The Sons of Adam: The sequel of The Immortal Collection (A Saga of the Ancient Family Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the same runes that I had seen carved in all the farms of the men in the north, although the truth is that when I held my son in my arms, I doubted my own words.
    He was not just a giant baby. His whole face and body were covered in a thick layer of blond hair, almost white. His head was deformed, like a waning moon. He had a long face with a chin and forehead that jutted out.
    "Is he my son?" I managed to say. "He looks more like an albino bear."
    "Maybe the bear raped Gunborga and she didn't tell you," Magnus whispered beside me, without taking his eyes off the child.
    "Maybe," I agreed.
    We all knew the Nordic legend of the woman who was kidnapped by a bear and forced to lie with it for a week in its cave. The child she bore, half man and half bear, was the first king of what would later be known as Denmark.
    "No, Kolbrun, he is your child," my father said, after leaving the seidkona , who was being cared to by the servants.
    He opened the newborn's eyes and he complained. Something that sounded like a grunt came from his mouth, although it sounded more animal than human.
    "He has the eyes of your mother's clan."
    "Blue eyes are very common in these parts," I reminded him.
    "That's true, but not like yours. Yours were the same, almost albino, when you were born."
    "Anyway, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to expose him. He looks strong but he's very deformed. Lyra," I said to my sister. "You know what it's like to have a mark on your face. If this child lives, he will be a monster and everyone will turn him away. His face and body are covered in white hair."
    "It's lanugo, all babies have it when the mothers go through a traumatic birth. It normally falls off in a few months, you know that as well as I do," she said, between sighs. The other women from the farm hovered at a distance, pretending to do their chores, but waiting to hear our decision.
    "This fur is more than lanugo, he'll be a bear for the rest of his life," I argued. "Even though we could shave him to make him look less repulsive, I'm worried about the shape of his head, that chin, that forehead."
    "You can bind it," whispered Nestor, "I've seen it done in some ancient villages in the West. It will only be for a few months, his bones are malleable right now, we can give him a less monstrous appearance."
    "Don't expose him," interrupted Magnus, taking the child. "The pregnancy was extremely long, like ours were. He should live. If he grows old and he isn't one of ours, we will die anyway, but if he doesn't grow old then he will be another member of the Ancient Family. Don't you want there to be five of us again? Don't you miss the long ago times with Boudicca? Maybe she's been sent back to us. He has similar features to our sister. His size and complexion are more than notable, and it was already possible to see intelligence and strength in that look.”
    "That's not a good sign, brother."
    "And what if they have the same destiny and Gunnarr dies in battle, like she did?" I thought out loud.
    Everyone lowered their head in uncomfortable silence. How many centuries had it been since anyone had mentioned Boudicca's name?
    "It's your decision, Kolbrun," my father said, giving me a pat on the back. "I'll go and appease the seidkona and we'll get started with Gunborga's burial rituals. Lyra, cut her hair and nails. Magnus, order the slaves to come with an ax to open a hole in the wall. It must be big enough for Gunborga's soul to pass through. Tomorrow we'll cover it up so as the deceased's soul cannot return. It's going to be a cold night for everyone, what with the open hole and us being in the cruelest months of winter. You should find someone to sleep with and they can warm your bed."
    Everyone left the building as a sign of respect and left me alone. I sat next to Gunborga's quickly cooling body with the newborn in my arms. I should call him Gunnarr. Gunborga had picked the name and I wanted to respect her last wish, but what should I do with him? Would such a