Billy Boyle (Billy Boyle World War II, #1)

by James R. Benn

“The Edda. An ancient Norse poem. I studied it at university, and we had to read it in English as part of language class. I always enjoyed it, and picked up this copy in London. It seems to me to see into the future.” “How so?” He flipped through the dog-eared pages and began to read. The one who squats at the end of the sky is known as Engulfer of Corpses a giant in eagle form; they say from his wings comes the wind of the world. Brothers will fight and kill each other, siblings do incest; men will know misery, adulteries be multiplied, an axe-age, a sword-age, shields will be cloven, a wind-age, a wolf-age, before the world’s ruin. “Cheery,” I said. He laughed. “It’s also a story about the theft of gold. Sound familiar? There are many parallels to Europe today. We have our own Engulfer of Corpses, and this is certainly an axe-age and a wolf-age.” “And men certainly do know misery, some more than others.” “Some deservedly so, some not.” He gazed out over the fjord with a distant look in his eyes. “Well,” I said into the silence, “let’s hope tomorrow is Rolf Kayser’s ruin, not the world’s. Or ours.” Anders put down the book and looked at me. “Remember, Billy, I need Rolf alive. He has information to give me about the Underground Army in Nordland. It is very important. Once I have that, he’s yours.” “I understand. It should be easy if he doesn’t suspect anything.” “He may be very careful. He knows that this rendezvous is the only location anyone in England knows he will be ...