“I saw Ivar’s body,” he ground out, wanting to touch her again. “Who killed him?”
She motioned over his shoulder. He turned and saw young Alric. “You?”
A thread of fear passed over Alric’s features but he stood strong against Wolf’s scrutiny. “Aye. He had torn her clothes and struck her and—”
Wolf, stood to his feet and held up his palm to stop him from speaking further “I am in your debt, Alric.”
The boy’s eyes opened wider. He finally smiled and looked at his feet.
They heard Hild running before they saw her. She ran from another room and when she spotted Wolf, she squealed with happiness.
“Uf!” she exclaimed and held up her arms for him to pick her up.
Like an obedient servant, he did as he was told.
“Lee came back!”
He gave Camelee a surprised look, but her gaze was on Hild, along with a tender smile. Were things better between them? It seemed so. He was glad.
“I must go see the king and tell him I have returned, and my journey was successful. Will you wait for me?”
When both Camelee and Hild said yes, he thought about who he’d been asking. He thought Hild, but now he wasn’t sure. “I will keep Odger outside and Alric with you inside for one more hour and then I will return.”
Alric straightened his shoulders and nodded.
Wolf handed Hild over to Camelee and stared in the latter’s eyes. He wanted to kiss her, to take hold of her and kiss…no, she was hurt. He would kiss her softly and…no, he was too afraid of hurting her, or maybe she would reject him. What if she was angry with all men for what happened? He knew he would be, were he a woman.
But her smile heated on him. She did not seem angry. Did she want to kiss him?
He had to leave. He grinned at her. “It is good to be back.”
She veiled her gaze beneath her lush lashes, making him want to—he had to leave.
He raced out and after asking half a dozen people where the king was, ran to the small chapel to meet with him.
He slipped onto the wood bench near Cnut and waited respectfully, silently praying words of his own with the Lord.
“It is good to have you back, Ulf,” the king finally said. “Did you find Fin?”
“Yes. He has likely gone to clean up before seeing you.”
“Oh? Did you leave him?”
Wolf wanted to close his eyes and groan. “Yes.”
“To come to me?”
“Yes…and—” he cleared his throat and explained about seeing Ivar dead just beyond the wall and how he got that way. “I wanted to see that my servants were well. One of them was attacked.”
“Yes, I know.” Cnut leaned in and whispered close to his ear. “The queen would skin me alive if she heard me say anything other than, yes, I understand your haste to see to her.”
Wolf didn’t know whether to laugh or pity the king for giving her so much power.
“Especially when it comes to your Camelee,” the king continued. “Emma is quite fond of her.”
“That is good news, Sire,” Wolf said with a slight smile.
“Do you believe in Him, Ulf? The One?”
