Moon Fire

Chapter 2

That evening after dinner, Hiccup almost drove himself to the point of paranoia keeping an eye out for things to keep him busy. Magnus wasn't home yet, but he would be soon. Nervously, Hiccup double- and triple-checked to make sure he'd done everything right. Finally, just as he'd decided that all of his chores were finished, he heard the door open. "Boy!" the jailer called.

Hiccup, at the top of the basement stairs, winced. He turned and walked back to the great room, keeping Magnus well in his sight without making direct eye contact.

"How long were you at the blacksmith's today?" the jailer asked. He stood perilously close to where his flail was propped up against the wall.

"Most of the day," Hiccup replied shortly. Unexpectedly, Magnus raised a hand and smacked him. Hiccup took a step back, surprised, his cheek tingling.

"I asked, how long were you at the blacksmith's? Meaning in the building?" Magnus' tone was like a blade.

Confused, Hiccup repeated his answer, heart thumping worriedly. Magnus continued to glare at him, still as a snake ready to strike. "I saw you outside the shop this morning. In the back. There was a girl with you. Who was she?"

Hiccup fought to control his fear, desperate to keep it at bay. Magnus had seen him! He thought he'd been so careful . . . apparently not careful enough. He couldn't get Astrid in trouble, regardless of what Magnus did to him. Lashes to his back were one thing, but to hers—no, he couldn't let that happen. His mind raced, but of no avail. If only Magnus hadn't asked for her name! If he refused now, Magnus would definitely know something was up. Reluctantly, he forced out the words "Astrid Hofferson." To his alarm, Magnus nodded knowingly. Hiccup's mouth went as dry as sandpaper. Of course Magnus knew her. She lived just down the street from them. Panic. Panic. Panic. Panic.

Then an idea struck him, glaringly obvious in its simplicity. "It was her first time ordering a weapon, and she accidentally came around to the back to get it. I was giving it to her when you came up." No less than the truth, but leaving out a few of the more dangerous parts. Such as the fact that it definitely wasn't a mistake that Astrid deliberately came around to the back of the shop. And that he might be inciting a village-wide rebellion just by breathing. Yikes.

"And what was it you two were talking about?" Magnus asked, seemingly speaking to himself. Then his tone grew deadly. "Oh, yes, now I remember. Rebellion." Before Hiccup could respond, a large hand had grabbed him by the throat and flung him across the room. Hiccup hit the floor with a thud, landing the wrong way and causing the nerves in his arm to explode with pain. He scrambled to his hands and knees just as Magnus came up and booted him hard in the ribs. Gasping, Hiccup was forced back down to the floor, barely able to breathe. Magnus reached down and grabbed him by his collar, sneering. "What else did she say, eh? Something about you and her?" Without waiting for an answer, Magnus landed a punch on Hiccup's face. Stunned, he went limp for a moment, and the jailer dropped him.

"Basement. Now," he thought he heard Magnus hiss. His brain whirled, dizzy, trying and failing to figure out what was going on, how to respond. Out of the corner of his vision, though, he saw Magnus pick up the flail. His gaze lifted to Magnus' face for a moment, and in that one second, was hit by the chilling realization that, whatever Magnus planned to do to him downstairs, he wouldn't make it through alive. Magnus was going to kill him to stop the rebellion.

You have to move! Now!

Terrified, Hiccup bolted for the door just as Magnus turned around, lifted his arm and BAM! Hiccup cried out and tumbled down the stairs as his legs gave out. Pain raced across his side, slowing him down. He saw Magnus storm down the stairs after him, flail in hand, his arm already half-raised, ready to strike. Instinct took over. Hiccup pushed himself to his feet, jumped out of Magnus' reach and ran for his life. If he could just reach the woods before he was caught, maybe the darkness would hide him until the jailer gave up and went away. As to what he would do beyond that, he gave no thought. All he knew was that he had to get away from Magnus.