Freja and her dog Loki find an old chest half-buried on the beach. A strange mark on the lid and a sound from the trees make their morning turn into a mystery.
Far in the north, where the sea was cold and grey, Freja lived in a small Viking village. She loved running along the shore with Loki, her black, shaggy dog, and looking for tiny shells hidden in the sand.
One morning, when the sun was only a pale glow behind the clouds, Loki stopped so fast that Freja nearly bumped into him. He barked once, then dug at the beach with all four paws. Sand flew everywhere.
Freja knelt beside him and brushed away the damp sand. Something wooden was hiding underneath. She and Loki scraped and pulled until an old chest came free with a heavy thud. It was bigger than a cooking pot, dark with age, and shut with an iron lock.
Freja leaned closer. An X was carved into the lid.
Her heart jumped. She reached for the lock, but it would not move. Then, from the trees at the edge of the beach, came a soft rustle. Loki’s ears shot up. Freja froze.