She hadn’t realised she was holding her breath until his head tilted and he asked, shrewdly, ‘When did this begin? Was it your doing?’
Was he talking about the mutual lust growing between them?She couldn’t be certain, wasn’t sure if she could pin down the exact moment when she’d wanted him. It had come upon her like a quick flowing tide, swallowing her whole.
‘What do you mean?’ Her fingers flexed into the wool of his tunic, curving around his thick shoulders.
‘The village…was it your idea?’
‘Oh!’ Belatedly, she remembered what they’d been talking about only moments before and she felt as if she’d been thrown into the sea. Her hands dropped to her sides, heavy with disappointment, and she took a step away from him.
There was a brief moment when his hands tightened around her waist as if unwilling to let her go and then with a flustered expression he released her. He rocked back on his heels with a deep and husky clearing of his throat, that softened the blow of her disappointment and she smiled, finally answering his question. ‘Yes, it was my idea. Heimdall wasn’t convinced the widows could work the land as well as the men. But he liked the idea of freeing up more men for his raiding parties, so he allowed it. Not only did the widows produce more food than the men, they also spent their free time creating crafts. Now they had a community of women to help with raising the children, it was possible to work on other things as well. Over the last ten to fifteen years, their crafts have meant they are not only the food basket of the island, but they are successful traders in their own right.’
‘You are proud of them.’
‘I am.’
Movement from the hall caught her eye and she smiled broadly, as Brenna’s mother came running out to greet her, wiping her apron hastily as if she’d just come from preparing Nattmal—which Skadi imagined she would have been, knowing Gertrud as she did.
‘Gertrud!’ cried Astra with delight, already reaching down to Skadi, wishing to be helped down from the horse. To her surprise Agnar reached for her instead and without a moment’s hesitation Astra leapt into his arms and was gently set down on her feet in front of him. She ran forward and was embraced by Gertrud.
‘Greetings, Queen Skadi and King… Agnar,’ said Gertrud, a little hesitant over saying his name, possibly because Gertrud had only just learned of Skadi’s marriage. News was slow to reach the crafters—it was partly why Skadi had sent Oddmund on ahead. Although why Agnar was so reluctant to trust Oddmund was beyond her.
‘Greetings, Gertrud!’ said Skadi, hugging the woman before introducing her to Agnar. ‘Gertrud, is the leader of the village, she looked after me when I was a child and she is also Brenna’s mother.’
Was it her imagination, or did Agnar seem to take on a more respectful countenance after the introduction? It was as if he realised how important Gertrud was to her, which she was. She’d been like a mother to Skadi as a child—her father had been wonderful, but he’d also been a king with many duties to attend to.
It had been Gertrud who had nursed her through sickness and treated her grazed knees. She had been as loving to Brenna as she had been to Skadi and she now thought of Brenna as her sister because of it.
Agnar bowed to Gertrud and said, ‘You have done well. This is a fine village. I have been impressed by the crafts and food produced here. Thrudheim thanks you.’
Gertrud smiled pleasantly, obviously surprised by his praise and relieved to see the fearsomeWolf SlayerandUsurperof Thrudheim wasn’t as terrifying as she might have imagined. ‘Nattmal isn’t ready yet. We eat quite late at the village, so that we can use as much of the daylight as possible for our crafts and farming. Would you like to settle yourselves in the hall with some mead and cheese, or would you prefer to visit the workshops first?’
Astra was already running to play with the other children and she waited to see what Agnar wished to do. She wasn’t surprised when he requested to see the workshops. It was reassuring to know that he cared so much about the running of her kingdom. Heimdall had never been interested in the daily grind of ensuring life ran smoothly. He had always been searching for glory and excitement. First by marrying her and then by leaving her at every opportunity he had to go raiding.
She suspected Agnar was the opposite to Heimdall, but only time would tell for certain.
You also trusted Heimdall once!she reminded herself, and she winced at the memories of her blushing and fawning over Heimdall. How was that any different from her recent behaviour? It seemed that age did not grant you wisdom after all.
Chapter Twenty
As the sun set, Agnar realised it was now officially winter by the colours of the sky, which were painted with frosty pinks and ghostly blues. The frigid chill in the air confirmed it.
They moved into the hall and the cheerful chaos of at least a hundred people gathered together under one roof soared around him. Gertrud and Brenna sat with Astra on the same bench as them, as well as Vali, Oddmund and a few of the village elders.
Agnar was used to the carnage of battle, but not this cauldron of excited voices. His body became tense at every unexpected laugh or sudden movement.
‘Are you well?’ asked Skadi beside him, leaning closer until her arm brushed lightly against his. He focused on the movement, of the heat of her arm against his. The quickness of his heart didn’t change, but the reason for it was far more comfortable to accept.
‘I am fine,’ he lied and the little downturn of her mouth suggested she wasn’t pleased with his answer.
He smiled, leaning closer towards her and inhaling her scent—it was strangely calming. ‘Why would that not please you? It was only a few days ago that you wished me dead.’
She gave an imperious snort. ‘I have already lost one King. To lose another so quickly would seem clumsy, especially when it is not by my own hand.’
‘So now you are happy to keep me?’ he asked, unable to hide his grin, or the rush of pleasure through his body. He liked this playful teasing—after so much hostility it was a welcome change.
Skadi’s increasing warmth towards him over the last couple of days had given him hope. Of course, she was far too beautiful to grant him anything more than that so soon, and for the moment he had to remain patient. Perhaps, once the new bed was made and the threat of Sven diminished, she might be comfortable enough to… He shifted nervously, ending that thought before it fuelled his lust and drove him mad.
More than once, he’d wondered at her feelings towards him. Imagined lingering looks and flirtatious touches…Fool!They were most likely innocent reactions, but they had still almost killed him. He hadn’t realised how long he’d been starved of affection until Skadi’s wicked fingers had brushed his neck, his hand, his shoulder…
