The Longship's Wake

Previously

…He ran his fingers along the base of the mast, where it met the keel. And then he saw it. A small, dark stain seeping from a join. It looked like… pitch. But not the kind they used for sealing. This was darker, thicker, and it seemed to be weeping from a place that should have been perfectly sealed. His mind flashed back to their departure. He remembered seeing Kaelen near the mast, fiddling with something, muttering under his breath. At the time, he’d dismissed it as Kaelen’s usual restlessness. Now, a cold dread began to creep into his gut. “Bjorn!” Eirik yelled, his voice tight with urgency. “The mast! There’s a leak! Near the base!” Bjorn’s weathered