A bear, its mouth opened in a silent scream. Etched in angry red lines for the rest of eternity.
“They marked you?” His words were a low growl, reverberating down her body and lodging in her stomach. “Theyburnedyou?” Rurik’s rage was palpable, radiating off him into the night sky and sending goosebumps rushing up her arms. “Who…whohas done this to you?”
She shook her head, lights dancing in her vision. Panic was climbing through her, infecting her body like the plague.
Rurik shook himself, and when he spoke, his voice was softer. “Breathe,” he said. “It is me, Winterwing. It is only us.” Again, he gathered her to him, stroking her hair until her body calmed. But when at last she opened her eyes, she was met with a glare that could shatter glass.
“You must tell me who did this,” said Rurik. “It was Ivar?"
“No.”
“Who?”
She shook her head.
“The name,” he gritted.
“I cannot.”
“Infuriating woman,” he growled. His eyes seemed inhumanly green, the air vibrating all around him. “If you do not give me the name, I will go back into the hall and question every person with my dagger.”
Waves of shivers rolled through her, and Rurik blinked, seeming to regain some control of himself. “Forgive me, Winterwing. I did not mean to frighten you. Come. Let us return to castle.” Taking her hand in his, Rurik turned.
She wet her lips. “Magnus.”
He stilled. Was silent a long moment. Slowly, Rurik turned. “Why?”
Saga took a deep breath. And then she forced the words out. At first, they took enormous effort, but the more she spoke, the easier it became. And though she’d never intended to, Saga found herself telling himeverything. “‘Now when you look at your hands, Saga,’” she finished, “‘you’ll remember that you’re property. Nothing but a worthless pet.’”
Rurik’s eyes shut, his body tense as a bowstring. He was silent for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again, they were filled with regret.
“I called you this when we met. I called youlittle pet of Ivar.” He cursed under his breath, reaching for her hands. Bringing her scarred flesh to his mouth, his lips brushed reverently across first one, then the other. “Forgive me.”
“You didn’t know,” she managed, swallowing the hot burn of tears. “Few do.”
“What was his punishment?” asked Rurik tightly. “What was done to Magnus for his crime?”
Saga cast her eyes to the ground. “Nothing. The king has never spoken of it. Signe advised me to wear gloves to hide my shame. And that was the end of it.”
He pulled her to his chest, wrapping himself around her. Saga closed her eyes, listening to the angry thump of his heart.
“You are no pet. Do not forget this.”
“I know,” she said mildly. “I told you so when I met you.”
He choked out a laugh. “So you did.”
Saga sighed into his hold, wishing they could stay like this for all eternity. But the burn of panic was growing hotter within.Safety!her body screamed.Flee!Yet still, she could not let go. Just one more moment like this, one more before facing reality…
If her eyes weren’t open, Saga would have missed it. A flash of red at the corner of the hedges. The rain had stopped, and the air was clear and still. And for a full second, Saga stared into Yrsa’s widened eyes.
Yrsa turned and fled, and Saga pulled herself from Rurik.
“We must go.”
Chapter Seventy-Three
KOPA
