and sent him flying, but as he did, at least four others tackled him from behind. They swarmed over him, forcing him to the ground as he kicked and punched. Baldwin tried to pry the Raiders off Matt, but they’d just backhand him or elbow him away, which only made him madder, fighting like a whirlwind, yelling, “What about me? Hey, you, zit-face, come on! I thought you guys were Viking warriors! Fight me!”

When one finally swung around, as if ready to take Baldwin up on that, Skull shouted, “I said ignore blondie. He’s Balder. Can’t be hurt unless you have some mistletoe handy. Just keep swatting him off like the annoying little fly he is.”

That made Baldwin furious, and he fought so hard that Skull finally ordered a few of the Raiders to grab him and pin him down. Matt was already pinned. Lying on his back, spread-eagle, a Raider holding down every limb, a fifth one sitting on his chest. He’d struggled at first, but realized they had him and stopped, conserving his energy and waiting for his chance.

“Get him up,” Skull ordered.

The Raiders obeyed. They dragged Matt to his feet, two holding each arm. Matt felt his amulet, red-hot against his chest, and knew it was charged up, ready to go. But for what? He could take out one guy. That wouldn’t stop the other dozen standing around. He needed a better plan. A smarter plan.

“Now, where’s my shield?” Skull said.

A Raider had taken it from Matt’s back before they’d pinned him. The kid held it up.

“Put it in my tent.”

The Raider did as he was told. When he’d disappeared into the tent, Skull strolled toward Matt.

“There’s someone you need to meet,” he said. “But first I think you need a lesson about stealing.”

Skull’s gaze dropped to Matt’s stomach, and Matt knew what was coming. A blow to the solar plexus against a defenseless target. Except Matt wasn’t defenseless. He readied his Hammer as he watched Skull, ready to launch it as soon as he pulled back for—

Someone hit Matt from behind. A hard, fast hit to the kidney that sent pain jolting through him. He twisted to see the girl—Hattie—grinning. Then another blow, this one from the front, the hit he’d been waiting for. Straight to the solar plexus. The air flew from Matt’s lungs, and he doubled over, wheezing and hacking.

“Hey, Skull!” Baldwin shouted, struggling against the Raiders holding him. “What kind of name is that, anyway. Do you think it makes you seem tough? It better work with these guys, because you need all the help you can get, loser.”

Skull slowly turned on Baldwin.

“Yeah, I’m talking to you!” Baldwin shouted. “The loser who won’t even take a swing at Thor’s kid unless four guys are holding him down. You call yourself a Viking Raider? The Vikings wouldn’t have let you clean their toilets. You won’t even fight Matt without help from your girlfriend there. I can see where she comes in handy, though. One look from that ugly face and guys probably run before you
need
to hit them, right?”

Hattie advanced on Baldwin.

“I said to ignore him,” Skull said. “You can’t hurt him.”

Hattie punched Baldwin in the stomach, making him cough. “Maybe not, but it makes me feel better.”

“Truth hurts, doesn’t it?” Baldwin said as he caught his breath and bounced back, grinning. “Do you turn into a wolf, too? I bet you don’t. You don’t need to. You’re already a dog.”

Hattie hit him. Matt winced and wanted to tell Baldwin to stop, but reminded himself that Baldwin couldn’t feel it, couldn’t be hurt. If Baldwin could draw off Hattie and Skull with insults…

“Enough!” Skull roared. “You want to hit someone? Get back here and hit Thorsen. I bet blondie will feel
that
.”

Skull advanced on Matt again. When he pulled back his fist, Matt launched his Hammer. It knocked Skull to the ground, flat on his back. He scrambled up, face twisted in rage.

“You little brat,” he said, charging Matt. “I’ll teach you not to—”

Fog swirled between them, so thick Matt couldn’t see Skull, could only hear him cursing as he fought his way through it. Matt stared at the fog. Had he done that? He did get a few wisps with his Hammer, but this was like smoke from a raging bonfire, spreading over the camp so fast—

Don’t just stare at it. Use it!

Matt realized the holds on his arms had slackened, and when he looked over, he saw that the Raiders holding them
were gaping into the fog themselves. He yanked one arm free easily, then swung and plowed his fist into the jaw of one guy holding the other. The guy flew back and knocked over the Raider next to him, the two falling like bowling pins.

Matt dove into the fog, the gray wrapping around him, everything else disappearing. He heard a grunt to his left and turned to see a Raider girl charging him, knife raised. Something hit her from behind, and she fell face-first, Fen on her back. Fen plucked the switchblade from her hand, folded it into his pocket, and leaped up.

“Come on, Thorsen,” Fen said.

Matt didn’t move.

“I’m rescuing you,” Fen said. “Again. Don’t make me regret it. Come on.”

Matt backed away.

“What the—?” Fen began.

A Raider leaped through the fog. Just a kid. Matt took him down. Then Fen grabbed his sleeve.

“We need to go,” Fen urged. “The twins can’t hold the fog forever.”

Matt paused. “That’s them?”

“No, it’s natural. Just does that out here.” Fen sighed in that annoying way of his before adding, “Yeah, it’s them.”

Matt hesitated. His brain said he shouldn’t trust Fen, but he did. He just
did
.

He took a deep breath. “Okay. Is Laurie safe?”

Fen’s face darkened, and Matt felt a stab of annoyance. Fen seemed to hate it when Matt worried about her. Did he think Matt had a thing for Laurie? He’d set him straight on that later. Maybe Fen’s world was different, but in Matt’s, you could have a girl as a friend without thinking of her as a girlfriend.

“ ’Course she’s okay,” Fen snapped. “I take care of her.”

And so do I
, Matt wanted to say. But he knew better.

“Okay, we need to get Baldwin and—”

“Got him,” said a voice. Laurie appeared with Baldwin beside her.

Fen scowled. “I thought I told you to stay—”

“Yeah.” Laurie rolled her eyes. “And someday you’ll learn that I don’t always—”

Two Raiders lunged from the fog. Matt took out one. Baldwin and Fen nearly knocked heads going for the other. A right hook from Fen sent the Raider back into the fog with Matt’s.

A growl sounded somewhere in the fog, another joining it.

“I need to get the shield,” Matt said.

“What?” Fen said. “All this and you don’t have it?”

“They took it back,” Baldwin said.

“I’ll grab it,” Matt said. “Laurie, open a door. Take the others through. I’ll follow.”