Leaping to his feet, he hurried inside. ‘One moment!’
‘What are you doing?’ she called after him in astonishment.
‘Stay there. I will not be long!’ he directed over his shoulder as he strode back inside, sweeping up the furs and blankets from his bedding roll before returning with them. ‘Wrap yourself in these. I just need to get something from the barn.’
She chuckled at his strange behaviour, but took them with a nod. A little while later, he had dragged out the old brazier from the barn and had a little fire burning between them. Embla was wrapped up in furs, while he sat with his old bearskin gathered around him.
As he predicted, the magical waves began to burn brightly across the star-strewn sky.
‘The lights are strong tonight. You would not wish to miss them,’ he said, and she gave him a tender smile that stole his breath, forcing him to look at the sky instead or be swept away by her.
Splashes of green-and-blue light shivered like ribbons across the sky. The swirling displays were a gift from the gods that always awed him no matter how many times he had seen them. But for some reason they seemed even more magical with Embla beside him.
‘They are so bright this side of the mountain,’ she whispered, wonder shining in her pretty blue eyes. He doubted it; the Bifrost would be no brighter here than at Gudvangen, but it filled him with pride to know she preferred it here.
‘Sometimes I watch them with the children...’ she added, a sadness dimming the joy within her for a moment, until she appeared to deliberately brighten her expression. ‘But they get bored easily, especially when they are tired. So it is lovely to just sit and enjoy them. Thank you.’
‘You will see them again in the spring,’ he replied, hoping to give her comfort, but then realising how much he had ignored the prospect himself. An endless winter did not seem so terrible to him. In fact, he would gladly keep Embla with him forever if he could. He had grown used to her living with him, and he would miss her badly when she was gone.
‘True,’ she said, this time with more genuine cheer. ‘I should probably enjoy the peace while I can. This time of year, the boys go wild being stuck indoors for so long.’
‘I bet you are relieved when the spring comes.’ He nodded, but felt a little sour, wondering if she would be glad to be free of him too.
‘Oh, there are things to love about the winter. The Yuletide celebrations for one. Even though it is hard work, I still love it. The feasting, the stories, the music...’ She gave a deep sigh. ‘But I will miss all the fun this year.’
‘I do not like the sound of that,’ he said grimly.
‘Yuletide?’ she laughed.
‘No, you missing it. Maybe we can celebrate it here as well so you do not feel as if you have missed out.’ Already he was trying to think of what he would need. ‘But you will need to tell me about it—my family never really celebrated it.’
Yuletide was one of the many celebrations Runar had never fully understood as a child. When the Gudvangen children had talked about the festivities with excitement he had always moved away, not wanting to reveal how little he knew about it.
But he was sure Embla would not ridicule his lack of knowledge.
A pleased and wistful expression warmed her face when she spoke, even though her words sounded more like a denial. ‘No, there is no need. We would need ale or mead, a feast, a Yule log to burn, and decorations... It would be silly, and such a waste.’
‘I want to do it,’ he said firmly.
She blinked, a little surprised by the force of his command. ‘Well, I suppose we could do a small celebration. I could think of a list of things we might need, and see what we have...’
‘Good, before the weather turns, I will journey to my mother’ssiidaand get whatever you need, as well as some herbs. I remember you saying how you missed your own blends.’
‘But...how long will that take?’ cried Embla, looking more horrified than he had expected. He’d thought she would welcome more supplies.
‘Two days.’
‘Two days!’ she gasped, staring at him as if he had said he was leaving her for a year.
It was oddly pleasing to know that she would miss him. ‘Yes...but you will only be alone for one night, and I will leave Sten as a guard.’
‘Please,’ begged Embla, reaching across and squeezing his arm tightly. ‘I could not bear it—to be left alone here. What if something happened to you? Let me come with you at least.’
‘It will be a tiring journey.’
A blush crept up her neck, but she nodded firmly. ‘I can do it.’
‘You would be safer and more comfortable here with Sten.’ But then he thought of the reindeer carcass he had seen earlier, and he began to change his mind. ‘If youdoinsist on coming with me...’
