Read Online Bonded: Book One of the ShadowLight Saga, an Epic Fantasy Adventure by Mande Matthews - Free Book Online

pigment. A huge black cat carved in wood
accompanied the Goddess, with her hand resting upon his head.
    In front of the statue sat
a woman in a carved chair. She stared down at them with a smirk, fine lines
etched around her eyes and lips. A shock of silver-gray hair entwined with
light brown was pulled tightly into a knot situated on the crown of her head. She
pounded a gnarled walking stick on the ground twice, the flaps of her pine
green robe rustling with the movement. The woman rose from her seat.
    Visions of a seidr-wife
filled Hallad’s head. Only once did such a woman visit Steadsby. Avarr had
prohibited anyone who possessed any level of seidr-craft—be it prophecy, spell
casting or the ability to view into the land of the gods—in his village even
when the villagers had begged for one of the Goddess’ seidr practitioners to
rescue their crops from failure after three long years of starvation. Many died
in those seasons, but his father still refused the aid of seidr-craft.
    Rumors remained of the
one-time visit from a seidr-wife. They said his father and the Goddess’
enchantress fought behind closed doors until the woman burst through the longhouse,
flung herself on her horse and yelled back to Avarr that he would rue his
foolishness. The godhi had cursed the woman as she galloped away and the
villagers feared the seidr-wife’s retribution for years to come. But it never
came and no one, save the godhi, knew what the argument was about.
    Now Hallad stood face to
face with such a woman. A seidr-wife. One who called the power of Freyja. One
who could see through the veils of truth, predict the future and see into other
lands by her talent in seidr. The priestess held out a silver horn to him, in
the customary welcome of Scandians. He reached for the horn and gulped,
studying her over the edge of the cup.
    "It’s about time
you got here." A mischievous twinkle caught in her eyes. "I’ve been
waiting for years!"
    Hallad exchanged a
puzzled look with Erik. Ase Jorrun poked Hallad in the ribs with her walking
staff and he jumped nervously at her assault. Gisla giggled in the corner,
covering her mouth with her hands. For the first time Swan smiled—a full, tooth-showing
grin.
    "Now, I’ve prepared
for you Astrid." Ase nodded toward Swan.
    Hallad knotted his brow
at the unfamiliar name.
    "I see there is
more to tell you than I thought." She tapped her stick to the ground.
"Come. Sit in a circle and we will start."
    Ase reclined in the
wooden chair as she continued, "Sit. Sit." She waved her hand toward
Gisla, her pine-colored robe fluttering, the cat-skin cuffs shining in the
fire’s glow. "Gisla, take your place."
    The girl scampered
across the room, smiling coyly toward Rolf along the way and situated herself
by Ase’s left side.
    "As for your
friends Hallad, you should make the introductions."
    Hallad wondered how she
knew his name. His tongue felt thick and words escaped him.
    "I see we’ll have
to work on your manners as well."
    A lump formed in
Hallad’s throat, but the woman’s eyes sparkled, causing him to relax. He bowed,
finding his voice.
    "I am Hallad, son
of Avarr, Godhi of Steadsby." Hallad straightened, gesturing toward his
companions. "This is my blood sworn Erik Sigtrigson and his half-brother
Rolf."
    Rolf grandly swept
downward. Erik tipped his head in scant acknowledgement. The woman calculated
them, smirking at Erik’s defiance. Swan towered straight as a sword; Hallad
didn’t know how to present her.
    "She is . . . Swan."
    "She is Astrid,
daughter of Isla, daughter of the Night, our Savior, and," the old woman’s
voice rumbled with weightiness, "your twin sister."
    The statement startled
Hallad, but made sense. The feelings he had of her—of knowing her, of
communicating on a level the others never understood. But twins? His stomach
turned.
    "Twins made of evil
sire, bear to the winds or take to the fire," Rolf chanted. He caught his
mindless statement and quieted, addressing Hallad.