Read Online Vikings battle Zeppelins while forbidden desires spark! (Swords Versus Tanks Book 2) by M Harold Page - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: M Harold Page
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priest's voluminous sleeve. "Go on then."
The priest shot her an angry glance. He brushed down his sleeve then set to work, muttering and splashing holy water over the gleaming bombs.
The bay doors now framed Ragnar's keep. The stone biscuit tin was not the designated target. It was probably even empty. Pulse hammering in her ears, Jasmine edged over to the manual release levers. Without giving herself time to think, she yanked at the nearest and held her breath. The airship jolted upward.
Jasmine held her breath.
A few heartbeats, then a hollow boom, like a great wave thundering in a sea cave.
Jasmine exhaled.
The engines kicked in, and the airship swung into a turn.
The priest staggered, clutched his forehead then threw up.
Jasmine laughed. She was a traitor now, but not a murderer.
Lowenstein’s voice blared over the intercom. “ Klimt, you missed! ”
“Fuck you!” she replied. “You can have secrecy or accuracy.”
Lowenstein laughed. “ Never mind. It will do as a demonstration of force. But very well, you may tell the technician to relieve you. ”
#
Ragnar's hall shook, setting the dragon bones clattering in the rafters. Ranulph sprang to his feet, upsetting the bench.
A lump of stone crashed through the roof, bringing down half the dragon skeleton's ribcage. Bones, stones, slates and timber cascaded onto the long table, splintering its boards.
"To the keep!" bellowed Ranulph. He threw Lady Maud over his shoulder and barged towards the door. And I told them to trust Jasmine’s honour .
Behind him, Ragnar bellowed, “You heard Sir Ranulph! To the keep!”
Carrying Lady Maud well ahead of the rush, Ranulph burst out of the wooden great hall and stumbled on debris. Chunks of masonry covered the flame-lit courtyard.
A great voice crackled above the howl of the wind. “ Surrender! Surrender! Stand in the open with your hands raised. ”
Ranulph’s jaw dropped.
The keep would not provide them with refuge after all. Despite its rune-carved stones, the big stone tower now looked as if a Frost Giant had laid into it with a hammer.
King Ragnar slowed to a halt beside them. His voice was flat. “A demonstration. Lowenstein boasted of the harm he could do us…”
“This is not possible,” said Ranulph, in Western. “The Invaders don’t have magic.”
Again the voice crackled, “ Surrender! Surrender…! ”
Maud slid off Ranulph’s shoulder. She brushed down her gown. “Then they must have priests to bless their petards.”
From above came an odd double cough, then a continuous buzz.
Ranulph craned his neck.
Firelight flickering on its bloated belly, a horribly familiar black form spun across the stars to face into the wind. The air vessel shifted position to hover above the great hall.
“ Surrender! Surrender! ” repeated the voice.
“By Odin!” boomed King Ragnar, suddenly animated now he had an enemy to fight. “Springalds! Get that thing out my sky!"
Crews scuttled up the walls and undraped the war engines. They wound back the arms even as they brought the weapons to bear.
The springalds thumped. A dozen rune-inscribed bolts zipped out from the wall towers. Each hit the craft squarely, only to rebound and clatter on the stony courtyard.
Ranulph felt sick. "They have priests to bless the hull."
Ragnar shook his head. “The hull is not metal, so the runes don’t help. What’s that…?”
A shiny object dropped from the underside of the air vessel. The Great Hall exploded.
"Hjalti!" bellowed Ragnar.
Burning figures burst out of one of the main doors.
Ragnar ran forward, housecarls streaming behind him. "Little Brother!"
More petards fell from the underside of the airship. Ranulph flung himself on top of Lady Maud.
The night went white.
Then black.
Stones bounced off Ranulph’s back. Ears still ringing, he rolled off the girl and sat up. The explosion had torn a huge crater in the courtyard. Dead housecarls were strewn around it like young oaks uprooted by a
The priest shot her an angry glance. He brushed down his sleeve then set to work, muttering and splashing holy water over the gleaming bombs.
The bay doors now framed Ragnar's keep. The stone biscuit tin was not the designated target. It was probably even empty. Pulse hammering in her ears, Jasmine edged over to the manual release levers. Without giving herself time to think, she yanked at the nearest and held her breath. The airship jolted upward.
Jasmine held her breath.
A few heartbeats, then a hollow boom, like a great wave thundering in a sea cave.
Jasmine exhaled.
The engines kicked in, and the airship swung into a turn.
The priest staggered, clutched his forehead then threw up.
Jasmine laughed. She was a traitor now, but not a murderer.
Lowenstein’s voice blared over the intercom. “ Klimt, you missed! ”
“Fuck you!” she replied. “You can have secrecy or accuracy.”
Lowenstein laughed. “ Never mind. It will do as a demonstration of force. But very well, you may tell the technician to relieve you. ”
#
Ragnar's hall shook, setting the dragon bones clattering in the rafters. Ranulph sprang to his feet, upsetting the bench.
A lump of stone crashed through the roof, bringing down half the dragon skeleton's ribcage. Bones, stones, slates and timber cascaded onto the long table, splintering its boards.
"To the keep!" bellowed Ranulph. He threw Lady Maud over his shoulder and barged towards the door. And I told them to trust Jasmine’s honour .
Behind him, Ragnar bellowed, “You heard Sir Ranulph! To the keep!”
Carrying Lady Maud well ahead of the rush, Ranulph burst out of the wooden great hall and stumbled on debris. Chunks of masonry covered the flame-lit courtyard.
A great voice crackled above the howl of the wind. “ Surrender! Surrender! Stand in the open with your hands raised. ”
Ranulph’s jaw dropped.
The keep would not provide them with refuge after all. Despite its rune-carved stones, the big stone tower now looked as if a Frost Giant had laid into it with a hammer.
King Ragnar slowed to a halt beside them. His voice was flat. “A demonstration. Lowenstein boasted of the harm he could do us…”
“This is not possible,” said Ranulph, in Western. “The Invaders don’t have magic.”
Again the voice crackled, “ Surrender! Surrender…! ”
Maud slid off Ranulph’s shoulder. She brushed down her gown. “Then they must have priests to bless their petards.”
From above came an odd double cough, then a continuous buzz.
Ranulph craned his neck.
Firelight flickering on its bloated belly, a horribly familiar black form spun across the stars to face into the wind. The air vessel shifted position to hover above the great hall.
“ Surrender! Surrender! ” repeated the voice.
“By Odin!” boomed King Ragnar, suddenly animated now he had an enemy to fight. “Springalds! Get that thing out my sky!"
Crews scuttled up the walls and undraped the war engines. They wound back the arms even as they brought the weapons to bear.
The springalds thumped. A dozen rune-inscribed bolts zipped out from the wall towers. Each hit the craft squarely, only to rebound and clatter on the stony courtyard.
Ranulph felt sick. "They have priests to bless the hull."
Ragnar shook his head. “The hull is not metal, so the runes don’t help. What’s that…?”
A shiny object dropped from the underside of the air vessel. The Great Hall exploded.
"Hjalti!" bellowed Ragnar.
Burning figures burst out of one of the main doors.
Ragnar ran forward, housecarls streaming behind him. "Little Brother!"
More petards fell from the underside of the airship. Ranulph flung himself on top of Lady Maud.
The night went white.
Then black.
Stones bounced off Ranulph’s back. Ears still ringing, he rolled off the girl and sat up. The explosion had torn a huge crater in the courtyard. Dead housecarls were strewn around it like young oaks uprooted by a
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