A quick slice and blood spurted from the shiny neck. Despite the horse's pained cries and panicked attempts to flee, the loss of blood soon weakened the beast, allowing the young men to position it properly. Soon, the animal's head was carefully laid above the ceremonial cauldron, which captured most of the flow of thick red liquid.
Barely a minute later, the horse collapsed, its blood now spilling into the pit and finding the barely visible ridges that urged the liquid to flow throughout and into the ground. Thorfinn once again turned to the older witch, this time accepting a three-pronged wooden branch of an ash tree. He swirled the tips of the branch into the cauldron, stirring the animal's blood before lifting it and spraying droplets over those gathered around the pit. All the while, the three men secured the now-motionless animal's body. A few moments later, two of them moved to stand at the sides of the frame. They took hold of the ropes securing the stallion's hind legs and pulled, with the third helping ensure the beast rose smoothly and once more fell into the proper position.
Through it all, Hradi's gaze kept darting to the younger witch. He grinned in triumph when he caught her watching him as well. As soon as this ceremony was over and they returned to the hall to resume the feast, he intended to remind her of her promise. Except she didn't know that he would not share his bed in the back of the longhouse. No, he planned to have her in his bed in the small home he kept on the edge of the village, along the way to Kori's farm. He needed to speak with his brother and ensure Gunilla did not interfere when he finally revealed the truth to Katrin.
His only chance of getting her to divulge any secrets was to get her away from the wild abandon of theVetrnaetrcelebration. Surely she would be unable to resist the fire between them. He would use that to his advantage, until she wanted nothing more than to tell him everything.
Then she would belong to him.
CHAPTER FOUR
After the jarl had sprinkled the assembled villagers with the horse's blood and made the final plea for a safe and successful winter, he returned the branch to Gunilla and turned toward the village square. The older witch grabbed Katrin's upper arm and pulled, falling several paces behind the jarl. Aware Hradi still watched her closely, Katrin forced her gaze on the path before her. Gunilla's grip tightened when she leaned close.
"You must tell him you find the arrangement unsatisfactory. You must return to the small cabin they have provided me."
"I fear he will insist. If we fight them too much, they may grow suspicious and we will no longer be welcome, or worse." She glanced around, but it appeared none had overheard.
"I need you." The older woman's voice deepened with a hint of annoyance.
Katrin again looked around in another quick check to see if anyone lingered close enough to hear. Satisfied no one listened she whispered, "I have given this much thought last night and my instincts tell me we must handle this village differently. I will come with you to the hut soon, but if we are confronted by… him, you must allow me to speak. I will explain all as soon as I can."
She hoped the half-formed excuse was enough to satisfy the older woman. Gunilla's eyes narrowed before her expression turned thoughtful. After several moments, she finally gave a nod and a half-smile.
"I have taught you well, haven't I?"
"Of course." Katrin gave a prayer of thanks to the gods that Gunilla truly no longer possessed the ability to see anyone's thoughts. If she did, she would surely see the lie in Katrin's words. While she had no solid plan, she knew she must take her chances with her Dream Man in order to keep herself, Gunilla and all the other girls safe. Truthfully, she was more concerned with theyoung women. She knew well her visions always came to pass, eventually. If the vision of Gunilla's grim fate occurred first, Ranka and the others would suffer for it.
Damn them to Helheim! Why should she care? Despite her position, the other girls, with the exception of Ranka and one or two others, had mostly shunned her, unless they needed to get close to Gunilla. If any of them faced this dilemma, would they consider her well-being? No. While she wished them no harm, she had to first tend to herself and hope to survive the days ahead. While she would do what she could to best protect the girls, but not be at her cost.
At the moment, she didn't know who posed more danger – Hradi, her Dream Man, or Gunilla, her mistress. She refused to acknowledge the preference poking through her thoughts.
When the assemblage returned to the longhouse where the rest of the celebrants were rousing from their indulgent slumber, the mood among the villagers quickly grew raucous once more. The servants and thralls had already begun cooking more beasts and vegetables and the aroma stirred a reminder of her hunger. Katrin followed Gunilla to the head of the large table where Thorfinn offered the chair beside him to the silver-haired woman. He motioned for a servant and soon flagons of mead and platters of cheeses and flatbreads with honeyed fruit were set before them.
Katrin sensed Hradi's presence before he took a seat beside her. She didn't look at him until he leaned close.
"Did you find my bed to your liking?"
Heat blazed across her cheeks. With a deep breath for courage, she faced him. "It was adequate."
"Have you made your decision then?" His pointed stare bored into her and she feared he might be able to read her very thoughts.
A tight grip on her arm warned that Gunilla listened as closely for her answer as Hradi. She turned to her mistress, hoping the woman could read the silent message in her eyes. The awarenessthat several of those seated close by listened as well chased her appetite.
"Katrin, I will need you to help me oversee the nightly offerings," Gunilla said, in a deceptively cheerful tone.
"I will gladly assist, as I always do. But I will accept Hradi's offer of his bed." She kept her voice to a soft whisper so only Gunilla could hear.
"You cannot risk your gift!"
"I won't. Remember what I told you."
A peculiar expression glinted in the other woman's eyes, one Katrin could not identify. With a nod, her mistress said, "Very well."
Raising her voice, she added, "As I explained to Gunilla before, I found my back did not ache as much as usual upon waking. We have journeyed very far and for a long time. Surely you understand that I may need a few days more to continue to recover."
That was true, which made the charade easier to succeed. Too many nights had passed since Katrin had been able to fully stretch out in comfort, instead of curled around Gunilla and the other girls on the deck of the boat or in a tent in the forest.
Katrin held Hradi's stare, trying to ignore the thrill at his delighted grin. "If you will agree, I will accept your continued offer."
