With his son, Wolf Killer, now in Valhalla, Dragonheart looks to secure his land. He finds enemies all around him. Wrongly assuming that the land of the Wolf was now weak the King of Strathclyde and Hibernian mercenaries invade. When his borders are safe he leaves his home to sail far away where he wreaks revenge on the paymaster of his son’s killers. When the Weird Sisters weave their webs he finds himself fighting an enemy who is more dangerous than any he has met before. With his people slaughtered and his land threatened he has to face a Viking enemy.
This is book 14 in the Dragonheart series. Now that his son is dead Jarl Dragonheart fears for his family even more and when enemies come from north, sensing weakness, he acts swiftly and decisively. Ragnar, his grandson, and Gruffyd, his son, are now approaching the time when they will become warriors. They are all tested when Dane comes from the east to wreak havoc in the land of the Wolf.
Excerpt
Lars Siggison, one of the slingers, was waiting for us inside the gate, “Jarl, the galdramenn said you are needed on the walls.”
“Come. We must hurry.” We ascended the ladder to our left and ran around the upper rampart. On the opposite side I saw that Einar the Tall had led his men to help Ulf on that side. It was our side, the west where the danger lay. I could see that the Hibernians had gained a foothold on the ramparts and a knot of men were hard pressed. Beyond I could now see that they had landed in four of their tubby ships. Rollo Thin Skin and Rolf Horse Killer were the youngest of my warriors and they raced ahead. Snorri and Beorn were almost as fit as they were and they hurried after them. Both had their Saami bows.
Haaken chuckled, “We are getting too old for all this running. I prefer standing and letting our enemies come to us!”
Finni the Dreamer was with us too and he laughed, “Ulfheonar never get old! That is for ordinary warriors!”
Rollo and Rolf charged into the backs of the warriors who had claimed a foothold. Snorri and Beorn began loosing their arrows from a ridiculously close range. Their bows were so powerful that one of Snorri’s arrows went through two men. I drew my sword and laid open the back of a warrior wearing leather breeks and with his limed hair raised into a point to resemble a helmet. Even though he was mortally wounded he still turned, like a wounded animal and tried to skewer me. I brought my sword backhand to take his head.
A head appeared over the wall from behind me and a wild warrior leapt to stab me in the back. Finni the Dreamer shouted, “No you don’t. He swung sword two handed and sliced through the man’s body to almost sever him. The bloody corpse tumbled to the Hibernians below.
Olaf and his axe, racing ahead of us, did the most damage. His huge swings struck three men in succession. Although not all killed outright they were soon finished off by the defenders who eagerly fell on them. As the last of those who had made the ramparts died I shouted, “Spread out and stop them ascending.” We had stopped the flood and now we had to close the breach.
Ulf was a hundred paces from me and he raised his sword in acknowledgement. To his right stood Einar the Tall. We now had much better warriors ready to defend against the next attack. I saw how they had crossed the ditch. The ships which had scouted the land must have seen the ditch and they had brought rush mats which they had laid across. The stakes and spikes beneath the water had actually supported the mats. It explained their initial success. Below me on the walkway between the two ramparts I saw many bodies. Ulf and his men had done well.
It was not, however, over yet. They still had plenty of men on their ships and the mats were still in place. “Snorri, Beorn, organize the archers. I want their steering boards clearing of men.” Although the range was two hundred paces or more we were elevated and my men had good bows. If we could kill those steering the ships then it might deter the others.
Some of the men we had slain had spears and javelins. I picked one up. The range to the ditch was too great for the spear and I waited. The next wave of attackers crossed the dead ground and then began to ascend the palisade. I waited until one was pulling himself over the top before I threw the spear. It entered his shoulder, close to his neck and then embedded itself in the wooden palisade. I picked up another and prepared to throw at the next man who tried to breach our first line of defence. When they came they did so together. They had no mail and were all fit young warriors who were both lithe and strong. Twenty of them suddenly clambered over the top. I threw my second spear and caught one in the leg and then they were at the palisade below our feet. I took a third and jabbed down with it. The Hibernian I struck had quick hands and he grabbed the shaft of the spear. Luckily I had the presence of mind to let go and draw my sword.
Until Asbjorn joined us we would be outnumbered. The man who had taken my spear held it up for protection as he started to pull himself up the wooden wall. I knocked the head away and then sliced down to sever his hand in two. He fell backwards and knocked another warrior back down to the ditch. I heard a cheer from my right and risked a glance. Asbjorn had joined us and led his men to help Einar the Tall sweep the enemy from their rampart.
Haaken said, “The arrows have done it, Jarl. See, one of the ships is drifting out of control. The crew is dead and it is a ship of ghosts.”
Snorri and Beorn’s marksmanship had paid off. A horn sounded from one of the other ships and the survivors fled back to their vessels. We had beaten off the attack. I took off my helmet and sheathed my sword. I walked along the fighting platform towards Ulf. I saw that he and his men had paid a price. Many of his warriors had been killed and in greater numbers than I had anticipated. The sudden attack from the sea had caught us out and almost undone my carefully laid plans.
