Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

“ G ustav came to talk to me earlier,” Viktor leaned over to whisper as we all enjoyed some ale after dinner. “He told me you weren’t a fan of gutting fish.”

I leaned into his warmth and rested my head on his shoulder. “That would be putting it lightly,” I snorted. “I was doing everything I could not to throw up.”

“Trust me to marry the one woman in all of Jorvik who doesn’t like fish,” he chuckled, turning his head to brush his lips against the crown of my head.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” I huffed and pinched his side. When he yelped, the crew laughed, and that amused me immensely. “Can I please try something different tomorrow? Gustav didn’t need help with any of the other stuff. I’m pretty sure I was slowing him down, but he’s too kind to be honest with me.”

“We’ll find something for you, Astrid,” Viktor chuckled, his lips brushing against my forehead with each spoken word.

“I could do with some help with the sails,” Garth called out from the other side of the table. “If you’re up for it.”

I smiled. “I’m willing to give it a try.”

“Great,” he beamed at me. “I’ll come find you in the morning then, kiddo.”

“We’ll be docking at Mann tomorrow, so you’ll have plenty of time to learn,” Dagfinn called out from where he was currently at the wheel.

“How long will we be staying there?” Roscoe asked, still pouting from when he was denied any ale. Viktor declared he and Manny were old enough to join us on the ship but not old enough for ale. It was rather comical when Roscoe found that out.

“We’ll dock in the morning, and if things go according to plan, we’ll be back on the sea by evening,” Caspian said. “Any longer than that will set us back another day.”

“A few days isn’t a big deal,” Jerrik murmured, toying with a loose button on his shirt. “It’ll be good if we pick up some fresh vegetation while we’re there. We’ve been running a little low on fish lately.”

“How low?” Viktor asked, his tone spiked with concern.

“Only a little low,” Jerrik answered. “I don’t think it’s anything to be worried about. There are always fewer fish in the waters around here. Things should return to normal in a few days.”

“Fresh vegetation is always nicer to cook than the dried stuff,” Gustav added with a shrug. “Not to mention the taste.”

Viktor nodded. “We’ll be sure to bring it up with them. Though we should be prepared to fork over a hefty amount.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, curious.

“The chief of Mann isn’t known to be the most agreeable of men,” Odin snorted. “The last time we stopped there, he refused us a warm meal when we asked for one. Even when we offered to pay for it.”

I pulled a face at that. “Why do you keep going back there?”

“It gives us a good break from being constantly on sea,” Viktor told me.

“I’m going to head in for the night,” Hammond suddenly announced as he stood up and stretched his arms above his head, yawning loudly.

“Tired already, old man?” Garth laughed, taking another swig from his ale.

“That’s rich coming from you, old man,” Hammond chuckled. “I’ll see you all in the morning.” He waved goodbye before heading down to the second deck.

We all said our goodbyes, and Hammond was shortly joined by Odin and Jerrik, who also decided to turn in for the night.

Conversation flowed freely between the rest of us, as it always did at this time of night. Everyone was reasonably busy during the day, and it was only at this time of night when we had nothing to do but talk and drink ale until we became overcome with sleep.

“We’ve got a bit of a problem!” Hammond said, rushing back onto the top deck. Jerrik and Odin were hot on his heels.

“What kind of problem?” Gustav asked.

“There’s a big pool of sick outside one of the rooms,” Jerrik answered. He wandered over to the rail and leaned against it, stretching his legs out in front of him.

“Which one of the rooms?’ Dagfinn asked, his lips turning down into a disgusted frown.

“Manny and Roscoe’s,” Odin answered. “It’s stinking up the place. One of you needs to go down and clean it up.”

Roscoe looked confused. “I don’t mind cleaning it up, but it wasn’t me. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Manny either. He’s been with me all evening.”

Manny shook his head. “It wasn’t me either. I haven’t been down to the second deck since a little after lunch.”

“I don’t know how long the sick has been down there, but it smells awful.” Hammond pulled a face, almost as if he could still smell it.

“One of you boys should just own up to it,” Garth chuckled, reaching to pour himself another glass of ale even though he looked to be on the verge of being drunk already. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Roscoe and Manny sported matching frowns.

“It wasn’t either of us,” Roscoe insisted. “Neither of us has been seasick since we’ve been here.”

All eyes then turned to me, and I quickly shook my head.

“I might be unable to handle my drink and have a light stomach, but it wasn’t me. I don’t get seasick,” I denied. “Even if it were me, I would have cleaned it up.”

“Anyone want to own up to it?” Latham asked, a slight, confused frown on his face. No one answered. “Well, if it wasn’t Manny, Roscoe or Astrid, then it has to be one of us,” he said, gesturing to the original crew.

A round of denials sounded around the group as no one owned up to the pool of sick.

Viktor sighed, tired. “It doesn’t matter who owns up to it. We need to get it cleaned up. I don’t want the smell getting any worse.”

“I don’t mind cleaning it up,” Roscoe offered as he rose to his feet. Manny was quick to join him. “But it really wasn’t us.”

Hammond, Odin, and Jerrik went down to the second floor again to go to bed, and Roscoe and Manny followed with some cleaning supplies. Even though they offered to clean up the sick, it felt wrong.

I moved to stand up. “I’ll go and help them.”

Viktor curled an arm around my waist. “No, stay here,” he whined, pulling me into his side.

“You don’t really think one of them was sick, do you?”

“It would make sense if it were one of them,” he mused quietly. “But they seem adamant it wasn’t them.”

“If it wasn’t them, and it wasn’t me, then who could it be?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s a big deal,” he murmured, gently shaking his head. “People are sick at sea more than you think. I guess the person, whoever it is, is a little embarrassed to admit it. I’m just surprised they didn’t clean it up themselves.”

I hummed in agreement but didn’t say anything else.

If it wasn’t Manny, Roscoe, me, or any other crew members, then who else could it be?