Heart of Honor Read Online Free PDF

it?”
    “Supposedly the ancient Vikings who settled in Greenland did not die off at the beginning of the sixteenth century as most scholars believe. When their numbers began to dwindle from disease and hostile weather, the people fled to the safety of an island somewhere north of the Orkneys.”
    “Draugr Island?”
    He shrugged his thin shoulders. “No one really knows. But that is the legend.”
    Krista thought of the man in the cage. “There is a good chance, Father, it is far more than that.”
    She told him about the shipwreck and that the man had said he had been captured and sold into slavery. “It was pitiful. No one should be treated the way they do that poor fellow.”
    The professor rounded the desk, his brown eyes gleaming. “And you don’t believe he was insane…someone who might have learned the language some other way and is making all of this up?”
    “I have no idea what to believe. But I promised we would help him. I gave him my word.”
    “Then help him we shall.” Her father walked over and opened the study door, waited for her to step out into the hall. “We’ll make our excuses to Matthew and drop Coralee off at home on our way back to the circus.”
    Krista felt a rush of relief. She had given her word. She was determined to keep it.
     
    Leif was back in his cage for the late-afternoon performance. The fat man, Snively, didn’t even have to prod him to get him to shout and rage at the crowd. All Leif had to do was imagine that the woman he had spoken to would break her vow and not return. All he had to think of was living out his days crouched on the floor of an iron-barred cage, and the frustration inside him bubbled over into fury.
    The usual crowd gathered. The little monkey, Alfinn, appeared, somehow sensing his need for companionship during these times. Leif raised his manacled fist and banged it against the bars, and one of the men in the crowd tossed a stone in his direction. Several others followed, the sharp sting of the rocks sending Leif’s fury up another notch.
    Snively was grinning, thrilled by his performance, which only made his anger more fierce. He was raging, calling them names not fit for a decent man’s ears, when he caught a glimpse of shiny blond hair at the back of the crowd.
    His heart kicked into gear, slamming like a hammer against the inside of his chest. She had come. There was no mistaking the tall blond woman who stood above the rest, the smooth skin and bright green eyes. He bit down on the next words he might have hurled at the crowd. He had offended the woman once. He would not do it again.
    Silently, he watched her move toward him, followed by an even taller, very thin man wearing one of the silly-looking high hats the men here seemed to favor. Leif made himself wait patiently for the pair to arrive, when he wanted to shout with glee, his hopes soaring again.
    Just then Snively stepped in front of the cage, blocking the man and woman’s approach. Leif could tell he was warning them away from the danger.
    The thin man just smiled. He began speaking to Snively, but Leif couldn’t tell what he was saying. All the while, the woman watched Leif, her expression growing more and more grim. Then the fat man said something and started walking away. Leif imagined he was going to get his master, and a chill went through him. The man called Leopold was even crueler than the fat man, Snively.
    Leif fixed his attention on the pair in front of the cage.
    “My name is Paxton Hart,” the thin man said, and Leif understood every word.
    “I am Leif of Draugr. That is where I come from.”
    “My daughter has told me some of your story. I would like to hear the rest.”
    Leif glanced back toward the wagon where Leopold would likely be found, but saw no one coming. Quickly, he told the man, Pax-ton Hart, the story of leaving Draugr Island with nine other men, the shipwreck and how he had been badly injured and washed ashore. That the other men had all been killed, and