Pulling back the covers, I gesture for him to lie down. Once he’s in, I settle down beside him and pull the covers over us. Skarth settles into the cot beside us with Loki. Ulf and Sigrith take the remaining cot.
A dim fire burns in the corner of the room, providing warmth and light.
Skarth lies with our son, and I realize this is the first time they’ve slept side by side. Sune is soon asleep, nestled into me.
My life is complete.
However, there is one final thing I need to do, and everything will be perfect.
I slide my arm out from under the blanket and extend it to my side. A peace offering, perhaps? But when Ulf slips his hand into mine, I know that he and I will forever be unfinished business because only now is everything perfect.
I fall asleep with my hand enclosed in Ulf’s, dreaming of what tomorrow holds.
Sixteen
Skarth the Godless
I wake before anyone else.
And although I’ve only had a couple of hours’ sleep, I am rested. That’s because I am finally with my family. It doesn’t bother me as much as it would have in the past, waking to see Emeline’s hand in Ulf’s. He continues to prove his loyalty time and time again. And although he is in love with my woman, I cannot hate him. He saved my children, so I’m indebted to him for the rest of my life.
The urge to stab him in the throat always lingers, but it’s not as predominant as it once was.
I must accept that Emeline loves him.
Will I share her?
Absolutely not.
She is mine, and I will happily string Ulf up by his cock if he ever proposes such a thing.
But if she wanted to, then I would give in.
Emeline is a modern woman who has never allowed society's norms to dictate how she lives or loves. That is one of the many reasons I fell in love with her.
But it still hurts to see her take comfort in someone other than me. Especially when that someone is Ulf.
“Good morrow, Skarth the Godless. I am famished. Shall we go hunt?” Even his voice is infuriating.
I merely grunt in response, not interested in speaking to him as I continue surveying the damage done to the monastery structure. Just because I have accepted Emeline’s feelings for him does not mean I want to be anywhere near him.
“Did someone not sleep well?” he mocks with a grin.
“You were clearly dropped on your head at birth.”
A laugh erupts from Ulf. “Cheer up, Vinr. We finally have a fair fight on our hands.”
“I will only be cheered up when I am staring at Aethelbald’s head on a spike.”
“That visual does rather warm the cockles of my belly. And what of Emeline?”
“What of her?” I ask, glaring at Ulf.
He smirks, enjoying seeing me riled up. “I meant what of her crown?”
“I do not know what the future holds for any of us,” I confess truthfully. “If I were told weeks ago that you would be the one to save my children, I would have scoffed. But here we are.”
Ulf is quiet, which is a first.
