Viking Conspiracy Read online

  Viking Conspiracy

  Viking Academy: Book Two

  S.T. Bende

  Contents

  Also By S.T. Bende

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Viking Vow - Sneak Peek

  Also By S.T. Bende

  Acknowledgments

  Perfekt Order

  About the Author

  Viking Conspiracy

  Viking Academy: Book Two

  Copyright © 2019, S.T. Bende

  Edited by: CREATING ink

  Cover Art by: Alerim

  * * *

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

  * * *

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage system without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  * * *

  First publication: 2019, S.T. Bende

  * * *

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Back Cover Copy

  Trapped in a world she never knew existed, Saga Skånstad throws herself into her new life at Viking Academy. She learns to scale icy mountains, shoot flaming arrows, and ride on the back of a particularly ill-tempered dragon. But when Erik abruptly disappears, and the true reason for Saga’s arrival in his world is unveiled, her fears only increase—not just for herself, but for the Viking who’s captured her heart.

  * * *

  When a surprise attack threatens her new home, Saga quickly realizes her life is on the line. Valkyris’ enemies are determined to bring down her clan, destroy its heir, and force her into a living nightmare. Saga will do whatever it takes to preserve the world her friends have worked so hard to build. But her choice may cost her the life she never knew she wanted . . . and a love she never could have imagined.

  Also By S.T. Bende

  Follow the Valkyris crew in VIKING ACADEMY.

  VIKING ACADEMY

  VIKING CONSPIRACY

  VIKING VOW

  * * *

  Meet the Norse gods, including Axel’s not-so-mythical Asgardian relations in:

  THE ÆRE SAGA

  PERFEKT ORDER

  PERFEKT CONTROL

  PERFEKT BALANCE

  PERFEKT MATCH

  * * *

  -and-

  * * *

  THE ELSKER SAGA

  ELSKER

  ENDRE

  TRO

  TUR (a novella)

  THE ELSKER SAGA: COMPLETE BOXED SET

  * * *

  Meet the demigods in NIGHT WAR SAGA.

  PROTECTOR

  DEFENDER

  REDEEMER

  * * *

  And introduce your Padawans to STAR WARS!

  Complete list of S.T.’s Star Wars children’s titles

  at http://www.stbende.com/star-wars

  * * *

  Stay in touch with S.T. at www.stbende.com.

  And find pronunciations, translations, and info on all things Asgardian on S.T.’s website at WELCOME TO ASGARD.

  * * *

  Want more information on upcoming books?

  Sign up for S.T.’s newsletter

  -and-

  Join the RagnaRockstars Street Team – our readers’ private Facebook group!

  To my fun-loving family—thanks for always saying yes to adventure.

  Chapter 1

  ERIK HALVARSSON WAS FURIOUS. Mere minutes had passed since we’d learned Clan Bjorn was planning to abduct me, kill Erik, and destroy Valkyris. And in that time, my boyfriend had ordered battalions to each of our borders, orchestrated a round-the-clock dragon patrol, and rearranged my schedule to guarantee I’d be able to defend myself come doomsday. Now, he marched from the beach to the castle, barking orders like the general he’d one day become.

  “Freia and Halvar should already be in the war room. Axel, take Saga and Ingrid to the family suite while I retrieve my parents. Then go to the healing unit and check on the other refugee. What was her name?”

  “Vidia,” I said.

  “Right. Check on Vidia,” Erik commanded. “And be sure you get your injury looked at while you’re there.”

  “It’s fine.” Axel glanced at his arm, which boasted a five-inch gash and an even bigger bruise.

  “It is not fine,” I countered.

  Axel just shrugged and continued to march across the grounds.

  Vikings.

  As we neared the imposing, stone castle, Erik held tight to my hand. The guards opened the front doors, and he nodded at the sword-wielding men before jogging up the grand staircase. He paused on the landing, piercing me with his sky-blue stare before turning to Axel. “Instruct the family guards not to let anyone but my parents into the suite. I mean it.”

  Axel held two fingers to his brow in a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”

  Erik’s low growl wiped the smirk off Axel’s face.

  “Go. You know I’ll take care of the girls,” Axel said softly.

  “You’d better.” Erik squeezed my hand. “I’ll have dry clothes sent up for you and your friend.”

  “Okay,” I said quietly.

  With a nod, Erik turned on one heel and stormed down the hallway. Given the gravity of our situation, I probably should have been more focused on survival than on admiring Erik’s butt. But I was only human.

  And God, his butt was spectacular.

  Focus, Saga. All of Vikingdom wants you dead.

  Right.

  It had been a decent enough day before a ship stolen from Clan Bjorn crashed on our beach, bringing not only my friends Ingrid, Vidia, and Axel, but also news of an impending onslaught. Clan Bjorn was determined to exact revenge on Clan Valkyris for a generation of infractions, the most recent being Erik’s supposed “theft” of their heir’s captive bride—me. Bjorn had rallied members of the allied tribes to their side in the name of vengeance, which meant the most lethal killers in Norway were currently preparing to slaughter my adopted clansmen. The only thing saving us from all-out war was the fact that no one outside our clan knew where Valkyris was located. We owed our privacy to Chieftess Freia and Chief Halvar, who’d concealed the egalitarian tribe of Valkyris on an island protected by watchmen, dragons, and just a hint of fairy dust.

  But we wouldn’t be able to hide forever. Valkyris had a spy—one who was selling our secrets to Bjorn. If we didn’t figure out who was leaking information, it would only be a matter of time before our location was threatened . . . and our lives, right along with it.

  “All right, ladies. Follow me.” Axel marched in the opposite direction from Erik, down a stretch of hallway I’d not yet traveled.

  I raised an eyebrow at Ingrid, who fingered her wild, crimson cur
ls as she trailed after Axel. On the outside she was the picture of calm, but I knew her well enough to pick up on the nervous twitch of her lip and the anxious look in her eye. Ingrid had been my roommate during the two horrible weeks I’d been held captive and nearly forced to marry Clan Bjorn’s heir, Lars. She’d endured horrors I didn’t want to imagine, and I knew it would take some time before she could relax into life on Valkyris. But I also knew that Ingrid was a fighter—a trait that had kept her alive during her captivity and one that would no doubt serve her well if war did, in fact, come to our shores.

  Gulp.

  “Are we really going to Freia’s suite?” I called to Axel.

  “Did Erik sound like he was joking?” Axel glanced over his shoulder. “What?”

  “I’ve never been there before.” I played with the edge of my sleeve. “This threat is really serious.”

  “It is,” Axel said wryly. “But it’s nothing we haven’t faced before. We’ll get through it like we always do. Together.”

  “So, it’s true what you told me.” Ingrid’s emerald eyes darted to Axel. “You do things differently here.”

  “I am many things. But I am not a liar.” Axel didn’t turn around.

  “I didn’t say you were a liar!”

  “You implied it.” This time, Axel treated Ingrid to a wink.

  Her cheeks flushed and she whirled on me. “He’s impossible.”

  “Tell me about it,” I agreed. “Bless his heart.”

  Axel paused outside a massive wooden door. “You’re blessing my heart, but you say it like it’s an insult.”

  Since I didn’t know how to explain the multiple meanings of that phrase, I bit back my grin. “Just get us inside, Andersson.”

  “You and Erik are so demanding.” Axel raked his fingers through his dark brown hair. “You really are perfect for each other.”

  With that, he pushed open the door and led us into a section of the castle I’d never seen. Padded benches lined the wide, cream-colored hallway, off of which stood four intricately carved doors. Armed guards stood at attention outside the tallest of the doors. They palmed the hilts of their swords as Axel approached.

  “Stand down.” My friend held up his hands. “Erik asked me to bring these two to wait for the chief and chieftess.”

  The men released their holds on their weapons. “The chieftess sent a messenger from the war room—she’s expecting Erik, but he hasn’t arrived yet. She didn’t say anything about guests.”

  “I’ll vouch for the girls. You already know Saga.” Axel jabbed his thumb at me. I offered a tentative wave at the guards, who I kind of recognized from the dining hall.

  “Hei, Miss Saga.” One nodded.

  “Hey,” I replied. “This is my friend Ingrid. She’s, uh, going to be living with us. In the academy wing.”

  “Miss Ingrid.” The guards dipped their heads.

  “Hei,” she whispered. Her eyes were wide, probably from the shock of being treated like a human being after living in the hell that was Clan Bjorn. I reached over and held her hand.

  Axel cleared his throat. “Enough staring at the pretty girls. Let us in. And don’t let anyone in after them—Erik’s orders.”

  “Yes, Commander Andersson.” The guards stepped aside.

  “You’re a commander?” Given how big his ego was, I was shocked he’d never mentioned it.

  “Impressive, I know.” Axel shot me a grin so wide, his dimple popped. Ingrid’s cheeks pinked again. So cute.

  Axel threw open the double doors. “Are you coming or what?”

  I tugged gently on Ingrid’s hand and followed Axel into the Halvarsson family suite. I sucked in a breath so massive, I doubled over coughing.

  “Saga. Are you all right?” Ingrid patted the center of my back.

  “I’m—cough—fine—cough, cough!” I straightened slowly, hacking the whole time. “But holy mother, look at this place!”

  We’d stepped into a sitting area that made the one in my impressive academy suite look like a hovel. Erik’s parents’ suite had high ceilings, flameless wall-sconces, and a crystal chandelier that hung over the vast entry. Everything was cream on cream, from the couches to the pillows to the plushy throws tossed artfully over padded mahogany chairs. Two steps led up to a more formal sitting area, where high-backed chairs—all in cream—formed a semi-circle around a massive fireplace. The hearth was framed by two embroidered tapestries, each depicting Valkyris’ ruling family in what I figured was the Viking version of a portrait. In the four months since I’d been sucked a thousand years into my past by a magical—and currently broken—dagger, I’d been learning the Viking equivalents of things I’d taken for granted. Writing feathers and parchment passed for laptops here, arrows and swords served as home security systems, and mutton was the new—old—chicken. Since only Erik and his parents knew I wasn’t from here, it had been a crash course in fitting in.

  “Axel.” Ingrid darted to his side. “You’re bleeding again. You need to get to a healer.”

  “I’m fine,” Axel argued. I tore my eyes from the tapestry to find him gripping his shoulder.

  “You’re not fine.” I shook my head. “Do you want me to walk you to the healing unit?”

  “Erik wants you two in here.” Axel loosened his grip and cringed. “If I get blood on the furniture, Freia will kill me.”

  Oh, God. With all the cream in here, it was a good thing we hadn’t ventured past the wooden-floored entry. Axel and Ingrid were covered in dirt and saltwater from fleeing Clan Bjorn, and my pants and boots were still damp from when I’d run into the ocean to hug Ingrid.

  “I think Freia will be more concerned you aren’t taking care of yourself than she is about her couches.” I nudged Axel toward the door. “Are you sure you don’t need an escort?”

  “Please.” Axel exhaled heavily, whether from irritation or pain, I couldn’t quite tell. “Just don’t leave before Erik comes back. Until we know exactly what we’re up against, we can’t be too careful with you.”

  “Aw, Axel.” I reached up to give my friend a gentle hug. Who knew the assassin had such a big heart?

  “You’re good for us, Saga,” he said gruffly. Then he winced.

  “Go. Get that taken care of. Ingrid and I will be fine here.”

  Axel shot Ingrid a worried look. “You’re sure?”

  “I got your injured self home, didn’t I?” Ingrid folded her arms.

  One corner of Axel’s mouth quirked up. “If you say so.”

  He turned on one heel and strode through the doors. Just before they closed behind him, he called over his shoulder, “Help yourself to the food on the service station, but don’t touch Halvar’s mead without asking first!”

  “Halvar’s mead?” I shook my head. I was in another era, and therefore not subject to twenty-first century drinking-age restrictions, but I’d had zero desire to touch the sweet, brown liquid since my arrival. And I certainly wasn’t about to break into the chief’s liquor cabinet on my first visit to his home.

  “This place is incredible. Are all the rooms this nice?” Ingrid’s quiet voice pulled me back to the present.

  “Huh? No. They’re all really nice, but this is . . .” I shook my head. “This is next-level nice.”

  Ingrid shifted from foot to foot. “I’m a mess.”

  “You and me both.” I opened the door and poked my head out. “Um, sirs? Any chance you guys have a towel or something we could dry off with lying around?”

  One of the guards nodded to a pile of neatly folded clothing on one of the benches. “These were just sent up. I presume they’re for you?”

  Erik! I blessed his heart—in the good way.

  “Thanks.” I took the pile the guard handed over, and slipped back into the family suite. “Erik sent up dry clothes, so . . . I guess we can change here?”

  Ingrid bit down on her bottom lip. “Nobody’s going to walk in on us?”

  “Not if we’re fast.”

  We stuck to the wood-pa
neled entry, carefully trading our damp and dirty outfits for fresh, dry ones. Only when we were both wearing clean apron-dresses did we dare step onto the cream rug.

  “I’ve never been in here,” I admitted. I padded across the carpet, marveling at the way the soft fibers slipped between my toes. Everything was so much more . . . luxurious than I’d imagined this world would be. The älva had something to do with it, sure, but I had no doubt Freia and Halvar had cultivated the finest animals and the finest weavers to craft the fabrics that made their castle a home.

  “Is that who we’re waiting on?” Ingrid pointed to the tapestries that framed the fireplace—the ones bearing the likenesses of the Halvarsson family.

  “Yes. Freia and Halvar rule this tribe. They have two sons—Erik, who you met, and his younger brother, Raynor. Between you and me, he’s a piece of work.” I shuddered at the memory of Erik’s brooding, angry brother. God only knew where he’d taken off to on his red-scaled dragon.

  “Who’s the girl?” Ingrid asked.

  I studied the tapestry. A beautiful girl with intricate, golden braids sat between Erik and Raynor. Halvar’s hand rested on her shoulder in a gesture that radiated love and strength. The girl was the spitting image of Freia, from her sky-blue eyes to the smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks. With her raised chin and proud smile, she even exuded her mother’s strength.