“You have prayed to Skadi, Freya, and the rest. Now, if we can put everything back into balance, the people will be able to pray to you.” Easing her off my lap, I reach for clothes to put space between our aroused bodies.
“This feels like a dream,” she replies as she starts to braid her hair.
“Let’s get dressed and see what your brother is getting himself worked up over today. If we connect the link, the bond will run so hot neither of us will be able to think straight.”
Dressing with a raging hard-on is easy enough because I’ve been hiding my cock from her for weeks, but before last night, she didn’t look at me the way she is now. Like a woman who knows what she wants. Fuck me, I want to give it to her. But the banging coming down the hallway is putting an end to any and all thoughts of today being less stressful than yesterday.
“Rasha, are you awake?” Joanna’s panicked voice comes through the loose door frame. Rasha glances at me for the okay before opening it. Joanna bursts in with a flushed face, her hair falling in wisps around her head, and Aslaug follows her. The huge cat pushes through the woman’s legs to see me and rubs her arched back into my knees with a heavy blast of purring.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I tried to tell him to stay. You have to stop him.”
“Who?” Rasha asks, adding a fur and leather vest over her green sweater.
Joanna avoids my stare. “Jorvik.”
“Where is he running off to?” I interject. Rasha adjusts the quiver over her back and holds Joanna’s shoulders to calm the poor woman.
“Where is he going?” she asks.
Joanna’s lip trembles. “He’s gone to meet Harald. He drank himself silly after you two left and mumbled something about Harald being closer to the entrance of the pass than we thought.”
“We need to leave,” I tell them.
“I am sorry, Rasha. I thought I could change him.” Joanna’s tears lace her cheeks, and she sniffles into Rasha’s embrace.
“Whatever happens, I won’t abandon you,” she says, giving her friend’s shoulders a squeeze. “I need you to take the lead here and keep our people fed. Hunt in our usual places. Don’t go far, and let everyone stay in the Hall for warmth.”
Her instructions make pride ring through my chest at how quickly she is adapting to setting plans and inspiring others to follow through. Slipping the link in my pocket, I take stock of the bracelet around Rasha’s wrist. We leave the room with Joanna and Aslaug in tow.
“We will have to allow Harald to be here. There is no way we can fight him,” Joanna explains, to which we agree.
“Just until I can come back with help,” Rasha replies. “I won’t leave you to his wrath.”
Joanna stops before the door to the Hall, looking at me and back to her friend. They console each other for a fleeting moment, and I push through the door to give them privacy.
It feels wrong to be taking Rasha away from her friends when she’s only been here one night. But I am running out of time. The last link is struck, and I need to close the ritual. Telling myself this is for the best and Rasha chose me, I keep moving through the Hall as people clean the grimy floors.
“There are men who wish to help Rasha,” Oslo says, quietly meeting me in front of the double doors. Katrine’s father’s change of heart comes as a shock since he sent his own daughter to Harald’s winter solstice, not caring if she would be safe. The sway of men’s conversations was never something I excelled at before being exiled, so it is a task I will need to practice.
“That is kind of them. It would be best if they fortify the people who need the most help. Winter will end soon, I can promise you that. And with the thaw, you’ll be able to seek refuge.”
“To what end?” Oslo asks. Katrine sees us speaking, and I gesture to the back of the Hall where Rasha and Joanna are.
“Harald must have reported to the King, but speaking from experience, a King won’t march his men until he is sure of theoutcome.” I give him hope, which will serve him better in the coming weeks.
“For our sake, I want to believe you, Shaw. I am sorry the girls dragged you into this mess.” Oslo turns a tired glance back at the three women coming up the centre aisle of the Hall.
“I am not sorry at all. Rasha was taken for granted, which will never happen again. Don’t let anything happen to Joanna or her siblings. She had pure intentions with Jorvik, and there will be consequences if I find out she’s been treated unfairly.”
Oslo takes my forearm, shaking on what I’ve told him, and I let go to allow the three women into the conversation.
“I was telling your –” Oslo pauses to find his words, and Katrine stabs the silence.
“Her husband.” She nudges Rasha with her shoulder, and the smile on Rasha’s face makes me weak.
“Husband,” Oslo repeats the word like he’s speaking a foreign tongue. “Right, well I was telling Shaw that there are a few we can spare to accompany you. They can act as scouts and report back in a day or two.”
We wait for Rasha to realize it is her decision.
