Chapter 11

When Edgar saw Lydia being held down, he took two steps toward me."Helga! Let her go!"But Lydia spun around and screamed at him, "Idiot! Run!"Forget about me!"If you don't go now, they'll drag you in front of the court too!"Edgar froze where he stood."But...""Go!"Lydia screamed hoarsely, "Avenge me! Go get help!"Edgar gritted his teeth, turned, and ran.It was the most humiliating moment of his life.As he ran, he shouted over his shoulder, "Guards! Stop them!"A few guards steeled themselves and rushed at us.Bjorn knocked them down in no time, then looked back at me."Sis, I'll go after him."I shook my head."No need."Let him run."I want him to watch his life fall apart, bit by bit, until he has nowhere left to go."Edgar disappeared at the far end of the docks.After running a short distance, he leaned against a wall, gasping for air.When he looked back, he saw Lydia being led away. Not a single guard dared to follow him.His eyes went red."Helga..."Just you wait! Jus

Chapter 12

The gallows stood on a high platform by the harbor.The sea wind was strong, and the noose swayed in it.Lydia was dragged onto the platform, her legs shaking.Suddenly, she collapsed with a thud."Helga! I was wrong!"I know I was wrong!"I shouldn't have thrown that drink on you. I shouldn't have had you whipped. I shouldn't have drugged you!"Edgar made me do it! It was all his idea!"She kept begging, blood trickling from her forehead where she'd struck the stone."Please... spare me!"I'm still carrying a baby!"I stood below the platform and watched. All I felt was exhaustion."You're not sorry. You just know you're about to die."I turned away and didn't look at her again."She's too loud."Do it."When Lydia realized begging wouldn't work, her head snapped up, and she glared at me with pure hatred."Helga! You'll die a horrible death!"I hate that I didn't kill you myself when I had the chance!"I hate that I ever let you live, you worthless trash!"I'll haunt you even after I'

Chapter 13

After Lydia died, the first thing I did was put a bounty on Edgar's head.Anyone in any harbor or fishing village in these lands who revealed where Edgar was hiding would get 20 silver coins.Whoever brought him to me alive would get 100 silver coins.The bounty notices were everywhere: in taverns and markets and on church doors.I'd already sealed off the harbor completely.Edgar had nowhere to run.He'd be hunted like a rat until he broke.I took Bjorn back to the Black Star.I stood at the bow, the sea wind blowing through my hair.All the familiar faces were still there on deck.When they saw me, every one of them froze."Captain...""The captain's back!"The old sailors crowded around me.I nodded."I'm back."The Black Star sails again."That night, Bjorn changed my bandages in the cabin.He carefully spread crushed herbs over the old wound on the back of my hand."Sis, I found out where Edgar is."I opened my eyes."Where?""A fishing village up north."Bjorn set down his pestle

Chapter 14

Edgar wasn't about to sit around and wait to die.He'd escaped, and he was trying everything he could to get revenge.But he soon found out he had nowhere left to turn.With a few silver coins in his pocket, he went to the tavern, hoping to get goods on credit from merchants he'd once called his friends.The merchant looked uncomfortable and half closed the door."Your Grace, it's not that I don't want to help. It's just that the other side... we really can't afford to cross them."Edgar lost his temper."You drank my wine at my banquets! And now every one of you turns your back on me?"The man sighed and shut the door."Your Grace, you should go."Edgar knocked on one door after another and was turned away at every one.I had dirt on every merchant family in the business.I visited them one by one and laid the evidence in front of them."Either cut ties with him."Or go down with him."No one dared to gamble.Edgar's shops closed one after another. His goods were hauled off by credito

Chapter 15

Edgar spent the last of his money hiring the most vicious band of pirates he could find.They raided merchant ships in the North Sea and killed without a second thought.He stood at the bow of their ship, pointed at the Black Star out on the water, and screamed."That's her!"That's the ship!"She ruined everything I had!"Get over there and kill every last one of them!"I'm going to destroy everything she has!"I'll tell you where the treasure is!"The black-sailed pirate ship closed in at full speed.I stood at the bow of the Black Star and calmly watched it approach."Captain, they don't look friendly."I smiled."Let them come alongside."The two ships met.Edgar stood at the bow of the other ship, grinning savagely."Helga! You think you've won?"Today's the day you die!"These pirates kill without blinking! You're just one pirate. You think you're scarier than all of them?"He turned and shouted to the fearsome pirate chief, "Do it! Kill her!"But the pirate chief didn't dare mov

Chapter 16

The Black Star sailed deep into the Ice Sea.The water glowed gray-green, and thick fog closed in from every side.Bjorn gripped the rail and said quietly, "Sis, there's no way forward."I pointed into the fog."The way lies beyond the fog."The sailors gathered on deck, uneasy."Captain, they say no living man can get into those waters."No ship that's gone in has ever come back."I shook my head, staring straight ahead.Suddenly, the fog split open.The current shifted and drew the bow inward.The northern lights spread out overhead.A black island rose out of the sea."We're here."I put the Sea King's Crown on my head and fastened the strap under my chin."Bjorn, come ashore with me."We stepped onto the island.A man was standing at the far end of the harbor.His back was to us. He wore an old, dark leather robe, and the sea wind tossed his hair.He turned around with a smile."You finally came, Helga."Bjorn stepped in front of me."Who are you?"The man's eyes landed on the top