Chapter Forty-Three

Thorvald Decides to Fight

Thorvald cracked his eyes open, gasping for breath. He was covered—again—in cold sweat. He was still on the boulder. Somehow he’d fallen asleep. The angle of the sun said it was late afternoon. Every bone, every muscle, every filament ached—but not from the punishment he’d inflicted upon himself coming up here.

He’d dreamed again. The same dream he’d suffered last night. He’d been a boy, back at the battle, watching, screaming, desperate. He’d seen it all again. His father. The enemy. The terror.

Except this time when his father turned and ran, it wasn’t him. It was Thorvald running. Thorvald in terror. Thorvald turning coward.

Thorvald scrambled up and screamed into the abyss. The energy coiled in his body shot through every limb. He would check his rage no longer. He didn’t want to, nor did he care.

He jumped down from the boulder, too charged with the thunder and lightning of his purpose to feel the shock that must have shaken his bones in the daring leap. He barely had his balance before he was running back to the village.

Since his return, all he’d thought about was the vow he’d made to the jarl. He’d lost sight of the vow he’d made to himself.

Freedom.

He had to fight. His life was worth nothing if he didn’t. He’d have one chance for redemption. One single precious chance to thwart the jarl once and for all and win back the most important thing—the only person who could make life bearable.

Alodie.

He didn’t need to struggle to recall what old Ingerun had said to him that evening of his return.

A memory flashed before his eyes, clear as if he were reliving the incident—the storm. Sigurd vanishing. Thorvald almost letting go and letting himself be swept down into the black depths. And her, risking her own life to save him.

Without sunlight, gold did not glow.

Erlendr was the darkness plaguing their existence. Alodie was the gold. If there was sunlight to be restored upon the world, it was up to Thorvald to fight for it.

He’d wronged her so many times…failed her. He didn’t deserve her and probably never would. But if he fought, won, then fell at her feet to pledge himself to her for all time, she just might show him mercy.

He had to hope.

This time, there would be no turning back. Thorvald was either going to win…or die trying.