Beyond the Sea Mist Read Online Free PDF

wondered. He could serve on Sigurd’s crew without pay until the debt was repaid, but that might be years from now. Was he willing to give up all his dreams for the sake of a woman who hadn’t even been pleasant to him?
    As Magnus agonized, another man came out the back door of the longhouse and joined the first sentry. They spoke in low voices, taking turns drinking from a beverage skin.
    Magnus stifled a sigh. Now he had two men to deal with. His whole plan was riddled with obstacles. He had to render both guards senseless and get the women out without alerting the rest of the men in the longhouse. It seemed an impossible task, at least for a lone warrior. If he had Orm and Skulli’s help, they might be able to do it. But why should Orm and Skulli risk their lives in such a scheme? Orm might be convinced to help, especially if he knew there were comely women involved. But Skulli... The older man would think the whole thing stupid.
    And he would be right, Magnus decided with resignation. Here he was, considering risking his life and future on a woman who had all but sneered at him.
    He returned to the front of the longhouse. Although he felt defeated and frustrated, he told himself he had to remember his own goals. He couldn’t let some Irish wench with magically lovely eyes lead him into disaster.
    He hurried back to the alehouse. As he drew near, he realized there was some sort of confrontation going on. Three men had another man backed up against the tavern wall. Glimpsing the dark red hair of the victim, Magnus muttered an oath under his breath and drew his sword. “What’s going on here?” he demanded as he approached.
    “This fellow had weighted dice,” a man with dirty yellow hair responded. He jerked his head toward Orm, then bared his teeth at Magnus. “We’re about to teach him how we deal with cheaters in Dublin.”
    “Then you’ll have to deal with me as well,” Magnus answered, moving into a defensive stance. None of the men were as big as he was, nor as well armed. But there were three of them.
    The yellow-haired fellow’s gaze took in Magnus’s sword and his obvious readiness for battle. Then he smiled sourly and said, “We’ll let it go this time.” He motioned again to Orm, “But if you value your friend’s life, you’d best advise him not to come around here again.”
    “He won’t. I assure you,” Magnus answered.
    He maintained his threatening posture until the three men moved off. As they vanished into the shadows, Orm collected his dagger from where it lay on the ground, then called out, “I want my silver that you stole, you gutterscum!”
    “Let it go, Orm,” Magnus warned.
    “I’ll bet you could kill all three of them by yourself,” the younger man said, his voice taut with excitement. “You wouldn’t even need my help. They’re cowards, all of them. If they thought my dice were weighted, why didn’t they say so at the beginning? Instead, they kept playing. It was only when I’d won some of their silver that they got angry and accused me of being a cheat.”
    “It doesn’t matter,” Magnus said, letting out his breath. It was fortunate he’d headed back when he did. Orm might have been injured or killed. But what about Skulli? Magnus’s relief vanished as he realized there was no sign of their other crew member. “Where’s Skulli?” he asked Orm. “Did he ever come back to the alehouse?”
    “Not that I know of.”
    A chill went through Magnus. What if the older man had also been set upon by rogues? “We’d better look for him.”
    They searched the area around the alehouse and found Skulli talking to another man near the kitchen shed. In the light spilling out of the smoky structure, Magnus could make out Skulli’s companion. He looked to be about the same age as Skulli, with a deeply seamed face and stocky build. His graying hair was pulled back into a knot at his neck. “This is Bors Ulfarson.” Skulli motioned to the other man. “We used to serve