Hands, caressing damp trembling skin. Fingers, sliding deep inside wet heat. Lips, gliding along the slender column of a throat. She seemed to be floating above the tangle of bodies. She recognized her Dream Man and peered closely to determine who his partner was.
The breath whooshed from her lungs to see her own face on the woman engaged in carnal delight with Dream Man. Legs suddenly weak, she attempted several deep breaths, but she only grew more agitated while the images continued to change. Heat speared her core, making her stance all the more unsteady. As if from faraway, she heard shouts before her vision clouded and everything went dark.
***
Hradi knew the instant the young flame-haired woman was about to fall and moved quickly to catch her before she tumbled into the river. Her slender body, while limp, was warm and soft against him. The sensation set off strange emotions, combined with several very familiar ones, though it had been some time since desire had sparked in his blood. He scooped her up and turned to his father, ensuring a somber expression to hide the sudden riot in his thoughts.
"To the great hall," Thorfinn said. He turned to the woman named Gunilla. "We have plenty of room for you and your girls. If you'd prefer something more private, we can discuss it after we tend to her."
Hradi let the way to the hall, noting the pale complexion, more striking against the red of her hair. Was she ill and would she spread the illness among the village? Hradi wondered if his father made the right decision inviting this Gunilla into their home.
"What do you think is wrong with her?" His brother Kori, strode up beside him.
"I don't know. I worry if she is ill, it will be devastating for Grindafell."
Kori nodded and placed a hand to the woman's forehead. "She doesn’t have a fever."
"No." Hradi strode quickly through the village and waited while Kori opened the doors to the hall. Aware of the others following, he brought her to the back, and placed her in his own bunk. A moment later, the silver haired Völva pushed past him and sat beside the fallen woman. Hradi resisted the urge to shove the woman aside. Instead, he stepped to the side of the bunk.
"Katrin, wake, my dear," Gunilla said.
The sound of the ill woman's name sent a jolt through Hradi, as if he had actually been struck by Odin's lightning. Why? Why did he feel such resentment to the witch who led the throng of girls?
"Come with me." Kori's grip on Hradi's upper arm drew his focus from the fragile girl. He followed his brother through the hall and outside.
"What has you so uptight?" he asked his older brother.
Kori continued to stride across the village square, to the forest beyond.
"Yo, brother, where are you going?" Hradi followed. Once they were out of sight of the village, Kori stopped.
"I didn't want to discuss this in front of Father yet, but I don't trust theVölva. Even so, the young one, there is something about her."
Hradi nodded. His own interest in the girl had taken root within him and he wanted to learn more about her and what had befallen her.
"What troubles you about the Seeress?"
Kori shrugged. "When I saw her… there is something familiar about her. I was reminded of a tale I heard at The Thing last summer."
Hradi recalled that story. "You think she might be in Grindafell to deceive or cheat us?"
"It's possible. Rumors said there was a witch who pitted clans against each other."
"How can such a woman do that?"
"By choosing those who are already share hostility for each other. A few whispered words, a spell cast to turn the gods from one to the other…"
"You believe such tales?"
Kori shrugged. "Perhaps. Maybe it is the sense I have seen her before, though I cannot say for sure that I have. I think the whispers are worth listening to. I think you can learn if those whispers might be true."
"How?" Even as he voiced the question, Hradi sensed what was coming.
"The girl. The way she looked at you..." Kori held Hradi's gaze. "I think you can use her obvious attraction to get her to trust you."
Hradi let out a bark of laughter. "Brother, you are a fool. She fainted in fear at the sight of me."
Kori's gripped Hradi's shoulder, squeezing. "Did you not see the look on her face just before? That wasn't fear. That was the look of a woman aroused. By you."
