She’d been naïve to think that he might change his mind. Though Trahern had taught her not to fear a man’s touch, the very thought of being with anyone else struck her as wrong. She wanted him.
And though his body heat warmed her skin, she was freezing inside. For already, she’d lost him.
Assoonaslightdawned in the sky, Trahern was gone. Morren rode with Ewan and Honora on the way back to Laochre. Ewan claimed that Trahern would catch up to them, but after two hours of riding, there was no sign of him or the other Ó Reilly men.
King Patrick had remained behind with his own soldiers to speak with the Hardrata chief. He intended to ease the peace between their people.
Though Morren knew she was safe enough with Ewan and Honora, not once did she take her eyes from her surroundings while she searched for a sign of Trahern.
Half an hour later, it began to snow. Thick and fast, the flakes spread a layer of white upon the grass. It was too early for snow such as this, and Morren blew upon her hands, trying to warm them.
Ewan led them into a grove of trees for shelter from the storm. He brought his horse up beside hers, asking, “Do you want to turn back or wait out the storm?”
Morren hesitated. Though it was wiser to return to Gall Tír, she had no desire to revisit the longphort. “Let’s wait and see if it slows down.”
Her face must have shown her worry, for Ewan reached out and caught the reins of her horse. “Trahern can take care of himself, Morren. He’ll join us, soon enough. Don’t be afraid for his sake.”
Morren gave a slight nod, though his words didn’t reassure her. She didn’t trust Egill. The woundedLochlannachraider was merciless, and would not hesitate to strike back at Trahern, given the chance.
They rode into the circle of trees, and Ewan stopped their horses. The dry snow fell swiftly, making it impossible to build a fire. Morren huddled against one of the trees, staring out at the horizon for a glimpse of Trahern. Silently, she prayed that he would return to her.
Ewan walked to the edge of the woods and stood with his wife Honora. His arm slipped about her waist, and he spoke quietly with her. Honora leaned her head against his shoulder, and love seemed to emanate from the couple.
A slight ache of envy slipped within Morren’s heart, mingled with worry for her husband. But more than that, she couldn’t dispel the anxiety about what would happen when they reached Laochre. Trahern had always claimed that their marriage would be temporary, in order to gain his brother’s support.
Now that they had succeeded in punishing the Norse raiders, would Trahern end their union? The thought of being left behind at Glen Omrigh evoked such a loneliness. He didn’t love her. Not the way he’d loved Ciara. Though they had been intimate every night since their handfasting, she’d sensed him keeping a careful shield around his heart. He would make love to her, showing her new ways to find pleasure with their bodies. But afterwards, he would lie on his side, facing away from her. She didn’t know what to say or do, and so she tended to curl up away from him until sleep took her.
Heaven help her, she didn’t want him to set her aside. She wanted to remain married—to awaken beside Trahern, love him, and know that he would never leave her.
Her hand moved down to her flat stomach. Aileen had said that it was unlikely she’d bear another child. If she were to become pregnant, the chance was strong that she’d miscarry again.
For a moment, she allowed herself to dream of a child. A babe with Trahern’s smile and his sharp intelligence. But those were wistful dreams that could never be.
She started to close off the idle thoughts, drawing her cloak tighter against her body. But then abruptly, her mind demanded,Why don’t you fight for him?
Morren stilled, wondering if it was possible. Could she win Trahern’s heart for herself? He’d turned her down last night, but she suspected she could get past his defenses if she tried hard enough. He was a man worth fighting for.
In spite of everything that had happened, she’d fallen in love with Trahern. And even if he hadn’t forgotten his love for Ciara, she couldn’t simply let him walk away from her.
I have to try.
It had grown colder, and her anxieties multiplied. No doubt Trahern was trying to track down Egill and the other raider. She no longer cared. An emptiness filled up the spaces within her. The men had been found and exiled. More than likely, they would die of their wounds, whether or not Trahern found them.
She started to walk toward Ewan and Honora when she caught sight of something in the snow. A discoloration of some sort.
Blood.
Whether it was human or animal, she didn’t know. “Ewan, will you come and look at this?” The trail continued through the snow, a path leading toward the side of a hill.
When Ewan came close, she asked, “What do you think it is?”
Please don’t let it be Trahern,Morren prayed.Let him be all right.
Ewan saw the direction of her gaze, but when she reached the outer edge of the trees, he called out, “Morren! Don’t go any further.”
“Why? It’s leading away from us. And what if it’s Trahern?” Though she obeyed him, remaining in place, she was afraid of what the blood meant.
“I’ll go and look.” Ewan unsheathed his sword and started to follow the tracks. Ahead, they heard the sound of muffled voices. “Honora, guard her,” he ordered his wife. “Morren, don’t leave this grove.”
