Noelle’s jaw dropped.
“I was counting on your bride price father was going to collect from your future husband in Ireland to finance a larger army next year. And now you’ve ruined my chances by flaunting yourself before the Norse chieftain like a whore.” He jerked her toward the wall and flattened her left cheek against the stone. “You disobeyed my orders. Instead of staying in the woods with, Margaret, you pursued your own interests. I believe youwantedto attract his attention, to find a way out of here.”
“Who? I have no idea what you’re talking about. And why on God’s green earth would father go to such extraordinary measures to find a husband for me when he has two elder daughters to forge alliances with?”
The freezing stone numbed her face. Instead of answering her question, Brian twisted her arm and bent her wrist back until she let out a yelp.
“Deceptive little bitch.”
He let go, and she faced him. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot.
He grabbed a handful of hair and snapped her so close she could smell ale on his breath. “No matter where you go, I’ll hunt you down.” He bashed the back of her head against the window frame. “I’ll hunt you down and kill you!”
Cringing from his brutal words, Noelle finally burst. Through the blur of tears, she saw a warrior of tremendous proportion storm across the hall. He seized Brian’s arm and pried his fingers loose from her hair. She heard a loud snap as he curled Brian’s arm behind his back. Her brother stumbled and hollered, then dropped to his knees.
“Say it,” the colossal warrior demanded, visibly applying more pressure to his hand.
Brain tried to wrestle him down, but the stranger was larger and stronger—controlled him with little effort.
Although she detested her brother, her first instinct was to protect her own flesh and blood. Yet, it seemed a fitting punishment. Let Brian suffer the same mortification she felt whenever he embarrassed her, which happened too often.
Brain quit struggling. “Mercy,” he begged.
The Viking released him, and Brian staggered to his feet as gracelessly as a drunk.
“Is this how you treat your own kinswoman?” her rescuer asked.
“She’s faithless—no blood of mine. We’ve made our bargain Norseman, take her.” He stood rooted in place like a stubborn mule and faced her. “You’re a whore.” His words ripped through her.
How quickly he turned on her like a rabid dog. And for no good reason. Now he spoke about a bargain she knew nothing about and called her horrible names…Ophelia is dead and her murderer is walking freely amongst us, but my soulless brother speaks of anything else. Where is her body?Noelle’s anguish increased.
“So long as I serve a purpose I am your blessed sister, but the moment an opportunity is lost, you cast me aside like trash. What have I ever done to deserve this treatment?”
Brian threw his head back and laughed, then stared her down. “You killed my mother.”
Heart splayed-open, she felt dead inside—like she had slammed into a brick wall at a full run. Noelle covered her ears in an attempt to block out his vicious words. Blaming her because their mother died after giving birth to her was simply the cruelest thing he’d ever done. How can anyone hold her responsible for something she had no control over?Cuts and bruises always heal, but a wicked tongue destroys.
“Never again,” she vowed.
“Never what?” Brian repeated mockingly.
“What happened to Ophelia?”
The giant wedged himself between them as if he were preventing a fistfight. She didn’t like the stranger standing so close and backed away. His gray eyes washed over her like a torrent of hot water.
“He’s unworthy of your devotion, failed to tell you the truth—whyhekilled your sister.”
She nearly howled as her eyes flitted between them. Who should she believe?Why would this man lie? But how could Brian be guilty of killing Ophelia?
“Tell me,” she pleaded. “Convince me this is all just a misunderstanding.”
Brian ignored her, made no attempt at denial. He stared at the Norsemen with a lurid expression that made her insides churn. She wanted to run far away. Instead, she only wandered a few feet. She stopped in front of the windows again and watched the sunrise.
Noelle wanted answers. She whipped around and stalked across the hall with one man on her mind. She stopped in front of John. “Tell me, does the Norseman speak truthfully?”
The old soldier nodded, sadly. All the guards agreed. Regardless, she went down the line one by one just to confirm it.And after she finished with them, she looked upon the women. She shook her head.
“You shall not commit murder.” She recited the sixth commandment over and over again to keep herself from committing violence against her brother. Just barely, she managed to restrain herself.
