The Ice People 41 - Demon's Mountain. Margit Sandemo

open door from the living room.

      They got to their feet, shocked. Ellen’s mother immediately thought they were being burgled, but why was this beautiful woman dressed in such unusual clothes?

      Ellen and her father, Knut, immediately understood that this must be one of the Ice People’s ancestors. But who? And why were they, of all people, receiving a visit? Their small family that had lived on the fringe of the clan for so many centuries!

      Knut, who had studied all the legends of the ancestors very carefully, said: “Welcome. Are you Ingrid or Villemo?”

      The young woman smiled. “Villemo. I have come to borrow Ellen for a little while.”

      Knut felt the disappointment like a heavy burden. But at that very moment, another woman appeared. She walked slowly up to them. Now they sensed that they were standing facing someone they should bow to. Suddenly, they found themselves greeting the woman as if she were a queen!

      She was certainly a fantastic sight! Tall, dark-haired, dressed completely in black and with a dignity the like of which they had never seen before. And yet ... the strangest thing of all was that, although they could see every single detail clear as day, she was so diffuse. So Knut concluded that she must have lived many centuries ago.

      He was deeply moved. “Welcome, Dida,” he said, “The woman from mysterious ancient times. I never expected to meet you of all people!”

      She smiled, and her voice sounded strangely remote. “It’s you that I’ve been specially chosen to protect. You had such an unhappy childhood under the tyranny of your father, Erling Skogsrud.”

      Knut’s eyes filled with tears. “Me? I have Dida herself as my protector?”

      Dida chuckled. “Well, yes,” she said teasingly. To tell you the truth, it isn’t because you’ll be in any particular danger of attack by Tengel the Evil. On the contrary. I don’t think he knows much about your existence. No, the reason is rather that I’m one of those who will be most in the line of fire, which is why I’ve accepted an easy job as a protector. Just like the Wanderer, who is Vetle’s helper. Vetle isn’t in any particular danger either.”

      Knut felt a bit embarrassed. “I see. Nevertheless, I’m deeply grateful.”

      Villemo interrupted: “I can tell you that neither Sol nor Tengel the Good have been given anyone to protect. The same goes for Shira and Mar. That’s simply because they won’t have the time!”

      Then the three living members of the Ice People understood the seriousness of the struggle that lay ahead.

      Knut and Ellen were ready to leave.

      The gravity of the situation had dawned on Ellen’s mother, who said nervously: “They ... will be back, won’t they?” Over time, she had learnt to accept her husband’s strange family legacy.

      “Of course they’ll be back,” Dida smiled. Then she gave Mrs Skogsrud a serious look. “Now you must go to bed. When you wake up, they’ll be here again.”

      “Very well,” said Ellen’s mother and went into the bedroom.

      “She won’t be able to remember this,” Villemo told the others. “She’ll fall asleep as soon as she puts her head on the pillow.”

      “Will we be walking a long way?” Knut asked Dida.

      “Long – and short. But you must all dress sensibly because the spring night is cold.”

      “Will ... Nataniel be there?” Ellen wanted to know:

      “Of course. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you. But you two need to be very careful. The dangers are lurking.”

      “I know,” Ellen replied.

      “Then follow us,” said Dida.

      They did so without another word.

      The last to be collected were Karine and her young son, Gabriel. Karine was insignificant in this context, but Gabriel had been chosen to be the observer of the drama that would inevitably take place after the nocturnal meeting was over.

      But the boy didn’t know that yet. The twelve-year-old had already gone to bed when Karine came in and shook him. Like all the others who had been fetched, he suddenly felt completely bright, alert and ready for a new dawn. Nobody had registered any fatigue at all, despite the fact that it was so late in the evening.

      His mother seemed overwrought, and a man was standing behind her. Gabriel blinked in order to see better. He was an enormous man, and goodness, how he looked! He resembled a savage. Gabriel had to look away.

      “Gabriel, this is Ulvhedin. He’s to be your protector in the time to come.”

      Gabriel thought that it was very practical to have this man with him instead of against him. He had heard about Ulvhedin. Gabriel gave him a cautious and tentative smile, a bit stiff. It must have looked very stupid indeed.

      Ulvhedin smiled back. Gabriel wouldn’t have said that it was a gentle expression ...

      Karine laid out the boy’s finest and warmest clothes, and he noticed that her hands were shaking. Then the two adults left the room. Gabriel was so nervous that he fumbled several times before he got his trousers on. Perhaps he had better stay at home. The dog might need him ...

      They were waiting in the hall and there was another man with them. A young, blond man with yellow-green eyes. Gabriel greeted him politely. He said that his name was Niklas and he was to look after Gabriel’s mother in the time to come. It was good to know that somebody was going to take care of her. He looked about for his father, Joakim, but he was nowhere to be seen.

      It was quite chilly outside, but the wonderful scents of spring hung in the air: garden bonfires, damp earth and new grass. Gabriel looked about. He was surprised. He wasn’t used to being out so late at night. Dad wasn’t there but he didn’t dare to ask why. He could just about figure that out. Dad wasn’t one of the Ice People. He was a Gard. Many members of the Ice People were related to the Gards: Christa, Nataniel, Karine, and Gabriel himself. And Christel. Her mother, Mari, had had a relationship with Abel’s son, Josef. He was Christel’s real father, even though he had never cared for her. Uncle Josef was stupid.

      Ulvhedin took Gabriel by the hand. That hand seemed dangerous. Big and raw and terribly awe-inspiring. Not at all like his father’s. Definitely not.

      Gabriel forgot that he was a big boy of twelve. Suddenly, he was seven years old and about to begin school. Could he bring his dog? No, that might not be such a good idea.

      How strange! Where had that fog come from? It lay like a blanket over the gate and the road beyond.

      What a good thing that his mother was there as well. Gabriel wouldn’t have dared to go on his own. Not with a spirit who had been dead for two hundred years. Mum didn’t seem afraid, even if her guardian spirit was at least as old. Perhaps she was just pretending to be calm. For Gabriel’s sake.

      Perhaps it was no spirit at all? The hand that held his seemed pretty ordinary. Not warm – far from it, actually – but with a firm grip. It seemed alive!

      What was it Ulvhedin had just said? “Tonight, the line between the living and the dead will be erased.”

      Gabriel shuddered. That sounded frightening. Let’s hope it didn’t mean that he was supposed to be dead. He mustn’t appear cowardly. He mustn’t show that what he wanted most of all was to hide with his good, familiar, old human father. Joakim.

      Then Gabriel remembered that he too was a member of the Ice People, and that was something to be proud of. Uncle Nataniel had made that very clear to him ever since he was a little boy.

      Gabriel straightened his back once more. The moment of weakness was over.

      They were in the fog.

      All the living members of the Ice People were inside this inexplicable veil of raw mist.

      Chapter