The Hunger of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga, #2)

by John Gwynne

For my darling Harriett, surely there can be no more tears left in all the world, for we have wept them all over you.

John do NOT make me cry this early into the sequel

“Vesli speak true,” Spert rasped, “Lik-Rifa is free.” He licked his lips with a thick, blue-black tongue. “Spert hungry. Mistress make porridge?”

Spert ily forever !

“By Berser’s hairy arse but I am sick of Seiðr-touched women throwing me around this gods-cursed place,” Sighvat bellowed.

SKNFJFJDJJDJNDSGK

“You have lost a brother, too?” Lif said. An image of his friend Torvik flashed into his mind. Of Yrsa stabbing Torvik as he sat with Varg, of Skalk watching, cold and indifferent. Of Torvik calling him brother. “I have,” Varg said, though Torvik was no blood-kin to him, but he had been his friend, and as good a man as he could have hoped for as a brother.

:'(

“I’d had my fill of blood and death,” Orka finally said. Røkia nodded. Then she looked around the courtyard, her eyes settling on the mound of the dead, most of them made that way by Orka and her long-axe. “It does not look like blood and death have had their fill of you.”

CRAZY......

Skuld looked Orv up and down, her eyes narrowing as she saw the weapon. “That is my sister’s,” she said. “Aye, well, she has no use for it, now,” Orv replied, though he did not meet her gaze. A shiver ran through Skuld, grief and anger chasing each other across her face.

I feel bad for her

“Don’t look too down-hearted,” Myrk said to Biórr as she took his hand, pulling him towards the trees. “I’ve still got time to hump you before I leave.”

I'm deceased

“Kill your enemies,” Glornir said. “Aye, and make a mountain of their corpses,” Orka finished.

Realness upon realness

“Guðvarr has a sword,” Lif said with a grimace. “He will be just as dead with an axe in his skull as with a sword in his gut,” Orka shrugged.

Exactly queen!

“Well,” Lik-Rifa frowned. “What are you waiting for?” She looked at all those gathered in the glade, staring at her. “Do I need to eat someone else to teach you the meaning of haste?” The camp exploded into movement.

I'm screaminggggg

“I am… sorry,” Lif said. “Do not be sorry,” Orka growled, “be better.”

Period!

“You are a lying witch,” he said. “Why would the Bloodsworn risk death and destruction to get you back. You are nothing but a Tainted thrall. They can find more like you in a dozen thrall-markets.”

Oh skalk.... If only you knew

His eyelids fluttered and Guðvarr moved to cover him from the rest of the boat’s inhabitants. With a grunt Guðvarr rolled him over the side and he slipped into the water, disappearing with hardly a splash.

Guðvarr you fucking piece of shit

“Left as quick as they could,” Njal continued. “Ask me, they were scared that the warband that carved them up was following them.” Not a warband. Just one person.

THAT'S RIGHT

“Be a good man and go and find me a round of cheese, if there’s any left after those thieves from the Grimholt stole your food.” “Aye, we can find some cheese for you,” Njal said. “Good. As quick as you can,” Svik said, twisting the ring in his hand.

I'm crying, this man really loves his cheese

“YOU CANNOT SILENCE ME, I AM THE VOICE OF THE DRAG—” A thud and squawk as Svik’s round of cheese connected with the dragon-worshipper’s face, the man’s nose splitting, blood spraying, and he stumbled back a step, then toppled off of the cart and into the crowd. “Ach, now see what you’ve made me do,” Svik said, shaking his head.

HELPPPP

“YOU CANNOT SILENCE ME, I AM THE VOICE OF THE DRAG—” A thud and squawk as Svik’s round of cheese connected with the dragon-worshipper’s face, the man’s nose splitting, blood spraying, and he stumbled back a step, then toppled off of the cart and into the crowd. “Ach, now see what you’ve made me do,” Svik said, shaking his head.

HELPPPPPPP

“You have been a thrall?” Biórr heard the crack of a whip in his head, felt the red-fire pain across his body, as if it were happening now. He grimaced.

Explains his scars! The foreshadowing chile.....

Vesli crouched, reaching with her long, bony fingers into the woman’s mouth and with a ripping, wet-tearing sound she wrenched a tooth from the dead woman’s gums. Lif made a gagging sound and Vesli stopped and looked around. “She will not be needing them,” the tennúr said with a shrug and popped the tooth into her mouth, a shred of flesh hanging from its root. Lif turned away as Vesli started crunching.

This book has no right being this funny skfmmsmdms

“Guard it well,” Skalk said. “With my life,” Guðvarr said. Never with my life, he thought. “Lose it and you will lose your life.” Guðvarr swallowed, abruptly wishing he had not offered his services.

LMFAO he's pathetic

“Been a shock, seeing you walking and talking when I thought all these years that you were food for fish,” Edel eventually said. “But…” she paused, silent again. Then she stood, sniffed and spat. “I could get used to having you around again. Hope you find your son. And put something sharp in the heart of whoever ended Thorkel. Always had a soft spot for him.”

My heart

“I have been letting them win,” Einar explained. “Letting them win!” Røkia exclaimed, “are you insane?” “It makes them happy,” Einar shrugged. “Happy?” Røkia said, spitting the word out as if it tasted bad. “Happy?” She stalked away, shaking her head.

I'M CACKLING

A blur of wings and Spert alighted on the Berserkir’s shoulder, a flash of movement. The Berserkir frowned, and looked at Spert, who leaped back into the air and darted away, then black veins were spreading from a point on the Berserkir’s cheek, up behind his eyes, down into his neck and his grip around Orka was gone, his hands reaching to his own throat as he choked for breath. His tongue protruded from his mouth, black and swelling.

YEAH SPERT!!!!!

Vesli alighted beside him, a wide smile splitting her face as she looked around at the dead. “What are you so happy about?” Edel snapped at the vaesen. “All the teeth,” Vesli grinned.

Vesli i love you so bad

Then Vesli was dropping her blood-soaked rag on the ground and she was coughing and heaving again, spitting up her green pile of whatever it was, and kneading it like a frenzied baker.

This is so funny

A wail drew all their eyes to Vesli, who was stood atop a dead Raven-Feeder, a pile of bloody teeth between her cupped palms, trying to force them into the pouch at her belt. She froze, as if realising that all in the glade were staring at her, and looked up. “What’s wrong?” Orka asked the tennúr. “Too many teeth for my pouch,” she said, shoulders slumping. “Vesli going to need a bigger bag.”

VESLI PLEASE

“Out,” Røkia said, slapping Hakon’s bare arse with the flat of her spear blade and he hopped forward with a squawk. Svik blew a kiss to the naked woman trying to hide beneath the furs as they all left the room.

Byeeee

“Lif,” Guðvarr snorted. “That niðing could not kill anyone, even if they were wrapped in chains.” “Like you killed his brother,” cleaver-man said with a curl of his lip, “and hit Jökul from behind. You are making a name for yourself, coward.”

GET HIM VARG

“She needed teaching her place. Sometimes you have to hump the defiance out of them.”

NO......

“What’s your name?” “B… B… Breca,” the boy wheezed.

THE SCREAM I JUST LET OUT

“Well, Breca Thorkelsson,” the man said, “you’re going to have a scar on your face from this cut for the rest of your life. So next time you think about running away, you put your hand to this scar, and you remember what happens to runaways. And you remember who gave it to you. My name’s Brák Trolls-Bane, and don’t you go forgetting it.” “I won’t,” snarled Breca.

Oh my fucking GODDDDD

A hiss and blur of movement and Orka had a seax at Myrk’s throat. Spert’s sting was hovering a finger’s span from one of her eyes and Vesli’s spear-point was touching Myrk’s heart.

GO TEAM!!

It had been one of her father’s many tests, seeing if he could push Grend into drawing a blade against his jarl, an offence that would have been punishable by death. Grend had listened to Elvar’s mother, stood stiff as stone and then made to leave, but Jarl Störr had ordered him to stay and watch while he beat Elvar’s mother some more.

Disgusting

Skuggar was always one for the shadows, where Snaka would love the world to watch him. Snaka was the maker, Skuggar the unmaker.”

Interesting .....

He snarled at the Battle-Grim and then his head was lunging down, jaws wide, and he grabbed Ketil around the waist and heaved him into the air. A savage shake of his head, Elvar hearing flesh tearing, bones snapping and then half of Ketil’s severed body thumped on to the ground, Ulfrir lifting his head and swallowing the rest of the dead warrior in a gulp.

That was very unnecessary

“That drakkar,” Orka said to Halja, pointing. “Do you recognise their shields?” Halja stared, then sucked in a sharp breath. “Aye. They are the Battle-Grim.”

FINALLY

She opened the pouch at her belt and took out the rag she had used to wipe blood from Myrk’s horse, then ripped off the hem of her tunic, where she had cleaned Myrk’s seax of her blood.

Genius

“And I have a message for you,” Sighvat said to the red-haired warrior of the Bloodsworn, Halja Flat-Nose. Halja just looked at Sighvat with a curled lip. “If you’re ever in need of a good hump, come and find me.”

CRAZY

“Gunnar, how is your leg?” “It’s good,” he said, putting weight on it to prove his point. “Whatever is in Vesli’s spit,” he pulled a disgusted face, “it works.” Vesli grinned from where she was sitting on Orka’s saddle alongside Spert.

SKDMSDMMSNDNS

“You are a good man, Biórr,” she said. “Thank you,” Bjarn said, hugging Biórr. Biórr patted his head. “Tell Storolf that…” Kráka began. “Tell him I am sorry for what might have been.” Then she hit him with the butt of his spear.

Redemption!!!!! Let's goooo

Do it, a voice said in his thought-cage. Kill her. His eyes snapped to Rotta, who was staring intensely at him. But she is my friend, Biórr told the voice. She is already dead, but you might yet live. We are survivors, you and I. Do what you need to do to survive. Biórr hovered one more moment, and then he stepped forwards and plunged his spear into Kráka’s throat.

I know it was necessary but it still sucks :'( poor kráka

“She’ll be the one killing you,” Breca screamed at Drekr. His eyes were flickering amber and green and he sniffed the air. “I can smell your fear from here,” he laughed. With a growl Drekr stepped forward and backhanded Breca across the jaw, sent him crashing to the ground where he rolled, groaning.

BRECA SHUT UP AND STAY ALIVE

“Filthy tooth-eating tennúr,” Spert rasped. “Vesli’s a tennúr,” Lif said. “Vesli different,” Spert grunted. An indrawn breath. “Spert miss Vesli.”

SPERT DON'T MAKE ME CRY

The sabre chopped down again, and Ingmar dropped to his knees, toppled to the side. With a snarl Jaromir gripped his reins and kicked his mount on, trampling across Ingmar’s body.

NOOOOOOO

Glornir’s long-axe slid from his hands and he slipped his arms beneath her, raised her tenderly and held her to him, kissed her softly, her eyes, her cheeks, her scabbed lips, tears flowing down his face, tracing pale tracks through the blood and grime crusted upon him. “Ach, my Vol, my Vol, my Vol,” he repeated, over and over as he rocked her in his arms.

The tenderness.....

“Sulich,” Glornir said. “Who are these people?” “They are the Tainted children of the Great Khagan,” Sulich said, with tears in his eyes. “They are my brothers and sisters.”

Oh shit

“JUST KILL HER,” Thorun yelled from the dais.

GET FUCKED THORUN

Skuld looked down at Elvar, waiting. A memory, of her mother screaming, of her father’s fist rising and falling. Elvar nodded. “No,” she saw her father’s lips move. Skuld threw Jarl Störr into the air, spinning, and Ulfrir’s jaws lunged, snapped about him. There was a muffled scream, the crunch and crackle of bone and then blood was trickling over Ulfrir’s matted lips.

YEAHHHHHHH LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO

“My gift to you, my jarl,” Silrið said to Elvar, dipping her head but not taking her eyes from Elvar. Elvar held the Galdurwoman’s gaze, weighing up her options, then she stepped forward and stabbed Thorun in the throat, felt her blade grate on his spine, ripped it free in a torrent of blood.

FUCK YES

“Sister,” a voice said, and she saw Broðir stepping hesitantly towards her, his eyes flickering from Elvar’s face to her red-bladed sword. “Broðir,” she answered, tense and ready for his attack. He knelt before her and took her hand, slick with blood, still gripping her sword, and he put his lips to it, kissed it. “My jarl,” Broðir said.

I'm gonna cry