He laughed a bitter laugh. “Yes, Ingrid preferred his company to mine, as well.”
“You are being ridiculous,” she said. “You told me you needed to keep up the appearance that he is your son. And…”
“And?”
“I know what it is like to have a new stepmother. I would prefer not to treat Einar the way I was treated. Is that so unreasonable?”
The silence stretched between them, and then another bout of dizziness rushed through her. She cried out as her head spun, then realised it was a vision overwhelming her.
She was in Håkon’s field again. She heard the crackle of the fire and wondered why her vision was of the past and not the future. Then she realised this was different. She turned slowly, feeling the presence of death all around her. A cow fell to its knees, then crumpled onto its side.
The fire was no out-of-control blaze, but one tended by Håkon. She smelled burning flesh. This was no cooking fire—it was a pyre of dead beasts. She screamed at the sight of empty eyes and tongues lolling out of heads.
“The animals,” she murmured. “In Håkon’s field, the animals are dying.”
A raven croaked high above. She looked up, trying to see it through the thick, black smoke. Suddenly, it cleared, and she could see the raven flying with its partner over the fortifications of a keep. Then she was flying with them, looking down on the world. She spread her wings and soared, sure now it was Car Cadell below her.
She landed on grass outside the palisade and looked towards the fort. The rays of the dying sun illuminated the familiar stone structure. Around it were the walls of the courtyard and beyond that the wooden palisade, stained dark in places. She reached out a hand to touch the stain. Ravens croaked overhead, and when she drew back her hand, it was red with blood. She screamed.
She grabbed onto something solid beside her, then slowly she realised it was Tormod. She was cradled tightly in his arms, but they were no longer alone. Björn, Ulf and Arne were all crowded into the room as well, and when she heard a noise in the doorway, she saw Ragna ushering Einar outside.
“Well,” Björn said, clearly shaken. “If you are not murdering your wife, then we will leave you in peace.” He and Arne stepped back towards the door. Ulf didn’t move, but watched as Tormod laid her down on the bed.
“It was a bad dream,” she said, swallowing. She reached for the drink Ragna had brought her earlier, cold now, but it helped calm her. “That was all.”
Tormod and Ulf stared at each other, then Ulf turned and strode purposefully out the door. “You should sleep,” Tormod said, running a hand over her forehead. For a moment, she almost told him the truth about her dreams and visions, but fatigue swept over her. What had Ragna put in her drink? Her eyes drifted shut.
Chapter Twenty-seven
There was a knockat the door. Tormod went over and opened it but blocked the way into the room. Ragna took a step backwards into the hallway and he followed her, pulling the door closed behind him.
“How is she?” Ragna whispered.
“Sleeping.” Tormod frowned at his aunt. “What do you think is wrong with her?”
“Tormod.” Ragna sighed and smiled. “It is likely she carries your child.”
“But I have been—”
“Careful? Tormod, I have birthed nine children. Four of whom were conceived when my husband was ‘careful.’” She placed a hand on his arm. “And have you always been as careful as you should? Lust has a way of making us forget, which is how it should be between a man and his wife. Anything less and you are cheating each other. She is not a passing fancy or a concubine, Tormod. She is your wife.”
Tormod stepped away from Ragna. “No, it is too soon.”
“It is not, she has been here more than two months.” Ragna smiled slyly at him. “And Midsummer Eve is a popular time for babes to make their way into their mother’s bellies.”
Tormod thought back to their coupling after the short battle on the beach at Midsummer and knew he had no defence.
“She is nothing like your first wife, Tormod. No one will be concerned to know your new wife is now with child.” Ragna shook her head. “Perhaps you have been surrounded by enemies for so long you are seeing them everywhere.”
“I have had my enemy in my bed before.” He looked at the ground.
“Tormod.” Ragna waited until he looked up at her. “That was not the same and you know it. Einar’s motherwasyour enemy, and you should have seen that, but she was a clever and deceitful woman who fooled all of us.”
“My cousins were not deceived by her.”
“And that is fortunate for all of us, but my sons are suspicious of everyone and are particularly overprotective of you.”
“Then they shouldn’t be. It is I who is responsible for them.”
