"The gods aren't quite as easy as you might think, in the south where the sun is warm and all the answers are set down in books you can carry around with you," Ragnar says, looking over towards Athelstan with a little amused shake of his head. Poor monk was probably lonely for anybody a little bit more like himself.

"The gods do ask for something back, and we wouldn't dare tell them no. Mortals and gods have a more complicated bargain than you seem to believe."