“Tormund!” His voice came out rougher than intended, carrying across the courtyard. A broad-shouldered man with a graying beard hurried forward, bowing low. “Take Lady Claricia tae the chambers we’ve prepared. See that she has everythin’ she needs—clothes, food, hot water fer bathin’.”
“Aye, me jarl.”
“Me cousin will see tae her comfort.”
Claricia’s eyes widened. “Yer cousin?”
“Aye. Liv will help ye settle in. She’s—” He paused, searching for words. “She’s capable. And kind. Ye’ll like her.”
“I doubt that,” Claricia muttered, but Erik caught the flicker of relief in her expression.
“Go on then,” he said, gentler now. “Rest. We’ll speak again at supper.”
She looked like she wanted to argue, but exhaustion had carved shadows under her eyes and painted her skin too pale. With visible reluctance, she followed Tormund toward the keep, glancing back once before disappearing through the doorway.
Erik watched until she was gone, then turned to find Aksel studying him with an expression that made him want to hit something.
“Dinnae,” Erik warned.
“Dinnae what?”
“Whatever ye’re thinkin’. Just… dinnae.”
Aksel’s mouth curved in that infuriating way that meant he was absolutely going to say it anyway. “She’s gotten under yer skin already.”
“She’s me betrothed. Of course she’s?—”
“Nae. This is different.” Aksel’s expression grew serious. “I’ve kent ye twenty years, Erik. I’ve seen ye with women—hasty tumbles in dark corners, naethin’ more. But the way ye look at her…” He shook his head. “The way ye look at her is dangerous.”
“She hates me.”
“She’s nay fool. Give her time.”
“Time.” Erik laughed, the sound bitter. “We have two days before we wed. Then what? We play at bein’ husband and wife while she counts the minutes until she can escape back tae her faither’s hall?”
“Or,” Aksel said quietly, “ye could try givin’ her a reason tae stay.”
Erik turned away, unable to meet his friend’s eyes. Because that was the thing that terrified him most. Not that Claricia would hate him forever. But that somehow, against all odds and common sense, he might convince her not to.
And then he’d have something to lose again.
“Send word tae Harald and the others,” he said instead, his voice hard with command. “Tell them their presence is requested at supper taenight. We’ll dine in the Great Hall.”
“All of them?”
“Aye. Let them meet the bride.” He started toward the keep, then paused. “And Aksel? Make sure the prisoner is secured in the north wing. I want guards posted at all times.”
“Ye think he’ll talk?”
“I think someone wanted me bride dead or captured.” Erik’s hands clenched into fists. “And I’m goin’ tae find out who. Whatever it takes.”
He left Aksel in the courtyard and climbed the steps to his castle, the weight of the coming days pressing down on his shoulders like armor. Two days until the wedding. Two days to turn a woman who despised him into a wife.
Two days to convince himself this marriage wasn’t already doomed.
The door swung shut behind him with the finality of a prison gate closing.
Or maybe,the first uncertain step toward somethin’ else entirely.
