Page 240 of The Sun He Buried

“What?”

“Seal the gates.”

“Why?”

“Solveih has been taken.”

Every conversation in the gallery stops.

Ketill reaches me. His walls fall, and concern strikes through the rest of the Hall.

“Where?”

“East.”

“By whom?”

“They haven’t introduced themselves.” The mask burns brighter.

“How many?”

“Enough to frighten her.”

The gallery goes silent.

Ketill turns toward the guardroom. “I’ll get a party.”

“You’ll lock the roads and keep every rider here until I know who else is involved.”

He looks back. “You’re not going alone.”

“I am.”

“She may need a healer.”

“Send one behind me.”

“Eirik.”

“Twenty riders. Give me ten minutes before they leave.”

“Why?”

I keep walking.

“So they don’t slow the killing.”

Fear moves through the guards nearest the door.

One steps out of my path.

The rest follow.

A crash comes from the entrance hall.

Wood splinters. A horse screams in the yard beyond the outer doors, followed by three Skorvær shouting over one another.

Then a sound cuts through all of them.