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Authors: Joni Sensel
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trees. Aidan drew her into the shadows of tree trunks and scouted a clear path to the next, then they ran and ducked again. The need to hurry and the desire to hide tugged equally at them. The stench of burning grew thicker by the moment.
Finally the land sloped up under their feet. Aidan could see blue sky beyond the last clump of trees on the shoulder of the stony hill. Heâd just plotted the way in his mind when a bell sounded. Its peals were not the familiar, measured tones calling monks to their afternoon prayers. Instead the bell clanged in frenzied, toneless panic.
IX
A idan stood frozen as the bellâs clamor drifted to them on the breeze. A haze of smoke accompanied it.
âWhat does it mean?â Lana whispered.
âIt means weâre in trouble.â Not even an abbey building ablaze would drive the monks to batter the bell like that.
âI could have told you that!â she hissed. âWhat are we going to do?â
Instead of answering, he brushed her grip off his arm and darted the rest of the way up the hill toward the clearing. He couldnât stand not knowing what was happening in the land below them.
Breaking from the cover of trees left him feeling abruptly exposed. He dropped to a crouch and scrabbled through the heather and rocks, reminded forcefully of playing Lambs and Wolves as a boy. Like real lambs, however, the losers of this game would bleed. Trying to keep his head down, he skirted the ridge at a slant until he
could see past the hillâs girdle of greenery. He tripped over the hem of his robe and skidded to his knees.
Aidan stared. In the distance, roiling smoke clouded what should have been a view of the river bend and the scattered homes and farmsteads beyond. Orange flames licked at the barley and oats not in one field, but many. Not a soul dotted the fieldsâif he didnât count a few dark, inexplicable heaps. Aidan tried to keep his eyes off those limp forms. He did not want to think what or who they might be. The abbeyâs earthen ramparts stood defiant, but he could see over the embankment to the buildings inside. Figures darted between walls and through doorways, hurtling in panic or rage but too distant to identify as either monks or intruders. Beyond, higher on the opposite hillside, Aidan could just make out the earthen defenses around Donaghâs stronghold. The angle and distance hid any activity there, but Aidan didnât need to see it. Although the lordâs ring fort may not have contained as much gold as the abbey, it represented control of the region. If the Norsemen hadnât clashed with Donaghâs warriors and servants already, they soon would.
As Lana caught up to him, the abbey bell stopped. The sudden silence was even more unnerving than the wild clanging had been. With any warning, the monks should have gathered their valuables and barricaded whoever would fit in the souterrain excavated for exactly that
purpose. If the bell had been ringing to summon those in the fields, anyone still outside was too late. Aidan fervently hoped that explained the bellâs silence. The alternative was too grim to admit.
Either way, he and Lana were left on their own. He wouldnât dare cross the expanse of fields below, even at a dead run, without knowing for certain whether monks or raiders held the abbey. And towing Lana behind him would be like waving gizzards at vultures.
She took one look toward the tumbling smoke and burst into tears.
He hushed her quickly. âJust because we canât see them doesnât mean they arenât within earshot below us,â he hissed.
âIâm sorry,â she sobbed, muffling herself with her hand. âBut the houses ⦠my mother! How can we help them or know whoâs all right and whoâs not?â
âWe canât.â Aidan dropped his forehead into his hand. He prayed that his father and brothers had been working a field together, preferably with
Finally the land sloped up under their feet. Aidan could see blue sky beyond the last clump of trees on the shoulder of the stony hill. Heâd just plotted the way in his mind when a bell sounded. Its peals were not the familiar, measured tones calling monks to their afternoon prayers. Instead the bell clanged in frenzied, toneless panic.
IX
A idan stood frozen as the bellâs clamor drifted to them on the breeze. A haze of smoke accompanied it.
âWhat does it mean?â Lana whispered.
âIt means weâre in trouble.â Not even an abbey building ablaze would drive the monks to batter the bell like that.
âI could have told you that!â she hissed. âWhat are we going to do?â
Instead of answering, he brushed her grip off his arm and darted the rest of the way up the hill toward the clearing. He couldnât stand not knowing what was happening in the land below them.
Breaking from the cover of trees left him feeling abruptly exposed. He dropped to a crouch and scrabbled through the heather and rocks, reminded forcefully of playing Lambs and Wolves as a boy. Like real lambs, however, the losers of this game would bleed. Trying to keep his head down, he skirted the ridge at a slant until he
could see past the hillâs girdle of greenery. He tripped over the hem of his robe and skidded to his knees.
Aidan stared. In the distance, roiling smoke clouded what should have been a view of the river bend and the scattered homes and farmsteads beyond. Orange flames licked at the barley and oats not in one field, but many. Not a soul dotted the fieldsâif he didnât count a few dark, inexplicable heaps. Aidan tried to keep his eyes off those limp forms. He did not want to think what or who they might be. The abbeyâs earthen ramparts stood defiant, but he could see over the embankment to the buildings inside. Figures darted between walls and through doorways, hurtling in panic or rage but too distant to identify as either monks or intruders. Beyond, higher on the opposite hillside, Aidan could just make out the earthen defenses around Donaghâs stronghold. The angle and distance hid any activity there, but Aidan didnât need to see it. Although the lordâs ring fort may not have contained as much gold as the abbey, it represented control of the region. If the Norsemen hadnât clashed with Donaghâs warriors and servants already, they soon would.
As Lana caught up to him, the abbey bell stopped. The sudden silence was even more unnerving than the wild clanging had been. With any warning, the monks should have gathered their valuables and barricaded whoever would fit in the souterrain excavated for exactly that
purpose. If the bell had been ringing to summon those in the fields, anyone still outside was too late. Aidan fervently hoped that explained the bellâs silence. The alternative was too grim to admit.
Either way, he and Lana were left on their own. He wouldnât dare cross the expanse of fields below, even at a dead run, without knowing for certain whether monks or raiders held the abbey. And towing Lana behind him would be like waving gizzards at vultures.
She took one look toward the tumbling smoke and burst into tears.
He hushed her quickly. âJust because we canât see them doesnât mean they arenât within earshot below us,â he hissed.
âIâm sorry,â she sobbed, muffling herself with her hand. âBut the houses ⦠my mother! How can we help them or know whoâs all right and whoâs not?â
âWe canât.â Aidan dropped his forehead into his hand. He prayed that his father and brothers had been working a field together, preferably with
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