Except that I had already collected my tomorrow. 'I will buy them,' I said to Takoub and Klerkon smiled, knowing the price that the robbing little slave dealer would set. He relished me handing over the gold, even if the stone of my face denied him the pleasure of seeing me suffer. I was not suffering; the gold was Klerkon's own and a ludicrous amount of it vanished inside Takoub's disgusting silks, then he unlocked the chains and the three women were free. Thordis moved to me briefly, tucked herself under my arm and I felt her tremble under my grip though her dirt-smeared face, so like her sister's, had no tear-streaks. She looked up into my eyes and nodded, just the once. Then, from across the square, I heard Thorgunna shout: 'Thordis!' The sisters met, embracing, while Kvasir came up to stand near Finn. The two dull-eyed thrall women stood, heads down, like waiting cattle. Klerkon looked from the embracing sisters to me and back again, the truth settling on him slowly, like sifting snow.
