“Ow!” A spark shot out from his hand when he touched her skin. “What the hell was that?” she asked, whirling back to face him. “What did you do?”
“Naught.” He rubbed his fingers together, trying to make sense of what he’d experienced. “I just touched you. I don’t know what you mean.”
“Liar.” She stalked away but waited until she was far enough away before she wiped the sweat from between her breasts. There had been something when he’d touched her, a spark, a glint of fire, of something strong.
Something that had never happened before, and she didn’t like it.
Chapter Five
Magni
Magni’s mother approached him out on the beach where he played with his brother. Tenney stood up and pointed at the water. “Bo… Big bo…”
“Aye, that’s a boat, Tenney,” Magni said. “See how smart he is, Mama?”
“Aye, he’s a bright laddie, Magni, and so are you.”
“Am I?”
“Of course you are. Otherwise, how is Tenney learning so many words? It’s you who is teaching him.” His mother smiled, folding her hands on her lap where she sat on a nearby log.
“What’s wrong, Mama?” His mother never came out to the beach. She spent her time cleaning up their hut or cooking the night’s stew. Sometimes she helped Beatris with the other wee bairns. His father usually went with Artan to chop wood so they could keep warm in the winter. Sometimes he took Magni fishing too. He liked fishing. “Do you need me to go fishing with Papa?”
“Nay, I need you to talk with me, lad.”
“About what?” He turned to her, afraid she was about to ask him those hard questions again. Where was his sister? Lia always disappeared when he needed her.
“About you. You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, and I’d hoped you’d get over it. I knew it would take a while, but you still seem troubled, lad.”
“Nay, I’m fine.”
“I don’t think you are, son.” She sat calmly on the log, her hands still primly folded.
“Aye, I am!” He didn’t mean to yell, but he didn’t wish to talk about stupid things like feelings. He was fine now that he was on an isle with the abbey and the monks and the nuns to protecthim. Surely God would not allow anyone to steal him away from this isle. Someone had told him once that even the villains would never hurt a nun or a priest.
“Then why don’t you wish to go to the Yule celebration? I thought the bairns were all your friends. Sylvi and Tora and Sandor and Alana. Don’t you miss Alana? She surely misses you.”
He scowled because he didn’t wish to admit how much he missed his friends. And he wouldn’t cry about it. Only wee bairns cried. Why, Tenney hardly cried at all anymore, only when he fell and hurt himself. “I like it here.”
A boat approached, catching their attention. He looked out over the sea to make sure it wasn’t anyone evil. “Who is it, Mama?”
“Your eyes are better than mine, Magni. Who does it look like?”
“I think it’s Thane. I’m so excited! I wish he came more often.” Whew! He got away from that talk with his mother. He didn’t wish to discuss it. He was staying here on the island where he was safest and that was it. “Thane! Over here! Mama,” he turned around and motioned to his mother. “Watch Tenney and I’ll help Thane.” He raced out to see his dear friend, then clapped when he saw Mora was with him. “Greetings, Mora. I’m glad you came.”
“Greetings to you, Magni. I see your brother is over there. And your Mama too. Are you still happy here? I miss you so much. Don’t you miss us too? And you should see Tamsin’s belly. Do you think she’ll have a boy or a girl? I’m hoping for a girl. We need more girls at our castle.”
Thane put his arm on his sister’s and said, “Greetings to you, Magni. Would you hand me that rope, please?”
Magni grabbed it and handed it to Thane, who secured the vessel.
“Why are you here, Thane?”
“Because we miss you, Magni,” Thane said, stepping out of the boat and holding his arms open. Magni leapt into them with a shriek of joy.
“I miss you too. Papa is busy. Come see Mama, and I think Simone is here.” He shot back across the landscape, not wanting to look at Thane. He missed him too much. And Mora too. And Brian. And their parents and Alana and Tamsin. If only…
“Come, Mama,” he snagged her hand and pulled her toward the beach, though she wasn’t moving quickly.
