flying footwear.
‘Something bad?’ Bragi put the shoe back in its place and looked seriously at his younger brother.
‘They don’t know, but apparently it’s very important.’ Einar shrugged, pulling himself up against the window. ‘Father told us to find you all and turn up at home in reasonably good shape.’
‘Have you found the rest yet?’ Bragi slowly began to look around for his trousers, which Einar helped him with by pointing to his clothes hanging on the chest of drawers by the door.
‘You were closest, so not yet.’ Another shrug, and he pulled himself up onto the windowsill. ‘I reckon you’ll sort yourself out,’ he said, flashing a smile at Inga before pushing off from the window and leaping down. He landed nimbly and stretched, wondering who to look for next.
He quickly realised he was almost certain where he’d find Surt, so he ran along the edge of the village until he reached a long, single-storey building not far from the gate leading to the druids’ forest. He quickly found the entrance to the cellars and slid silently down the ladder. He’d been here before, and it had always puzzled him how the cellar beneath this house could be so brightly lit. He looked around the corridor, wondering where to start searching.
He immediately ruled out the passage leading down to the lower level, which served as a larder and wine cellar. Next, he ruled out the kitchen and the adjoining storerooms, as he assumed it was still a little too early for breakfast today. That left two rooms: the bedroom and the study. He opted for the bedroom and walked towards it slowly.
He wasn’t creeping, but he made very little noise even when he wasn’t trying to hide. The whispers coming from behind the half-open door confirmed that he’d guessed correctly. They weren’t clear enough for Einar to make out the words, but then again, he hadn’t come to eavesdrop. He pushed the door open without ceremony and leaned against the frame. He scanned the room and his gaze settled on his brother, who
