Lord of the Runes (16 page)

A group of villagers still lingered outside, but he didn't speak to them. He walked to the small shed where he carved the rune stone, and shut the door against the world. Sitting down in front of the stone, he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, and stared at the World Tree he'd engraved on it.

How close he had come to losing her. Echoes of the loss of his wife raced through him and he shuddered. Asa had filled his heart, little by little, when it had been empty of everything else. Sela, his son, Haardvik, his father, the sword of his family. So much loss had led him to her, and now it had nearly happened again.

He sat back and set his jaw. The gods had given him a gift. Now he needed to grasp it with both hands. He'd been so focused on what he needed to do to get his people and home back that he'd thought to leave her behind and perhaps return to court her another time when everything was settled. But how could he know that would ever happen? In this uncertain, brutal world, that day might never come. In the meantime, their lives would slip away.

Her destiny was becoming intertwined with his. Her family had saved his life and now he had saved both Magnus's and Asa's lives. That created a bond between them that would not break. Then there was the power that coursed between them when they worked on the runes together. And the rightness that filled him when he was near her. Perhaps the gods were trying to tell him what he needed to do.

And when the gods whispered in one's ear, it was always wise to listen.

* * *

“Do you think Eirik could have tried to harm her?” Magnus picked up the skate again from the table in his sleeping chamber. The damage was intentional.

Leif grimaced. “Whoever did this wasn't very skilled. Eirik doesn't strike me as being this careless. And why would he want to harm her? It's obvious he's drawn to her.”

“But she doesn't return his attentions, the same as any other man who has wanted her. I've seen her ignore him, especially since the last time they spent the evening carving the runes on her dragon. He might resent that.”

“I don't see it, Magnus. He said he wanted to speak with her about some misunderstanding between them. That would have been after the damage was done to the skate.”

“Perhaps he was covering his tracks. He might have wanted to see what happened to her. I'm not saying he wanted to kill her. He may have wanted to frighten her in retribution and it went too far.”

“Someone wanted to frighten her.” Leif crossed his arms. “But not Eirik. He saved your life, by the gods. And now he's saved Asa's.” He winced. “I hope I'm not next. The third time tells the tale.”

Magnus sighed. “I don't see it either. But then who would do this? It would have to be one of our own people, and that's very disturbing.”

Someone knocked on the door frame. “Magnus, can I speak with you?”

He glanced at Leif and set the skate on the table. “Of course, Eirik. Come in.”

“There's something we need to discuss,” he said as he closed the door behind him. “It involves your cousin Estrid.”

“What of her?” Leif sat in one of the chairs at the table, as did Magnus.

Eirik joined them. “I don't want to offend any member of your family. I'm a guest here and I appreciate all you've done for me. But I fear Estrid has imagined some type of relationship between us and it may have gotten out of hand. I don't want any misunderstandings.”

“She's just lovesick over you,” Magnus said, “like half the women here.”

Eirik frowned. “Not half.”

“You're right.” Leif grinned. “More than half.”

“Leif.” Magnus shot him a glare. “We're very isolated here, Eirik. There isn't much of a chance for our young folk to meet others. You're bound to cause interest among the women. And Estrid. She's very needy. She lost her father when she was young, and her mother remarried too soon, then ignored her. The man she married committed a heinous crime. I tried to kill him for it, but I was wounded and he escaped. Then, not long after that, her mother and ours returned to their homeland.”

He leaned back in his chair. “All of this has made her temperamental and sharp. She fears being left behind again and she clings to men so much that it is off-putting. None of them will marry her, no matter how much I increase her dowry.”

“It's more than just that she makes it clear she wants me. She imagines I love her as well, though I swear I have done nothing to make her think so.”

“All you have to do is smile at her,” Leif said. “She'll jump at that. In some ways, I'm thankful Magnus and I are so closely related to her. We're off limits. Then again, we
are
related to her.” He winced.

“I can handle myself.” Eirik took a deep breath, as though he wasn't certain of the road he was about to travel. “She said some things about Asa that, in light of what has happened, have me concerned.”

“What sort of things?” Magnus narrowed his eyes and his blood stilled at the grimness in Eirik's voice.

“That Asa has never let her have anyone and that she's cast her spell over me. She said she won't give up and won't let Asa destroy me, as well. That sounds like something more than a lovesick woman.”

“When did she say this?”

“The night before Jul. I tried to speak with you after that, but with all the festivities, I didn't get the chance. I didn't think it was urgent. Now, I'm giving that another thought.”

Magnus looked at Leif. “I can't believe it of Estrid. She and Asa played together as children. We'll keep an eye out for anything or anyone that comes near Asa. And we won't tell her about it. I don't want her to be afraid or concerned.”

“Don't you think it's better to let her know so she can guard herself?” Eirik's voice was sharp. “You can't be with her day and night. By keeping this from her, you leave her defenseless. I've seen her with a blade. She's a shieldmaiden, by the gods, yet you treat her like spun glass.”

“How we treat our sister is none of your concern.” Magnus fisted his hands on the table between them. “I may call you friend, rune caster, but you overstep yourself in this. I am still jarl here, and yet you speak to me as an equal.”

Eirik's eyes grew sharp and hard. “In our concern for Asa, we are equal. Perhaps one day, my right to protect her will outweigh yours.”

Leif had been sitting back, one ankle crossed over the other, listening. But at Eirik's words, he went very still. “Watch your dreams, rune caster. Her bride price is such that only a jarl could afford it. And a very wealthy one at that. Anyone who is worthy of her would have to pass through us first. So far, none have. Don't forget it.”

Eirik smiled at both of them as he rose, but it didn't touch his eyes. “Forget it? I'm counting on it. I'll stand by your decision not to tell her. For now. But know that I'm also watching out for her. And, if the gods are kind, I always will.”

After Eirik left, Magnus sat back. “What do you make of that?”

“He wasn't worried about the bride price. I told you when he first came here that he's a lost jarl, trying to find his destiny.”

“Be serious for once in your life. This thing with Estrid is disturbing. She's always been a problem, but she's never shown signs of being dangerous.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I'd be inclined to just stay back and watch, but when Eirik read my runes, he said that through my inaction I would cause harm to someone I love.”

“And that's why I don't bother with all the gods and signs and portents. They just muck up everything.” Leif stretched. “Do what you think is right, as always, Magnus. We'll only have to make certain the seas are smooth around us and we can sail until the late winter, when he leaves. Then all will be back to normal and we can get on with our lives.”

Magnus stared down at the damaged skate. Yes, that was Leif's outlook on the world. His ships always sailed on calm oceans and a fair wind always blew in the direction they were headed. But what about the shoals one didn't see and the storms that lay hidden over the edge of the world until they bore down on one? With this threat against Asa, along with the menace of the outcasts, when the storm did hit, they might need help guiding the ship to safety.

With Eirik's intelligence, quick thinking, and clear vision, what if he proved not to be the storm, but the best navigator through it?

* * *

“You've already trounced me three times in a row, Asa. As usual.” Leif swept his hand over the
tafl
board where the slaughtered remains of his king's army lay strewn. “I'm not letting myself get killed a fourth time.”

“Just one more game?” Asa picked up the king and bobbed it in front of her brother. “You and Magnus haven't let me do anything all day except sit around and drink hot broth. I feel fine.”

“It's only been one day since you fell in the lake. We want to be certain you don't tire yourself. Tomorrow you can go back to carving.” He grabbed the game piece out of her hand and laid it down sideways on the board. “See? The king's dead. Or sleeping. So either everyone has to mourn or they have to go to bed. I'm for sleeping, myself. And you should be, as well.”

“I'm not tired. All I've done all day is rest.”

He rose and came around the table and ruffled her hair. “I didn't, so I'm tired. Sleep well, Asa.”

She let out a sharp breath in frustration. Magnus and Leif hadn't let her out of their sights all day. They'd insisted she stay by the fire, wrapped in warm blankets. And up to her neck in boredom.

A log on the fire cracked, sending sparks up toward the ceiling. The heat felt so good. She thought she'd never be warm again, even after Eirik had pulled her out of the water. The wind and the freedom had been so exhilarating as she'd sped across the ice yesterday. Then, in an instant, freezing darkness had burst around her and she couldn't breathe, couldn't swim, couldn't scream for help. But she could hear. A voice, so deep and strong, called to her. At first, she'd thought it was one of the gods beckoning her, and she'd seen a light above her, like that of Asgard.

Eirik. She'd reached for him, but the darkness had pulled her under, in the water and in her mind, and she remembered nothing after that.

How long would it be until she stopped reliving it? She already had enough of the past crawling through her thoughts until, at times, it pushed out everything else. Perhaps, in time, it would fade. After all, she'd been through worse.

“Asa?”

The same voice, Eirik's voice, made her stomach wrench. She looked up at him and strengthened her resolve. He had saved her life and she hadn't even thanked him yet.

He sat down where Leif had been. “I heard you asking Leif for another game. Would you like to play someone different for a change? I heard no one else will take you on.”

His eyes, so blue and clear, pierced something inside of her. She didn't need any more wounds. She lowered her gaze. “I don't know. I'm more tired than I thought.”

“No, you're not.” He picked up the king and stood it in the center of the board. “See? The king has awakened.”

She glanced at him. His eyes held a sharp twinkle in them. Not a look of lust, like Estrid always told her, but of teasing, the way her brothers taunted her. She could never resist them. And she couldn't resist him.

“Very well. I'll play you one game.”

“I always took a board with me on long voyages,” he said as they set up the pieces. “It helped pass the time. And I'll warn you, I went on many long voyages.”

She only smiled as she put her final pieces in place on the squares. Preferring to be the attacker, she would try to keep the king from reaching the safety of the edge of the board.

He moved his pieces out from the king, keeping him surrounded and protected. She advanced toward him. The farther away from the center he got, the more he had to spread his defenses out.

Asa swept around behind him with a wave of attackers in a few moves, taking down the defenders. She seized the monarch.

Eirik studied the carnage on the board. She sat back and waited for his reaction. Most men couldn't accept defeat at her hand. How would he take it?

He only pushed his hair back over his shoulder. “Ah, you've captured me, as I always thought you would. Have mercy on me and give me another chance?”

The slow, wicked smile he gave her drove straight into her like a knife strike. His eyes crinkled a bit at the edges and the dimple in his cheek drew her gaze. Warmth pooled between her thighs. He wasn't talking about the game.

He likely used this smile on his other conquests. She took a fortifying breath. It
had
been nice to play someone different.

“Just one more. To give you a chance at redemption.” She bit her lip. Why had she put it that way? She didn't need him trying to redeem himself. She just needed him to leave her alone.

The second game traversed the entire board, with her chasing his king in all directions before he overran her warriors and gained the safe edge. She'd lost.

He grinned. “I knew if I tried long enough, I could crash through your defenses.”

She inclined her head in acknowledgment. “And so you have. I should not like to meet up with you in warfare. You play an excellent game of strategy. But now, I need to go to bed. I have quite a bit of work to do tomorrow to make up for lost time.”

She started to rise, but he put his hand on hers. “Please stay a moment. We need to talk.”

“If it's about yesterday, I want to thank you for saving my life. I'll always remember it.” She tried to pull her hand away, but he held firm.