Page 10 of A Shield Maiden's Earl
Freya’s eyebrows swept up. “She’s a woman?”
“She is,” I confirmed. “And has long overseen the building of Dahl ships.”
“They are impressive, indeed.” Freya ran her hand along the boat’s smooth oak. “I look forward to meeting her.”
“And she you.”
A flicker of surprise lit her eyes. “She knows of me, then?”
“My entire tribe knows of you, Freya,” I replied, taken with how she appeared on the sea, her hair vividly red and her amber gaze golden against the frothing dark greens and blues of thewater. How suited she was to it, keeping her balance with ease despite the swaying boat. “Some remember you from when you visited as a child, and others have heard of your battling. Others still, your seer abilities. ’Tis not every day one comes across a shield-maiden who possesses such gifts.”
“Gifts I rarely use nowadays,” she warned, troubled where moments before her lovely face had been full of excitement. “’Tis important you understand that and make it clear to your people. I do not divine for anyone.” She shook her head. “Not anymore.”
While curious, we unfortunately had to focus on sailing rather than talking because the weather worsened. Though the skies darkened, thunder cracked, and rain fell, the shadows that had fallen over Freya’s face at our discussion lifted, and excitement once again sparkled in her eyes. She clearly relished the ruthless sea, gusty winds, and the challenge of keeping afloat. While some manned the rudder, others rowed while Freya, I, and a few others worked the sails.
“We may have no choice but to go ashore soon, Soren,” one of my men roared above the elements when it became impossible to speak normally.
He was right. We would soon be unable to make it past the breakers to go ashore. Truth told, it might already be too late.
“There’s still time,” Freya yelled over the booming thunder. As drenched as the rest of us, her wet hair was plastered to her head and her fur cloak sodden, yet she appeared unfazed when she looked at me and shook her head. “The winds are shifting to the south. Row hard away from the shore and then let the sails do more of the work than the oarsmen. ’Tis a safer option than trying to navigate inland at this point. The waters are too unstable.”
I looked from the skies to the slant of the rain to the height of the waves, gauging her accuracy. Though itwasrisky, she wasright. We could do it, but we would need to act swiftly, so I gave the orders, and we headed away from the coast.
Grinning, she took up an oar, impressing my men with her willingness to go where she was needed and row just as hard as anyone else. Staying with the sail, I waved at the other ships to follow suit, and we continued braving the turbulent waters until the winds did just as she had predicted. Lifting most of our oars, we raised another sail only for the ship to lurch south, caught by sure winds that gave us good speed against the waves.
I could not help but smile when Freya tossed back her head and laughed, giving us a glimpse of the infamous Helvig berserker. And Odin above, she was glorious when she smiled. When she laughed, and the throaty sound carried on the wind, I joined in her laughter, because it felt good. Good to laugh with her, enjoying the wild ride every bit as much.
And it only got better from there…until she asked me the last thing I wanted to hear later that day. Something that I would undoubtedly struggle to heed.
Chapter Five
Freya
While a partof me had dreaded leaving my tribe, another part had never felt so free when Soren’s ship departed and I watched my father fade into the distance. Though saddened to say goodbye to my sister, and sad for the father I had lost years ago, despite his mortal body still being here, there was relief in starting out on my own, even if married to another.
I wondered at the small wolf pendant my sister had pressed into my hand before I left, just as I was curious about the look on her face when she did so. Fingering it in my pocket, I knew it meant something, but I wasn’t sure what. All I knew was that I had never seen it before, yet it was meant to be with me. Meant to remind me of something, but I couldn’t recall what.
Pendants and leaving home aside, nothing felt more thrilling than setting sail into stormy weather and rough seas. This was my element, and I knew Soren saw that. Moreover, I knew he felt the same. We were one on the water, and I felt it poignantly when he laughed as I laughed. When our eyes met, the same heat that always seemed to burn beneath my skin at his gaze grew hotter, sharper, more exciting, even as the icy rain and frigid winds lashed me.
The heat came so intensely this time, along with an alarming ache between my thighs, that I asked something of him once we were free of the worst of the storm and sailing down the coast. Asked because I feared the inevitable and felt I could. He wasproving to be someone I could reason with, and I sensed that there was little he wouldn’t do to keep our friendship intact.
Or so I hoped.
When we were alone, toward the front of the ship, and others couldn’t hear us over their chatter and the lap of the waves against the hull, I leaned close and spoke softly, overly aware of him but determined to keep him at bay for now. No easy task given how my heart raced the closer he was, but then had a man’s eyes ever matched the stormy blue gray of the sea and skies as well as his? Had they ever drawn me in and excited me as much as the turbulent weather we had just navigated?
“As I said before, ’twas good of you to allow Tove and me time together last night, and you have my thanks,” I said, careful with my words. “’Twas a kindly gesture after giving in to my father and accepting my weapons, so I can only hope you’re willing to offer me another boon as a token of goodwill toward our rekindled friendship.”
The corner of his mouth curled up in a becoming way that made a small dimple appear in his cheek. “So wearefriends once again,ja?”
“I would like to think so,” I replied smoothly, offering him a soft smile. “If you would like.”
“I very much would.” His crooked grin remained intact, but his gaze narrowed a tad, as if he didn’t entirely trust where I might be leading him. “And what would this request be, my friend?”
“That you honor our renewed friendship by allowing me time after our nuptials to get to know you again.”
“Of course,” he replied. “’Twould be my pleasure to spend time with you after we’re married so that we might enjoy the friendship we once shared.”
“’Tis good to hear.” Relieved, I clarified what that meant now that he had agreed, without going into the finer details. “’Tismore than most husbands might allow after marrying, and ’twill make our final union together less dreaded, to be sure.”
