Beyond a Darkened Shore(95)

Despite my qualms, Leif’s army and my undead clansmen—the ones who were not guarding my body—had no such hesitations. Their swords and axes flashed in the torchlight, taking down mortal and giant alike.

I threw the giant into the fight, swinging his sword with powerful blows. At some point, I grabbed a discarded shield and was able to use it both defensively and offensively. I kept Leif within my sight as I fought on, taking down as many of the j?tnar as I could while I still had one to control. Leif’s every move was smoothly executed, the flash of his blade a mere blur of light. He wielded his shield as an offensive weapon as well as a defensive one, bashing the heads or noses of any mortal who battled him. My undead clansmen lent him aid as he fought one of the j?tnar, and with a little jolt of recognition, I realized it was Fergus who partnered with Leif to bring them down.

Together they killed three, while still others of my clansmen took down more, and hope bloomed in my chest.

But then the giant I controlled was met with another giant whose powerful blows my giant couldn’t block. This one brandished an axe with a blade half as long as Sleipnir. The one I controlled would have one chance to block with his shield, and then it would be reduced to splinters. I had to make it count.

The other giant took a swing, but my giant rolled out of the way, coming gracefully to his feet again. The blade of the other’s axe flashed again, this time much faster, and I raised my giant’s shield at the last moment. The shield shattered under his enemy’s powerful blow, but that gave my giant an extra second to dodge. I brought my sword down across the other’s back, feeling his spine give way beneath the blade.

He collided with the ground, and as my giant spun away in search of another enemy, I felt a sword bite into his flesh.

The other j?tunn’s aim had been true, the blade slipping between his ribs to pierce his heart. But as my j?tunn bled to death, his mind became like a yawning chasm, a dark nothingness that threatened to swallow me. I struggled against its hold, panicking as I tried to free my spirit from the dying body. It held on tenaciously, talons of darkness lodged in me. I’d never felt this sensation before. Desperately, I sought the door of light.

I moved as though underwater, the darkness pulling me back with every step. I fell through it, and mercifully came back to my true body in the next breath.

I leaned over and was sick. Tears ran down my cheeks. I shook violently as though with fever, and as I struggled to my feet, I swayed as weakly as a newborn kitten.

Never before had I reacted in such a way to my mental link being broken. Was it because I had connected to an immortal creature rather than a human?

I shuddered again as I worked to gain back my strength. My undead clansmen didn’t react, but Sleipnir took a step toward me until I was able to lean against him. I rested my forehead on his neck in gratitude for one shaky breath before I forced myself onto his back. I’d never before considered what might happen if my spirit was caught when the giant I controlled was killed, but I couldn’t let it stop me from taking control of another. We had yet to see Fenris, and if I could find him and kill him, all of this would end. He had united this terrible army, and without his leadership and power, they would fall.

Urgency nipped at my heels. I hurried Sleipnir on, but as we drew closer to the gates, Leif’s army was pushed back—out of the city and onto the rocky field beyond. At least forty-five of the j?tnar still stood, and they loomed above Leif’s men and my undead clansmen. Most of the Northmen allied with the j?tnar had fallen, easily felled by my undead army, but the losses on our side were significant as well.

The j?tnar continued to thunder toward us, the ground shaking beneath them. Where they clashed with my undead clansmen, they were taken down, but even then it was taking many more men to stop them.

Rúna was still mounted, but she faced her own enemy—a giant continually hammered her with his axe. Her shield wouldn’t hold much longer. I had to do something or she’d be defeated. So, surrounded by my small band of undead clansmen, I threw myself from Sleipnir’s back, sat on the ground, and pushed my spirit free. As I watched, untethered, Rúna’s shield finally gave way, sending a shower of splinters to the ground.

I wrenched control of the giant she fought. I forced him away from the battle with Rúna and made him bring his axe down on a nearby giant instead. The giant’s suddenly strange behavior must have been enough of an indication to Rúna that it was I who controlled him now, for she quickly moved on to another battle.

I took down five of the j?tnar with my controlled giant before his fellow giants realized he was now an enemy and turned on him. When two collided with my giant so powerfully the giant’s legs gave way, I prepared myself to leave his body the moment before he died. In the next instant, my giant’s thrust with his sword was deflected, and as I saw the other giant’s sword arcing down on him, I bailed myself out of his mind.

When I returned to my body, it was to a searing pain in my head and weakness so intense I could do nothing but lie where I’d collapsed.

The ground trembled around me, and I knew there must be more j?tnar coming for me. I forced myself up, panting, blinking sweat from my eyes. The undead who guarded me swarmed over the threatening giants, and I tried desperately to push myself to stand. Above the ringing in my ears came the heavy thud of boots, and then Leif pulled me to my feet.

“Ciara, are you hurt?” he asked, his voice barely detectable amid the terrible buzzing in my ear. I could only lean heavily against him and shake my head.