Read Online Viking Unbound by Kate Pearce - Free Book Online Page B

sandwiches.”
    He followed her to one of the tables set close to the clear rectangles showing the stars. While she took a seat, he walked over and placed his palm on the transparent surface. The distortion told him whatever the substance was, it was thick. Did it keep out the blackness much as a strongly made longboat kept out water? A wash of longing for the sea and the simple comforts of home came over him and he briefly closed his eyes.
    “Are you okay, Einarr?”
    “What is this?” Einarr shook off his melancholy.
    “It’s like glass.” Frey came to stand next to him, her shoulder aligned with his. “You had glass, right?”
    “Nothing like this.” He smoothed his hand over the surface, “What would happen if it cracked and let in the stars?”
    “We’d all die. The ship has to be sealed tight because there isn’t any air in space.”
    “We’d suffocate?”
    “Yes, within seconds.”
    He swiftly took his hand away. With his magical powers, he didn’t want to inadvertently kill everyone. The fragrant smell of roasting meat caught his attention and he turned back to the table where Heald was putting out two platters. Each contained a large round of bread with something on top of it and another round of bread atop that.
    He sat down on the bench and watched as Frey did the same. She picked up the food and bit into both slabs of bread. He copied her actions and had his portion finished in four bites. The meat smelled better than it tasted.
    “What animal is this?” he asked.
    Frey, who was only halfway through her first wedge of bread, chewed briskly and wiped her mouth. “It’s a genetically constructed creature, which contains elements of both pork and beef. We call it pigcow.”
    “It tastes unlike anything I have ever had before.”
    She shrugged. “It’s pretty terrible. It’s great for space travel because it keeps for years.”
    “Like dried meat.”
    “Yes,” she looked down at her platter. “Would you like to have the rest of mine? I’m not that hungry.”
    He frowned at her. “You are already too slender. Finish your food, woman.”
    “Slender?” She glanced down at her ample bosom. “I think I like you.”
    After she’d finished, and he’d been given some water and a bright red apple that looked too perfect to eat, they moved on. Einarr kept his attention on the ship and tried to ignore both the huge blackness outside and his fears of what would happen to him next. Nothing about the vessel made sense to him, and the idea that he couldn’t simply jump off the side and live was difficult to comprehend.
    He tried to remind himself that the Gods had brought him back to life at this point in time for a reason. He might not yet understand their plans, who could? Eventually all would be revealed, and he would collect his reward in Valhalla. He paused to consider the endless darkness outside.
    If Valhalla still existed four thousand years in the future… Did anyone worship his Gods anymore? And if they weren’t worshipped, had they ceased to exist? Terror stirred in his gut sending cold black fingers of doubt and fear into his mind like a rapidly growing weed.
    Frey’s voice came back to him, jarring him from his thoughts.
    “Am I making sense so far?” She looked back over her shoulder her smile dying. “I know this must be very difficult for you. Tell me to stop when I babble.” She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I do tend to go on a bit.”
    “I understand that I am on a vessel in space and that eventually we will land somewhere. That is enough for me.” Einarr forced the words out.
    Her shoulders sagged. “And I’ve been rattling on about all kinds of stuff you don’t need to know.”
    He reached out and took her hand, felt her immediate reaction to him. “I enjoy hearing you speak.”
    “Is there anything you’d like to ask me?” She looked up into his eyes.
    “You already know what I want, Frey.” He sucked one of her fingers into his mouth. “